Cheap SideKIC Kitchen Immersion Circulator

Customer Ratings:

This is a brand-new device (at the time of this writing) just released by ICA Kitchen: this is a review of the first version of the product. (Update March 2, 2012: I've added a few notes on the latest revision of the device to the end of this review).

The SideKIC has a very simple user interface: just a single clickable wheel and a color display screen. It is designed to hang on the edge of a stockpot or other cooking vessel: the depth of the pump outlet is not adjustable, and is quite shallow compared to other immersion circulators on the market. If you've been eyeing the SousVide Supreme Sous Vide Water Oven or perhaps even the PolyScience Standard Immersion Circulator, 120 VAC and intend to use the product at home, the SideKIC is a serious contender at a fraction of the cost.

To test the SideKIC I hung it over the edge of a 6-quart stockpot and added five liters of water at 18.3°C. I set the temperature to 50°C and turned it loose: it took 27 minutes to come to temperature. It overshot by 0.7°C before decaying back down to the set temp. According to my Thermapen, however, when the reading on the device was 50.0°C, the actual temperature of the water was 50.4°C. It held that temperature within 0.2°C while it was running, however, in an uninsulated stainless steel vessel sitting on a countertop (basically a worst-case scenario). It think the device is probably useful for most high-precision cooking provided that you check the temperature with a more accurate thermometer and compensate accordingly before adding your food. I also recommend starting with pre-heated water to minimize startup time.

The device itself it basically silent: the hum of the pump is very quiet, and is mostly covered up by the actual splashing of the circulated water. It does not appear to have a buzzer of any kind--it does not make a noise to indicate that the set temp has been reached, or that the countdown timer has finished, so I am assuming this means it does not have the means of doing so.

Physically the device requires that your water level run relatively close to the top edge of your cooking vessel, and there is not a great deal of margin to accommodate level changes when adding food. The best way to deal with this is to use a relatively wide, shallow cooking vessel, rather than a deep, narrow vessel, to minimize the water level change when adding the food (of course, then you will definitely want a lid of some kind to minimize evaporation). The pump is strong enough that in my standard stockpot the water is pretty close to the rim when it's running: I'd prefer a little more margin.

The countdown timer has a minimum five-minute granularity when being set: the minimum time you can set it for is five minutes and a maximum of 59 hours and 45 minutes. When the countdown timer reaches its conclusion the timer flashes on the screen for five seconds, and then begins counting up to tell you how far over you have gone (the pump does not stop running). It appears that it will only count up to the initial value of the timer: when I tested it I set it for five minutes, and when it had gone over time for five minutes, it reset to zero and started counting up again. I'd guess this is a software bug that has to do with how the device is checking for the timer completion, and is obviously very minor. However, in my opinion, without an audible beeper the timer is basically useless. In addition, it lacks sufficient granularity for cooks that last under 30 minutes (when a one-minute granularity is necessary, IMO), and cannot be set for longer than 59:45 so you can't do a 72 hour cook based on the built-in timer.

Finally, I killed the power externally to simulate a power failure: the device turned back on and remembered the set temperature, but not the cooking time or countdown timer. It did not turn the heater or pump back on when power was restored. If power failure is a concern you will want to take additional measures to deal with it.

My initial impression of the device is that even as it stands right now the SideKIC is well worth the amount it costs, when compared to the alternatives: it has some flaws, but if you have a decent thermometer and your own cooking timer most of them can be easily mitigated. I also think that with some very minor changes (some just software) it could be made an even better value. Obviously this is not a final verdict, since how well it holds up over time will clearly be important.

Pros:

* By far the lowest-priced immersion circulator on the market

* 300 watt heating element is adequate for most home sous vide uses

* Temperature accuracy and range is enough for most sous vide cooking

* Build quality is good (home-appliance level)

Cons:

* Built-in timer is useless

* Maximum set temperature is 185°F/85°C, precludes some vegetable preparations

* No power-failure detection or recovery

* Temperature accuracy is questionable for very delicate items

UPDATE March 2, 2012. The ICA Kitchen team has addressed several of my concerns in the latest version of the device. The built-in timer now includes a beeper and allows you to set it in finer-grained steps, completely eliminating that concern. The maximum temperature was raised to 95°C, making the device suitable for nearly all high-temperature vegetable sous vide tasks. Also, I've used the device a few dozen times now and not had any issues with the temperature accuracy for delicate items (eggs, in particular). For me the only major remaining con, and the item preventing me from giving this item five stars, is the 300W heating element. There are workarounds (use a well-insulated cooler with a lid, add a supplementary non-controlled heater, etc.), but 300W by itself is a stretch at higher temperatures.

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UPDATE: 5/13/13 It's a shame but I think the manufacturer may have gone out of business. Does anyone have more information?

In my opinion this is the best option for cooks interested in a low cost sous vide circulator, at least at the time of this review (April 2012).

While this is an exceptional value, I couldn't quite bring myself to give it 5 stars because of the relatively low wattage heater and the short immersion depth of the heater. These issues don't prevent you from using the unit but contribute to slow warm-up times and additional care needed for long cooking times.

To give you some perspective, I've tried several different devices over the past 3 years. In 2009 I was lucky to score a laboratory grade circulating water bath with digital controls on eBay for $65. I still use this unit but gave up hope of finding another at such a low price once sous vide became popular. My next unit was the DIY $75 design from the seattlefoodgeek.com site (and recently featured in Make Magazine). I built two of these and am pretty happy with them. After introducing friends and family to sous vide cooking last year, several of them bought commercial units that I have used. These include the Sous Vide Supreme and PolyScience Sous Vide Professional. A few weeks ago I purchased a SideKIC from Amazon to check it out. Of these I strongly recommend the PolyScience unit, the seattlefoodgeek.com DIY unit, and the SideKIC. I don't think the Sous Vide Supreme is a good value and it's not likely you'll find a lab grade circulator for a good price any more. PolyScience makes a nice unit but at $700 it's too spendy for me.

If you're new to sous vide I should explain that it can be addicting and at some point you may want to have two or more heating units to cook different foods at the same time. I've made single meals with 4 different water baths (egg, meat, vegetable, and fruit). Each needs to be cooked at different temperatures.

The SIdeKIC is (sort of) a simplified and nicely packaged version of the DIY unit. It has less heating power but the control menu is hands down easier to use, the control unit is separate from the immersion unit (which seems safer), and of course you don't need to build it. Both use the same type of immersion heaters your aunt used to have for making tea in her apartment. SIdeKIC has a single heater while the DIY version uses 3. This allows the DIY version to heat more quickly and heat larger volumes of water. The SIdeKIC heating unit doesn't extend as far into the water bath as the DIY version does. This makes control of water level more critical with the SideKIC.

After using the SideKIC for a few weeks I've determined that the lower power isn't much of a problem but the immersion depth does still concern me. If you start with hot water (or add boiling water) you'll be up to temperature quickly. However, when cooking for long periods it's important that you cover the water bath with a styrofoam insulating cover to slow down evaporation and the problems that occur when you add water (which could take a while to get back to the correct temperature) The immersion depth issue is a concern when evaporation occurs because the water level could drop below the heating element, causing the element to burn out. At first I was concerned that the SideKIC immersion unit wouldn't be stable in the water bath since it doesn't have a thumbscrew or other device to secure it. This hasn't been an issue for me, the immersion unit stays in place even when I cooked a bag that floated and bumped into the immersion unit.

It does take some practice to estimate the correct water level when filling the unit. If you guess too high the water may overflow when you add the food. If you guess too low, you'll have to top it up to ensure the heater is fully submersed. If your top up water is too cold or warm this could possibly affect the end product. What I usually end up doing is to fill to the proper level. When the water is up to temperature, I dip in a pyrex measuring cup and remove 2-4 cups of water. After adding my food bags I top up the water bath using the heated water in my measuring cup and cover with my styrofoam cover. As a small gripe, I had to mark the suggested water level on the unit, this is something the manufacturer should have done. The manual includes a diagram that shows the water level between the lower and upper 'windows' but this is apparently not the optimal level and I can imagine users forgetting this detail after not using the unit for a period.

