VERY EASY SET UP. WE USE IN CHURCH AND IT DOES ALL WE COULD ASK FOR. QUICKLY MAKES COFFEE. MAKING INTO THE AIRPOT MAKES SERVICE QUICK FOR A LARGER GROUP WITH NO WASTED COFFEE.Save 40% Off
Showing posts with label ro membrane. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ro membrane. Show all posts
Bunn CW15-APS, Brews Into One 2.2 Or 2.5 Liter Airpot Save 40% Off
VERY EASY SET UP. WE USE IN CHURCH AND IT DOES ALL WE COULD ASK FOR. QUICKLY MAKES COFFEE. MAKING INTO THE AIRPOT MAKES SERVICE QUICK FOR A LARGER GROUP WITH NO WASTED COFFEE.
Commercial Grade Gourmet Small-to Medium Office Brewer B155
When I first tried Keurig it was a B150 at my new office and the B130 in our affiliates office. Both has a quick and easy way of making coffee while maintaining temperature with each cup. I had used these items for a few months, only to find myself wanting one. While I find the standard models repulsive, The B150 & B155 is a elegant machine that looks modern and has a touch screen to make a dull counter top exciting.You get a fresh tasty cup of coffee within 20 seconds and it is fast and easy to use. I use mine 3 times a day for coffee, hot apple cider (yum) and cocoa which all taste stellar.
I do have to say you MUST order your K cups online to get the best deal, but Dunkin Donuts is probably the best coffee that tastes like it came from the store.
A great investment and great coffee, you can''t beat it!
Buy Commercial Grade Gourmet Small-to Medium Office Brewer B155 Now
My first keurig ( mini) died...I was in mourning for about 1 week. I ordered this after my husband said it was okay, not that I needed his permission, but he said I''m a B*^ch without coffee and told me to just get it...Its rare, but I can be cheap at times...So by evening it was ordered, and I recieved it about 1 week later....To me that was just to dang long....but, I was to cheap to order next day especially after shelling out this kind of bucks for another keurig.Okay the product~I like it alot. I choose industrial because I did not want another mini, I wanted something built to last.This machine is a monster, I think it will...there is a BIG diffrence, and OMG, I don''t have to fill it with water everytime I want a cup. The screen is like a mini TV you get natural pics of coffee/nature as well as directions on how to use this monster . It is big but not to big...size of two mini''s next to each other, maybe a touch smaller.
I use this for home NOT office,(just plug it in and fill the pull out water chamber, that''s it. no need to buy anything special, unless you want to mount it...no strong need for me to do that) however; it is very industrial like and the monster would work really well in an office, it reminds me of a classy very small vending machine, and I''m always impressed when I look at it; it works like a dream and its pure awesomeness...
Read Best Reviews of Commercial Grade Gourmet Small-to Medium Office Brewer B155 Here
This coffee pot was a great investment. It is very quiet and I''m also able to hook it up to my water line.Want Commercial Grade Gourmet Small-to Medium Office Brewer B155 Discount?
I''ve had and worn out several Keurig coffee brewers. I''ve loved every one of them. This one is the best ever! It is a little bigger, but not much. It looks great and I think the coffee tastes better. I use it constantly all day long, for coffee in the morning, hot tea, which I either drink hot or as iced tea, and occasionally hot chocolate. I love the fact that there are so many different flavors so I can have a different variety whenever I want.It is important to descale these with vinegar occasionally. I''ve found that it really helps to follow the instructions with these machines. It makes them last longer.
Edited to say that the coffee fills from the left side of the tray. I have put a tiny bowl to the right of where the cup goes so I don''t put my cup in the wrong place. Several times I put the coffee cup too far to the right, only to come back a few minutes later and find that the coffee missed the cup.
Mr. Coffee 12 Cup Replacement Decanters Save 20% Off
The original carafe on my Mr. Coffee coffeemaker dribbled. When it broke, I looked for a new carafe on Amazon. Reading the reviews, it seems there''s some discrepancy as to whether replacement carafes have been redesigned so they don''t dribble. Since I needed it immediately, I purchased it at Bed Bath & Beyond. It did NOT dribble, so I tried to find out exactly how to identify a good one from a bad one.I''m publishing this on the PLD12-1 model because it''s the most likely to be viewed. I''m rating it in the middle because this is information about both models.
On AMAZON, I found two models of Mr. Coffee 12-cup replacement carafes. (I am only looking at the item in black.)
PLD12-1 ($11.46 + super saver shipping) ASIN B000BH96DO (This one.)
PLD12-2 ($20.07 + free shipping, other merchant) ASIN B0006HLJEI Mr. Coffee PLD12-2 MR. COFFEE 12-Cup Replacement Decanter
BED, BATH, & BEYOND The box was only labeled PLD12 (without a suffix). UPC: 0 72179 22692 5 $14.99
WALMART -same box, same UPC as BB&B $11.46
MR. COFFEE WEBSITE sells only PLD12-2 (or PLD13-2 in white) $15.99 + shipping
I called the toll free number 800-MR-COFFEE (800-672-6333) printed on the box. The sales rep said the PLD12-2 was the newer model, but denied that it was a redesign or that there was any problem with the older one. He also could not (or would not) tell me whether the UPC on the Bed Bath & Beyond box would indicate which model it was.
IN CONCLUSION:
1. I can''t definitively prove the PLD12-1 is a bad design.
2. The manufacturer is pushing the later model PLD12-2 without admitting guilt.
3. Walmart is the cheapest place to get one that works.
** UPDATE August 9, 2011 **
I found a website with a 2005 list showing PLD12-1 with UPC 0 72179 22692 5 (older product, but with current UPC).
This shoots down the theory that there is a correlation between the UPC on the box and the model of the carafe inside. It looks like the boxes were never updated and getting a good carafe may be just a matter of purchasing from a retailer that has newer stock.
Buy Mr. Coffee 12 Cup Replacement Decanters Now
My Mr. Coffee coffeemaker is sturdy, works well, and makes fine coffee.But the 12-cup decanter proved overly fragile. I broke it swabbing the inside with a dish brush.
I''d be glad to pay more for a decanter with thicker, sturdier glass.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
One other criticism: The spout on the decanter is too short, which increases the likelihood of spills.
Read Best Reviews of Mr. Coffee 12 Cup Replacement Decanters Here
I can not believe that a company as large as Mr. Coffee can sell such junk. Impossible to pour a cup without spilling. A Bunn carafe will pour many cups while this one dribbles all over the counter. Specifically, this is the original carafe that came with the coffee maker in black.Want Mr. Coffee 12 Cup Replacement Decanters Discount?
I was ready to trash my Mr. Coffee machine because the original carafe dribbled onto the counter each time it poured. When the carafe broke in the dishwasher, I ordered the replacement because it was a lot cheaper than a whole new machine of a different brand. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they had redesigned the spout on the replacement so that it does not dribble. It still feels like it could break easily in the dishwasher, so I clean it by hand now.Save 20% Off
Filtrete 4US-MAXS-S01 High Performance Drinking Water System Save 48% Off
- Maximum Filtration
- Includes 6 Month Filter
- Filters up to 750-Gallon/0.75-GPM flow rate
- Quick Change filter replacement
Save 48% Off
Travel Berkey Water Filter-2 Black Elements Save 8% Off
- Storage Capacity = 1.5 Gallons
- Height = 18" ; Diameter = 7.5"
- Purifies 2.75 Gallons / Hour
- High Grade 304 Stainless Steel
- 2 Black Berkeys good for 6000 Gallons
Our water supplies are becoming increasingly more and more toxic as time goes by. Farms are using stronger chemicals each year as weeds and insects adapt to it and cities actually add chemicals like chlorine and fluoride which over the long term cause medical and mental disorders. A filter like this, when paired with the fluoride filters, is great at removing toxins.
