Zojirushi EC-BD15BA Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker Save 14% Off

I''ve spent several weeks week getting to know the Zojirushi Fresh Brew... and for the most part, I''m quite pleased. It has some foibles [which I''ll get to in a moment] but on the whole it''s a very capable coffee brewer. More, it''s one of the very few home models I know that can brew 8 cups of just-roasted coffee at a proper 2 tablespoons per cup ratio without fuss, and this is important! maintain proper brewing temperatures throughout the entire brew cycle.

The details...

Zoji has been making vacuum pots and the like for nearly 100 years, and they''ve been making an assortment of rice-cookers, tea brewers and hot water dispensers for decades. While this is, I believe, their first home coffee brewer, they''ve got more than a little experience in kitchen electrics. They''ve put that experience to good use.

If you''ve ever brewed up a thermos full of coffee using a big Melitta filter cone then this setup will look pretty familiar. For all intents and purposes, the Fresh Brew simply adds an automated hot water delivery system to the mix... with a few improvements.

Improvement number one: not only does this system brew into an all-stainless thermal carafe [no hot plate here, thankyouverymuch] but it also insulates the brew basket. What good is it, after all, to heat up all that water if it''s just going to get cold while you''re brewing? This is huge! This is important! This is... well, I''m excited about it, okay?

Improvement number two: the Fresh Brew features an accurate gauge of water volume. When it reads that you''ve got 8 cups of water in the brewer''s reservoir, it means it. Mind you, we''re talking 6 oz. cups of water -that''s the way the coffee world measures a cup [unless you''re Bodum and then it''s 4 oz.].

Improvement number three: the Fresh Brew is patient. The biggest pain about the manual pour-over method is that you''ve got to wait to add more water, especially if the coffee is really fresh. Fresh coffee blooms with its charge of CO2! Faced with a full basket of coffee that was literally fresh from the roaster the Zoji didn''t overflow, nor did it heave grounds into the water dispensing shower-head. More, the grounds were thoroughly saturated; no dry spots.

So where''s the foibles?

Like a great many autodrip brewers the feeder tube that comes from the Zoji''s heating element to the shower-head takes a straight path right through the water reservoir. For most brewers this is a game-over situation... the heating element simply can''t overcome the heat exchange that occurs en route to the brew-head. On the Zoji, the heating element *does* get hot enough... provided that the water you''ve placed in the reservoir is not *too* cold.

Example A: In the office using the "unchilled" spigot on the water cooler, I draw off 48 ounces of water for the reservoir and brew a pot. Throughout the brew cycle water temperatures in the brew basket range between 195 and 200 degrees F. The result is a lovely pot of Ethiopian Yrgacheffe that is sweet, floral and lemony.

Example B: At home I draw off 48 ounces of water from the water filter in-line with the refridgerator. The temperature of the water in the reservoir is about 40 degrees F. and the resulting temperature in the brew basket never tops 185 degrees F. The result is an icky pot of the very same Yrgacheffe that is bitter, murky and flat.

The moral: mind your initial water temperature and you''ll do just fine.

All in all, the Zojirushi Fresh Brew is capable of making 8 cups of coffee that''s on a par with manual pourover methods. Better, really, as it insulates the brew-basket to better maintain water temperatures.

We purchased this machine last month, after much research, to replace a 6 year-old Cuisinart basic model. We were looking for a well-made thermal carafe machine at a reasonable price. We found it!

We can''t find enough good things to say about it! Of course it is very stylish looking and it fits nicely on our counter under our standard size cabinets. Yes, you have to move it out to fill the water chamber and basket, but big deal! I can do that!

It is extermely easy to program with just enough controls to make sense.

It makes good hot coffee that stays nice and hot for a good while. While it may not keep it scorching hot like a model with a hot plate, which also continues to cook and burn your coffee, it is definitely hot enough! We made some coffee one morning and didn''t finish it. We purposely left it in the pot while we were gone and upon returning home at 5 pm, the coffee was still amazingly warm. It was not hot enough to want to drink it, but we were amazed at the heat it had retained.

We think this model is extermely easy to clean and doesn''t have lots of parts that look as though they might break. Not only does the basket where you place your filter and grounds come out, but so does the container which holds the basket. It lifts up and you can rinse it out. The slots that hold this container also have holes in the bottom so junk doesn''t collect. The lid on the carafe works easily and the secondary lid is nice too.

We also think this machine makes the coffee extremely quickly!

We have seen absolutely no leakage problems or overflow troubles. And for sure this model can use the standard #4 cone filters. I called the maker before purchasing it to make sure. It sticks up a hair over the edge of the basket, but it has made no difference and has caused no problems.

Overall, this is a great buy so far! We went back and forth on which model to buy and finally decided on this one. We love it!

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I was looking for a coffee maker with a large capacity, unbreakable carafe, auto-shut-off, pause-and-serve, and a programmable timer. I found everything I wanted

with this Zoji.

It has a stylish, brushed stainless carafe that stays cool to the touch and has no breakable glass liner like some carafes have. The base has an easy to read water-level display, with markings up to 10 cups, but it has a larger capacity than my old 10 cup Braun. It also has a cute little elephant on it!

The 1.5 liters works out to approx. 51 ounces, or just over 6 (8-ounce) cups. My old "10 cup" coffee maker held about 5 8-ounce cups. I never have quite figured out what counts as a "cup" in coffee terms, but it seems to vary between 4 and 6 ounces.

This is a pretty tall (15 inches) coffee maker, and you have to lift the lid to add the coffee and the water. Since steam comes out of the top, I pull it out from under the cabinet when it''s running. If you have shallow counters, this could be a little tricky.

The only down side, in my opinion, is that it uses the hard-to-find #3 filters. I''ve gotten around it by cutting about 1 inch off the top of my #4s. I also had a little trouble getting the lid off the carafe when I screwed it on too tight I had to put a towel over it to get a good grip. Those minor details aren''t enough to cost it a star, though.

I''m not sure how long coffee stays hot in this carafe, because we drink so much coffee around here it doesn''t stay in there very long. I did sleep in one morning, though, and the coffee that was automatically made at 6:15 was still hot at 7:30.

Overall, I am extremely happy with this coffee maker. I have hot coffee ready for me whenever I get up in the morning, and I never have to wonder whether I forgot to shut it off when I leave the house.

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I have owned A LOT of coffeemakers over the course of my 50 years (alright I didn''t own many the first 15 years or so,) and I even sold them back in 2000 when I worked in the housewares department of my local Filene''s department store. As I stated in the title of this review, I believe that the Zojirushi Fresh Brew is better than any of those other brands; not because it has more bells and whistles (it doesn''t), not because it''s better looking (it is), but because it makes the best cup of coffee I have ever had.

The unit heats the water to a near perfect brewing temperature of 185 to 190 degress. The brew time is also just about ideal; it brews a 50 ounce carafe in 9 1/2 minutes (Zojirushi calls it a 10 cup carafe, I call it 2 1/2 cups, but I use a 20oz mug). The coffee comes out nice and hot, and neither too weak from too short a brewing time, nor scalded from too long a brewing time.

The Fresh Brew uses either #4 paper filters or a #4 gold filter. The original design used a #3 filter, and the filter holder is a little small for a #4. If you moisten the filter (as you really ought to anyway) before putting it in the holder, it fits perfectly. I''ve tried brewing coffee in this machine with both a gold filter and an unbleached paper filter; personally I prefer the coffee brewed with the paper filter (the gold filter allows more particulates to get into the coffee).

To get the best cup of coffee possible, you will want to grind your coffee finer than you probably have been. I have found that one step up from Espresso gind gives me the best flavour. Also, the single biggest reason people get a bad cup of coffee out of any coffee maker is that they don''t use enough coffee. In this machine, I use 1 3/4 scoops of coffee for every 6 oz of water, so for a full pot I use 14 scoops.

On other machines I''ve owned (Krups and DeLonghi in particular), the water reservoir was so long and narrow, that it was difficult to fill it without flooding the counter top. Not so with the Zojirushi, the reservoir has a nice, wide, opening.

Also, unlike some other coffee makers, the thermal carafe of the Fresh Brew has a pouring spout, so the coffee goes in your cup/mug, not all over the counter. The carafe itself is an insulated, double-walled, stainless steel, thermal carafe. Absolutely no heat is transmitted to the outer surface of the carafe, which of course means your coffee stays hotter. Also, since it is a thermal carafe, there is no heating element in the base of the Fresh Brew. This means that there is no chance of the coffee being "burned" from sitting on a heating pad for too long. Don''t leave the carafe on the Fresh Brew if you plan to leave coffee in it for any length of time. The carrafe has a top which you can put on, closing the opening where the coffee runs into the carafe. Sealed like that, the coffee will stay hot and fresh all day, but the top prevents the carafe from sitting on the coffee maker.

