Aprilaire Stock No. 10 Water Panel

water filter
great product. It needs to be replaced twice a year or more according to my heating system engineer. water draining through the filter eventually causes it to clog and breakdown due to the minerals present in the water. When that happens there is the potential for pooling water to be drawn into the plenum causing flooding. so keep a few as spares...This not a fault of the product but rather well water sediments that corrode the metal.

Aprilaire #10 water panal
This water panal is hard to find in stores. Cheaper ones are made from a fiberglass material,very bad for mold, and doesn't last. This water panal is coated and of hard materail,and longer lasting.Although the price is high, it's well worth it.

Good product, no box - don't be fooled.
Its a good product at a good price. Came in plastic wrap, so the box in the picture is false advertising.

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Breville BJE510XL Juice Fountain Multi-Speed 900-Watt Juicer

The "Lexus" of juicers
We owned a refurbished Waring JEX328 juicer for about two years and my wife used it to make juice for our children and me almost every day. It held up fairly well and we paid almost nothing for it at the time (around 30 bucks, I think), but it finally cratered a couple of weeks ago. We debated for a while whether or not to replace it with this Breville model or the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro. We finally decided on this one because it had so many five star ratings and because it is an appliance we use so often, thus we thought it made sense to get the best one we could find, even with its steeper price. While I can't compare it to the Hamilton Beach model, I can compare it to the Waring model, and it beats the Waring model hands down.

As soon as you unpack the Breville you know you have a top quality piece of equipment. It does an outstanding job at juice extraction (the pulp is dryer than what the Waring produced, and the Waring actually did pretty well) and the...

A great appliance for what it is... a centrifugal juicer!!!
First of all, a distinction needs to be made on exactly what type of juicer the Breville is, only then will these reviews be helpful. The Breville belongs to a class of juicers called centrifugal juicers. These work by forcing the juicing item onto centrally located spinning blades that essentially finely grates it and then the contents are thrown outward onto a spinning screen (spinning at a thousand or more revolutions per minute)... this forces the juice through the screen while the pulp gets held back and eventually slides up the angled screen and gets thrown over the top and into a holding bin... and thus the juice is separated from the pulp. The other types of juicers are the masticating juicer, where the item is literally crushed in an auger (a big screw) and compressed so that the juice flows through a small screen in the bottom while the pulp is pushed forward where it gets ejected at the far end... and the other type is the citrus juicer which is basically an electrically...

Why I prefer this juicer to Green Star, Champion, and others:
The Breville BJE510XL Ikon 900-Watt Variable-Speed Juice Extractor is the third juicer I've owned, and is definitely my favorite. My cheap and easy-to-use Juiceman's motor burnt out after a year, at which point it would have been more expensive to repair than replace. My Champion still works after 15 years and is not difficult to clean, but is messy to use, leaving drips all over the countertop or whatever I line it with. I've also tried the Green Star and Green Power Juicers, which make perfect juice with dry pulp, but take a long time to clean and assemble. The Breville BJE510XL Ikon 900 is the second-down from the top of the line of the four Breville juicers (only the Elite is better), but after a month of use of about every-other-day use, I find no need to upgrade.

Here's why I like this juicer so much for my typical juice of carrot, kale, celery and apple and/or pear:

*Easy to set-up: It takes only seconds to set up this juicer. The juicer itself has...

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Ninja NJ600 Pro Blender

Does not blend to smooth consistency
I drink a lot of smoothies that contain frozen fruit and various vegetables. I was using a standard blender that could be purchased anywhere for normal household use. It was not powerful enough to handle all of the frozen fruit and items that I threw in it and the motor burnt out very quickly. I purchased the Ninja Blender to replace it, and here is my feedback after using it daily for two weeks:

Perks:

It is very powerful. I can fill it full of frozen fruit, various vegetables and greens, and it blends them very quickly and effortlessly. For that, I love it! It has a large pitcher that is easy to pour from. It is easy to clean-no need to disassemble it, the design is brilliant in that the parts are solid and well constructed, and easy to remove from the base to wash.

Downfalls:

It DOES NOT blend to a smooth consistency! If the most important feature of a blender for you is that it blend the contents smoothly, this IS NOT the blender for...

It's awesome!
My wife and I just heard about the Ninja Blender a couple days ago. I've heard in the past that the amount of power (watts) is one of the most important factors to look for when looking for a blender. This one has 100O watts of power, which is more than any of the blenders that I know about around this price level.

I actually used to use my parent's vitamix for a couple years a few years ago and that thing was the best blender ever. Earlier this year, we bought the Blendtec from Costco and loved it, but ended up returning it because it was just too expensive. So anyway, we had a coupon for Bed Bath and Beyond and we figured if the Ninja Blender sucked, then we could return it easily. I wasn't expecting all that much since it is only 1/4th the price of a Vitamix or Blendtec. I guess I shouldn't be comparing in the first place, but those are the only blenders that did not break and worked very well when making my frozen fruit smoothies. I have tried a number of cheaper...

Great Blender
I got this blender today so it has only been used twice. However, I LOVE it so far...made "snow" in a jiffy. My main use will be for smoothies and it is a champ at making these clump free. I used all frozen fruit and nuts in mine today and it blended them right up. The container is huge and made perfect sized smoothies for my family of 3. I was in the market for the Blendtec total blender and while I'm sure it would be an AWESOME blender, it's just too expensive for my smoothie habits right now. Hopefully, this blender will be around for a few years. It is really sturdy on my cabinet as well. I love the fact that the container must be locked on before the machine will power up. Another reviewer mentioned the size was tall...it is a tall machine! I will have put the container in a cabinet and leave the base on countertop. It measured 17" from counter to top of the container with the lid locked on top. About 7" deep measuring from front to back of the base.
Hope this...

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Shark Navigator Elite Professional Lift-away Rotator - Model NV501

Very pleasantly surprised
*** 8 Month Update at the bottom of this review ***

First let me start by saying that overall as a brand I strongly dislike Shark. I don't have anything against them personally but the endless annoying and trashy infomercials and the fact that a lot of their older vacuums sucked beyond belief, I honestly am not too thrilled with them as a company.

A few years ago I got a Bissell Pet Hair Eraser vacuum, model 3920, and very quickly became disappointed with it. It sucked well, but within minutes the plastic piece at the top, the one responsible for making the airflow rotate got clogged up with fur and the suction went down dramatically. Emptying the dust cup was the worst part of it, it made a horrible mess all over the place. I suffered with that vacuum for a couple years and recently decided that my time was worth more than putting up with that crap. I started looking around Amazon for vacuums with the best reviews. Dysons, Hoovers, Eurekas etc, but the...

Best vacuum I've ever had the pleasure of using!
After reading reviews for the Dyson and Shark Rotator for weeks I went with the Rotator, more specifically the NV502 model found at Bed Bath & Beyond. It was a CINCH to assemble and I was able to use it not more than 5 minutes after opening the box. The suction on this thing is AMAZING, it practically propels itself when on the vacuum base. It's cut my vacuuming time to 1/4 of the time it took with my commercial Royal vacuum! I also own a small cleaning service with a handful of weekly accounts and its made my accounts so much easier to clean, my clients are AMAZED by how much nastiness gets pulled from their carpets (as am I).

So glad I read the review left by Michael Flux as he really did a thorough job explaining all the different models and accessories they include. I have yet to use the car cleaning kit but will soon.

I suggest anyone looking to buy this vacuum to get it at Bed Bath & Beyond, for a couple reasons. One, you get more accessories with the NV502...

Wow!!!
A little background. I live with two cats. I have both hardwood floors and carpet. My furniture is velour with soft cushions. I use Tidy Cats clumping litter for two litter boxes. Tidy Cats is a round pellet type litter and it gets everywhere. The cats, while short haired, shed quite a lot and I've only just been keeping up with the shed fur with regular vacuuming, grooming and sticky rolls. In short I desperately needed a new vacuum, but which one? I could take out a thirty year mortgage and buy a Dyson, but everything I've read says that there are several very good alternatives available to this. Ok, so once again, which one? After reading Micheal Flux's(thanks Michael!) review and the fact that it's almost less than half the Dyson DC41 Animal Complete I decided to purchase the Shark.

This is going to be in initial review of the machine, I'm hoping to update it as I use it more and more.

First of all, I was surprised at how easy it was to put together...

