Vornado MD1-0002 Wick Humidifier Filter 2 Pack Save 19% Off

These humidifier filters are as cheap as they get and lasts forever! We live in the Southwestern desert and our family members all have naturally dry skin so our humidifiers practically run year around (one in each bedroom, 365 nights a year). I only need to replace these filters about twice a year because, every month, I soak them in vinegar to remove the hard water deposits. This keeps the filters supple and able to absorb/output more moisture into the air. Don''t buy the cheap "fakes" on eBay; get the original Vornado filters; they''ll last a whole lot longer than the "fakes". Love the Vornado humidifiers too -easiest to use and clean!

I have always received the Vornado filters in the original Vorando box. This time it was different as it just came in plastic. The filters also stink like rotten fish and spread the smell when the humidifier is turned on. THESE ARE NOT ORIGINAL VORNADO FILTERS! Please refrain from buying these as the seller is not selling the original filters.

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Coolest thing about these, they fit ANY Vornado Humidifier! That takes all the worry away about figuring out the right size/type of replacement wick to get. So easy!

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Vornado humidifiers work great, but our wicks need changing every 2-3 weeks. They get really stinky (bacteria smell) if they stay in longer and using the bacteriostat makes the water bubble and leak out the sides of the unit. The reason I''ve only given the wicks 3 stars is that they''re too expensive and getting more expensive. I used to be able to get them at a local store for about $8 or $9 each, but nobody stocks them any more and to get the free shipping from Amazon, you have to buy them from the Amazon store (not one of their partners) where currently they are selling for $14.99 each. That''s $30 worth of filters every month.... I just can''t afford that.

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These are not genuine Vornado filters. Nor are they even a usable substitute for the genuine product. They do not "wick" water in the humidifier. Don''t be fooled by the price, and do not order this product!

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Capresso 303.01 4-Cup Espresso and Cappuccino Machine Save 20% Off

For the money this is an excellent machine for non-commericial use. My spouse is totally hooked on lattes. We usually make 2-20 ounce lattes at one time; although, we have made 3 sets of 2-20 ounce lattes back to back. The Capresso is fast. The espresso is flavorful and hot. The steamer quickly heats the milk to perfection and creates as little or as much froth as you prefer.

During the last 20 years, we have had 6 or 7 different espresso machines ranging from $40.00 to $180.00 in price. This one which retails for $105.00 (we paid less on Amazon)is the best. It is easy to use and creates exceptionally good coffee drinks.

A word of caution for any machine you purchase: READ the INSTRUCTIONS. The directions for each machine differ slighty. My caffeine addicted hubby overfilled the water chamber on a very expensive espresso/cappuccino machine and broke it.

The Capresso 303.01 is the machine I would recommend to friends and family. We are extremely happy with this machine.

UPDATE January 2012: We are still loving this machine. After at least twice a daily use (sometimes abuse), it is just starting to act a little tired. The carafe was replaced due to human error. Apparently glass breaks when dropped into a sink. (Amazon had the least expensive replacement.) The steamer is still going strong. Recently I have noticed that the espresso is not brewing quite as hot as it had been for the first 2+ years. Other than that our espresso machine is functioning well. When this machine finally dies, I plan to replace it with another 303.01. The price is currently at an all time low.

I waited a few months before I submitted my review on this machine. The last machine I bought (a Mr. Coffee steam espresso machine) lasted only 3 months before it quit working. I''m happy to say that this machine makes perfect espresso every time. The steam wand works well for frothing and heating the milk, and you can also vary the strength of the espresso. To top it off, the whole unit is easy to clean. You can pop out the bottom shelf where the carafe sits and put it in the dishwasher.

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So I bought this machine because of the price, expecting it to be a piece of junk or perhaps a surprise. As the directions in the box say, this is an entry level machine. After using it, I think they are correct, although that is not a bad thing at all.

The espresso is very good, although it does not create much crema. I have had better espresso in Italy, but I really bought this to make cappuccinos with and $59.99 is cheaper than a flight to Florence. It is also very dependent on the type of coffee you use (I purchased Illy''s espresso ground in decaf amazing! I was very, very surprised with the quality of the coffee yum!).

I became very, very frustrated with the frother, even purchasing an aerolatte frother to see if I could live with that type of froth (btw I can''t. There''s nothing like steamed froth). The frother seemed inconsistent at first. Most of that is my lack of experience frothing, which after reading online the various debates and instructions, perhaps the best advise was to buy a gallon of milk and get started because it does take some practice. BUT I had an amazing discovery, and perhaps this will help you too:

1. I took off the plastic attachment and am just now only using the metal wand, and am having very few problems. I just couldn''t seem to get the hang of the plastic gizmo which is supposed to make it easier. But the metal wand by itself works great!

2. Start with cold milk and froth first (Don''t follow the company''s directions of heating the milk first and then frothing. Perhaps this is correct, but I couldn''t get a consistent froth either me or the machine, can''t say.). The milk will heat naturally with creating the froth, and as soon as you are done with your froth, you can finish it off by putting the wand deeper in the milk and completing the steaming.

3. When frothing, hold the container by it''s body, not by a handle, and don''t let it get any hotter than you can comfortably hold. If the milk gets too hot, the froth will start to disappear. It''s got something to do with chemistry if you''re interested, there are lots of sites online that go into excrutiating detail.

4. Directions say that nonfat or 1% are the best choices of milk. Online, they say 2% or whole milk. I would say, go with the higher fat content. They do in Italy, and look at you funny if you ask for nonfat. The frothing seems to work better with a little fat and the cappuccino tastes really wonderful this way.

5. Making these things take a little time. Not something you want to do if you''re in a hurry to get to work.

6. Also, you need to stay and watch the thing get involved. Frothing is quick (about 30 seconds), but you have to concentrate and not get distracted with other things. You have to pay attention or you will ruin your froth.

7. The process of making the espresso requires that you watch it. Sorry, but you can''t go and do something else.

In answer to the irritable person that said it took a lifetime to drain the steam out of the machine to make more cappuccinos, here is my response to that:

1. It does NOT take a lifetime about 5 minutes total. Put a tall glass underneath the steaming wand, turn the steam up all the way, and leave it alone. You can make more cappuccinos after that.

In answer to the other irritable person who said their coffee tasted burnt, here is my response:

1. What the heck are you doing? Perhaps not reading the directions? If you let all the water filter through like you would a coffee pot, it will taste burnt (and the instructions tell you that clearly). You have to follow the directions, perhaps read them a few times, and wait for the pot to either fill to 2 or 4 cups (making sure you put in the right amount of coffee).

Anyhow, I am keeping the machine. I am THRILLED to be able to make cappuccino''s at home. It was really fun to be able to offer fresh cappuccinos for desert on New Year''s Day dinner, that was truly delicious and an appropriate ending to a gourmet meal. They really are delicious.

I can see how eventually, I will want a more expensive machine that is perhaps more sophisticated, but for the time being, it serves the purpose just fine, making a delicious cup, giving great pleasure and relaxation, and letting me learn how to properly froth milk.

