Watts 500313 2-Stage Undercounter Lead, Cyst & VOC Reducing Drinking Water System Save 22% Off

• Removes entamoeba cryptosporidium and giardia from the water
• Reduces simazine, atrazine, benzene, trihalomethanes (TTHM), lindane, xylenes and more
• Reduces chlorine taste and odor
• Filters up to 600 gallons
• NSF Certified

It is strange to leave one star feedback for an item that works fine for what it was made. Yes, it makes good clean water and price is right. Why one star then? If you read about other Watts Premier products listed here, you can see that many people complain that the included manual was made for a different product. This one is not an exception. 500313 unit as actually WP-2 LCV per Watts Premier web site. Their next expensive one is WP2-BVC with designer faucet which has an electronic indicator. WP2BVC Amazon sells doesn''t come with designer faucet and is much overpriced compared to WP2LCV (500313). The Watts'' statement that 0.5 micron $33 BVC carbon filter is much better than 1 micron $28 LVC and safely cleans bacteria has nothing to do with real life. Bacteria range in size from 0.2 microns (spherical) and up to 10 microns (nonsperical species). The largest ones are from 100 microns in size. If you have bacteria in your water (the majority of drinking water violations since 2004 have occurred at water systems serving fewer than 20,000 residents) you need to boil your water and not to rely on filters with 0.5 micron holes they will help, but not much better than ones with 1 micron holes. The worst thing you need is a false sense of security you don''t really have.

OK, back to manual. The included manual (9 sheets stapled together with a staple :) is for WP2-BVC with a designer faucet to begin with. The only faucet Amazon sells with Watts units is a regular air gap one, not designer, and manual doesn''t mention that one at all. For years people complain that Watts Premier filters are shipped with wrong manual, but they still didn''t update it. Even the latest PDF manual on their site is for WP2-BVC only.

Designer BVC and regular LCV faucets have very different installation procedures. For designer one you use a screwdriver, it has white backing on gaskets and it has 3/8 lines. Regular air gap faucet doesn''t have anything mentioned, so in the middle of installation you will find yourself with a bunch of rubber, plastic and metal parts you don''t know where to insert. I spend 2 hours researching Internet how to put the damn thing together.

Another bad thing in the manual: they don''t mention Teflon tape at all. Per Watts, it is not needed for installation, period. You will need it, believe me. The manual has a horrible picture of a brass fitting in the green tube which isn''t inserted all the way, so when I tried to repeat the picture, I flooded my cabinet. Even with Teflon tape, it will take a lot of patience to make required 4 connections watertight. As another person mentioned, you may go to HD or Lowes and get real fortified 1/4 tubes to replace the included plastic ones. They have thick walls, yes, but the included end parts are pathetic and can ruin your kitchen one day (see my update below, the hose has ruptured after a month of use)

On a good note, the filter makes very good water after all, but frustrating installation process and included tubes call for one star. Watts should really listen what users are saying here and spend a few dollars to fix obvious problems.

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Update, 3/5/2010.

I just found that Watts 2-PK Bio Premier 6-Month Microbiological Replacement Filter for Watts WP2BVC (Amazon sells it for $109) actually fits this LVC model. Watts states that it does not. The filter is the only difference LCV model has wich BVC Amazon sells for much more. So, when it is time to replace filter you can convert it to BVC one for no free. I will add images. The housing of my LCV system actually states "WP-2 BVC". Looks like they are trying to cut costs and made the housing universal now. Don''t buy Watts Premier 560088 filter (VOC) which is the only replacement stated in the manual. Go with microbiological BVC one. It may be helpful to clean some types of smaller bacteria and viruses VOC filter can not. The table Watts provided that LCV filter removes Lead and Chemicals and BVC is not, is false. In the manual for BVC it is stated that it cleans those as well. BVC carbon block is a 0.5 micron filter, original one is only 1 micron. It is only $4 more.

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Another update LOL, you should never underestimate amount of damage you can do to your house with a ruptured water hose connected to the main water line. The inlet green hose has ruptured the night of 3/7, about a month after installation. It was so expected that it is even funny. Our cat was screaming in the kitchen seating on the table surrounded with an ocean of cold water.

I posted an image where the junky green hose has failed. The water pressure simply pushed it away leaving the end connector still attached to the supply fitting sending about 100 gallons of water into the kitchen and garage). I went to Lowe''s and got an ice maker supply hose which fits perfectly. The blue line which comes out of filter is a low pressure and should hold in theory. But you may want to replace it as well just to get rid of original plastic one.

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Ok, first off I have to say that giving products bad reviews because they come with the wrong manual is pretty stupid in my opinion. Yeah, mine came with the wrong manual too but the only difference with these things is faucet head and if you can''t figure that out then you should probably hire a plumber or handyman to install this.

This filter does what its supposed to do and does it well. I was pleasantly surprised at the flow of water that comes from the faucet. I was also pleasantly surprised at the quality of the faucet after reading some of the reviews. Its very solid except for the plastic lever but if you use it like a regular human being and not an oger it should do just fine. Install took me 10 minutes and that was taking my time. My filter came with the tubing already attached to the filter unit installed at the factory so if yours does too... DONT MESS WITH IT!! I am a contractor and know a lot about plumbing and any plastic fittings are sensitive to how much torque you put on them. NEVER OVER TIGHTEN PLASTIC FITTINGS!! If you tighten a plastic fitting too much it WILL leak or strip out. This system uses 1/4" poly pipe like that of an ice maker line for a fridge and comes with the compression sleeves and tip inserts. The tip inserts are those little plastic or brass flanged tubes and they go inside the tip of the pipe to keep the pipe from collapsing under the compression fitting. you also want to make sure the compression sleeves are facing the direction... plastic compression sleeves are often directional so the narrower side goes into the fitting or pipe and the bigger side is what the nut seats onto. Compression fittings do NOT require teflon tape or pipe dope and the tape can actually make your fitting worse if you use too much because you won''t be able to seat the compression fitting well enough to make a seal.

as far as the previous bad reviewer saying that the poly line blew out of the fitting.... its probably due to him putting too much teflon tape on it and not getting a proper compression fit.... either that or they have excessive water pressure which does happen on occasion and the only way to fix that is to have a whole house pressure reducer installed by a plumbing contactor. Excessive water pressure can also cause premature failure of hot water heaters too.