As for the bells and whistles, the Zojirushi only has a digital clock and a programmable auto brew feature.

On top of everything else, the Zojirushi sells for about half to two-thirds the suggested retail price of the other brands. How can you go wrong? With the Zojirushi Fresh Brew, you get the best possible cup of coffee (in my opinion) for about half the price of other coffee makers.

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I really wanted this machine to work nice design, good features, good price.

The first one I got had the little carafe cap broken. Not a big deal, I emailed the company and they promised to send me another one. About a week later, the unit simply stopped brewing. I called the support line for troubleshooting and they told me to send the unit back for replacement.

I sent it back and Amazon shipped another one out promptly. Everything was fine the first day, but when I picked up the carafe the next day, the bottom came right off in my hand exposing the innards of the seal mechanism for the thermos. The spot welds all along the rim hadn''t taken and the carafe literally came apart in my hands.

Again I called the company asking if this was normal. Again they told me to return it and "give them one more chance". So I tried to like I say, I really wanted this machine to work.

Unfortunately the response I got from Amazon was:

"As it seems that the problem with this item is more widespread

than we originally thought, we are not able to send another

replacement."

Probably just as well, after going through 2 units in under 2 weeks, the chances of the third one lasting anywhere near as long as I''d want it to are about nil.

So you can roll the dice and perhaps get yourself a good one I did it twice and unfortunately got 2 lemons in a row.

Buyer beware.

(I never did get the replacement cap from the first one. When I called about that, the rep I spoke to told me that they get so many calls that it''s impossible for them to follow up on each one to make sure it was resolved. I can see why they''re overwhelmed with support calls and it''s even more disturbing that customer service lets things slip through the cracks like this...)

(about a month later)

I replaced this with a Braun KF600... the choice is obvious having had both machines: the Braun is simply a better designed and better constructed machine for about the same price. Save yourself the hassle and buy it instead. It takes up less counter space, has a gold cone filter instead of the ill-fitting #4 paper filters, there''s no twist cap on the carafe to fight with...

To be fair, it doesn''t have a timer. Not a big deal for me.

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Culligan SY-1000S Easy Change Undersink Drinking Water Filtration System

• Easy Change Drinking Water System
• Culligan SY-1000

Well, I''m afraid I can no longer recommend this filter at all. This morning, I woke up to my downstairs neighbor alarmed that he had a leak coming through the ceiling of his kitchen. The root cause, unfortunately, was that this filter had failed. Whether it is the seals on the replacement cartridge or the housing that went bad, I''m not sure. However, I''m not about to buy another replacement cartridge if this system is prone to failure and could yet again cause damage to the condo below me. I may even be contacting Culligan to see about having them cover the repairs as it is their product that caused the damage.

Also, I''ve come to really dislike the included faucet. It seems that over time the flow has just gotten worse and worse. Also, I think its easy enough to turn that my cat may have brushed it and I came home to the water running nonstop one day.

Hopefully my next filter will have a more solid housing/seal, and I hope to find one with a better flow rate as well. It took a bit too long to fill a glass with this model.

I just installed this system this week. I did some extensive research on several filters and decided that this was the one that would best suite my needs. The price was also very good. Other systems that I considered were the Kenmore 38461, the Culligan US-EZ-4, Pentek US-1000, and the Culligan Preferred 250. This one had the cheapest initial system cost, filter replacement cost, and additional parts cost.

After reading reviews of the US-EZ-4, I decided that with that system, I''d have to buy a different faucet than the one supplied, which would add to the already higher cost of that system. Plus, the replacement filter runs about $25 more for that model than the SY-1000 (look on E-Bay for some great deals).

After all those calculations, the SY-1000 had the lowest effective cost/gallon over a 5 year span (Under 4 cents/gallon) with the US-EZ-4 having the highest cost. Way to bring value to your newer product line, Culligan.

I was a bit worried about them possibly discontinuing the replacement filters for this, but it seems that Pentek is the actual manufacturer of the cartridges and they are continuing to make replacements (Pentek QC10-CBRR) as well as sell the filter system under their own brand name. I plan on stocking up on a few just in case.

Pros:

-Filters: Chlorine, Lindane, Atrazine, Lead, Cysts, particles > 0.5 micron

-Very Inexpensive relative to other systems

-Includes most necessary hardware

-Faucet is a good height, seems durable, don''t have to hold down a button to keep water flowing.

-Water tastes way better now, compared to untreated Austin city water. Better than bottled water.

-Cartridge easy to change single cartridge.

-Much more convenient than Pur/Brita water pitchers

Cons:

-Included T-fitting was wrong size (1/2"), where I needed 3/8" that goes to my sink. The included water fitting was also plastic and felt cheaply made. The correct fittings for my setup cost around $12 or so at Home Depot. Be sure to talk to somebody who knows plumbing and how to properly fit the plastic tubing.

-Faucet threading is not long enough for my granite countertop, which is slightly thicker than 1". My solution was to use a flat washer instead of the weird bracket one they provided.

-DOESN''T (claim to) filter chloroform, MTBE, VOC, Asbestos, Mercury. Austin claims these things are not in the water supply, so it seemed ok for my purposes. I was mostly concerned about taste, lead, and cysts.

It has only been a few days, but so far I''d recommend this product. I only give it 4 stars for the poor thread length on the faucet and lack of proper fittings. The filter is what really matters, though.

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First off I am amazed at how cheap this product is going for. I bought 2 of these for $80 a pop (with filter) about 2 years ago in my local hardware store.

As for installation, if you know what your doing it is a fairly easy job with the kit they give you, about 1/2 hour. If your not the handy man of woman it might take you a bit longer, just follow the instructions carefully and DO NOT over tighten the fittings. Myself I bypassed the t fitting and all the cheap tubing they give you, by buying some ice maker tubing with compression fitted ends and a couple of adapters. It cost me $20 but only took 5 minutes to hook up.

The taste difference between city water and filtered city water is a no brainer, the filter definitely does its job and removes that harsh taste. You honestly can''t tell the difference between water filtered through this system than from a newly opened bottle of Poland springs water.

I tested my water with a cheap test kit and it came out perfect, ironically the city tap water tested pretty well also.

For what the newer systems are going for and what they offer compared to this system and what it offers you can''t go wrong with this. There are no real benefits to go with the newer models that have the high price tag, they all offer the same protection, just a different set-up.

I would highly recommend this as it is a steal as well the replacement filters are pretty cheap compared to most others.

This product works and works well.

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The actual filter and holder work great. Easy to install and hook up. The fountain that comes with it is a cheap plastic piece of junk that would only look good in an old RV. The plastic T-fitting that comes with it is junk too in my opinion, the tubing is just press fit into it, not what I would call reliable. I bought a good brass one for less than 5 dollars. The filter kit doesn''t have enough tube end fittings for this switch however.

I would have been a lot happier if this kit was just the filter, holder and tubing. I bought the ''Water Filter Faucet Euro Design Brushed Nickel

by Crystal Clear'' for it. Looks great, works great and mates up perfectly with some extra tube end fittings (use only plastic ferrules, not the brass ones).

The replacement filter is the 1000R for the best filtration. For a 500 gallon capacity why skimp on the filter.

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Dew Cap Replacement (2pk)

I bought these, tested them on 5 gallon jugs and found they are not water tight. Though not advertised as water tight, I assumed so since they would typically be used on drinking water containers (i.e., "emergency water stash"). Since they are not water tight, then they aren''t air tight and should not be used for long term potable water storage without the use of disinfectants (i.e., chlorine).

I purchased these so I could refill bottles that come with the spill-proof lids. Once empty, I removed the spill-proof lid, and snapped these on. Now I can get self-serve refills instead of paying for the much more expensive bottle exchange program. The lids fit very snugly for me and will pay for themselves the first trip to the store.

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I ordered 5 of these items (there are two caps per unit), and I''m very pleased. They fit perfectly snug on standard 3/5 gallon bottles (like the ones I''d get from the supermarket or water delivery). They are easy to remove, and can be reused over and over again (I use it to fill up water bottles from a home filter).

This is a great way to store a small emergency stash of water for example. All in all, I highly recommend these caps, and they are a good deal (with very reasonable shipping costs).

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These caps fit very well, and I even tried to get the carboy to leak. This is a simple purchase, around $5, but I also received a hand written letter from the owner thanking me for my purchase. If I should ever need anything this company sells I won''t shop further. To the owners, "You are very welcome". Shipping was quick and no complaints.

