Copco 24-Ounce Big Joe Thermal Travel Mug

Look, the only people who should be seriously considering this mug are people who need a mug that holds 24 ounces. These are mostly folks that drink 24 ounces of their beverage in the time it takes most folks to drink eight. If you''re in that crowd, read on. If you''re not if you''re looking for a system that will keep your coffee hot for eighteen hours, or that won''t sully the impeccable flavor of your Guaruvian kitty-dung extra roast look elsewhere.

OK, did all those dilettantes leave? If you''re still reading, it''s because you want a 24-ounce (or larger) mug, probably for hot beverages. If that''s the case, you have only a few choices: the CopCo Big Joe (either single or double), the Thermos DF4010, or some plastic mugs offered mostly at hunting/camping or NASCAR sites. The ones from the hunting/camping sites won''t fit into your car cupholders. The NASCAR ones look like they do, but some of them are so huge, they also look like they''ll upset in your lap ever time you take a right turn. So I''m going to keep my comments to the CopCo and Thermos offerings.

I bought both of them several months ago. I have used ''em more-or-less interchangeably since then, and I feel like I have enough information to make a decent review of each. I take my coffee with adulterants (milk & sugar), and I have not noticed any cup-taste being transferred to the coffee. Either of them will keep the coffee hot for the half-hour or so that I usually take to drink it. Both have handles that are only attached at the top: I notice that, when I put either into the car cupholder I usually use, the bottom of the handle extends below the top of the cupholder so that if the handle WERE attached on the bottom, the mug would not fit into the cupholder correctly. I have not noticed any problem with looseness or weakness of the handle on either mug.

The top of the Thermos mug has a slider to cover the drinking hole; the top of the CopCo dies not. The sides of the CopCo fit more snugly into my cupholder, and have rubber traction inserts that help to hold it in place. That said, however, I have not noticed that either has problems with looseness or insecurity in the cupholder.

Neither is dishwasher-safe; the trapped air between the steel exterior and the plastic interior will expand in the dishwasher and possibly crack the plastic. The tops may be dishwasher-safe, but I have not risked them (hey, I''m washing the mug anyway; how tough is it to wash the top, too?). And the tops are NOT interchangeable one with the other.

I like the CopCo better, but for no good reason I can figure out (it may be that I just don''t like the tumblehome sweep of the shape of the Thermos as much). So pay your money and take your choice.

I had a stainless mug and it really kept the coffee hot for a long time, several hours. This mug is much lighter, being that it''s plastic. It feel cheap and doesn''t keep the coffee hot at all, maybe an hour. If you just want something to grab for coffee on the way to work, I guess it''s OK. It fits in a standard cup holder and it''s easy to drink from. It''s not spill proof but it doesn''t splash either. Because it has a metal exterior you can''t microwave it, so you need to drink your coffee within about an hour or drink it cold. The fully metal mug I have doesn''t fit into a cup holder, it''s got a wide bottom. I was looking for this shape and the qualities of the steal mug.

After several months of trying to use this mug I finally threw it out. I was drinking hot tea and the plastic smell and taste was so strong it scared me, so out it went. I''m sticking to stainless in and out.

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The pros are : It''s stainless, Kept a coffee hot long enough for me, Size was perfect for me.

The cons : Price ( saw a two pack (after I ordered from here)at *al-*art for $7.98 in auto section,) The Lid is NOT a spill proof locking lid top (my office requires mugs to be), The top is not a screw on lid, its a push in and pull out takes quite a bit of hand stength.

Wish I had known before ordering it didn''t have a spill proof lockable lid top.

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I wanted a large insulated cup and this product appears to fill that need. The lid does not stay on. From the time the cup arrived it was loose fitting. Today I knocked it over. The lid came off, the coffee ran across the table and then down to an expensive rug. I used words I rarely use since leaving the army. This thing may a quick trip to the trash where it belongs. It is not dishwasher safe and is difficult to clean.

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The mug itself is very sturdy like all the other Copco mugs I''ve owned. The only complaint I have (and the reason why I can''t make it my hoped-for travel mug) is that the lid has no closing mechanism. With only one smallish photo to judge from, I took a calculated risk when purchasing, but will have to settle on this being my ''at home'' mug. I would recommend that the seller add a second photo from an overhead angle to clarify for folks like myself. After some more trial and error, I found a far superior Copco model, which you can see here:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002G9SXHK/?tag=scifincom-20

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Neoperl Faucet Aerator Water Saving Multi Laminar Spray Stream 1.0 Gpm Save 71% Off

This has to be one of the simplest and most painless ways to save water! There really is no noticable difference in how it feels when you wash your hands, but it really uses alot less water! I have installed these on every faucet in the house. About the only negative I can think of is that filling a large pan of water does take longer, but it''s a small trade off for the water that is saved washing your hands or rinsing dishes! Installation was easy and the product is well made with a nice quality finish! I have been recomending these to all of my friends!