Bottom line is this is a good set up that gives you great tasting water and if you have some common sense like other reviewers you will install it just fine and won''t have any problems. one last tip... every two or three months or so for the first year you might want to check your fittings and re-tighten them if needed. I have found that after installing plastic plumbing, it tends to go through a settling process and fittings can loosen a bit over time. This may not happen since its on the cold water line but it does happen a lot with plastic p-traps since they get exposed to hot/warm water that causes the plastic to expand and contract.

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I picked up this unit earlier this year due to notification of some chemical issues discovered in the water in the surrounding area. For the family I was specifically looking for a filter system that could take out chemicals from the water. After doing some research on water filters and looking at certified systems, I found this to be the best deal for our house.

The unit was pretty simple to install, in the end took about an hour to get in but I was taking my time with it. Everyone in the house now drinks only the water from the filter system. The filter takes out the chlorine as well as any chemicals that may be in the water (NSF Certified). The ability of the filter to remove lead and crypto is a side benefit.

Highly Recommended

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I installed this filter a week ago. It works well, and we are happy with it. The water tastes good, it flows reasonably fast, and the filter looks good. We got this to replace a PUR faucet filter. This solution seems more solid and out of the way.

It took some repeated assembly and disassembly until I got rid of all leaks. First, one of the hose connectors leaked. Then, after several hours, I realized the filter body itself was leaking. Teflon tape and patience helped getting the leaks fixed. However, the connectors that came with the unit were plastic. I replaced them with brass parts from Lowes.

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So I needed to get as clean as water as possible without going to reverse osmosis route as I think that''s just wasteful. I looked around at my neighborhood big DIY home improvement stores and though they showed similar products as this one on display (a dual stage unit), none of them carry dual stage systems any more. Luckily I found this unit here on Amazon.

I had no need for the included faucet, and didn''t feel like drilling a hole in my sink, plus the tubing that it comes with is a joke. I wanted to connect it to my existing kitchen faucet. I went to my local Ace hardware (also tried the big home improvement stores but none of them had anything or anyone who could help me). I took out the plastic tubing elbows and replaced those with "3/8 to 1/4" connectors. Also picked up a "24inch 3/8-IN 3/8-OUT" faucet supply line (your size/needs might be different). With those items and a little bit of teflon tape, I connect the system to my existing cold-side kitchen faucet. Water pressure did drop some but for me it''s very acceptable. My kitchen sprayer still works but if just using cold water pressure is a little low, just by turning on the hot-side too pressure is back to normal.

So I highly recommend this unit. Filters are easy to find (accepts most standard 10-inch drop-in filters, found at local hardware stores). I see no reason why it shouldn''t give me years & years of reliable service now that the weak parts of the system have been upgraded to quality parts.

Just FYI, this is the same as the Watts WP2BVC Premier Two-Stage Microbiological Purifier Water Filtration System but with different filters include. The microbiological filters work just fine with this unit.

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Bunn Pour-O-Matic Pour-Over Coffee Brewer Save 12% Off

I have been trying to get that perfect cup of coffee at home for ever. Now I know how to do it BUY A BUNN VPR/POUROVER COFFEE BREWER and begin enjoying virtually perfect coffee everytime. I don''t claim to understand why, but this machine just makes a better cup of coffee than any other machine I''ve ever tried. (and I''ve tried a lot!) I''m a coffee lover but there was always something about the coffee brewed at home that was''nt quite right. NO MORE. This thing makes 12 cups of outstanding coffee in just about 3 minutes. Of course the right beans and grinding just before brewing is important, but this machine makes a difference. highly reccommended. I like those BUNNS!

I purchased this for our veterinary hospital. I and others were spending lots of money at area coffee shops and I thought we could save money, gas and time if we had our own coffee maker. We love it. We also use it for when we have meetings and seminars at our place of business. I would recommend it highly! Very easy to use. Now the cofee shop experience is a present to myself on days where I can use a brief "vacation".

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Had similar model for almost 18 years. This one brews even better than the last one. Cleaning and maintenance are VERY easy. Buy it, you won''t be sorry.

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I have had several Bunn coffee makers in the past, including the one I use every day at home, so I am somewhat familiar with these great machines. I retired from the Army last month and signed on as a Family Support Leader, mostly because the coffee was BAD and I wanted to improve it for my Soldiers. I purchased the Bunn and took it in. What a difference it made for the Soldiers!!! All I heard the entire time was how fast the fresh coffee was made and how hot and good the coffee was.Thanks again!!!!

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I love the Bunn products! I even have a Bunn coffee pot in my house!

This coffee pot has a couple small things I do not care for.

#1 The lid where you pour water into leaks water onto top of machine every time it''s opened.

Poor design! It should be twice as big so you don''t pour water every where also.

#2 There is a 30 second delay before coffee begins to come thru filter. I''ve never seen this before, usually it''s instantaneous. Some people end up pouring more water in & then you have a mess!

