- Fits Brita and Pur water pitchers.
- Each filter lasts 40 gallons or 2 months.
- Reducers release of black carbon particles in water.
- No pre-soaking required.
Showing posts with label water filter samsung refrigerator. Show all posts
Showing posts with label water filter samsung refrigerator. Show all posts
up & up Universal Replacement Water Filter
Black Diamond Wood and Laminate Floor Cleaner
- Provides a streak-free clean every time- No-rinse Hypoallergenic formula
- Great on all types wood or laminate floors
- Is safe around children and pets.
- Removes spills, stains, dirt, dust, oil, footprints-easy to use just spray and wipe
- Saves money and saves time by making cleaning easier and faster
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This product was recommended to me by the former owner of my current house. It was all she used on the hardwood floors. It works very easily to get off dirt stuck to the floor and I absolutely love the smell. It makes the room smell good for weeks but in a very non-obtrusive way. I love walking into the house and smelling that wonderful smell. I have allergies and normally won''t use anything with an odor to it, but this is so good that I''ve made an exception to my "no odor allowed" rule.Read Best Reviews of Black Diamond Wood and Laminate Floor Cleaner Here
Best product I ever found for cleaning wood laminate floors. Absolutely no streaks! Buy it by the gallon if you can so you never run out.Want Black Diamond Wood and Laminate Floor Cleaner Discount?
I''ve had Pergo laminate floors for +10 years and unfortunately Pergo discontinued their floor cleaner.After trying numerous other products that leave streaks or a dull finish, I cautiously tried this one.
It is amazing! I also bought the microfiber cleaning pads that go right over my swifter mop.
I felt like years of dust came off my floors and they look brand new. The smell is pleasant.
The product deserves a 5 but the fact that it came without a spray nozel took away points :(
I stumbled onto Black Diamond Wood and Laminate Cleaner while searching for a microfiber mop pad and decided to give it a try. It lives up to its promise, at least on my floor! I put one of these on my Swiffer: Black Diamond MS 3PK Microswift Microfiber Mop Pad, lightly spritzed the floor with the cleaner and my floors came out looking like new (shiny and clean) with no streaks. The added bonus was that it smelled great too! The smell is light and fresh. It doesn''t overpower at all like some cleaners and it also doesn''t linger very long. I''m not a fan of strong perfumes and it''s not offensive to me at all. I also like it that it''s safe for pets to be around. I don''t need to worry about my dogs running over the floor after I''ve cleaned it.
I''ve been using the cleaner for a couple of months and there is zero residue and no discoloring of my floor or anything weird like that going on. In fact, the floor seems to stay cleaner. Maybe because the spray and microfiber mop combo gets the smallest particles of dirt up.
I highly recommend using the microfiber mop pad with the cleaner. I think that is part of the solution for not getting streaks. I start out with a floor that''s swept & "swiffered" clean already and then I use this spray with the microfiber pad to get the floor looking like new. The microfiber absorbs any leftover "dust" or dirt and the spray gets everything looking shiny with just enough moisture to clean (but not saturate the floor or make it wet).
That''s another plus you don''t need to spray a ton of this on the floor to get it to work. I can see one bottle lasting me about 5 months or more.
I''m going to use this product for the lifetime of my Pergo floor.
Pleated polypropylene
Excellent product and R.C Worst''s service was outstanding! I highly recommend the product and supplier(R.C. Worst). I will use them for all my filtration and pump needs!
Primo 900116 Hot & Cold Bottled Water Dispenser
Our small office went through quite a few "budget" models (that shall not be named) before we stumbled upon Primo. We were skeptical at first because the price is so low compared to units of comparable feature-set. However, we called Primo directly and they said that they stood behind their product and would guarantee the quality. I can say, after using the product for 3 months that it is fantastic. It looks good, is solidly built, VERY quiet, and has all the features we wanted: cold and hot water, switches to turn the cold and hot water off (saves energy, drip tray etc.The only "complaint" we might have is that the water isn''t ice cold and the hot water isn''t boiling hot. However, the water is quite cold and the hot water is hot enough to make herbal tea. Good enough.
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We love the Primo 900116 design. However, we give it three stars because there isn''t a big difference in the water temperatures. The room temp. button is very similar in temp. to the ice cold. Also, we have found that the hot water does not brew our hot tea very well. We were hoping to use the hot water for our nightly hot tea but its just not quite hot enough to brew the tea properly. We are back to the old fashioned tea pot which brews tea to perfection. We also find that when we flip the water bottle over it spills everywhere. This is frustrating. Not sure if we needed to purchase a Primo bottle or if we need to dig out the directions from deep in our files and read them over again. In any case, it does its job and we like its looks but for the price there are a few glitches that would make me think twice about purchasing this product again.Read Best Reviews of Primo 900116 Hot & Cold Bottled Water Dispenser Here
Don''t waste your money.... first off the cold water is just a step up from warm "not cold" and now i can''t stop the cold spurt from dripping all day all night drip drip drip... wasting my 13.00 a bottle water... i tryed contacting the seller on July 7 and to this day i have not heard back from them so not i must put up what i think of their product.... IT SUCKS....signed: for the almost 200.00 i paid i''m very disappoint..
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With the cost of renting a water cooler and having water delivered by one of those Water companies, buying this Primo water dispenser has been one of the best things I have done for my family. The dispenser is nice and compact and one of the features that I am most impressed with is the Night Light that illuminates just enough light for you to get a drink in the middle of the night without having to turn on any other lights. The other feature that I am impressed with is the 3 water temperatures it dispensesHot, Room Temperature, and Cold, This is a GREAT product!
Hydro-logic Stealth RO 100
Only down side is to be totally safe you need an active carbon filter to remove chlorinines, Package states out of the box it will only "reduce chlorimines" and once installed with one tds goes back up. I run a small boy unit infront of with prefilter to not clog RO membrane so fast, and carbon, than this unit and take 1200 ppm tds to zero.Warning as with all RO units you''ll waste alot of water. You''ll think you have it hooked up backwards becouse the good water output trickles so slow you can fill a cup faster by spitting while the waste water side runs like a regular 1/4" ice maker line at full pressure. You''ll have to have a resevoir and flot valve.
Don''t think this is any diffrent than any other RO system out there though.
For the monney theres no better system than this and a small boy combined with it.
If your municiplaity dosen''t use chlorimines you can skip the small boy.
Ettore 1639 Wipe''n Dry Black Moss Rubber Floor Squeegee Save 9% Off
This was one of the easiest purchases I have made online. The product is of the highest quality and exactly what I ordered. I will purchase these squeegees again from amazon and the vendor.
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Product works fantastic on shop floor, removes even muddy, gritty puddles from what vehicles drop off of body when up on lift, eliminates slipping problems and puddles, far superior to hard rubber squeegees.Read Best Reviews of Ettore 1639 Wipe''n Dry Black Moss Rubber Floor Squeegee Here
This thing not only seals well, it cleans as it goes. So easy to get melted snow out of the garage before something gets damaged. Looking forward to using it when I mop the floor in the Spring. Really solid product.Want Ettore 1639 Wipe''n Dry Black Moss Rubber Floor Squeegee Discount?
Good product. I use it to clean my garage floor of dirt and melted snow. It works great. I found that it is equal to the Rubbermaid product, so get whichever one is less expensive.Save 9% Off
Cuisinart DCC-1000 Programmable Filter Brew 12-Cup Coffeemaker Save 11% Off
I''m doing an update to my February review. After a whopping 90 days of making fairly good coffee our machine decided to take a trip to the coffeemaker graveyard this week.That makes three Cuisinarts that have lasted a combined total of nearly a year. Not great for hundred dollar+ machines. So to the reviewer who said that since it was Cuisinart it must be good all I can say is good luck.