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If you''ve lost a cap (as I did) for a five gallon water jug, these work fine. They aren''t anything special and if your full jug happens to tip over on the way home, it is likely that they will pop off. This has only happened to me once, and they are fine most of the time, but 5gal of water isn''t the most fun to clean from the back of a car. Just secure them or drive super careful so they don''t fall over and they work fine for the price.

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Watts 7-PK RO Premier 1-Year 5-Stage Reverse Osmosis Replacement Filter Kit

• One-year 5-stage reverse osmosis replacement filter kit contains 1 year''s worth of replacement filters
• Features 10-inch sediment filter, 2 10-inch GAC filters, and 6-inch polishing filter with connectors
• High-quality replacement filters
• Includes heavy-duty filter wrench
• Fits Watts Premier reverse osmosis systems and standard 10-inch filter housings

One years worth of filters in one box. Includes everything but the membrane. I looked all over the net for the best dealand this is it! What made it the best was decent price and FREE SHIPPING from Amazon. Guys on eBay wanted up to $23 for shipping this same kit. Watts can''t even match this deal on their website. I am in in SoCal and received this item in 1 day shipped from Amazon''s Reno facility. Amazing.

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These filters are a good price and all but no instructions came with them and it says they come with the tool needed to access the filter chambers. No tool came and now I am forced to shop for one and cannot find one. The information about what I am getting needs to be accurate.

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I installed the filter system several months ago an I REALLY like it. However, the light has been flashing red and it is time to change the filters. Problem is, if I still have any original instructions, they are misplaced now, and the filter package has no instructions. I figured I had to turn off the supply water and relieve the pressure by pressing on the air valve pin as you would a tire valve. I was able to unscrew the filter housings by hand and insert the new filters that went fine. I left the outlet open for a while to let the air escape that went fine.

I also assume and vaguely remember that one of the filters gets changed less often than the others. By observing how many of each there are, I suppose I did that correctly.

My question is this: Am I supposed to add air pressure with a pump, or, will the incoming water build up the required pressure in time?

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Products can be used, good prices. Factories can call to find the customer service issues advice.

Definitely a good idea to purchase this along with the RO system should you happen to get that. Save yourself the time and hassle.

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Keurig B70 Platinum Brewing System Save 31% Off

My wife''s Christmas present this year is a Keurig B70 coffee maker. We have a B100 at work that I was very impressed by and we decided that a home machine would nicely fill the need when we might want a cup or two, but might not want to make a full pot.

Long story short: we love the machine. So far, our favorite coffee is Timothy''s Kona Blend -but we haven''t tried more than a handful of the scores of varieties of coffees and teas available for the beast. We got the extra filter for when we want to grind and use our own coffee in the machine, but have not yet had the opportunity to try it yet. It is a nice option to have.

We''ll still use our Zojirushi thermal carafe brewer when we need a full pot, but the Keurig is wonderful for lesser amounts. Highly recommended.

I learned today that one of the coffee roasters that supplies the K-cups, Green Mountain, just bought Keurig (an American company with a Dutch name). I hope this won''t limit the variety of coffees available for the machines -that would be a major bummer if other roasters bowed out and would cause me to pull my glowing recommendation.

UPDATE 7/30/07: The B70 died today after 8 months of yeoman service. A call to Keurig revealed that the symptoms matched a "bad element" (one would assume heating element). A replacement machine in on its way (arrival in 3-4 days). Keurig doesn''t want the old machine back, just a part. Keurig customer service was extremely pleasant and professional. Assuming the replacement machine arrives in good form, the five star rating is intact. I do wonder if there is a generic problem with heating elements in this model -I''ll have to look through the newer reviews to see if I should worry.

UPDATE 1/12/11: The replacement B70 is still going strong 3.5 years later. Still very happy with the unit.

UPDATE 11/16/12: The same B70 is now at my wife''s workplace and is still going strong. No additional repairs have been needed.

I received a B77 as a gift at the end of Nov 2009. 3 days later it would not push water out through the K-cup.

Exchanged it at Costco, worked great until 2 days ago. 1 month of light usage and it''s having problems filling from the reservoir.

Going to exchange it for a third but I''m not confident that the next unit will be trouble free.

My brother''s same unit that''s a year old (and works fine) had a very loud fill pump.

Keurig changed the pump design in the B77 to a small dc motor driven impeller pump. Much much quieter when filling, but apparently cannot always overcome the check valve after the pump.

I always use RO water, and the unit is only 1 month old so scale is not the issue. I refill the tank when it''s still on the machine, so no air to get in there to screw up the pump''s priming.

Google B70 pump problems.

Edit: I did not bother to exchange the 2nd unit as from what I''ve read here and on SingleServeCoffee''s website, all the B70/B77 are plaqued with this problem. Even ones directly purchased or replaced by Keurig. Maker will for for a few days or weeks, then suffer the "not ready" and then shutdown problem as it is unable to pull water from the reservoir into the heater.

I put a review in on Keurig''s website itself but it looks like they censor what gets posted or not, hence the glowing reviews there.

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Being one who loves convenient, but great tasting coffee, I''ve bought several single-serve coffee machines. The Home Cafe, My Bunn Cafe, and the most recent, Tassimo.

They all worked quite well, considering how "new" they were to the field, and how fresh the field really was at the time, for consumers. I was happy with each purchase(save the Home Cafe, which had a serious mechanical flaw).

I''m not going to spend all my time just comparing the Keurig machine; I''m simply going to say "I wish I''d bought one of these[any Keurig machine] earlier". It meets almost all the desires I had in a single-serve coffee machine.

Tons of variety in K-cups (which actually can be difficult, I didn''t know where to start or what to try!)

Simple to use

Beautiful, functional design

4 brew size choices

Keeps water hot for the next cup instead of waiting until you fiddle with the machine

Can be used with a custom filter K-Cup so you can brew any coffee you like (I''m looking forward to using this with tea too!)

Much quieter than some machines I''ve used (the Tassimo is freakishly loud in my opinion)

Those are just some reasons I love this machine. The fact that it makes very good coffee is a big plus too, right? It seems as if the coffee from the Keurig machine tastes less "burnt" than most single serve coffee I''ve had in the past.

My biggest complaint is the cost. Whether it''s worth $200 to you or not, is entirely up to YOU. If you''re as obsessed with quick, easy, tasty coffee like I am, maybe you''ll agree that it is worth it.

I''m a happy customer, either way. ;)

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I recently purchased the new Keurig B-70 Gourmet Single Cup Home Brewing System that was released on October 1st, 2006 and have been very happy with it. The machine is extremely well designed, simple to operate, aesthetically pleasing, and most importantly, brews an excellent cup of coffee. I am very impressed with how quickly it is able to brew a cup of coffee, the selection of brew sizes, and how simple clean up is.

There are a variety of single cup brewers on the market now, many utilizing pre-packaged coffee "pods" for brewing. Personally I was not comfortable purchasing a product where I would be locked into the selection and pricing of a specific manufacturer, or one that would only brew coffee and not tea and cocoa. This is just one area where Keurig really shines above their competition.

Keurig has gathered support of a variety of gourmet coffee, tea, and cocoa manufacturers and there currently there are over 140 different types sold pre-packaged in K-Cups including Green Mountain, Diedrich, Gloria Jean''s, Timothy''s, Van Houtte, Tully''s, Coffee People, Newman''s Own, Celestial Seasonings, Bigelow, Twinings, and Ghirardelli. Not only is there a large selection to choose from, there are a variety of resellers online offering K-Cups, and pricing is extremely competitive.

In addition to the pre-packaged offerings, Keurig offers the My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter allows you to use your own gourmet ground coffee in your Keurig home brewer. This option provided the extra level of comfort I personally needed to make the jump into a single cup brewer. Frankly I don''t find myself using it very often as I had originally thought, as there are so many options available in pre-packaged K-cups.

The pricing of the Keurig brewers are extremely reasonable, and brews gourmet coffee in just a fraction of the cost of purchasing it from a Starbucks, Coffee People, or similar. I expect that my machine will pay for itself in savings in just a couple months of use.

The only suggestion I have for Keurig is that the My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter be included with the sale of the brewer, and not an optional accessory. It is such an inexpensive accessory that I am surprised it was not included. Overall the Keurig brewers are excellent value and quality and would recommend them to anyone interested in a single cup brewer.

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My husband and I decided to buy this coffee maker for two reasons. One, we wanted to break our Starbucks habit/addiction and two, because we both have really different tastes in coffee. A traditional coffee maker just wasn''t cutting it for us because we couldn''t both drink out of the same pot of coffee and ended up wasting a lot of coffee. So this allows us to each brew our favorite coffee without a lot of waste. The coffee maker is very quick to warm up and it''s not any louder than our old coffee pot. You can set the brew strength to suit your taste which is really helpful and it even has an iced coffee setting. The large water reservoir is a really nice feature because we don''t have to constantly refill the pot, unless of course we are drinking a lot of coffee or tea!

