CBTL Contata S03 Single Cup Brewer Save 19% Off

First, I am far from new to the single serve specialty coffee makers. I own 3 top of the line different brands of single serve machines; CBTL makes 4. The CBTL machine is well designed and manufactured. You can see the quality of this brewer when you are holding it in your hands. I find it very easy to keep clean and love the disposable waste bin hidden inside the machine. The brewer looks great on your cupboard or showcased on a cart in your kitchen. With a cart you can wheel your entire CBTL ensemble; capsules, frother, and of course, the Contata into your dining room or living room to serve guests. Out of all the specialty single serve brewers I own, my preference is the CBTL. Why? I can enjoy premium CBTL beverages while I live on the East Coast. You know what I mean. There is something to be said about brewing a quality premium brand of espresso, tea, and coffees. When you brew up an espresso, the crema is a reddish brown; good indication of a good espresso. These are not simulated espressos. My favorites are well, all of the caffientated CBTL espressos available. It depends on my mood which one I reach for. And this is the biggest pro, the CBTL Contata and Kaldi can brew those espressos and cremas at 15 bars of pressure; important for a true espresso. The Contata and Kaldi also have the ability to switch to the lower bars of pressure (3.5) needed to brew a good cup of joe. My favorite brews so far are the French Roast and the Viennese. I haven''t tried the House Brew yet. I will soon. You can brew a short shot, a long shot, or brew a regular 7 to 8 oz of coffee or tea. Speaking of teas, have fun and make your tea a Latte. Any tea from CBTL can be turned into a Latte. Yum. I love the Tropical Passion and the English Breakfast tea. The Morrocan Mint is superb. Mix in a little chocolate for Chocolate Mint tea Latte. Or stir in a little French Vanilla, for a Buttercream Mint Latte. So many people are worried about the lack of choices. CBTL is the new kid on the block, built on an open platform. Knowing Coffee Bean, the choices will be expanded. I''m hearing new drinks will be available during the holidays. Ok, that said. Any capsule made for a Caffitaly system can be used in any Caffitaly brewer. In Europe, there is Lofbergs, Ecaffe, and Dualit. Actually there are more brands of capsules than those mentioned. Which means those capsules would fit in a CBTL and vice versa. Will those capsules be sold in the USA, I''m reading yes eventually online coffee sites may bring the capsules across the sea. Even if that doesn''t happen, I''m very happy with the quality of drinks I get by using CBTL capsules. I''m hoping to see CBTL Kona, Blue Mountain, Creme Brulee, Hazelnut, and more. And I really think if any company will expand, it will be CBTL. Love my machine.

Edited to add on 10/30/11. I still love my Conata and CBTL frother. Wanted every one to know CBTL follows through on their promises. I walked into my local Bed, Bath, & Beyond today, and straight ahead when I walked through the door were several shelves of CBTL products and a great selection of CBTL Capsules. Not advertised any where on the net, not yet any way, I found 6 new CBTL coffees: 10% Kona, Costa Rica, Columbian, Butterscotch Toffee, Hazelnut, and French Vanilla. Yep, I did stock up!

Edited on 12/17/11. CBTL Contata and Kaldi are Caffitaly systems. Meaning, any Caffitaly capsule will fit in a Caffitaly system, which CBTL is. I recently bought Ecaffe caffitaly capsules from a store in Canada which ships to the states. Also, you can purchase Danesio caffitaly capsules in the states if you do a search. This expands on the inventory of coffees you can use and increases the utility of the brewer. I''m enjoying my CBTL more and more every day ; )

After much deliberation, I ended up choosing this machine over the Kaldi mostly because it looked like I would be able to fit a normal sized coffee cup under the spout with the Contata but not the Kaldi. A standard mug that is about 4.5 inches tall will fit with some room left.

I like espresso so it wasn''t a big deal for me but it would have been a deal breaker for my wife if she couldn''t use her favorite mugs.

It makes fantastic, consistent espresso and coffee. Have had it for about a week now and made about 40 cups of coffee without a problem. I am really glad I was able to find this. I was looking for a replacement for a broken Keurig (evidently a common occurrence) and was happy I found a machine that could make both coffee and espresso well.

So far no complaints and we are very happy with the purchase.

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I''m writing this as my way of thanking the others who reviewed this machine. If I hadn''t found their reviews here on Amazon, I would not have known about this really nice little espresso / coffee maker.

We had a Keurig machine. As so many others have experienced, it went on the blink shortly after the warranty expired, producing wacky and random amounts of coffee regardless of the size chosen. Descaling didn''t solve the problem, either. After reading how so many others suffered through the same experiences, I decided the Keurigs were just poorly designed and was not going to buy another. So I was reading people''s reviews about the Tassimo machines and found a few others recommending CBTL machines (which I had never heard of). They pointed out that the CBTL''s actually did real espressos (15 bar pressure) and produced superior tasting drinks, plus they also did the lower pressure coffees and teas. The reviews convinced me to give one a whirl. Am I ever glad I did!

We got it just before Christmas, along with the CBTL milk frother. Less than a month later, we''ve made a LOT of lattes, mochas and coffees and are really happy with the machine and the frother. My favorite is a latte made with the Italian espresso short shot. The coffees are really nice, too, with their own rich crema, thicker and richer than anything you can get out of a Keurig. Granted, there''s not a huge choice of coffees for this machine (about 8 or so), but they are nice and distinctive; there''s good variety in the taste of what they do provide. For me though, when combined with the milk frother, the highlight of this machine is the superb espresso drinks you can make quickly and easily.

I highly recommend this machine, and I thank my Keurig for being so flaky: if it had been better behaved, I might have gone years without experiencing this much higher-quality home coffee machine. The CBTL is so far one of the more pleasurable and satisfying purchases I have made in a long time. Thanks to the reviewers who helped me find it. Hope it works well for you, too!

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My fiance and I received this as a wedding present and HAD to open it before the wedding. It has proven to be an absolute dream machine.

Best Features:

sturdy construction, a manageable 8.8lbs

detailed manual (READ IT FIRST!) with lots of pictures

few, easy to read buttons

power save function

large water tank capacity

quiet, much quieter than my old espresso machine

pull length for each type of drink is adjustable/programmable to your own personal taste, this feature is THE BEST

Speaking of ESPRESSO... Yes, this machine does it. At 15 bars of pressure with a rich golden crema. The ONLY single serve beverage system that does espresso. Better espresso than my DeLonghi machine!

adjustable pour spout so your espresso doesn''t splatter into your cup

cartridges available at my local Coffee Bean shop, Bed Bath and Beyond stores, or online from CBTL or Amazon

will also take any Gaggia Caffitaly cartridge

Google "cbtl reusable capsules" and you''ll find a nice hack to make your cartridges reusable with your own coffee/tea ("official" reusable cup? No. Slightly ghetto? Maybe. Ingenious and money saving? You bet!)

Cautions:

IMPORTANT: You will need clearance over the top of the machine in order to pull and secure the lever while inserting/ejecting cartridges. So either use without a cabinet over it, or it will need to be pulled out for each use.

If you live out of the US, I would check the voltage requirements to make sure you don''t blow the unit.

Limited selection of beverage cartridge variety. CBTL has 4 espresso (inc decaf), 12 coffee (inc decaf), 4 tea, and a few flavored powder sachets. The company is planning on launching new flavors this holiday season.

