Water Heater Shutoff, 1.25 Inch Valve Review

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I purchase this product from DIYcontrols a few weeks ago. The product comes with an on line installation guide and video for the product that are very helpful. When I had additional questions that the plumber needed to know prior to installation, DIYcontrols responded rapidly. For my particular water heater the copper pipes are soldered together and attach to the heater, which meant that I needed to buy a union, as well as male and female ends that could be connected to the devise and soldered to the existing pipe.

The first device arrived defective and the valve would not close; unfortunately, I already had a plumber at the house to install the device and DIYcontrols does not have effective weekend support, so I had the plumber leave. The following Monday Scott Walker from ONSITE PRO, the manufactor of the device, called me to find out what happened and was very appologetic and said that he would send me out a new one ASAP, which he did.

The new device worked exactly as advertised and the plumber was able to install it in a little over an hour without any difficulty.

I would rate the custer service at ONSITE Pro and integrity of their workers as outstanding.

In regard to the device, I recommend to plug it in prior to having a plumber come by the ensure it is functioning correctly; however, from most of the other reviews from other sites the valve sticking does not appear to be a normal issue so it shouldn't be a worry. If you are afraid of the valve sticking, either in the open or closed position due to the motor malfunction, there is a manual override so that the valve can be opened.

My plumber was impressed at the quality of the product and I think that having it is a great idea to prevent costly water damage.

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I have 3 of these and they saved me hundreds on insurance and actually prevented leaks on several occasions that could have damaged my hardwood floors. I use them for 2 years now with 2 reverse osmosis filters and a washing machine and they are very convenient to stop the water when you need to change the filters.

Buy Waring Pro Countertop Portable Burner

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List Price: $110.00
Sale Price: $46.24
Today's Bonus: 58% Off

I have owned single burners in the past for several reasons. They are nice to have when entertaining, especially around the holidays. Also, when I make shabu shabu, fondue, or a hot-pot dish, a tabletop burner is much nicer that using candles or alcohol-type burners.

I occasionally help out a friend at trade shows, demonstrating cooking techniques, and we always use single gas burners. I bought this one for when I need a slow, low heat for a long time. Gas burners need to have the butane canisters changed fairly often where this one plugs in and stays hot for as long as you need it. At home however, gas burners will be a great back-up during power outages where this one would be worthless.

I decided to show how this burner works by making this short video. I hope that it is helpful to you! Thanks.

EDIT: I am including this information about the boiling water demonstration by request: I used a heavy-duty anodized aluminium pan; the water was room temerature (72 degrees Fahrenheit); and the experiment was conducted at approximately 700 feet above sea level.

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I have been using an Eclipse single for about 3 years now. Before that I used another Eclipse model but it finally quit working. Recently my latest Eclipse started acting funny and so I thought it was time to fund a replacement and while I was at it, I thought I would try to find a higher quality unit. The Waring SB30 was well rated and not too expensive, so I grabbed one.

My initial take on the SB30 was that it was very well built and sturdy. This is a great improvement over the Eclipse burners I have used in the past. My only complaint is that cord is fairly short, maybe 3ft long. The knob has a very nice and smooth action to it. The base is rather large but it is very stable with an 8qt stock pot on it, so I guess I can't complain too much about that. The burner weighs a lot. I believe most of that weight is from the metal burner itself. More on this later on.

I use this burner as my main burner as I live in a rental and the range is not so good. The burner heats up a little slow but transfers that heat to the pan very quickly. I believe this is because the burner has a lot of metal in it and that allows it to store a lot of heat. This is a very good thing for boiling water and sauteing but not such a good thing for cooking touchier foods like milk and sauces.

ONE YEAR UPDATE: The SB30 has performed great over the past year. I have not had a single problem with the burner, it looks and works like new. All in all I am very happy with it.

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I've found the Waring Pro DB60 to be a solid double burner. I like the simple design with cast iron plates makes for easy clean up. The temperature control seems faster than other burners i've usedwhen turning down from 5 to 2 (high to simmer) The Waring cost more than other double electric burners on the market, but from the not convincing reviews of the others, and from using the Waring every day for several weeks i think it is definitely worth it.

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I can't begin to say how THRILLED I am with this unit.It is, simply, the BEST, PROFESSIONAL, COMMERCIAL QUALITY unit you can find. I've had other, non-professional units--which never heat hot enough--which causes sticking-and soon stop working. The extra $$ for this unit are worth every penny.I had given up on others-and this was my last resort. These burners heat and stay HOT for even cooking and frying. I use this double burner ALL THE TIME for all types of stove cooking-in place of of my regular stove-which had died. I didn't want to purchase another stove now because we'll soon be moving. ( It does take a minute or so to heat up--not a fault--it's in the construction--because once it does reach

the temperature level you want--IT STAYS hot at that temperature.)This is the ONLY unit which gets hot enough to BOIL WATER and COOK PASTA --in a BIG POT, too--because large burner IS large....and QUICKLY.All the other units NEVER reach boiling temperature.This is because it's 1500. I, also, recommend this flat surface over the raised burner grids--which are hard to clean. These flat surfaces clean instantly. REAL metal-not plastic and substitute stuff--for easy cleaning and quality appearance. When we move and have a stove, again, I know we'll continue to use this

as an extra burner . This is the ONLY unit I would recommend over all those cheapie ones--whether they cost little or a lot.I don't write reviews very often-but just had to share and praise this one.