As advertised, great spray and easy to install. Excited to be saving water without losing out on power of the spray. Easy project!

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I actually like this much more than the 2.3gpm faucet piece that was in the kitchen originally. If anyone still washes dishes themselves (i.e. no dishwasher) than this is actually incredibly useful because it makes it easier to wet and rinse the dishes quickly because of the stream shape and spread. Definitely would recommend to anyone considering cutting down on their water usage.

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I love these faucets! Not only am I saving half the amount of water (and money) I used to use, but I feel like the water stream is better. It is spread out rather than just a trickle, and it has really good pressure. Others I have tried in the past have been ineffective, but these are so great, now my Dad wants to buy them for his house too!

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These are a great way to save water. I installed these on all my bathroom sinks and have noticed a small reduction in both my water bill and electrical bill. It is important to remember that by using less water you save on both water and electric bills. I highly recommend these. They are a high quality product.

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8x16 mesh Coconut Shell Granular Activated Charcoal Carbon 4 lb Mylar Bag

I''ve been using this as an inexpensive replacement for Brita filters.

Like the Brita filters, running water through the charcoal initially causes charcoal dust to filter into the water, but after an initial period, this stops -I just ran a bunch of water through straight into the drain. The water tastes just fine and this is much more cost-effective than buying filters.

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Cucina Romana 10-Cup Programable Coffeemaker Save 50% Off

Just recieived this machine as a gift from my wife. She bought it on trip to Chicago. Tried it out this morning and forgot turn the timer on. After the grinder turned off in 2 seconds (pre-ground coffee) I did not here it brewing but it did brew the coffee. The only thing I find negative about it is there is no backlight for the LED display. It is the quietest machine I have ever owned. If you follow the owners manual there should be no problems. I like it! It operated as the manual claims.

I have owned quite a number of grind-and-brew coffeemakers over the last 30 years, but this one stands out as memorable ... for the astounding array of bad design decisions incorporated into one product.

I bought this as a change after a few rounds of bad luck: A high-end grind-and-brew coffeemaker that died on day 363 of its year warranty (but is no longer manufactured or repaired),Saeco 10-Cup Automatic Drip Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe and Burr Grinder, Stainless Steel

followed by a mid-range grind-and-brew from a top manufacturer which died (stopped dripping, though the grinder still worked) after a mere six weeks of use. [Amazon was kind enough to help me get an exchange on the second coffeemaker so that I wouldn''t have to spend the agonizing 6 weeks that the manufacturer reportedly takes to service that model.] Krups KM7000 10-Cup Grind and Brew Coffee Maker with Conical Burr Grinder, Black and Stainless Steel Accents

So I thought I''d go in a new direction, and instead of buying a grind-and-brew coffeemaker with a burr grinder, I returned to the blade grinder and what I hoped would be a more durable design, much like the coffeemakers I had 20 years ago. This Cucina Romana coffeemaker uses the same basic grinder cup and lid, filter basket and holder, and charcoal filter, as several other blade-grind-and-brew coffeemakers; the design reminds me of the now-defunct Melitta product.

Unfortunately, this coffeemaker has so many flaws that I find it simply annoying to use. Yes, it makes a pretty decent cup of coffee. But imagine how much I''d like it if some better decisions had been made before it was ever sent to manufacture:

In order to fill the coffeemaker with water, you open a lid that requires an astonishing 23 inches -yes, almost two full feet -of clearance JUST TO OPEN THE LID. Forget about putting this under any cabinets; you won''t be able to open it at all, because the lid you open is the full size from front-to-back, thus contributing to this already-tall coffeemaker requiring use only on an open counter. In fact, I''d hate to be any shorter than I am and try to fill this, you have to hold the carafe so high that my arm hurts doing it.

The top lid is designed to require pushing back on a plastic catch to open it. This plastic catch is made shallow and of very slick plastic, so it''s hard to get hold of and one''s thumb tends to slip right off it, leaving the lid to crash down. In addition, you have to use the other hand to hold on to the coffeemaker body, or you''ll never get the lid open, rather only succeed in pushing the entire coffeemaker back or tipping it over.

The LED panel is very dark and small, very difficult to read, as it''s completely unilluminated.