UPDATE Jan 5, 2010: My husband mentioned that the metal which holds the coffee was kind of funky looking. I started getting nervous, thinking that perhaps it might be aluminum, so I called the company. The company informed me that both the water boiler and the thing that holds the coffee ARE aluminum (not true for all the capresso products, but true for this lower end model). They come in direct contact with your water, get heated, and therefore, your coffee. I was trying to avoid aluminum products due to the uncertainty of the metal (there seems to be links to alzheimers and aluminum although not conclusive, FDA is ok with it, but probably not worth the risk). I''m probably going to return the machine as I am just too paranoid to take chances. Thought you all should know BUT it does not change my opinion of the quality of the cappucinos should you choose to buy it. I may purchase a Capresso steam frother instead (which is mostly plastic), and a stovetop unit made of stainless.

Read Best Reviews of Capresso 303.01 4-Cup Espresso and Cappuccino Machine Here

I bought this machine and actually like it though I realize it is an entry level appliance. It is a little messy at times before one gets used to its quirks. It does make very good expresso. Follow directions completely and then adjust as you get to know it. After about 10 trys I do very well with it and no longer spray milk around the kitchen. I would actually buy it again because of the great price and it seems sturdy enough to last.

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I got this wonderful machine for Christmas and have been using it nearly every day. I am a college senior and aspiring medical school student, so I''m hoping it lasts me a while. I''m so happy to be making my own cappuccinos and espressos using the delicious Illy brand that they used in Italy, France, and Greece when I was abroad.

I really don''t understand some of the negative reviews--I have no problem getting the boiler cap on (you just have to make sure it''s aligned), have never burnt my espresso (follow the instructions and don''t run all the water through!), and releasing steam (for 1-2 shots) only takes about a minute.

Pros: Small, sleek design. Easy to clean. FAST. Comes with a scoop/tamper-in-one. Good for one person, and for entertaining a few guests. You can control the strength of your coffee. Frother is easy to use--I love my froth. Not messy.

Cons: For me this is not a con because I can''t drink things that are too hot, but like a previous reviewer said, the espresso is a bit on the warm (not hot) side if you''re only making one shot. Also, it is slightly annoying to clean off milk residue from the silver froth wand, but I just do it immediately after use and it''s fine.

This is my first espresso/cappuccino machine, and all in all, I think it''s a wonderful, easy to use machine.

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PUR CR-6000 2 Stage Oval Water Pitcher

I thought it was great that this pitcher had a light that would tell you when to change the filter. However, after only a couple of weeks of single person use (and not that often), it told me to change the filter. I did, thinking something might have been wrong with the first one, only to have the same thing happen again. At $6-7 per filter, it''s not worth it.

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Copco 4- to 8-Cup Polished Stainless Steel Stovetop Percolator Save 23% Off

This is a great little coffee percolator, especially for the inexpensive price. For one person it makes more than I need, since the full "8 cups" comes out to about 4 normal mugs full.

I used the original plastic top for the first use, and it didn''t seem to get too hot at all. Some mentioned the top melting in other reviews. Once the pot reaches a boil turn the heat down to medium, since it will still percolate there''s no reason to boil on a red hot "high" burner (which may have caused the melting they mentioned).

Just in case I also purchased the replacement glass top (B0000CFM6K) advertised with the percolator here. It attached nice and tight, and works great too. I''m sure the inexpensive glass replacement top will last as long as the coffee pot.

Another great thing I noticed was that when I wet the basket, as recommended, before loading the coffee grinds no grinds ended up in the coffee at all. I thought there would be, but no grinds in any cups of coffee after a half dozen uses now. It''s a great little percolator.

(I also added some photos to add to the stock image above so you can see the size of the pot, and a comparison of the stock plastic and replacement glass tops)

Percolators really are a forgotten gem. With good coffee, nothing beats them for good coffee at low cost. In a small kitchen, nothing is as space-efficient as a stovetop unit. This model is good, as far as it goes. It is attractive and works well, although I would prefer that the basket and base were a bit wider. As others have commented, the plastic dome really is an inexcusable shortcoming. Even with careful use, it will fail after a year or so. The inner surface etches to a white color. The threads strip. And the bottom edge may distort (apparently steam is hot enough to melt the plastic. ) They could have provided a glass dome for about 50 cents more and made a much better product. You can get a glass replacement, but with delivery it''ll cost you nearly 8 bucks. Another shortcoming others have noted is the scrapingly sharp edges of the top and spout. They do seem to get smoother with use, however. One problem with this model is that the base is too narrow for all electric and many gas burners. It wastes energy and feels just a little unstable. The wider base of the otherwise similar Farberware Yosemite model makes it better on most stoves.

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We tend to have a lot of power outages in the winter, [we have a gas range] and we bought this coffee maker for that reason. We found the coffee so incredibly good, that we deep-sixed our electric coffee maker [an over-priced Cuisinart] and we now use the stove top percolator every day. What a difference between the two! Compared to the stove top, the Cuisinart made brown water! The stove top makes coffee like my grandmother use to make...coffee that tastes like coffee should!

Every coffee lover should try this percolator.....you''ll never go back to the automatics!

Read Best Reviews of Copco 4- to 8-Cup Polished Stainless Steel Stovetop Percolator Here

The metal is a nice weight, and the item is lovely in general. the plastic parts are, well, plastic (handle and perk top)but it really does not detract from a well-made item. the coffee is wonderful and strong and tastes much better than in my previous electric plug-in type makersince you can control the amount of time you let the coffee percolate, and i like strong coffee. i would definitely buy this item again, and recommend to friends. i don''t use my electric coffee maker any more at all. the only negative is that it only makes 8, 6oz cups at a time, and for company, that''s not muchabout 4 mugs, no seconds.

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I have used one of these for years and found this one to be the best even when there were more choices available. It has become difficult to find one that works on the stovetop or any open fire without electricity. I read one of the reviews for the Arcosteel 18/10 Stainless Steel Percolator also sold on Amazon. The reviewer complained about the pot rusting. I have not had a problem with rusting with this one and I have lived on a boat on salt water. I did have a problem with the plastic top that I suspect everyone that has had one has. They can melt. Too bad they dont correct this. I found a generic one of glass that fits and works perfect. I lost the strainer that fits atop the basket years ago, while washing it in the ocean, and it still works fine. Let the pot sit for a minute after removing it from the fire and any grounds in the coffee will settle to the bottom. Even if you dont have beans especially ground for a percolater as I normally don''t. I find the coffee to be richer and hotter than the electric type. You can vary the amount of grounds as well as the time to perk to get your desired strength. Dont forget it and let it boil dry or you will have to throw it away. I''m going to order a new one and keep my old one for backup before the electrostooges take over the world and we can no longer find one.

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Flavia J10NBK Fusion Drinks Station

I won''t attempt to compare this machine to the other brands out there, but I CAN attest to the fact that Flavia is darn good coffee.

My office has the great big Flavia machine that automatically disposes of the used packs, and is plumbed for water. Right beside that machine we have a coffee maker that is only brewed with Starbucks. For the past three years, the Flavia machine is ALWAYS more popular. It''s just fun to use also.

For anyone considering the middle of the line SB100 machine, keep in mind that it does NOT handle multiple-pack brews. That means no creamy toppings.

This machine comes with the Drinks Medley for $20 extra. I couldn''t find the contents of that Medley anywhere, so here it is:

2xHouse Blend

2xHouse Blend (Decaf)

2xColumbia (my personal favorite)

2xSumatra

2xRoasted Safari Nut

2xFrench Vanilla

2xHazelnut (Decaf)

2xEspresso Roast

2xChoco

6xCreamy Topping

2xEnglish Breakfast Tea

2xGreen Tea

2xRasberry Spark

2xLemon Calm

2xExotic Chai

2xCaramel Syrup (very thin, sugary syrup)

2xVanilla Syrup (very thin, sugary syrup)

2xChoco Sprinkles (very tiny pack)

2xCinamon Sprinkles (very tiny pack)

You also get a Travel Mug (a standard-issue tall mug with no handles. Slider on top is not spring loaded. You could pick one up at the store for about $7).