Now, I know the coffee maker is relatively expensive initially so the return on investment will take a little bit of time. With all the myriad of types and flavors of coffee and tea available, we have truly cut down on our Starbucks addiction and have both tailored our K-Cup purchases to suit our individual tastes. My husband makes two to three of his own Vanilla Latte style iced coffees everyday. I''ve branched out into trying all kinds of different teas in addition to making my own coffee. It does help that several cream companies have come out with some truly delicious flavored creamers to compliment the wide variety of coffee flavors available.

While we can get a few flavors of the K-cups at our local grocery store, Amazon by far has the best selection and best prices. This particular model of coffee maker came with an assortment of coffees so we could try a variety. When you are first starting out with this coffee maker, I would definitely recommend finding an assortment pack so you can decide what your favorites are without having a whole bunch of extra K-Cups left over of things you don''t like. Another nice feature that is available for purchase separately is a filter assembly for use with your own coffee. This comes in handy if you have a special coffee flavor that isn''t prepackaged by any of the K-Cup makers. Just be sure to use care when you grind your own beans and ensure you read the instructions so you don''t use too fine or too course of a grind.

We are extremely please with the quality of this coffee maker and the wide variety of quality coffees and teas available for it. If you have the cash and you are a dedictated coffee drinker, you can''t go wrong with this purchase!

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KRUD KUTTER ES32H Exterior Siding Cleaner Save 15% Off

• Water based, non-toxic, biodegradable, non-flammable and xylene-free
• Safe for use at home and work
• From the most trusted name in serious, non-solvent cleaning Krud Kutter
• Super concentrated, ready to use formula

I bought Krud Kutter to use in cleaning the vinyl siding on my house prior to having new windows installed. The cleaning solution did little more to clean the surface than the water that was applied using the Rinse setting on the hose-end sprayer. I ran out of Krud Kutter before I finished the job and used some liquid laundry detergent to finish. It did about as well as the Krud Kutter.

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A very good cleaner for vinyl siding; easy to use and really cuts into the dirt. First time using I''d buy a second bottle to ensure you get the whole job done as you''ll go through it pretty quickly. But if you''ve ever used it before on whatever your cleaning, a bottle per the square footage on the instructions should be good enough.

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It seemed to do a very basic cleaning getting quite a bit of the mold and gunk up. It did not get everything up, but I don''t know what I was expecting from a spray on cleaner. But it did loosen up quite a bit for easy cleaning later.

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Works as it says. Need to use a good scrub long handled brush with it but the siding really perked up with this.

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I followed the directions and product did not preform like I had hoped. I used both bottles on the side of a 24X12 shed and the product did very little to nothing on the mildew.

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SHURflo EV959206 ADC Quick Change Cartridge for Water Purification System

• Original cartridge that is used in Everpure Kit EV925205
• Economically priced, but still removes a long list of contaminants
• Bacteriostatic media helps reduce bacterial growth
• Provides sub micron filtration

My Coach originally came equipped the EverPure ADC filtration system. I had to break my piggy bank to pay for the first one. Many places I travel have well water and one never knows if it has been contaminated.

Filter provides protection from Cysts such as Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica and Cryptosporidium parvum some which can survive Chlorination in fresh water holding tank. 0.5 micron carbon filter removes all Chlorine taste and odor and removes VOC contaminates. There are other filters on the market at a lesser price, But filter down to only 1 micron. Whether this makes a difference I couldn''t tell you as I am no expert.

I do have an RVing associate who contracted Giardia and it took him 4 years to get rid of it! Being a National Science Foundation (NSF) International Standard 42 Class 1 filter I feel safer. Cheap IN HOUSE filter systems have no CYST protection because it is Assumed that water treatment plants have taken care of them..

Each filter lasts me a year and a half as a Full Time RVer. I only replace filter when water flow diminishes to the point it dribbles out.. Also filters out Mold, Algae, Asbestos Fibers, Oxidized iron, Manganese, and Sulfides. What more can I say. it''s Priceless

C. parvum is considered to be the most important waterborne pathogen in developed countries. It is resistant to all practical levels of chlorination, surviving for 24hrs at 1000 mg/L free chlorine

Giardia cyst can survive for weeks to months in cold water, and therefore can be present in contaminated wells, water systems, and mountain streams. They may also occur in city reservoirs and persist after water treatment, as the cysts are resistant to conventional water treatment methods such as chlorination and ozonolysis.

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water filter arrived quickly for my motorhome. unit is much better priced than most places. worked perfect and very easy to install

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I purchased this as a replacement for the filter in our motorhome. The flow of water had slowed down considerably. When my husband replaced the old one I was amazed at what had accumulated in the old filter. And with the new filter the flow of water was again strong. I will never drink unfiltered water in my motorhome. NEVER!

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Could not have asked for better customer service. As online transactions go, this has to be the best I have had to date. Am very pleased with the product and how they shipped it.

I bought a used motorhome that had the Everpure by Shurflo system already installed. That is why I bought the replacement filter. The filter seems to work just fine. It has improved the taste of the water from our water well. Amazon had the best delivered price I could find. It saved about 12 dollars over the local RV store. Personally I would not buy this system as it is way too expensive. You can buy a filter housing at Home Depot for about 20 dollars and replacement filters for 5 or 6 dollars each. Why spend 40 or more dollars for replacement filters?

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Wound polypropylene cartridge 5 mic 20"HD Save 30% Off

I bought a house with an expensive water filtration system. I had a contractor take a look and he said get these filters. Nothing else. They work perfectly! Easy to install and last 6+ months. Great product.

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DuPont 4 Phase Ultra Protection Universal Pitcher Cartridge

Bottom line this filter takes FOREVER to run water through it.

If you can wait double to triple the time compared to a brita filter then this is for you but honestly I will never buy another one. I don''t know how many times I have gone to get a glass of water the unfiltered water spills all over because it is not finished.

We have very bad water which I first distill and then filter with a pitcher. I thought I could switch filters to something cheaper (Brita) but quickly found that these PTC300 filters are far better at filtering out bad tastes.

Yes, they tend to be slower than the other filters, but they are definitely worth waiting for. Be sure to soak them well before the first use (see instructions in the package) and keep water in the pitcher so the filters don''t dry out between uses and the speed will improve a little.

I keep saying I''ll find something else to use, but every time I''ve tried other filters I kick myself for wasting money on ''filters'' that barely work. These DuPont filters also last a LONG time!

I just wish there were a way to find these locally or with a discount for buying multiples at a time.

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How can you tell for sure unless you have the water tested???

It is way over priced. I found this at a Walmart later for $7 : (

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I would have given it zero stars but one is he lowest you can go. Takes an extremely long time to filter a pitcher of water. The end results are not worth the wait. The water taste nearly the same as the original tap water. I bought a 3 pack and reluctantly I''ll use all of them before I switch back to Britta. Don''t waste your time and money on this product.

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75 GPD Filmtec Residential RO Membrane Save 57% Off

• 75 Gallon Per Day (12 Liters per Hour) Capacity; FILMTEC Model TW30-1812-75
• 98% Stabilized Salt Rejection (Minimum Rejection 96%)
• NSF/ANSI Standard 58 listed
• Membrane Dimensions: 11.75" Overall Length, 1.75" Diameter (Fits Standard 2" ID Membrane Housings)

I have three RO systems a kitchen, a main ro for my salt water aquarium and one in my master bathroom. This one I have for my main RO and kitchen both using booster pumps and a piggy back membrane for twice the GPD and half the waste. Filmtec 75 GPD membranes are long lasting high quality membrane and I determine that by using dual TDS meters often yielding tds reading in the 5-7 PPM range. I would only run 2 systems except that my main system has a dual DI canister for aquarium use that demands 0 TDS. DI is not recommend for humans due to no minerals and the body over time changing chemistry no immediate threat just possible long term health issues. In both cases the 75 GPD is an excellent choice high output low TDS if you need lower TDS without the need of a DI stage a 24 GPD or lower GPD would be best.

Always remember to change out the restrictor to the correct size if you are increasing the GPD I have talked to the watts premier technical support and this membrane does work on all but one model and even then they told me if it fits it will work. I have a watts WP-5 highly modified that it worked just fine unfortunately not in use due to I cannot monitor all I need to monitor which are pressure drops between stages telling me when to change filters or regulate waste flow which later on I discovered the need to remove the built in restrictor I also couldn''t easily switch from a mechanical ASO to a more accurate ESO solonoid and Electronic pressure cut off. Ro systems are wasteful but can be made more efficient piggy backing membrane having 80-90 PSI and using electronic sensors and shut-offs. Filmtec 75 GPS is in my opinion the best overall choice quality VS. quantity and value 100 gpd is also an excellent choice but it starts to increase TDS %.