The clock does not flash 12:00 when the coffeemaker is first plugged in as the instructions say; rather, it displays 12:00 steady, and doesn''t seem to have any clear process for re-setting the time. After repeatedly pushing and holding various buttons to try to re-set the time, I finally hit on something that worked; however, the next time, I still had to go through pushing various buttons on & off to try to find what it would take to reset the time. It''s not clear why there isn''t a simple sequence of buttons for resetting the time, and instructions for doing so.

If you want to grind the beans when you brew coffee, you have to remember to push back an extra latch that isn''t present with other such coffeemakers, just one more obscure step in the process. If you forget to push this back, the coffee grinds in the cup and doesn''t exit into the basket, so you''ll just get hot water.

ALL the parts have to be in this coffeemaker for it to be turned on. So if you want to make coffee with pre-ground beans, you still have to have the grinding cup in place. If you want to keep coffee hot on the burner, you have to keep the grinding cup in place. The problem with this is that you *must* clean out the grinding cup completely between every use, because otherwise by the third use, it will be so caked up with grinds that nothing will reach the filter basket.

So to clean this out, I either have to remove the parts right before use and both clean and dry every part, or I have to hope I remember to clean and leave to dry all the parts in the short time that I don''t have coffee on during the day (or try to remember to do it before I fall asleep at night.)

It seems completely unnecessary to require the grinding cup in place just to have the burner on, especially because the cleaning after every use is absolutely necessary.

The grinding cup simply becomes thoroughly caked up with fine grounds after each and every use, both wasting coffee and making for a nasty cleaning job. You can''t just rinse it, either; the coffee gets hard-caked in spots, especially the exit chute, after each use, and will only come off with significant pressure or scraping.

The small triangular plastic protrusions that hold the lid onto the carafe are exceedingly flimsy; one of them broke after two days of use, when I simply flipped the lid up slightly to pour. This is a shame, as this carafe lid is one of the few I''ve seen (with grind-and-brew machines) that doesn''t drip all over the counter when pouring, due to a design that lets you flip the lid up slightly when pouring. In fact, if this part of the carafe hadn''t been designed so flimsily as to break this way, I would''ve at least conceded that the carafe design on this coffeemaker was better than on most of the competing products ... most of which drip coffee during every pour.

In summary, this could''ve been a great alternative grind-and-brew system, perhaps if the designer had thought a little bit about how it would actually be used. Most of the serious annoyances are in places where a decision was made towards lesser usability, when a small change would have made it so much easier on the actual user. For example, instead of using a shallow-lipped slick plastic catch on the lid, just something easier to grab would have avoided an obvious problem. Splitting the lid would have helped keep the height requirement down, perhaps enabling use under kitchen cabinets. And I suspect it wouldn''t take much re-programming to change the issue of letting the burner stay on when removing the grinder parts (for cleaning).

But instead, it is what it is. I can only hope that it, too, breaks in less than a year, so I can justify getting another brand and model. I think it''s probably time that I went back to the grind-and-brew product that costs twice as much but is so easy to use and has all the features I''d ever want. Capresso 464.05 CoffeeTeam GS 10-Cup Digital Coffeemaker with Conical Burr Grinder With so few grind-and-brew products left on the market these days, it''s worth the investment just to avoid the multiple daily annoyances of using the Cucina Romana.

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We purchased this item and within 30 days the grinder bin broke. The lever would not stick and it disabled the entire machine. We were able to get it replaced with another machine. Now, the 2nd machine, less than 6 months later, the grinder no longer works. This machine has been nothing but trouble. Very finicky to operate. Don''t buy!

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We received this as a Christmas gift this year. Happy as can be, I tear through the box and start working on getting it plugged in and ready to go! I have to say that after 5 uses now, I am stunned by how horrible this machine works. It amazes me it''s even on the market. I wouldn''t even give it 1 star, but because it works about a quarter of the time I am willing to give it at least that.

Do not waste your money.

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I bought this coffee maker 2 weeks ago. It is very very loud, the water spills all over the counter every time coffee is made and now today, it doesn''t want to work at all. HUGE WASTE OF MONEY!

It''s a shame it won''t let me give it negative stars.

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Pump Spray Bottle of Sporicidin Disinfectant

This is about the best product for mold that I have seen. We had a leaking drain pipe and we had water in our carpeted basement rooms old water with black mold around the outside. The professional cleaners used Sporicidin and it really cleaned all the mold. I am using this product in my shower to treat and prevent mold it works.

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Hamilton Beach 80674 Water Filter Replacement Pods and Handle Save 40% Off

These are necessary at least for the water here in So. Cal.

I found a cheaper place (will be interesting to see if this gets posted ...). kitchencollection.com. six dollars per set. right now if you buy 6 of them you get two dollars off. As long as you buy more than one set of them, you will come out ahead even with paying shipping.

good luck!