Other than those things, it''s a great machine.

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Pentek SW-2 Standard Housing Wrench

• Perfect for loosening a ""stuck"" filter housing

I had one other wrench that I had for a long time. I wanted a backup wrench. The first time I used this wrench, it cracked halfway around the ring. I was hardly applying any force on the handle. I then took my old wrench and took the filter housing off with it. The new wrench is useless. I have some plastic molding experience as an engineer and this plastic was either molded incorrectly or is the wrong grade of plastic.

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I purchased Culligan HF-360A Whole House Sediment Filter and thought I needed a wrench... but one came with the filter. This one doesn''t say Pentek anywhere on it, it looks generic and it''s probably Chinese junk. It also feels flimsy and as others pointed out having more than one is probably a good idea. I bought several pretty cheap rubber strap wrenches and they not only work better but they won''t break when you''re applying some pressure... plus you can use them for other things like an oil filter. Sorry, I just dislike tools that only have one purpose in life and are not built to last so that''s why it gets only 3 stars... if it works fine changing a filter every month then I would be terribly surprised. I have a collection of various sizes of water filters I''ve used over the years in different homes (based on the unique water problems for each), and from several travel trailers, and I have never been able to get a tight filter off without one of these types of wrenches slipping or breaking and causing me some pain and lots of expletives. Do yourself a favor and buy a strap wrench! However, if this is what you want I paid a little under 4 bucks for it with free shipping so the price is right.

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I bought one of these and it broke almost immediately. It broke so quickly i could not even get the housing off of my filter.

So I bought 3 more and only after they arrived, did I try again.

What I learned was that if you put Vaseline on the O-ring as well as the threads of the housing unit, the case goes on much easier, you don''t have to make it as tight and it comes off much easier in 6 weeks or so when it''s time to change the filter again.

Since learning that trick, I have not broken another, however, i am ready, just in case!

I give these 4 stars due to the durability issue. It looks big, thick and heavy... but is easily broken.

That said, i would recommend this, just buy 2.

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I used this wrench to remove the housing of the counter top water filter (Watts model CT-1). I had tried everything and failed to loosen the filter housing in order to change the filter. The wrench did help me to get the job done though it was one size larger than what it needed. The product has good quality and price. Service is excellent.

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14911 Sears Kenmore Humidifier Wick Filter

These are not true Kenmore filters. The real Kenmore filters are way better. I like saving a buck as much as the next guy,and i always shop for the lowest price whenever i can,but this filter is junk. On rare occasions,it pays to get the original parts,THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES. You even have to be careful when you buy these from Sears. Buy them straight from SEARS.COM , and not from the PARTS department. The generic filters don''t soak up water very well, the real Kenmore filters will draw water throughout the entire filter,making them 80% more effective.

I have been buying these filters for years here on amazon (just purchased for the 3rd time) and they work great. Perfect fit, good price, prompt delivery. I recommend them, they have always worked for me.

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These "waffle cut" wicks do not wick water up well at all and thus air circulating through them does not pick up much moisture.The original Kenmore brand wicks are a little more expensive but much more effective at humidifying the air.

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I have read reviews regarding these "wicking" filters as compared to the original paper filters. They ARE different, but they fit perfectly and seem to be working fine. No complaints. Great seller, had the best prices and I received it on the 3rd business day. Can''t complain about that at all.

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First time I bought this product on line, and I was satisfied with the results. Beats running to the store.

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5-Stage Alkaline Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System Save 33% Off

• 100 gallon per day TFC Reverse Osmosis (RO) membrane
• Automatic Shut-Off Valve and NSF listed 3.2 gallon storage tank
• Chrome finish Upgraded Faucet included with its mounting hardware. Non air Gap type.
• RO5-100-ALK
• alkaline-mineral cartridge is stage 4 to raise pH and imprrove taste

this is a great RO alkaline system with no leaks or noise. It came with instructions and diagrams. My husband installed it easily. I am pleased with the quality of this filtration system and the fast shipping.

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Shark Steam Pocket Multi-Purpose Portable Steamer Save 10% Off

I bought my Shark steamer on a whim. We had just purchased a bank owned home and it had been left with a rotting chicken in the refrigerator. The tile had a dried stream of "blech" from the refrigerator to the lowest part of the floor where it had pooled. I bought the steamer to sanitize the floor along this path. Something amazing happened when I used itthe grout changed color DRAMATICALLY! I posted photos so you can see for yourself. At first I thought it was somehow bleaching the grout, but then I noticed that the grout around the perimeter of the room was indeed a much lighter colormatching the tile color. EWWWWW! I had previously mopped this floor several times with a regular mop and bucket, a Swiffer wetjet, and even along this same path with a toothbrush and cleaner on my hands and knees. Nothing did what the steamer did with just water and the nylon brush attachment. I dragged the whole family in to show them because I could not believe what I was seeing! I hated the floor when we moved in. I hated the dark grout and how chopped up the tile looked with the dark grout lines. After cleaningthe grout blends into the tile and the floor has a completely different look! It''s truly amazingcheck out my photosyou HAVE to see it to believe. I haven''t tried any of the other attachments, but I have received a steam burn on my hand from working so close to the nozzle on the floor. It''s hot, just as they warn. My only complaint is that you must hold the trigger for continuous steam, and when using it continuouslyit runs out of water fairly fast. Don''t know how it does if you are pumping it and steaming in short bursts. Frankly, I don''t careit has done more for my floor than I had hoped.

Okay, well, I can''t speak to the longevity of this product since I''ve only had it for one day but as for it''s functionality I do NOT understand what all the complaints are about.