Oh yeah, after sending the second one back and being told that we''d have no warranty on this one since we''d gone through so many machines I don''t suppose there''ll be a Cuisinart anything in our home again any time soon.
On the minus side: the valve on the "pause and serve" feature easily clogs with grounds, causing it to leak -if you are making a full pot, you have to make the coffee weak (using fewer grounds) to avoid this problem. Also, you cannot pour a cup from a full carafe without spilling. Finally, the brew temperature is too low, and is not adjustable.
I''ll be looking for a replacement as soon as my budget allows.
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I bought this coffeemaker after doing a fair amount of research. The price was right, the company respectable, the features sufficient. Turns out that the coffeemaking is only so-so ... the design is terrible and makes the white model always stained on top and needing to be wiped down behind the carafe where the coffee always drips down. If you buy one, and a strongly recommend that you spend your money elsewhere, definitely do not buy the white one. It is downright unsightly unless you clean it up all the time. I wrote Cuisinart an email to complain about this model after only owning it a few weeks and got back a pat, unresponsive letter with no desire to try and accommodate my dislike of it and provide perhaps an alternative model. All told, I would not buy another Cuisinart coffeemaker and would think twice about buying anything by this company after my contact with customer service.Read Best Reviews of Cuisinart DCC-1000 Programmable Filter Brew 12-Cup Coffeemaker Here
I bought this model in November 2006. It works fine but, compared to my old Krups, the carafe and machine lid need to be redesigned. The carafe''s band collects water underneath it when washed in the dishwasher. When turned upright, the water flows into the carafe, so I have to wash it by hand to make sure there''s no detergent in my next cup of coffee. (My old Krups had no band--just seamless, rimless glass.) And the machine''s lid will allow condensation--often several tablespoons worth--to drip down the back of the machine and onto my counter. Coffee grinds splatter during brewing; I''m finding coffee grinds in every nook and cranny! I''m just glad I got the white model so the grinds are easy to spot and clean up. Finally, I don''t like the fact that I can''t wash more parts of the machine in the dishwasher. My Krups was spotless for the nine years I had it, and I used it at least several times a week. I guess I should''ve purchased another Krups!Want Cuisinart DCC-1000 Programmable Filter Brew 12-Cup Coffeemaker Discount?
We got one of these coffee makers as a replacement for a Model DCC-270 after our second one of those failed. The 270 made great coffee when it worked. It even had a couple features not found on the new line. However it had a serious problem with water getting into the electronics. One would think a coffee machine should be able to handle a certain amount of moisture.On this machine the electronics have been moved to the upper front of the machine rather than underneath. The programming is more intuitive. Rather than having a variable temperature setting this one just brews warmer than average coffee. Although I haven''t experimented with it yet it also has a water filter option, something that was previosly unavailable. The timer for the hot plate is simpler to use than the older models and something that one gets attached to quickly. It also comes with a gold permanent filter which seems to work well.
My only complaint is that the carafes from the older line don''t interchange with the 1000 series. Since these weren''t sent in when returning the old ones for warranty I have a surplus. Anyone interested?
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Hario Coffee Dripper V60 Size 01 White Ceramic
I purchased the Hario V60 01 ceramic pourover dripper along with the appropriate Hario filters, Buono kettle, and a Skerton (a Hario-splosion!) and am so pleased I could burst. I''m still working out the appropriate grind setting on the Skerton, but even so the coffee I''ve gotten from the pourover is just awesome. The quality is what you would expect: ceramic like a nice coffee mug. There are also ridges along the sides that keep the filter from plastering itself to the walls, preventing clogging since the coffee can run along the ridges instead of being forced to go all through the center bottom. The only problem I have is that I now want to spend more money to get the V60 02 and a carafe to make bigger batches of coffee!Please be sure to get the right filters (i.e. specifically for pourover, and ideally the Hario brand) because, like in previous reviews, the filters are made to support the design of the dripper and the V60 is just one big hole on the bottom. If you use a filter that isn''t designed to support the water and coffee, you''ll probably experience ripped filters often. I suppose you might be able to double-up! May be worth doing the math to see if twice the number of Melitta or other filters cost less than the $12 for 100 Hario filters.
Also, it does take time to make pourover, so if you don''t have 10 minutes to make coffee when you want it, it''s probably not what you want.
brewmethods.com has some really good videos showing pourover (and other!) methods if you want to see it before you buy.
Setup:
1. Weigh the beans with a OXO Good Grips Stainless Food Scale with Pull-Out Display and grind with a Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder, Black.
2. 21 grams of beans for 340 grams of water. Grind size is fine, but not like espresso.
3. Water temp 190-200F off the boil.
4. Water should be poured in the center (quarter size area)
5. The mug and and the hario v60 should be on the scale to measure the amount of water you add.
Brew Recipe
1. Boil water and pour into hario kettle.
2. Wet the filter and heat up the cup for ~10 seconds. (dump water in sink)
3. Pour 40 grams of water to pre-wet the grinds.
4. Stir and wait ~30 seconds
5. Pour 300 grams and final stir. (~2:00 2:30 minutes:seconds)
Add hot milk or hot water to dilute to your preferred strength.
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I''ve used a plastic one-cup Melitta for a year or so. Bought it while travelling, staying with non-coffee drinkers, and desperate for a good cup of coffee. When I returned home, I continued to use it ''cause I loved the simplicity of it.But I really hate plastic.
When I read about the Hario dripper on the Real Simple website and found it came in a ceramic version, I immediately ordered it.
And yay! It arrived intact, pretty as the picture, with the filters I ordered. Only thing was, THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE ALL IN JAPANESE, and there were plenty of them! Well, OK, there was a picture of the thing with a few arrows. But I had to assume, with all those Japanese instructions, there had to be more to this thing than meets the eye.
Now, with the Melitta, I''d pour water in the middle to get the grounds wet, then fill up the filter, use a tablespoon to push the grounds down to the bottom, let it drain down, then fill it with water again. The coffee tasted fine to me. I just wanted something that wasn''t plastic.
If the Hario promised to be any better, I decided on my own (after reading a bunch of reviews and intuiting from them how to use it) that I''d pour the water slowly and constantly down the middle and hope for the best. So that''s what I do, and the cup of coffee I get is great. I think it''s better than the one I get with the Melitta; it certainly takes more work.
But I''m subtracting a star for the deficit in instructions. I shouldn''t have to guess how to use this device.
Read Best Reviews of Hario Coffee Dripper V60 Size 01 White Ceramic Here
After using plastic drippers for over 20 years I decided to try to to find a more elegant solution that doesn''t utilize plastic. I experimented with various ceramic drippers. One that I purchased was so large and top heavy, it kept falling over and was awkward to use. I gave up on the search until I stumbled on this dripper that I saw in a magazine under a "cool products" type of section. The product they were hyping was actually something else but they were using this dripper. I decided to order it and give it a try. It is a nice size, more reasonable for one cup than the one I had purchased previously. I also bought the Hario filters, which are pointed, and essential to using with this dripper. It has been a really good experience and I love the quality. I did not like pouring hot water onto plastic but for years it seemed there were no alternatives. I also realized for my entire use of hand pour coffee, I had been pouring incorrectly. I had been doing larger pours instead of short control pours. This has also made a huge difference in the taste of my coffee -the same coffee I have been drinking for over 20 years. This dripper simply feels like a more elegant solution to my coffee making and I am very happy with it. BUY THE POINTED FILTERS FOR BEST RESULTS!Want Hario Coffee Dripper V60 Size 01 White Ceramic Discount?