Mug clearance. My Bodum double walled mugs do not fit under the spout without tilting. Fine for an espresso but not fine when the whole mug is full of hot coffee. However, that''s my own personal issue, being double walled they''re rather massive compared to normal coffee mugs. :)

Uses only filtered water (I just use my Brita) or bottled water

No official reusable cartridge YET (Google "cbtl reusable capsules" for a cool hack)

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What a machine! It''s small but mighty -you are able to brew every type of coffee or tea drink using this single unit and its companion, the CBTL LM-145P Milk Frother, Black. Are you a fan of specialty drinks such as espresso, cappuccino, latte, special roast coffee, hot chocolate and flavored or regular tea? If you can dream it, you can make it.

The machine isn''t heavy and takes up only the same area on your counter-top as a regular coffee maker or 4-slice toaster. When you first open and unpack the machine from the box, you will need to put the filter piece in the clear plastic water reservoir, fill it with water (I use cold filtered water holds about a quart), and prime the machine. The handy instruction card that''s included will walk you through the process and then you''re ready to try making your first beverage. Select one of the CBTL capsules from their private collection of roasts and blends and pull back the top lever, drop the capsule in the slot and push forward to close it. Then push the button to start the brewing process. There are three water level settings on the machine -the smallest one at the top for espresso (about 1.5 ounces), the middle for long tea or other specialty beverages (about 3 ounces), and the bottom for brewed coffee or tea (about 8 ounces). You can experiment with the various levels to get the strength desired. I like to use an espresso capsule with the brew setting and top it off with warmed milk. When the coffee cycle is complete, remove your cup and raise the lever to eject the used capsule into the pull out receptacle behind the drip pan and discard it. After you have used your unit and are ready to turn it off for the day, run a short water cycle through the machine without a capsule to clear the small tubes. Clean up is easy, just remove the receptacle and rinse it off in the sink. I empty the water reservoir as well.

After a week with the machine and with the various products offered by Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf company, I''m a fan! The only drawback is that the capsules are not available in any local store and must be ordered online through the company -and each beverage serving will cost you about 60¢. When you go online to find out how to get the capsules you find the following information about the CBTL(tm) premium club:

What you need, when you need it!

Sign up for monthly shipments of your favorite CBTL(tm) Capsules and flavored powder sachets and you automatically become a member of our CBTL(tm) Premium Club. As a club member, you''ll receive:

* A low $5.95 fixed shipping & handling fee on monthly shipments.

* Free shipping with minimum monthly subscription of $40.

* Free CBTL(tm) Capsule Holder upon first-time sign up.

* Eligible to receive free limited edition espresso, coffee and tea samples.

* Exclusive promotional offers.

There are 4 espresso flavors including a decaf version, 4 coffee brews including decaf, 4 different teas including chai, and 2 powder sachets -chocolate and vanilla -to make the latte and mocha drinks. I have now used them all! According to the literature included with the machine and on the website, you cannot use any other brand (Keurig or Tassimo) in this coffee maker. That makes it difficult as you have to order the capsules online and pay about $6.00 for a package of 10 capsules and the shipping and handling fee unless you become a premium member with a monthly subscription. I know that my local grocery store carries other single serve capsules and hope that CBTL can get its product in the supermarket venue as well to make it easier to get what you want without the hassle and price of subscribing to a coffee delivery service. Amazon.com does offer the capsules on its website.

I am enjoying my coffee and tea each day. I recommend this product to anyone who wants to try the single cup brewer method. It does make a perfect cup of coffee or tea.

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Primo Water Corp 900114 "Pioneer" Ceramic Crock Water Dispenser

I don''t like hot or cold water, I actually prefer room tempature. Besides, I have a fridge and an oven if I want to change that. This water dispenser (get the stand with it) is perfect. It sits next to my desk, looks great and holds a 5 gallon jug without me thinking it''s going to crumble. You could easily use this in a business, restaurant, home or just in a room saving you walking while you take care of whatever. It is a bit differnt to load this with a 5 gallon jug, but once you get a little system down, it''s perfect.

It was a great find for me, I had a filtration system for the top but needed a dispenser and preferably not one of the electric ones that provide hot and cold water (electricity eater) so this was perfect! Well made and very sturdy! I keep it in a cooler room, so I actually have cold water anyway without a electric dispenser. Feel free to buy this product with confidence!

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Large top (about 6 in.) solid with countertop stand (Did set on rubber mat for non-slip). Does exactly what was stated in ad.

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This water dispenser works really well for Kumbucha. It is the perfect height for fitting under the cabinet. It comes with a ring for sitting over the muslin. I am very happy with this product.

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This water dispenser works real well. It doesn''t get the water cold, which I actually like and I put a pitcher of water into the fridge for times I want cold water. But this dispenser makes the water come out pretty quickly, much easier to use than a pump which I tried before this. The wood legs are a little hard to make even as you have to put them together with some screws, and mine may be a tiny bit lop-sided but it can be even if you know what you''re doing. It''s very nice, just would have liked it better if it was a little bit lower priced, but it works well and I am glad I bought it.

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Russell Hobbs RHTT9W 1.7-Liter Electric Kettle Save 33% Off

My daughter gave me one of these last April, I use it every day, don''t find glass tea pot fragile, I''ve bumped it several times, love it, use it daily, if not for tea, then just to boil water for my coffee press. I''m ordering one now for a gift.

I am giving 4 stars only because the glass pot is very fragile and you have to be really careful not to touch it too hard. I was taking the filter out and hit the side slightly making a big hole on the side. Now, I am ordering a new pot from the producer which is half the price of the set. Otherwise, I am really happy with this set.

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I have bought this for our home, and 5 other family members and friends, every body including myself loves it and I keep buying it for more friends who I figure out they are tea lovers and like to have an easy and comfortable tea maker.

There is only one problem that you need to be very careful with the glass pot because if you brake it there is no spare to buy!

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We are Persian/Turk people which means our family drinks tea almost all the time!!!!!!!! We had one of these but it was getting really old and starting to break so I decided to get an other one. It''s great for its price and sadly it seems like it''s the only tea maker on the stores that suites what we need. So I guess my complain is I wish there were more designs and brands available with same functionality. Any other tea maker that I found was so complicated and suited for various teas as if this one is simple and practical for black tea drinkers... :)

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Used an older model of this for years, totally loved the fast boiling kettle and the warmer plate feature. When the kettle stopped working (some electrical issue), I bought this version which was the current model. Then realized I didn''t ever want to wait again for a unit to arrive, so bought an extra one today just so I can store it and have it available if and when this one breaks. It strikes me that this is so useful, but most people aren''t even aware of warming plate options, and it would make a great wedding or house-warming present for somebody who was starting out.

Side note ... I''ve had two Russell Hobbs stainless steel electric kettles over the past 35 years and can''t part with the last one even though the handle has broken slightly, so keep it on hand for emergencies --such as awaiting shipment as referenced above :) Overall, Russell Hobbs is a fantastic company and I''m a huge fan of their tea kettles.

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Philips Saeco HD8327/47 Poemia Top Espresso Machine Save 1% Off

I am a steam espresso machine user who was forced to shop around when the quality of the product diminished in recent years. Our biggest reason for replacing a machine is it quits frothing milk, despite vinegar or cleaning or steaming through the wand after finishing with the milk frothing. I learned since starting the latte/cappacino process that I perhaps didn''t run enough steam through it when finished, but the steam machines have limited capacity before water and steam run out unless you refill. I rarely had time for that.

I tried a pump espresso machine a couple years ago and didn''t care for the taste--the coffee was too weak and I didn''t like how it steamed milk. So recently I tried a Saeco Via Venezia which was okay--the coffee tasted bitter, though I tried a different grind and it was some better. But for the money I felt it wasn''t worth it, so returned it after a week of trying.