So, you get 34 brew packs worth about 45 cents each, plus the syrups and sprinkles (about $2 more), and the travel mug (worth about $7). That''s about a $24 value for $20. The Medley is definitely NOT worth the normal price of $30.

The Flavia does have one BIG downside (hence 4 stars) there are very few places that carry the brew packs. Worse, most of the on-line stores can only sell to certain states per their agreement with Flavia. So, you may very well be forced to buy your refills from Flavia.net. A ''rail'' of 20 coffee or tea packs runs about $8.50-9.50. The creamy topping is 25 cents a pack. Add shipping and tax, and that creamy cappuccino with sprinkles costs over a buck for a 7oz cup. The going rate at E-bay is 40 cents a pack before shipping. Once Amazon starts selling Flavia coffees, this machine will get 5 stars.

UPDATE:

I''ve made about a dozen cups of coffee with this machine. The adjustable height of the dispenser is really handy; if you lower till it touches the rim of your cup, there will be no splashing. You really should dab a paper towel underneath the dispenser after you use it (especially if you just used creamy topping or choco). I can see how the machine can get yucky if you don''t do this. The machine IS surprisingly noisy, but only for about 15 seconds per cup. Flavia makes great brew packs they do not leak when you remove the used ones. Of course, if you squeeze a used coffee pack, it will leak.

The medley kit comes with a travel cup, yet the cup is too tall for the machine as pictured. You need to remove the overflow tray to make it fit. The travel cup holds 14 ounces (two brew packs worth) comfortably.

If you are going to be buying disposable cups for this machine, I recommend getting 8 ounce and possibly 16 ounce cups. This way, you can keep the volume setting on the machine at 7 ounces, using one or two coffee packs, respectively. If you use your own coffee cups, you''re going to have to constantly be changing the volume setting for different cups. We bought cheap styrofoam cups from our local warehouse store and keep a stack (with lids) nearby.

I almost bought a Tassimo, but glad I read the reviews, which is what caused me to look into this unit instead. I read all it''s reviews and couldnt find anyone who had a bad experience with it. ONE NOTE...... the TRAVEL MUG that comes included in the MEADLY PACK DOES FIT. You have to read the instruction manual which most people dont. It specifically says on PAGE 9, and I quote " THE DRIP TRAY CAN ALSO BE REMOVED TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR TRAVEL MUG". Reading ALL of the isntruction booklet is highly recommended.

Anyway, the best part of this machine is that it accepts any size mug or cup by way of it''s sliding head adjustment. It slides down covering your container opening, so there is absolutely no splash out as the beverage is dispensed directly into your container.

I love the removable water reservoir, which will holds 32 oz of water...or about (6) 7oz cups of your favorite brew.

You can use or not use the optional water filter. Your choice.

The BEST part of this unit is it''s simplicity. Slide your selected beverage packet into the holder, close the lid, push a button and PRESTO, in 30 seconds you have a wonderful fresh brewed drink, then open the head and dispose of the empty packet. I can go from making a cup of Columbian Coffee, to Lemon Calm tea and then make a cup of Hot Chocolate Cappuccino and not have to "clean" out anything. There is no way to transfer flavors from one brew to the next. No drippy pods to fool with, no filters to trap flavors, no splash back, no post beverage dripping.

The Flavia Fusion is actually better than their SB100. Like the others said, you cant brew the two packets which makes their Cappuccinos and other "speciality" drinks, like Chai Latte, Milky Way Chococcino. Pumpkin Pie Latte, Irish Cream Mochaccino, Milky Way Latte and a fabulous Chococcino.

The unit is smaller than the Tassimo and some others, but you''ll still need some counter space. But, It''s well worth it.

The Maximum drink volume the packet can make is up to 7 oz.....which to some may look small. I''ve found that I can immediately "re-use" the same packet for a second brew cycle to double the volume of the coffee and tea drinks.

Flavia has 30 different beverages available, and some can be used together to create speciality drinks. They are also in the process of creating more products. Flavia is a division of Mars Inc.....the same people who make Milky Ways, Smickers, M&M''s and other confections. I wonder if they''ll come up with a Snickers Latte??? in the future.

As my Title says, I''m so happy I bought this unit. It''s a tea, coffee, hot chocolate, latte, espresso cappuccino machine all rolled into one, WITH NO MESSY CLEAN UP of the unit or your counter inbetween drinks. Just pop a new packet in and you''re good to go.

I hope Amazon.com will look into selling the drink packets.

For someone who likes variety, and doesnt want to have a half dozen machines laying around......take a hard look at the Flavia Fusion. You wont be disappointed.

UPDATE.......... FLAVIA PACKETS..........

If you go to bfcoffee.com and email them about Flavia coffee''s and teas, they will send you back their current price list. They will sell to individuals, but the minimum order is a "case" (which is 100 packets of Coffee, 72 packets of Cocoa or 140 packets of Tea)...but the good news is they do offer a VARIETY CASE, which allows you to mix and match flavors to make a case of Coffee''s or a case of Teas.

I know a case sound like a lot, but once you get hooked on Flavia''s ease of use, you''ll find you''ll have that late evening cup of cocoa, decaf coffee or tea, or a second cup of Java in the morning. Prices per case start around $34.50 for the Coffee''s and $36.60 up to 58.50 for the teas. The cocoa is going for $29.95 a case. So, between Flavia''s web site and this vendor, and ebay, you should have no problems finding replacement packets.

March 25, 2006

Flavia machine still going strong. I use it at least 2-3 times a day. Have already had to re-order packets, like the Chai Tea, Cocoa, Froth packet and Breakfast Blend coffee. BFCOFFEE.COM is the best place for prices anywhere....even better than Flavia''s own site. I''m sipping a cup of Columbia coffee right now. Americans dont usually like a "strong" cup of coffee, so after the unit brews the packet the first time, I just re-push the light and let it brew again in the same mug. It comes out just the right strength for me. I would buy this unit again, without a second thought. It''s that good.

May 13th.....

Thought you might like to see my unit and how I store my Flavia Packets...so look for my 2 photos under " customer photos" just below Amazon''s picture of the Falvia Machine.

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As the only person that drinks coffee in our home, I have used a one-cup coffee maker for over 20 years. I have tried them all, most recently the pod ones, but this one beats them all. It is so simple and quick. All you do is load a packet, hit a button, and voila, coffee that is comparable, if not better than that sold at coffee houses. In addition, the Fusion offers options to just coffee in the way of Tea, Hot Cocoa, and other "wellness" drinks.

The only drawback is that you are limited to puchasing the coffee packs from Flavia as there are no generic options available. None the less, their selection is superb and their prices are reasonable (about 40 cents per cup). I''m hooked.

Read Best Reviews of Flavia J10NBK Fusion Drinks Station Here

I''ve been using a high-capacity flavia machine at work for many months before deciding to take my flavia experience home. There are more than 200 employees in my office, and they use the flavia machine like crazy. I myself have quite enjoyed the teas and the flavored coffee. I''m not a caffeine drinker, and happily there are some tasty flavors to choose from.

Let me cover the details that were falsely conveyed in the previous review.