This review applies specifically to the 01 model Hario, the one-cup cone. There are plenty of on-line videos about pour-overs, all of which use multi-cup versions of the Hario. Great for learning the basics. However, the small size of this one presents some unique challenges.1. Grind is critical, or Avoiding Spit and Donuts. Because of the dime-sized drain hole of the Hario and the small volume of grounds, getting your grind right is critical. Grind too coarse and the water runs right through the coffee. The bloom will be white and consist of large bubbles (the Spit). Grind too small and the water goes through too slowly. As you pour into the center, you''ll push the bloom to the edges with a murky brown hole on the center (the Donut). Perfection will get you a bloom that looks like cinnamon on cream foam covering all the grounds.
2. Ground volume is critical, or Too Much is Just Right. My wife and I have decided that we need more than a tablespoon of grounds to get the right amount of oomph into the cup. At one level tablespoon and the proper grind, we hit the desired three-minute pour and rendered wonderful fruit with floral overtones but alas, too little body. So we''re going to bump the grounds to a tablespoon and a half. YMMV.
3. Brew target, or the Carafe at the Old Ball Game. As I''ve grown older, my x-ray vision has begun to fail, so a ceramic mug is OOQ to brew into. We also decided that as attractive as the matching Hario carafe is, a 12-oz Ball jar makes a great target. Clear glass with two ounce intervals embossed into the glass, perfect size for the filter cone. When you''re brewing one cup at a time, do you seriously want to measure cold water into your kettle in 6-oz amounts, heat it up, and do the pour-over? I don''t. I want to be able to pour-over a cup for myself after I''ve made one for my wife so we can share at least part of the coffee together.
You''ll know when you''e got it right it makes a great cup.
Krups 594-00 Charcoal Water Filters Save 37% Off
I own the Krups coffee machine and this filter is excellant for filtering your water prior to brewing the coffee. I have had problems finding replacements but am pleased to see that amazon is carrying them.
My jaw about dropped when I saw the filth and garbage that would have made it into my beloved morning coffee had it not been for this small packet of charcoal. Seriously, it was very gross. If you have the Krups, get the filters. If you live in a third-world trash-dump, change them often.
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Excellent service by seller. The product was shipped promptly with no problems. The filters (two in package) are the original accessory as manufactured by or for Krups (not an aftermarket substitute), so no review on the filter itself is intended.Read Best Reviews of Krups 594-00 Charcoal Water Filters Here
I have an older model of a Krups auto drip coffee maker. You can''t find these filters in any stores. I was thinking of buying a new coffee maker because my coffee wasn''t tasting right. I wanted to see if buying a new filter was all I needed or a new coffee maker. The filter works and I am happy. The price was good but, the shipping cost was higher than the cost of the filters.Want Krups 594-00 Charcoal Water Filters Discount?
I use these filters in my Krups Drip Coffee maker as called for by manufacturer. Definitely improves the taste of coffee brewed. Would recommend them to anyone.Save 37% Off
DeLonghi BCO320T Combination Espresso and Drip Coffee Save 34% Off
We have had several Combination Espresso and coffee makers through the years. They don''t usually last more than a couple years. So we don''t spend a fortune on them. My husband makes Cappuccinos for us each Sunday morning. This by far is our favorite so if it ever goes, this one will be what we buy again. So user friendly with smart features. Love it.
The repair center turned out to be pretty close, so, I drove over and dropped it off. A couple of weeks went by and I had not heard anything so I called. The response was "we have not gotten to it yet". Then a week after that I received a call saying the part to fix it was on back order from Italy. No ETA.
I am now looking for a replacement and needless to say we will not be buying a DeLonghi product for this or anything else.
Buy DeLonghi BCO320T Combination Espresso and Drip Coffee Now
I got this because I like the occasional cappuccino. It does a decent job for a middle of the road product.First the drip side. It''s a little slower than other drip machines I''ve had for making the full 10 cups. The biggest drawback of the drip side is the design of the carafe spout. When filling the water reservoir you have to pour super slow or it overflows and drips water onto your counter. Same thing when you pour the first couple of cups of coffee. Once it gets to about the 6 cup mark you can pour at a better rate without it dripping. The spout is basically just flat with really small lips on the sides, not the contoured glass you find most places.
As a plus you do have the Aroma mode if you only want to make 4 cups or less to make sure you get good flavor from the short brew. The programmable auto off is also great if you are the type of person who tends to forget about the pot in the morning. The warming plate does run a little hot. It doesn''t burn the brewed coffee, but if it''s been sitting there more than about 15 minutes, it''s way too hot to drink.
For the espresso side. I like the switch valve operation over something you have turn. And it won''t let the steam into the espresso brewing side until it reaches the right pressure so you can leave it on the coffee setting when you turn it on.
The cons of the espresso side:
1. The frothing tip is screw on. I counted, it takes more than 30 twists to get it off or on, which is a huge pain
2. You don''t get a frothing cup. Come on, for this price you couldn''t include one? I had one left over from a previous combo machine, so not a big deal, but if you want to make a cappuccino right out of the box, forget about it
3. The directions for steaming milk tell you to hold the frother right under the surface of the milk. This will froth your milk without getting it warm. You should hold the frothing cup so that the milk comes up to the top of the frothing tip until the milk is hot and then froth it.
4. The marked water level recommendations on the espresso carafe are off. I find I need to add more water than recommended in order to get both hot milk and a good froth.
Overall a decent machine for the price point. The biggest negative is the screw on and off frothing tip. If you make a lot of cappuccinos, you may want to look for a machine with an easier to clean design. I had one with a rubber tip and metal straw to bring down air for foaming that was super easy to clean compared to this.
Read Best Reviews of DeLonghi BCO320T Combination Espresso and Drip Coffee Here
Purchased this combo machine for $118.00 (tax and shipping included) to replace the Delonghi combo machine we had for 7 years.Very satisfied with the machine, we make drip coffee on a daily basis and espresso at least once a week. We have had it for over a month now, and no problems.
I especially like the automatic shut off of the warming plate, which can by adjusted for the length of time it stays on.
Delonghi redesigned the drip coffee pot lip, the old pot used to drip when/after you poured, no problems the new one.
The large button for the espresso, confused me at the first, I pressed that intending to make drip coffee, but shut it off, once I noticed no coffee coming out. I read the directions and figured it out.
Good Machine, if hope it lasts as long as the other.
Tip: rinse the filter holder after every use, if it clogs, it will overflow and you will have a mess. It happened once with the old one but never had the problem again, since we are in the habit of rinsing.
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I love my combo espresso/coffee maker! Have had it for about a month. I dont know how to use the espresso side but thankfully my hubby figured it out (took him a few tries). He thinks its fairly simple to use. I researched for weeks and out of all the options on amazon, I think I made the right choice. Definitely recommend!Save 34% Off
Tribest SS-9002 Solo Star-II Single-Auger Juice Extractor Save 19% Off
I did as much research as I could online for masticating juicers in this price range and then spent two days deciding between the Omega 8005 and the SoloStar II. Although the Omega seems to be the more dominant product, all the reviews on the SoloStar where excellent. I had hoped for more reviews on Amazon to help me out but there was only one person that had reviewed it. Hence, I''m adding my own to hopefully help someone else out. The juicer is terrific. I had it put together in a matter of a few minutes and as I stared at it, I knew I had to try it out. My other juicer is a centrifugal so I could hardly wait to see the difference. This juicer does an awesome job. I juiced celery, carrots, asparagus, grapes, and an apple right away. I was amazed at how much juice I got. I would have used twice that much fruit and vegetables in the centrifugal juicer. The pulp came out very dry and then for the best part...I had this thing taken apart washed and ready to go again in 3 minutes. It''s that easy. Time to scrap the old juicer! If I had to completely dig for a complaint about the juicer I would have to say that I wish the chute was bigger; however, I don''t think it is any bigger on any other juicer of this type. I also expected some instructions or a little recipe book and that was not there but no big deal. It did come with a VHS tape which I know I will never watch. The three selling points on this juicer for me where #1 Dual Stage extraction (which really works you can see the juice that other juicer would have lost come out of the second stage spout) #2 Larger Auger #3 Made by the same company that makes the highly acclaimed Green Star juicers (which are too expensive for me right now). So far, I couldn''t be happier with this purchase.