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Char-Broil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared Oil-less Turkey Fryer

Some Cajuns Like the Big Easy!!!
We have been "Deep Frying" turkeys in oil for nearly two decades and I must say that the "Big Easy" is an AWESOME piece of equipment!

We received a call from a friend in Cajun country and he told us that we should buy the Big Easy. We bought it from Amazon back in Feb 2008. We did not use the fryer until yesterday, for Thanksgiving. We were shocked! It was easy to use and there is hardly anything to clean up . If you follow the directions, you will not go wrong. Before we used the fryer, I went to the Charbroil site and read the tips and updated information concerning the fryer.

You only have to do this the first time you use the fryer:

1. After you put the fryer together, DO NOT put anything in the fryer other than the basket and turn on the fryer for 15 minutes.
2. After the fryer has cooled, spray Pam in the fryer, place the basket in the fryer and turn on the fryer for 10 mins.
3. After the fryer has cooled, put some olive or peanut oil...

Great cooking tool!
This is a great cooking tool! It takes about 15-20 minutes to assemble (unfortunate, but I'm sure it reduces the cost to the consumer as well). The craftsmanship isn't A-grade because of sharp edges and such, but overall it is sturdy enough to seem like it will last a long time.

I wanted to test it out before Thanksgiving, so I bought a 12 lbs turkey to try it out. The turkey took about 2 hours and 15 minutes to cook, which is a little longer than their estimated time (the outside temperature was rather low at 30 degrees F).

The result? Delicious. The skin was nice and crispy, and the inside meat was extremely moist.

The fryer is easy to use, and it can be used for cooking all kinds of meats. I'm really excited to cook a bigger bird on Thursday!

Justin Wilson would be proud
First, The Big Easy (TBE) cooks much faster than a "regular" turkey fryer. From start to finish, a turkey in TBE takes a total time of about 8-10 minutes per pound plus about 10-15 minutes to clean (by leaving it on) and a few minutes to cool down. Traditional oil frying may take much less time per pound but you have to heat the oil for an hour and then you have several hours of cooling, disposal, and cleaning time remaining.

TBE not only gives you the same crispy skin and incredibly moist flesh as traditional frying but you can also -
- use a dry rub without having it wash off in the oil
- put some "savories" in the cavity
- use fine wood chips for a light smoke flavor
- make "beer can chicken" or similar recipes
- baste during cooking

I've also used it for chicken (whole & parts), duck. leg of lamb, and various cuts of pork & beef and had great results every time.

The only problems I've heard about usually have to...

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DUXTOP 1800-Watt Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner 8100MC

Necessity - Then Convert - Updated
I swear by gas stoves. Wouldn't buy a house that didn't have gas. It was my ONLY show-stopper condition when we were house shopping. I was flexible on everything but that.

I cooked A LOT. The only reason I bought an induction cooktop was because I wore out both sides of the inserts on my [brand name] gas cooktop (they rusted to bits from constant use) and since I wanted time before I decided what my replacement would be, I ordered one of these to tide us over. We had the grill insert, so with one "burner" and a double grill, I'd have time to think.

I was shocked at how great the Duxtop induction cooktop was. I was a tough sell, but they won me over.

Water (for pasta) came to boil faster than my gas stove ever did. Peanut oil, for frying chicken, was also ready faster than anything I'd ever experienced with gas, and it stayed hot (I burned the first batch!). It has also been marvelous for wok cooking, and that's what made me a total convert. I've had to...

Very powerful and reliable induction cooktop
This Duxtop is my 2nd induction cooktop. The 1st one is working fine, but has only 1300W. I did enjoy the no flame heating of induction cooking, but the other big advantage of induction cooking device is the fast heating, which is missing with my 1300W cooktop. Now I have this more powerful duxtop cooker, I can tell you the cooking speed is really amazing. How fast is it? I did a test heating up the same amount of water using 1300w induction cooktop and my 1800w duxtop. It took the 1300w 6mins to boil the water, but it took duxtop only 2mins and 40secs to boil the same amount of water. That is over 100% percent saving of your precious time. If you are looking for a powerful and reliable induction cooktop or just want to see if induction cooking technology is something you may interested in, I will recommend this duxtop.

Wow! Can't wait to get a 4 hob induction cooktop now!
We bought this to see how we would like Induction cooking since we will be replacing our stove soon. I had read about induction on some other web pages and thought this would be a good way to try it out.

So it's been a month and let me put it this way - this is our "go to" burner when we need to cook something on the stove. We set it up on our countertop (old laminate not granite) next to our also old cooktop. All we can say is WOW!! It is fast and leaves no heat in the kitchen like our old electric burner. (Important when you live in the South and it's in the 90's everyday.) There doesn't seem to be much or any heat coming off the bottom - our countertop is still cool when we're done using the Duxtop.

There is a fan that turns on when you start it. That is to keep the magnets cool and when you turn the burner off, the fan runs for a short time - just a few min - afterward and then shuts off. My husband couldn't believe how fast it boiled water and cooked...

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Proctor Silex 33015Y 1-1/2-Quart Round Slow Cooker

Great product!
This is a quality product, perfect for cooking for 1-3 people (smaller families, college students, etc.). I highly recommend it. It is so easy to use and fuss-free. Also, most smaller crock pots have only one setting, but this one has three (high, low, and keep warm). It has a nice glass lid and a removable ceramic crock, both of which you can clean in the dishwasher. I use mine at least a few times a week, and I'm very satisfied with the purchase.

Excellent for empty nester .... or a student!
This little slow cooker has everything you need: removable crock, longer cord, three (*3*) heat settings, glass metal-rimmed lid, small footprint. As far as I can tell, it doesn't overheat, even on high. I just made a wonderful roast in it: about 1.5 lbs chuck roast (trimmed), 1 medium Walla Walla sweet onion, 2/3 can low-sodium beef broth, 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce, and 1 Tbsp no-salt garlic/herb seasoning blend; brown the roast in a little oil, put in crock with other ingredients; cook on high for 4.5 hrs or on low for 8 hrs should do the trick; thicken the juice with a little cornstarch for gravy to serve over mashed potatoes --- HEAVEN!!!

It's the perfect size for 2-3 chicken breast halves, a small pork roast or a pork tenderloin or two, a nice small pot of soup, etc. You should get enough for a meal today plus leftovers for a couple of additional meals.

Clean up is a breeze with the removable crock, and the exterior of the unit cleans just fine with a...

Buy it!
If you're looking for a small slow cooker for dips, appetizers, whatever, this is it. It's got 2 of the most important features to look for in a slow cooker, a removable crock and a keep warm setting. I don't know why, but these features are kind of hard to find on smaller crock pots. I have another one this size that only has an on and off setting with no removable crock. It will never be used again.

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Hamilton Beach 67601 Big Mouth Juice Extractor, Black

Good for the money
My wife and I have been using this juicer on a regular basis for a few months now, so we have good idea of what it can do. This is a good juicer for semi-regular use making quantities of a quart or less. We ask a lot of our juicer making four or five quarts at a time a couple of times a week. After about four months of regular use, we've noticed that the cutter/basket is getting a little dull, so we aren't getting as much juice from our produce, and it doesn't cut as quickly. The good news is that replacement baskets are only $12 on the Hamilton Beach website. This compares to around $50 to replace the Breville equivalent part. The bad news is that I just went to order a couple and they were out of stock, so I'm stuck with the dull one for now. For this reason I'm giving four stars instead of five. I may change that to three if they don't get the cutter/baskets back in stock soon. Update: The Hamilton Beach website now has them in stock. I ordered two and they were quickly...

Almost perfect
I purchased this juicer after reading the book "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" in which they recommend very nice juicers ranging from $300-$400+. After checking Consumer Reports in which this Hamilton Beach juicer is one of their recommended buys, it seemed to be a no-brainer. This thing rocks! Leftover pulp is dry dry dry, I can't imagine any other juicer doing a better job of extracting all the juice. And it doesn't matter what it is - apples, oranges, cucumbers, carrots, leafy greens like spinach and kale, it makes juice of them all with ease. And clean up is a snap (and I HATE appliances that are not easy to clean, and usually end up not using them just so I don't have to clean them). This juicer comes with a handy little brush that gets in all the little spaces and cleans the filter with little to no effort. Very few pieces - just rinse the 4 pieces with hot water and brush clean the filter and that's it! Easy peasy.
The one reason I didn't give it a perfect 5...