1. POURING HEIGHT: The adjustable height does, in fact, accommodate a travel mug. You simply remove the drip tray, and, voila, your 16 oz. travel mug slides in with ease.

2. FLAVOR: The coffee does not taste horrible. My 200+ co-workers seem to agree with that statement, given their relentless use of the machine that, I might add, has yet to malfunction. In the end, everyone has different likes and dislikes about their coffee flavors and richness. Luckily, Flavia currently offers 16 coffee varieties, 4 tea varieties, 5 well-being (aka tea) varieties, 5 indulgence varieties (i.e. choco and chai tea,) and they also provide different mixes and flavorings. My husband is a coffee snob and he needs his coffee insanely strong. He found his desires met in the Sumatra blend. The handy strength meter on each packet has this blend at a 5+ factor. He loves it and drinks it in his travel mug every morning. The only thing that has not worked out flavor-wise for us is the creamy topping. It tastes like a very watery skim milk.

3. PACKAGING: There is no measuring. You just slide the packet in place, press the button and off to work. Using the travel mug, you''ll need to press the button twice once on the largest volume setting, and once on the smallest volume setting. It still takes less than a minute to brew. The one drawback of the packing and Flavia as a whole: you can only get the coffee/tea packets from Flavia and eBay. (Thus my four-star rating.) However, the cost savings between what you would buy at a coffee shop or even a bag at the local grocery store is felt immediately.

4. SHIPMENT: The machine''s packaging is not that cumbersome or painful to unpack. In fact, I had no trouble at all removing it from the box. After all, it is shipped for free from both Amazon and Flavia at the same price.

5. MACHINE SIZE: The machine''s dimensions are indeed accurate. Granted it was a little deeper than I had anticipated, but it still fits neatly on my counter top.

6. NOISE: The machine is slightly noisy, but, again, the brew time is ~30 seconds tops! Not to mention there are five different capacity settings, so you can have a little bit of coffee in ~15 seconds, or a lot of coffee in ~30 seconds.

7. CLEANUP: There will be splattering. You can not avoid that with any coffee maker. It is not excessive and requires light wiping probably once/week. That''s much better than having to clean a coffee pot and throw away filters with wet coffee grounds inside.

I would recommend this product to the coffee snob and caffeine hater. My husband and I are happy with it, and I love showing it to our guests everytime they come over. It''s a fun little addition to our kitchen, and I just love it.

Coffee Snob: Try Sumatra

Caffeine hater: Try Lemon Calm (yum-my!)

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I''m a single, on-the-go, coffee drinker whos career requires long hours and not much free time. I like quality so I''m picky about what I drink. I prefer that my coffee beverages are strong and like to have them at home, on the road, in the office, after dinner, etc. I also like a variety of drink types, which is just one of the reasons why I love the Flavia Fusion drinks station! Not only can I make a good, strong cup of coffee, I can also make a cappuccino, coffee with chocolate, tea and many other varieties of hot or cold drinks quickly, easily and neatly. The filterpacks that come with the system make it super easy to create the variety I enjoy. Finally! Now I can make a great drink right from my home -and I can vary my drink choice with the push of a button. Plus, when I have guests over, they can make the drink of their choice quickly and easily as well. This would make a great Christmas gift!

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Klean Kanteen Wide Mouth Insulated Water Bottle

I''ve had several of the regular Klean Kanteen bottles which are great, but I always disliked the fact that the liquid didn''t stay cold for long unless the tote was used, and the bottle would sweat quite a bit. I didn''t like the tote because it smelled odd and made the bottle awkward to set down on tables. When I saw the insulated bottles I bought 2 of the 20 oz size, one with just the regular loop cap and one with the cafe cap. I have to disagree with what everyone has said about both caps. I love them both! I use the bottle with the loop cap the most, and it keeps my juice cold all day, 9+ hours at work, even without adding ice. The cafe cap doesn''t leak for me, either out the opening or around the seal. Of course, it does state that the opening you drink from isn''t supposed to be leak-proof, it says it right on the packaging. I don''t upend my bottle, but if I did, I might get a few drips at the most. These are great as travel mugs for coffee, they even fit in my car''s cup holders. I don''t think most travel mugs are completely leak-proof anyway, especially if you can drink out of the cap. Keeps coffee hot for the whole day, just as stated. Would also be great for smoothies or soup. I plan to buy a couple of the 12 oz size for my lunch bag. Another excellent product from Klean Kanteen!

OK...it was a little hard to spend this much on a water bottle, but I am glad that I did. Water stays cold a long time & I am sure that a heated drink would stay warm just as long. No metal taste at all! Easy to clean. I''m glad that I spent a little more $$$ and purchased the insulated Klean Kanteen. UPDATE: After four months of using this bottle I appreciate it even more. I live in Florida & this bottle keeps my water cold even AFTER it has sat in my HOT car for several hours!

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As a student, I feel that I am always on the go and always craving coffee. This bottle is almost magical in its ability to preserve the temperature of your drink (hot or cold), and maintain the taste (no plasticy aftertaste). This is obviously because of the vacuum insulation, and stainless steel construction, respectively, along with supurb build quality.

I will now speak specifically about cold and hot liquids in the bottle, as well as a lid (something that is very important to a bottle.

Cold: This is what it seems to handle the best. Ice stays frozen for hours (seems like up to 10 or 12 hours sometimes), and ice water will stay pleasantly cold for nearly 20 hours. I put water with ice in the bottle around 3:00 one afternoon, and it was still quite cold the following morning around 10:00. Another advantage of keeping very cold water in this bottle versus a non-insulated klean kanteen is the fact that it does not sweat.

Hot: Coffee from my keurig coffee machine stays at a delectible temperature for up to 5 hours after brewing with this bottle. With a traditional coffee pot, or a french press (where the temperature is usually higher than a keurig''s serving temperature) would last longer. I have not tested this personally.

Lid: This is the weakest part of the bottle by far. There are two things about the lid which bothers me quite a bit. Firstly, the lid is not supposed to be fully submerged in water when washing. Water "under pressure" can leak into the lid and have no hopes of getting out. Secondly, and partially due to the difficulty of cleaning caused by the first point, the lid seems to smell strongly of whatever you have been drinking. This is most evident with coffee. Otherwise, the lid keeps a tight seal when on the bottle, and leaves you feeling comfortable tossing the bottle in your bag with a computer and notebooks, etc.

Summary:

This bottle is great, and does as it advertises quite brilliantly. It handles hot and cold liquids well, and makes taking your drinks wherever you go easy and pain-free. Unfortunately, the lid made a nearly-perfect bottle not entirely perfect in the end.

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It keeps things cold all day long, but the lid system needs to be improved.

If you carry a full bottle of iced coffee to work as I do, you have to use the loop cap to transport it then switch to the cafe cap. There should be one leak proof cafe cap for this. Since it''s insulated, I imagine people aren''t necessarily drinking water from it and would rather not drink their hot/cold beverage from the side of the bottle. You shouldn''t have to buy an additional cap.

The loop cap sweats a lot when there''s something cold in it. Beware when putting it in your bag.

The cafe cap leaks and spills on your face when you get to the end of the bottle and tilt it too high.

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I own a regular Klean Kanteen and used it occasionally. I liked the idea of a long term stainless bottle but it did very poorly keeping things cold, compared to, say, a Nalgene bottle. The thinner steel is far less insulating than polycarbonate. It also made tons of condensation.