Having second thoughts about going back to the steam machine, I noticed this machine is cheaper and read that the internal components are the same as some of the Saeco models. So I tried this and it''s working for us. The housing is cheaper but I don''t care. It''s smaller than some which works for my space. And one can tell by how it pumps espresso it is as good as the more expensive ones (including the Via Venezia I tried).

A con for me is the steaming wand. I don''t like it as well as the Via Venezia black plastic one because we like more foam and air in our milk. The factory wand is good enough, but I decided to buy a black plastic turbo frother (same as comes on Via Venezia) to see if it would fit the tube. It does and gets the milk exactly like we want it (more foam). Disadvantage is it hangs even lower so you can''t fit a pitcher under it. I am elevating my machine (or you could rotate it and have the pitcher come up at the edge of the counter). For me it''s worth it and I had to elevate my steam machine for the same reason. This steam tube doesn''t articulate up and down, just side to side, but for me it''s not an issue.

So, I tried Ascaso Basic and don''t care for it--maybe I didn''t use it correctly? I tried Saeco Via Venezia and it''s fine--works the same as this but has frothing wand on the left side, water tank isn''t too accessible (but is bigger), and has more stainless steel. I think its portafilter is chrome plated brass (heavier, "better"). It''s wider and harder to move around/takes up more space.

This Saeco Poemia is narrower, lighter, plastic housing plated with stainless so looks nice but is "cheaper." The internal components are the same but the portafilter is, I guess, stainless (lighter weight). However, I do not see a difference and like what this puts out just fine. It is as good at least as the Via Venezia''s output. The top lid that covers the water container easily bounces off if you touch it but goes back on quickly (instead of being hinged). And the front drip tray comes off easily IF you bump it, but again goes back easily. To me, these factors are just things to learn about using it, not disadvantages, because I like the lighter weight and size of it!

IN SUMMARY: We are 4 oz./cup steam espresso users who couldn''t get enough punch in our coffees with some pump machines, but don''t care to resort to nonpressurized portafilters that require tamping and talent to "dial in a shot." That''s over the top for us, so I got a pressurized portafilter and fill it with less than 2 scoops, tamp it lightly (very) with the included scoop/tamp, and brew. We end up with maybe 3 or 3.5 ounces per coffee cup and can steam plenty of milk for each of us. I use a 12 oz. pitcher for my cup but might need the space of the 20 oz. for my husband''s larger coffee cup.

The advantage to these pump machines is they have tanks of water, so no more sweating about limited steam production or time. The advantage to this Poemia is the reliable Saeco boiler and components. If you find the frothed milk isn''t "frothed" enough (playing with it by raising it closer to the surface of the milk then back lower increases froth quantity), you can nab a turbo frother for Saeco/Gaggia (Saeco/Gaggia Pannarello (1230)Product No.: SA227431350) for about $10 to $20. Even if you buy that, this machine is cheaper than ones that cost a hundred+ more.

NOTE: It is important to release the water from the steam wand first, then froth milk, or you get water in it that dilutes it. Just steam into an empty container for a few seconds to vent the water. Also, if you steam milk first, then brew coffee, be sure to run steam a few seconds until the steam light is out. This is called temperature surfing and lowers the boiler''s temperature to brew temp so it''s just right. Always run steam through the steam wand after finished steaming milk, until water runs out, to refill the boiler, because steaming empties it. (Read section 4.5 of the owner''s manual about refilling the boiler.) These steps just take a few seconds, once you learn them, and keeps the boiler from being drained and damaged.

This is a great espresso machine on a budget. I previously got a De''Longhi BAR32 Retro and returned it after a week of struggling to get good espresso trying any kind of tamping and grounding techniques. The Poemia is so much better. The key is that the portafilter is pressurized and there is no need to tamp the coffee grounds precisely. There is a valve that automatically opens when the pressure is optimal for brewing. The espresso comes out with great crema. I was able to even make the so called ''long espresso'' (running the machine until I get 5-6 ounces instead of 2-3) while still keeping great taste and crema.

The user manual contains an error in the description how to prepare the machine for first use or after a prolonged period of non use. It says to lock only the portafilter without the coffee grounds basket and run the machine until it is out of water. This of course will not seal the filter and the hot water will spray out of the filter. The coffee grounds basket has to be inside the portafilter.

Lets hope this thing will last, I will update the review if something happens.

UPDATE 9/19/2012.

I got a used Saeco (or Starbucks) non pressurized portafilter from eBay. It turned out I like it more this way. I no longer use the original pressurized filter. Either way the espresso I''m getting is still better that the one from the De''Longhi BAR32 I tried and returned.

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We have owned numberous espresso machines including Starbucks Barista (Seaco), a couple of DeLonghi''s, and a couple of Cuisinart EM-100''s.

This is a much smaller unit than either the Barista or the Cuisinart. It''s much more like a DeLongi as it has a small water reservoir and has a faux stainless finish plastic case.

It uses a lighter weight Saeco pressurized portafilter than the Starbucks Barista. Unfortunately, their is practically no crema. Our backup Philip Senseo makes better crema.

Disappointed for the price, but will keep it for a vacation home unit to make cheap lattes as the foamer wand works well.

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This is my first Espresso Machine. My wife and I decided to go with the Poemia after watching and reading countless reviews, this was clearly the best option for the entry level machine, considering our budget.

We got home, did the first use cycle and prepared. We were able to froth our first pitcher with no issues or complications thanks to the Panarello steam wand and we pulled our first shot, which turned out to be pretty easy and good. We didn''t even add sugar to that first cappuccino as it was really good by itself. Since the Panarello does all the frothing work for you, when using the right sized pitcher, the clearance from the wand to the counter shouldn''t be a problem.

We pulled a couple of more drinks for the family and everybody seemed to enjoy it very much.

My only complain might be that the passive cup-warmer doesn''t get hot enough until after a couple of uses, but this was expected and is really not a major problem at all. As other reviewers note, the dip tray does have a loose connection from the rest of the machine, but the bright side is this makes it easy to take off and clean.

This turned out to be a great purchase and a whole lot of fun.

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After my cheaper espresso machine broke down, I decided to upgrade to a better one. I did my research and liked the reviews for the Saeco, and that it has the same internal parts as the more expensive units. So, I''ve been using it for a few days now (I will update the review if need be).

The machine looks good and it was well packaged. The instructions are OK, but not intuitive plus they''re translated from another language. If you''ve used one of these before, it''s the same procedures, so don''t fret.

First, the on/off switch hides in the back of the unit, which is a totally inconvenient place. It took me a minute to find it, because I put the unit against my kitchen wall on the counter and I was looking at it to find out how it turns on after I plugged it in! Now, I have to move the unit forward and back every time I have to flip the switch. This could be a deal breaker if combined with the other flaws.

Is this machine supposed to stay on for hours? I don''t think so, because the machine preps the water to high temp & builds steam ready for use. Do you want to have a machine ready all the time? What would this do to the parts inside if it''s all the time? I don''t know. Placing the switch to the back of the unit might make someone think that "flip it and forget about it"....

Second, I found that it''s best to wait a bit more after the green light comes on before you switch to making your coffee. The temp/pressure are better thus. Also, before you steam your milk, run it for a few seconds as the first stuff that comes out is water only and this will definitely dilute your milk. So, collect this water in something and throw it out. The frothing is decent, after a little practice, but I''m still concerned (because I tested it) with water not steam being put into the milk. Maybe the machine needs an extra moment after the green light comes on for steaming so it gets really hot to vaporize the water and deliver only steam.