My SoloStar II has been plagued by problems. In less than a year, many of the outer parts have broken. The juicing screen ($35.00) has broken three times. When the juicing screens break, it happens before the pulp container is even full. As a result, the auger and juicing screen need to be cleaned constantly within a session. The screen locking cap ($5.80) has also broken. Speaking of the auger, even that cracked ($35.00). Several times, I e-mailed customer service about such issues with no reply. When I called, Tribest Life promptly sent out free replacement parts.
Benefits
When the parts aren''t breaking, the SoloStar II works very well. It''s simple to assembly and operate. The actual extraction process seems efficient. Cleaning is a breeze since most of the parts rinse under the sink. The only cleaning challenge is the juicing screen. Along these lines, the modified toothbrush that comes with the unit is worthless. I now use a steel auto detailing brush that does a great job. The SoloStar II is visually pleasing and the unit operates at a good volume. I was inspired to purchase the juicer after watching the online video as hosted on the Tribest Life web page. It accompanies the juicer in VHS format. Being a first time juicer, this was extremely helpful.
In conclusion, there are benefits and drawbacks to the SoloStar II. While it may have been a good introduction to the juicing world, I definitely look forward to an upgrade. Talking to juicers (people who juice, not the machines;), it seems that you really need to spend around $350.00-$400.00 before getting a quality juicer. Should you decide to purchase the SoloStar II, make certain that you send in the warranty/registration card. That was essential in getting parts replaced at no charge.
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I have to stop and comment about how much i enjoy this juicer. I am new to the juicing experience and so I bought this one based on the reviews of SOLOSTAR I. I got it, used it and was disappointed. The pulp seemed too wet. I then went to Target and bought another juicer with higher rpms. I could throw whole apples in this one and it would grind it up really fast. Not only was the "Jack L-" juicer VERY time consuming to clean up but the juice tasted "cooked" and not fresh. I then tried the SOLOSTAR again and relized I was juicing wrong. Now I have returned the "Jack" juicer and i am enjoying the SOLOSTAR. It even juiced the heck out of spinich! The clean up is all too easy and the little brush it comes with helps a lot. I read a book on juicing and there were a few factors one should consider when buying a juicer #1 ability to produce "live" juice and dry pulp #2 Cost your willing to spend #3 Clean -upIf you are looking for a juicer that is easy to clean-up, produces "live" and not cooked juice (BIG DIFFERENCE in taste and nutrient content, and is affordable (Affordable great quality machine) Get this.
Read Best Reviews of Tribest SS-9002 Solo Star-II Single-Auger Juice Extractor Here
This is my first juicer, and I think for what I spent, I received a good value. There are some flaws however, which is why I did not give it 5 stars.1) The pulp from everything I juice is almost always wet, and while I do get more juice from running the pulp through again, it is wetter than I expected it to be, given the advertisements for the high yield of juice it is supposed to produce. While you can''t help the pulp wetness with some veggies like tomatoes or any fruit with high water content, I really expected it to wring the heck out of everything and not produce such wet pulp. But, I believe that you really cannot get every single last drop, no matter how much you spend.
2) Sometimes, a good amount of produce gets trapped in the groves of the auger. I discovered this after taking it apart after a juicing. When I see it through the auger housing, I try to push it out by juicing some more pieces of veggie or fruit, but it doesn''t help. Granted, it''s not an enormous quantity, but I am sure that if the bits didn''t get stuck before they reached the crushing process, there would be a greater juice yield. Maybe in the future there will be juicers that have a squeegee type mechanism that will scrape and force every last bit through.
3.) The pulp coils out and looks rather funny; you will understand what I mean when you see it for yourself. However, it will come out 3/4ths of the way and break off, and the rest is stuck until you put something else through to push it out(which will also get stuck) or take it apart to clean it. I just wish there was a mechanism that pushed all of the pulp through. It''s really quite minor though because when you take it apart, the pulp that gets stuck is easily cleaned out.
Aside from those three flaws, I am happy with the juicer. While I am aware it won''t get every last drop, it has actually produced a large quantity of great quality juice from just a few items. The quality of your juice will of course depend on what you put in it. But, I think you can spend a fortune on an expensive juicer and not really get anything any better than this or any other inexpensive machine; granted, at $212 it''s more than I thought I''d spend for a juicer, and compared to Target or Wal-mart brands, it''s a lot more expensive, but this machine "retails" for a little over $300 so in the end it is a good value for me. It seems very sturdy and that it will last for a very long time. I am very glad I bought it because I am enjoying drinking different fruits and veggies and feel much healthier.
It does produce juice at a fairly moderate pace, at least as fast as you are shoveling in pieces for it to juice. I recommend having all of your ingredients prepared ahead of time (washed, chopped) so that you don''t let your juice sit there while you chop or wash the next ingredient. You are supposed to drink it pretty fast, at least according to the information I read on the Internet. The chute does accomodate medium sized chunks, so you will have to do some chopping, but if you are serious about juicing, it is not that big of a deal.
Assembling, disassembling, and cleaning the Solostar II is very easy. A kindergartener could do it. Once you get used to it and do it a few times you will become more proficient. I don''t know about the prior person who said it took her half an hour to scrub the mesh screen. A toothbrush is included as an accessory, and if you use it to clean the mesh screen under running water with a smidge of soap, everything comes off easily, that is, if you do it right away. If you let the mess dry, it will take more time. I always clean it immediately so it is ready for me the next time I juice. If I had to estimate how long it takes to disassemble and clean after juicing, I would say about 3 minutes, because under running water, the pulp and other mess rinses right off of the pieces of the juicer (except for the mesh screen, you have to scrub the bits out of it), and the rest of the cleaning is just a matter of using a soapy sponge and running warm/hot water through the various pieces and letting them dry on a rack.
I recommend purchasing this over the centrifugal juicers, since it slowly masticates and doesn''t create unnecessary heat that would damage the juice or its content. A centrifugal juicer would be ideal if you didn''t mind losing some of the nutritional value. The Solostar II does get a nice quantity of juice from leafy vegetables. I have never juiced wheatgrass but I have juiced cilantro and parsley and a great deal of juice comes out of a small bunch. I am assuming if it juiced cilantro and parsley then wheat grass would not be a problem. The pulp from the leafy greens, celery, and carrots tends to come out fairly dry. The wettest vegetable pulp I have seen is from cucumbers and tomatoes. Fruit wise, citrus fruits have drier pulp while cantaloupe and grapes will have wetter pulp. But if you are very concerned about a few lost drops then you can always run the pulp through a second or third time.
All said, I highly recommend this juicer if you are thinking about getting a juicer and are wondering which brand/type to choose. It has a couple of flaws, but they are mitigated by the fact that it juices everything imaginable, that it can make pasta and homogenize (although I have not used these features just yet), and that it is easy to assemble/disassemble/clean. It does work very well and is a great deal of fun to use.
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I have never written a review before. I consider them untrustworthy. Nevertheless, I am writing this one.I have had this juicer for 4 years. The filter has broken more times than I can remember. I finally tracked it and realized that it broke on the average of every six months. Once it broke after 10 days! The first time I replaced it the company failed to tell me I had a warranty on ALL parts and I paid full price. The second time they finally told me the truth. Now they refuse to honor their warranty and I am buying another juicer from another company as the filter is breaking yet once again. The rest of the juicer held up but without a filter . . . . So, if you wish to be frustrated with a second rate product this juicer is for you. If I could give it no stars I would.