To be fair, there are many differences between the SIdeKIC and the DIY unit. SideKIC uses something other than a thermocouple for temperature measurement and provides a customized, sous-vide specific user interface on the controller. The DIY unit uses an industrial PID controller with a pretty spartan interface. I don't know enough about how the SideKIC controller was made to say whether it uses inferior or superior temperature control technology but in my testing I haven't noticed any temperature control problems. The control interface on the SideKIC is simple, attractive, and easy to use. I was initially confused about the need to select a 'Start' menu item before the unit started heating but when I thinkk about it that's an important safety feature that allows you to safely remove it from the water without unplugging power.

One reason I'm comparing this unit to the DIY version is that after using the SideKIC for a few weeks I doubt I'd build another DIY circulator. Even though it costs twice the DIY unit, it's smaller and doesn't have the control unit perched above the water bath. Of course it's fun to watch people's expression when you tell them you made your own cooking appliance!

Here is an excellent thread discussing this product that includes honest and helpful comments by the manufacturer.

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First one came out of the box with the heating element broken, so while the water circulated, the built in temperature gauge told me that the water wasn't getting any hotter. Amazon promptly refunded my money after I returned it, and then I went and tried to buy a second one to replace it, thinking I just got a bad unit.

This current unit which I am now repackaging to return probably has a working heating element but I have no idea because while the water circulates, the temperature gauge is stuck at 00.0 degrees fahrenheit. There will be no third time, I'm taking the refund and looking for another solution. Darn shame as I like the controller, the setup was easy, but there's something wrong with the build of this device.

Honest reviews on SideKIC Kitchen Immersion Circulator

I ordered this product on Amazon. The first one was defective the actual temp readout would display either 0 or 211, and the heating element did not work. The company replaced it free of charge. The new unit works, but the temperature will sporadically read 185 (the max temp this circulator can be set to). The only way to get it to start reading the actual temp properly is to remove it from the water, unplug it and let it dry out. This means I have to keep a careful eye on it when doing any cooking, which sort of defeats the purpose of sous vide. I would not recommend purchasing this immersion circulator, its cheap for a reason.

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The first unit was DOA. The circulator ran, but no heat. The second unit heats, but is very erratic. Temperature set to Farenheit, but changes to Celsius. Would not reach 153 degrees and maintain it. Let it sit for two hours starting with hot water. It was maintaining 148 degrees, but when I changed to 153, it dropped to 144 (actual per thermometer was 140). Wild fluctuations of displayed water temperature (e.g. 140 then 262). I would like this unit if it actually worked. I've returned the second one and will order a third when they are available; if it's defective, then I'll look elsewhere. One thing that is a definite flaw in the design is that the sensor cord is too short. It's stiff and could be difficult to keep safe from water or off the counter.

The Original SUNHEAT Electronic Infrared Zone Heater, Golden Oak Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $399.00
Sale Price: $299.00
Today's Bonus: 25% Off

I knew exactly what I was buying when I purchased the Sunheat earlier this year and it does the job well. I needed a large-room electric zone heater for a small (450 sq ft) finished area for my basement. I live in Maine (very cold winters), but my well-insulated basement temperature stays fairly constant year round. I tried a few smaller space heaters and electric baseboard units prior to the Sunheat, but I found they simply didn't heat the space evenly or quickly enough. The Sunheat heats the space very well -comfortable and quick. The noise from the fan isn't even that loud. I can have the unit on next to the couch while I watch TV and it is a non-factor.

Also, it is important to note I do not run the unit 24/7 nor do I rely on the on-board temperature gauge to regulate the heat in the room. Instead, I plug the Sunheat into a Lux WIN100 Heating & Cooling Programmable Outlet Thermostat Heating & Cooling Programmable Outlet Thermostat (which can be bought from Amazon for $30), and it basically turns my basement into a separate heat zone of the house. I can program when the heating unit comes and and what temp I want the room at based on when I use the space, just like I do on the other programmable thermostats in my house. I leave the Sunheat switched on and on the high temp setting, but it only comes on when my separate thermostat tells it to. A big reason that I bought a Sunheat 1500 is because it has a non-digital on-off switch, which is only thing that is compatible with this type of thermostat. The Duraflame (which is the top rated unit on Consumer Reports) and others will not work with a separate programmable thermostat because when they are plugged in, they require a person to actually turn them on by pushing a digital button. The Sunheat has a manual switch, which is exactly what I needed.

The rest of my house is on oil heat. I priced out adding a heating zone with forced hot water baseboards through my oil furnace in the basement, and installation alone was $1500-$1700, plus the cost of the oil heat. For around $275 I can accomplish the same with the Sunheat and outlet thermostat. I cannot say exactly how much my electric bill went up from using the Sunheat because it can be common for my bill to fluctuate $10-$20 each month yearround depending on other variables. I haven't seen an noticeable increase since I started using the Sunheat so that tells me it likely increases my electric bill around $10 monthly.

Again, I knew exactly what I needed when I bought the Sunheat and it does the job well.

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I have tried many other heaters and this one is the cadillac of all heaters. Heater is rock solid and cranks out heat. It has a made in the USA wood case and is on wheels. The heater on off switch is located at the front top. Nothing on this heater gets hot.....very safe for pets and kids. 5 year warranty! A little more expensive then some heaters but worth every penny. Ignore the morons that claim all heaters are the same. I have had 1500 watt plastic junk heaters from walmart.....huge difference! A strong wind will blow the cheapies over or can get knocked over by a pet......Sunheat would take a hurricane to topple it.

You pay a lot more for a Mercedes then you do a Yugo for a reason.....I wonder if the same morons think the Mercedes is just the same as a Yugo and not worth the extra dollars??!! Buy this heater......best on the market!

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Last year, I could no longer afford heating oil, so I attempted to heat my half on my duplex with two oil-filled radiators. My bedroom was barely warm; for the remaining rooms, I suffered. While at my computer, I could hardly feel my fingertips--and it was a mild winter! I got my SUNHEATER yesterday. The directions stated to set the thermostat full-on. Within seconds, I nearly baked! Plus, it barely takes up any space and is fairly quiet. I do not, as yet, have any heating-cost information; but it has to be much better than the two heaters it has replaced. My seller is great--I purchased the unit for, literally, $100 less than the national-hardware store I'd mapped-out for my purchase. Thus, this unit is a winner all around!

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Bought this when my Delonghi heater finally crapped out. It's a nice unit, does the job (so far) of adding a little comfort to my unheated basement. Have only had it for half of one heating season, so we'll see how it pans out next year.

Review of Lasko 6221 Flat Panel Ceramic Heater, 15-Inch

Customer Ratings:

This is the second one we bought. We really like it because it not only works very well, but also shows the present tempature in the room. No other ceramic heater that we've bought does this. It's competively priced with others being only a dollar or two off the competitors prices. Well worth the money!

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This is really good and It can reduce our electricity energy consumption noticeably. Because we actually turn off the home's heating system and use this heater. Noted that it is good for a 5*5 meter room.

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Works fine the only thing I did not like is that you can not set the thermostat with the low wattage setting only on HIGH.

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Have had this for 24hrs and we already love it! We bought it for use in our nursery because the temp is difficult to maintain during the winter. We set it at 75 degrees and during the night both of our thermostats in his room (one on floor and one on top of shelf) were within 3 degrees of each other, which tells us it does regulate the temp VERY well. Our only issue is every time you touch a button it has a high pitched beep which could disturb our sleeping baby. But since you don't have to touch it after you set it to auto, we don't foresee this being a major issue.

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Update up front: The digital display partially burnt out after a couple of months. The heater still works great. I took a star off my original review.

Orignal review: This is a great little heater for assisting your existing heating system to reach the target temperature that you would like your room to be at. It has a built in digital display thermometer that displays the room's current temperature. It is programmable to either shut off after a set time or to maintain the target temp. It comes on if the temperature drops one degree below your target temp and stays on until two degrees above the target temp is reached. The one flaw in this product that I can not find as a feature, and I could be wrong, but it does not seem to have a failsafe for shutting off if knocked over. Maybe that isn't needed with this variety of heater?

Discount Dyson AM04 Hot Heater Fan - White with Silver Trim

Customer Ratings:

I bought my Dyson Hot heater for one simple reason, curiosity.