This Klean Kanteen is about as opposite as you get from that. It keeps things colder longer than any Thermos I''ve ever had, and seemed to do well with hot stuff too, although I''ve only tried hot chocolate one time and drank it quickly. I just filled it with ice water and shook it for several minutes, and the outside was still the same temperature, amazingly insulted. Also, the top is big enough to put ice in with ease, another issue with the original Klean Kanteens.

I have experienced no leaks, and I haven''t treated it very nicely. It''s been in gym bags and all over my car, and it''s falling onto concrete once. The only slight downside to this bottle is that it''s bigger than a normal 20 ounce bottle, because of the insulation jacket, but there''s nothing that can be done about that. It''s completely reasonably sized.

If you are willing to spend $25 on a bottle (I had to grit my teeth over this too), this is a SUPERB one to buy. It is worth every penny.

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Cuisinart DCC-1150 Classic 10-Cup Thermal Programmable Coffeemaker Save 45% Off

I have this one in black, and have been making coffee at least once a day for the past three weeks. I was debating between this 10-cup thermal ($80), the 12-cup thermal ($130), and the 12-cup glass carafe with warming plate ($80), all by Cuisinart. In the end, I wanted something that used less electricity, so I went with the thermal. The added bonus with a thermal is that the coffee taste doesn''t change from your first cup to your second cup a few hours later. I finally decided to save $50 and buy the 10-cup thermal because everything else was the same except for the 10 ounce difference (both coffeemakers brew 5 oz cups). I purchased mine from a different store, and I found out that there was no gold cone filter. I called up Cuisinart and they said depending on where you purchased the coffeemaker, it may use paper cones, or it may come with the gold cone filter. They graciously sent me a gold cone for free. So after 3 weeks:

PROS:

-easy to set up, easy to use

-charcoal water filter (I use tap water, so I like the fact that the machine filters it before going into my coffee)

-auto brew timer (the smell of coffee helps me wake up in the morning and I am fully brain dead when I first wake up. I can barely get dressed, much less make coffee. So I set it up the night before and I have amazing, fresh coffee ready for me in the AM).

-beeps to signal that coffee is ready

-coffee stays fresh for at least 4 hours. On weekends, I set my coffee to brew as normal at 7AM, but sometimes I sleep late until 11AM or later. I go to pour my coffee and it''s still steaming! (and not burnt from the warming plate)

-thermal carafe saves electricity because there is no need for a warming plate

-I can use both paper cone filters or the gold cone filter. The gold cone is just as easy to clean as the disposable paper cones. I just shake out the grinds into the trash, and rinse with water. SO easy. And I save money because I don''t have to buy filters!

-I drink my coffee black, so I can tell good coffee from bad coffee. I also like my coffee strong and bold. When I''m lazy, I use Illy medium grind, medium roast pre-ground. One mountainous scoop (comes with the coffeemaker) per 10 oz. of coffee. My one mug of coffee is equal to the coffeemaker''s two cups, so yes, the machine makes 5 mugs total. When I make coffee for just myself, I fill the reservoir to 2 cups, add one giant scoop of coffee to the filter, press the 1-4 cups button, turn the dial to brew, and press "on." I love it.

-I have no problem with the size of the machine (I thought it was small). It is sitting on a side table in my tiny kitchen, not on the countertop or underneath cabinets. So I can easily flip up the top and have easy access to the water reservoir. It is also on the right side of the table, so I just use a cup and pour water into the reservoir. I don''t think it''s hard at all to pour water in. The triangular opening is on the right, back corner of the machine and is about 3" x 3" x 4".

-The water level is very clearly marked and easy to see on the right side of the machine.

CONS:

-The beep is not just one cute beep. It is 4 or 5 beeps in a row. This could be annoying to some people.

-Not really a con for me, but other people have commented on the pouring as "difficult." I think it is the nature of a thermal carafe to require some patience when pouring into a cup. It is well sealed to keep the coffee hot, so when you pour, the liquid has to go through a maze to get out. On my last cup, I just take the top off and pour. Definitely worth the "effort." It''s really not hard, I promise. :)

-I read reviews of how people wake up with coffee all over the counter because the carafe was clogged at the top. So whenever I set up the machine to brew, I make sure to rinse the top with hot water and shake it around a bit to make sure the little ball isn''t stuck. Also, not difficult to do.

-I guess if you don''t have easy access to the right side of this machine, it could be difficult to pour water in and see the water level. If it''s in the middle of your countertop, you may have to turn it to the side in order to pour the water in. For me, it''s easy because my coffeemaker sits on the right side of a table in my kitchen.

I am so glad I went with this machine. I hope it lasts for a long time.

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

4+ YEAR UPDATE: I''ve had it replaced, but I still love the machine! After 2.5 years, the machine stopped brewing. I can''t remember the problem exactly, but I would press brew, and the green light would go on, then off after a minute without brewing. I called customer service, and they said to unplug it for a few hours and try again. This worked! The machine was back in action for another 6 months or so. Then it really stopped working. Apparently, you''re supposed to pour diluted vinegar into the reservoir and brew that once in a while to clean out the machine. I never replaced the filter because the "clean" light never went on in the 3 years that I owned it. Regardless, I called Customer Service and they sent me a new machine within a few days (for a delivery charge of $10 or $15). I also had to send the old machine back to them (I can''t remember if shipping was prepaid by Cuisinart).

Now I use filtered water only, hoping to prolong the life of the filter and machine. Still makes great coffee, and I love that it keeps the coffee hot for so many hours without changing the taste!!

CORRECTION: I used to think there was a ball in the lid of the carafe, which the liquid flows through and into the thermal carafe. It''s actually a little flap. If you shake the lid, you''ll hear it. My recommendation for avoiding clog disasters is the same rinse the lid under hot water and shake to make sure the flap mechanism is not stuck, and you''re good to go!

I read every review anybody ever wrote for a coffee maker. Conclusion: Somebody doesn''t like something about every coffee maker that''s ever been made.

What I''ve found in the month that I''ve had it: The carafe keeps the coffee hot for at least 3 hours. It pours without going all over the counter. I can''t make the thing drip one drop. I still pour my cup over the sink from years with a different pot where about half of the coffee went down the drain. Not this one. Not a drop. I measured the brew temp. with a meat thermometer stuck in the grounds at 202 degrees. Any coffee maker will overflow all over the counter if the pot isn''t correctly positioned. It''s easy to position correctly and a quick peak at the pot:drip hole makes it obvious if it''s where it belongs. Some reviews complain about difficulty in pouring water from carafe to the water tank. Could be, I''ve got a kitchen faucet that lets me stick the faucet right into the tank so it''s not a problem for me. It''s probably time you get one of those anyway. It is a little hard to read the water level scale on the tank, but I''m old. I put a black dot with a magic marker at the 6 cup mark. Problem solved.

Summary: It brews hot, stays hot in the carafe, easy to pour with no mess. That''s really all I was looking for. I''d recommend and I buy another.

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I first used this coffee maker at my parents'' house and was impressed with the flavor. For a drip coffee maker, this brews excellent coffee (I used to use a French press daily).

I was surprised to see all the comments about lukewarm coffee, as I hadn''t noticed this problem. I do use cream so it concerned me you have to have hot coffee if you are going to add cold cream.

Turns out, reading the manual gave me the answer I needed: that button for 1-4 cups "provides doulbe heating of the water, so coffee is piping hot." You can use this button no matter how many cups you brew to get the water hotter. I''m having no problems at all.