The coffee pod/container/base have to be cleaned after each use. There''s extra watered coffee dripping out after you''ve done getting your espresso, especially if you also use the steamer. I mean, you don''t have to, but there will be watery stuff in the base that collects it. It''s easy to pull the base off and give it a rinse.

The steam-froth part moves from side to side, not up-down, and it has a very low clearance, which makes it more difficult to use many milk containers for steaming milk. I steam very small quantity in a small cup so it''s OK for me but if you want to steam more milk for lattes you have to find another way. Because it does not swing out enough (or slightly up) it''s not convenient to slide the milk container underneath for steaming. Really bad design here.

Another miss is that the top cover over the water and tamper isn''t hinged. So, you have to remove it and place it somewhere, and when you put it back, it goes only one way as it''s not even on all sides. Cheaper coffee makers have hinged top covers. Flip it, get the tamper, close it. Easy, but not this one. Not a biggie, but at this price, I expected a better design here too.

The most important thing though is that this machine makes great espresso/cappuccino, assuming you use good water and good coffee, so this machine does well for what it''s supposed to. I can tell the difference in the taste and appearance. The temperature matters in coffee making so it must be perfect. This one has it right. I''m using the same brand (Lavazza) with this machine as with the one that just broke and I can tell the difference in the taste. The coffee looks better too as there''s a nice crema in the cup.

Overall, a good machine (thus far, after a few days using it) with design flaws.

Update: I eventually returned this unit. The design flaws got to me....from the switch, to the steamer, to getting the coffee basket properly seated.

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Jura 13467 ENA3 Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center Save 36% Off

After weeks of research we ended up selecting the Jura-Capresso ENA 4.

I was a bit skeptical that this small little super automatic could really replace our larger manual and brew quality espresso. I went to a local retailer and was fortunate enough to be able to use a demo unit. I was amazed by how simple and intuitive the ENA 4 is to use; while at the same time provides a level of flexibility and control well beyond my expectations.

The Jura-Capresso site has some great video demos as well as other info that is worth checking out.

http://capresso.com/automatic-coffee-centers-ena3-4.shtml

If you''re looking for a super automatic, I highly recommend you take a look at the ENA. Our unit has exceeded our expectations. Great espresso and lattes!

I purchased the ENA4 2 years ago, actually I purchased the ENA3 which is black, but I was given the ENA4. The only difference is the color. It has never failed to produce an excellent shots of espresso. Generally, I make lattes or cappuccino.

Performing the routine maintenance, when indicated, produces the best results.

This is a home unit, not designed for power users. Wouldn''t recommend it for an office or high volume household.

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This is our third Capresso (or Jura Capresso) superautomatic coffee machine. In our experience these machines last only a few years before needing repair but they make such good coffee, so easily and quickly, that we keep coming back to them. We''ve tried other brands and none rivals Jura Capresso''s coffee. This is our first machine of the Ena generation, however. We just bought an Ena 3. While the coffee is as good as that of previous models, the new design is disappointing. The rotary dial is a pain but it is tolerable once you master it. The water tank, on the other hand, is an absolute nightmare. We can only make three mugs of coffee before it must be refilled, and the rear location of the tank makes that task very difficult, especially since our machine must be located on a kitchen countertop beneath upper cabinets. In addition we have under-cabinet lighting, and it''s hard to remove the water tank for refilling without bumping into the lights and burning your hand. In my opinion the few inches reduction in the width of the machine is insignificant compared to the inconvenience of the new water tank''s size and location. Unless Jura redesigns the water tank, I doubt we''ll be buying a fourth coffeemaker from them. Maybe we''ll just have our old one repaired and use it for a few more years!

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I had high hopes for this machine. Did some research, read a bunch of reviews, dismissing as novices (I''ve been a home ''barista'' for 9 yrs) the people that had negative comments. Well, they were right.

This is not an espresso maker. My first clue was the unit comes with an 8oz ''shot'' programmed as the default setting. Yes you can change it but nothing you do this unit will get it to make real espresso-not the grind setting, not the shot size, not the strength setting, not amount of coffe, nothing (using Illy beans). Luke warm shot without any true crema. Besides that, there are little annoyances resulting from design errors e.g. unless the frother wand is cocked off to the side (as shown in the photos) you will knock it off every time you open the garbage drawer. As mentioned previously the water tank is too small, if you make more than 1 a day you will be filling it daily but hey, what do you want there are tradeoffs to get a small footprint.

I did like the ease of cleaning the frother and you can''t argue that its not a good looking unit. Also, I don''t know why others comment on poor foam. Another thing the Juras do really well is put on a head of microfoam. You need to both steam the milk and also extend the wand to get a true latte or cap; frothing alone will not get the milk hot enough.

Bottom line: it does everything well except its prime mission -making espresso (sort of like phone calls on an iPhone 4). I''ve already sent mine back and replaced it with a Rancilio Silvia.

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I love that the ENA doesn''t take up any counter space. It''s small, sleek, very compact, and makes any kind of coffee drink imaginable. I also appreciate its energy-saving features.

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Clover B7A Hot and Cold Water Dispenser Save 18% Off

I purchased this unit for the convenience of dispensed hot & cold water. I based my decision on researching reviews both here and on other sites.

The product was purchased almost a month ago, I did not get around to installing it until recently as I was waiting for the bottle on the old cooler to empty. But people kept installing new bottles and I didn''t get the chance until a couple of days ago.

The item was received undamaged and in factory packaging. What I did not like was the absence of factory manuals. No problem, I downloaded the appropriate one from the factory website.

So far the product has given good service. The hot water dispensed is adequately hot and the cold water adequately cold. There is no sign of plastic tasting water, unlike other company''s coolers in investigated reviews.

There is no sign of leakage but the installed bottle does have a consistent habit of constantly bubbling as if the water has not settled. The amount of water dispensed from each spigot is a little weak. Not quite the dispensing strength of the older unit.

A side effect of this new dispenser is that everyone is now using it much more often than the old one. After two days the bottle is already more than half drained. This is going to impact future bottle deliveries. Maybe the usage will go down once the novelty has worn off.

The unit is also Energy Star rated, I do not purchase appliances unless they have this rating.

For anyone in the market for an economical hot/cold water dispenser I would recommend this model.

UPDATE (05/04/12)

Was in contact with the manufacturer regarding an item not specified in detail in the service manual.

My question to the company was "Is there an approved cleaning technique for this unit?"

I know how to clean water coolers but the service manual specifically warned against using other liquids other than bottled water. This would inhibit the standard cleaning techniques I know/use.

The prompt answer back from the company:

This is what we recommend:

1. 1 cap of bleach to ½ gal of warm water.

2. Pour a little in the tank and wipe down.

3. Soak the faucets and baffle in the solution.

4. Run a little of the solution through the entire system

5. Rinse thoroughly with clean water, 2 gal at least.

I was relieved to see that the recommended technique is in line with known cleaning procedures for water coolers. But this is straight from the horse''s mouth.

Health protocol advises that this should be done approximately every two months.

I just thought that current and potential owners would like to know.

I needed a dispenser to replace my 4 year old GE unit. These Big Box units, which sell for a little over a hundred bucks, seem to last about 3-5 years with constant use. When I did my research of the current brands sold by the Big Box stores, I wasn''t thrilled with the reviews. None of them seemed to be particularly positive. So I continued to look for other alternatives, willing to pay a little more if I could find a unit that got better ratings. That''s when I found the Clover dispenser. The ratings were good and I was willing to spend a little more for it.