Great juicer
So I bought this juicer from walmart back in June 2007 for only $45. I used it daily since. Love this juicer. I got it for my own health, but ended up getting my kid hooked as well :)
Well, today it stopped working. The motor broke, and the rubber started smoking right in the middle of carrot/lettuce/beet juice :(
I was disappointed to see the price go up so much, because I really wanted the same one. But 3 years of daily use, I'd say thats pretty good for an inexpensive juicer.
Would recommend this to anyone.

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Danby DAR195BL 1.8 cu.ft. All Refrigerator - Black

Sounds Like a Mini Airplane Getting Ready for Take-Off! It Does Get Stuff Really Cold!--> Problem Now Resolved.
I wanted a refrigerator that would get really cold, was black and had more room than one with a freezer which I knew I would rarely use. So, based on the good reviews I purchased this Danby DAR195BL 1.8 cu.ft. All Refrigerator - Black.

This compact fridge is very nice. I wanted to mostly use it for drinks, and some lunch stuff/snacks and quick meal items like a carton of eggs, salad dressings and cheeses/luncheon meats; maybe a loaf of bread. They went in with room to spare. The slots for soda/beer cans and my once a day 9.5 oz. bottles of iced Starbuck's Frappucino are nice, everything slid in perfectly. Plus it fits a 2-liter bottle of soda in the door or a quart of milk and a quart of orange juice. Nice 11" depth on the top 2 shelves but items can overhang by another 2", so ideal for leftovers or take-out. Only the bottom shelf is shorter, about 6.5" deep. But so far great! And when you get the...

Ice-cold drinks!!
I'd read some reviews on other sites for this model about how lots of people had to adjust the temp because their drinks were too cold (or even freezing). Since that's how cold I want my fridge to be able to cool, I bought one. The other reviews were right! The unit is advertised to keep a temp that's 40 degrees cooler than the surrounding temp. I can testify it does that and more. I have this in in an office environment at work, which is always near 70 degrees. The first time I got this fridge running it cooled down to the high 20's - my drinks were partially frozen and undrinkable. That means this fridge is capable of cooling to a little more than 40 degrees than it's surrounding temp. Perfect! I merely adjusted the temp a little so now it hovers around the low 30's. That means I can depend on my drinks being ice-cold. The knob for adjusting the temp is in the back, so it's a little hard to reach. But fortunately it's near the top, so you don't need to pull out the fridge...

Freezes without a freezer compartment
I bought this model based on Musicdex's recommendation above. Everything (s)he says is right on the mark. I've had food freeze in this fridge, so it probably can keep a frozen entree frozen or pretty darn close.

It's also very quiet. I have it under my desk at work, where I'm in an equally quiet area of the office. Love it, love it, love it.

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Honeywell Fresh Breeze Tower Fan with Remote Control, HY-048BP

This fan BLOWS!
I bought one of these fans locally and I liked it so much that I ordered another one from Amazon.

Here are the pros and cons as I see them.

Pros:

1. It pushes a lot of air - I can get a nice breeze from as far as 25 feet away.

2. It doesnt take up a lot of room.

3. It is not ugly like many fans are.

4. The remote control with flashlight is a nice feature even though I rarely use it. For the person who complained about one LED being burned out straight out of the box. Only one LED is for the flashlight. The other is for the remote control functions and doesnt illuminate.

Cons

1. The breeze feature is kind of annoying because of the fluctuation of the noise level.

2. You have to hold the remote in a specific postition to make it work. If the fan is oscillating, its hard to find that position.

Nice controls, but not the best air flow/noise
I have central AC, but my home office is typically a few degrees warmer than the rest of the house. I decided to add a fan to help cool the area off, but I wanted the quietest fan that did the job. I ended up ordering the following three fans through Amazon for comparison:

- Lasko 4924 Space-Saving High-Velocity 3-Speed Oscillating Blower Fan (HVB)
- Honeywell Digital Tower Fan with Remote and Ionizer
- Lasko 42 In. Wind Curve Tower Fan

I'll start with the quick summary for the TL;DR crowd. In terms of air flow, from highest to lowest, the ranking is: HVB >> Wind Curve > Honeywell. In terms of noise, from loudest to quietest: HVB > Honeywell > Wind Curve. Thus, the fan with the best air flow for the noise generated, and the one I...

Excellent
This is a wonderful fan. It takes up little space, circulates a lot of air, has a larger oscillating range than others I have had, and is very quiet. The remote is a nice bonus, since you can make it stop blowing on you without having to get up. The only down side I can think of is that the fan is so low to the ground; if you like feeling it on your face or do not have an open area to put it in be prepared to have to put it on top of something such as a desk or table or consider finding a standing fan instead.

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BISSELL Perfect Sweep Turbo Cordless Rechargeable Sweeper, 2880A

Simply easy cleanups
I have had this Bissell sweeper for a few years now, after trying a couple of other brands, and am always amazed at what it picks up. My grandsons will drop veggies and other food, playdo, anything else involved in eating and playing on the floor. This sweeper picks it all up, and I use it also for a quick vacuum on the living room carpet between regular vacuuming. Picks up all the lint to make for a fresh look. Also the best for throw rugs, as it does not suck them up but vacuums them nicely. Wouldn't be without it for a day, bought this one for my daughter, she loves it also! If it broke tomorrow, I'd be purchasing another one right away.

Lightweight and efficient
I bought this to replace the broom I used to sweep our laminate floors. It has cut my floor care cleaning time in half. It will clean the area between the floor and carpet as well. Just remember to put the brushes toward the area you want cleaned, as it will not pick up along the side as some vacuums do. I am very satisfied with this purchase.

Cautiously optimistic
Picked this up at Kohls locally, who also had the Shark. Wasn't impressed with how to empty the Shark, and it wasn't on sale. So, bought this figuring on an easy return.

First day thoughts: Charging for 16 hours right out of the box is a bit annoying, but no more so than any other recent rechargeable. Got a chance to use it today - I bought it, essentially, because we live in the pacific northwest and have hardwood. sweeping is a pain, and vacuuming happens only weekly, so a quick picker-upper of pine needles is WONDERFUL. We used to have a roomba running, but with a toddler in the house, that's pretty scary - who knows what it will jam on. Maybe we'll use the roomba once he's a few years older.

Tried this first on the hardwood. It did ok under the cabinet feet, swept up pine needles pretty respectably without tossing them. Did not do very well on the "foot scrubber" entry-way doormats - I think those pine needles are pretty embedded. Overall, hardwood...

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Proctor-Silex 59738 Hand Blender

Powerful little guy.
I have another immersion blender at home, and it's a more expensive brand, which is why I was surprised when this little guy turned out to be almost as powerful. I'm not about to use it to make smoothies, or crush ice, or anything that's heavy duty. I have a blender for that. Instead, this is perfect for making emulsions, dressings, sauces, and pureeing soup while the soup is still in its own pot.

One flaw
I use the blender for smoothies (with frozen fruit, not ice) and it does a decent job blending. The flaw is that there is a deep well at the bottom where honey or peanut butter (which I sometimes add) get stuck. This well is up past the blade and comes to a crease making it really difficult to clean. Considering how easy other hand blenders are to clean, this one is frustratingly annoying.

It's good.
I bought a new Proctor Silex hand mixer for less than $20 and so far so good. Much better than my $50 Cuisinart which stripped gears after a few uses.

Unlike the Cuisinart, this is one piece and doesn't have different attachments. It's a chopper. It doesn't come apart. You get what you get. And what you get really works. It does one thing well.

After a week of use I decided to read the instructions. Mostly it's standard stuff, but the "How to clean the hand blender" section caught my eye.

1) Unplug item from outlet.

2) Place hot, soapy water into a deep container, such as a pitcher. Submerge shaft into container and run hand blender for 30 seconds. Unplug and rince shaft with water; then dry.

Does anybody proofread this stuff?

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Euro Cuisine YM80 Yogurt Maker

Delicious Yogurt
Originally I ordered the Girmi yogurt maker but received the Euro Cuisine one instead. I called the company to see if it had been sent by mistake but was told that the Girmi yogurt machine does not have an indicator to let you know it's on - a real advantage. I kept the Euro Cuisine and love it! It made delicous yogurt on my first try.

The company representative spoke with me at length about making yogurt in this machine. You don't have to warm the milk if it's pasturized but it should be at room temperature along with the starter.

I warmed the milk anyway, and made sure the starter was at room temperature and then mixed the milk and the starter in a pitcher. It's easier to pour that way. I made 3 different kinds at once. Apricot, berry and vanilla. All were good. I did add a little sugar to the vanilla yogurt.