Maybe I''m just lucky too like the other reviewer but mine steams like crazy! The catch seems to be not that you have to wait for it to heat up but you seem to have to hold the trigger down for a while before it REALLY starts to steam. It''s kind of like buying a 2000 Toyota Echo. You can slam down the gas pedal but it''s still going to accelerate at it''s own pace. Once it gets up to speed though, it''ll get going at a good clip!

I started in the kitchen and ran the thing over my stainless fridge. It left what appeared to be streaks but after it dried it was as good as when I would use Twinkle stainless cleaner.

Then I decided to really put it through its paces and go for the microwave. I have an Advantium so it''s also an oven. The inside top has tons of holes in it that lead to the components so I''ve never been able to spray Easy Off on the top. The top of my microwave has always grossed me out because I can never get it clean.

Using the scrubber end and a little elbow grease this thing took it all right off. This is the first time since I had my microwave I''ve been able to get the top clean. I was sold at this point.

I moved on to the bathroom and even though the steamer produced a lot of steam, there was just too much dust and hair stuff in the bathroom. I mean, my bathroom is REALLY clean by most standards, but it''s hard to use something like this when the pads keep getting gunked up with debris. I think a cursory wiping down before the real cleaning with the steamer would be better.

Lastly (and mostly because all my ends were now in need of a washing) I remembered that a friend told me she uses her steam mop to clean her walls. Thats just freaky. I have red walls in my living room and any time I try to dust them or wash them it leaves streaks that are worse than the dust that covers them so I haven''t cleaned the walls in a LONG time.

I tossed on the dusting attachment and buzzed over the walls quickly. No streaks. No dust. It did exactly what I wanted it to do.

I am VERY surprised at how well this worked given the nasty reviews. I really though I''d be returning it by now.

If I have any complaints its that this thing comes with nothing to carry your attachments in. A basket or a bag would have been nice. Also, some ends do not attach to the hose. Everything should be able to attach to the hose to get wherever you need to. Lastly, and most importantly, this thing REALLY needs a locking feature on the trigger so you don''t have to constantly hold it down. Sometimes you need to clean with both hands. It should just run without having to hold down the trigger if I want it to.

I hope I don''t have to come back here in a few weeks to amend this and say it broke... I really don''t want to do that.

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I purchased this item from my local Walmart wanting something RIGHT NOW to get some heavy duty cleaning done. Does it work, yes, absolutely! Could it be improved upon, yes, absolutely!

First of all, for those reporting lack of actual steam, not only must you let the unit warm up for the 30 45 seconds first, you must also hold the trigger in until the steam comes out of whatever attachment you are using. Note that the trigger, as mentioned before, could stand to have a locking mechanism so you don''t need to hold it constantly while cleaning I found a large hair clip did the job nicely.

Next, just having to tote the steamer jug around is a bit of a pain. It''s not terribly heavy, but it is a hindrance. A little longer length of hose could solve that issue, but I''m afraid the Euro-Pro people probably already tried that and found a great loss of steam power.

Now for the cleaning I used the large wedge for the job I chose to tackle which was the walls and ceiling of a 12'' X 12'' room. These surfaces had not been cleaned in a long time and had seen it all nicotine, heating oil residue, general grit and grime, etc. I was actually surprised at the amount of time I had to work between fill-ups and when the steamer needed to be refilled, I used that opportunity to rinse out the cloth cover for the wedge. I wrung out that cover and it worked just fine...even using it wet (which it eventually gets as you use it anyway), all surfaces dried quite quickly. I was working around shelving units and stuff piled up next to the walls so I didn''t exactly clean all of the walls, but I did get the entire ceiling and most of the wall surfaces done in about 20 minutes with 4 rinses of the cloth (these surfaces were dirty!!). The walls and ceiling are painted in a semi-gloss so I can not attest to how well it would work with a flat paint finish.

While you shouldn''t put anything but tap or distilled water into the steamer, I found that washing the cloth with a mild detergent before rinsing and wringing produced a nice deodorized, just cleaned scent.

September 24th addition to my review! Nine months later and my Shark Steam Pocket is still going strong! I have fixed the trigger issue by using a Velcro "cord keeper" strap I found at a hardware store so I no longer have to constantly hold that trigger in which is a huge help. I also sewed up some of my own pocket covers and use another Velcro cord keeper strap to keep them on the large steamer head, placing the cover over the head and using the strap as the elastic drawstring is used on the original covers. I was able to make some of fluffy terrycloth and made several using some cheap microfiber cleaning cloths that work well when I need a little elbow grease.

Since reviews are still mixed with people either loving or hating the Shark, I would highly recommend purchasing the unit either locally or at a good online retailer with free and easy returns in case you end up with a less than perfect unit.

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I bought this from a Bed Bath and Beyond because it was the only one I could find in a physical store that I could buy right away. I''d read so many unfavorable reviews about handheld steam cleaners that I didn''t expect much from this product. I made sure that I kept the receipt handy for the inevitable return. When I got home and opened the box, I was kinda freaked about by the number of accesories that came with it strange looking multi-pronged wand things.