The unit itself is a standard water dispenser, with one hot and one cold spigot. Setup was easy: just clean the exterior, plug it in, and insert a bottle. (I''ve read that some other brands require more extensive cleaning, so the fast setup was nice.) One small negative is that the bottles seem to require a little more effort to insert onto the inner post than my previous units but that''s not a deal breaker. Water flow is very good for the cold side, faster than my previous units. The hot side seems about the same as previous units. One feature that this doesn''t have is an adjustable temperature feature, so if you want that, this isn''t the unit for you.

So far, so good. We''ll see if this outlasts the 3-5 years that previous units lasted.

UPDATE:

Have had the unit for about 8 months now. Still working well, although the flow from the hot water dispenser has slowed down. I suspect that it''s due to scale build-up in the unit. So, I went back to the (rather sparse) manual to find instructions on how to descale the unit...and all it says is to descale the unit (no actual instructions). I went to the company''s web site...and nothing. I emailed the company and was told to "follow the instructions for the descaling liquid." Huh??? After emailing them back, I got a response to "use any descaling product for coffee makers." When I asked for more explicit instructions (since a water dispenser is NOT a coffee maker), I got nothing. I''ve had other water dispensers, and they each had their own particular descaling instructions. As far as I''m concerned, that''s pretty poor customer service. So I''m reducing my rating to 3 stars.

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Well, the product is exactly as advertised! Boiling temperature water from a child-safe spout, and refrigerated water from the other one! Fits our multitude of differently shaped water tanks, very simple, easy to use, works great! We had bought a few different water coolers from other sellers and brands, but had to return all of them because they arrived broken or didn''t work as advertised, but this one had absolutely no disappointments :-) Pretty good deal for the money.

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Just what I wanted. Being able to set the temperatures to your desired settings is great. Arrived faster than advertised, too.

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We bought this along with 4 Gallon Water Cooler Filter Purifier Save $$$ Place on Cooler Transform Tap Water to Healthy Mineral Drinking Water by Zen Water Online. Wasn''t sure how it was going to work together with this but everything is working great. The reason I selected this cooler was that a reviewer said it did not leak and lasted. We had a leak when an old cooler finally broke and it created a mess. So we want to avoid this for a long time to come... This cooler does run very quiet as well and the water temperature is perfect nice and cool.

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Everpure EV9318-40 Solaria Instant Hot Water Dispenser Save 20% Off

• Produces piping hot water on demand at 190-Degree with fingertip temperature adjustment
• 100-Cups of water per hour, delivering more volume than the competition
• Compact unit mounts on wall in virtually any cabinet
• Powerful 1300-watt for quicker recovery
• 0.5 GPM flow

I was told that this unit was far superior to the Insinkerator that I was replacing after 10 years of great service. Not true.

The delivery of the water is uneven, you never know when it will dispense. When it builds up steam in the unit, it just starts dripping to relieve the pressure. There must be a better way, as I didn''t have to put up with the dripping with my Insinkerator. I can''t wait to replace it and it would be gone now, if I hadn''t paid so much for it. It just feels flimsy, sorry it''s not that hot.

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I owned a Franke Little Butler. It is the same as this unit. There are about a half dozen suppliers of this identical unit all branded differently, but it has the same guts inside. For $140 bucks you can''t go wrong. Mine lasted about 5 years. I could spend $85 to replace the immersion heating element inside the stainless steel tank, but its so easy to disconnect the two hoses, unplug the power, lift up the unit off the wall-mount bracket and be done with it. It should take 1/2 hour. They are cheaply made, so buy two and put one in the garage for 5 years from now. They''ll probably double in price; where are you going to get that kind of return for your money? Certainly not at Wells Fargo or Bank of America. Oh, the dripping and steaming another reviewer experienced means they had the thermostat set too high. NOTE: If you are going to go away for a while, unplug this unit...the tank is open to the atmosphere and 190 degree water will evaporate over time. The unit does have a thermostat so it will keep cycling on and off till all the water is gone and your immersion heating element burns out. Another reviewer experienced waiting a long time for the water to come out and low temperatures. This unit fills the tank from the bottom up. Hot water rises above cold water. When the tank is finally full, the overflow rises up the center tube and out of the sink fixture; if it takes a long time, that means it has been some time since it was last dispensed from and/or the thermostat is set high. Use a thermometer in a glass of dispensed water to check the temperature and adjust the temperature setting for 190 degrees.

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I purchased 3 of these over a period of 3 years, they all leaked or tripped the breaker after very little use. Im looking for something more reliable this time

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Long Island Homeowner gave a lot of good feedback. I have tried a couple and this is the best that I have had. The unit can produce over 4 cups of very hot water in one run, I haven''t tried the upper limit but that is good enough for most needs. It also has a very fast recovery so you can get more hot water very quickly.

There is some sensitivity to routing of the hot hose to the faucet. If the hose droops down from the unit before going up you will get a little cool water and a sputter/burst of air before getting hot. Be sure to mount the unit level, if you don''t the steam won''t vent properly and you can get sputtering. Construction is average but everything is thin walled so I don''t expect infinite life. Then again, as noted the replacement process is SIMPLE so it really isn''t much of an issue.

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This is a replacement for the same item I purchased 4 years ago. You can''t find the replacement heating element so you have to buy a whole new unit. This one ''boils over'' and has air bubbles in the line if the temp is set to the highest setting. The old one didn''t ''bubble'' over. Not really in love with the fact that I have to spend $240 every 4 years for the convenience of instant hot water, but once you commit to the connection type, you can''t easily change vendors.

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Can 100 Carbon Filter With Prefilter

This Can Filter is one of the best on the market, and already having owned other ones, it was a no-brainer to purchase another. However, be advised that these are very hard to ship due to the size and the weight, and the first one I received was so damaged I had to refuse it at the door with FedEx. We were upset as we really were on a time crunch with needing this filter (those of you out there who own these for their intended purpose know what I mean :) but Amazon.com really came through on this shipping damage. I called their customer service as soon as FedEx left, and advised of the damage and that I refused it at the door. (A much quicker and easier way of getting damaged product back to the retailer; that way you don''t have to pay a penny for it to get back to them. Just so you know! ;) Amazon sent another filter out overnight, and we had it delivered the next day! This one wasn''t nearly as damaged; had a few dings but nothing that affected its functionality so we were good with that. I did let Amazon know, and they knocked $50 off an already super low price! That was very great on Amazon''s part, and well worth taking the chance of shipping damage. Take it from someone who needed this the day before it was ordered: this was a great deal dollar-wise that was made even better by Amazon''s great customer service. I highly recommend buying these filters from them, since if something does happen during transit, Amazon WILL make it right by you. A potentially bad experience was turned 100% around... thanks again, Amazon!

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Everpure EV9970-59 Designer Series Drinking Water Faucet Save 12% Off

• Sleek lead-free, versatile design
• Selection of eight beautiful finishes to match the most popular designer faucets
• Forged brass construction
• Aerator tip provides even, clear stream of filtered water
• 0.5 GPM flow

I just about purchased a cheaper faucet but I''m glad I spent more and purchased this. It looks great with my new Moen water faucet style and finish look like they belong together. The swivel feature is nice and the install was easy.

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Whirlpool 4396508 (3-PACK) Compatible Refrigerator Water and Ice Filter Save 17% Off

Whirlpool 4396508 (3-PACK) Compatible Refrigerator Water and Ice Filter by Zuma Water Filters

We installed this filter about a month ago and I am very pleased with the purchase. I haven''t noticed any difference from the brand name item which I usually purchased, other than cost savings which I much appreciate as well as the convenience of having it sent to my mailbox. It took a little longer than I expected to arrive but a little better planning on my part can solve that problem.