Just remember it is the prefilters that determine how long your membrane will last for Higher than 200 GPD you will need to change out more often I use a pressure gauge when the pressure drops I change them out. I rate the 75 Filmtec 5 out of 5 stars

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Es un buen producto. Es muy útil y una gran comodidad poder comprarlo desde latin america. lo recomiendo para otras transacciones.

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all went well. Even gave a warning to be sure all fit before opening packages to be able to return if wrong.

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This is a good product and very good price that I can find on internet. I recommend to others this product.

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I like it, the quality of the product its great the price its good too, in general the product its great

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SteamFast SF-140 1000-Watt Hard-Floor Steam Mop Save 57% Off

I live in a neighborhood where EVERY home is "green built certified" this means that, to have that certification, the builder built no homes with carpet. All the main floors are polished concrete and the upper floors wood. The bathrooms all have tile and/or slate in every home.

Because of this, as you could imagine, steam mops are quite the neccessity...not only because they get the hard surfaces better than anything else, but because they are also "green" and clean chemical free. I''ll be honest, for us...that''s a bonus but we weren''t cleaning chemical free before. We like chemical free for our pet''s paws but I''ll confess I was mopping with chemicals before I got my steamer and just kept the pets out of the room while doing it because, up until then, I couldn''t get it clean any other way.

Okay, so that said...we decided to have a steamer show down to compare 6 different steamers because my friends and I knew as long as we are in these homes we are gonna have to have a steamer to get all these hard floors clean...we may as well figure out which one to buy next go round. Because my own home is graced with 2 cats, 3 dogs, and two gregarious cooks, my kitchen floor (which had not ever been cleaned by a steamer since my steamer had just arrived) was the testing spot.

Mind you, I vaccuum twice per week and do a mega mop twice a week. I THOUGHT I had pretty clean floors in spite of my pet capacity.

I thought wrong. These picked up dirt so well it''s scary

So here''s the results:

1. steam mops are the mac daddys of clean floors. What these things picked up was tremendous and no comparison to my vigorous prior constant major mopping.

2. So now I''ll break down the elements of each mop we used and then go into more detail about each at the end.

We tried out:

"S": The shark by Europro

"E" The Envirosteamer by Eureka

"H" the haan steamer

"M" the Monster

"B" The Bissell Green Tea

"SF" The SteamFast SF-140 by SteamFast

CORD LENGTH: so you don''t have to stop and unplug and replug in somewhere else:

Shark ( will be referred to as S):20 feet

Envirosteamer (will be referred to as E): 25 feet

Haan: (will be referred to as H)19''8"

Monster (will be referred to as M): 25 feet

Bissell (will be referred to as B) 17 feet

SteamFast (will be referred to as SF): 18.7 ft.

STEAM TEMPERATURE: this is a primary element. The hotter the steam, the more dirt picked up and hot steam will also kill parasites, mold and mildew and loosen more dirt:

S 110 degrees. lame

E 220 degrees. very hot

H 212 degrees. very hot

M 266 degrees. hottest...although the envirosteamer and haan seemed plenty hot enough. The shark didn''t clean nearly as well and this was one reason. 110 degrees just isn''t going to melt off stuck on grime.

B 125 degrees. Note that, because of this low steam temperature the manual said that if I wanted to sanitize the floor or pick up caked on spills, I had to hold the steamer on the spot for 15 seconds but no more than 20 because that could damage some floors. Now I don''t know about you, but if I can sanitize with one swipe of the other steamers because of their sanitizing temps my floor will be done WAY faster but I don''t have a timer to worry about the extra 5 secons where my wood floors could get damaged. My sink water is hotter than this so it would take less time to use a regular mop if I have to hold the steamer on every spot of my floor for 15 seconds to santize. Just sayin

SF: 137 degrees. Not hot enough to clean well and sanitize.

BUILD:

We found how it was made corresponded with issues with the steamer. The Shark, for example, was quite flimsy and they actually sell replacement handle kits because so many people have issues with the handle breaking! We know this because my neighbor''s shark broke and the store had a replacement handle kit on the shelf because he said "it happens often". That''s an extra cost.

Envirosteamer: Was 5.4 lbs which made it lightweight but strong enough that you didn''t have to press down to clean. Very well made and strong parts

Haan: not made as well as the envirosteamer but it''s more expensive so this was a surprise. A bit flimsy and you need to press down on it more to clean at 3.15 lbs.

Monster: hefty and well made at 9 lbs but a bit too heavy unless you want a good workout. (Note: They have changed the Monster handles on the mops now and they are all plastic and people are having breakage issues)

Bissell: It''s 8.4 pounds but that includes a water filter that you have to get for this one (see notes below)

SteamFast: very flimsy plastic all over, but it''s also more affordable than the other mops so it''s a bit of a trade off. 7 lbs.

WATER CAPACITY: Very important because having to stop and add more water just adds on to the time you have to spend cleaning, especially if you are cleaning a hallway or livingroom or some other area that has no sink:

S: only holds 10 oz of water. Lasted for 10 miinutes of cleaning

E: holds 20 oz. of water. Lasted for over 20 minutes of cleaning (we stopped at 20 and it was still going)

H: holds 11.83 oz of water. Lasted for 13 minutes of cleaning

M: holds 17 oz. of water. Lasted for 15 minutes of cleaning

B: holds 13 oz of water, lasted for 12.5 minutes of cleaning AND you have to undo and remove the tank from the machine every time you fill it up then hook it back on and the steam tank is on the handle rather than the base so the steam doesn''t flow directly out after heating up which may explain why it''s not as hot once it leaves the machine. The way this mop is made the water flows past heating elements which can, according to Bissell, develop calcium deposits on it so this is the only mop where, because of this, you also have to use a water filter with it and replace the water filter when there is build up which means and extra 12 bucks every few months. The better mops are made to heat the water in a metal tank so this is not an issue and you pour the water directly into the tank.

SF: Holds the least amount of water and I had to stop and fill up and get the water reheated often in trying to clean the floor. Only holds 8 oz of water and if you use 8 oz it gets your floor too wet so we wound up filling it with just 7.5 oz of water for best results and it only lasted 7 minutes when we did that before we had to refill again.

STEAM HOLES: We found a difference although you''d think they''d all be the same. The shark only had one hole that the steam came out of so it wasn''t cleaning things on the edges, just in one spot. All the others had steam coming from bottom and sides.

SIZE: The taller it is the less stooping, the wider the mop head, the more it covers

S: 40"Hx12"Wx7"D

E: 50"Hx13.25"Wx6.75"D (the fact that this depth was smaller made it reach under applicances better...it fit better under things)

H: 50.5x11.5x7.5

M: 48x12.7.5

B: 45.25H (this was uncomfortably short) x11 x8.4 (even though this didn''t fit under cabinets because of the depth it did swivel the best)

SF:49x11.8x7

Conclusion of comparison: First it must be pointed out that, in order to use the shark and the Bissell, you had to keep pumping the water. This was the most annoying feature of anything...the others just steamed on their own and didn''t wear out your fingers. Hated this feature of the shark and Bissell. We liked that the Monster, the Shark, the Envirosteamer, the SteamFast and the Bissell came with 2 cleaning pads rather than one. The Haan only came with one at the time of the review (I double checked since when she bought hers it was also only one and as of today, that hasn''t changed) so that ups the price even more because I can''t imagine only wanting one to clean. All worked well on sanitizing mattresses and showers. too.

But the winner picked by all of us unanimously as the mop we want to have for our next steam mop order?

The Eureka Envirosteamer. It picked up the most dirt, was made as well as the Monster but was less expensive, held the most water, emitted the most very hot steam so it sanitized as well, lasted 3 times as long with one water resevor fillup as the others, and had a cord as long as the monster. BUT if you have carpets than I would recommend the Monster because it has a carpet attachment that allows you to steam clean your carpets and it picked up pretty close to the same amount of dirt as the Eureka Envirosteamer, and had close to the same features...a bit heavier though but that may make it last even longer. It is costlier, but to clean 2 surfaces I would think that might make it worth it.

UPDATE: The Haan just started including 2 pads with the mop according to the product description page. Not that this changes our opinion since it didn''t work as well and the parts were flimsier, but it should be noted that this issue of not having enough cleaning pads has now been resolved and is equal to the other mops.

ANOTHER UPDATE: 1. The Shark came out with a new machine that holds more water and has a longer cord BUT it still only heats the water to 110 degrees so it won''t sanitize or get rid of trapped grime at this "bathwater" temperature.