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Jura-Capresso 13548 Impressa J6 Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center Save 33% Off
Due to the high price I checked many reviews on many sites and most brands had specific problems or limitations. The Jura was consistently rated highly with few problems. When spending $1500+ I didn''t want a machine that was going to break down after a few months. I have now had this machine for about 6 months and have had no problems except a minor one explained below.First the good
Very easy set up. I was up and going in about 30 minutes after opening the box and making sure all the parts and pieces were included.
The machine is pretty idiot proof. It tells you when to add water, when to add coffee beans, when to run the cleaning cycle, when to decalcify, and when to dispose the used grounds. The burr grinder is fairly quiet and has run without clogging. You do have to be careful not to use beans that are too oily but if they are all you have to do is let them sit for about 5 hours before using. The water capacity is very adequate at 70 oz. The bean hopper holds about 1/4 lb of beans so you don''t have to keep adding. There is no way to empty beans to add a different type, however there is a place for ground beans if someone want a different type. I like that you can change the height of the two nozzles for different height mugs and being able to separate the nozzles for brewing two cups at the same time. Cleaning is a snap. Just slide out the empty grounds tray, rinse and replace.
I like that you customize each button on the face of the machine (see below) and you can easily override how much coffee or water you use for a single use without losing the programmed amount.
Finally customer service, something important for such an expensive machine. When I registered the machine on line (and you have to do this in 2 weeks to get the warranty) I mistyped the serial number. The next day I got an email informing me of my error. Nice. Also, my mother got one of these for my father and one of the nozzles was not working properly. He called them up and they told him what to do. The nozzle was blocked and just needed to be wiped clean. My parents have well water that they bi-pass to some of their faucets. The machine comes with one water test strip to test for water hardness. When he called he asked them to send a few more and they did. Not that big a deal for them, but they did it.
Next the okay
The six buttons on the face of the machine for water, steam, 1 or 2 cups of espresso and 1 or 2 cups of coffee, are very easy. Not so easy is using the buttons on the top of the machine. These buttons work like folders on a computer and it is easy to forget where you are. These buttons are used to "customize" what comes out (heat, strength, amount per cup, language, auto on and off).
Every time you turn the machine on you need to rinse the nozzles (push a button and it runs about 1 oz of hot water through the nozzles), this is okay but you have to do it even if you just used hot water the last time. The full cleaning cycle is based on the number of rinses so if you use the machine for hot water you will end up using the cleaning cycle more than necessary. The machine also automatically rinses when it goes into sleep mode so I put a shot glass under the nozzles after use. Not a big deal, if I forget the water goes into a collection tray.
Finally the bad
There are two ways to make steam and froth. Without going into details, one of these is an attachment that doesn''t stay on very well due to the high pressure of the steam. When it comes off steam sprays all over until you push the steam button again. This happened to me a few times and while it did not burn me, it is quite a surprise. I just do it the other way
Overall a positive experience and I would recommend to family and friend.
Update on April 10th, 2012.
Unit still works well and customer support is excellent. I recently had a problem with the decalcify procedure. Emailed customer support on a Saturday and received a return email on Monday to call customer support. Called and the representative walked me through the fix (I was using too much water, you have to use the amount specified in the instructions). My father had a minor problem last week and when he called he had a solution in a matter or minutes.
Buy Jura-Capresso 13548 Impressa J6 Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center Now
I''ve had this machine for about a week, and bought it at my local Sur le Table store. This was my first automatic machine and I am still totally freaked out at how expensive they are. That being said, the machine makes amazing coffee. It''s also really cool to make tea and hot soup with the hot water feature. The machine works well overall (knock on wood) and I expect to keep getting amazing coffee for years to come.UPDATE:
I''ve now had the machine for two years and it is still going strong. Be sure to use the cleaning tablets regularly. I also have been using the filter (buying more at Sur Le Table and sometimes on Amazon). No issues, works great. Except for the fact I put the wand in the garbage disposal once, oops...
Read Best Reviews of Jura-Capresso 13548 Impressa J6 Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center Here
We have gone through 3 grind-and-brew style coffee makers in the last 3 years. They all stopped functioning or started leaking.Extensive research and $400 off the sticker price led me to the Jura Impressa J6.
Less than ten minutes out of the box, we were enjoying the finest cup of coffee produced in our house. In the two weeks since that first cup, we are marveling at how spectacularly better a cup of coffee is when properly brewed.
I had always thought if you kept your beans vacuum sealed up to the point of grinding, you were going to get the best cup of joe possible. Well, you can banish that thought forever. The J6 grinds the beans then tamps them right before brewing, and the flavor extraction is far beyond that of mortal brewers.
Two design features make this the perfect purchase. 1] You can fill both the water tank and the bean receptacle without having to move the machine from under the cabinets! All the other brewers were top-loaders. I had to pull the them out from under the cabinet, eyeball the water level, then push them back under the cabinet. The J6 has a detachable water tank on the side that lifts about a half-inch and easily separates from the main body. Once filled, the tank''s clever disappearing handle makes it a snap to replace. A full tank lasts two or three days for us. 2] The start/stop and program buttons are super-simple to use. One session with the owners manual and you will be customizing your coffee, latte and cappuccino''s to perfection.
Obviously I cannot address reliability issues. We have a whole-house water treatment system, and specific drinking water spigots at our kitchen sinks. I''m hoping these will contribute to the J6''s longevity. If it lasts five years, it will have cost me about the same as annually buying the most expensive Grind N Brew unit.
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I love the Jura Impressa J6 and have been using it at least twice a day for almost a year.Pros:
Pulls the Perfect Espresso!
Makes a Great Latte
Brews Good coffee
Everything is frothy
Automatic Cleaning Cycles
Easy to remove drip/grounds tray
Stylish Looks
Cons:
Not for causal coffee drinkers
Outside gets dirty fast
Doesn''t brew very hot coffee
Can''t take Oily Beans
Automatic Cleaning Cycles
Needs filters and cleaning tablets
Coffee is only "good"
Lots of rules to follow
Again, I love this machine. It''s made me an espresso snob and instead of helping me cut back on Starbucks, I drink more coffee all the time. In my opinion, the Jura Impressa J6 brews the perfect espresso, every time. If that''s what you''ve been searching for, buy this machine now without giving it a second thought. If you''re primarily a coffee drinker, think twice. If you''ve never ground your own beans and store your coffee in the freezer, stop reading now and look somewhere else. At most, it makes two cups at a time, and compared to what you''re probably already drinking, it''s kinda weak and can''t make you a full pot. It''s not for coffee drinkers that drown their drink in cream and sugar to get rid of that "bitter" coffee taste. It''s best if you appreciate a good cup of freshly ground black coffee. If you want a latte, the water spout does a great job frothing milk, both with a standard attachment that goes into the milk, and a hose that I prefer to use. So, in order of tastiness: Perfect Espresso, Great Latte, Good Coffee.
The machine also brews at what it considers to be the perfect temperature. (Translation: not as hot as drip coffee) To keep your drink at the perfect temperature, you''ll need to heat up your cups or else it may taste cold. Before I brew anything, I have to use the machine to add a little hot water into each cup. (this is actually the suggested procedure in the manual) After it warms for a minute or two, dump the water and you''re good to go. Some people may not like having to do this.
The Jura Impressa J6 will automatically clean itself when it gets dirty. All you need to do is push a few buttons, add a tablet, and dispose of the dirty water. This convenience comes at a price. You NEED to buy cleaning tablets and filters for the machine. Let me stress again, NEED. If you don''t, the machine will get dirty, or clogged with hard water buildup and... well, it might break. Some people may not like spending more money on extras for an already expensive machine but I''ll admit that the cleaning cycles work and I''ve had consistently great tasting coffee and espresso for the past year because I''ve cleaned it as directed.
My Jura Impressa J6 is the most stylish appliance in my kitchen. I love how it looks. But that beautiful piano black finish is a dust and finger print magnet. It scratches very easily. Be careful how you wipe down the outside of the machine.