Having purchased all our refrigerator filters from Home Depot and Sears over the years, I''d done extensive research on refrigerator filters online before buying this product.

1. The immediate eye-catcher was the price: $57.99 for a 3-pack inclusive of S&H! That''s a couple of $ cheaper than the seller''s website. This breaks down to $19.33 per filter, which is approx $15 cheaper than the store for an OEM product.

2. Sifting through comments for alternative filters, looking through Youtube videos, etc., and reading about some exploding filters stories, the manufactures specs and related product reviews helped.

3. Vetting the details such as Flow Rate, Operating Temperatures, Min/Max Operating Pressure, and Life Capacity is important. I found cheaper filters that didn''t seem well made and saving $3-$4 isn''t worth the risk of water leaks, etc.

After a week''s use, the product holds up well to the eco-friendly claims listed on:

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Frigidaire WF3CB Puresource 3 Replacement Filter (1-Pack) Save 44% Off

• The Frigidaire PureSource3 water filter filters all dispensed drinking water, as well as the water used to produce ice
• Change the WF3CB water filter every six months to ensure the highest possible water quality
• The Frigidaire WF3CB water filter is located at the top right side of the fresh food compartment
• The Frigidaire water filter WF3CB produces cleaner, better tasting drinking and cooking water.

For almost two years I just thought my Fridgidaire refrigerator was just slow to make ice and super slow to fill my glass with water. I do use a lot of ice when I make a drink so I also thought it was just me. It wasn''t until my filter light on the fridge came on that I decided to buy a new filter. I ordered this filter and a few days later it ended up at my house. I put it in and I could NOT believe that for the past two years I''ve been just dealing with a bad filter. I put the new one in and my water is pouring out very fast and the ice maker is going crazy. I can''t even keep up with the amount of ice it''s producing. So...if anyone out there is having issues with their ice maker and water dispenser, you may just have to buy a new filter.

Brad

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I have good country well water and did not want to filter it. But I bought my side-by-side Frigidaire refrigerator (Model # BFHS2611LM1) with a built-in ice maker and water dispenser in the front door. It came with one of these filters. Recently the fridge started to leak from just behind where the filter screws in.

I initially thought that the leak was a clogged filter (then 8 months old), so I bought one here, THEN discovered that no, it''s a cracked filter-feed line (being fixed on warranty).

Meanwhile, it''s clear that if I bought a filter every year then that''s basically $400 over the 10-year life of the refrigerator -half the price of the refrigerator. And, again, I don''t want my excellent well water filtered.

When I complained of this to the Frigidaire warranty guy, he informed me that I could buy a "bypass filter" from Frigidaire for about $50 delivered. Basically, it''s an empty shell filter that thus never has to be changed.

So, if you''re like me and don''t want your water filtered, then exercise that "bypass" option. I''ve since complained to Frigidaire corporate that they should just furnish the fridge with the bypass filter up front and then let each customer decide to replace with a real filter -or at least clearly inform them of the bypass option. They said they''d consider it.

Otherwise, this filter plugged in just fine and I don''t have any negative feelings about it, other than I don''t want it. So 5-stars for that reason only.

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My original lasted about two months, and the fridge never told me I needed to change it. I changed it because my ice maker wasn''t keeping up and our door water flow seemed a bit weaker. Everything was back to normal a couple of days after replacement. But then it too started having the same effects, only sooner. And again, no notice from the fridge nor do I have any indication that the filter is bad. Only that the ice maker is making smaller ice, thus not keeping up with our needs. And the water flow at the door seems a bit weaker. Anyone else notice these issues?

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I looked around quite a bit and this was the best price out there! I received my filters very quickly and the order was correct. Perfect!

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Perfect fit for a lot loss than I can get elsewhere. We save a bundle versus bottled water and the family actually seems to drink more now that it''s so easy to get from the door of the refrigerator.

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Zuvo Water Filtration System, 100 Series Save 9% Off

I had the Zuvo water filtration set up as a final stage for my reverse osmosis system and after a month of under-the counter use, the hinge on the Zuvo exploded and water was flooding my kitchen. The Zuvo has a carbon filter and an ultra-violet oxidizer (which just adds bubbles to a tanning bed light) and doesn''t do that much for water treatment in heavily populated areas where water is high on the TDS scale. I bought this as an addition to my RO set up but the Zuvo ended up costing more than RO. my RO knocked the TDS down to 12 but the Zuvo raised it to 14 during final filtration. Not 100% sure what this adds to the water other than oxygen but it doesn''t seem to be harmful. I would not recommend this product as a stand alone purifier. I would only recommend this product if you want to add O2 to already purified water. Ultimately, I spent 150 on a 5 stage reverse osmosis system and 160 on the Zuvo. I do not feel as though the Zuvo is worthy of such a high cost given the lack of weight this thing pulls in water purifying. If I didn''t have anything to compare this to, or even compared to brita, this Zuvo is pretty nifty. However, the fact that I was able to test it in comparison to a real filtration system that was cheaper and without power cords, the slack in the Zuvo was apparent.

I rated it 2 stars instead of 1 because I was lucky enough to be home when the thing broke. Had it broken when I was at work I am sure there would be eviction papers waiting for me when I got home to my 3rd floor apartment.

Thank you for reading my review and I hope this was helpful in deciding how you want to use this appliance in your kitchen.

Last note, the hinge that broke was the plastic clamp on the top that clips the carbon filter in place. Pretty sure it was the water pressure that caused it to snap. The glass shield seems to be sturdy.

I purchased this product and had some initial issues due to how the product was handled by the retail store it was purchased from, but I called Zuvo and within a few days I had a brand new product. No complaints since installed the new product. Puts your mind a little more at ease and makes your water taste much better. It is also much easier than having to use filtration pitchers all the time. Great product!

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Very good product and you can start feeling the benefficial effects of the ozone in your body almost from the first day you use it!!!

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Westinghouse W15120A/SA98910 Aquavie Healthy Water System Save 53% Off

I''ve owned this unit now about 8 1/2 months. I use it nearly every day up to 3 times a day. I use it for drinking, for my ultrasonic humidifier, to top off my little aquarium and to water house plants.

for drinking, I need to run the end product thru a Brita filter in order to remove that "distilled" flavor. it has been a godsend for my ultrasonic humidifier.. I live in Dallas and we have some of the hardest water I''ve ever had to deal with.

My only niggle on this is the capacity. it would be fine if I wasn''t relying so heavily on my humidifier for my sinuses. but without it. the entire house fills up with that awful white mineral dust that gets in to everything and actually can trigger my asthma.

My house plants also love it. our tap water in Dallas is so hard it actually can kill the houseplants.

My fish tanks are doing much better on the distilled water as the hardness of the tap water destroys the little filters by gumming up the parts with hard, mineral deposits and I have not lost one filter or a fish since switching to the distilled water.

bear in mind, this thing puts off a ton of heat.. it''s like having a space heater on the 750 watt setting while it''s running. I tuck mine in the back bathroom in the part of the house I rarely use because of the heat. especially in the summer.

The distilled water tastes like plastic has been melted in it. Gross! Apparently this is melted glue and is supposed to go away over time. I''m losing my patience as I have distilled 10-15 gallons of water it and still no change in the taste or smell. I will give the distiller credit for removing dissolved solids though consistently 1-2ppm. The only thing I would recommend this distiller for is watering your plants as it produces acidic water in the 5.5 to 6.5 ph range.