Hope this helps!

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I''ve been using this coffee maker for about a week. I bought it as an upgrade over a Black and Decker coffee maker that was generally good, but I wanted a new one with a cone filter. The cone filter gets more flavor out of the coffee than the basket filter: it''s a must.

The other must, for me, is the thermal carafe. I wake up earlier than my wife and if we''re both drinking out of the same pot the coffee can''t continue to cook on a warming plate. The coffee quickly turns bitter. The thermal carafe keeps it near the brew temperature for a couple of hours, and you can keep it hot longer if you heat the pot before brewing the coffee. If you brew it into a room temperature pot, the coffee is 177 degrees. If you brew it into a pot which you''ve filled with hot water (and emptied, of course) the coffee will be 182 degrees. Both temperatures were hotter than my old pot.

I tested the heat degredation and found:

182 -fresh

174 -1.5 hours later

168 -3 hours later

162 -4.5 hours later

I''ve read a lot of reviews of this product, and it''s clear that some buyers didn''t follow instructions. Thermal carafes punish you if you don''t. You have to position the carafe properly or you''ll have a mess to clean up. I''ve done it a few times with my old coffee maker. It''s always my fault, never the coffee maker''s.

This is a well designed thermal carafe since you can pour without having to open it and letting too much air into it. This is a good product, and at a good price compared to more expensive models from Bunn or Zojirushi. It is more expensive than the Black and Decker but worth the cost because you get more out of your coffee beans.

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I will start by saying that I have only owned this product for a few days, and that all my previous coffee makers have been the sub $20 variety from the local store. On weekends I make 2-4 cups in the morning and I like to enjoy them over a period of a few hours. However the burner has usually destroyed the flavor by the time I return for a second cup, and I set out to find a better alternative.

After reading some reviews on this particular model I finally ordered one, and although I have only used it a few times so far, I could not be more pleased with it. Some reviews stated that their coffee was cold, the machine was hard to fill, the beeps were noisy, and the pot poured slowly. My experience has been as follows

The filling area is smaller than my previous coffee maker, and is located on the right side of the machine. I am left handed and can still fill it easily, although due to the design of the pot it must be tilted further upside down than a glass pot in order to empty it. Not an issue.

The unit is very quiet while brewing, more so than the one it replaced.

When I make coffee I use the 1-4 cup setting, and I preheat the pot by using hot water to fill the coffee maker. When the coffee is finished brewing it is piping hot. I will further this by saying that I made 1-4 cups at 4:30 pm, and finished only 2 cups. When I returned at 10:30 pm to clean the pot before bed I found that the remaining coffee was still very hot and would not have required any reheating had I chose to drink it. This situation has been easily repeatable, and since no burner is involved the first cup tastes as good as the last, even 6 hours later.

This machine seems to be about the same speed as my previous coffee makers, and I use the slower 1-4 cup setting.

It has an area for a water filter, and came with one to get me started. I cannot taste any difference with or without it so I cannot comment on its effectiveness, although it is nice to have that as an option. It also comes with a few paper filters to get you started, or you can simply reuse the metal filter which is also included.

It beeps a few times when its finished brewing. The tone reminds me of a wristwatch beeping except it is slightly louder. It it not loud enough to be a nuisance, but I can easily hear it when I am in the adjacent room watching tv or working on the pc. It lets me know when my coffee is ready for consumption, and I like it.

Some say the pot pours slowly into the cup. It actually does, but unless you are pouring coffee in a combat zone and under fire, does 2 to 3 extra seconds really make that much of a difference? Again, not an issue. There is also no need to turn the lid in order to pour or fill the pot as with other products. Very nice.

All said and done, I am very satisfied with this product, and would gladly purchase it again.

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BISSELL Flip-!t Select Hard Floor Cleaner Save 18% Off

Whether I used a regular mop and bucket, my swiffer wet jet, or my hoover steam vac, I always ended up with a haze on my hardwood floors that I would clean off with a wipe or furniture polish. This is the first machine that leaves my floor shiny and without a haze. It is worth it just for that!!! I also like the job it does on my lineoleum. The first couple of times I used it on what I thought were clean floors because I had recently mopped them, I was surprised at how dirty the water was. After using this as my primary means to clean my floors (two maybe three times a week depending on traffic and what is going on in my household) I notice that my floors not only look cleaner, but also feel much cleaner on the few occassions when I am not wearing house slippers. This is so much better than the regular mopping.

I have read other reviews on the flip-it regarding water being left on the floor; when that does happen, I just go back over that section so that it will be taken care of. For the most part I don''t care about a little water on the floor because I would have so much more if I had the mop and bucket or used my steam vac. I am sold!

I was torn between the Hoover and Bissell models each seemed to have good and bad points. So I got both, with the idea that I''d return the one that was less capable to do the job. What I found was that both have different pluses, and ended up keeping them both.

The Spinscrub has the advantage in cleaning power. The spinning brushes do a better job on getting tile floors clean, especially rough surface tile. It''s also more sturdily built feels more solid (although that sometimes does not translate into longevity). It''s the one I use for large tile expanses, such as in the kitchen and basement. But, the 15 inch width is a drawback in tighter spaces, such as bathrooms.

The Flip-it excels in maneuverability perfect for getting around obstacles (such as the toilet). Although it lacks spinning brushes, it has the advantage of a cloth pad which does a great job on smooth surfaces. The heat also helps out, especially with sticky messes. It doesn''t turn the water to steam, but clearly kicks up the temp (I believe the spec''s say 25 degrees).

I found the best way to use it is to start with the cloth pad attached. That helps even out the water distribution and also helps capture crumbs, pet hair, etc. After one pass with the cloth attached, remove it and put in the scrubby pad. That helps get the floor 99% dry (smooth surfaces) or 90% dry (rough surfaces).

The cloth pad really shines (no pun intended) when it comes to hardwood or laminate floors. Does a far better job than the Hoover in cleaning and water suction. I don''t use the Hoover at all anymore on smooth floors regardless of the size of the room. It may take a bit longer with the Flip-it due to its smaller size, but the end result is much better.

Both are about equal when it comes to disassembly and cleaning a few parts to take out and clean, but nothing major. Cleaning the unit after using it is very important to keep the crud out of the seals to prevent leaks and clogs. Both have a washable filter, and both require that you dry the filter before using it again (tip get an extra filter so you''re never without a dry, clean filter).

I tend to favor the smell of the Bissell cleaning solution, but the Hoover stuff is pretty good both have a nice "fresh" smell. Both brands clean equally well, and are priced about the same. Lowes carries the Bissell brand; Walmart carries Hoover (at least in my area).

Bissell tends to be a nicer company when it comes to support. They offer replacement parts and supplies on their website at reasonable prices, and answer emails if you have questions. Hoover is not as responsive, and their direct-purchase prices are rather high.

One nit with the Bissell is that the cord is rather stiff wish it was more flexible. Also, the water cups (both clean and dirty) are smaller on the Bissell, so you need to fill-up and dump out more often than with the Hoover.

Regardless of which one you get, get one! You''ll be amazed at the amount of dirt that wet mopping leaves behind. Once you start using one, you''ll never pick up a mop again.