This was not hard to setup, just follow the instructions closely and make sure wing nuts are tightened hard enough to prevent leaking. Be sure to setup the filters before going camping with it, as it requires water pressure to prime the filters. After setup make sure you run water through it a few times to clear any loose dust from manufacturing.
Pros:
Water tastes great, even at room temperature. None of the chemical taste from the tap! Great for coffee and tea.
No complex setup or plumbing needed.
Inexpensive in the long run compared to other systems. Main filter lasts a long time.
No electricity needed, can be used anywhere and is great for emergencies when clean water may be scarce.
Black activated charcoal filter removes a lot more than other inexpensive filters/pitchers, also can remove fluoride with optional add-on filters.
Leaves beneficial minerals in water.
Used by red cross and other disaster relief groups
Stainless steel design looks good and will last a long time.
Cons:
Not instant or convenient as faucet mounted filters, needs to be refilled. I refill it every other day, not a issue for just me. If you have 2 or more people you may want a bigger one.
Design could be more efficient, spigot is about an inch up from the bottom so you can''t get all the water out of the tank using it but as long as you rotate water enough to keep the bottom filled it no a problem.
Should come with base spigot is low on it so it can''t fill things in the middle of a table, I keep mine on the edge of the counter.
Can''t see water level, you can get the optional meter but I just fill when water doesn''t come out as fast.
Setup, cleaning, and replacing filters is not fool proof just make sure to follow instructions closely.
Overall I think this is a wise choice for those wanting purify water to get rid of bad taste, bacteria, viruses, and toxins. There are many less expensive systems and more expensive full house solutions but this offers a good balance and has the bonus of being good for emergency situations. The size is perfect if you''re alone at a apartment but with two or more people I''d recommend getting the bigger models.
Buy Travel Berkey Water Filter-2 Black Elements Now
Owned this system for a year and never drink tap water, make coffee, or even cook certain meals without running the water through the Berkey system. For those who want to live in some plastic bubble apparatus and be protected against ALL the stuff out there? Spend your hundreds of dollars and go hide. For around 200.00 one can receive more than reasonable filtration that requires no electricity, or power of any kind. Just add the water and go.Take the negative hatchet job comments for what they are and think it over. Some of these people want Bose Surround Sound in a lap top computer, and I read their silly comments all the time. For these less than enlightened folks? Try running your tap water by a family pet with a bowl of this stuff sitting next to it. My guess is; these members of the house would go with the Berkey filtered water....every time.
If cats, dogs, and gold fish had a wallet, they''d pay you for it. Great value and would not be without it, while 304 stainless steel is not cheap. (I only know due to foundry work with metals) As for tasting like plastic? Water does not "leach" to plastic. Your not going to pick up plastic in this system as fresh water will not break it down....unless your talking salt water. No plastic taste here, and perhaps bottled water would have the same problem....if this were true?
Read Best Reviews of Travel Berkey Water Filter-2 Black Elements Here
As with all of the Berkey products this works extremely well and is very easy to clean and maintain. It''s not a back pack unit, but for larger groups or as an emergency filter in a trailer or other vehicle it''s hard to beat. Just make sure you prep the filters per their instructions and wash the unit thoroughly before use.Want Travel Berkey Water Filter-2 Black Elements Discount?
This works halfway decently on a counter top in a kitchen. At least until the filters come unglued from their bases. But the expensive black filters are way too fragile for travel. We move ours in spring and fall from one residence to another. We found the bases of the black filters are only partially glued to the filter element, and will come loose if there is ANY movement at all. Ours started leaking at the filter base, bypassing the filter element after its second move. We do not throw it around and do not drive on washboard roads. Berkey was no help, as our purchase records were at the other residence. Their warranty is pro-rated, anyway, and does not address poor assembly or poor product design, both of which are the issues here.The only way this is even remotely suitable for travel is to remove the black filters before travel to avoid the lazy glue job separating. The other alternative would be to do what Berkey should have done..................incorporate some support for the top of the black filters to prevent motion-induced movement. I would suggest that all Berkey users check their filters with red dye to see if they are really filtering, or just partially filtering, with much of the water bypassing through an incomplete glue joint.
And then, their is the plastic taste imparted by the unknown origin and unmarked plastic bases. I have no confidence in these outsourced so-called filters.
Save 8% Off
We have a community well, the water tastes fine, but there has been some issues with e-coli and I wanted a filter unit that would handle this and more. This size for the 2 of us is perfect in our kitchen, but what was surprising is the difference in how the water tastes, it''s excellent and I was surprised that it would be that obvious. I drink a lot of water and this one is fantastic. I like that it can be made to travel with and not take up much space.
Honeywell QuietCare 3.0 Gallon Moist Humidifier Save 6% Off
Maybe it''s just that I''ve had allergies and the constant presence of air cleaners all my life, but to me this product emits a perfectly acceptable level of white noise. It capably humidifies my small condo from a central location, helping my hubby''s eczema and my sinuses. Also helps with little annoyances, like staticky hair. I do fear my area''s hard water is prematurely aging the filter, but if I go through more filters, so be it, I think it''s a reasonable price to pay for the comfort the humidifier brings.
Buy Honeywell QuietCare 3.0 Gallon Moist Humidifier Now
I live in a dry climate so this humidifier has been the answer to my dreams!!! It is quiet and efficient. I wake up with less dry nose and mouth situations now. t has also helped my cats...I know that sounds weird but they used to wheeze and now they seem better!!!Read Best Reviews of Honeywell QuietCare 3.0 Gallon Moist Humidifier Here
This is our second one. We had a previous version for 3 seasons and finally needed to replace it. This new version is just as good quiet and efficient for our 14x22 room.Want Honeywell QuietCare 3.0 Gallon Moist Humidifier Discount?
The HCM 635 QUIET CARE is very noisey even on the slowest speed. It was bought to be used in a bedroom for a elderly sick person. I"m in the process of buying something else but realize now that I can not trust a purchase over the internet and need to do some local leg work to find what I need. I''m informed by friends that they are available (quiet humidifiers).Save 6% Off
100 GPD Reverse Osmosis 6 Stage Permeate Pump & UV sterilizer
General construction notes: The filter housings are standard 10" with CLEAR caps on all 3 positions (not just the first = dirtiest position) they are screwed to a metal (remember that stuff?) housing to hold the unit together. The tank is a standard RO "bladder" style tank and the membrane is mounted above, horizontally along with the uv lamp and the refrigerator style taste finishing filter which is the last item the water goes to before the faucet / ice maker. I find that this build quality is superior to other RO systems on the market which use subsized filters resulting in faster filter changeouts and or mount the RO membrane vertically after only one filter (this RO membrane sees 3 filters and one pressure boost pump between it and city water which should make the membrane last longer)at my home, My feedwater is measuring about 300 ppm with the HM Digital DL-1 Dual TDS Meter MTR-TDS-DM1-0-9990-4 With my old funky design RO system I got 200-210 ppm at the output faucet. That''s not alot of reduction for all the drain wastewater. As a point of comparison the "hard" water at my parents'' home is 100 ppm, so mine is 3 times worse than their "hard" water! Previous RO systems gave me about 40 ppm output water. This is a bit more complex as a 6 stage system. I chose it for a few reasons:
1 the clear housings on all 3 filters make it easy to see when any filter needs changing
2 the permeate pump recyles the output (drain) water to more quickly fill the tank, increases tank and membrane pressure, and uses no power.