Another update: I haven''t tried it yet but was told about an even better mop than the Eureka Envirosteamer but I can''t personally afford it...still, it''s worth mentioning in case you can. It''s called the Ladybug XL2300 and is a canister steam mop. It heats the water to 298 degrees (woah!) so it''s a super sanitizer but it''s over a thousand bucks. It also comes with 6 towels. I didn''t include it in my review because I haven''t ever tried it and I wanted to only include mops I personally tried but it''s got great enough stats that, even though it''s out of my price range, I thought I''d pass it on as a super sanitizer.

Also: Don''t spend money buying extra pads for the Eureka. I was in a pinch and used a kitchen dish towel...the rectangular kind...just clip on both ends. It worked just as good or better...because they are thinner so the steam penetrates faster and therefore reaches the floor hotter. However, I would recommend still only using the thick pads that come with it for your wood floors just to be safe. But the super hot steam penetrating the dish towel worked excellent on tile and hard floors. Also, you can flip both the towel and the pads that come with it on the Eureka to double the usage...when it gets dirty, just flip it over and use the other side. I use several old dish towels with this but I like best the kind that just have a bit of texture but no squares sewn on them...but they all work great. So do the pads.

used this for the first time today on the ceramic tiles in my kitchen. it was in some serious need of cleaning but the scrubbing always killed my back. i was amazed how it just cut through the foot path that goes through the kitchen out the back door. and the ring around the dog bowl yeah cut right through it. it would be nice if it lasted longer but right about the time it runs out of steam so do i. i just sit down take a little break and about the time i''m ready to go again so is it!!! quite a little trooper. definitely worth the money. will be interesting to see how long it lasts. but even if it only lasts 6 months it''s paid for itself in time i''ve saved cleaning the floors. it usually takes me 1/2 hour to clean the kitchen floor (i have a "country kitchen"), it took me 15 minutes!~~and it was definitely cleaner than i ever got it!

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This is my 2nd Steam Mop. First one (different brand) died after 2 years. One of my criteria for a steam mop is that it must have continuous steam. I do not like steam mops like the Shark where you must pump the mop in order to create steam. The second item to look for is how many WATTS the steam mop is. Anyting under 1,000 Watts is not really worth considering. Third is the convenience of putting on the microfiber pad. The velcro pads are the way to go.

This mop is not perfect but pretty good for $39. It is sturdier then most steam mops, has continuous steam generation, has 1,000 Watts of power, and velcro micropads. Some people left feedback that it left the floors too wet, but they have since revised the manual and recommended that you only use 200ml of water at a time in the tank instead of 250ml as indicated in the manual. The only negative comments I have is that they tank is fairly small at 200ml and the head does not swivel which makes it tough to get in small areas (such as around toilets). Overall for $39, great deal and does the job.

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I got the mop for Christmas. I used it after my company left on my ceramic and hard wood floors. It did a good job cleaning. I just felt like they weren''t clean enough without any kind of floor cleaning product but everything I have read says steam is better. Time will tell if I get used to that. I did not experience too much water left behind as some of the other reviewers found. Mine came with a separate piece of paper inserted in the manual that said to only use 200 ml. of water and not the recommended 250 ml. printed in the manual. I would recommend it to others.

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There is a reason this product carries the good housekeeping seal of approval.It is of superior quality! A call to customer service resulted in the addition of a small amount of vinegar to the distilled water in the tank to enhance it''s cleaning ability. I also leaves a nice clean aroma in the air along with the clean floor. customer service states the addition of the vinegar will not harm the unit.

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Holmes HWF62 Humidifier Filter Save 52% Off

The wick based humidifiers, noise notwithstanding, are far superior to their ultrasonic counterparts due to the effectiveness and precision in controlling true relative humidity. I use vinegar, a cup to enough water to immerse the filter in a bucket not much wider than the filter diameter. The vinegar does away with the brown mineral deposits, and makes it as good and efficient as when new. Never let the water in the tank run out, and these filters, with weekly vinegar treatment, will last up to two months each. When the plastic housing begins to wear out, it is also about time you changed the filter. Folks who gave this product a low rating based on extraneous factors to do with the noise of the main unit should know better. These reviews are about the filter and not the main unit! Also, despite the antimocrobial properties, some mold formation is inevitable in humid environments, so I clean the main unit every few months with basic G, a shaklee product that destroys any mildew or mold residual in the unit, this includes the grille and the fan components.

The filters work fine but once the humidifier itself gets dirty/dusty, it is almost impossible to clean perfectly and therefore the filter indicator always considers that the filter needs to be changed even though it is new.

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The plastic housing for the replacement filter disintergrates when washed. When the filter dries, it becomes very hard. This is ineffective as the dial on the humidifier registers that this new replacement needs changing and this filter needs constant changing. The new extra replacement filters (2) that were purchased 6 weeks ago have almost doubled in price since that purchase. The humidifier should be sold with multiple filters and now becomes a bad investment. We do not recommend this purchase.

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No fault of the filter. Its does its job.. But when you store your humidifier, the filter is usually useless to use again once it dries. It gets out of shape and discolors. Still, I like the filter option and when I purchase through Amazon, I normally buy two as the humidifier does not function without it because the vapors are drawn through the filter.

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I have to run a humidifier in Winter because it is so cold and dry where I live! These filters work great and are pretty cheap so I can buy enough for the whole winter. I go through about one a month from November thru April.

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PUR FM-3800 Water Filtration System

• Easily attaches directly to your faucet.
• Comes with two 3 stage water filters.
• Durable metal threads insure long life and a complete seal.
• Features a filter life indicator to assist in informing you to change the water filter.
• The replacement filter for this PUR FM-3800 faucet filter system is the PUR RF-9999 faucet filter.

Bought this product about a year ago. After 12 months it developed a crack in the plastic body and started spraying water all over the place. Since the product came with a 5 year warranty I thought I would be covered. Ha... After an hour of discussion on the phone with customer service in India, I was told it was only a 1 year warranty. Insisting I know the difference between the number 1 and 5 didn''t help much. I ended up getting a 10$ voucher towards buying.... you guessed it.... another inferior Pur product.

Go for Brita at least they stand behind their products

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I have owned this type of water filter for years. The first one lasted several years before finally breaking, requiring my buying a new one (fortunately, I bought it at Costco). This new plastic version is very cheap. Yes, it''s easier to attach to the faucet, but at the price of constantly falling off. Within a month, the attachment is stripped. Because I bought it at Costco, though, I was able to return it. I have now returned this stupid water filter THREE TIMES and need to return it again.

So don''t waste your money. Get another kind of filter. I''m still looking for one.

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Installed OK and seemed to work fine for a couple of weeks. I now believe the filter use indicator is not working. This filter replaced another Pur filter that started squirting water from a crack near the filter indicator window (so I know how the filter indicator is supposed to work). I must say the replaced white plastic filter did last 8 years or so. A working filter use indicator would really be nice.

Also, 3-4 weeks into use, the bottom plastic chrome cover just popped off. I knew this would be "plastic" chrome, but it would look better with the faucet than white. Anyway, I should not have gone this cheap. It''s been disappointing. It would probably be better, if you like this kind of filter, to spring for the stainless steel version.

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I''m quite dissatisfied with the quality of the tap water where I currently live. It has a bad smell and a significant aftertaste. Therefore, I used to buy gallon-size bottled water to prepare tea or to get fine drinking water.

The PUR FM-3800 cleans the tap water *really* nicely. No bad smell, no aftertaste. In my opinion, the quality of the filtered tap water competes with that of the locally sold bottled water and since putting a glass/bottle under the tap is way much more convenient than messing with purchasing, storing and pouring bottled water, I can highly recommend this product.

As for the design, this filter is a little bulky. However, its chrome finish makes it fit perfectly into my kitchen scene. The flip-to-use mechanism also renders it easy and convenient to use.

Again, I''d be more than happy to buy this product again (or a replacement filter).

I recently purchased the PUR FM-3800B water filter and installed it onto my brand new Kohler kitchen faucet. The plastic adapter screwed into the faucet just fine, but it leaks profusely with water streaming down into the sink, and this happens regardless of the position of the filter switch. After I wrote the manufacturer, in 2 weeks they sent me a set of adapters that were identical to the adapters that were in the original package. I tried a different adapter, with the same results. I returned the entire package to the vendor and got a replacement, with the same leaky results. After complaining to the manufacturer, their only response was that the filter system only fits 90% of the faucets out there, sorry, I must have one it doesn''t fit. Pretty lousy customer service. They certainly don''t stand behind their product.