I hope you like rules, this machine has a lot. Don''t try to fix it yourself, don''t scratch the chrome cup ledge, warm your cups, follow the cleaning cycle, use clean water, empty the drip tray, don''t overfill the pre-ground chute, and whatever you do, DON''T USE OILY BEANS. If you use the built in bean hopper and grinder, only use dry medium beans that ARE NOT oily. Otherwise you''ll quickly gunk up the grinder and internal workings of the machine. Look at the beans you normally use. Are they shiny? Are they flavored? Sorry, don''t use them. But if you must use oily beans, do like I do. Grind them separately and add them into the pre-ground chute.
Even with all the rules, requirements, and extra expenses, I love my Jura Impressa J6. After daily use for almost a year, I can safely say that I''ve gotten my money''s worth with consistently perfect shots of espresso, rich brewed coffee, and deliciously frothy latte''s. If you want a high end automatic espresso machine, buy the Jura Impressa J6.
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Essick Air Products HDC12 Humidifier Wick Filter Save 6% Off
- 1 PKG
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Essick Air Products manufactures and markets the HDC-12 MoistAir humidifier filter. Essick also is a manufacturer of humidifiers. A handfull of Kenmore humidifiers also recommend and use this filter, Kenmore No. 14911. The two part numbers will give you the same filter which is a "paper-pleated type''. Anything other, such as the spongy foam type offered by other manufacturers, is *inferior* in performance. Beware of misleading info fooling you out of the real McCoy. The foam type filters or wicks may be obtained for half the price but require replacement 3 times as often if not more.Read Best Reviews of Essick Air Products HDC12 Humidifier Wick Filter Here
Took a little while to receive them but they are the real Essick Air filters. I noticed on some other reviews that cheaper filters were substituted (after I had already placed my order) and had made up my mind to send them back if they were not authentic. I was pleased with the results.Want Essick Air Products HDC12 Humidifier Wick Filter Discount?
This year Sears 14911 and this product are not the same as that of prior years. They are about 1/2" shorter, much lighter paper weight, and most important have plastic ribs down both sides not one. They will not flex and fit in my humidifier.I have returned them. I strongly suggest you avoid them if you need to curve the filter to fit in your humidifier.
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The filters tend to become brittle in hard water environments. However, the one season I used the filters, I was happy to have the product available and would rate the performance satisfactory.
Seychelle Water Filter Pitcher
- Tested by Independent laboratories using EPA/ANSI protocols and NSF Standards 42 and 53.
- Plastic is non-leaching; BPA free! Flip top lid for easy filling.
- Makes up to 150 gallons of water before changing filters.
- Reservoir holds one half gallon of water; filled twice - the pitcher comfortably holds one full gallon of water.
- Will reduce Fluoride up to 85%
(July 31) So we''ve been using this water filtering pitcher for almost a month and it''s been great. The cat with kidney and liver problems has been drinking more water which is good. I''ve completely given up drinking soda because I prefer this water, only problem I have is I prefer refrigerator cold water which I can''t get at work (bought a thermos but keep running out of water during my work day)--not Seychelle''s problem. It''s only been 3 or 4 weeks but I just had to change the filter today--no water was flowing through at all. They claim a filter should last around 6 months but not so, and I know our tap water is fairly "clean" since the water dept does everything (including UV now) to make our water potable but it comes out the tap tasting of all that doing The new filter I just put in is leaving a lot of black charcoal bits in the pre-filtered water reservour but it doesn''t look like they''re passing through to the drinkable water. Also, as someone else pointed out, if all the water in the pre-filtered reservour hasn''t filtered through yet and you pour some water out, there is a real good chance the pre-filtered water is going to flow into the out spout and go into your glass (bottle, thermos, etc.) since there is nothing stopping the pre-filtered water and basic physics is going on. Would have been better if the lid snapped tightly into the filtering unit rather than it setting gently on the pitcher to prevent this from happening--kind of makes you wonder if their R&D Dept. is overpaid.
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For the past several years I had used one of the old-school PUR water pitcher filters that makes water taste great, filters out nasty stuff, and lasts a LONG time (several months per filter). All for a mere $7 filter. Sadly, PUR vastly altered the composition of their filters, and the new ones now only last a few weeks at a time. I decided to give this Seychelle system a try, seeing as they (very very falsely) advertise that the filters last for up to six months. I was a bit apprehensive of the fact that the filter replacement cartridges cost $30 each, but I figured that if they really last for so long and give me good water, it''s worth it.Six days, folks. I bought a pack of 8 filters on Seychelle''s webpage, and they''ve all given the same result (with the exception of the last one, which only lasted three days). With some water filters, even once you know it''s gone bad, you can keep using them for a while still, a sort of grace period for you to order new filters but not with these; after six days of use, the water they produce becomes so unbelievably putrid that even the smell of it will make you gag.
Now, some background, here. Before buying the filters, I found two separate water studies that ranked the top 100 largest U.S. cities based on their tap water quality. I figured the only real way to get six months out of these would be to put pre-purifed water in them. This is typical of advertising, so I never expected them to last half a year. I saw my city ranked right in the middle of both studies, So I figured I should get at least two months from each filter, considering I only filter one gallon per day through it. Given that Seychelle claims the filters can last up to 150 gallons, I figured I should get at least a third of that, maybe half at most (75-100 gallons). Nope, six measly gallons of water, and it cost me $30. That''s $5 per gallon. I could have bought purified water for $2.50 per gallon at the grocery store.
Now, proponents of Seychelle will read this and say, "But, if your filters only lasted for such a short time, then your water must just be THAT toxic! You should be happy that''s not going into your body!"
Well, my response to that is as follows: Seychelle claims it can remove 99.9% of all sorts of various materials from your water, but most other companies claim that their own filters remove about 99.6%. Is that 0.3% going to be the difference between life and death? Probably not, considering there are plenty of people pushing 100 years old who drink tap water every day. Considering the absolutely massive difference in price between these filters and standard Brita, PUR, etc., to me, it''s just simply not worth the extra cost. The one and ONLY reason you should ever ever consider purchasing this pitcher is if you know for a fact that your drinking water contains harmful bacteria. Seychelle''s sole valid use (assuming their claims are true) is that the filters supposedly remove all forms of bacteria from drinking water. Unless you''re drinking well water (from a really bad well), or bringing this pitcher on a camping trip, this shouldn''t even effect you anyway.
To top it all off, this pitcher has the worst design of any that I have used. This is the fifth pitcher design I''ve bought (also had two different PURs and two different Britas). The handle and pitcher aren''t one solid piece; rather, the back of the pitcher juts out a bit, and the handle is just sort of stuck into a hole. It''s very flimsy, and you''ll need to brace the pitcher with your other hand while you pour to avoid breaking the handle out of its hole. Also, unless the top reservoir is totally drained into the bottom, unfiltered water will constantly flow out the spout while you try to pour. There are several other pitcher designs that have this problem too, but I still hold it against them, as there are also several designs out there that have fixed this issue. Lastly, the pop-top that you open up to fill the pitcher is placed directly over the filter itself. The problem here is that if you blast your faucet onto the filter, it will force the toxins in the filter out into the water in the bottom reservoir, thus tainting it (you''ll be able to tell, the water will have that foul taste I mentioned above, only even before the filter has gone bad). To avoid this, you need to try to aim the water slightly to the side of the filter, and use low pressure. All that said, the dang filter still won''t last you very long, nor will the pitcher itself.
I apologize if all of this just sounds like an angry rant, but this is truly a poorly designed pitcher, and, considering the price of the filters, is appallingly overpriced. What really boils my blood the most is the six MONTH lifespan claim on the filters, which I will again repeat, only lasted me six DAYS. Even the new style crappy PURs and Britas last around a month, and are only a quarter of the cost.