I would buy this machine again.

Eurocuisine Yogurt Maker
This is my first Amazon review ~ I would give this product 5 stars if it had an auto shut off and auto timer but for the price it is a beautiful yogurt maker. I am a first timer with making yogurt and had ordered the Eurocuisine AND the Donvier yogurtmaker because I was too impatient to wait for the Donvier to come (it was on a preorder basis from Amazon and the Eurocuisine was ready to ship)so I ordered both and thought I would give the Eurocuisine to my mom when the Donvier came. I must say that the very first time I made the yogurt in the Eurocuisine it came out extraordinary. The yogurt tastes like a dream! It is so good that I just cancelled my preorder for the Donvier Yogurtmaker. I was also made aware of the fact that the Donvier, as lovely as it might be, does not have glass jars like the Eurocuisine does, I believe they are plastic. While the Donvier does have the thermometer (the thermometer does not have the tempurature - it just tells you when the milk is cool enough...

Fantastic Yogurt Maker !!!
I must say this is the best yogurt maker I have ever used in my life,It is such a fun and easy experience using this machine. The best aspect of the machine is that the jars are glass and NOT plastic. I recommend every one to buy one, I have allready bought five others for gifts. I love it!

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Fiskars 7861 Axe and Knife Sharpener

A Reasonable Substitute for a Whetstone
If one really wants to put a razor sharp edge on an axe or knife, a set of diamond whetstones is the best way to do it. This painstaking manual process requires time and proper technique. Beware: a razor sharp edge is exactly that and not to be trifled with. On the other hand, if "pretty darn sharp" is good enough...and it should be for most utility purposes...a dedicated sharpening tool like the Fiskars will get the job done quickly and with minimum risk to one's fingers. There are a number of similar products on the market. This one comes from a reputable manufacturer at a good price point.

knives and axes?
eh? You seriously think I'm going to use the same thing to sharpen the Henckels 4 star knives I use to prepare family meals AND the axes I use to chop wood?

Seriously. This sharpener will reset just about any blunted knife or axe to a finely honed edge.

It does just a good a job on a fine filleting knife as it does on my favorte chopping axe - I just have to remember to clean it before I switch uses.

Now if only they made a lawnmower that could julienne vegetables....

Good, but some flaws
This is a handy tool that really simplifies sharpening. However, it has a few flaws.

Pros:

-Very Easy

-Hand Guard

-Lifetime Guarentee

Cons:

-Sharpens at 30 degree angle. Great for an axe, but for a knife, most people prefer a 20 or even a 10.

-Leaves black dust on the edge of cutlery

-Ok heres the big one: When sharpening, you press the axe into the sharpener and pull through the wheel. However, as you pull your axe out, it slices through the plastic in front of the wheel, there for somewhat dulling the axe. And sooner or later, you get deep cuts in the plastic, which really limits the sharpener's usefulness. Major design flaw.

Overall, the sharpener is great for axes, but for knives I tend to go back to the whetstone. And then there's the design flaw...

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InSinkErator CRD-00 Power Cord Kit

Get this cord kit unless hard-wiring your disposer...
InSinkErator Power Cord Kit #CRD-00

This cord kit will work with any brand/model of disposer.

InSinkErator disposers do not include a cord in the box because many installers will choose to use non-metallic (NM) sheathed cable (e.g., Romex

Lansky PS-MED01 BladeMedic

Small, effective, but heavy
Lansky's PS-MED01 looks very much like Smith's Pocket Pal, which I have used and recommended as a good kit item for blade repair and quick sharpening of most blades. But the Smith has a plastic body while the Lansky's is metal, so the Lansky is heavier.
The Lansky is also longer, which means that its tapered diamond rod is longer as well - a good thing. As with the Smith, the tapered diamond rod can be pulled from its stay and rotated 180 degrees to a locked open position for use as a diamond file (sharpening hard to reach items, serrations, etc.). The Lansky rod's longer length gives advantage in use.
The Lansky's length afforded mounting an almost 2 inch length of exposed ceramic bar on angle to the sharpener body. This ceramic bar has a rounded-point cross section to engage and sharpen most serrated edge scallops; of course it can be used as a ceramic rod to fine-sharpen any edge as well. I've done both with good result.
The Lansky, like the Smith, also includes...

Great little bargain sharpener
I bought one of these to sharpen my Cold Steel knives.

Cold Steel uses AUS-8A Stainless Steel on most of their knives and they arrive sharp, but with some time and patience I can get my knives sharp enough to push cut newspaper, store receipts, phone book paper, etc...

Some people have complained that the tapered Diamond Rod doesn't stay in place, but maybe they are not pushing them into the opening hard enough as their is a little metal tang that holds the Diamond Rod in place.

I mainly use the "Ceramic" sharpening slot to put a very sharp edge on my knives, although my g/f had some kitchen knives that required a few strokes thru the "Carbide" slot, then a few strokes thru the "Ceramic" slot.

I've also used the Ceramic bar on fine Serrations and it works just fine.

I've also used the Diamond Rod on my Serrated knives, but be careful as a slip can put a scratch on your knife.

With some patience and some time, like...

Good design
Good product, has everything that I need. I am stationed in Afghanistan and I just loop it into my uniform and sharpen my knife whenever i need to. very handy. good design but the diamond edger pops out everyonce in a while, thats why only 4 stars otherwise very good. I will recomend it to others who need an all in one knife sharpener.

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Eureka Easy Clean 2 in 1 Lightweight Vacuum, 169B

I would buy it again.
Newest Update, Jan 3rd, 2013:
First off----YES---after 10 full years of use I would buy this unit again, without hesitation, no questions asked. I have used it LIGHT DUTY for the whole 10 years. On mostly hard floors and a couple of area rugs. It has been bullet-proof. I have a canister vac and a swiffer wet-jet for actual cleaning. This is important as the Eureka Easy Clean is a great little LIGHT DUTY, area, hair and crumb removal tool. That is what it is for and it excels at specifically that job.
I should rate 5 stars...but it would need just a little bit more suction for that. If eureka increased the motor size (amperage) then it would get 5 stars. But I give it 4.9 for reliability and doing what it was designed to do.

Response/rebuttal to a few 1 star reviews here:
I am a school teacher. I am not affiliated with Amazon or Eureka(just to be clear).

re: Weekly use, primary vacuum: This unit is clearly not designed to be the primary vacuum for a...

Versatile and great for pet hair
I was pleasantly surprised at the ability of this little vac to pick up pet hair. Removing the handle is accomplished easily to facilitate cleaning pet hair from furniture. The vac can be operated with the revolving brush on or off by selecting the appropriate setting at the switch.

It's great for small quick cleanups on carpet or cleaning bare floors. Make no mistake, this is not a replacement for a full-size, full-power vac. As a test I used this product on a section of heavy-traffic carpet that went two weeks without cleaning. It picked up the pet hair fairly well and filled it's dust cup. I then cleaned the same section with a new Bissel Cleanview Bagless upright (I've also written a review for the Bissel). The Bissel picked up enough pet hair, dust and dirt to fill the Eureka's dust cup several times. The dust cup on the Eureka is easy to remove but messy to empty and tapping it to remove the dust results in dust flying everywhere.

Keeping in mind what it's designed...

Perfect for my needs.
I have a great vacuum, but wanted something simple for the kitchen, bathroom, and other places that I didn't want to have to fight with the big vacuum to clean.

The SuperBroom is great for everyday and general cleaning. You can also remove the long handle and use the broom much like a powerful dustbuster. (The top of my fridge looks fantastic now)

Although I mainly use this for hard floors/tile, I did have great results on my carpeted steps.

Some people complain that this won't stand up on it's own... which I don't understand. It leans when needed and is so light that rarely do I ever stand it; except when I'm finished and need to store the broom in my closet. And, it's so small it fits in their perfectly.

Why not 5 stars?

It's good for daily cleaning, but with the title of "Superbroom" it should be able to pick up even the must stubborn crumb.

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Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill

Good buy for the Price
Don't believe that ANY grinder in this price range will be the ultimate grinder for all your grinding needs. I read with amusement as some reviewers slammed this grinder for not grinding well enough to use with their espresso machines. I own this machine for use with my drip coffee maker only. I own a $500+ Mazzer Grinder for my espresso machine. The point being, that for the absolute consistent grind needed for use with espresso, you better be willing to step up significantly in price. That said, on to this grinder review.