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This is the second identical unit I've owned. The first one worked fine for about 6-8 months, then the temperature knob stopped working and I could only use it for 100% hot (5 on the knob) or nothing at all. Then it stopped working altogether.

The most recent one had a problem the second time I used it. I was cooking poached eggs and some water boiled over the pan. The burner shot sparks about 2 feet out the side and burned my wooden counter, smoked, and shot out another big spark before blowing out the electrical breaker. The company should look into these issues and fix them. The second one could have been really dangerous.

Haier CPN14XC9 14K Portable Air Conditioner Reviews

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List Price: $599.00
Sale Price: $553.72
Today's Bonus: 8% Off

I strongly caution anyone against purchasing a Haier product. Haier has far and away the worst customer service I have ever encountered. I purchased a Haier Portable Air Conditioner in July 2011. The unit was "dead on arrival," completely nonfunctional. When I called Haier customer support, I was instructed to make a service appointment.

Nearly four months later, after four separate visits from the servicer to my home, the unit remained as nonfunctional as when it first arrived. During this time, I spent countless hours on the phone with at least half a dozen Haier representatives, none of whom was even remotely helpful. Interacting with Haier's customer support was truly excruciating; I would rather jab a needle repeatedly into my eye than endure it again. Most agents were both incompetent and unsympathetic. In numerous instances, I was denied access to a supervisor, told instead I would have to wait for a call back, but never received one. On the rare occasion I was privileged to speak to a "supervisor," I quickly discovered that the person to whom I spoke had no authority or capacity to resolve my situation in any kind of satisfactory (much less expedient) manner. For all their ineptitude, the members of the Haier team have attained expert status when it comes to "passing the buck."

Following the second service visit, in September, I requested a refund, which Haier's corporate office rejected, without ever bothering to inquire about the circumstances which led me to make such a request in the first place, and without ever informing me of this decision, despite a stated policy of notification within 24 to 48 hours.

At the fourth service visit, in November, the repairman told me he intended to reorder parts which had already been replaced on a previous visit, as well as a power cord he knew was not actually broken. He was appropriately apologetic, but said that was the best he could offer me under Haier's warranty. He confided that these units are notoriously unreliable, and that he would advise against buying one.

Finally, after repeated calls (bordering, out of necessity, on badgering), I succeeded in submitting a formal complaint as well as a second refund request to a customer specialist from Haier's corporate office. Though this individual professed a strong desire to assist me, I remained skeptical of Haier's commitment to resolving the situation to my satisfaction, given that she immediately questioned whether a refund would be feasible, again citing the "terms of the warranty." Sure enough, a week later, I learned that my refund request had been denied again (though, on this go round, Haier was at least kind enough to inform me.) After a brief exchange with the Haier messenger revealed she had no knowledge of my specific case, I relented to a superior adversary and accepted Haier's ever-so-generous concession to process an exchange (provided, naturally, I could jump through a few more hoops and complete a shipping assignment at my own expense.) I look forward to receiving another broken product, which will sit in a state of partial disassembly on my living room floor for four more months while I patiently receive another parade of repairmen with six hour appointment windows.

Haier offers a captivating combination of shoddy craftsmanship and shameful customer service. It is my sincere hope that potential Haier customers will learn from my experience and avoid doing business with this company.

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When I noticed this unit had only one star I figured I had to do something. I have owned several portable AC units and this one is by far the best. Before purchasing I read several reviews that were on the Costco site and the consensus was pretty much 50/50 so I was at first a little unsure. Believe me when I tell you that the dual hose design is far superior. I will never buy a single hose unit again after owning this one. My only complaint is that the drain plug is a real hassle to remove if you want to drain the water. I may try a little soap on that. Haier makes several models that look like this one but don't be fooled. This is the model you want. I wonder if the other reviewer was mistaking this for another model that looked the same or maybe New York weather is far worse. In any case this unit couldn't work better in the Pacific Northwest.

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If you read up on the differences between a single hose design vs a dual hose design there are several advantages to a dual hose vs a single hose. In a single hose design your indoor air is pulled through the system to cool the compressor and vented out the exhaust hose. This creates a negative pressure in your house and pulls more hot air inside your home which then has to be cooled... this makes a fairly significant difference in how effective these portable A/C units are.

With a dual hose design there is an intake hose pulling outside air through the unit to cool the compressor and then exhausted back out which does not create the negative pressure in your home...

Here is where this Haier unit is a big fat lie. The intake hose is almost cosmetic. It does in fact pull some air through this hose but there is a very large venting grate on the side of the unit that is exposed to the air in your room thus pulling air through this vent and only a portion through the intake hose which effectively defeats the entire purpose of a dual hose. If you have the intake hose hooked up and the unit is not running hot air just pours into the hose and heats up your room.

Point is... if you're looking for a dual hose you'll have to modify this one to actually make it work as one (probably going to void any warranty), if you want a single hose you might just want to get a smaller unit than this "dual" hose.

7/23, update.

The unit really does work pretty well (again, noting is really is a single hose design unless you choose to block off the air intake grate I've mentioned) The unit is fairly loud (it's an A/C...not surprised) and the display is a very bright blue which can be irritating at night. The unit does build up water in the collection tank but I only need to empty it maybe once every 2 weeks and I only run the unit about 4 hours most night... (I live in Utah so the humidity levels are fairly low) I bought the unit refurbished and for the price I paid I'm pretty happy so far. Changing my review from 2 stars to 3...