3 it uses a UV lamp to kill bacteria in the output line if you ever took apart a filter system of any kind you''d like this feature!
4 the nonelectric pump cuts down the time to regenerate. Regeneration time to full pressure is about equal to time that the valve is open running water.
Nitpicks:
The UV lamp is ALWAYS on, making the water in that chamber hotter than the rest. I would replumb it so that the sterilization happens before the storage tank so as to avoid the small slug of hot water that sits all day/night surrounded by the lamp. The lamp is rated for 1gpm flow and 1 year life. I do not see it going any faster than 1gpm so it should be effective, just expect your first water to be warm.
The nonelectric pump is powered by the brine solution and is setup in a rotary manner while most RO systems trickle the brine out the pump squirts large volumes of brine as it pressurizes the storage tank on the other side. You can hear the clicking as each chamber is filled and drained as a result. I might possibly switch to an electric pump that cuts off at some given pressure which would give a continuous flow instead of a burst flow.
Neither of these are significant enough to impair the performance of the system just things to note about the design.
Likes:
This system comes with 3 clear standard size filter chambers, while most all others are sub sized (1/2 the size) white plastic. The result is that you can see how much "junk" from the city water supply is being trapped by the first filter and you can use standard filters not these downsized ones for smaller systems. (mine has a significant accumulation of specs of copper and green stuff after just 2 days / 12 gallons!) I think this will lead to much better filter changes at the right time.
The UV system is made of uv proof plastic with an end piece that lets you know the lamp is working. It''s a smart design, but re-lamping 1x/year means you must buy the same lamp assy which could be difficult. I may re-do the whole UV section in stainless steel when the time comes.
Both of these potential changes are easy since the hoses are standard 1/4" and use the press fit connectors. Just turn off the water and drain the tank first!
Summary -
Taking 300 ppm down to 15 ppm TDS (total disolved solids) is a huge change in the taste of the water. My old system was beginning to taste bad which is why I bought this unit. You can go to 7 stages and get Deionized water, used in the semiconductor industry, which is technically 0.00 TDS and acts as a solvent (i.e. you would not want to drink it but it will sure clean parts for ya.) At 15 ppm the water tastes good, and will not strip out your stomach lining like DI water would, so I advise against 7 stage deionized water systems. I found this system ideal and much better made than other RO units I have used. I expect a longer service life from the clear filterunits so I know when to change them.
Buy 100 GPD Reverse Osmosis 6 Stage Permeate Pump & UV sterilizer Now
I received the package promptly but as soon as i opened it I realized I was missing parts. I called the customer service and they were very polite and sent the missing bag of parts out right away. Good customer service! Once the unit was hooked up and the first tank of water drained we tried the water and were very happy. We normally get our water from our Cupboard natural foods store but it gets old toting the 5 gallon jugs around. The water tastes just like the water out of the oversized R.O. unit at the cupboard. All parts are made well and I especially like that all the housings are clear. Why shouldn''t you get to see the shape of the filter before removing/ contaminating them?The permeate pump does make some noise and the first half glass of water is a bit warm from sitting under the UV light, but other than that we are 100% happy with the purchase. They also label all the connections to make setup easy. Even the pets love it :pRead Best Reviews of 100 GPD Reverse Osmosis 6 Stage Permeate Pump & UV sterilizer Here
Glisten Dishwasher Cleaner It works hard to remove built-up soap scum
I had read some reviews on this before getting and thought it might do better than an at home remedy to get rid of some bad scum and hard water marks in our previously owned dishwasher. It did a decent job but I still had to run a few cycles through with vinegar and bleach to get stains out. For convience and basic upkeep people would probably like this just to run through their dishwasher once or twice a year, but bleach would probably work just as well.
GE ws03x10038 SmartWater O-Ring
What can I say, it''s an O-ring, but when I got the automated e-mail asking to review it, I just had to say something.Here it is....
The O-ring fit the device it was designed to work in, thereby preventing a leak and a flooded basement. I recommend that if you need an o-ring and this is the size you are looking for, buy it... Buy it quickly....
Homedics Personal Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier Save 44% Off
This is a cute little humidifier that can be plugged into an outlet or in your computer''s USB port. That''s what attracted me to it, because the air gets so dry in winter in my office I can put this close to me while I am working. I could feel a difference when it was on in a small space. It''s very easy to use, just soak the small wick a couple minutes in water before use and you''re ready to go. It comes with two extra wicks and adapters for your computer and outlet which is very nice. The only complaint is there is no auto off when it''s out of water, so you have to be vigilant. It says you get about 4 hours of use from a full reservoir of water. It''s only about 4 inches wide so it doesn''t get in the way on my desk. So far I really like this innovative product. I don''t think I''ve seen another one just like it anywhere. I would recommend it for office workers or students who are affected by dry heated air in winter.
Buy Homedics Personal Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier Now
This unit works, but that''s about the best I can say. It is simple and cheap and does put out a small stream of vapor. Don''t expect output like a larger unit, but if it is blowing right at you it would be noticeable. Word of warning I ran it out of water overnight and it self-destructed. It burned up and was not repairable. They warn that it does not have low water protection but I didn''t realize it would destroy it. So don''t run it out of water.Read Best Reviews of Homedics Personal Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier Here
I purchased this at a retail store to use in my office. The first time I used it, the reservoir emptied in 2.5 hours. The second and third times it emptied in about 2 hours. The fourth time, I don''t know because I got busy and forgot to keep an eye on the water level. The instructions say never to run it without water. Well, it ran without water and never worked again. Fortunately the retailer gave me a full refund. Only buy this if you can remember to watch the water level closely and remember that it can run dry "quickly".Want Homedics Personal Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier Discount?
I just bought this, thinking it would be great for traveling. I figured I''d try it out before we go, so I soaked the wick for about 3 min, put cool water into it, and plugged it in. At first I thought it seemed great, it was puffing out a good amount of mist. Then about five minutes later, it was just a small stream. I saw water gathered in the output spot, so I wiped it dry with a corner of a paper towel. It again started misting away. Well, I got busy and forgot about it... a few hours later, I saw it was barely misting again, and I dried it off again. It has a small hole that should let the water run back down into the bottom, but doesn''t seem to work. Needless to say, after all day (10 hours), the water had gone down only a tiny bit, so obviously there was not that much humidity added to the air. This will be going back asap.Save 44% Off
Sodastream Jet Starter Kit Save 15% Off
So obviously you''re reading this hoping to understand why you should buy this product and why you shouldn''t. And you''ve read a bunch of reviews and there doesn''t seem to be a middle ground. Seem''s either people hate it and tell you to beware, or love it and highly recommend it.... so you''re confused....correct?Well, read this review from someone who understand technological things and simply isn''t some person looking to get soda for 10 cents per liter bottle. If this is what you''re looking for, it isn''t going to happen. At least not unless you own a carbon dioxide supply company.