Considering there are no decent blade grinders on the market - including those in the $25 price range, the best grinder to have is a burr grinder. Burr grinders do not create the heat that destroys the flavor of your beans and creates a more uniformed grind. Burr grinders do not produce the large "chunks" of beans in varying size that a blade grinder does. I have yet to see any missed "untouched" beans find their way past the burrs (as one reviewer...

Initial Reactions
First, after checking the Amazon listings, I noticed a similar model (Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill). I'm not sure if this model is a newer version of that one--because they look awfully similar--but I did notice that some of the reactions to that other model are fitting for this one.

After my initial use, the first thing I noticed was that the grind (I used the lowest "coarse" setting) didn't seem as consistent as I thought it would be, considering the point of using a burr grinder is to get a consistent grind. There was a fair amount of dust that came through, in other words.

For the price, I can't say I expected it to be perfect, and honestly, this bit of coffee dust (maybe half a teaspoon)doesn't much bother me. A common complaint for the other model is that the plastic hoppers attract the coffee dust due to static cling. This is also true here, but for me, not a problem.

Overall, I like the way this grinder works. Just...

Almost as good as I expected
First off, the grind you get from a burr grinder is superior to a blade, hands down. This grinder makes a superbly uniform grind, and the fineness/coarseness is easily adjustable. For the price, this is an excellent burr grinder. Highly recommend it for your average coffee drinker. If you are grinding things finely, grinding spices or flavored coffees, or grinding lots of coffee, read on for important details.

I was a little disappointed with the plastic grind hopper. Burr grinders I have used in the past were glass, and while I didn't think plastic would be a big deal, extremely fine grinds tend to 'stick' due to static electricity.

When doing longer grinds (for larger pots of coffee, etc) the motor really starts to sound strained. I'm worried that with heavy use over a few months I might have issues with it. If I do, I'll update this review.

*most* of the grinder is very easy to clean... however, inside the base there are a couple of pieces out...

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Microfiber Replacement Pads for Shark Steam Euro-Pro Mop (Set of 6)

Replacement pads get the job done
My (small) house has all hardwood floors, save for linoleum in a hallway and the laundry room. My floors get pretty gross, pretty fast, so I love the shark mop. These replacement pads work just fine. They're a little smaller than the original pads, but that's not necessarily a bad thing... the overhang from the original pads can get curled under the plate they attach to and roll up; the replacement pads seem to do that less. They didn't slide on the floor as easily as the original pads did, at first, but as I recall, the original pads didn't slide all that well to begin with, either. After a few seconds, once the pad gets moist, I don't notice a difference. I pile the dirty pads in the laundry room, and when all eight (six I ordered plus two originals) are dirty, I throw them in the washing machine (alone... can't have that filth in with my clothes), then let them air dry. I haven't seen any shrinking, to speak of. They've held their shape, since I dry them flat...

Beware not of the seller but of the product -- get the correct kind
The problem here is NOT the seller, who gladly issued a refund thus all I was out was the shipping costs both way. The problem is that there are different Shark steam mop models requiring different pads. The ad did not make clear at all which models would work with the pads being sold. The newer Shark models require pocket pad whereas the ones sold were flat and worked ONOY on the older model equipment.

Just what I was looking for..
It is the exact microfiber pad that I have with my shark steamer and an excellent price for 6. The product shipped on time and arrived fast! Very happy, since 85% of my house is title and wood.

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J-2000 Jiffy Garment Steamer with Plastic Steam Head

Poor Looks; Outstanding Craftsmanship
I'll make it simple: If you are looking for a home-edition garment steamer, your top 2 choices in the marketplace will likely be the Jiffy 2000 and the Rowenta 8100.

I tested both for 10 hours; on a 1 to 10 scale:

Jiffy (Looks = 6; Engineering = 10; Handling = 9; Craftsmanship = 10).
It looks like a mop bucket on wheels but it performs like a jet engine; every part of this machine from the plate at the bottom of the unit to the steam handle is built for rugged usage.

Rowenta (Looks = 10; Engineering = 5; Handling = 7; Crafsmanship = 4).
It looks like a UFO but performs like a Pinto with much less steaming power; it is built as a toddler's toy having most parts made with inexpensive plastic including the watertank base and valve: pull the machine a single foot OR tilt it a mere 1 inch and you will experience a slow-building cascade.

Buy the Rowenta 8100 as a decorative piece to make your closet look good.

Buy the Jiffy...

Worthwhile Purchase
After figuring out that I must be spending in excess of $1000 yearly to have my husband's oxford shirts cleaned and pressed, I decided to cut my losses and purchase a Jiffy steamer.

I am happy with the purchase, so much so that I routinely steam garments that I would not have ironed in the past (t-shirts especially come out looking store-bought new), and it takes very little time.

I have used the steamer on prom dresses with great success.

I am able to press a knife-edged crease in dress pants of all types of material.

I think the best thing about this appliance is that I feel I am damaging our clothing LESS than if I were using an iron.

Don't throw away your iron, however! I must still use it to finish off the collars and shoulders of my husband's work shirts.

Great purchase
After borrowing a friend's ConAir steamer, and reading numerous reviews, I purchased this Jiffy from Amazon about a month ago. The Jiffy seems to be better-built than the ConAir, and puts out more steam, more consistantly than the model I borrowed.

In the last month, I have steamed everything I can think of in my house, to see how it works. I have been pleased with this product, and here is what I have learned:

1) A steamer is not an iron. While I have read reviews of how you can press creases into clothing, I have not been successful in this (yet). I don't really care about creases, though, and have not spent much time trying.

2) A steamer is a tool. You have to learn how to use it properly to get good results. Steaming from underneath works better than steaming downward into the right side of the fabric. Just like anyone who uses a hammer a few times is almost certainly going to hammer their finger, you will probably burn yourself while you...

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Proctor Silex 62509R 5-Speed Hand Mixer, White

Good, but...
i love not having to stir and mix by hand. this machine is great. it does have a nice power to it and the cord is long, the beaters are well made, but there is no real 'low' speed.

when making choc. chip cookies, this shoots the chips all over. my dogs love standing under me when i get this out. they know im gonna shoot food around.

but since i dont have to exhaust myself stirring, i do like it. i learned to be careful when mixing...as much as possible. still, food is gonna fly so be ready.

duck and cover!

Very Basic - As it Should be for this Price
This is an extremely basic mixer. Since I was just going to be doing very light duty things on occasion with it, I opted for it, but it seems somewhat flimsy and not especially powerful in use, and it's also easy to accidentally eject the beaters when changing the speed (you press down on the same button to eject). (After using it awhile this is no longer a problem.)

There's no balloon whisk attachment for getting lots of air into egg whites but I've still managed to make decent souffles with it, and I would never even attempt a heavy dough with this. For the stuff I do use it for though (souffles, custards, creme brulee, and so on), it's not especially fast, not especially powerful, but it does the job well enough (and everything else I can do in my food processor anyway).

Everyone should be realistic. Even $50 to $90 mixers on here have less than stellar reviews. This is for someone on a limited budget or who uses only very occasionally. Anyone who rates...

mixer
This mixer has been around for years. It is not extremely powerful but it will do most jobs in the kitchen. I think I have burned up three of them in 20 years. At this price I will keep buying them.

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LG AIR CLEANER FILTER Assembly OEM Original Part: ADQ73214402

not necessary?
Showed up on time and was easy to replace. The old one looked the same as the new one in every way. I replaced it because the door system said it was time. The next week we had the LG repairman out on another issue (to replace the tracks on the flimsy upper drawer in the freezer) and he told me that the air filter may never need replaced, and the water filter should last twice as long as the unit would let you think. At the price charged for these filters..........

Identical to Kenmore Elite Replacement CleanFlow Air Filter!
Identical product to original "Kenmore Elite Replacement CleanFlow Air Filter" sold by Sears as "SearsItem# 04609918000 | Model# 9918" for $25.00 + tax and S&H.

Works great inside Kenmore Elite Model #72053 refrigerator.

Great bargain!

Just like the one in my Kenmore
Filter arrived today and it's identical to the one that came from Sears with the Kenmore Elite refrigerator. We replaced the orginial after the recommended 6 months but it really could wait for 1 year in our fridge. It's basically just a charcoal filter that absorbs the odors. (We're not big fish eaters) The packing left a little to be desired. It was just the filter thrown in a large box. No plastic wrap or even a packing slip. Just the filter.... odd way to ship but it arrived and was just what I needed.