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I have owned this same unit for almost 3 years now. I bought it from Costco for around $325 then, and we have used it non-stop for two summers. it keeps our downstairs (around 1,100 square feet) FRIGID. All of these negative comments make me think i must have got a winner out of a big batch of losers, or all of these people expect a "central-air experience" from a $300 portable unit.

It beats the hell out of any window unit i've owned in the past

It is a bit heavy and awkward to carry, but luckily that only needs to happen twice a year; once to put it in the house, and once again to put it back in the garage. Also, it has wheels! We roll ours around even with it attached to the window since the hoses flex.

I love this A/C unit, and recommend it all the time. If you're hot, get one

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I had this unit for a few months and used it three times. It works ok but does not cool the amount of space that is referenced in the paperwork. The fourth time it was running and suddenly stopped. The circuit breaker in the power cord popped and couldn't be reset. I tried to order a new power cord but it's been on backorder for 6 months now. Needless to say now the warranty is up so I have to buy the cord which is about 65-70 bucks. The part is nowhere to be found so the unit is useless. The company is no help, the part was supposed to be available months ago but is still not available. Don't buy this or you'll be stuck with a useless large plastic cabinet that does nothing.

HOWARD BERGER -CZ40 FAN FORCED HEATER Reviews

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This personal heater works great for my baby's room. It will work well for a small bedroom or office. It was well priced and seller shipped it fast too.

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I use this little heater in my unheated laundry room (about 3 hours a week) and to heat up the bathroom for my kids when the weather is really arctic. It is safe and effective. I love it.

Best Oster Power Bather Deals

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I was hesitant about buying this item because it was expensive. I am glad I splurged and purchased this item. It makes bathing my dogs an easy quick process. I have two dogs (border collie and german shepherd). It takes me approx. 10 minutes to shampoo, condition, and rinse each dog. You don't even have to use your hands to scrub the dirt with a towel. This device has a high pressure hose( you can adjust the pressure) that get down in between the dog's skin and fur and lifts out the dirt. It does it in a massage like way. My dogs love the sensation because they are still and seem to be relaxed while I am doing it.

How it works? You simply place the pump in a tub or a sink where you are planning on bathing the dog. You run about two-three inches of water. Sit the pump in the water and turn it on. There is also an air controlled foot pump where you step on it to turn it off or on. The pump keep recirculating the water to clean the dog. I simply add a capful of shampoo to the water and the pump mixes it and sucks it up to the high pressure hose. When I am finished shampooing I let the water out and put clean water to rinse thoroughly.

I hated giving my dogs a bath and this pump makes everything so much easier. It is expensive but I think with use over time it would make up the costs.

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This is an awesome product. Works great, easy to set up. Thank you. It's even quiet enough not to scare my puppy.

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After a month of dealing with shipping troubles and recieving a unit that did not work! I went straight to Osters repair center I could not waste any more time, this unit was for my business. It now works.

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Had one of these made by hydrosurge for 15 years, so orders another one when it died. very fast shipping, was pleasure to order from you, would recommend you to others, thanks for making it all so easy

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This is the same bathing system I used in the grooming shop I owned years ago, without the attached blow dryer. I was so happy to see its still available. This would be ideal for a small, relatively low volume shop. Dogs love the way it feels!

Cheap Dimplex #CS12056A Compact Electric Stove, Black

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List Price: $129.00
Sale Price: $109.53
Today's Bonus: 15% Off

The product description says "On-demand heat with thermostat control". It has a switch for high and low heat but no thermostat other than according to the manual if it overheats it will turn the heater off and wont come back one without being reset by switching off and on again. So this was disappointing and the product description should really be revised.

When I first turned it on it made a clunk clunk noise so I turned it off and took off the back panel and found the thing that rotates had fallen out of one of it's mounts. It was easy to put back in the mount and after that it works fine and quiet.

It's nice and small so can be moved from room to room.

Flames look pretty good and heater also seems effective for a small room.

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This is a great little heater and the price is right. I use it with a programmable thermostatic plug and have it programmed to turn on about an hour before I get up, so my living room is nice and toasty when I sit down to have my coffee and read the paper, without having to heat the entire house that early. (I live in Flagstaff, and it does get cold).WIN100 Heating & Cooling Programmable Outlet Thermostat

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Dimplex #CS12056A compact electric stove. I order this stove on Friday the Oct.7th, and it is here Monday,the 10th. Amazon, you're the best!

I bought the Dimplex because I all ready own a larger model, that is five years old,and has worked great from the start. It was $99.00 back then. I wanted to buy another one, but then all of a sudden the prices went crazy, a similar Dimplex to the orignal one was going for $300. So in the mean time I bought a small Duraflame model.Big dissappointment. Sounded like a hair dryer when you turned on the heat and the flame motor by itself was noisy. I immediately wanted the quiet flame and heater of a Dimplex model.

This Dimplex compact model is a good size for this 130 year old farmhouse.I all ready tested the flame and heat, no noise at all.So now I have two Dimplex models. Both are centerpieces, one for the living room and one for the family room.