The Dyson sounded promising and made the pitch that it was something truly new and revolutionary so I bit and got one....a white one!

At first glance the quality looked good, fit and finish were tight and it looked good on the surface.

Sitting down, I kicked back and prepared to enjoy reading the manual....that was short lived as it had lots of information on warranty and legal guck and only the most basic of operation information with absolutely no information showing specifications, no power use...no Heat output....nothing

Moving on I plugged it into the power use tester to see how much power it would consume and in return how much heat it put out at 12 inches away.

Power use was high especially considering how low the temperature it was putting out, for example of the ten temp ranges (here are three examples): Level 1: 1207 watts @ 102 degrees ambient at 12 inches...Level 5: 1280 watts @ 108 degrees at 12 inches ambient and Level 10: 1391 watts @ 105 degrees at 12 inches ambient...I can rub my hands together and get higher temps, these are dismally low numbers when compare to my 5 year old HOTBLAST Ceramic heater that puts out 142 degrees at 24 inches at 750 watts.

True the heater is being touted as SAFE and it is, but it has no more safety features than any $15.00 heater, not even a grounded plug....both have tip over protection and overload protection but claiming to be safe while you sit there freezing as your power meter spins, little conciliation since this is SUPPOSED to be a heater first and foremost not some over priced thing ah ma jig!

Now comes the real fun....in the three weeks I have owned it, from day one the thermostat has been mis-behaving, (dysfunctional). It turns off when it reaches the preset shutoff but between 30 seconds to two minutes later turns right back on and just continues this off and on routine indefinitely or until you manually shut the heater off.

Then there is mis-calibrated thermostat between three to five degrees high when in operation (it says it is 68 degrees when in reality two other thermostats placed right next to the base confirm it is actually only 64.

Dyson's HOT selling points are as follows:

1. Brushless motor (the fan / heater industry has used them for over 20 years)

2. Air Multiplier Technology ( Ducted fans have been used in portable heaters for over 50 years)

3. Long Range heat projection, (this I will agree with, Dyson has figured it out that smooth low pressure air flow is better than high pressure when it comes to heat, the faster it moves the more is dissipates and the more heat is lost, unfortunately the high energy requirement to generate the low heat output from this heater means energy efficiency and heat production is poor at best.

4. Safety features (nothing new here virtually all portable electrics have had tip over and overload protection for the past ten years and this heater also lacks one of the MOST important feature.....a GROUNDED PLUG!)

5. Precise temperature control (a very standard digital temperature control that with the Dyson lacks timed use feature and in my samples case had debilitating issues....see above)

6. No Worry Burning Smell (burning dust odor is typical of the environment it is used in and old wire or nichrome type heaters which have long since been replaced by cheaper aluminum PTC elements, the Dyson does have micro fine air intakes but deep inside it also has a secondary filter that is not easily serviced to stop any dirt from getting into the heating elements from the impeller itself, unfortunately THIS is what will plug and heat output and efficiency will be reduced significantly. Other odors the Dyson Hot WILL pick up because it is made of plastic will be food and environmental odors).

7. High Air Flow Cooling Fan ( because this is a heater the fan velocity has been greatly reduced over the Dyson fan and is simply no better than the fan mode available on 95% of all portable heaters over the past five years)

8. Complete Control with its remote control unit (again, nothing new here as most mid range portable heaters $19.95 and above have them but the Dyson is different in that it is tiny and very easy to loose).

Dyson claims they took three years and 22 engineers to come up with this,if so I seriously want to know where they were educated because in the end the Dyson HOT is simply no better than most $15.00 portable electric heaters when it comes to safe heating.

P.T. Barnum said it best "There is a Sucker Born Every Minute"....or Captain Jack Sparrow "Take what ya can....GIVE NOTHIN' BACK"....that's this heater then there is the salt in the wound, not even made in the UK....made in Malaysia because labor is 30% cheaper!

Sorry Dyson, I had really hoped for just a grain of truth but your product simply does not prove out at many levels...If B.S. were heat, the Dyson HOT could heat the world!

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This product is amazing. Not as a heater but as a conversation piece and a work of industrial art. You can buy a simple couch at Ikea and it will do just fine or you can buy an expensive Italian sofa for ten times as much and be proud. You can buy a boring but functional suit for 200 bucks or you can get a tailored one for three grand. This heater does what it says and it looks great doing it. My only real gripe is that it can be a bit noisy but not more noisy than a traditional one. And I kind of wish it was ceramic. That would have extra cool factor.

Reviews of Bonavita BV1800 8-Cup Coffee Maker

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $179.99
Sale Price: $169.95
Today's Bonus: 6% Off

I'm really happy with this coffee maker, having chosen it over the Technivorm Moccamaster Coffee Brewer With Thermo Carafe Technivorm 9587. It brews extremely quickly (about 7 minutes), and I measured the temperature of the water coming from the spout at about the 195F-200F range, so it's in the right range for extracting optimum flavor -the brew from this machine is just at the point of being tip-of-the-tongue scalding. The water is dispensed at a number of different points into the filter, and looking at the grounds afterwards you can tell that the dispersion pattern works well, as the coffee grounds remain clumped at the bottom of the filter, rather than being thinly spread across the entire filter.

Note that this is a minimalistic coffee maker. It is fairly compact, has an unassuming appearance, and there are no glowing dials, no HUDs, no clocks. There's one control: the on/off switch. It has no timer. It doesn't have a brew stopper, so you have to let the coffee maker finish before you can pour yourself a cup (since the coffee maker brews so quickly, this isn't too big of a deal). You cannot navigate your kitchen at night by the light from this coffeemaker, nor can you signal passing UFOs.

Nonetheless, it makes great coffee.

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At the time I'm writing this review there were no reviews of this coffee maker and I almost overlooked it and ordered a different one. I would normally wait longer to post a review but this review may bring others attention to this machine. I have only used mine twice but I know from those two times this machine extracts more from the grinds than my Starbucks Barrista did because I can feel the effects of the caffeine after 3 cups (about 3/4 of the carafe) whereas I didn't feel it at all from the Starbucks unit (also 8 cup capacity) after a whole pot. I don't notice that the coffee is any hotter than it was from the Starbucks unit but it is piping hot. My Starbucks unit was 8 years old and had started to leak water on the counter during the brewing process and shut itself off before the reservoir was empty requiring multiple restarts. I am not trying to compare the Bonavita to the Starbucks because I did not descale the Starbucks unit anywhere near as frequently as I should have which may well have lead to the leaking problems. The Starbucks unit did brew a very good pot of coffee.

This machine is one of only four coffee makers certified by the Specialty Coffee Assoc. of America for home use. The certification is based on the machine's ability to heat the water to 195-205 degrees which is the ideal temperature to extract maximum flavor from the grinds. Bonavita claims on their packaging this is the only coffee maker sold with a 1400 watt heating element. The other three certified machines are a Bunn HG Home Brewer (sold on Amazon) which is slightly less money but when I read the reviews is very unreliable, the Technivorm Moccamaster which is $300 (sold on Amazon) the reviews indicated quality control problems, and the Lance Larkin BE 112 Brew Express $300+ (not sold on Amazon) which requires a water line permanently installed and is designed to be built into cabinetry. Since I was not going to spend $300 the choice was between the Bonavita and the Bunn but I immediately excluded the Bunn because of the numerous recent reviews indicating it stopped working and had to be replaced sometimes more than once. Bunn is known for high quality machines but it is very apparent this is not one of them.

The Bonavita's thermal carafe is manufactured by Melitta and has a glass liner. It can be purchased separately from Bonavita (perhaps Melitta too) and is so satisfactory to use I would recommend it even if you don't purchase the Bonavita coffee maker. One of the things I noted repeatedly in many reviews of thermal carafe coffee makers (all the brands Amazon sells) was users having difficulty using the tops of their carafes and/or dripping when pouring a cup. This carafe has a very easy to use top that screws on and has a trigger for one handed usage. My Starbucks carafe always dripped and the center spring loaded button broke on two tops. I am thrilled that I don't have to wipe the carafe and counter every time I pour a cup anymore.