So, after reading the instructions, I started in the bathroom. There was a mildew colony gaining ground in the shower that I wanted to obliterate. The cleaner started up after a few spurts and coughs, and eventually gave me a steady stream. The pressure was good, but as another reviewer mentioned, you have to get really close to the nozzle to get the kind of heat that''s going to make a difference. I was able to comfortably hold my hand in the steam stream six or seven inches from the nozzle. Any closer than that, and I would have been burnt (I actually did give myself a pretty smart burn in a moment of carelessness later on). The nice thing about the steamer was that is was able to clean out mildew from crevices that a brush could never reach, but again, you have to hold the nozzle very close to the area you want to clean for it to be effective. And if you''re expecting that using a steam cleaner is going to magically leave your shower sparkly clean with a few passes, I have to tell you that you''re going to be disappointed. I found that I still had to come around with a brush, a conventional spray cleaner, and some elbow grease to complete the job, although, it was not as much work as it would have been without the steam cleaner. It was very effective on the shower head blasting out more mildew from the crevices than I thought was actually there. Then I moved to the toilet bowl. Being a single man, there were a few ... um ... spills to deal with. The steamer was again very effective. I really felt that I was giving the bowl a thorough cleaning, although again, I had to follow up with some good old-fashioned wiping to finish the job.

Then I went to the kitchen, and tackled the filtiest appliance in everyone''s (or at least my) kitchen the microwave. I had to deal with a Tomato Cheddar Soup explosion that happened in there a while ago which I was turning a continuous blind eye to. The steamer was very effective in loosening up the old crud my microwave looked almost new after some follow up wiping off with a conventional spray cleaner, and a paper towel.

The one thing that I found when using the attachments (those strange looking wand things?) is that they significantly reduce the effectiveness/heat/pressure of the steam. As I mentioned before, I was able to comfortably hold my hand five inches from the nozzle without getting burned. Some of the attachment are more than a foot long. How effective could the cleaner be with those wand things added on? The stream that the cleaner produces just isn''t strong enough to support the use of those attachments. They simply put too much distance between the steam stream and the area you want to clean. I tried using the brush attachment (the smallest of the set) in the shower and it hindered far more than it helped. I basically paid for a lot of useless plastic. The one exception was the glass cleaner (looks like a small squeegee). It worked very well on the bathroom mirror, but it alone can''t justify all the other stuff they put in the box.

Hence, three stars. I would have given it 2.5 if that were an option. My recommendation to Shark: put less junk in the box and lower the price.

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So I ordered both the Shark Pocket mop and the Shark Portable Pocket steamer from the Shark web-site. The portable cleaner is complete garbage! I plugged it in ready to put it to the test and it smelled like it was burning AND it didn''t even steam properly. The directions very clearly say do not put your hand in front of the steam as it is very hot and will burn you, I put my hand less than 1/2 inch from the nozzle and it STILL wasn''t hot. I''ve been trying to return this product for over a week, the first time I called customer service I landed up overseas somewhere they didn''t speak English very well and was yelled at! I told this man to send me to someone I could understand so I was given a number in Canada, which is fine but the three times I''ve called they''ve kept me on hold for over 20 minutes! A waste of time and money!

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Vitamin C Handheld Shower

• Removes 99.9% of chlorine and chloramines from tap water by using Vitamin C
• 2 Spray patterns and off position with switch control to conserve water.
• Durable resin white housing, 5 ft. stainless hose, 2-Vitamin C filters, holder and teflon tape.
• Improves dry, irritated and itchy skin conditions caused by chlorine
• Easy to install and use. Great for water restrictions. Meets EPA Water Sense Criteria

I am thoroughly pleased with this shower head. Our water has so much chlorine in it, I felt like I was in a public pool everytime I took a shower. I started to have health problems and always felt sluggish after I got out of the shower. I did extensive research on dechlorinating filters and this one looked the best because it worked well with hot water when the others didn''t. My hair and skin feels great and my health has gotten better since i''ve used it. I''ve had it for about a year now and right now i''m looking to buy another relacement cartridge. Its easy to install and its nice being able to take it out of the holder and reach everywhere. Its got 2 different settingsa jet and a nice drenching shower-basically all you really need.

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Other than that it seems to work.

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Brand New Rainbow E-2 Black Series Vacuum Cleaner

The machine is awesome. I would grade it as 5, but it was way too slow to get here. I had to contact the vendor twice, a buy another gift for Christmas , and now i have two vaccum cleaners.

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Cuisinart GF-80 Cleanwater Countertop Replacement Filter (White) Save 52% Off

I have had my 1.5 gallon Cuisinart Cleanwater Countertop Filtration Machine about 1 and a half years now. It is still going strong and I will DEFINITELY buy another if this one ever wears out. Such good water! Way better than the water I used to buy in the store in the jugs. And we have the nastiest coastal iron-filled well water from the tap you ever tasted... but run it through the Cuisinart and it comes out PERFECT! I can only find the filters on Amazon.com, but it is fine because Amazon has the most excellent customer service I have ever encountered. My recent filter order never came and just kept showing "In Transit", so I emailed Amazon customer service expecting a headache, but the VERY next day they sent a replacement and even overnighted it for free! Within 48 hours of my email, I had the replacement filters in hand. Amazon rocks!

Paid for two but only one of the filters would work. read this has happened to others now order shy to order this product from Amazon, will research other sources.

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Clear instructions for the set up of filter. The filter works well and causes water to taste great ! Advised to get 3 pack so its easier/more convenient to switch filters and keep water fresh.

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And it fits my countertop water filter. I like it. It makes it so my water tastes better. And makes the water cold or hot. I love the whole thing!

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Have saved a lot of money purchasing the unit. Filters are a good price and easy to install. Will buy again

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KRUPS XP1020 Steam Espresso Machine

Do not understand why this item has so many bad reviews. It is not a bad machine!

My last expresso machine was also a Krups steam powered. Lasted for 13 years until it fell apart last week (the prssure valve inside broke). For my replacement machine, I was looking at fully automatic ones (Magnifica, $900), pump based (like cuisineart em-200, $200), and steam powered (like this item, $50). After reading all the review and knowing how pump based machine works, I decided not to go for them. The main reasons are they require a lot of maintenance and they can break down easily. I just do not want high pressure stuff in my house. If it breaks down, it may take a month or two to fix it. After warranty is over, it is more expensive to fix than buying a new one. I basically want a reliable espresso machine which can last 10 years with very little mainenance.