So why should you buy this?
1. First off, it does work as advertised. Once you connect the CO2 cartridge, there''s not much more to set up, other than put some water (preferably spring or filtered COLD water) in the liter bottles (or 14 oz bottles sold separately), inject the "proper" amount of carbonation into the bottle and then add whatever amount of flavoring you wish. I say "proper" amount of carbonation because the soda maker (at least the ones bought recently I have the "Dynamo" model and this review was written in Nov 2011) will add carbonation to the point where the pressure will force the unit to make a sort of "buzzing" sound which indicates that the maximum carbonation has been added into the water, and the excess is being forced out to create that "buzzing" sound.
2. The ability to add carbonation up to the point where the SodaStream "buzzes" or "burps" brings up another plus. You can add less carbonation than the SodaStream maxes out at, in which case you won''t hear the warning sound. But when you do this, you create carbonated drinks which have varying amounts of carbonation in them. If you desire less, you can make carbonated drinks with less.
3. Flavors. A third plus. Yes, some people don''t like the flavors that SodaStream provides. But these are the same people SodaStream were probably never going to satisfy anyway. SodaStream provide a bunch of flavors....cola''s (diet/reg), Dr. Pepper-like flavors (diet/reg), Sprite and Sierra Mist-like flavors (diet/reg), Orange, Energy, Grapefruit, lightly flavored unsweetened "MyWater" flavors, etc., etc. The point is, as a 3rd plus, you can use their flavors or you can experiment and try anything you like that will flavor your soda. I use Mio water flavorings which provide excellent, low calorie alternatives. If you don''t like their flavors, then don''t complain and knock the technology. Be creative and leverage what the SodaStream gives you....which is convenience and flexibility/options.
4. Green. A fourth plus is that you refill plastic bottles espcially designed for use with SodaStream soda makers. Because of this, you don''t buy cans or 2 liter bottles from the store, in some states paying a redemption free for the right to lug this stuff home, then drinking your soda and then accumulating all these cans and bottles to take back to a redemption center, or worse, throwing them away and filling a ton of landfills.
5. Health. A fifth plus...or at least it can be. People really shouldn''t drink too much soda. At least soda with sugar in it. It leads to obesity, diabetes, etc. Yes... you can flavor water with stuff like Mio or add some juice from an orange or lemon. But not only does it not taste as good as a soda, you just know that flat water based drinks are missing something. And what''s missing is that carbonation and the SodaStream will add that for you, and allow low calorie flavored drinks to taste better and be better for you!
6. Space. A sixth plus is space. That''s obvious. You don''t have all the bottles and cans sitting around, and the SodaStream unit only takes up a small amount of counter space.
7. Convenience. Yes you do save time and hastle from going to go to the store to lugging around bottles and cans of soda, this one is sort of a wash. See the reasons why you don''t buy the SodaStream. But at the same time, those who claim that it''s hard to find replacement CO2 cartridges, don''t get out of the house much. In California at least, you can get replacements at any Staples, Macy''s, Bed Bath and Beyond, Sears, Costco, and Target (to name a few). What may be issue is returning the unused cartridges, since not all stores that carry the cartridges, support sales and exchanges of the old cartridge. But what i do is simply collect the unused ones, and then periodically go to a store that does accept them.
So now lets address why you shouldn''t buy the SodaStream. Or better yet, lets address why you don''t buy the SodaStream.
1. To save money. While i know you will save money per liter, my feeling is that if that''s the primary reason you''re looking to buy the SodaStream, i don''t recommend it. It''s not signifant enough in my humble opinion, to warrant spending around $100 to $130 for a SodaStream unit, another $30 (minimum, less tax and shipping if you purchase the cartridges online).
2. Convenience. Despite the convenience "pluses" i mentioned earlier, as i stated, this is sort of a wash because you still have to go and return cartridges, and purchase syrup/flavoring, albeit less frequently than buying soda depending on how much you used to buying at one time.
Hope this information helps. One last note. In California where we have to pay a 5 cent redemption fee per can, this tilts the money saving and convenience to the "plus" side. A 24 pack adds another $1.20 at the cash register, and then you have to store the sticky cans and bottles until you can accumulate enough to make it worthwhile, to drive to the local redemtion center to get your cash back. That''s incentive enough alone to purchase a SodaStream!!!
We live in a small condo with a long walk to our unit, and we got the Sodastream mainly to cut down on the number of plastic bottles we were hauling in and out of the place. Also, my husband drinks a lot of diet soda, and the sodium isn''t good for his high blood pressure. The Sodastream diet syrups are low sodium or sodium-free, and they''re sweetened with sucralose instead of aspertame (which some people think is healthier). For those who don''t drink diet drinks, the non-diet syrups are sweetened with a cane sugar-and-sucralose mix, instead of high fructose corn syrup, so they''re much lower in calories than name brand sodas.
The Sodastream has been great for our purposes. I have a lot fewer grocery bags to haul up the stairs every week, and a lot less recycling to carry out to the bins. We make soda as we need it, in whatever flavor we''re in the mood for, so we can have a lot of flavor choices without having a lot of extra bottles sitting around. The water comes out perfectly fizzy if you follow the directions, and we''ve been very happy with the flavors. My favorites are the lemon lime, grapefruit, and cranberry. My husband likes the diet cola and ginger ale. Best of all, we never "run out" of soda. If we open the fridge and there''s none in there, we simply make more.
Before we bought this product, I read a few consumer reviews that made me worry a little about the availability of CO2 refills and flavor syrups. For most people, this won''t be a problem. You can simply order the CO2 canisters and flavors online, leave the empty CO2 canisters on your doorstep, and a messenger will drop by to pick up the empties and deliver your supplies.
Unfortunately, the messenger system can be a bit of a problem for those of us who live in security buildings, or in areas where it''s not safe to leave things on the doorstep. Sodastream doesn''t give you an estimated delivery date or a way to track your package. The messenger tends to show up at unpredictable times, day or night. The guy who delivers in our area is not too bright and speaks very little English. Twice he''s been unable to follow the directions posted on the security system in our lobby so that we could buzz him in.
Fortunately, you can just exchange your CO2 canisters at Williams & Sonoma and Sur La Table stores. (And they last a long time, so you don''t have to do it very often.) Unfortunately, the same is not true of the flavor syrups. Brick-and-mortar stores carry a very limited variety of flavors, so unless you only want a couple of basic flavors, you still have to order refills from Sodastream (and deal with their messenger service). But again, for the vast majority of people, this won''t be as much of a hassle as it is for us.
A number of people have complained that the cost savings of the Sodastream are greatly exaggerated by the company. That might be true. If you''re really pinching pennies, you can certainly make carbonated water on the cheap with some supplies from a home brewing store. But if you don''t have the space for a DIY setup and don''t want your kitchen to look like a science lab, the Sodastream is a simple, easy alternative.