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Haan Allpro Handheld Steam Cleaner

After reading the reviews I wasn''t sure what to expect or if I would even be happy my purchase. I think part of the expectations is the buyers motivation for wanting such a device. The only 2 motivations that I can think of is get away from chemicals in your home or a device to ease with cleaning. If you are trying to get away from chemicals, I think you will be happy. If you''re motivation is the latter, you may or may be not happy, I think then it boils down to what you''re expecting it to do. If you are expecting not to put any effort into cleaning, you may be happier hiring a cleaning service. Otherwise I still think you may be happy with it on certain jobs.

My personal motivation is that I am trying to get away from the use of chemicals in my home. With that said, at the very least I figured I could clean with water, elbow grease, E-clothes (micro fiber clothes), and then go back over to steam what I cleaned to kill any germs or bacteria.

This device is not a miracle worker, but some of the things I have cleaned where much easier and quicker than a traditional way. Other things it did not take off. I myself wasn''t expecting a miracle worker. The other thing I would add on this is that once cleaned, I suspect if the Haan steamer is used to maintain, one should not have to put as much effort into cleaning.

Some examples:

I cleaned under my stove. If anyone is like myself and neglect this task or one like it (under the refrigerator), you''ll know what I am talking about. It was MUCH quicker and easier with the Haan. I swept first. Then I went over it with the steamer, wiped up the mess with a towel. Then for good measure I went back over one more time, even though, it didn''t look like it needed it. It was so quick I wondered why I had neglected it as it was no big deal. Without the Haan that would have taken a bucket of detergent, scrubbing, rinsing, wiping, scrubbing, wiping, wiping... And more time spent doing it.

Mineral deposits that had gotten pretty bad around the water faucet, it didn''t'' take off. It cleaned the rest of the sink nicely, but I have not been able to get these deposits off without chemicals.

Carpet cleaning. It worked nicely on some spots, by steaming and blotting. One was used immediately and the others were not ones I had worked on so they were newer. On another bigger carpet spot, which I believe is due to carpet cleaning chemical residues, it lifted some but didn''t remove completely.

Other types of jobs, were quicker than a traditional way. The stove all I can say is WOW! I still had to put some elbow grease into it, but it did not take as long as it normally would or as much effort.

I cleaned the shower with clothes, and used the Haan for steaming germs and spots. Again it didn''t get the mineral build up spots, but it did get other spots of soap scum, that I didn''t get up with the microfiber. I suppose a big job like the shower, one could be disappointed as far a steam running out or if you''re expecting a miracle and to put no effort into it.

Finally I have read comments on the steam running out too quickly. I guess if you run a continuous stream of steam, it will run out. But honestly I don''t know why you would do this other than maybe a big window job. Because you still have to wipe up what you''re steaming, you can get a good amount off, stop wipe (see where you''re at with the job), and then start steaming again.

A Journalism Professor of mine once said that when writing a recommendation, one should make a distinction as to whether they are going to write a "review" or a "critique".

The "Reviewer", the Professor went on to say, tells the audience WHAT they should see; while the "Critic" should tell the audience WHY they should or should not see. As a reviewer I must join the many users of this small steam wonder who think it''s the best thing since sliced bread. Not perfect, but it truly is a time saver and a blessing for those of us to which "clean" MEANS clean and not "Pretty good except for that one spot...". The HS-20 is easy to fill with plain water, (no additives needed I prefer distilled water though)It heats up in a very reasonable time and absolutely gets in to clean every spot imaginable for a thorough (especially around the bases of bathtubs and toilets)cleaning.

For those of us with mobility problems it''s even better. Combined with it''s bigger brother (or sister if you prefer) the Haan slim & light floor sanitizer, I am finally able to get my home really clean with a minimum amount of strain on my spine and knees. Even though I can only work for 10 0r 15 minutes at a time, that brief cleaning time results in excellent results.

Having said that, let me switch to some minor criticism of the Haan HS-20 Deluxe Personal Sanitizing Hand Cleaner with Attachments. Remember I love this little dynamo so don''t let these comments stand in the way of your purchase. Instead, I hope the folks at Haan can pick up on these and maybe do some tweaking.

I have a couple of issues. First is with the user''s manual. The manual does not explain all the attachments and how they can be used clearly enough. The explanations are implied rather than spelled out. For example, the set up comes with two items that are called a Microcham Towel and a Microcham Sponge what are these for? Are they meant for use with the steamer for cleaning purposes? Is the Microcham towel meant for cleaning some type of surface or is it a base onto which one should put the steamer itself? I just couldn''t find clear explanations for their use. I think it might be helpful for the folks at Haan if they would review the users manual, with an mindset toward more detailed, yet simple explanations. That would make it easier for the user to follow, and understand the attachments

The second thing is that while the "Extension Hose" allows the user into tight places very well, it is still a bit awkward to handle. I had trouble maneuvering it into tight places. It felt as if the extender was crimping and pulling the unit over. I don''t know the mechanics or engineering here but, if some sort of swivel could be built into a slightly longer and more flexible attachment, it would allow for getting into tight spots (like around the toilet at the floor( and under the toilet rim). A longer extension hose with a swivel would also help those of us who have mobility problems and trouble getting to low places (like floors and corners).

So, there you have it. Even though to some, the price of these products is small; for me, they represented a serious investment of my limited retirement income. I did my homework first and found both of these products to be among the best if not THE best items of their type on the market. Be patient with the users manual and be patient using the smaller HS-20 personal sanitizing hand held steam cleaner. They truly are products that I can swear by and recommend highly.

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This handheld steamer is wonderful.I use for pet stains on carpeting fisrt spraying a small amount of stain remover and it does a great job. I also use it for my juice extractor to get beta carotene buildup off.

Anyone who uses an extractor daily knows what I''m talking about.No amount of hand scrubing gets that off. It heats very quickly,the attachments are good and eay to switch out. I had another brand and it

was a piecs of junk.I bought this based on reviews I read of other Haan products.Its easy to use,substantisl without being heavy or awkward to

to handle. Well worth the price.

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As with any products you wanna check out the reviews before buying. I know some may be payed to post fake reviews but to find out im a legit buyer, just search me on myspace and ask me there.

I bought this product and it was pretty cool. Came with a bunch of attachement, micro fibber cloth, micro fiber sponge. I read the instructions twice since its my first time messing with a steamer.

There is one negative review i read saying that after one use, this person refilled the steamer with water and then couldnt get the cap to close anymore. I think its because of the people that sell it forgot to advise what happenes when you add cold water to hot metal. Oh yeah btw i noticed the inside of the steamer is copper, i think. The cap twists on it like a large bolt with a rubber cap. Its a little complicated since you gotta apply a bit of force, not only pushing the cap down but also turning it. Dont force it too much or you might mess it up and have a leak. Hot metal expands so dont cool it down right away by adding watter. USE THE FUNNEL, trust me. I recommend you buy a bigger one, the one they supply is small.

At first I struggled with this product, I added water, let it heat up, and once the light came on I started spraying. First I tried it with the long cone (shaped like an anal probe lol). It spit out steam with water like a sprinkler. I thought I put it on wront so I refit it but still, same result. So then I used the other peice with the flat end. Looks like a small vaccum. All it did was spit out 4 streams of hot water. I was beggining to loose hope that the thing actually worked. So I took off the adaptor and tried it just how you see is in the picture. Turns out it worked better that way.

Once the light turns red that meant the steam is ready. Unfortunately you only get a few seconds of spray time before it goes off, and then you gotta let the steamer reheat (Takes bout 5-15 seconds depending on how long you sprayed). It constantly has to heat up again and again so you gotta have patience with it. You cant tilt it pointing down or else you spray out hot water, thats another thing to watch ot for that the seller did not mention in the instructions. I guess thats why they included a bendable nozzle but i havent tried it yet since 2 nozzles already failed.

One main reason I bought the steamer, I wanted to see if this thing could take out the hard year old grease drops that are crusted on the wall behing my stove(gross I know, but hey I was a single guy living on my own). Unfortunately the solid grease won that battle. Yeah i know, I should of cleaned my walls sooner lol.

Another reason was to make ironing my clothes a lot easier, i remember seeing in the mall they use to sell an iron that shot out steam, but that didnt go as planned :/ my shirt ended up soaked.

Id did however work on the tile countertop, the steamer worked great at cleaning in between the tiles, from black to white.

Its pretty good with recent grease stains, on the stove, and mold in the bath tub. The only thing is that it only gives you about 5-10 minutes of continous spray before you gotta refil it with water.

My best results with this thing were without the attachments, and up close to where the tip of the steamer is almost touching the stain you are trying to remove.