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Lasko Personal Fan#2002W, 6 Inches, White

It just keeps working
That's what a fan should do, keep working. I have it on my desk at work running 24/7 for about a year now. Lasko fans are also quieter than many others, it does not disturb conversations, in fact I usually forget it is running.

Great little bedside or cubicle fan
Great little fan that is small enough for a bedside but powerful enough that you'll want to turn it down to low most of the time. This little guy pushes around a surprising amount of air -- easily besting Duracraft and Honeywell models that are larger. Nice little touch is the small cup area on the base -- perfect for little things in the cubical world (paper clips, etc) or bedside (ear plugs, nail clippers, etc).

Very quiet, little or no air whoosh but the motor does make a somewhat higher-pitched low noise on either speed.

Probably the quietest, cheapest 6" fan out there...
We needed a quiet fan for our kid's room. We looked at several fans and decided to buy the supposedly "quiet" Vornado. Big mistake! We wanted a quiet fan for the kids, but ended up deciding we also wanted a quiet fan for us as well. The Vornado made it self known all the way down the hall in our bedroom, even on its lowest setting. This time we were a bit more careful and finally decided on the Lasko 6" Personal Fan. Big success! It has two levels and is quiet on both. The air coming from our registers when the air conditioner is on is louder than this fan. The design is not cheap either. The knob on the back that switches between OFF and levels 1 and 2 has a nice design.

Rating:
Noise: 10 out of 10 (whisper quiet - can't tell its on when down the hall or other side of their room)
Price: 10 out of 10 (there may be a fan just as good in design/low-noise, but not for the price - closest competitor was $10 more)
Design: 8 out of 10 (it is sturdy and doesn't have...

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Hoover Windtunnel Air Bagless Upright, UH70400

Good mid-range vacuum
I'll start this review by saying straight off- I have two Dysons. I also have three birds, three cats, a six-year old child, a husband that telecommutes from home, a big garden, and a father that golfs on dusty courses and brings back a lot of sand and dirt, so our vacuums are put to work on a very regular basis. We vacuum several times a day.

The Hoover was actually a pleasant surprise. While it's not as powerful as the Dyson, it's not nearly as expensive.

Pros:
- Suction is excellent. Gets up tons of cat hair, feathers, dirt, dust, litter, seed, etc.
- Works great on rugs and bare floors. It's also really great at getting stuff up from the grout, which other vacuums can miss.
- Very easy to empty.
- Lightweight but not flimsy.
- Easy to switch between modes.
- Very few attachments to lose and deal with.
- Not too noisy.
- Long cord.
- No bags.

The cons:
- Doesn't navigate like the Dyson, but that's...

Perfect Lightweight Vacuum
My elderly mother has a hard time pushing and maneuvering most of the standard vacuums on the market today, so when her old vacuum finally broke, I went searching for a replacement. This vacuum does the job. She loves it so much she keeps hinting to me that she wants to purchase a second one just in case they stop making it.

The extended handle makes it extremely easy for her to clean the ceiling, fans, and even the baseboards without having to strain. It is so light she is able to pick it up and carry it around instead of just wheeling it to where she wants it. As for cleaning power, it does a great job. She has a Maine Coon cat that produces a lot of shedded fur and this vacuum has no problems sucking it all up out of the carpet.

She was going to wait for me to come over after work and put it together for her, but when she got the package she couldn't wait. I was worried that she would have issues putting it together or even moving the box inside. Apparently,...

Almost perfect
Vacuumed everything I could today with the new vac.
PROS:
+++ Light weight but really got a huge amount of fine dirt out of my carpets. Felt like the work went faster. I didn't have to re-vacuum areas like I used to. Once over and done!
+++ Vacuum head size is smaller, fits between things and under things so I get places previous Hoover was too big to get!
+++ The extension hose goes 15', 12 steps up the stairs, wow! I get the last three steps from above. With the long hose, cleaned the whole L-shaped leather sofa without moving the vac at all!
+++ All tools on-board, a bit of hose-attaching and you can get even cobwebs in ceiling corners.
+++ The extension wand doubles as an extension handle so I can get under large tables easily.
+++ Cord long enough for my 1000 sq ft apartment. I move the plug only one time.
+++ Vacuums hard floors.
+++ I can wash the filter! Great!
+++ Not noisy, easy to maneuver. VERY powerful.
+++ Can turn...

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Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

Not really programmable, but better than average quality.
This cooker has a digital timer that you can set to cook at your chosen setting (Simmer, Low, High) for any time up to 24 hours. At the end of the set cooking time, it automatically switches to Warm, and then switches itself off after another eight hours. IMO, a truly "Programmable" cooker would change heat settings during cooking, and perhaps have a delayed start function; this unit does neither.

On the other hand, the Simmer setting is what's missing from some other slow cookers, and perhaps that's why foods get burned. This cooker heats to 185

Whirlpool 1183054K Hepa Filter, Large

Better than aftermarket filters, for not much more money
I have an older Whispure 510 air purifier and I've used both aftermarket filters, sold via Filters-now through Amazon, as well as this filter, which is a Whirlpool branded filter. The aftermarket filters are certainly cheaper, by approximately $20, and seem to work fine, but are of significantly inferior construction. This filter has a sturdy plastic frame with a caulked edge, rather than a cardboard frame with no caulking. The filter media in the Whirlpool filter is also much stiffer than the aftermarket media and does not flex when installing the filter.

Does this ultimately matter? I suppose the true test would be to use some sort of complicated particle counter to test filter efficiency, but absent that, I can say that the additional $18 does seem to provide a better product. Air filters provide, among other things, piece of mind, and the sturdier construction factors into that. One final comment: the aftermarket carbon prefilters are fine - no need to spend additional...

Great HEPA Filter for a Great Air Purifier
I am allergic to pretty much everything that floats around in the air, so I rely heavily on my Whirlpool 450 Whispure Air Purifier to keep me breathing easy. It's hard to separate the function of this HEPA filter from the air purifier itself, but the filter must be doing a good job because I sleep better than I have in ages with it cleaning the air in my room 24 hours a day. True, this HEPA filter is a little pricey, but when you consider that you only have to change it once a year it comes out to a bargain at $6.58 a month! And I definitely recommend buying this HEPA filter on Amazon since you'll pay at least $99 for it anywhere else.

Whirlpool HEPA Filter
This is an original Whirlpool HEPA filter. Others on the market are not, and are made of lower quality materials. Price was the major factor in purchasing this filter, about $20 cheaper than I could find it locally. Great filter at a great price.

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Cuisinart CPM-100 EasyPop Hot Air Popcorn Maker, Red

Best Air Popper
This popcorn popper was a great investment, and I like it much better then the Presto air popper because this one is quieter and it looks nice so you can leave it on your counter all the time. The only problem I had was when I filled the 1/2 cup measuring tool all the way the top of the popper completely came off. You can fix this problem by using a 1/3 cup measuring tool instead. When you do this the popcorn won't go all over your kitchen like other air poppers do. There is also an instruction manual and at the back there is many popcorn recipes. If you are thinking about getting a popcorn popper then get this one. If this is to expensive the second best is Presto. I would avoid getting brands like Air Crazy, and do not get poppers that require oil because that is more unhealthy.

Good, Yet Somewhat Disappointing
I bought a Cuisinart CPM-100 Easy Pop Hot Air Popcorn Maker a little over a month ago. I needed to replace an Oriville Redenbacher that I had for over 5 years, and with a little help from my 5 year old, seemed to have stopped working. I did a fair amount of research on hot air poppers and settled on this one. It has a high wattage (1500 watts), 1/2 cup capacity, on/off switch on the side, and of course its a Cuisinart. In reading reviews on Amazon, Newegg, Target, Wal Mart, and other places, the one thing that reviewers said about this popcorn popper that no one said about other is that it is quieter. All those things led me to buy one. Now here is what I thought.

I guess the machine is a bit quieter than the previous one I had, but not by all that much.

If I put in even a kernel more than the 1/2 cup, the blower isn't strong enough to move the kernels and they burn.

When the corn pops, it never falls out properly and pushes the plastic dome...

Quality, Affordable, Healthy and Sustainable. Om Nom Nom - Popcorn!
This popcorn maker stands out against the competition. Purchased this item and LOVE it! Plan on purchasing one for parents and keep it as a gift idea for popcorn loving friends and family.