Because of the caffeine effect from this machine's brew the next pot I'm going to use 3 rather than the 4 coffee measure spoons I have always used to brew 8 cups and see how that tastes. The machine is very easy to use, I simply fill the carafe and pour into the non-detachable reservoir than the filter basket sits on top of the carafe (with the carafe's top removed). After brewing which takes about 8 minutes you simply remove the filter basket and screw the top on. Again, because of the caffeine effect I have yet to finish a whole pot so I can't say how long the carafe keeps the coffee very hot but it is still piping hot 2 hours after brewing. My guess is probably 4 hours, maybe 5 like my Starbucks thermal carafe. It uses #4 cone filters and Bonavita claims using the paper filters is preferable to the metal style filter because the paper filters absorb more coffee oils.

The machine appears to be well built and all but the bottom and recessed drip tray area are stainless steel. Two potential downsides of this machine are 1) you cannot pour a cup until the brewing cycle has completed (doesn't bother me but may bother others) and 2) there is no timer function which for the cost of the machine I think there should be. It is not a feature I used very often on my Starbucks unit so I'm OK without a timer but others may want one.

The reason I rated the Bonavita 4 stars rather than 5 is because the machine is in such limited distribution the $149 price is in my view not a deal like almost every other coffee maker Amazon sells. There are however two ways to look at the price, I read an online review which favorably compared the Bonavita to the Technivorm unit which costs twice as much. Still, I think at some point this machine will have wider distribution and the price will come down. If you go to Bonavita's website they list the resellers and everybody sells it for $149-$159. I think closer to $100-120 would be a good deal.

It does have a 2 year warranty and at this point given my limited usage of the machine I would say that I am very satisfied with it. It does brew an excellent pot of coffee, is easy to use and clean and I like its appearance. So if you want an excellent pot of coffee poured from a drip free carafe and can overlook the lack of a timer and the ability to pour a cup before the brewing cycle has completed and don't mind the price this is a choice well worthy of consideration.

I was mostly satisfied with my Starbucks Barrista except for the carafe always dripping so thus far I like this machine better because the carafe doesn't drip. Here's a tip for Starbucks machine owners, call their customer service when yours stops working and complain that they have no support because they no longer sell coffee makers. When I did I was initially offered a $10 gift card but ended up with a $25 gift card.

On a side note, I was truly amazed by all the problems other owners reported with virtually every thermal carafe coffee maker Amazon sells. From machines that stopped working to those that spilled water/coffee all over the floor/counter to tops that leaked and/or were difficult to use. I probably spent a good 6-7 hours researching all the thermal carafe models filtered by highest reviews and had selected the Kitchen Aid 12 cup model but before I ordered it I quickly reviewed the models one more time and caught this one on the last of 7 pages of machines with no reviews. I'm glad I did. I hope my review will cause others to consider this machine.

If I encounter any issues with this machine I will update this review.

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VIDEO REVIEW:

The video captures brewing the first pot of coffee with the Bonavita and (briefly) how to fold a filter. It demonstrates pouring.

WRITTEN REVIEW:

Today I received my Bonavita Thermal Coffee Maker and made my first brew with it.

First impressions: This is one fast and impressive little machine. No wonder it garnered the Specialty Coffee Association of America's coveted Certified Brewer Equipment award: one of only four machines to do so as of this writing. This machine makes very hot coffee indeed: I measured the coffee in the preheated thermal carafe right after brewing at 188° F. With a non-preheated carafe the coffee was 183.2° F right after brewing completed.

Temperatures during brewing were at 195° F at 58 seconds into brewing and reached as high as 205.8° F briefly at the 4:04 minute mark and at 203.3° F at the end of the brewing cycle (see photos). Brewing time was 5 minutes 48 seconds, so just under six minutes.

A photo is attached of what you receive with this brewer, and the list, like the brewer, is very basic.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX:

* Bonavita BV1800 8-Cup Coffee Maker

* Bonavita Thermal Carafe

* Carafe Lid

* Filter Basket

* Bonavita "Brewing Perfect Coffee Everytime" Manual

* Small paper insert on how to clean the showerhead (the lid and showerhead are removable and can be cleaned in the dishwasher)

* "Bonavita Exceptional Brew" Manual

* Pink sheet of instructions for care of the thermal carafe, also known as the "Melitta insulation jug."

* Starter pack (4) of Melitta Super Premium Flavor Enhancing #4 Coffee Filters in Natural Brown

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

* Extra filters. A starter pack will get you going for the first few days.

* If you choose it, a gold tone filter, instead of paper filters. I purchased the Cuisinart GTF Gold Tone Filter, which fits inside the Filter Basket, in case you'd like to fit your Bonavita with a permanent filter. Be advised that gold tone filters do let in sediment (depending on how your coffee is ground), so if you use a gold tone filter, you may get sediment at the bottom of the pot. As a sidenote, so far, the Bonavita brew times have remained within the recommended SCAA guidelines when I tested it.

* ETA about the gold tone filter: Although I am a fan of gold tone filters, I have become a big fan of the Melitta filters since my Bonavita purchase as they have no paper taste. So I am sticking with paper Melitta filters for my Bonavita.

MY FIRST BREW:

The instructions are basic and easy to follow. Using the "Bonavita's Exceptional Brew" manual, I measured 7 grams of coffee for every cup or a total of 56 grams of coffee to make 8 cups. (Bonavita recommends between 7 and 9 grams of coffee per 5 ounces of water. The Bonavita "cup" size is a 5-ounce cup.)

You can also measure your coffee to taste or use the scoop size you usually prefer if that is your preferred method. More detailed instructions are in the manual.

I put a paper filter in the filter basket, folding the crimped edges of the filter (per the instructions on the back of the filter package) -the filter fits perfectly this way. I put the coffee into the filter, then placed the filter basket on top of the thermal carafe. I placed the thermal carafe onto the coffee maker, put in 40 ounces of filtered water, then turned it on. Voila! It began to brew.

The brewing cycle is fast and efficient at just under 6 minutes. I was expecting the filter basket might be clumsy to remove: not the case. Having previously used Chemex, Krups, Braun and even Cuisinart (with all of their dreaded innards), the simplicity of removing just the filter basket and replacing it with the thermal carafe lid was marvelous. One complete turn and the carafe lid was in place.

MY FIRST POUR:

My first impressions of the coffee? Delicious and strong. Hot at 188° F. I went back to the carafe three hours after making the coffee and took off the lid. Still hot. You *will* get hot coffee from this machine: blissfully hot coffee.

HOW TO CLEAN THE CARAFE:

There are a few reviews about exploding carafes. I clean my carafe by only swishing warm water inside of it (see the pink sheet of instructions). I don't put sponges, plastic dish scrubbers, or anything else inside the carafe. It's been fine so far.

A NOTE ABOUT PLASTIC TASTE, OR RATHER, THE LACK THEREOF:

There is no plastic taste with this machine. If I put my sensitive nose into it, I smell no plastic smell. I don't taste plastic in my coffee. Even with the first brew right out of the box. This is likely due to Bonavita's use of BPA free plastic. Hallelujah!

PROS:

* Very hot coffee.

* Speedy brew cycle of 6 minutes: within SCAA guidelines

* 1400-watt heating element (aluminum)

* Auto off after 15 minutes

* Glass-lined carafe that keeps coffee hot for hours

* One-full-twist easy-on carafe lid

* Easy off filter basket makes clean-up easy

Note:

* I'm only mentioning this so people will be aware in case it happens to them. After brewing, when I lifted out the paper filter from the filter basket, there was a small amount of coffee that had not drained from the filter basket. Apparently this has to do with the position of the hole in the filter basket and is for better extraction. I removed the paper filter and simply tipped the filter basket with its coffee directly into the thermal carafe. The amount of coffee is so small it is insignificant. ETA: After doing this a few times, it depends on the amount of coffee or your grind. The water might drain into the carafe on its own.

WHO SHOULD GET IT:

* If you love coffee; and you just want a deliciously brewed, piping hot, delicious cup of coffee

* If you want a machine that produces fantastic coffee but without all the "bells and whistles" such as programmable features, brew and pause, etc.