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Ordered this stove, came quickly and were very happy with it. It was just what we wanted for our RV......a gentle heat with a great "real" fire effect for those cold nights. Sadly, after a month, the light quit on us. I asked Amazon for another bulb but they said they couldn't do that, only exchange the stove. So thats what we did. Another came quickly and all was perfect again. Until, after 2 months the blower motor quit on us! Very unhappy with the product now. Amazon was very generous with us and refunded about 80% of my money since it was past a month's guarantee, I so wish this stove was better made! It was perfect for so short a time!! Come on Dimplex......make them last, please!?

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I was skeptical about this heater when I bought it. Usually really good heaters have to look more utilitarian, industrial and not so compactly designed. This little heater is a powerhouse. I used it on low for the first few weeks I had it; barely raised the electric bill two dollars. The cat sits right at the vent; I suppose missing the fireplace at our last house. Then I discovered the high button, flipped that and WHOA doggie, more like a furnace than a space heater. I enjoy this heater so much, I hesitate to mention a drawback, but for those of you with flexibility issues, the on/off/high/low buttons are located waa-ay down at the bottom on the right side. It's very sturdy, self-contained, child safe [nothing to open, nothing loose], cat/dog safe QUIET heater. I love it!

Dimplex 30" Purifire Plug In Electric Fireplace - DF3015 Review

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List Price: $1,299.00
Sale Price: $899.00
Today's Bonus: 31% Off

I purchased the Dimplex DF3015 firebox to fit in a fake mantelpiece that I had up against a bedroom wall. The firebox measurements on the Dimplex literature were very accurate and I was able to easily modify my mantle's opening and its distance to the wall in order to accommodate the firebox. I purchased the unit here on Amazon and the vendor was Wayfair. A salesperson from Wayfair called to state that I would have to remove the unit from the tractor trailer myself and that I should have help on that date. Fortunately, when the truck arrived, the driver stated that this was not true and he brought the item to, just inside my front door, as opposed to curbside, so that was a pleasant surprise.

As far as the unit itself, I did notice a growling noise after about one week when the flame speed was set to very high or very low. The flame speed adjustment on the remote has 9 settings and the noise occurred on setting 1 and setting 9. I removed the front glass and the log set and found that the noise was coming from the area of the flicker motor and flicker rod. I called Dimplex and they sent me a new flicker motor. Interestingly, the new motor came with a rubber piece to connect between the motor and flicker rod. On the one I had from the factory, the flicker rod shaft is connected to the motor with a flexible metal spring. On the replacement parts, they instruct you to cut most of this spring off and to use the rubber piece to connect the motor to the flicker rod. I believe that they are using this rubber piece to insulate and prevent vibrations from the motor from traveling up the flicker rod and vibrating it as an assembly inside the firebox.

Regardless, I changed the motor and the rod and added in the new rubber piece. Dimplex claims you can cut the 5 wires to the flicker motor and splice in the new motor with electrical quick connectors that come in the replacement kit. This seems to be a Mickey Mouse way of replacing a part in a brand new 899.00 firebox. As a result, I went a step further and removed the back glass inside the firebox (its a tight fit) and was able to find the control board that the harness plugs into. (A complete .pdf service manual is available on the Dimplex web site). Then I was able to just 'plug in' the new motor (the replacement motor does come with a complete harness with plug if you don't want to cut the wires and splice it in).

With that done I would say that the problem was 95% resolved. On speed 9 there is, not a growl, but sort of a slight clicking sound now with the new parts installed but it was not enough to be concerned and I like the look of the flame on the lower speeds anyway.

The heater is claimed to be a 1500 Watt type but that is sort of a misnomer. With a Watt Meter I was able to see that the heater operates on a low and high mode depending on what the thermostat reports (the thermostat is actually in the remote control so watch were you place that so you do not get false readings). When the unit calls for low heat a 600 Watt heater is activated and a low speed fan. When the unit calls for high heat the units supplies 1200 Watts and a high speed fan. The fan is fairly quiet on both settings which is a plus for bedrooms. The unit does draw about 200 Watts when the flame effect is on and no heat is desired so at full heat the entire units draws about 1400 Watts (1200 of which is heater element output). A dedicated 15 AMP circuit is ideal but may not be necessary as the unit draws about 12 AMPS at full power.

The remote control shows a digital display of actual room temperature (sensed in the bottom vent hole of the remote) and it shows the desired temperature you want the room to be. If desired temperature is 1 or 2 degrees higher than actual room temperature, the low temp heater and low speed fan will activate. If desired temperature is 3 or more degrees higher than actual room temperature than the high temp heater and high speed fan will activate. Once the desired temperature is reached the heater and fan will stop but the flame effect stays on until the power to the unit is shut off.

The flame appears very realistic and you almost think that it is a real fire. If you want the fire without the heater operating you simply dial down the temperature on the remote to a lower temperature than the room you are and it the heat will stay off but the flame effect will be on. This model also has Purefire which is simply an air filter that the air is drawn through anytime the fan is on. To filter the air you can have the fan on low or high without the heater by simply activating the Purefire button on the remote. Actually, the Purefire uses the same low/high speed fan that is used when the heat is activated. So anytime the fan is on (via heat or Purefire) the air is always drawn through the special filter. Another words, whenever the fan is on the air in the room is being filtered.