One more tip, for those of you who are deciding which model to buy we originally liked the more expensive "Penguin" model, because it looks more stylish on the countertop, and it uses fancy glass carafes. But then we realized that if we wanted to make soda and take it somewhere (to work, in the car, on picnics, camping, etc.), the plastic 1-liter bottles were much more practical. It''s something to consider, especially if you want to break the habit of spending money on soda at the vending machines at work.
Buy Sodastream Jet Starter Kit Now
Beware the real total cost of ownership when buying this product.These are great in the UK, where you can buy the gas refills (actually exchanges) in many supermarkets for not much money. However, in the US there are pitifully few outlets for the refills (Williams Sonoma and Camping World) and as such they are always out of stock. Because these gas cylinders have a proprietary fitting and anti-refill valve on them, they cannot be refilled at paintball, welding, or homebrew stores, so your only option is to mail them to Sodastream and obtain refills from the manufacturer directly. This adds up very quickly, and there is simply no way you can achieve the 20c per liter carbonation they claim here. The cheapest refills available from the manufacturer today are 3x14.5oz cylinders for $39 + $10 shipping = 41c/l. But since you have to have 3 cylinders first, you have to buy 3 more first (another $75 + $10 shipping), and these are their SALE prices.
It''s an interesting novelty and the kids love it, but when the first gas cylinder runs out, the soda cans on the supermarket shelves are going to look really tempting again. It''s a shame, here''s another great idea marred by poor execution. I can''t see that there is anything ''green'' about burning up so much in shipping heavy cylinders back and forth across the country.
Read Best Reviews of Sodastream Jet Starter Kit Here
Let''s start off with the hardware. The machine is mostly plastic, but it appears durable. I''m a great abuser of products and I haven''t managed to break anything on it yet. The bottles are of above-average plastic thickness, so they''ll probably last as long as the company claims they will. The CO2 canisters are well made and the only disadvantage is that they''re proprietary and need to be send back to Soda Club for refill. Use of the machine is so easy that it''s trivial -screw on a bottle filled with water, press the button, wait for a buzzing noise from the relief valve. It doesn''t get any simpler than that. No electricity required and no mess to clean up. In short the hardware is a 100% win.Now we get to the software (or maybe I ought to call it "softdrinkware"). In order to make soda / pop / "soft drinks", you need to use syrup which the company calls "soda mix". The company sells a variety of soda mixes in both regular and diet forms. As many people have noted, the regular mixes are actually hybrid mixes with 2/3 artificial sweetener and 1/3 real sugar. That''s a real shame as choice has been taken away from the consumer in favor of a perceived health benefit by those who think they know better than you. My initial order contain five regular mixes: Cola, Orange, Grape, Root Beer, and Pete''s Choice. Let''s walk through them from best to worst.
Pete''s Choice and Root Beer were both excellent. Pete''s choice tastes like Dr. Pepper. Both of these mixes tasted as good or better than store-bought soda. There was no annoying aftertaste from the artificial sweetener. I''d highly recommend them and I expect that most of my refills are going to be these two flavors.
Orange and grape .... not so much. Fruit flavors demand a certain sweetness to taste right, and it just isn''t there. The annoying artifical sweetener aftertaste is prominant among these two flavors although it''s tolerable. They also don''t taste that orange-ish or that grape-ish. I might try mixing the syrup in at double the amount next time to see if I can raise the sweetness and strength of flavor while hopefully not ramping up the aftertaste. I''m skeptical.
And then there''s the cola mix. This has to be one of the foulest concoctions I have ever had the misfortune of drinking. It doesn''t taste like regular cola. It doesn''t taste like diet cola. The artificial sweetener aftertaste is overwhelming. It kind of tastes like the old diet sodas that would spoil after sitting on the shelf for 5 years. If I didn''t know better, I''d think they''d mixed in some of that chemical is in cough syrup that makes you gag when you put it in your mouth.
In summary, I really like the machine itself. I''d have given it 5 stars were it not for the flavors. The cola flavor was so bad that it deserved taking two stars off my review. The orange and grape flavors were mediocre and between the two of them it deserved the loss of another star. The bottom line is that this is a product that you''ll be drinking and it needs to taste good.
Updated (2/17/2010) I''ve had a chance to try out a few more flavors and I''ve found that I really like the ''Fountain Mist'' and ''Lemon Lime''. The ''Energy Drink'' tastes quite similar to red bull. I''ve bumped up my review an extra star to cover the new flavors that I actually enjoy! Still can''t stand that cola flavor though, which is rather unfortunate. I''m on my third CO2 cylinder now, and have given the machine a lot of use. It''s holding up well.
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I love this thing! I bought it originally in order to stop throwing away so many plastic bottles (we''re seltzer maniacs here).Features:
* You can control the water source and filter it.
* You can control the fizziness (we''re getting up to a level that boils in our blood for at least an hour after drinking it, but you can have a light Euro-water-style fizz as well).
* It''s entertaining to use.
* It''s better for the environment.
* The sound makes the dog get all wiggy, which is fun to watch. It sounds like a big raspberry when you fizz up a bottle of water.
* You''ll probably be the only one on your block with a seltzer maker it definitely spanks a bread machine.
I still haven''t had to return the CO2 bottle, so I don''t know how easy that''s going to be. Delivery was slow but entertaining: about 3 weeks after we ordered, an actual Soda-Club delivery woman showed up at our door toting our new Soda-Club.
One caveat: the syrups are pretty revolting...at least the ones we tried. Plus, they all contain artificial sweeteners, even the non-diet ones. But we just add some lemon or orange essence (available in the spice section at your store) to pep it up a bit.
Also, if you go through fizzy water pretty fast, be sure to order two extra bottles. You have to chill the water before you fizz it up, so it''s good to have a few in rotation.
Save 15% Off
Applica Clear 2O Water Pitcher #CWS100A
Consumer Reports just rated this filtering water pitcher one of the best on the market, so I bought one. I do think they are correct, it fills up quickly and the taste of the water has definitely changed (for the better). I haven''t gone searching for filters yet, but I don''t think that should be a problem. HOWEVER, you now have to use their built-in tube and quick fill connection to fill this filter, and the hose is very short if you can''t use a regular kitchen sink (which we can''t as we don''t have a removable insert in the faucet). So, before we panicked and sent it back, I went to the hardware store and bought two ''barbs'' and a similar size piece of hose, and within a few minutes and a few dollars my problem was no more...I had successfully made the hose longer so that I could use the pitcher in my bathroom sink instead. So, that''s your answer; get two ''barbs'', which are brass connections which fit into the same size hose on both sides, and you are golden.
Buy Applica Clear 2O Water Pitcher #CWS100A Now
After checking my local water quality and the substances I was looking to filter, the Clear2O was the only model that cut the mustard. I''d never heard of the product, as it clearly doesn''t enjoy the market share of Brita or PUR, but I''m extremely impressed with the product to date after two months of use.PROS:
It fills quickly. Snap it onto the spigot, turn on the tap, and water is ready to drink in well under a minute. Given the sizable capacity, this is pretty impressive performance.
The water tastes great. My first reaction after tasting water from this the first time was a sense of digust...wondering what I''d been drinking all this time any time I slurped something straight from the tap. The water tastes very similar to premium bottled waters, although I''ll agree with other reveiwers that it does not taste like Brita/PUR product, which probably lets a higher degree of minerals through the gate.