I typically makes a few shots in the morning as soon as I get up. I just do not see how pump based or full automatic machine can save me time. They require preheat which can take 1-5 minutes. For steam based ones, I just load up the coffee and water and wait. Both would give me pretty good espresso after 5-7 minutes.

As far as flavor goes, I do not really feel any difference between my cheap machine and starbucks/peet''s coffee, given using the same coffee. I think good espresso got more to do with type of coffee then the machine. Started drinking espresso drinks heavily in college in 80s, I think I am pretty picky on coffee.

I saw a local store carries this item at $49. I decided to give it a try since they have pretty liberal return policy. It turns out to be a pretty good machine, better than my old Krups and with high pressure.

The good:

(1) Pretty good looking among entry machines, although the price is $10 more than ugly ones.

(2) Makes good espresso drinks quickly

The not so good:

(1) The knob takes time to get used to. The knob has three seetings: off, steam and espresso. It is pretty easy for people to turn on steam when they want espresso, a potentially dangerous situation. Krups should have separate power button instead.

(2) The power cord is kind of short, 6 inch shorter than my old one.

(3) It is pretty hard to heat up the milk straight from the frig. You more likely to have a bunch of cold foams. The better way is to heat up the mil in microwave and then use the steam to make foam.

Overall, I recommend it as an entry machine.

I''ve had one of these machines for several years and I just ordered another one for our vacation home. The beverage it produces is just as good as any. I use decent beans (Starbucks or comparable) and normal espressso grind. I rarely drink latte or cap, since I prefer full coffee flavor, but on the occasions I have, this machine has done a fine job. I agree with another reviewer that the plastic tube on the steam outlet isn''t really necessary.

____________________

UPDATE:

I''ve had a chance to use the new machine a few times. Observations:

--At least one user reported odd chemical or plastic odor when using. I have not observed this.

--Someone expressed dissatisfaction with the need to steam the milk before making the coffee. This is NOT necessary. The instructions do recommend steaming the milk first, but this is only to avoid the frustration of using almost all the water/steam pressure when making the coffee, only to find that there isn''t enough left to steam the milk adequately. The milk steaming process uses only a fraction of the amount of water used to make an espresso, so under normal circumstances there should be enough left if you do the coffee first. Because of back pressure caused by compression of the coffee during the espresso process, after the coffee stops dripping out there is still quite a bit of steam left in the machine.

--Someone complained that there is no tamper. This isn''t a commercial machine, and it can''t handle enough pressure to make espresso with a fine grind if it''s packed very tightly. The instructions recommend NOT packing the coffee tightly. So the lack of a tamper is not a problem. You can use a small spoon to pack the coffee GENTLY.

--The container for the coffee is a very tight fit when you thread it into the machine, and it takes a lot of pressure/force to get the handle turned all the way to the front to the locked position. My previous machine was like this, too; it loosens up to normal very quickly with use. (If you were a fan of "Are You Being Served, this may remind you of the oft-repeated line, "Don''t worry, they''ll ride up with wear.")

--TIP: You can save some cleaning time by folding up a paper towel (in fourths)and putting it under the metal grate that goes beneath the coffee cup and catches drips. Every day or so, take out the paper towel and put in a new one. The paper will absorb drips and spills and changing it is easier than sopping up coffee that has dripped and pooled in the recessed area beneath the metal grate

________________________________________

To those who complain about the lack of a steaming container: use the carafe. They don''t advertise a special steaming container, so why expect one?

TIP: even if you use filtered water, the water will have dissolved minerals which create scale inside the machine. This may be the cause of slow brewing, excessive steam escaping, etc. Scale can cause this. To remove scale: pour a 50% solution (1/2 water, 1/2 vinegar) of distilled white vinegar into the machine. Screw the cap back on. Put the clean, empty metal coffee filter on, and put the carafe under the spout in the usual way. Turn on the machine. In effect, you''re making a carafe of espresso without the coffee. Let the machine run until no more hot solution comes out. You will smell a strong vinegar smell. Pour out the carafe, rinse, and refill the machine with clean water. Run the water through the machine, just as you did with the vingar solution. This will clean any residual vinegar out. The whole process takes 5 min or less, and you will be amazed at how much quicker you can make your espresso.

-------------

UPDATE #2

I have used the unit for over a month--about 4 times per day (OK, I''m hooked). Still working great, very quick, good results.

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Granted, I worked at a starbucks for a little while after high school so I kind of knew the work that it could take to steam a pitcher of milk and pull a shot of espresso.

For the price, I think this is a great starter if you''re strapped for cash or want to dabble with espresso & latte preparation. I''ve had mine for 2 years now. It''s the first one I ever bought. I''ve had to replace the coffee grind holder/handle once (for about $13), but other than that, i''ve had no problems. read the directions, they are great. they inform you that pressure builds within the machine and if you do not properly release the pressure upon completion, then yes, it will explode the grinds all over you. duh.

it''s pretty easy to clean and maintain. I bought a brush to clean the steaming wand.

It does not come with a frothing pitcher or a beverage thermometer (which i recommend) but they are both pretty inxpensive. I ordered one of each when i ordered my machine.

regarding timing, i put the water in my machine and it begins steaming within 1 minute-1 1/2 minute TOPS. Then when i''m done steaming my milk, i switch it right to the coffee setting and it dispenses my coffee instantly. thats good enough for me!