There is also a button on the remote that will activate a dimmer for the fire box's inside top back lights. This can add to the effect of the fire and make the firebox look somewhat deeper. The remote has a sleep timer setting which will shut the entire unit off. This is selected from 30 min to 8 hours and at any 30 min interval between.

For safety the main power switch can be shut off (if you don't mind bending down all the time as it is on the very bottom right front of the fireplace). I mention this because at first I was not bothering to shut this main power switch, I was just shutting the unit off with the remote power button. Then I discovered that my cats were walking on the remote and turning the fireplace on at times. As a workaround, I had an electrician make the outlet I use (behind the firebox) a 'switched outlet' so I simply shut the wall switch now when the unit is not going to be used.

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We purchased this Dimplex firebox and the oak mantel individually. We didn't like the cheaper firebox that Dimplex had switched to. The DF3015 is very attractive, although I have seen more realistic looking flames. Don't buy it for the heat. There isn't much there. Shipping from Wayfair was very fast, and when I had a small problem with the trucking company, Wayfair customer service took care of it right away. I would have given it 5 stars if it didn't seem overpriced.

Best Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp 1.7-Liter Stainless Steel Cordless Deals

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List Price: $185.00
Sale Price: $99.95
Today's Bonus: 46% Off

This kettle is everything you could want! I use it mostly for french press coffee, but my guests have used it for various kinds of tea, instant oatmeal, or hot chocolate with great success.

I did a lot of research on these kettles, and I found that the one thing to avoid was kettles with plastic insides. Every single one with plastic innards had comments about plastic taste in the water. Stainless and glass interiors didn't have this problem, but glass was more susceptable to scale buildup. So I went with stainless. There aren't many of these kettles with stainless insides, and the ones there are are generally more expensive. I looked at the Breville and some others, but they were simply too much money. This one, while not cheap, offered a great feature set, accurate temperatures, stainless interior, good controls, unobstrusive base, and pretty nice aesthetics.

The kettle is easy to fill, solidly built, and heats water very fast. It finishes its heat cycle with an authoritative BEEP that I can hear from the next room as I watch Sports Center. Another bonus is that even once it has reached temperature, it will keep the water at that temperature for up to 30 minutes, so if I'm busy doing something else, my kettle can wait until I get there, and my water isn't too cold or too hot! The most important thing about a good cup of french press coffee, besides the beans, is the temperature of the water.

The base is very minimal and you don't even notice it when the kettle is sitting on it, it looks like one piece of the kettle. The controls are easy to reach while holding the kettle by the handle, and the little LED light on the water level indicator is bright and helps you see the water level in a dimly lit early morning kitchen. It also automatically shuts off after a bit if the kettle heat has been turned off. The kettle will turn off automatically after a certain amount of time, but it also is easy to turn off once you've poured out your needed water by pressing the "keep warm" button again.

Cleaning is as easy as making a water/white vinegar mixture and letting the kettle boil for 10-15 minutes, then rinsing it out a few times. This removes lime scale deposits and calcification.

For the build quality, looks, features, and performance, I can't rate this kettle high enough! Look no further!

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UPDATED entire review on 9/12/2013 (Originally purchased and reviewed on August 2010)

We've owned Krups FLF2-J1 electric kettle for about 4 years and while it was doing the job I was desperately looking for something with selectable temperatures until I saw newly released CPK-17. While there were no reviews available at the time of the purchase I decided to try it out anyway and I was perfectly satisifed from the first cup of tea. We've been using it for over 3 years now and still enjoy the kettle as the day we got it. There is no rust on the kettle and all functions are working. It needs some cleaning, but that's a personal choice.

What I like:

Selectable temperatures. This was main feature why I bought it on the first place. I don't ever boil the tea, I prefer 175 degree setting and no more burning tongues!

There was no smell when it was brand new

Stylish looking even after 3 years I still like the look of it

Fits a cup more then a previous Kettle I had, but I rarely fill it up

Blue led when in operation

Surprisingly quieter then I thought it would be

Beeps when ready

There is a setting to keep water wamr for 30 minutes

Faster tea preparation when selecting lower temps

Cap opens with a push of a button

Neutral:

It is on the pricy side, but you get what you pay for, it's solidly build and looks stylish, plus it's been working for 3 years with daily use

Some plastic there, but not too much

Not so Great:

They didn't make one 10 year ago, not really a con, but you know...

Stains easily

Best Deals for Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp 1.7-Liter Stainless Steel Cordless

I did pretty extensive research before buying an electric kettle. The CPK-17 appealed to me on a few different levels. I liked the design, the materials used and the functionality. Although it's nice to have the option of different temperature settings, it's really only useful if you drink a lot of tea, which I don't. I generally use the "French Press" and "Keep Warm" settings, and there's also a Boil option (which is the next setting up from French Press). On the design side, it's a great looking appliance made from mostly stainless steel. Of course a big concern of mine is the use of BPA-leaching plastic in many kettles on the market, but there appears to be none on the interior of the CPK-17. The water level, as far as I can see, is covered with another sheet of steel. The only non-steel component I see on the kettle's interior is a silicone nub near the bottom, which nearly all kettles have and which are also heat-resistant. Another thing I like about the CPK-17's design is the 360-degree swivel capability of the kettle while resting on its heating element. And of course, the illuminated water level (on when the kettle is in use) is very attractive a nice soft blue color. The pouring spout is perfectly-shaped which makes for a fool-proof pour every time. In terms of functionality, the CPK works exactly as advertised. Heat-up time is quick and the controls are responsive.