Big capacity: I hadn''t checked just how much larger it is, but it is incontrovertible that this is bigger than your standard Brita/PUR pitcher. The website boasts 50% larger; I could believe that, as we go quite a bit longer between refills.
A real filter meter. I was always aggravated by the simple timer that came on Brita filters; how would it know how decayed the filter had been? The Clear2O appears to have some sort of actual meter that tells you when the filter needs replacement due to wear, not simple passage of time. That will save money and guesswork on the life of the filter.
CONS:
Special equipment needed. We have a kitchen faucet that''s got a removable spray head. It took me a little snooping online to find out definitively, so here it is: yes, you need to attach something to a standard faucet in order for this to work. Fortunately, we had a bathroom we don''t use, and attached the spigot to that faucet, and we fill the pitcher in the bathroom (a minor inconvenience). That said, the hose attached to the pitcher was too short to work with a sink you can''t fit the entire pitcher in, height-wise. If that''s your problem, ensure you buy the Clear2o CWX100A Hose Extender.
This thing is loud! It''s bizarre to think of a water pitcher being noisy, but here we are. Hitch the pitcher up to the thing, turn on the water, and there''s a noise that can best be described as grinding that emanates from the hose and filter working. Like I said, it''s for less than a minute, but it''s still noisy.
Minor leak: as noted by other reviewers, I note small rivulets of water running down the side of the empty pitcher while filling, where the filter assembly meetings the spout. If you hold the pitcher directly upright, the problem is minimized, but...
All in all, I''m extremely satisfied with the product. The filters are cheap, far cheaper than buying water at Costco. It''s convenient, and gives you peace of mind that the water you''re drinking is indeed clean.
Read Best Reviews of Applica Clear 2O Water Pitcher #CWS100A Here
Hi I called clear20 to ask why they were not listed or registered with NSF which is the governing independent body that tests the product for what it filters etc. During this call I finally got it out of them that they this product is being discontinued and that once the filters have all been sold, they no longer will be able to support the product ... Meanwhile they make no public mention of this and continue to advertise their product to sell there remaining stockpile. I bought several and after finding this out I was understandably upset. This is unethical!!!Want Applica Clear 2O Water Pitcher #CWS100A Discount?
We purchased this water filter because the pitcher was to fill fast and the number of impurities it took out was provably more than any other commonly available pitcher system.The unit definitely fills faster than Brita or PUR pitchers do. However, ours makes a terrible, loud, higher-pitched gear grinding sound as it does so. It''s not bad enough to wear ear protection, but you will have problems understanding someone in the room until you stop. Fortunately, it is less than a minute before it is filled.
Filtered water definitely tastes "cleaner." However, this taste is not as desirable as water filtered from the Brita pitcher would taste. Where the Brita might make water taste more like a crude Dasani, Clear2O makes the water taste more like distilled water. I guess that is the price you pay for having 44+ contaminants removed (NSF verified) to 95+% efficiency (almost are 99.9 to 99.99+%). The solid block carbon filter does a great job of making water taste plain. Unfortunately, this does highlight why an ion-exchange system such as Brita''s can make more poorly filtered water taste better. For us, we''ve finally adjusted to the "cleaner" taste.
It is important to occasionally clean the pitcher, as the website states in its FAQ, "with vinegar." This was only something I tracked down once I started seeing occasional translucent floaters wafting around in the pitcher water when held up to the light. Vinegar would kill most bacteria that might start to colonize the filtered water area, and it seems to curb our problem.
Venta Airwasher #6001040 8.8 OZ Venta Cleaner Save 19% Off
This is a bottle of citric acid (the stuff that makes lemons sour) with a wetting agent that helps dissolve the minerals (scale, calcium carbonate) that deposit on the evaporator (the moving white plastic finned drum) of the AIRWASHER. Simply fill the bottom housing with fresh water, pour the entire contents (8 oz), turn to low setting; after 2 hours, dump out the water that now has loosened scale, wipe any remaining scale and don''t forget to get the stuff on the bottom of the fan. No smell like the vinegar I used to use. Not harsh like "lime-away" bathroom cleaners. Our local water is hard and during the summer, molds (black and red) can bloom.
As far as the folks giving this product 1-Star, they should learn how to read as the product description is quite clear. And you cannot blindly trust any of Amazon''s add''l purchase recommendations. So I give those posters 1-star for their intelligence. Kinda reminds me of a deli review I read recently from some goof who gave the place the lowest rating simply because he thought the sandwich prices were too high (he walked away w/o even trying their food).
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I''ve used both vinegar and this cleaner. Vinegar worked just as well, and I prefer the smell of the vinegar to the chemical smell of this product.Read Best Reviews of Venta Airwasher #6001040 8.8 OZ Venta Cleaner Here
This is the first time we have used the Airwasher on our Venta Humidifier and it did a good job of cleaning out the accumulated grime. Unfortunately it is not usabled on the motor blades and it is difficult to use an old toothbrush to scrape off the grime on the fan blades. But the product did the job it was supposed to do.Want Venta Airwasher #6001040 8.8 OZ Venta Cleaner Discount?
This product was listed as frequently being bought along with things like the demineralization cartridge for the Venta Ultrasonic VS-205 and VS-207 Humidifiers. When I received it, the labelling says specifically that it is NOT for ultrasonic humidifiers. It would cost about as much to ship it back as it cost, so I am stuck with it and hopefully will find some use for it someday.Save 19% Off
Maytag UKF7003AXX PuriClean Interior Refrigerator Cyst Reducing Water Filter Save 17% Off
- NSF-certified refrigerator water filter & maintain freshest water and optimal performance, replace water filter every 6 months.
- Retains beneficial fluoride in water
- Helps reduce chlorine''s taste and odor
- Reduces cysts, asbestos, particulates, lead, and mercury
- The Maytag PuriClean Filter is designed for all Maytag and Jenn-Air refrigerators that have a filter change indicator light (located near the water dispenser).
Buy Maytag UKF7003AXX PuriClean Interior Refrigerator Cyst Reducing Water Filter Now
After changing the filter, you must reset the Filter Change Indicator Light by simultaneously pressing and holding the "light" and "lock" buttons until the filter lamp begins blinking. Release pads and the lamp turns off. Indicator is now reset.Good product, not the best price I''ve found thoughMaytag "change filter" lights are not automatic you have to manually reset the light. So long as the filter fits into the filter well, doesn''t leak, and water flows to the dispenser it is working. You can download missing owners manuals from www.maytag.com.
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These great filters. So much easier then the bad olddays when the filters was behind the refridge., and
was in line and was a mess to change.
The problems that the one of the previous users
was reporting can be avoided by checking the manual
for your fridge for reseting the warning light. It''s easy,
once you know how to do it.
And even if you never get the little red light to go out
the filters come with date stickers so you can be reminded
when it''s time to change the filter. Add to that the ease
of installation and the effect filtering and you get a product
that functions very well.
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I purchased a new home in august that came with a fridge that used one of these filters. I noticed when I would get water from the fridge water dispensers it would always taste metallic. Then one day the change filter light came on so I bought one of these filters and now the water from the fridge tastes great. These things really do work! They are easy to install as well.