Hope this review is helpful. i''ve recommended this to many friends and I think its fantastic for the money.

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I''ve made great cappuccino for many years using a similar machine. Better than store-bought. I thought the bad-mouthing reviewers simply didn''t know what they were doing. Well, I filled my 1020 with the correct amount of water and used a reliably good espresso grind, turned on the machine and waited. And waited. And waited. Eventually, a pathetic dribble of coffee came down. At the appropriate time, I turned the knob to froth the milk. I burned my finger on the jet of steam issuing from the knob-hole on the side of the unit. A weak fizzle came out of the frothing nozzle which never increased in volume. I gave up here and went back to making the coffee there was no more water to make steam. It had disappeared somewhere inside the machine and onto my countertop. This was such a complete failure that it was almost funny. Fortunately, I bought it locally, and can return it. I left little notes here and there in the packaging saying that this machine is a dud, and could burn you.

I feel that Krups should recall these machines forthwith. They are a complete waste of money for the consumer, and a black eye for the maker.

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I just got one of these for Christmas to replace a similar unit I used for years. The first time I tried it, it spewed water and coffee grounds all over. It practically blew up! I reduced the amount of coffee (a good Italian espresso, pre-ground fine), and the same thing happened. According to the trouble-shooting guide, the grind was too fine. I tried a coarse grind with no blowups, but the coffee was wimpy. Apparently, this espresso machine wasn''t meant to make espresso coffee. This never happened with my previous unit. Pass this one up. It is simply a piece of junk.

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Kitchen Aid KPCGTF Gold-Plated Filter

This filter does work well, but the "gold tone" came off, or more precisely eaten off by the coffee grounds in less than 5 months. You can see exactly how far up the grounds go in the filter. It still works well, but I''m somewhat disappointed.

If, like me, you prefer using a permanent rather than paper filters in your coffee maker, don''t be put off by the higher price of this over other gold-tone filters. This one is much larger than a standard permanent filter and fits the Pro Line Coffee Maker like a glove. KitchenAid KPCM050NP Pro Line Single-Carafe Coffeemaker, Nickel Pearl

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Please note: this filter fits the discontinued Pro Line coffee maker only. It will not fit in regular Kitchen aid coffee makers! I returned it when I discovered this. Shipping cost (both ways) was more than the price of the item.

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my boss bought this for our office for all the best reasons. While it is better for the earth then using the paper filters, it doesn''t filter as well. 1/4 of the pot is undrinkable because of all the thick-ish coffee slush that this filter lets in. I give it two stars only because it''s a good idea but not executed well.Put your hart at rest, the paper filters are not that bad (they become dirt in a week) and with this filter you waste money on the 1/4 pot of coffee you''ll throw out, water, electricity, the coffee beans, and your time. if you have picky coffee drinkers, they are going to complain.

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If you''re going to invest in the KitchenAid Pro-Line coffee maker, this filter is a must-have.

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iSpring 7PK-GAC ISpring 7-PK RO Filters 1-Year Replacement Filter Kit Save 16% Off

• 1-year supply of replacement filters for 5-Stage RO systems
• Includes 7 filters
• Fits 10-Inch standard filter housings, compatible to most RO systems, includes Watts Premier, Flowmatic, PuROLine, Crystal Quest, Apec
• Individually wrapped, fresh from factory
• High-quality replacement water filters

I am new to Reverse Osmosis (RO) filter sys. I bought a Intellitec water purity tester to check water quality. The tester reads Total Dissolved Solids(TDS), in parts per million (PPM). This is the testers water chart;

__RO, Deionization, Microfiltration, Distillation:~~~~~50 PPM

__Some bottled, Carbon filtration:~~~~~~~~~~~~50 150 PPM

__Tap water:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~150 400 PPM

__Well water (EPA max allowed 500):~~~~~~~~~~400 1000 PPM

My readings using copper and CPVC pipes in Detroit Mi. My RO is using these ISpring filters.;

__Tap water:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~98 PPM

__RO:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~25 PPM

__My Fridge filters the RO water one more time:~~~~~~~22 PPM

I ordered my filters with my Amazon account, but, using ISpring as the seller option. My RO is BareWater system. ISpring and I communicated a few times, I am new but confused with RO, their guidance was very good and fair.

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Have the Ispring installed going on a little ove 2 years. Never once had a problem. My family consumes alot of drinking water and after finding out our favarite brands were nothing but filtered tap, We figured we might as well do it ourselves. I rather keep the money in my pocket by using a well made product that does its job.

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I use them on my primary system in the kichen. I use a TDS inline meter and the particle counts are low, They fit good and last a long time the materials seem to look lick quality materials and because my low TDS readings I give them 5 stars.

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The replacement filter set contains everything we needed to replace filters on schedule for 1 year. We love the alkalizing water filter system we''ve had it for over 3 months. A couple leaks at first, repaired easily and quickly. We love it!

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Avoid the flood! These filters are NOT compatible with Watts Premier 5SV filters, contrary to the description in the website. These filters are exactly 10" long, whereas the Watts Premier filters are about 9 13/16" long. The extra length will not allow the Watts Premier filter housing to thread on far enough to seal properly, no matter how much you tighten them. The filters may be just fine, but the one-star rating is for the deceptive description.

From the website:

"Fits 10" standard filter housings, compatible to most RO systems, includes Watts Premier, Flowmatic, PuROLine, Crystal Quest, Apec, and etc."