The major complaint I have with the CPK-17 is the fact that it's already scaling at the bottom and I've only had the kettle for 2 weeks. To me, this is crazy especially considering I use filtered water by Multi-pure (one of the most advanced filtration systems available), so the water is as clean as it gets before it even goes into the kettle. No chlorine, no calcium, no lime -so what's with the scaling deposits already? It's annoying, and I wonder if other owners have had similar issues. Anyway, I'm giving this product 4 stars. To recap...

Pros:

great design, little if any interior plastic

smooth functioning, fast heat-up

Cons:

Scales easily after only a few uses

Pricey

Honest reviews on Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp 1.7-Liter Stainless Steel Cordless

This has review three parts: (1) why you should get something like this in general, (2) specific concerns about this product not addressed in other reviews, and (3) detailed operational measurements (water temperature range)

=== Part 1: Why to get an variable temperature electric tea kettle ===

For anyone who drinks tea (unless it is exclusively black) or makes coffee outside an all-in-one, department store drip-brewer, this is absolutely indispensable. Though most recipes have been built to use only room-temp or boiling water (since those are the only temperatures to easily reach with consistency), more cutting-edge cooking as well as coffee/tea prep requires more finesse. Unless you're willing to watch the proverbial pot boil with a thermometer in hand, this is the only way to heat water on such occasions.

=== Part 2: Concerns / questions raised (and/or) left unanswered by other reviews ===

I won't go into detail about well-established pros and cons covered in other reviews, but I would like to make clear a few things I couldn't determine from reviews/specs before I bought mine:

("Hot sides/surfaces"): Yes, the sides get hot, and yes, it is startling to touch the metal outer wall when the water is hot. However, according to my IR thermometer, the surface never gets much above 130 degrees. Sure, that's hot and you should avoid contact, but for comparison many people's hot water heater is set this high and (as validated by my rather stupid intentional touch test) an accidental touch is highly unlikely to cause even a mild first-degree burn unless you actively fight the reflex to instantly pull away.

("Construction / Material touching the water"): True, the sidewall level indicator and the "frame" of the removable spout filter are made of plastic (the BPA content of which I have not conclusively proved or disproved) but the former is part of a small compartment which only a small amount of water reaches and which has very limited circulation, and the latter is removable. The entire rest of the construction that touches water is steel. Since hot water dissolves BPA from plastics, and aluminum's role in neurodegenerative disease is unclear, iron/steel and glass are pretty much the only materials I trust completely for food storage/preparation containers. In this regard, this kettle is the safest option I've found.

=== Part 3: Operational test data ===

As a tea fanatic with a minimum of four kinds of tea always on hand (black, red/oolong, green, and white) and general geek, I have meticulously measured the actual temperature of the water in the kettle for the various settings. I share them here in hopes they will provide a useful operational profile for buyers interested in temperature variability. (Bear in mind that the container you pour into will greatly affect the water temperature, so remember to preheat it by filling it with hot water right before use.)

Button | @ First Trigger Completed

Label | "Beep" Re-heat Re-Heat

--------|-----------------------

160 | 164 160 163

175 | 180 175 178

185 | 192 185 188

190 | 197 191 194

200 | 203 199 204

Boil | 214 206 214

(All temperatures are in degrees F, as registered by my probe thermometer in the top half of the water with the kettle fully-filled.)

=== ===

I know this is half generally-relevant bullet points, and half geek-oriented test data, but I hope this review still has something useful for everyone.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp 1.7-Liter Stainless Steel Cordless

Hi.

I almost never write reviews but I believe this one deserve it.

I purchased this kettle from Amazon 6 months ago for $99. I really like the thermometer and could live with the stainless steel look. It worked like a champ until about 2 wks ago when I begin noticing how unusually long it is boiling. I use my kettles a lot for tea, hot water...pretty much 5-10 times a day. One time the water was boiling for close to 3 mins with scalding water splattering out of the spout. My husband suggested I wait no longer for it to shut off automatically and do it manually before it blows up.

That's when I contacted Cuisinart Customer Service only to learn that the only thing I can get from them is an exchange with me paying shipping both ways....NO thanks, I am not interested in spending any more of my money on something that may fail again.

So I called Amazon and begged them to take this kettle back and give me a refund. Amazon came thru and I got $79 back today.

I did lose $20 and my faith in Cuisinart products but at least Amazon didn't fail me. Thanks Amazon.

PS: When I took the base of the kettle off to ship it back to Amazon I noticed that it has been leaking under the base.