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I ordered this item about a month ago. A week or later after my order I sent an email to the seller, and found out that it was on the back order and they promised to ship it in two weeks. It arrived about two weeks later, as they mentioned. The distiller looks and feels well-built, even though it''s mostly all plastic. Works fine in a sense that it makes the distilled water.

The main problem though was that the water was not drinkable at all. It had a strong chemical odor and taste. I tried a glass jar, as one of the on-line forums suggested, but it didn''t make any difference. Then I found a forum at the bottom of this product page right here on Amazon, to which I also contributed. It''s called "How to get that plastic smell out of the water?"

Here is the link just in case:

http://www.amazon.com/that-plastic-smell-out-water/forum/Fx1VWL73TB130G2/Tx1E0U1PTZCM6M8/1/ref=cm_cd_dp_ef_tft_tp?_encoding=UTF8&asin=B0057RCE00

I will not repeat the details here, but just want to mention that Westinghouse is familiar with the problem and claims it is due to a glue :-), and the smell should disappear after some usage. I ran the unit for a few days while disposing the produced water just to get rid of the smell. After a few weeks of using the unit, the glue is still leaching into the water, and I have to use a carbon filter in a pitcher to remove the odor. The smell gets weaker, but is still present. I got a reply from Westinghouse to my email that says the issue was passed to the management, and that they will inform me on the solution, but I haven''t gotten anything from them yet.

I don''t know if it''s important or not, but I didn''t use the included mineral cartridge, so I don''t know if it makes a difference. As you can tell from my story, I was mostly focusing on making sure the distilled water was odorless, as I thought it should be before making this purchase.

If you have similar problems with your units, or found a remedy, please post it here, or on the forum below. I am thinking about keeping the unit, hoping this problem will fade away, so I would like to learn about this issue as much as possible.

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I paid over $400 for this product. When the product works, it works well, exceptionally well. Count on it for a year or so. If you use as I did daily, then you have a large amount of electricity flowing thru this product on a daily basis, please note that as electricity flows, the electrical connections within this device are "wear parts" and this become paramount.

People do not think of electrical connections as "wear parts." However, this product is not a TV. Here the intense electrical charge needed to distill water, blows fuses, and burns other internal metal components and melted the plastic housing in the device in my case.

The electrical connection between the plastic housing, which connects to an electrical wall outlet, and the tank, which plugs into another electrical outlet within the device is less than sufficient, in my opinion, for the task. As a metaphor, think of your clothes hangers and imagine they were made out of piano wire instead, and you''ll get my point. The powerful electrical charge required by this device corrodes the connections, and in my case caused failure twice. Once we sent the machine back to Aqua Via and they fixed it without charge. However, they (Aqua Vie) have disappeared, and now neither parts nor support seems available thru Westinghouse. Will somebody from the company contact me and tell where I can get parts?

This electrical problem is, in my opinion, a curable design flaw. It is a big deal rendering the machine useless for most people. Who cares to take their clothes iron apart when it stops working? It could be small deal if one knows the problem of which I write exits and could get the parts. I could fix this with an overpriced $10 or $12 part. Many people maytrash this otherwise excellent product when it does not "go." This reminds me of joke where the youngsters are on the porch and the boy ask, "what does your father do for a living." The girl says, "he takes apart things that don''t go, so you better go."

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All first of all I got this through another site at a considerable discount. I had read the reviews about the gluey plastic smell to the water but for the price I paid I was willing to try it.

Ok, distillation to remove impurities make sense and is proven in science that this works. So I am not worried about that end of the process working or not. However I know from experience distilled water is dead it has not taste and no oxygen, one person said they use it in their small fish tank, I would not do this.

Washing out both units before the first use and as directed when you replace the mineral cartridge is a good idea.

Now having read the reviews of the "plasticy/gluey" smell I was sceptical about it. I have a ver sensitive sense of smell. When I took it out out of the it smell like new plastic. No suprise it is new after all.

I washed BOTH chambers and risned them extremely well. Then I added the water and sealed it in, pushed it in place, turned it on and waited, the directions stated this would take 4 to 4 1/2 hours to produce one caraffe of pure water. Remember to take the cap off the pure water chamber and have soaked the mineral cartridge for at least 3 minutes the directions state 30 but I went 3 miutes to assure the water was moving through it and then put in the pure water caraffe.

The first caraffe of pure water took 4 hours to produce as the direction stated, it smelled like plastic, so I ran another caraffe tossed the 2nd one and the third I am drinking now, I am very pleased with the results. There is about a 1/4 cup of water that remains in the chamber after the distillation process. Toss this water out and rinse it out then add new water just to the bottom of the tabs in the black chamber. It is important to just add water to the bottom of the tabs because it boils the water and needs the room to expand and allow the water to boil.

There is only one issue I have with the unit is the noise of the cooling fan. It is very noisy, I live in a condo and I put it in my bathroom so I don''t hear it. Also this puts out a lot of heat, it''s supposed too, let the water cool before you move it to another container.

I had tried a Britta, 3M Filtreet water pitchers, do they filter the water, yes BUT they can not remove the cholrine and other impurities their water tasted OK, the Westinghouse Aquavie is good choice if you need to remove the cholrine and other contaminates. I am pleased with it.

Be sure to do a internet search for it, you will find better prices a site affiliated with the one still has a stock of them for $64.99 on 11/7/2012 at 0127 hours they were showing to have 65% left. Their first part of their name starts with Ben.

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Single Stage Countertop Water Filter System

This is our second Countertop H20 Filter. The last one worked for well over the 5 years promised. It removes that odd taste from chlorine. We change the filter cartridge about every 6 months and that is all the maintenance that is needed.

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Super Iron Out IO65N Rust Stain Remover

Our water here in Broaddus, Texas is full of iron and calcium, so I was thrilled when I found Iron Out online. I use it to remove iron stains from my white towels and tops and, also, to keep the stains out of my toilets. It is absolutely effortless to use and works great.

I had previously used Iron Out purchased from Home Depot, but HD stopped selling it, so I tried every other product and method suggested on the internet to clean the white toilet bowls, but to no avail. The most distasteful method was emptying the toilet bowl and scrubbing the cleanser Zap by hand. I had not realized how effectively Iron Out had removed the iron stains compared to other products. I was so pleased to find Iron Out was available through Amazon. An overnight soak with Iron Out followed by a quick scrub removed all the iron buildup from the previous 4 months.

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A friend told me about Iron Out when I was complaining about the red clay dirt ground into my sons'' baseball pants. I''d tried Spray & Wash and all the other sprays and sticks with mixed results. I found Iron Out at Walmart and I''m so glad I tried it.

We have a little iron in our well water, which leaves a reddish ring in the toilet bowl. Iron Out removed all of it with an overnight soak. I added some to the laundry when I was washing baseball pants, and every hint of grass stains, ground in dirt and glove oil was completely removed. This product has saved me untold hours of time rubbing and soaking other products into the stains.

I''d like to caution you to only use Iron Out on bleach-safe clothing. It will ruin anything dark colored!

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I use it to clean crystal it works great with just a teaspoon or two in a small container with the crystals, add water and let it sit overnight.

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I''ve been using this for a long time. Aside from doing a great job on clothes that have rust stains, this does a great job on toilets and sinks, calcium deposits, cleaning glass and crystal. My only advice is to use rubber gloves when handling because you know anything that works great on stains is going to be rough on skin.