I have had my coffemaker for over 2 years and in that time I have known that I needed to buy new filters. And after much searching I knew that the only place to find these filters is here at Amazon. But I kept putting off the purchase because I felt that $10 was a little excessive for only 2 filters and that there was no need to have another pod holder when the one that came with the coffepot was still good. Well I finally broke down and purchased the new filters and now I am glad I did. The filters do actually help improve the taste of the coffee. The first batch of coffee I made with the new filter tasted much better than the coffee I had made the morning before. It is just a shame that the filters only last 60 days. All I can say is that if you can afford to do it, buy these filters and enjoy a great tasting cup of coffee.

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After 30 days use, our coffee has taken on a metallic taste. Maybe it needs a new filter -which are difficult to come-by.

Don''t buy Capresso filters #4440.90 as suggested in another review. They are too big.

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I have this coffee maker which I like very much. HOWEVER, it is IMPOSSIBLE to find the charcoal filter. I cannot find it in any store, have been unable until right now to find it online. Have been very discouraged. These filters (which are vastly overpriced) should be in the store that sells the coffemaker.

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I agree with the rest of the reviews...this is pretty expensive for a tiny little filter, and providing an additional handle/holder for it is unnecessary...In fact, I have the new BrewMaster Deluxe model and the replacement handle is too long...I only discovered this after I threw out the other one, and had to go back and dig through the garbage to retrieve it. I''m going to end up with a kitchen drawer full of them!

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Dyson DC17 Animal Cyclone Upright Vacuum Cleaner

Strengths:

1. Best suction even among other Dyson models due to new Level 3 Root Cyclone.

2. Excellent build quality. Each piece is not an after-thought.

3. Best design shape, color, material and operation.

Weaknesses:

1. Price but you do pay for the technology it has to offer.

2. Heavy!

3. The cones gets clogged from fine dirt in time.

Summary: This is arguably one of the best "bagless" household vacuum cleaners money can buy. Dyson''s root cyclone technology really does perform. And this latest Level 3 Root Cyclone trumps even its other models.

If you''re serious about having a real clean environment, this is THE product to buy. I just moved into an apartment a month ago and they replaced the carpets in most of the area and steam cleaned the others that they deemed need not be replaced. I used the vacuum in both and I can tell you that steam cleaning old carpets may get rid of surface dirt and stains, but Dyson is your friend if you want to suck out most (if not all) the dirt hidden below the surface. I could not believe how much dust it was picking up in such a small area. The bin filled up pretty fast so I was on to round 2 in the same patch of rug. This time it was picking up very find dust. Dust that may have been stuck for years and was never sucked out from other vacuum systems. Round 3 time and you will smile when you realize there is nothing else that''s being collected in the bin. As for the newly installed carpets, I could only collect find dust until no more could be collected.

Unlike other vacuums in the market, this is one heck of a quiet vacuum in a relative way. Of course it''s still noisy, but as with other brands this won''t hurt your noise environment. In fact I am able to vacuum even at night with no fear that my neighbors beside and above my unit will hear me.

You''re not only paying for the suction technology, you''re also paying for the build quality. Each part has quality reflected on it. While the design is modern.

Of course nothing is perfect. This thing is heavy. DO NOT vacuum the stairs while the machine is on the top stair because if this thing falls on you, there will be serious injury and damage.

The quick-draw expandable hose is a good idea. But it''s also not as flexible as I would have imagined it to be. It''s easy to expand and retract, but the long handle commands that the vacuum is at a distance from where you want to use the telescope handle if you want to operate it comfortably.

Among other bagless vacuums, this is the easiest to dump the contents. But just like all other bagless vacuums, dust will certainly be flying away from the trash unless you have a very deep trash can. Plus the fine holes around the cyclone technology gets clogged from fine dust in time so you will need to clean those tiny holes from time to time if you want the Dyson to perform it''s best everytime.

The lifetime Hepa filter is a great addition below. They recommend only washing with water and drying at least 24 hours near a heater/radiator and they really do mean 24 hours. It''s big and thick so it won''t dry out quickly. So if you find the need to frequently vacuum the next day, I recommend getting an extra Hepa filter to use.

The motorized brush bar helps pick up stuff from the carpet. This can be turned off for delicate rugs and floors. Just like other vacuums, hair and other long items can be trapped around the brush bar and need to be removed from time to time. It is also belt-driven so this can snap and break especially if inadvertently caught on a loose item. So be careful of this.

Overall, Dyson is a wonderful machine to have and will surely last longer if properly taken care of.