Read Best Reviews of Seychelle Water Filter Pitcher Here
I wanted good tasting water. Simple, yet not! We have used faucet mount filters (and pitchers) for 15 to 20 years. After 10 years of ''exploding'' faucet mounts (with expensive filters about one every 4 to 5 weeks) I was looking for alternatives. The Seychelle Water Filter Pitcher was recommending by a person I trust. Read up on the company (for my information) and decided to try it, as I could never pay thousands of dollars for ''other'' types that produce great tasting water.The first glass of glass was totally unbelievable for me. WONDERFUL! I was getting WATER.... not chemicals .. to drink. Plus, not ''living in fear'' of the next ''exploding'' faucet mount'' filter.
For me, this is a wonderful product. I urge others to try the Seychelle Water Filter Pitcher.
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As a long-time user of Seychelle personal water-filtration bottles, Seychelle 28oz Flip Top Advanced Filter Water Purification / Filtration Bottle, I was very happy to find that Seychelle also makes this top-of-the-line water filter. It''s MUCH more effective and thorough than Brita or Pur or similar brands, because Seychelle products filter out a much wider range of contaminants and toxins than these lower-end products do.My husband and I love to go camping. We camp in the boonies, and sometimes in primitive campgrounds with some iffy-looking tap water. With this filter in our trailer, we know the water we drink, cook with, make coffee with, or even brush our teeth with, will be clean and free of contaminants.
We live in a very rural area in the mountains. We have our own well, so we''re used to pristine, pure water. We''re spoiled, I guess, because now we can hardly stand to drink the water in the city we grew up in. It tastes like bleach to us. So now we even take our Seychelle filter with us when we go "home" to visit friends and relatives. They may think we''re water "snobs", but so be it.
We have not found that Seychelle''s filters clog any more quickly than other filters do. However, when we''re in locations where the water is more contaminated (even if it doesn''t look to be), we do notice that the filters clog faster. But that just means the filter''s doing its job! We''d much rather replace a filter than drink what isn''t filtered out with lesser filters!
Seychelle products may cost more, but after using Seychelle products for well over a decade, we are convinced it''s worth it! Highly recommended!!!
KRUPS XP5240 Pump Espresso Machine Save 47% Off
I''ve had this machine for about two months, now. It makes great espresso, with a nice thick crema. People complaining about crema are often not using the proper beans, or aren''t grinding them immediately before making the espresso. It makes a huge difference.The auto-tamp filter basket is neat, although I''ve found that it really only works for double shots. To make a single shot of espresso properly, you need to reduce the filter area, so that less water is able to flow with the same amount of pressure. Since the same filter basket is used for single and double shots, single shots do not come out nicely. Since I always make double shots, I''m OK with this, but people that frequently make single shots should be aware of this defect.
Overall, I like the construction and appearance of the machine. It feels solid enough, the drip tray is easy to clean, water container is easy to remove and fill.
------
NOW, about the steamer.
The steamer is quite disappointing. It uses the same diameter tip as some of the older machines, like the 4030, but rather then just using a rubber friction grip, it uses a complex plastic doohickey with three tabs that grab onto the flared part of the plastic above the nozzle base. Unfortunately, it''s very unclear how this works when you receive the machine, and the pictorial directions are also not clear, so I managed to snap off one of the tabs within minutes of unpacking the machine. I thought this was my bad, but reading the other reviews, I now see that they''re very prone to breaking.
The wand still attaches part-way with two tabs, but then it sometimes blows off. Again, I thought this was my bad, but now I see that even with three tabs on the wand, it''s still prone to blowing off. This is not bad, especially with piping hot steam and milk to contend with.
For those of you who have stuck with this machine, I''d recommend trying a steaming tip from a 4030. I ended up trying this because none of the parts shops I contacted even knew about the 5240! I was in one store, which had a 4030 on the floor, and I investigate the steaming tip, and found that the base of the nozzle is exactly the same size and shape, but instead of the complex mechanical attachment, it uses a simple rubber-on-rubber grip attachment. So, I purchased one for 8 dollars. It has never blown off the machine in the 3 weeks I''ve had it so far.
However, Krups really needs to address the faulty nature of this product. Perhaps those of us who have purchased the machine and have had issues should get together and contact Krups en masse, and demand that they address the problem. This is supposed to be the latest and greatest model in its class; and it could be, if not for this critical flaw.
I''ve been able to use this machine for maybe a month out of the last 5 months. I''m glad I kept the 16 year old machine as a back-up just in case this happened. As for loyalty to Krups? It''s gone! Their customer servive is amazingly horrible! My next espresso machine will not be a Krups I''m sorry to say.
---Update: The supervisor called on April 13th. He offered to replace my machine.... again. He said that this problem with the frother is somewhat isolated. I told him that I''d rather have my money back instead of a third machine in 5 months and starting this mess all over. He couldn''t do that. So I shipped back machine #2 on the 14th and ironically the replacement O ring and little piece of threaded plastic arrived the same day. We''ll see if this problem is as isolated as Krups claims it to be.
---Update again: I''m on machine #3 since November ''09. This machine arrived with the threaded piece on the frothing attachment glued on as well. We''ll see how this machine fares.
---Another update: June 23. Well, the frother blows off constantly and has broken. Krups has now offered to send me, after 3 machines and several frothers and countless calls to cust serv, an xp5280. We''ll see how this works.
---THE LAST UPDATE! They sent me xp5220 instead of xp5280. The machine has the same frother and is a cheaper model. I took it to my local dept store and exchanged it for a De Longhi EC702. I love it! After 16 years I no longer am a Krups customer. I think it''s really unfortunate that they have let their product and customer service go down the toilet.
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I really wanted to like this machine. It replaced a Krups I had used daily for more than 6 years that finally ran out of steam ;-) So I ordered this model, and had to send it back because the steaming nozzle (frother) blew apart. I figured it was defective -just bad luck -and replaced it with the same model. This second one worked fine for 3 weeks, but now I''m having the same problem ( and now I see another recent reviewer had the same experience.) This seems to be a design/manufacturing defect. The black plastic piece on the frother that comes apart for cleaning just does not attach tightly enough. The pressure from the steam blows the locking mechanism open.Too bad. The machine made a great capuccino, was easy to clean, the automatic tamper worked well, and I liked the way it easily ejected the used grounds. I''ve always been a big Krups fan, but was not prepared to give this model a third try.
Read Best Reviews of KRUPS XP5240 Pump Espresso Machine Here
We tried a Breville before this Krups machine. We were looking to replace a 20 year old Krups steam driven machine which we also loved. This machine is worth the extra $100 we paid over what we would have spent for the Breville. We purchased from a local store. We paid more but liked the convenience of returning the unit if we did not like it. This Krups machine has some really nice features. It has this "auto tamping" feature that is really nice. The espresso holder is only one unit and you add more or less espresso depending on whether you want a single shot or a double. It has a ratchet system that tamps the grind down and an indicator on the unit determines whether you are compressing for a double or single shot. If you want a single shot you add less and tighten further to the right to match up with the indicator. It is very easy to get used to and eliminates the need for an extra "reducer" part to deal with single shots. The "creama" is there but not exactly thick and not something we care that much about. The unit is easy to clean. The only negative is they supply a rather gimicky measuring scoop and if you use the amount they recommend it comes out too weak and not consistent with the indicator marks on the unit. So we just add more espresso and use a spoon rather than the scoop. We also purchased a nice frothing container from William Sonoma for $15. to replace the container supplied with our old Krups machine. We like this frothing pitcher much better as it has ample supply so the froth does not keep overflowing. This also allows us to get the milk to a much higher temperature. We warm up the mugs in the microwave before we brew and this helps us get a piping hot latte. I have to admit this pump driven machine has some really nice features and the taste is better than the old Krups we had grown to love (no ashy taste whatsoever)... My husband and I both look forward to waking up and having our lattes from this machine every morning. Now if only this one would last another 20 years! Look for my follow-up reviews. One more thing. We also decided to use whole milk for our lattes since the amount of milk we add to get the taste we love is not very much. The extra enjoyment with whole milk is worth it to us!Want KRUPS XP5240 Pump Espresso Machine Discount?