Pros:

- BPA Free
- Easy to use
- Quieter
- On-Off Switch! (no more dangerously yanking the cord from the wall)
- Longer Power Cord (not too long, allows for heat space, safe from cupboards)
- Light, fluffy popcorn

Neutral:

- Gets, warm but not too warm to handle (as it should)
- Colour Choice (White, Red)
- Butter Melter feature

Con (minimal):

- Cost (minimal difference). With what you save using an air-popper and when weighed against the pros and cons of the competition (namely the presto), the price is easy to understand and respect. Remember, you get what you pay for!

Note: The red is not metallic red as it appears in the picture, it is a matte finish. If I were to purchase another it...

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Panasonic NN-SD372S 0.8 Cubic Feet 950-Watt Inverter Microwave, Stainless Steel

Very Pleased
I had a Magic Chef 0.7 cubic ft microwave for 10 years and the turntable gave out.
Same kind of door opening so I'm not concerned about that not holding up.

There are quite a few things to commend the Panasonic.

The size is perfect for me at 0.8 cu ft. It fits all my plates easily, takes up little space and is light in weight. I previously looked at Costco's 1200 watt Panasonic but it was too big and too many watts.

This Panasonic at 950 watts does not blow my circuits yet heats quickly. It is simple to operate.
The highlight for me is how it defrosts. I love the inverter defrost function.
This was the only small model that I found that had the feature. It defrosts beautifully.

(I had given up defrosting anything in the Magic Chef---It always cooked the edges.)

I also like the quick minute button.
I don't know that this machine would be the answer for someone who actually cooks in the microwave...

Great Microwave So Far But Manual Missing an Important Detail
Ordered one of these a month ago and have been very impressed with the features. Heating and re-heating is very precise and lots of options. After a month, noticed that the unit would stay "buzzing" after re-heating cycle when you remove food from the microwave. This would last for about 30 seconds and then stop. Returned to Amazon and received another unit. Called Panasonic this time and they indicated that this is normal operation as fan is cooling off microwave. Must be related to the "inverter" technology. This is not mentioned anywhere in manual or on Panasonic website. Hope to save others the hassle of returning a fully functional unit. Just need to determine now if we can live with this minor annoyance as it is a nice microwave.

Great Microwave!
I had my old microwave (a Sharp Carousel) for over 20 years when it finally pooped out. I did a lot of research before I purchased this Microwave from Amazon. I decided on the Panasonic NN-SD372S 0.8 because of the Inverter feature and it's 950 watts and most of all the customer reviews. When I received it I thought it would be too difficult to uses because of all the features it had and just glancing at the directions made my head spin. But I read through the directions again and they seemed to make more sense. I love this microwave. I've only used it with the power levels and minute timer and I also used the popcorn setting. It is very quiet and the five beeps at the end of cooking are not blaring like my last microwave. The only thing I don't like is that every little fingerprint shows up on the stainless steel finish. I still gave it 5 stars though. I haven't used it that long so I hope I don't have any problems down the line.

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Oster Rechargeable and Cordless Wine Opener with Chiller

Looks and Works Great
I was surprised as to how well this item actually worked when we opened and started using it. I purchased this as a 'filler' gift for my wife for Christmas. Knowing that it was a gadjety gift I did not have high expecations. We used this for fun and found out how easy it is to use and how cleanly it removes the cork. It opens many bottles on one charge, although we have not yet tried to prove the box statement correct that it opens 30 bottles on one charge.

Good for a person who struggles with conventional wine openers and breaking corks.

The bonus wine chiller is stylish and functional.

The wine opener alone sells for way more than this in retail stores and wine catalogs!
We actually originally bought just the wine opener at a department store. As is usual with Amazon, this online price is waaay better than what we paid for the wine opener ALONE...I was told at a dinner party that Amazon had the wine opener for less than what I paid so we went online to order several of these as gifts and found we could get the wine chiller too for less!

Not only do these two wine lovers love the opener, but every time we use it in front of someone they fall in love and want one so it's the perfect gift.

So...we ordered a few with the wine chiller and tried out the wine chiller as well and are equally as impressed! We had a dinner party and ran low on white wine. A fast chill provided by the wine chiller kept the dinner party flowing smoothly.

We had a $150 dollar wine opener that didn't work nearly as impressive and easily as this one did. In fact, a wine opener just like this is still in wine catalogs for over $100. It may even be the...

amazing wine opener
I first saw this wine opener at a friend's party and was so amazed by it that I have purchased more than 5 for friends, clients and family. It really does open 30 bottles on one charge and very quickly. What more could one ask for at a party, large or small?

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Holmes HWF75PDQ-U Wick Humidifier Filter

Great Replacement Filter
This filter is just as good as the original. I have been using one of these filters for over 4 months now and there is no evidence of deterioration or mold whatsoever. I will offer two helpful hints to potential consumers: (1) Make sure you use an antibacterial additive in your humidifier every time you refill your reservoirs and (2) Always rotate your filter upside down each time you add water. This will GREATLY increase the lifetime of your filter. Also, the twin pack is a great buy!

Extend their life
For those of you getting only a week or two of usefulness from these filters, on a whim I ran one through my dishwasher using regular detergent and a few dishes. I let it go through the hot dry cycle, but think it might be better to pull it out before that. Some of the plastic screen was distorted, but not badly. The webbing was disturbed a bit but not badly. I put it back in the machine on the next filter change and it has been acting like a brand new one. I have the little humidistat gauge on my unit, so as the filter goes bad it shows up on the gauge. My next test is to see how many times it can survive the DW. Will shorter cycles work? For those with high amounts of calcium in their water vs the manganese I have, maybe some vinegar instead of detergent. And maybe save up 2-3 filters and run a dedicated cycle. Those with aluminum cages on the filters might not like the DW detergents. Try it and add an opinion about it. I do think the engineering of these units where they rely on...

Not Worth the Money
I don't know what's wrong with these, but they need changed every few days, they will not wick the water!! I'd rather pay a little more & get the better ones. Bought a case of these last year & they lasted no time. Very disappointed!!

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Air-O-Swiss AOS 7017 Hydrostick

Sorry, but this is complete BS
I bought 2 of the 7135 humidifiers. I also bought extra silver sticks. Then, air-o-swiss substituted this POS stick for the original silver stick. Here's what I think. If you read this, it's only my opinion, not based on any independent research, but partly based on some rumors I read on the internet. Form your own judgement.

The original silver stick allowed silver to slowly come off, thereby inhibiting bacteria formation (meaning, you won't breathe in bad stuff). The new one is much smaller, just as expensive, and as far as I can see, I don't know what it does. Read the current description, which I quote as follwos:

This advanced water maintenance system keeps your humidifier operating at its highest level between recommended cleanings
Good for one year, the Hydro Stick ensures your humidifier's functionality while providing fresh humidification performance.
The Hydro Stick begins to function as soon as it comes into contact with water, even if...

Disappointing
This new hydro stick doesn't work as well as the old (silver) stick. Using the old sticks & cleaning weekly worked great, but with this new hydro stick I've had to clean the humidifier every couple of days. The new hydro stick doesn't seem to be doing anything - it's a total waste of money for me. I'd give it zero stars if I could. Sure hope they bring back the old silver sticks!

Works well
The hydro stick seems to work well and perhaps a bit better than the old product (ionic silver stick). It doesn't seem as well fitted to the machine, however (I have the AOS 7135 and it seems to float around instead of snapping in).

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Black & Decker HC306 1-1/2-Cup One-Touch Electric Chopper

Excellent little kitchen tool!!!
I got this as a gift from my mother when I moved to my first apartment away from home. She already had one, and loved it. I use mine quite frequently, and makes quick work of dicing onions and peppers for philly steaks or burgers. My brother and father have also since purchased these units. I have had mine going on 5 years now, not a problem with it. great value, good gift for cooks for one or two, who do not need a huge unit to chop stuff.

Best Little Chopper
This is my second little chopper from Black and Decker. The first one chopped away for years doing everything from coffee beans to onions to nuts without a murmur of complaint. It was only after donkey years that I noticed one day that poor thing had become a merry-go-round for food, and concluded that no matter how much the food was enjoying the ride, its time had come, to go. Even so I kept it in the top closet of the kitchen for awhile just out of respect. I got a large clunky "Food Processor" that required moving things to get to and a jet engine mechanic to clean. It stayed in the cupboards between major holidays.
Then I saw this one again and said, "I have Amazon Prime and I'm getting this!" (any excuse in a storm.) It arrived, I started chopping and guess what? It is every bit as good and maybe better than the one I retired!
I love this machine. It can be top shelf dishwasher cleaned-but I don't wash stuff like this in the dishwasher-especially blades-your bladed...