* If you are looking for a truly great thermal carafe: one that keeps the coffee hot, pours easily, and has an easily removable and replaceable lid

* If you want a machine that is easy to clean

* If you want a machine that easily fits under cabinets: my kitchen cabinets are low at 17 3/4" and the Bonavita fits under them easily at 11 5/8" high.

Overall, I'm extremely satisfied with this machine.

Please see my photos and video for more details.

Honest reviews on Bonavita BV1800 8-Cup Coffee Maker

Making good coffee is actually quite simple:

1. Buy freshly roasted beans.

2. Grind the beans immediately before brewing.

3. Brew with 195 to 205 degree water.

The brewer can only help you with #3, and although there are various manual methods you can use, there are only two drip machines that are rated to consistently deliver the water at the right temperature: the Technivorm Moccamaster Coffee Brewer with Thermo Carafe and the Bonavita. I've been using the Bonavita for a month now, and I'm a very happy camper.

PROS

* The Bonavita heats the water quickly and brews at the temperature they claim. I measured the temp myself and it was right at 200 degrees.

* It makes a full pot (40 ounces) in 5-1/2 to 6 minutes. That's how long it takes to extract all the flavor from the grinds, so you don't want a brewer that works any faster. Of course, the coarseness of your grind affects the time. Too coarse and the water flows through too fast; too fine, and it bogs down and over extracts.

* It brews smaller amounts well, too. Just for myself, I make 3 cups (15 ounces) at a time. It takes two or three minutes and tastes just as good as a full pot.

* The showerhead design distributes the water evenly so all the grinds get to participate.

* The design is simple and attractive with a small footprint.

* I'm delighted with the lack of useless bells and whistles. The Bonavita's only "feature" is that it shuts off automatically. I'm a believer in unplugging small appliances when they aren't in use (let me tell you about my toaster oven experience sometime... ) but the auto shut-off is a nice safety feature in case I forget.

* The thermal carafe has a well-designed lid that screws on and keeps it sealed, so it should keep the coffee hot as long as coffee could be expected to stay hot in any thermos. I don't really keep coffee sitting around, so I have no comparison for that.

CONS

* The only real "con" is the price. I don't see why such a simple appliance has to cost $150, but since the only competition costs twice that much, the Bonavita is the best buy.

* This is really more of an FYI than a con. A lot of steam comes out of the top so you probably don't want to leave it directly under the upper cabinet while brewing. Just pull it forward.

UPDATE

Please don't let my comment about the steam discourage you from trying this great brewer. Obviously, any brewer that heats the water adequately is going to put out some steam. Just to be clear, the steam vents are the dot pattern you can see in the picture, on top above the basket, so the Bonavita design nicely directs the steam in one small area.

Keep in mind that you have to pull this or probably any brewer out from under the cabinet in order to fill the water tank anyway, so it's easy enough to just leave it pulled out while you brew.

ONE YEAR LATER

I've been using the Bonavita daily for more than a year now and it has held up well. I have no complaints.

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We bought the Bonavita January 3, 2013 and it worked very well. I appreciated the simplicity: it is easy to see how much water you have put in, one button to press makes operation simple. However, in late March (3/27/2013) the water did not heat. I tried again the next day with no luck. I'm guessing this is a bad heating element that should be replaced since it should work for more than 3 months. When I attempted to report the malfunction, I discovered the real problem:

The customer service is the worst I have ever encountered. Should something go wrong, you must email them with a full description of the problem. You must include several numbers off of the maker and carafe, so have those available. They will then email you back within 5 WEEKS! I am writing this review at the limit of the 5 weeks (5/2/2013) since I filed the service request. I have been very carefully scanning my junk mail folder to be sure I don't miss the email but they have not contacted me yet. For those of us who have a daily coffee or more, 5 weeks is really unacceptable. I have been using my back-up french press for the last month and the ridiculous delay has given me time to fall in love with it.

If you decide to buy the Bonavita coffee maker, be aware that if it breaks, you're on your own.

Reviews of Soft Heat Warming Mattress Pad

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $139.95
Sale Price: $99.99
Today's Bonus: 29% Off

The good: the concept is awesome you push the button when you start getting ready for bed. The first 15 minutes the unit goes to high and the sheets are toasty warm when you hop in then the unit goes to the setting you selected. Both my wife and I found that LO or 1 was plenty! If you get up in the morning and forget to turn it off... it then turns off after 10 hours. All in all terrific concept and warms things right up.

The bad: the transformers... since the unit is DC there are transformer boxes that sit on the floor. The issue here with both transformers is the high pitch whine / buzz that they make when converting AC to DC. That sound is made worse by the on/off cycling that the unit does based on the temp setting (cycles off more on LO than on HI). There is absolutely nothing you can do to stop it short of unplugging.

The awful: The manufacturer said some sound is "normal" and since both units do it it must be normal. So back to Amazon it went.

Very disappointing because it was nice getting into bed with warm sheets but then not being able to fall asleep because of the horrible sounds... well... you get the point.

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There are lots of reviews here, but only one mentions the noisy transformer problem, so I would like to share my experience with that.

We purchased our first queen Soft Heat mattress pad from Costco about 6 to 8 years ago. At that time, the electrical connector on the pad was smaller than it is on newer versions. After a couple of years, we noticed a faint burnt odor and saw that the connectors had become brown. We contacted Soft Heat, and they immediately sent us a replacement mattress pad with new controllers and an updated connector that was significantly larger. We have not had a problem with the connectors since then.

However, at some point we started noticing a strange noise in the middle of the night. It sounded sort of mechanical and sort of melodic, sometimes like an ink jet printer in the distance, or sometimes kind of like a telephone dial tone. It was one of those sounds that is really hard to locate the source of. It was quiet enough that we thought it was coming from farther away. Finally, weeks later, we held the Soft Heat transformers up to our ears and realized that they were causing the noise. Even when the mattress pad was turned off the noise would be there, and could only be stopped by unplugging the transformers.

We contacted Soft Heat, and they immediately sent us replacement transformers. The replacements also had the noise problem. We contacted Soft Heat again, and they said that their engineers were aware of the noise problem, and were working on a solution. This was maybe in 2008. A recent reviewer stated that the transformers are still noisy as of March 2010.

We decided to plug the transformers into power strip next to the bed, so we could switch them off in the middle of the night. This solved the noise problem in an inconvenient and inelegant way.

If it weren't for the noise, this would be a five star review. They heat well, and we don't feel the wires when we sleep.

The noise is subtle, and it's possible we only noticed it because our street was super quiet at night. But, once we heard it, we found it hard to get to sleep until we had stopped it.

Based on my experience, most if not all of the Soft Heat transformers make a noise. I think other reviewers should hold the transformers up to their ears and report back on any noise they hear.

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This product could not be improved upon. It is soft, you feel no wires. It has a wide range of heat settings. I have not gone higher than 6, which is quite warm, but 1 is very mild, barely perceptible. Although it's a little pricey, I am not sorry I sprang for it, as it allows me to do with minimal heating of the room over night. I'm also happy about the reputation for safetybecause it is always stretched flat, it cannot bunch into a ball, overheat and catch fire as an electric blanket can. Also, unlike how it is with an electric blanket, the heat feels as if diffused throughout the bed, rather than localized in the heat source.

Honest reviews on Soft Heat Warming Mattress Pad

I love this product. I have ordered this mattress warmer for each family member. This warmer never has hot spots. I have had mine, just over 5 years,I wash it as directed at least twice a year. However I never put it in the dryer.I have a new one waiting in case mine goes out , I will have another ready to go.

When I had this warmer for a little over a year, the power box quit working. I notified the company , and had a replacement with in a week.I never want to sleep in a bed that doesn't have this warmer. Any one buying this product will find it much better than an electric blanket.

and safer too.

Phyllis

GT. LA

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Everyone loves this pad except for the "transformer noise". The purpose of this review is to explain what is going on and how to remove the noise.

What everyone is calling a transformer is actually a switching power supply. A switching power supply does indeed have a small transformer in it, but the transformer is operating at 14-20 kHz (cycles per second), which allows it to be relatively small. The sound put out by a switching power supply is such a high frequency that many people will not be able to hear it at all. That is why some people say they hear nothing at all while others are bothered by it. My guess is those who find the noise annoying are people who do not listen to lots of rock music. Those of us who listen to loud music have long since lost the ability to hear sounds above 15 kHz.