MR-100 Primo Steam Cleaning System
The president of Vapamore says in the comments section of my Vapamore review that he spent "hours" on the phone with me. This is not true. He may have spent hours with the dealer I bought it from, who was concerned that I be satisfied with the purchase and was concerned with my complaints, but Vapamore did not spend "hours" on the phone with me. The president of Vapamore also says the steamer I sent back worked perfectly when the company got it back. I wouldn''t have sent it back if it worked. Maybe the returned steamer worked because Vapamore replaced my returned hose with a new one, I don''t know. I noticed when I was packing to send the steamer back there was a bulge in the hose near the top of the hose. The tech had told me when I called to report that my new steamer wasn''t working that the two most common problems with Vapamore steamers are blown fuses on the steamers and issues with the hose. My new steamer had been used two hours when it began producing limited steam and pressure.I will say the dealer I bought my Vapamore from returned my money in full and I was satisfied to get my money back.
After the Vapamore debacle, I purchased a more expensive steamer and am happy with it.
I''ve read Vapamore says its product materials are made in Italy and assembled in China, though others report only its made in China. I don''t know. I can only say that in comparing actual use of the two steamers the Vapamore is like a cheap motorized toy car and the steamer I purchased for $500 is like a Honda Accord, mid-priced, high performance and great reliability.
Original post:
The first day I used my new Vapamore Primo 100 steamer for 2 hours and it worked fine. The next day, five days after receiving the steamer and the second time I used it, I could turn the steamer on but it would not clean and produced seemingly limited heat and pressure. I followed the instructions exactly when using it. I called Vapamore and the company told me that the steamer could have different issues and that Vapamore would repair the steamer if I sent it back but that it would not replace it with a new steamer, per its warranty policy, even if it stopped working immediately after I got it.
I read online other Vapamore customers whose new steamers did not work and they sent them in to be repaired and they still did not work. I insisted to Vapamore I wanted a new steamer because if this one broke after 2 hours use what might the future hold for it. I was so frustrated in dealing with the company over my brand new dud Vapamore steamer I sent it back for a refund, with my paying return shipping costs. My experience with the Vapamore Primo 100 steamer and the company was not good.
Update of review on Vapamore Primo 100:
Vapamore called me this afternoon and wanted me to remove or modify my Amazon review that I posted yesterday and said it would send me a new steamer. The CEO of Vapamore sent me an email saying he had approved having a new steamer sent to me after my first call to the company in which I had to repeatedly insist that I did not want my brand new broken Vapamore Primo 100 steamer repaired but wanted it replaced, and the CEO added there must have been some "confusion" for me to think the company was balking at sending me a new one. I was happy to give the steamer, that I paid for, a second chance. Then I get another call from Vapamore later today saying the CEO now says the company will not provide me with a new steamer to replace the one that broke after I used it for 2 hours but instead will only repair it. Wow, straight from the CEO. The CEO''s refusal to send a new steamer is in keeping with what others online say, that the company would only repair their broken steamers, and then the steamers still often didn''t work. The warranty says Vapamore can replace or repair a steamer at its discretion. I''m updating this, as Vapamore requested, but only to say this is the worst customer experience ever! If your steamer works, I wish you the best with it. If it doesn''t, my experience and others who left comments here about their broken steamers indicate the company will offer to repair your new steamer, not replace it. Good luck.
(There are at least two threads for Vapamore reviews on Amazon and my review is also on the other thread.)
Back to the MR-100. How did the MR-100 do? It removed all of the grease and most of the hard burnt on stuff. Most came off with not much more than a pass over the area with the included brass brush accessory and a wiping down with paper towels. Some needed extra effort and a soaking with oven cleaner spray before steaming the area. Now looking for other hard jobs to tackle. Most other household jobs are simple compared to my dirty old grill test. Anyone interested could clean a dirty engine the same way.
Do look at the other reviews for the MR-100 at other listings for more details. But to the person that claimed little steam output there''s a knob on the front of the unit to increase/decrease the amount of steam. Steam at full volume has very strong output and is very hot. Maybe not as much as a professional multi-thousand $ machine, but what do you except for a few $100''s?
Buy MR-100 Primo Steam Cleaning System Now
I almost bought a steam cleaner at twice the price of the Vapamore MR-100 Primo, but decided to try the less expensive Vapamore and can attest that it is a good machine for the money. At half the price of a competitive product, you may have to buy extra brushes (which I ordered right away from the factory), but you can buy a lifetime supply of spare brushes and still not spend as much as $700 total for the effect.As other reviewers noted, the steam cleaning makes a high pitched noise, so ear protection is recommended if you plan to clean for a half hour or more. This machine does an excellent job on glass, ceramic, wood and tile, but not so great on stainless steel.
As far as carpet cleaning, it is good with small areas; I would not use it for wall-to-wall carpet, but area rugs clean up nicely, especially small stains. If you have cheap carpet, you may not get good results. Wool carpet and good acrylic carpet clean up well.
The smaller nylon brush tip was crushed after one use, so I ordered extra. The larger brush is much stronger, and the squeegee attachment is awesome.
Overall, I am pleased with the results. Go to the dollar store and get some microfiber rags to use as wiping cloths and you can also use ordinary microfiber mop pads you can get at the drug store or dollar store to attach to the floor grid/upholstery grid. Don''t waste your money on the factory-made pads.
Read Best Reviews of MR-100 Primo Steam Cleaning System Here
Wow, was I ever disappointed! Bought the steam cleaner to clean our new house (tile floors & showers) before moving in but discovered it needed distilled water. By the time I got it, it was too late because the movers were here. Both working, we have been struggling ever since just to get unpacked so I planned to clean good before all my family came for Christmas. Took a day off, cranked it up, and started on the walk-in shower. It had no effect on the mildew where the wall met the floor or on the mildew on the floor under the mat. Then I tried it on all the soapscum on the glass no effect there either or on the smooth marble walls. Then I got out of the shower and tried it on the grout in the tile floor. I am assuming it is not broke in the sense that steam did come out of it but it did not meet the claims in the product listing. To make matters worse due to unpacking and all the boxes to get rid of, I have no idea where the original box has gone for returning. That was alot of money for something that will not clean!I may try sending it back to Amazon regardless and cut my losses because there is no way I could resell it by telling someone it was a good cleaning machine! Lessoned learned we always check reviews before buying a product but felt it was normal to have a few bad ones due to a lemon occassionally. But now I know to place alot more credance on ALL the reviews. Hopefully someone will read this and buy another product instead.
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I just received the Primo steamer this past weekend and went to town on a long overdue grout cleaning project for my 3,100 square foot home. WOW, am I impressed. This steamer really packs a punch and did an unbelievable cleaning job on the grout. Plus, by my estimate, I saved around $650.00 by doing the job myself, and that savings includes the cost of the machine(I had received quote''s from two grout cleaning company''s, the low quote was $975 and the high was $1,200, and it was going to take two days for them to finish the job. Really, come on!!!). Not counting the time I spent familiarizing myself with the steamer and attachments (there are four different size brush attachments as well as a bunch of other attachments and fittings) it took me less than six hours to completely finish the job (although on Sunday my legs and knees hurt from all of the crawlng around on the floor, next time I will use a stool). Here is what impressed me the most:I was able to use the steamer contiuously, without stopping to refill the water, for more than an hour at a time. In just over six hours I filled the steamer with water five times, and still had steam left when I was finished. Awesome!!