Zojirushi #CD-K03EJU Inner Container Cleaner for Electric Pots, 4 Reviews

Customer Ratings:

We have a 5L Zoji hot water pot and recently, used 1 packet (per directions) of this stuff to clean it. It worked great! We did do the cleaning cycle twice, just to be sure we got all the lime scale out. We have hard water, use the pot daily and after several months, it was EXTREMELY scaled up inside. For those who were wondering... This product is just 100% pure granular citric acid. Nothing else. Citric acid is also called SOUR SALT. The same stuff you would use for canning, cooking Jewish foods, etc. Each packet contains 30 grams or 2 tablespoons. There are 4 packets per box, 120 grams total or 4.23 ounces. Citric acid is available in powdered and various granular forms (for VARIOUS prices). This granular product had about the texture of regular table salt. Any form would work just fine. First, you need to dissolve this product in 1 cup or 240 ml warm water. Next, fill pot with plain water to just below max fill line and pour citric acid mixture into inner container. Then, turn on unit and warm for 1-3 hours. Dump water, then refill with fresh water, bring to a boil, dispense a cup (240ml) or so, to flush dispenser tube and pump, then dump remaining water. KEEP WIRE FILTER PLUG IN PLACE DURING ENTIRE PROCESS, IF YOUR UNIT IS SO EQUIPPED. Zojirushi says to use the programed cleaning cycle and follow the directions in your owner's manual, if your unit has this feature. Also, to adjust the amount of citric acid and the length of warming time, depending on the amount of scale in your pot. Zoji says this product may be used for all brands of water pots, probably because they are all made the same in one or two factories. Clean as a whistle, when done! Looks and works like new! Easy, too! Hope this is helpful! PS: It clearly states in the owners manual NOT to use vinegar (instead of citric acid) to clean your pot, as it will permanently damage your pots inner coating.

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Works well but this a very expensive way to go. All you need to dissolve the scale is a mild acid.

We used to use vinegar, which works well but smells like vinegar. Some people report some corosion, though we used it on our old Zoji hot pot for about 7 years without noticing any corrosion. Perhaps it's because we only descaled it twice a year.

Add a glass jar to the inside and you use a lot less (Think of how you displace water when you get in the tub) You can also save the vinegar to use again later, though white vinegar in bulk is quite inexpensive.

This product is 100% Citric acid which doesn't smell, however for the same price here on Amazon you can buy almost 10 times as much if you buy food grade (Citric acid is used for lots of things including cooking.) We also use Citric acid in our dishwasher as the newer non phosphate detergents are much more susceptible to hard water deposits.

Two tablespoons are about the right amount for each cleaning cycle

Citric Acid 1 lb., (Frontier)

Citric Acid, priced per pound

Citric Acid 4 Lb tub

Citric Acid (Lemon Salt) 5 Pounds Bulk

Citric Acid 1 Lb tub

Best Deals for Zojirushi #CD-K03EJU Inner Container Cleaner for Electric Pots, 4

I live in the mountains and we have well water. To say the least its incredibly hard water. Our Zojirushi was completely coated with white film. I used 4 of the packets and followed the instructions and i was shocked when i opened up the pot. Completely spotless. Great product.

Honest reviews on Zojirushi #CD-K03EJU Inner Container Cleaner for Electric Pots, 4

I use this to clean my 3L Zojirushi electric water boiling pot. Since I boil tap water in my pot, over time the interior of the pot becomes stained with minerals such as limescale and iron that precipitate from the water.

Zojirushi recommends this product to clean the pot. It's easy to use use 1 packet, dissolve in water and fill the pot as directed, set the cleaning cycle, and voila, the pot is clean.

I have never had a strange taste or smell after cleaning, but note that I typically dump the first batch of water I use after I clean the pot, and use it as usual after that.

The cleaner is food grade citric acid. You can buy citric acid in bulk, and at a price that is much lower than this product.

Amazon does carry bulk citric acid labeled "food grade", but since citric acid is also widely used in industrial applications, I didn't want to take any chances, so opted for this product, but next time may opt for a cheaper option.

Some reviews mention using vinegar to clean out the pot. My pot's product manual specifically mentions not to use vinegar. Both vinegar and citric acid are mild acids, and I wonder why the manufacturer seems to be so anti-vinegar?

The only reason I can come up with is that vinegar may react with the lining of the water container or with the inner lining of the transparent plastic water level indicator (and thus make it hazy instead of transparent)?

Most Zojirushi water pots have a small thimble-like filter that may fall off when you dump out the water (mine did), so you may want to make sure it stay where it is supposed to when you empty your pot.

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I followed the cleaning instruction and this works like magic. All the mineral debris were gone after just one clean. Love this!

Buy Qmark HBB500 Electric/Hydronic Liquid-Filled Baseboard Heater - HBB

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $329.80
Sale Price: $156.41
Today's Bonus: 53% Off

Works quite well. Arrived in 2 days in perfect condition. Best price available. Using to kill the draft from an RV window. Fits in the small space available and now our feet don't freeze when we sit on the sofa at night.

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Buy Max Burton 6010 8-Inch Induction Interface Disk with Heat-Proof

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $49.00
Sale Price: $42.97
Today's Bonus: 12% Off

This item does everything the manufacturer claims. All cookware can now be used on an induction cook-top, the tri-ply disk distributes the heat evenly, and the silicone handle is comfortable to hold, remaining cool in use.

I have an aluminum pressure canner, a non-stick hard-anodized sauce pan reserved for milk-based sauces and custards, a glass vacuum coffee pot, and several other items of cookware made of non-magnetic materials which are not induction compatible. Were it not for these items, I would not have bought this interface which effectively reduces the controllability, instant response, and efficiency to below that of a radiant cook-top.

Buy this item if you must retain cookware which is not induction compatible it will work well with them.

BUT... it makes absolutely no sense to hobble an induction cook-top's capabilities after paying its premium cost.

AND... It is far more than twice the price I would expect to pay for this item when comparing it with the price of an economy set of tri-ply, induction compatible cookware (which can now be found for around $150).