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Steam Pure Stainlsee Steel Counter Top Water Distiller Save 9% Off

This is the second SteamPure distiller I''ve bought (my family of 4 uses more water than this can produce in a day in coffee, shakes, drinking). This is a very rugged product, and I love that it''s made in the USA. It should last a long, long time. Everything is stainless steel, and it is solid, and it doesn''t appear they scrimped on any part of the design, instead using rugged components everywhere. Takes about 5 or 6 hours to distill the water. The water is tasteless (as it should be) and refreshing.

The product description on this unit is accurate with the exception of the time it takes to produce a gallon of distilled water. I found my unit takes about 7 hours to produce a gallon. Other than that, it is a well built, solid, unit!

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The construction and usability of this device is as advertized. It makes great water and is very easy to clean and maintain. It makes about a gallon of water in about 3-4 hours and is easily stored when not in use. The fan noise is noticeable but not overwhelming. We are very happy with the quality and the final product. We recommend this distiller very highly.

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-1 for misspelling the name of the product. "Stainlsee/Stainless"

Anyways, I looked at reviews all over the internet on and off Amazon and decided this was the best distiller. I''ve been drinking distilled for years, and decided it was time to stop buying it and just make it myself.

So I bought this one, unpacking was great. It came pre-tested from the factory, so there was a small water line in the boiler chamber. This was all mentioned in the documentation. It was clear to setup and sterilize for the first time. The first batch needs to be tossed out, as per the instructions. The second batch I had a nice big cup of.

Its important when drinking to drink at room temperature to experience the full effect. Drinking ice cold water numbs the mouth, and you sometimes miss any aftertaste or undissolved solids in water. I was pleased this distiller had none of those. It tasted crisp, smooth, and tasteless, just the way quality water should. If you''re buying a distiller for home, this is the one to buy.

Only recommendation I would make is make sure to buy additional water jars (always glass). You''ll want to keep the distiller busy while you drink away!

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The unit itself is pretty well built. The daily output is alright if you aren''t constantly using distilled water. We aren''t so it''s acceptable. I don''t see anywhere in the product description what is recommended for cleaning. That should be given so you can purchase it at the same time you are buying the unit.

When the unit arrived the instructions made absolutely no sense. Turns out they sent the wrong instruction booklet. It wasn''t until then that we were aware of what needed to be used to clean the unit. When we contacted them about it they said we could try 50/50 water/white vinegar if we wanted.

Overall it''s a solid machine. Just wish the output was a better.

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Saeco Xelsis SS Automatic Espresso Machine, Stainless Steel Save 21% Off

I have (now you can say had!!) the Saeco Primea Touch Plus. I mainly make cappucinos. With the Primea, I had issues with the milk temperature (too cold) and no milk foam. Also, the cleanup was a pain.

I decided to try the Xelsis and I am glad that I did. So far I have had the machine for about two weeks and it is a winner. The milk comes out hot and the foam is perfect (looks like micro-foam done by a wand). It is easy to maintain and has worked flawless. The only negative is that the drip tray is kind of small but is it very quick and easy to empty. If you are looking for a quick and easy cappucino this machine is for you.

...........Ed

I bought this machine as an upgrade to my Talea Touch Plus. And I have to say I think Philips ownership is starting to show. First, we got one that had all kinds of odd problems. The "Error E05" when I went to prime the pump was frustrating, but eventually unplugging the unit, plugging it in, and restarting it got around the issue. The front of the unit (which unlatches and swings out to reach the brew group) NEVER stayed completely closed and would go slightly out of alignment with the rest of the unit.

So we exchanged it.

The new unit has the same door issue (tho less promient).

The unit never reports to add coffee beans when it''s empty. Fine we can pop the lid open and look, but that''s hardly working as advertised.

We also have a problem where the milk frother will occasionally just sputter and not dispense steamed milk. Cleaning the frother only seems to have limited success.

And when I call to ask questions from Philips (formerly Saeco USA)? If the tech in question doesn''t know the answer, you get the generic response of; "Take it back for service unless you bought it recently and then just have the retailer exchange it".

Really Philips?

Overall the machine does a really good job. But for me to give it a 5-star rating it''d have to do an *outstanding* job for the money I paid. And it simply is not outstanding vs. the money spent.

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If you are like me and love to hostess perfect parties..then you need to finish your events with the perfect espresso or cappuccino... and thanks to the Saeco Xelsis you can do this easily and be the ultimate hostess!!

Since the day I got the Saeco machine I have been using it non stop... love the fact that you don''t need to spend hours reading the instructions... you can just follow the display screen and it literally walks you through the steps. Another plus is the ability to generate individual user profile for each drink... so now I can make my husband the perfect caffeelate exactly the way he likes it! A espresso machine that knows you by reading your digital print... doesn''t get better than that in my book!

The display walks you every time you when you need more coffee beans, water or when you even need to clean the tray...Thank You!!! Love the fact that is not super big and it easily fits on my kitchen counter.

If you are looking for the ultimate expresso machine, that is easy to use...allows you to customize the intensity of the coffee, heat of milk, etc. look no further... this is it!

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I''ve had this machine for a few months and I now look forward to waking up everyday. Before drab boring dark coffee please pull the trigger.. But now Every Time I see it do its thing ,I''m amazed by its engineering. I just changed the setting to the lowest milk, strongest coffee w/ longest pour and its nice and strong. I got mine for a killer deal on eBay try to look around although good luck trying to pay under 2k. Is it worth it 2k to change your life I think so. Everyday I''m sipping the perfect cappuccino thinking to myself life is good.

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This machine is terrific. Expensive, but terrific. The features are convenient and very well thought out. It can be customized for 6 different users each with 9 drinks. Most importantly, it makes great, very hot coffee. I have had this now for 4 months and I could not be happier.

This model is a quantum leap over the Talea (see my review) and Primea, both of which I have owned.

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