The dirt immediately came loose with just one pass with the steamer and wire brush attachment (I think it is made of brass, but not sure), no scrubbing required. A quick wipe behind the steam with a cloth and that was it, job done. I had tried to clean the grout before with cleaning products and a wire brush, but gave up after about 20 minutes of scrubbing (and scraping all the skin off my knuckles) and poor results. So, what a relief to find this steamer and get the job done without killing myself.
The next day I used the steamer on my built-in outdoor gas grill and finished that off in about half the time it normally takes me to clean with oven cleaner and hand-scrubbing. Again, just one pass with the steam, and the grease melted away (and I didn''t have to use any other cleaning products).
My wife is making a list of steamer chores for me around the house: Stove, shutter''s, doggie door, dog crate, outdoor landscaping lights, patio furniture . . .
Highly recommend the primo.
Aqua-Pure AP200 Under-Sink Water Filter System Save 48% Off
- Addresses Dirt/Rust/Taste/Odor Concerns
- Multi-stage filtration process.
- 3/8" Pipe Connection
- Space saving unit easily installs under sink or in confined spaces.
- Effective filter protection for up to 2,000 Gallons
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I wanted to give the Aqua-Pure a try before spending a fortune on a reverse osmosis system that would also take up all the space under the sink. To my relief, and a bit of a surprise, it actually works. I can compare the unfiltered to the filtered and there is a huge difference. And, it takes up little space.Water companies have different issues to deal with in various areas of the country. Not far from here, my mother had a terrible iron problem, and I have none to deal with. I would imagine that a simple system like the AP200 might work in some areas and not others. If the water is really terrible, then perhaps only a more complex system would work and maybe not even then.
So, it works perfectly for me, but I do have issues. First, it is really expensive for what it is! This is a simple plastic device, two pieces and a gasket. $92 is a lot for that.
The filter screws into the housing. Since it is plastic, I have always been careful, but once I did find that the filter had broken off at the threads. This required taking everything out and doing something clever to remove the broken-off part from the housing.
Did I screw it in too tightly? Hmmm, I''m pretty careful about such things. I would hate to think it broke from normal water pressure or some sort of surge. I have no water hammer problem. In any case, it isn''t very durable and takes too much care to install the filter cartridge.
The better news is that the filters come two in a box. Amazon''s description makes it seem like you are only getting one for almost $50. Since they last me at least a year, that is only $25/year, which isn''t too bad.
As with any filter, you do have to tap into the plumbing under the sink. That gets you into the world of plumbing and those who have been there know that there is little standardization and lots of options.
Again, as with any filter, you really have to use a separate faucet. Running all your cold water through this filter would shorten its life considerably and at only 2 GPM, the flow would be really slow.
I put my system in when I changed the sink and I bought one that had a hole in it for a separate faucet. Some homes have the faucets coming through the counter, but drilling would still be necessary.
In my area, and my circumstances, the Aqua-Pure turns out to be a fine option. We don''t buy bottled water, the coffee and ice cubes are better and we use it to cook in. The regular water goes to the dishwasher and for sink duty.
So, I think it works just fine in most situations, takes up little room and is easier to install that some other systems. It is too expensive and fragile to get the coveted five stars, so it gets three.
Read Best Reviews of Aqua-Pure AP200 Under-Sink Water Filter System Here
I agree that the statement of 2 gal per minute is slow, which is why I use the AP in bathroom sinks and allow all the cold water to go thru the filter. They still last about a year. According to CUNO, technical service, it is time to replace the filter when you see a drop in the flow. That shows the filter is blocked. In my kitchen I have mounted a Whole House Filter. This gives me a flow rate of 5 gal per minute, which is higher than the faucet allows you. Standard Faucets are set to 2 1/2 gal per minute. I inserted a charcoal filter in my housing, available both thru CUNO or Home Depot Lowe''s etc. Again the filters last at least a year. I used to live in New York City in a building that was made with galvanized pipes and was 100 years old. The pipes had lots of rust in them and dirt, The Whole House Filters took out everything and lasted more than a year. I would change them every January just out of guilt so to speak. They filters are so cheap why not change them? I now have them in my home under both my sinks in my kitchen. One I have plumbed to filter all the water going to my Instant HOT and also to the cold water side of my faucet at the same time. This way when I want a drink of water it is filtered when I cook pasta it is filtered when I make coffee or tea it is filtered. etc. I also put a whole house filter with a dirt and sediment filter (not charcoal) in the line feeding my hot water tank. This keeps the tank clean and that will make the tank last a lot longer than if I did not filter out the water going into the tank. That is why manufactures suggest you drain the tank once a year to get rid of the sludge found in the bottom of the tank, I used to drain it but now there is nothing in the bottom of the tank due to the filter. I do not work for CUNO, I just like their products. And I was a contractor for 27 years. I installed them in the 600 kitchens and baths I did all over NYC.Want Aqua-Pure AP200 Under-Sink Water Filter System Discount?
Aqua-Pure AP200 Under-Sink Water Filter System Very good under sink filter. Good price. Large openings and 2 GPM flow. Activated charcoal and fiber filter. Should last > 1 year. Easy filter replacement. Easy to install. Difficult to get proper fittings between filter, supply and sink. Fittings not included. Tightly threading metal fittings into plastic threads on filter are worrisome. Could be better it that respect. Given the chance I would certainly purchase this product again.
Watts 100016 Teardrop Number 1 RV Water Filter
- Reduces sediment, chlorine, unpleasant taste & odors
- High Capacity GAC
- Compatible with #1 in line filter
- Meets all plumbing codes
Austin Air Healthmate Jr. Plus Air Purifier
I bought this air purifier for my art studio because it advertised the ability to filter out VOC''s and can absorb gases for chemically sensitive people. As a painter with a poorly-ventilated studio that is next to other artists'' studios, I needed something that would clear the air of painting fumes. So far, the filter has worked great. The air that comes out of it is clean, and I find it is powerful, given it''s size. Once I accidentally left it on over the weekend on the first setting (because you can''t hear it when it is on low) and my studio smelled and felt very clean.The downside is that it does not have a filter change indicator, leaving me clueless as to when the filters should be changed. I assume that if it is working in "dirtier" conditions than the next air filter, it would need changing more often than the stated filter change recommended in the manual. And be assured, the HEPA filter is expensive ($140) and needs to be changed yearly. The prefilters are cheaper ($10) and need to be changed more often.
On its higher setting, it is not a quiet machine, but it is not loud either. It makes an almost inaudible hum with a distinct noise like wind passing through a small space, but it does not bother me -in fact, I find it comforting. The noise is comparable to, if not less than, the Honeywell (I also own). The lesser two settings are very quiet.
The other trivia fact about it that I didn''t know until purchasing it is that the clean air that comes out is directed at a 45 degree angle up and sideways from the vent. I am not sure why it was designed to be that way.
Travel Berkey Water Filter with 2 Sport Berkey Bottles Save 11% Off
- Travel Berkey Stainless Steel Water Filter System
- 2 Black Berkey Purification Filters
- 2 Sport Berkey Portable Purification Bottles
- Can filter up to 2.5 gallons per hour
- Holds 1.5 gallons of filtered water
Save 11% Off