Oh yeah, as for the windows, I have yet to try it. I''m a bit nervous about cold glass meating hot steam. Wouldnt wanna shatter a window. I think ill stick to traditional windex for now ^_^

-Dark Jester Photographer

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I have the steam mop. And when I fell in love with that I decided to buy the handheld steamer for my bathroom. It cleaned not only my bathroom, but it has all kinds of attachemnts that helped me clean my windows, mirrors, sofa, kitchen and lots of other things I cant even think of yet.

The Haan co. has been just wonderful. They have a 1800 # to call with questions or anyting u need.

This was money well spent. It made cleaning all the soap scum in my bath easy. And I never realized how easy it was to clean windows with a steamer. Its wonderful!!

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CeraGrav LP-5 Replacement filter

• 0.9 Micron absolute - 100% removal of cysts - 99.99% pathogenic bacteria
• Chlorine reduction 95% - Organics reduction 95%
• Cleanable for prolonged life - Silver-impregnated to prevent bacteria growth
• you get 1 2" by 7" CeraGrav Filter Element - Cerasyl ceramic outer shell-coconut GAC core
• Comes with washer and wingnut

I bought one of these when I bought the CeraGrav LP-5 Gravity Filter system; it was on Amazon''s ''buy together'' recommendation, and I thought it''d be nice for a backup. Because of the slowness of the filters, I ended up using this with the two that came with the filter.

This ''replacement'' filter comes in a plain white box, with a sticker stating it''s a replacement filter. It''s whiter than the Doulton''s that came with the filter system, and, unlike them (which state they''re "Made In England"), these have no text on the pipe end. The washers and plastic seem a bit smaller, but it could be my imagination. The official Doulton filters came in a box listing all the things they filter as well as their model; these don''t: I''m not even sure they''re ''supersterasyl'' ones (beyond the seller stating they are). (For a picture, look at the CeraGrav LP-5 page, where you can see how this is different than the other two in my system.)

I don''t know if the differences are merely cosmetic, but I''m less than enthused about not knowing what I''m actually buying, especially when it comes to something this important.

Update: After a month of use, I haven''t had any issues --I haven''t gotten sick off the pond water I''ve been dumping into my cistern, at any rate.

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Our filter came with 2 filters and was a bit low after putting in the third one water is clean pure and down right tasty and dont take as long as with two gonna order more as it will hold Five thanks for a great prouduct

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Product arrived very rapidly and in great shape. The filters work very well. They take all of the poor taste out and provide a very drinkable water. I have a 3 -1/2 gallon filtering system and it takes all night for the filter to process that amount of water. This shows me that the filter is really working in a fine fashion and not letting larger sized items through the filter. The water is clear and great tasting. I highly recommend these filters. I could speed up the process by using more than one filter at a time, however we don''t need the speed right now with only two individuals drawing on the supply. I will be ordering additional filters as a backup since I had expected my new water system to come with a set of filters and it did not. This order was supposed to be for backup but was installed immediately.

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La Pavoni PA-1200 Napolitana Stainless Steel Automatic Espresso Machine Save 18% Off

La Pavoni PA-1200 Napolitana Stainless Steel Automatic Espresso Machine

This is my third machine in 12 years. My first machine was a Krups Novo with a thermal heat block and a back pressure or modified filter holder. My second machine was a Starbucks Barista with a stainless steel boiler but also with a back pressure filter holders which produce a simulated espresso. The La Pavoni Napoletana is the real thing. You can''t make or buy a better espresso.

This is an excellent espresso machine for the starter or the advanced barista. Heats up quickly and the heavy brass boiler, brass head and filter holder keep the machine ready for use. Consistently pulls espresso with a nice crema. The steam function provides plenty of steam to whip up thick frothed milk for cappuccinos. The grinder is easy to adjust maybe a little loud and holds enough beans for about 14 shots. The grinder isn''t centered over the filter so you need to hold the filter tipped towards the back to keep the coffee in the holder. The machine is solid stainless steel, the drip trays are plastic but good enough. The reservoir holds 3 liters and is a little tight to remove and replace. The pump supplies plenty of pressure. I use the grinder setting between 5 4 depending on the bean.

Note: If you want a real espresso machine stay away from the machines with thermal heat blocks or steel boilers and any machine that uses a back pressure or modified filter holders isn''t going to make a real espresso.

October 2011 Update: Well, I''ve been using this machine for 4 years now. 200 pounds of coffee beans and 4400 shots of espresso later the machine is still going steady. The plastic buttons are a little worn and the plastic bean reservoir has yellowed a little but the pump still puts out and the boiler heats as fast as ever. I now use the grinder setting between 4 3.5, (probably a sign of wear). I''ll post another update in 2015 or sooner if the machine gives out.

Having used a roomate''s decent Starbucks Barrista for a year, then suffering through a horrible Krups model (which I returned in disgust), I knew that when I finally got around to buying an espresso machine, I wanted a quality machine at a reasonable price. A strong pump and good innards are required to make an espresso with beautiful golden foam. I adore cappucino so require a good steamer that makes excellent foam. And I didn''t have an espresso grinder (but know that proper fine grind is CRITICAL). No one knows coffee like the Italians, so buying one made there was also preferable. As I did my research the LaPavoni Napolitana fit all my requirements.

I am completely and utterly besotted with this machine! It is perfect for those looking for a quality machine without breaking the bank. As far as I''m concerned the makers didn''t skimp on any essentials. Right from my first shot, this machine brewed the perfect espresso. It''s very easy to learn and use. Also very easy to maintain and keep clean.

Also, disregard the comments about the water reservoir being difficult to remove and refill. Mine was absolutely not difficult to remove and I''m a 100-lb-weakling type! I HIGHLY recommend this machine to anyone considering purchasing one. Every shot is perfect. I am addicted beyond all description, but it matters not, as I''m always a few short steps a way from a affordable, quality crack... er, espresso!

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I knew I had to have an espresso machine after using a friends Starbucks Barrista but that machine proved hard to find... guess it''s discontinued, so I opted for a Starbucks Serena which was a huge disappointment!! I promptly returned the Serena and ordered the Napolitana instead.

I went out to meet the UPS truck, and as I signed for my new machine, the UPS lady let the box tumble down the stairs of her truck and onto the ground..urgh!!

I eagerly unpacked the new machine, plugged it in, followed the directions to prime it, got steam...but no pump!! I was so disappointed!! I started to fill out the Amazon return form, but decided to sleep on it. The next morning I pulled out a screw driver, thinking that something had jiggled loose from the poor UPS handling, and after removing 2 screws and carefully prying the top off, I found that the wiring harness had slid off the pump. I pushed it back on, marveled at the simplicity of the parts inside, and had it put back together and brewing great espresso in 5 minutes (I don''t know that I would recommend doing this, as I probably voided the warranty, but who''s going to know :) ).

I brewed a great espresso the first time I used the machine, and am getting a little better with each one. I like the fact that I can make adjustments with the grinder, and adjust how much pressure I use with the tamper, and thereby have control over the quality of my crema, and the strength of the coffee. Even though I am a novice barrista, I like the fact that this machine allows me to learn and get better.

The quality of the machine seems excellent. The stainless steel looks great and is easy to clean. The portafilter is heavy and stays hot for a long time. The steam frother works great. The grinder is noisy, but I''ve never used one that wasn''t. I look forward to using this machine for years and years.

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we''ve had this machine a few years now, bought on the suggestion of a friend who had one who bought because his friend did lots of research and decided this is the best machine on the market. My mom also has this machine. She bought hers after buying another $500 machine that just did not stack up to this and ended up giving that machine away to buy the LaPavoni. Great crema every time (you do it right). It''s true there is a steep learning curve with this machine. It takes weeks to dial the burr grinder in exactly, depending on your bean, elevation, time of year, etc. Also how hard to tamp the coffee is super important. There is a built in tamper, but you can''t really get the leverage you need to tamp it hard enough, so buy a $5 tamper to go with it. Coffee is an art form and this is your brush! Just don''t expect spectacular results right out of the box, if that''s what you want get a "pod" machine, wuss. But for aficionados who can afford it, this is the one to get.

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I have owned one of these machines for about 5 months. I''d say it is well worth the money especially considering it has a built in grinder that works well. I''ve used many different blends of coffee and have learned that the grind is super important. If you are not able to pull a nice shot with good crema then you don''t have the right grind. This machine also requires a nice firm tamping and the proper amount of space left in the porta filter before you lock and load. The weak points are 1. The steamer: It is not powerful enough for nice tight micro foam. That said using the adaptor you can make a nice foam that tastes great. 2. The lack of temperature adjustment. 3. The normal single boiler woes.

This is a great starter/intermediate machine for someone who is not ready for the financial commitment of a prosumer machine in the $2000 range. It is reliable, efficient, great looking and easy to use once you figure out the items mentioned above. It taught me a lot about espresso making and frothing.

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