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I used the Bissell Flip-It Select for the first time tonight. I detest mopping, but with a combination of both linoleum and tile floors in my house, it is a must. So in looking for an alternative to mopping, I hoped for the best with this product. I was not disappointed. Vacuuming first with the dry vacuum side is an excellent alternative to sweeping the floor. After using the wet vacuum side with the heated solution/water mixture, not only was my bathroom linoleum (which had a thick build up of sticky hairspray) cleaned marvelously, but also my tile kitchen floor. The unit is lightweight and easy to use. The filter did get clogged with dirt and hair, but the sound of the motor changed when the suction stopped, so I unplugged it and cleaned the dirty wet/dry container and filter, put it back together, plugged it in, and suction was completely restored. I am extremely satisfied with this purchase after only one use. I will recommend it to friends and family alike.

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This machine is so easy to use! I love the option of cleaning my tile floors with heat or no heat, depending on the grime! The mop pad works very well on my sealed hardwood while the brush worked excellent on my grout! I didn''t have to go over anything twice and my floors looked great when I was finished! The "flipping" action is also very easy as this machine is lightweight! I love not having to use a mop and bucket and its even better now that this product offers heated cleaning! Great job!

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I have carefully analyzed all the reviews (positive and negative) before deciding to buy this product in order that the right level of expectation may be set. My need is very simple. I have almost all hard floors in my house, either tile or hardwood. So floor keeping is a relatively low maintenance chore. I know Flip-It serves both as a dry vacuum and wet mop. Knowing that both dry and wet debris are going into the same place and I want to eliminate the messy task of cleaning out the wet gunk, so I opt to use the cleaner solely as an electric mop.

I like the idea that while it is mopping, the machine can also take care of the small amount of debris that I missed in my "pre-mopped" vacuuming. It does take some practice to get the machine to do the job right. Although I don''t have the problem of puddles of water as other have experienced, I have other issue such as the cleaning pad kept sliding out. I find the maneuvering quite exhausting due to the squeegee design. Also, my finger gets very tired from squeezing the solution release button. I don''t find the cleaning result dramatic perhaps because my floors are normally quite clean. The machine will not get to the wall edges so it won''t eliminate manual laboring. I''m also not sure if the heating feature does anything to produce a cleaner floor since the water temperature does not felt very warm. After two days of experimentation, I decided that the machine is going back to the store. For light mopping, I am going back to my Swiffer Wetjet. It is cheaper, quiet, lighter, easy to use, and best of all, no cleaning up required.

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J.R. Watkins: Sink Set 2pc Save 24% Off

I purchased this because I liked the scent of the Aloe and Green Tea Hand Soap. What was I thinking to assume that the lotion would smell like the soap....??? Not.. Dare I say the lotion stinks... I will not purchase the set again, only the hand soap..

I really ordered this for the caddy to set on the kitchen counter. The caddy is really cheap and does not sit evenly. I already had the lotion and soap in the kitchen and in all the bathrooms. This is a really great brand of soap and lotion. I like all the different kinds, lemon, lavendar, orange. Just do not expect too much re the caddy.

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This set will fit perfectly in the guest bathroom of our home. The scent is light enough for various guests. A bit pricey though for the size...gggrrr...

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This powerhouse tandem soap & handlotion will blow your mind, and your senses. It''s not overpowering in any way. The soap is a mild soap, so there''s no drying of the skin no matter how many times a day you use it. When followed by the lotion, your hands become soft, and smell like lemon cookies, good enough to EAT! I''ve used many a soap/lotion combination, but none do what this combo does. The black metal caddy makes it look at home at any sink of your house. The only changes i would make would to be pack the soap a little better. It needs to stand up in the box, not lay down in it. I realize that is nearly impossible to keep the box in the right position during transit, but the right type of box would prevent the mess.

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The lemon smell is super. Without doubt. but the narrow shape of the bottles make it easy to tip over. Add to this that you have to remove the lotion to release the lid before using....kinda defeats the point of having a frame to keep it in. Would buy it again for the content, but will not buy as long as it is packaged in such an annoying shape.

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Austin Air Healthmate Jr. Plus Air Purifier

I bought this air purifier for my art studio because it advertised the ability to filter out VOC''s and can absorb gases for chemically sensitive people. As a painter with a poorly-ventilated studio that is next to other artists'' studios, I needed something that would clear the air of painting fumes. So far, the filter has worked great. The air that comes out of it is clean, and I find it is powerful, given it''s size. Once I accidentally left it on over the weekend on the first setting (because you can''t hear it when it is on low) and my studio smelled and felt very clean.

The downside is that it does not have a filter change indicator, leaving me clueless as to when the filters should be changed. I assume that if it is working in "dirtier" conditions than the next air filter, it would need changing more often than the stated filter change recommended in the manual. And be assured, the HEPA filter is expensive ($140) and needs to be changed yearly. The prefilters are cheaper ($10) and need to be changed more often.

On its higher setting, it is not a quiet machine, but it is not loud either. It makes an almost inaudible hum with a distinct noise like wind passing through a small space, but it does not bother me -in fact, I find it comforting. The noise is comparable to, if not less than, the Honeywell (I also own). The lesser two settings are very quiet.

The other trivia fact about it that I didn''t know until purchasing it is that the clean air that comes out is directed at a 45 degree angle up and sideways from the vent. I am not sure why it was designed to be that way.

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Ettore 54455 Industrial Duty Steel Floor Squeegee Save 15% Off

Bought this to push the water out of my garage when the snow melts off my truck during the night. Prior to this I had been using a shop broom but there was always water left after I was done. This pushes the water out and the floor dries right away. Absolutely couldn''t ask for more! The rubber is think and seems like it will last.

It was packed in a big box because the wood handle is attached to it. Arrived with no problems as usual with Amazon Prime.

Nice product! Nice handle, thick rubber squeegee, works well on my epoxy floor. If I needed another one I would purchase again!

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Clears snow and water very well

Very reasonably priced

Great product

Would buy again and recommend to others also

Cheaper than stores

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I am somewhat disappointed by the thoughtless way they were shipped. Each squeegee was shipped fully assembled in it''s own box with the packing slip inside which proved to me that someone had at least opened each package. They were in cardboard boxes measuring greater than five feet long and two feet wide and six inches tall. All four would have easily fit in one box! I''m curious as to what possible logic would have led you to ship them separately?

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got this for my basement. it works out alright. the corners, with their curve don''t perform quite as I had hoped, but that is more due to the surface area that I am working with than anything against the product.

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Zojirushi CV-DSC40 Ve Hybrid Water Boiler and Warmer Stainless Steel W Zojirushi ADC-05 Pot Cleaner

Since you can choose the temp, i can make really hot coffee with it. It is made in Japan, exactly what I was looking for~

tea in seconds with the best temp for the specific tea. I drink a lot of iced tea. before you can enjoy good iced tea, you have to make tea. This lets you do it FAST, one glass at a time. WAY worth the $$$

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Clearwave Electronic Water Softener System

• Remove scale build-up due to hard water
• Works on both hot and cold water systems
• Makes it easier to wipe clean ceramic, plastic, glass, and metal surfaces
• Scaly crust or stains in toilets or under faucets will be significantly reduced

We''ve had one of these water softeners at our house for 10 years. We''ve recommended them to family and friends, and installed them in other peoples'' houses, and everyone has been amazed that they not only work, but work SO WELL!

We bought one for our son for his brand-new house, which had very hard water, and iron pipes. When the water-softener salesman came around the neighborhood and tested everyone''s water (planning on big sales), he couldn''t figure out why the results were so bizarre at this house. He was finally clued in, and said maybe he should start selling Clear Wave softeners!