We also had a Breville but took it back every year for a replacementseems to be the norm these daysBreville is no longer making this model btw ($399 retail) So we got this Krups and I really like it for all the same reasons as other reviewers. HOWEVER after 10 days the steaming arm would not stay attached properly and the pressure of the steam blows it off which can be dangerous with hot steam coming at you. Very disappointed. WHERE IS A DECENT ESPRESSO MACHINE FOR UNDER $500????Do not recommend this unitmany others having the same problem.
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Everpure EV9259-14 QL3 Single Filter Head
- Top of the line Everpure filter head
- Includes built-in water shut off valve for no mess cartridge changes
- Includes mounting bracket and 3/8 inch NPT threads
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Fine original replacement part... comes as shown, no fittings or hose. Later I found it on a plumbing site for 1/2 this price Also the same site had it for the price I paid here plus all the peripheral e.g. proper fittings and a length of hose...Read Best Reviews of Everpure EV9259-14 QL3 Single Filter Head Here
We have lots of minerals in our water that create calcium buildup in our coffee pot, etc. Our plumber recommended this brand and installed it and the cartridge for us.Want Everpure EV9259-14 QL3 Single Filter Head Discount?
This comes bare bones. I pieced together all the parts I needed at Lowe''s, but I was in the aisle for like 45 min trying to get the right stuff. You can buy a full kit on line but you''ll end up spending like $80 for what ended up being like $7 worth of tubing and fittings. Totally worth the effort if you have the time and patience.Excellent filer. Been using for years and the water is better than any other filter I''ve ever tried. Can''t say enough good about it and I''m a total water snob.
3M Filtrete Water Pitcher Save 46% Off
- 12 Cup Pitcher
- Filters and fills 5X Faster than traditional filtering pitchers
- Holds more water in less space
- Filter lasts longer, filtering two and a half times more water than traditional pitcher filters (up to 100 gallons or for approximately three months)
- Reduces sediment, chlorine taste & odor
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I''ve never used a water filtering pitcher before, so I was happy to see it offered by the vine program (sent free to me in exchange for my writing a review). I washed the pitcher out and pre-rinsed the filter as directed, and then filled it from our kitchen tap.It filled really fast, which is a good feature. It''s also very large 12 cups which is great for our large family. Our family drinks a lot of water and this pitcher would be suitable in size. We also have a large refrigerator so storing it there isn''t a problem. I would have to watch the smaller kids since it''s heavy and they''d need help using it.
The taste of the filtered water is good clear, clean and odorless. But we have great water already from our well, so it''s hard to tell if the pitcher actually improved it that way. I like that the pitcher is clear so you can see if there is anything floating around in the water.
What really threw me for a loop was reading that it *doesn''t* filter out heavy metals (copper, lead, mercury), or bacteria (coliforms, e coli), or parasites (giardia, cryptosporidium), or viruses (hepatitis). To me, the main reason to use a water pitcher is to remove these items and render the water safe to drink. It says in the literature that came with the pitcher that it is not for treating unsafe water, but I was surprised to find out that the only thing it does is filter out dirt and supposedly remove cholorine odor. I didn''t expect it to make pond water drinkable, but really it does very little. I could use a coffee filter and get the same results. A little research showed me that the replacement filters are $8-12 each.
I would not buy this filtering pitcher for my family. I was imagining using it in a public campground at the spigot, or maybe in hotels when traveling. But I''m afraid I''ll be donating it to someone who currently uses a water pitcher.
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We use a Brita pitcher at our house, but we''re always up for trying something that might be better -especially a faster filter. As most Brita users can attest, you could practically make a loaf of bread in the time it takes for the Brita to filter a half-gallon of water. So I was excited to try the Filtrete pitcher, as we generally like 3M (the parent company) and their innovative designs. My review is a comparison of the Filtrete pitcher versus the Brita pitcher.Pros:
The Filtrete is super-fast. I mean, WOW: you can run water into this baby like there''s no tomorrow, and it passes right through into the basin.
The Filtrete filter lasts longer (3 months) and has a higher capacity (100 gallons) than a Brita filter (2 months/40 gallons).
Single Filtrete filters cost more than single Brita filters: it''s around 13 bucks for a Filtrete and 9 bucks for a Brita. However, simply taking their respective water capacities into account (and not the superior quality of the Brita filter; more on that just below), the Filtrete is cheaper per gallon.
Cons:
Filtrete''s biggest downside for me is that its filter isn''t even in the same ballpark as the Brita in terms of the contaminants it removes from the water. Filtrete''s filter removes only "chlorine and sediment," as noted on the package. On the other hand, the Brita filter removes lead, mercury, chlorine, copper, cadmium, and benzine. This might not be an issue for some people, but it''s a deal-breaker for us. (Why bother buying a filter if it doesn''t actually remove contaminants from the water?) I just can''t bring myself to use an inferior filter, no matter how fast it is, when I can get healthier, better-quality water just by using a different brand.
The Filtrete''s spout is totally open and uncovered. I don''t understand why 3M let this detail slip by them. We like to drink room-temperature water and thus keep our pitcher on top of the fridge; I don''t want dust particles floating down into my drinking water.
The shape and size of the Filtrete is cumbersome, awkward, ill-fitted to the door of a refrigerator, and, frankly, unattractive. It''s shaped like a frisbee on top of a flower pot. With a handle. That''s seriously the best way I can describe it. Granted, there''s not much the 3M/Filtrete designers could have done to make this pitcher fit in the fridge any better (or look any better), because the pitcher''s shape is dependent on the huge filter at the top.
The large, frisbee-sized lid doesn''t feel secure. Plus, it''s somewhat difficult to grip, as you can only attach/detach it by a tiny little knob. You can forget about removing the lid if your fingers are wet or oily.
I could never get the filter-change activator to work. I pressed it just like the directions said to, and it never "activated" (even after I went back and tried it again an hour later, and then again the next day, and the day after that), rendering itself totally useless.
Neutral:
Neither of us could taste a difference between the Filtrete-filtered water and the Brita-filtered water.
Bottom line: With a Filtrete, you get a faster, lower-quality filter that may not fit in your fridge, with an uncovered spout, costing less money per gallon than a Brita. However, with a Brita, you get a slower, better-quality filter that will likely fit in your fridge, with a covered spout, costing more money per gallon than a Filtrete.
Honestly, I''d only recommend the Filtrete if you need a lot of "filtered" water very quickly. For us, the benefits of the Brita outweigh those of the Filtrete, so we''re sticking with our Brita for now.
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I live in an area where the tap water tastes good, so I''ve never looked to filtration to improve the taste. What I want from a filter is to remove the things in water that might be harmful -heavy metals, bacteria, parasites, etc. Imagine my surprise when I read the instructions to this filtered water pitcher and learned it doesn''t filter out ANY of those things. What''s it good for, then?On top of that, the pitcher is incredibly top-heavy. It takes up a HUGE amount of room in the fridge, and is very difficult for children to use because it''s so awkwardly designed. Finally, because the filtered lid doesn''t actually cover the spout, the thing sloshes water around in the fridge any time it gets knocked around by an over-eager rummager.
Sorry, 3M. I usually adore your products but this one needs to go back to the drawing board!
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This pitcher has gotten some use in our house! We go thru about a gallon a day and well it was getting expensive. This has paid for itself in less than a week!The filter lasts 3 months and the replacements are priced around $10-12. The water filters very fast, in less than 2 minutes. It removes alot of stuff. We cannot drink our faucet water because it just tastes bad. With this filter and pitcher, it tastes like bottled water.