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Brita Everyday Water Filter Pitcher Save 12% Off

It was time to replace my old Brita Pitcher, so I decided on this model. I am very happy so far. It is large (10 cups) yet the design seems like it takes up less space in the fridge.

It claims to be BPA free (I didn''t test it). And it works with the standard Brita filters. If you are familiar with Brita filters and like them, then this is a great pitcher for you.

It doesn''t have the fancy lights or date indicators to tell you when to change your filter, but I had those before and they didn''t work too well anyway. This basic model comes with the "sticker system" which allows you to put a sticker on the pitcher itself or on your refrigerator. The sticker has a reusable indicator that you can move to show when the filter is supposed to be replaced. (They recommend every 2 months, but depending on how much water you go through, it could be more or less frequently).

I''m very happy with my purchase of this basic pitcher, and I definitely recommend it to anyone in the market for a water filtering pitcher.

I live in Chicago and the tap water here is unpleasant, to say the least. There are so many different options when it comes to water filtration that vary from pitchers to tap-attachments to coolers. My boyfriend and I live on a strict budget so the latter two were out of the question. We drink a lot of water so we were looking for a relatively cost-efficient pitcher that would hold a considerable amount of water.

Brita has several different options in terms of sizes, colors and features (including digital calendars). We chose this pitcher since it was larger than most and had no frills, which brought the cost down considerably. Included in the box is a resusable vinyl sticker than you can adjust to remind you when to change your filter. Not as fancy as a digital calendar, but it does the trick!

The quality of water is leaps and bounds above the bare tap water. Thankfully the filters come on sale quite frequently and can also be found on Amazon or at Costco for decent prices. What I like about this pitcher is that it is quite large and a full pitcher holds about 4 pints of water before needing to be refilled, which is reasonable. It also feels quite heavy and solid to hold, which is nice, considering I''ve seen some of the smaller models take tumbles off countertops and crack upon impact on the floor.

This is a great water filtration option at a reasonable price. I recommend it!

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I''ve been using Brita pitchers for 20+ years and have used a variety of its products. In the last 6 or 7 years, each time I got a new Brita pitcher, I just got more disappointed.

Brita initially had a brilliantly designed product that caught on. Then they started tinkering with the design. But I guess there was a shortage of brain power (or an over-abundant supply of idiocy), so the design kept on getting worse: The lid started to fall off when water was being poured from the pitcher. Then the lid started NOT to fit...

This particular model has several issues:

1. It is very difficult to lift the filtering reservoir out of the pitcher. That is because the lip area has enough of an opening for fingers to grab the reservoir, but the handle-side is flush--and slightly receded under the handlebar. The reservoir is design such that one must use two hands to lift it, or else it won''t come out. But there is only one place (barely) for two fingers.

2. Brita pitchers always had a flap at the spout, which conveniently keeps debris from falling into the pitcher. But it is not in this design. Gone.

Don''t know what they are thinking or who messed with the original design. But this is truly annoying. I hope a new company can emerge to challenge Brita''s dominance in this market and I''d be among the first to switch.

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On my last model, the lid flipped up. Now you have to remove it every time. I think that could have been improved upon.

The size is good though, so I can''t really complain about anything else. The water tasted great. I like Brita.

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I bought this to replace a smaller 4 cup version. This is simple and that is what''s great about it. I also have an older version with a flip cap over the spout. This was a bad design because the cap always got stock and spilled all over the floor and my socks when I tried to pour it.

This version removes the hinged cap over the spout and provides exactly what I need from a Brita filter; clean, cold water in a container that I don''t have to constantly refill.

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Sh-Wipe Terry Cloth Mop Cover Save 42% Off

I am very disappointed in the quality of these terry cloth covers. They are not even close to the thickest of the previous ones that I had ordered.The fabric is very thin I will not be buying these again.It is impossible to know this when buying online. The brand is: Sh-Wipe Terry Cloth mop cover. I thought I was buying the original shmop covers. I donot recommend these!!!

This cover works great with the Shi-mop. I give it a four-star rating because I don''t like to rinse it and get my hands in the water. This can be prevented, though, by using several covers and changing them whenever they get dirty, then just wash them in the machine. They are made of cotton, so I like to hang them to dry. I gave a more extensive review for the Shi-mop itself.

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great product, shipping is too high, not able to combined shipping with the same seller.

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I bought this mop for a large tile floor in what was once the basement of my house. It works as advertised and it was very inexpensive. What more can a customer say?

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My house cleaners use this so I bought one! I am LOVING it, it leaves a very finished look on my hardwood!

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Lime-A-Way - Hard Water Stain Remover Toggle 28 Ounce

I had a sink to clean which had some very thick buildup in the basin which no cleaner would remove to any significant degree. I used scouring pads and a lot of time to get no where with cleaners which would otherwise be good for cleaning a sink.

I tried Lime-A-Way and it worked great. Scrubbing with scouring pads was still necessary for the thick buildup (although, the running into the sink cleared most of the basin without effort), but it visibly and quickly allowed me to clean the sink.

The bottle top is probably secure, but I would call it a bad design. I used a screw driver to flip it open and when the bottle is full, this seems like a good design to spill or spray it by accident, however, the bottle is secure and the product works great, so I can deal with that.

I used rubber gloves and care and I suggest anyone else to do the same. It corroded the screw driver tip, and it ate away the limescale buildup.

When I moved into my house one of the toilets had nearly black hard water stains in the bowl. I tried every remedy mentioned online including letting Coke sit in the bowl over night and using CLR. While I love CLR for other purposes, it did not work at all on these stains. I''ve been using bleach to verrrryyyy sloowwwwllyyy fade the stains for 2 years. Finally I saw a commercial for Lime Away and thought I''d give that a try. Low and behold I squirted some of it around the area with the stains, let it sit for a few minutes and when I came back, the stains scrubbed off without any effort at all. There''s still a bit of stain left but I am sure that another treatment or two will leave me with a shining bowl. I couldn''t be happier!

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Lime-Away works quite well on limescale build-up but here''s a couple of caveats:

1. The cap on these aren''t tightly sealed so when the product is dispensed through the flip-spout located on the cap, the contents will ooze through around the cap as well. What a mess!

2. Per the instructions, you need a pointy object to flip the child-proof spout open. Great feature in theory but Lime-Away went a step further and made it adult-proof as well I had a hard time getting it open! Most people probably won''t close it once they''ve gotten it open so Benckiser has in effect made it potentially more hazardous than if they hadn''t child-proofed it at all.

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I used Lime-A-Way when it first appeared on the market in the 1970''s and it was amazing. It quickly dissolved calcium deposits around sink faucets, bath tubs and other locations. It was caustic so rubber gloves were mandatory. Since then, probably out of environmental and safety concerns, the product has changed its color and it''s formula to where it''s effectiveness is ZERO.

The TV commercials are misleading and wrong! The product they use to show how it dissolves calcium from a shower head is another formula that is not available. You can soak a shower head in this product for days and absolutely nothing will happen. IT DOESN''T WORK. White vinegar is cheaper and more effective. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS OR ANY OTHER LIME-A-WAY PRODUCT!

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Lime-Away works quite well on limescale build-up but here''s a couple of caveats:

1. The cap on these aren''t tightly sealed so when the product is dispensed through the flip-spout located on the cap, the contents will ooze through around the cap as well. What a mess!

2. Per the instructions, you need a pointy object to flip the child-proof spout open. Great feature in theory but Lime-Away went a step further and made it adult-proof as well I had a hard time getting it open! Most people probably won''t close it once they''ve gotten it open so Benckiser has in effect made it potentially more hazardous than if they hadn''t child-proofed it at all.

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