Love this chopper!
I've been looking for something like this for years. I used it at a friends house and immediately came home and ordered one. Hers is about ten years old she says. I have a rub/marinade recipe that is made up in a small batch and uses fresh rosemary garlic and mustard and a bit of olive oil, and its not enough for a stick blender, regular blender, or a regular food processor, but this works like a charm! It's a beautiful thing.

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FIVE STAR FS8088 Ionic Air Purifier Pro Ionizer Cleaner with UV, new

Works better than expected
I'm a college student who lives in a room with a cat, litter box, old fireplace, and it can get pretty stuffy inside. I'm also slightly allergic to my cat and for the last few weeks I've been waking up with sinus problems and sometimes a sore throat. I wanted something that had a permanent filter and am glad I went with this product. After 2 weeks of use my sinuses have improved quite a bit and I feel a lot better waking up in the morning. I cleaned the electrostatic rod after 2 weeks and there was a good amount of dust, hair, and dirt stuck to it. It was so dirty I used some dish washing detergent and removed some nasty brown smoke tar from it too since my house is full of smokers. Product also puts out a fresh smell that can work to cover and eliminate some odors, but I wouldn't use this as a odor neutralizing device. I recommend dusting it out with a air blaster from time to time in order to improve the longevity of the fan as some dust/debris may bypass the rod. I leave...

Great for the money!
I think that for the price, this item is very good. It's easy to clean, quiet when it's running,
and it helps with my breathing over night. I put it on my dresser and could tell after a couple
of nights that I was breathing better. I would recommend this unit.

Great for small rooms, great for allergy victims.
I decided to purchase this product with its promise to cleanfilter the air of various compounds and molecules. After reading the reviews about the potential failure rate and some issues I had with another product, I ordered two of them hoping one would work. I set one up in the master bedroom by my wife's side of the bed. Not only was there a noticable difference when waking up (no stuffy noses), but it has replaced the claritin pill my wife was taking every night before bed for her allergies associated with our rabbits. I have since moved that one to my son's room (now that I know it works), and put the 2nd one in the master bedroom. Both work great three weeks running now. I would recommend you only put it on high at night, and it is most effective if the door and windows are shut (of course). If I leave both doors open, combined they do a good job of filtering the air from the office as well, which is between the two rooms in the hallway. They don't go much farther than...

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iRobot Roomba 770 Vacuum Cleaning Robot for Pets and Allergies

The little Robot that cleans BIG


Life changing product!
I am 41 years old and have had allergies my entire life - they have gotten worse over the past 5 years. I already take Singulair and Claritin but still have symptoms. I was just diagnosed with asthma, which apparently was caused by my allergies. Thus, I decided to wage war on indoor allergies in my house.

I hired a cleaning company to clean my house a few years ago - they were horrible. I did a better job then they did. Also, I have pets and am not comfortable with someone being in my house with them when I am not there. My problem is time - I work full time and was finding little time to vacuum (to the point where I was vacuuming only once every week or other week). I have 3 cats and one dog, with hardwood floors and area rugs on my first floor and carpet in my bedroom and hallway upstairs. My house was not clean, to say the least. I just couldn't keep up with it.

My brother suggested that I purchase this product. I thought, why not? I did not buy this...

Unbias Side-By-Side COMPARISON on .. NEATO XV-21 ... AND ... iRobot 770
I was Very SKEPTICAL about expensive vacuum robots. I have all tile floors. I bought the latest Neato, & the iRobot 770 (non-lighthouses), and slightly liked the Neato a tad more (navigation) at first. The Roomba has more solid 5 stars for a reason. The Neato has double it's sales, but more like a 4 star rating (for true negative reasons?).

(SEVERE UPDATE after 1 Week: NEATO NOW DIED.. 1 Star.. 'LEFT WHEEL STUCK' LCD message they are famous for.. it actually means that the cheaply designed Wheel Motor gets tangled and busted on it's own internal parts)(I looked at the FACEBOOK page of both companies.. and this re-iterated my proof that the Roomba had way more happy operators, was a safer buy, and has way less malfunctions... the Neato FACEBOOK page was flooded with constant issues at the time of this review.... take a look at what it is CURRENTLY, because times may change to where the Neato might not be having failures)

The 770 is like a Sweeper Robot w/ a...

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WF813 ReliOn Humidifier Wick Filter (2 Pack)

Description misleading
I ordered what was called "WF813 ReliOn Humidifier Replacement Filter (2 Pack)" just to find out they are NOT ReliOn brand filters. They are another brand that come close to fitting some ReliOn humidifier models. However, the filter isn't quite as big as a real ReliOn WF813 filter, so it doesn't truly fit as well as it should. These are BestAir brand filters, and the box lists the humidifier models that these filters fit, and ReliOn is NOT one of them. These filters will probably do the job, but this ad is deceptive. I won't buy from this seller again.

not the same
This was not the same as what came in the box...the dimensions are slightly different. yes it works but it is not the same. I won't buy it again.

High shipping
This was what I wanted but found the shipping costs to be very high for the weight. Make sure you order more than 1 to make up for it.

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Genuine Eureka DCF-21 Filter 68931 - 1 filter

Great OEM filter
Great OEM factory filter that is the same as the one that comes with the vacuum when you buy the vacuum. Don't bother to wash this filter as the user manual says you can. It will stink terribly because you can't get all the lint and dirt out of it. I had to soak the plastic cannister parts in ammonia water to get the smell out after I washed the original filter, dried it, & vacuumed with it. YIKES! What a smell. Just toss it and get a new one every time.

Vacuum Sucks Again!
My eureka was slowing down a bit and none of my attempts to clean the filter were met with succcess. Finally I sought out a replacement (this one) and it's like a new machine. I wish amazon would add this to their subscription tool so I could just get a new one every 6 months or so. Yes it clogs and needs replacement, that's the point, now all that crap isn't in my carpet or air!

Vacuum Filter Review
This is the official filter for my vacuum. I made the (costly) mistake of buying an unofficial one at walmart and it didnt actually fit properly. This one does and works a lot more efficiently.

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Eva-dry E-500 Renewable Wireless Mini Dehumidifer

Quite effective in small areas
I was surprisingly pleased with the Eva Dry mini dehumidifier. I hang mine just out outside our guinea pig's cage and it absorbs excess moisture quite effectively, keeping their food and cage area from getting too humid. It takes several weeks to fully absorb moisture but the indicator will go from blue to bright pink, and the unit will be noticeably heavier. Just plug the unit into the socket overnight to refresh.

EDV-500 big improvement over EDV-300 especially hanger
I have 5 of these Eva-Dry rechargable dessicating dehumidifiers. Here in humid NC, using the larger in 4x8 closet works well. Takes some time, but definite measurable difference of 10-15% or so on humidity gauge after a couple of days. Need to recharge once a week here where even with the air conditioning on, indoor rel humidity is over 50% most days.

The larger EDV-500 has a much better hook which fits through the holes in the Eva-Dry EDV-500 plug, a feature that is not very well documented!

Also, there are occasional specials: recently a 2 for 1 sale on the EDV-500 with free shipping.

Only reason for not giving this product a 5 star is that as stated in other posts, the recharge process gets the unit very hot and it doesn't always sit well in an outlet without support. I too had one unit fall, and was fortunate the case stayed intact but the little beads could make for a real mess if the unit broke open!

But the real mess this thing...

Good product, need to iron out some glitches
I prefer this product over refilling messy damp aid units anyday (yuck!).

It seems to keep the closet fairly dry. Two problems. Problem 1. When I renew one of the units, it falls out of the outlet unless I support it with something else. This could be dangerous since it heats up. I'm able to renew it on a counter outlet but could be a more problematic for a regular outlet that has more space between outlet and floor. Problem 2. My boyfriend who I forgot to tell about the unit, went into my closet like a bull in a china shop and it fell off its hook and broke (glass beads everywhere) - I had to buy a new one after only a month. There should be a more secure way to affix the unit to hang in the closet or perhaps customer should opt to put it on the floor. The hook is fairly flimsy and if you have kids or clutzy significant others, hanging just isn't a good option for a closet that is full and tight.

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