Things we noticed right away: a significant reduction in the amount of detergent we used for launday; showerheads didn''t get clogged as fast; water-spotting on tiles was easier to clean off; skin was less irritated.

"Installing" this unit consists of wrapping wire around the pipe that comes into the house, and plugging it into an electrical outlet. Ours has been chugging along for 10 years with no issues. It doesn''t make any noise, it doesn''t need to be "fed" or fixed. It just quietly does what it was designed to do 24/7. No chemicals or salts have to be added to the water, and this unit costs about as much as a light bulb to operate.

I was delighted to find this on Amazon, because I want to buy another one for someone who just moved into a home with old pipes and hard water. I KNOW it will help!

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I had earlier posted a review on this saying it doesnt seem to do anything. I am changing that review now, but for some reason amazon wont let me change the number of starts I rated this at ... I now give this 4 STARS

I had earlier posted the review that this doesnt seem to be doing anything, but I left it on. Interestingly while it took its time this thing does seem to be doing exactlt what it says it will do namely making the hardness in water "non-sticky". My shower heads look quite a bit cleaner, and yes we are noticing small while precipitate in the water, showing that the long deposited white ''scaling'' on boiler and pipes is actually coming off.

This seems to also have had a very positive effect on the dish washer. I dont get the whole scaling on glass anymore.

So if you have tested your water and its hardness is in the range for this device (mine qualifies) I will now very strongly recommend this to you. Its a peach to install and setup, and provided you have the patience to wait for its effects which can take a few months to show up this is great.

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The Background

If you want to know how this works technically, please read elsewhere, you can download the manual on the internet and there are plenty of resources about the technology. Same goes for Soft Water, read about it elsewhere for details. If you are interested in my experience with the Clearwave, read on!

So I had a Culligan water softener in my old house and although we paid way too much for it, I loved the soft water, no more hard water to deal with.

Then we moved and decided not to take the softener with us so I got a water boss from Lowes and installed it myself. Again a happy camper for 4 years, then the water pressure started dropping due to gunk coming through the system and blocking all the aerators in the taps and showers. A quick checked proved that it was the softener by bypassing the unit, and a call to water boss confirmed I would need to either replace the unit or have it repaired. This was just before Christmas and funds were low so we did without soft water for a while. Now I shave my head which is actually my benchmark. Hard water makes it very difficult, I nick my skin and it takes me a lot longer to do. Soft water by comparison makes it quick and easy. After a month of hard water showers I was getting itchy to replace the softener, but still had no money.

Then we went to visit my parents in Spain.... They live in a small village and last time I visited they had hard water. But imagine my surprise when I jumped in the shower and noticed right away that the water was soft. I mentioned it to my Dad and he immediately confirmed that a friend had recommended an electronic softener, it was relatively inexpensive and although skeptical he gave it a go. He has had it for quite some time and all the hard water deposits that had built up had gone away so he was happy. Now I have seen these before but must have drunk too much Culligan cool-Aid when I was sold my original unit, I mean how can something like this work? So I had ignored it, but here was evidence! Dad''s unit was not a clearwave, but hey the US was bound to have something.

The Clearwave

On getting home to California I checked on the internet and there is a huge variety out there with big price differences. Then up popped the Clearwave that was similar in price to Dad''s unit and seemed to have the same function, and given the price it seemed worth the risk. Ordering was easy as it always is at Amazon and it arrived promptly and I was excited to get it going.

Unfortunately the builder for our home piped the water in to the opposite side of the house from the boiler, so if I was going to mount it in the boiler room area out of the elements I would only get soft hot water. I had already done some custom plumbing to put my salt based softener outside the house where the mains entered and now this caused me a problem because ideally you need room on the pipes to mount the device and my pipe work was full of valves and bends I was doubly challenged because I had to protect it from the elements. To cut a long story short I ended up doing some re piping to remove the bypass valves for the old unit and add in some straigh piping. Also until I can build a wooden box to cover the pipes I went to Lowes and got myself a small plastic storage box which with a few cuts slipped over the pipe work easily enough and allowed me to mount the Clearwave inside it and close the lid. Interestingly enough I ended up wrapping the coils around a bend in the pipe and although I was worried this would affect the performance, it does not seem to.

End result, I can see the red led''s pulsing inside my plastic box and sure enough it has become much easier to shave my head again. So all in all this does what it says it will, does not add salt to the wate, and at just over $100 it costs way less that a traditional softener right out of the gate. The Clearwave is easy to install, though it will depend on your house plumbing and may need some prep work, once I had everything in place it took me about 30 mins, and that was only because of the plastic box getting the the way. If it was inside my boiler room it would have taken no more than 10 mins. My plastic box solution has already stood up to heavy rains and while it is not exactly pretty it gets the job done. The unit itself appears well built, it feels a little but lightweight but then its just an electronic gizmo so that''s to be expected.

This solution to me is a minor miracle, go buy one!

In Summary

1. Cheap to purchase

2. No maintenance required

3. Keeps your piping healthy from the inside

4. Melts away existing hard water deposits and keeps them gone

5. Reduces household costs because soft water uses less soap

6. Makes shaving in the shower very easy

One final note, my parents did in fact see an increase in water pressure once the existing hard water deposits went away, as verified by a slight increase in the water bill!

Want Clearwave Electronic Water Softener System Discount?

I was enticed by the decent reviews of this product. After a few weeks of my own research, I decided to buy one myself and keep my fingers crossed that it would work. My main concern regarding the water in my house is the calcium buildup, which this product claims to treat/prevent. The product manual also claims that if you are unsatisfied with this product for any reason that you can return it to the place of purchase within 90 days. I will address this problem later...

A little background. This water conditioner claims that it will not only prevent buildup, but actually reverse the effects of existing calcuim buildup. This product was installed in a brand new house with a brand new electric water heater. I had my water tested and the grains of calcium were 23 (this product claims to work by itself up to 25). I gave the product 2 months before I attempted to return it. Over those two months, I determined the product to be a scam. Calcium built up on my shower heads, clogging them, around the sink drains, in my new dishwasher, and in my toilets. My old house is located in the same water district as my new house, so I went into this knowing the effects the untreated water has on fixtures. With this knowledge, I though the Clearwave water conditioner would, at the very least, slow down the buildup of calcium...but it didn''t.

So, still well within my 90 return window guaranteed by the manufacturer, I contacted amazon and requested a return. They stated I needed to contact the company that fulfilled my order (Smarthome.com) and request a refund through them. I contacted Smarthome.com and they stated the order was actually fulfilled through Amazon. So back to Amazon I went. Amazon then stated their return policy was 30 days and they would only offer me 50% of my money back for this product. Arguing with them got me nowhere, so now I am stuck with this worthless piece of junk.

For anyone still interested in this product, more info can be found here:

This is my first review and I typically prefer to read others reports than to write my own but I felt compelled to provide some feedback.

I really wanted this product to work as I do not like having to use a traditional water softener. Once our existing salt based water softener broke I decided to try the Clearwave and see if my wife could tell the difference. I did not tell her about the change and this was truly going to be blind field test. After a couple of weeks my wife asked if there was anything wrong with our softener as she had begun to notice some typical hard water build up. I had to fess up to the change and asked her to give it a few more weeks. I waited the full 90 days but it was clear that the Clearwave did not do the job as well as a traditional water softener. It appeared to not make any difference at all. The hard water stains were readily apparent in the shower and near the sink.

I will very reluctantly go back to a salt based system until some better comes along to replace it.

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