If you own one of these blankets and wish to get rid of the sound, put a large soup bowl or other bowl over it. The bowl size must be large enough to avoid an overheating of the enclosed powersupply. First time you try this, check to make sure the power supply is not getting too warm. High frequencies will not escape from underneath the bowl provided the power supply is on a carpet or placed on a hand towel.

A safer alternative to the bowl approach is to find a one foot piece of metal pipe with a diameter large enough to put the power supply inside. The pipe will not transmit the high frequencies effectively, and should remove the noise. If you can still hear the sound, try putting a hand cloth in the end facing out. The pipe should be metal to avoid resonating with the power supply.

Finally, if all else fails, buy an acid rock CD and listen to it full blast with earphones. I promise you will not notice the "transformer noise" again.

Reviews of Frigidaire FRA144HT2 14,000/13,600 BTU Through-the-Wall Room Air

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $599.99
Sale Price: $579.00
Today's Bonus: 3% Off

It was time for an upgrade for a more energy efficient Fridigaire A/C! We had a 12,000 BTU model that was struggling to deal with 97F + humidity summers: too much groaning and compressor failing! We decided to look for a higher BTU output and for apartment living there are much fewer choices and models to choose from compared with the window models: so here we are with the 14,000 BTU.

Thankfully, the sleeve was already there from our older model, and hence we intalled it ourselves that was not a difficult task but you will need 2 people to help! After a couple of days dealing with 100F + humidity: the A/C is doing its job and we noticed that it is distributing the cooled air more evenly (is that possible?). I noticed that with the older model (10 years old) that I could always feel the cold jet stream and had to put a cardigan on: now I dont need to and the cool air appears more distributed. Yeah!

Note that we have increased the rating from 4 to 5 stars following its wonderful performance over the brutal heat wave (106F) we just experienced.

We would like to stress to potential buyers that they need to follow the installation instructions and in particular to the installing the grill provided. The grill provided is designed such that the hot air blown out is not mixed with the cold air drawn into the A/C; our old grill had slants that faced downwards and that mixed the air flows so much that the A/C struggled to handle the heat. The new grill design is wonderful and should be fitted for all through the wall installations!

We are so pleased to get an upgrade and maybe you should also check out if your local energy company is offering any rebates for purchasing energy efficient appliances.

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I bought this unit in March of 2009, and it died in May of 2011. The main control board, and another board blew out. Figidaire did nothing for me other than tell me I should have bought an extended warranty. Expecting an air conditioner to last more than 2 years is completely reasonable, and Frididaire obviously does not stand by its product. Do yourself a favor and do not buy this unit, or this brand. It's pure junk, just like the company that makes it.

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I've had this air conditioner in for about 2 months now and it is great! I love having the remote,and being able to adjust a lot of settings. I live in a two bedroom condo and this unit is responsible for cooling about 800 square feet some days. I do agree that it is loud when you have it on full blast, but I think that it is something to expect when you rely on an ac unit instead of central air.

FYI it is a 230 volt plug, and in the box the air conditioner, a real grill, and a kit to fit it into an existing sleeve are included. If you do not have an existing sleeve, you need to buy one. Also, if you are installing yourself you need a drill to install the ground wire. Hope this helps!

Honest reviews on Frigidaire FRA144HT2 14,000/13,600 BTU Through-the-Wall Room Air

Received damaged! Carton in terrible condition, Interior packing destroyed, left rear top of A/C dented so bad I could not attach rear grill. Product obviously had been sitting in warehouse, possibly even a return and repacked. UPS driver said to call amazon and file a claim. No way could I or would I return this monster! Decided to install as is without rear grill. So Far after 5 hrs of run time it seems to be ok. After at least 12 years of buying from amazon without a problem I decided to accept this piece of crap.

I needed another A/C but so concerned by this situation I bought it from Wal-mart for 30 dollars more. I doubt you will but I wish you could check the warehouse this was shipped from. there is obviously a problem there.

Rocco J Briscese sqd735@gmail.com

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I will update this review as I get more time using the unit, but so far this is just what we were looking for.

This was put in an old existing sleeve, and the rear grill was mounted directly on the back of the unit. The manual says this way the units loses some efficiency, and that is a worst case scenario solution.

Still, this thing just blows ice cold air any time you want it. Really efficient. We live in an appartment on the last floor, and we expected cooling it to be a difficult task. We first went for a Sharp "portable" 10500 Btu unit from Costco, which could BARELY bring the temperature down a little.

We replaced it with the Frigidaire unit, and oh My, is there a difference ! This thing CHILLS !

Long story short:

PROS:

It just does what it's expected to do. And it does it well.

Functional remote (although see cons below).

All functions accessible without remote (yes, sounds logical, but some brands don't give you a fully functional panel on the unit any more).

On the flip side:

Loud. Less so than older similar units, but still noisy. Will add Db measurements when I get them.

Louvers: I can't understand how a flimsy Chinese portable unit like an SPT can have power louvers with remote control, oscillating and whatnot, while this supposedly branded thing would have louvers that are sticky in their vertical movement, to the point of making you afraid they'll break any time you touch them.

The remote looks like a total after thought. Yes, it is functional, it is smart, it actually allows you to use the remote as a temperature sensor (you can put it anywhere in the room and program it to get the remote's location temperature as the temperature main reading, not the sensor on the AC. Still, it's small, ugly, flimsy, un-ergonomic. Buttons are small, not back-lit, screen is not back-lit (and is small) all in all, it really feels like a "well thought afterthought" rather than like the remote on a Fujitsu or even a Sharp system.

Other than that, it's pure joy.

NOTE: We noticed a puddle of water gathering on the back of the unit. There is no drip hole. It will not drip inside the room (if you install the unite tilted the way it is supposed to be installed). I was ready to drill a drip hole, but tech support at Frigidaire told us this is meant to be this way, as the water is supposedly blown on the condenser to cool it further. Well, I still have my drill in case they are wrong.

Buy Coleman Company Port Catalytic Heater 2000004165 Heaters Camping

Customer Ratings:

its important to note that this unit does not have electric start. this one you have to light with a match/lighter. that being said, i would recommend this as an option for anyone looking for heat without the worry of fumes. i used this to heat an apartment without other utilities. it was a must have! obviously follow manufactures directions and observe safety precautions. i would generally get 5-7 hours of heat out of one cannister.

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Purchased this Blackcat specifically because it appeared to be the older, non plastic style and paid a bit of a premium over the new version. When it arrived I realized it was in fact the new version. Picture is incorrect. By the Blackcat cheaper from another reseller.

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This heater starts easy with a a match or lighter. It is very quiet, produces heat quickly, and the heater is light and easy to move around. It is great for heating a tent or a cold bathroom. I don't think this model is in production anymore, The replacement models are giant pieces of bulky plastic, big, ugly, and bulky. I am very pleased with this item, it really takes the chill out.

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cranked it up and froze my beans off, had a -5 degree bag and was still so cold i barley got any sleep.

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Bought this to keep warm ice fishing. Not enough btu's. Great for a small tent or a camping trip just to keep the chill out. I have a 6X6 tent and on a 20* day or less, it's not enough. If you are looking to stay warm in cold situations, buy something else. Over priced product.

Buy Lasko #5775 Ceramic Tower Heater

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $44.05
Today's Bonus: 12% Off

This is a good heater. We have purchased it for our bathroom and it does a good job in heating it quickly. We know it states it is not intended for a bathroom, but those that are rated for a bathroom just have a GFI on the end of the power cord. We already have a GFI outlet that I use offering the same protection.

The timer is a nice feature and easy to set from 1 hour to 7 hours or anywhere in-between in increments of one hour. The oscillation works as expected. The power level is either 900 watts or 1500 watts. All of those options are easy to set.

The thermostat is an area we would like to see improved so that it works at the 900 watt setting. Our bathroom is small and really does not need that much heat. The thermostat only works on the high heat, 1500 watt setting. The manual states this if for "increased efficiency" which I do not understand. 900 watts is 900 watts and 1500 is 1500 watts. Have a thermostat turn it on or off does not make it any more efficient. If you get more BTUs per watt, that would be more efficient in my eyes. Plus, when I tried it on the thermostat, there appears to be a cool down period after you reach the desired temperature which I think is a good for the unit.