Sooner or later a competitor will challenge this manufacturer's monopoly and prices will fall. Until then it merits a very reluctant overall score of 4 stars. Were it not for my "special" items of cookware, this would warrant 2 stars.

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We bought this to use our awesome Max Burton induction burner with some aluminum pans.

Put it on the burner, put an aluminum fry pan on top, with eggs in the pan, turned on the induction burner, and we waited...

Half a second later, there was a series of loud metallic pops. This kind of freaked us out, as you don't normally see that kind of behaviour in major appliances.

Upon immediately turning it off, we examined everything and noted rather large blisters in the thin metal sheeting on this disk. It no longer sat flat, and very little of the disk would make contact with the burner any more.

It lasted an incredible half of a second before breaking.

We contacted the company from which we bought it on Amazon (don't remember who it was so consider this review to be of the item, not the seller), and heard nothing back.

Fifty bucks flushed down the toilet.

NOT recommended.

Best Deals for Max Burton 6010 8-Inch Induction Interface Disk with Heat-Proof

This interface disk worked great when boiling water in my NON-magnetic tea kettle... And it DOES let you use just about ANY pot or pan you own on an induction cooktop. BUT, for it's simple design and manufacturing, the price is DOUBLE what it should be !!!!!! Go ahead, bite the bullet.. what else can you do to be able to use your existing pots and pans ?? By the way, 4 cups of water boiled 30 seconds FASTER using this AND the Burton induction cooktop, than it did on my smooth glass cooktop on high ! I just HAD TO compare the two !!!!

Honest reviews on Max Burton 6010 8-Inch Induction Interface Disk with Heat-Proof

I thought this interface disk would be a nice adjunct to the old pans, especially popcorn popper that wouldn't work on the new induction oven. I was wrong! Just today, I tried it for the first time on popcorn. When the "test" kernels weren't popping, I checked the temperature of the bottom of the pan. It was MUCH too low. Then I checked the induction plate temperature with both a digital probe as well as infrared temperature. Way Low! I switched to a regular induction pot and the temperature zoomed right up and the popcorn was done promptly. In order to shake the pot and not scratch the glass top surface, I placed a paper towel underneath during cooking. While it browned a bit it worked like a charm and I was able to shake the pan on the cook top without it scratching.

I hope you read this and NOT buy this product! It was a waste of money!

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I was really looking forward to purchasing an induction disk so that i could continue to use my non-induction ready pans on my new Kenmore Elite slide in stove. First use, the stove's induction cooktop instantly recognized the disk's magnetic characteristics and kicked right in. A few seconds later the stove went into error mode and the stove completely shut down and would not respond while the disk remained on the burner. The error code would not clear while the disk was on the stove. Once I removed the disk and replaced it with a magnetic pan, the error code went away and the stove resumed to work like a charm. I repeated the process several times. Each time the disk sent the stove into a error mode. Previously and since, the stove works great with all other magnetic fry pans and pots. I don't know why I had a problem with this disk. Perhaps other stoves would not experience the same difficulties.

Best Bonavita BV1800TH 8 Cup Coffee Maker With Thermal Carafe Deals

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I bought one last year for the house and just bought a second for our camper. Works quickly in about 6 minutes and makes a smooth cup of coffee. I tried a few types of coffee, but just use store bought Folgers breakfast blend at 3-4 scoops for a smooth cut of coffee. No added features. I fill with water the night before, get up and load with filter and coffee, and when I am done in the bathroom, so is my coffee.

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The Bonavita BV1800TH is exactly what I was looking for. Makes excellent coffee quickly. We love it and recommend it highly.

Best Deals for Bonavita BV1800TH 8 Cup Coffee Maker With Thermal Carafe

This coffee maker has been terrific. I researched coffee makers online, and wanted a machine that consistently reached the proper water temp and quickly made coffee. The coffee is hot and stays hot in the carafe. It quickly makes the 8 cups, and automatically shuts off. I like that all the coffee grounds are saturated, as the water comes out in a broad pattern. My husband also thinks it makes a better cup of coffee than our previous machine.

Honest reviews on Bonavita BV1800TH 8 Cup Coffee Maker With Thermal Carafe

The Bonavita just arrived. Haven't even turned it on, Looks GREAT even though the outer carton was damaged; the contents survived.

I am (was *) upset that the Gold Tone Filter does not fit this machine. This was importaint!

Just makes no sense to package a Gold 'basket type' filter with a high quality coffee maker that only accepts '#4 cone type' filters! Does it?

The coffee cups received are different than shown.

They're ...almost as nice as the ones pictured, so I won't make this a big deal.

The ceramic Hario and Hario paper filters are a nice plus.

* 08/10/13 UPDATE: 6:00 AM made my 1st pot. Very satisfied. Quiet, fast, and the coffee is Fabulous. Also, 7:00 AM I opened an email from Amazon Customer Service. I called their number and received excellent fast and courteous service. The rep credited my account the value of a #4 Gold filter.

My product rating just jumped from 3 to 5 STARS.

:-)

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Bonavita BV1800TH 8 Cup Coffee Maker With Thermal Carafe

Now even I can make great coffee at home and very fast. This coffee make is EVERYTHING I had hoped for. It looks nice on the counter and is simple youse and clean. My package included a single cup maker as well as cups. This is a great value and I will recommend it to my friends and family.