We like the heater and would recommend it to others given the above.

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We just received our Lasko Ceramic Tower Heater Model #5775 yesterday and could immediately see that this unit really does a great job of heating up our family room. We were using an EdenPURE which was a large applicance, over-priced and not energy efficient. It never really heated the room well. We won't know about the energy cost until we get our next electric bill but as far as the heating it works great!!! It is very quite operating, looks nice and doesn't take up much room. So far we love this heater!!! I had read consumer reviews on this heater which were excellent. Also the price is great. We paid over $300 for the EdenPURE and it was not worth it. It was a rip-off.

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Hoping the "plastic bag roasting in the oven" smell eventually wears off. Other than that this works well. I have no idea, still, how the temperature setting works. I left it 65º and it runs for some mysteriously predetermined amount of time and then shuts itself off. Also, it seems that the electronics panel on top stays warm when left plugged in so it's an electricity vampire.

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We have been without a furnace since January 1st 2012. We have two of this type of heaters. We live in Michigan. Keeps our home warm. I highly recommend this heater. Well worth the money.

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Bought two of these one for my son-in-law in his workshed separate from his house, and another for us to use in our living room. I didn't want to keep heating the whole downstairs floor when we spent most of the evening in the living room only. It did eventually warm the room a few degrees and would have been OK if it didn't keep blowing the breaker switch. Our house has quality wiring and we don't have much of a problem with this sort of thing. We sometime have some pretty heavy electrical loads from an electric stove, electric oven, electric dryer, lighting, and air conditioning with no problem. The house has GFS breakers throughout, as well as the main breaker panel in the garage. Built in 1993. But the constant blowing of the breaker in the main panel dedicated to the living room (where we were only using the TV and one lamp), is too much of an annoyance, so it is basically useless for us. It has to be the heater, because we've run in the living room, the TV, stereo, lamp, main light, another lamp, foot massager, and a massaging chair all at the same time with no trouble. My son-in-law sent his back and got a more powerful heater. His house and workshed are much older (1960s built) but he has no trouble with blowing the breakers with a different brand of more powerful heater. Don't know why this one does it, but it's pulling too many amps or volts or something. I'm not an electrician so I don't know the exact problem but I do know it's related to that heater. No problems when it is not running.

Discount Black & Decker DCM2500B SmartBrew Coffeemaker

Customer Ratings:

Because we're serious about our coffee, we sold our old $100+ Cuisinart coffeemaker to be replaced with this much better designed and much easier to use coffee maker.

A motel room we stayed at had this model coffee maker. We used it twice a day for 10 days. The coffee was delicious and we found no minuses at all, so I bought one. We've been using it daily now for about three months.

The carafe is made of heavy duty glass and doesn't drip at all. The hole to pour water into is large and easy to get to. There are convenient and accurate water level windows on both sides of the unit. The controls are convenient, easy to understand, and easy to use. The basket is easily removed for cleaning, easy to position, and uses standard flat bottomed filters. The time and function displays are large and bright. All of these are comparative problem areas in the Cuisinart.

Programming works perfectly and is so simple to use we didn't need the manual. To set the time of day press the "Hours" button until it reaches the current hour and then the "Minutes" button. To set the "Auto on" time, press the "Program" button, and then set the start time the same way. Press the "Program" button again to go back to time of day. For auto start, press the "Auto on" button, which lights up. That's it.

In addition, the water enters the drip chamber in a shower rather than a stream, resulting in consistently smooth and uniform tasting coffee. I can't comment on the warming plate because we put what we don't drink immediately into a Thermos for all day use. The warming plate shuts itself off after two hours if you forget.

The negative reviews are a puzzle to me. We found none of the problems mentioned.

This is an addendum in mid Nov, 2007. The coffeemaker still makes perfect coffee and everything works like new. The only negative I'd add is that the warming plate is quite rusty, probably because I put a pot of tap water on it at night to have chlorine free water in the morning. Often the pot is damp. When we need to replace this coffeemaker, I'll paint the new warming plate with bar-b-cue paint before the first use, for rust protection.

This is an update, dated 11/20/07. The coffeemaker still works perfectly and still looks good. I sanded the rust off of the base plate, painted it with bar-b-cue paint, and as expected there is no more rust problem. I don't think the rust would occur for most people. I caused it by putting a wet pot on the plate overnight seven days a week.

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I drink lots of coffee in lots of places. I've had the terrible plasticky coffee from the $10 drippers and very fine pressed coffee from the shops.

This is my third Black & Decker (more on that later) and continues to benefit from design upgrades and improvements. I found this dripper to be the top of the line inexpensive coffeemaker. Mine came with the resusable filter, but I find that using the disposable filters (for me) makes a slightly stronger and better coffee.

The program feature was a little counter-intuitive for me, but only took 30 seconds once informed to master. Wake up to my coffeemaker's aroma. Warning: The first time I tried to make coffee, the carafe didn't push the sticking, new drip basket arm in and I had a little overflow. Apparently, it was because the machine was new and it now works flawlessly. But you might want to make sure it drips properly the first time or two you use it.

I mentioned earlier that this is my third machine from this family. It's not Black & Decker's fault that I live in an area with extremely hard, unprocessed well water. All water processing appliances (like my water heater) get clogged up with time, even with proper maintenance. These machines have lasted better than the old, bottom line machines I started out with, and longer than a more expensive one I bought.

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Since the trend seems to be the production and purchase of items that make phone calls, play mp3s, serve as calulators, take pictures, play movies and change the cat litter box, this coffeemaker may not impress some people. It just makes coffee. It uses normal coffee filters (the flat bottom type), brews the coffee and turns off the warming plate after two hours. It does not do anything else. I, personally LIKE that. After all, how many mp3 players does one need? What kind of tech-crazy person wants to make phone calls on their coffee maker? Who can talk before they have had their first cup of coffee in the first place?

If you are looking for a coffee maker that just makes coffee and does it rapidly and without any complicated instructions that must be followed (who can follow complicated instructions before their first cup of coffee, either?) then this would be a good choice. If you want to film a movie with your coffee maker, this is not the coffee maker for you.

Honest reviews on Black & Decker DCM2500B SmartBrew Coffeemaker

We have used this maker daily for about three years. The Good:

Timer, decent coffee (once you get the balance, keeps coffee hot, Pour and serve and reliable. The Bad: Steam leaks onto the burner which has rusted, takes more coffee than others on the market, overflows if you grind your coffee too fine or if basket is not aligned correctly. Overall we are happy with the coffee maker and it is still serving us well.

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I agree with the reviewers who have said "what is the fuss about?". This is a GREAT coffee maker. I have had no problems at all so far and having owned several different brands previously, I would say this one is the best I've owned for being so inexpensive.

The automatic setting is really fantastic as you can set the maker to make coffee whenever you need it to. You don't have to use this feature and if you want to, you can make coffee in the pot even if you have it set on the automatic feature and the automatic settings won't be disturbed.

The coffee stays hot in the pot for a long time and doesn't get any of the overdone or burnt flavor that I've experienced with some other makers.

I haven't had a single problem with drips from the pot and think that it does a really fine job when you pour. I don't know what some people's problem is with this feature. I think maybe it says more about the sloppiness of those pouring than the design of the coffeemaker!

I can't say I've used the interrupt feature because this machine doesn't take long at all to brew a pot and I have not needed to interrupt it in order to grab a quick cup.

I honestly don't know what the negative reviewers were expecting. This is a fine machine that does the job and is a great value for all of its features. It also looks great in the black model and fits very nicely in my stainless kitchen.

I highly recommend this coffeemaker! I am so glad I ignored the negative reviews because this machine works great and was a bargain.

Cheap Celsi 43" Panoramic Wall Mount Electric Fireplace - GL2029USP

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,099.00
Sale Price: $799.00
Today's Bonus: 27% Off

The item arrived fast and all items were "in Tack"

I Just think the price was too much and I feel i overpaid.......Thought it would more impressive for the price i paid..UGGG

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Discount Lasko 675945 Stanley 12-Inch Ceramic Utility Heater

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $74.39
Sale Price: $39.97
Today's Bonus: 46% Off

It sounds silly, but the handle on the top of this space heater increases its portability tenfold. It's very light, and because it only takes one hand to move it around, I'm constantly switching it from the floor to an end table. The many different heat settings mean that you can be very picky about the heat blasting out at you.

Another feature that I find preferable is that it heats constantly, unlike some space heaters which practically light you on fire but come on only intermittently. This handy space heater stays at the temperature you choose the entire time. I've run this thing for 10 hours at a time with no ill effects. It lasted through last winter and is still going strong this winter. When I had the flu for a couple of weeks, I hunkered down on my couch with this on the coffee table and baked myself every single night for the entire night.

I adore this thing and I'm about to order another to keep in my office. (I live in a house that was built in 1825 so it can be a little drafty. Because all the rooms are small and the house is full of doors just for the purpose of trapping heat, it's more energy efficient for me to squirrel myself away in my office with the door shut and the space heater on than to crank the furnace in the entire house up.

EDIT 9/19/2013: This thing is still going strong. During the winter, my programmed thermostats turn the house temp way down, so at night I close the doors to my room and bake myself all night. This heater has never once let me down. At this point, I can't tell you how many nights it's run the entire night, 8+ hours, every night during the winter months. It still works just as great now as the day I first got it. I LOVE this heater.

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I bought this heater in November 2010 from another seller. I first used it in a room that did not have a carpeted floor and it provided good heat for its size although the temperature was only about 60-degrees F so it really wasn't much of a test. At the end of the month when the temperature dropped to the 40s and 30s at night, I used the heater in a rather small 15' x 13' carpeted room and almost froze until I realized this: the heater blows its heat downward toward the floor. I was about to return it for being defective until I decided to try sitting it on a small box I had. After I put it on the box, it started heating the entire room with no problem at all even getting too hot at the highest setting. The fact that it blows downward could be a defect, but I am thinking that because this is actually a utility heater, it is made for non-carpeted rooms which helps bounce the heat around the room or keep it from igniting items directly in front of it although I could be wrong.

For the quality, this heater is very durable and sturdy. It has a very solid feel to it, with a good weight. Nor does it feel or look cheaply made. The fan sound is a bit noticeable compared to my tower heater, but it isn't loud as to hinder sleeping or watching tv. One thing about the heater is that the fan is always on high, but, in my opinion, that is good for low heat settings because it still helps distribute the heat throughout the room. The thermostat isn't digital but works very well. If the temperature is constant outside, the heater keeps the room at a fairly even temperature. And, I like the fact that I can turn the knob to exactly where I want it rather than it being set at say 5 degree increments the way my tower heater is.

This heater and all of its comparable models do use quite a bit of electricity. I have noticed that this heater will use about 36 kilowatts in a 24-hour period. That is about $4 $6 a day depending on the electric company rates.

I have used this heater every day for the past month with no problems at all other than having to sit in on a box. So, overall, I give it 4 stars. The only thing taking away is the fact that I have to sit it on the box, the slightly audible fan noise and the amount of electricity it uses. But those are all very minor, in my opinion, for the comfort it provides.

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(sorry for the VERY poor video quality my little digital camera isn't exactly designed for making movies and the sound does not pick up very well either; hope you can turn up your volume and still get the gist!)

This video briefly compares the Holmes HQH307 Tower Quartz Heater, and a Dr Heater Portable Quartz + PTC Infrared Space Heater 1500W, Dual Heating System, UL Listed.**, with the spotlight on the Lasko 675945 Stanley 12-Inch Ceramic Utility Heater. While all three heaters are relatively energy efficient choices each have various strong and weak points which are discussed, but the Stanley model is a BIG winner in a small package! It costs the least and heats even a large room just about as fast and as well as my old favorite, Dr. Heater.

Important: the design of this model produces directional heat it blows on an angle towards the floor. On hard surfaces like tile or hardwood this is a huge plus for quick distribution of heat. When I use this in a carpeted area, the carpet will absorb the heat and the room takes longer to warm unless I put the heater on heat resistant surface a couple of feet above the floor like on a small end table.

Edited to add: the description states "built-in safety features, which consist of a self-regulating ceramic heating element and automatic overheat protection", but please be aware that this unit appears NOT to have a tip-over shut off feature.

The video highlights differences in features and functions of each, including demonstrating how fast and how hot each unit gets comparatively.

Uses about 36kwh per 24hrs; you can use your electric bill to find your rate to see what this unit will cost to run day to day.

No word on longevity as this is a new purchase for me. Very pleased with this item so far though and happy to recommend!

** for more information on the Dr Heater Portable Quartz heater please check the product page and/or my review of it which was posted on October 21, 2011.

Honest reviews on Lasko 675945 Stanley 12-Inch Ceramic Utility Heater

Pros: Compact and quality design. Easy to operate and safe. good heating and fast startup. You can be sure to feel the heat as soon as it starts up.

Cons: Initial smell of the camicals used to protect the ceramic heating parts. A little noisy.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Lasko 675945 Stanley 12-Inch Ceramic Utility Heater

Sturdy, with a great handle, so it's easy to pick up and move around. But no turn off "tip over" switch. I almost started a fire on the carpet with this heater turned over. Most of my other space heater turn off. So do not use in a children's area, could be dangerous. It's very industrial looking but it's only looks. The output is no more than any other of its size and it pulls a LOT of electricity for the output you get. Thermostat is a joke, doesn't regulate a steady temp at all. THE WORST is the noise...IT'S THE NOISIEST HEATER I HAVE EVER HAD...and it varies with its noise, in cycles like a snoring person!...LOL...Anyways, the bottom line was the cost vs efficiency and this heater fails.

Real Flame Hampton Fire Bowl Review

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List Price: $269.99
Sale Price: $233.68
Today's Bonus: 13% Off

We purchased this to use in our screen porch as we didn't know if a propane based firepit would be safe. The Gel based fire bowl works great and as promised. The delivery only took a couple of days and the setup took about 5 min. We tested our new firebowl tonight and it was very simple to operate. We poured the gel into the two compartments and lit each side using a bic scripto lighter and the gel lit up instantly and created a very nice flame and crackle. We used one 29 oz bottle total split between the two sides and got approx 2 hours of burn. The firebowl looks great and works very well. The flames are not huge or create much for heat, but definitely create a nice "ambiance" fire for sitting around with friends or family. We would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a relaxing, no hassle fire in an area that doesn't allow for a wood or propane based fire.

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I love this fire bowl. It is great because it comes with a cover and a snuffer to extinguish the flame. It looks like a quality product and looks great outside on my patio. I am planning to order another one.

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I have a smaller patio where propane and wood burning not allowed, this fire bowl fit perfectly. When the bowl was filled with gel and lit, it threw off some heat but this fire bowl is meant for ambiance. This made the fall weather much more enjoyable! Just remember to measure the gel fuel according to how long you want the fire to burn. If you have to put it out early, the remaining gel is useless and won't re-light. The gel fuel bottles last a long time, we've used it several times and have barely gone through two bottles.

Honest reviews on Real Flame Hampton Fire Bowl

We've been wanting a fire pit for some time now but were hesitant due to the possibility of sparks from a wood fire. This fire bowl is a great substitute. It sets up very easily (just three screws) and looks really nice. The fire it produces crackles just like a wood fire and produces a little heat (although that was not our reason for purchasing it). It makes for a nice gathering spot. It is also very nice that it comes with a cover which fits perfectly. Only negatives: there were no instructions in the box; screws were too short and had to be replaced with our own; even though it's Amazon Prime eligible, it took a week to arrive (the fine print says it may take 1-2 extra days, but it was more like 5). The "grey" color is really more of a tan, but it looks like stone and that wasn't a deal breaker.

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First off, those rocks sit on a tray on the top. The majority of the bowl is empty. So I ask, why is this $200? Maybe all materials cost $80 tops.

Biggest issue though is the fuel. It's a gel and it's sold in a can. Pouring it in ends up with gobs of the gel on the rocks and not the little wells it needs to go into. Then one can lasts maybe 20 mins. So save money and use %70 alcohol instead.