If you are extremely allergic to dust, I believe a better alternative is to go with Oreck XL as it ensures you will not be in contact with the dust particles due to it''s ingenious bag design that closes shut when removed.

Bought a refurb model here on Amazon after hearing so many good things about Dyson. We have 2 dogs, German Shepherd & a Chow. Needless to say, they leave a lot of hair all over the place.

We had 2 different vacuums when we bought the Dyson and neither came close to doing what the Dyson can do.

The first day we tried it out on an area rug it literally picked up a canister FULL of hair that our other vacs missed earlier that day!

Pros: Quieter than most other vacs, accessories snap in tight, amazing suction power, long power cord.

Cons: hose wand can be unwieldy.

Would love to see an automatic retractable cord.

Overall, my wife and I are extremely happy with this purchase.

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Once in a great while a company gets it right.

They make a tool that transforms a task into something you actually WANT to do.

Delta''s Unisaw, Stihl Chainsaw, All-clad pans and now Dyson DC 17 vacuum are among those few.

Until yesterday, I figured all vacuums were more-or-less an equal pain. After all, the Bissell (junk) we bought had the same 12 amp, bagless design as the Dyson. I figured "How different could they be?" ( Answer -LOTS!)

I bought the DC 14 "Animal" yesterday, not realizing there were _2_ Dyson "Animals". (I should have paid closer attention and also realized Bed/Bath/Beyond and Linens-n-Things carried out-of-date merchandise.

They neither one can even get the DC17. )

The DC14 was a good machine. The finest vacuum I had ever used.

As I was about to write my Amazon view (which I should do more often thanks to all you who take your time to do), when I discovered there was a newer, better, machine -this one, the DC17. I figured "what the heck." After going over living room 3 times with the Bissell then going over it with the DC14 and being amazed at what it picked up, I thought I had thoroughly cleaned the house with the DC14. After my discovery and subsequent return of DC14 and pick up of DC17 I re-cleaned the (I thought) clean house and was amazed as the dirt the DC17 picked up that the DC14 left behind. Multiple compartments worth!

The DC17 has significantly better suction than the 14, has a more powerful (wider?) head, puts out cleaner air, ...

Buy the DC17.

Be happy.

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This is an excerpt of my review from another board I frequent:

This is compared to the DC14 that I purchased on the 3rd of Oct 2006. Now I realize there are many Dyson haters, Hoover haters, Electrolux haters ect. I have NOTHING to gain by sharing my results. I am a Midwest housewife that likes a clean house and this includes clean carpets. Our carpets are professionally steam cleaned every 4 monthsget a great deal because we own rentals and use this service alot. Additionally, the steam kills any dust mites in the rug. For the last 4 years I have had a Hoover windtunnel that didn''t seem to be picking up after the two Chihuahuas Long and Short hair, (NOW I know it sucked) and was THRILLED to get the DC14 a Linen''s and Things for about $ including tax. I used the DC14 EVERYDAY since my purchase and was pleasantly surprised and disgusted at the stuff that ended up in the bin. Husband and sons just shook their collective heads at my delight and constant running of the Dyson. But eventually there was no more dirt to be had from my carpets. Just alittle fine powderI smiled smugly! LOL! The ranch house we were about to move from will be clean for our tenantsso I thought!

Anyhow, since the DC17 was available I wanted one for the upstairs of the new house (which is in the process of being built). Why two you ask? The house is 5,500 square feet so I didn''t want to lug one up and down the stairs. So yesterday I did some googling for Best Buy coupons (since that is the only place I have seen them) and found that I could get the DC17 for $ online and schedule an in store pickup. The store price was $ so I saved about 5%-not much but it helped. Within 90 minutes of ordering it I was home vacuuming.

I was truely speechless at what the DC17 pulled out of the carpets with ONLY 12 minutes of vacuuming. (The Steelers were about to play and I didn''t want to miss any of the game.) It was soon obvious the DC14''s brush was not up to snuff because of the dog hair that was pullled from the berber weave by the DC17. Add to that the grit and fine, fine powder in the bin. The DC14 is a bit difficult to push on my bedroom carpet but the DC17 feels more self propelled than my Hoover. It really moves itself!

Another great feature is the bare floor/carpet buttonit is now located by the on/off switch. Additonally the wand set up is GREAT and easy to use. The noise of the DC17 is clearly quieter than my DC14not so shrill.

All in allI would trade my DC14 for another DC17 anyday.

BTWThe really long red hair in the bin is mine (the short red/buff hair is my LH chi''s)NONE got caught in the rollermuch to my amazement!

NOTE: I posted photos with this review. Not sure if I can post them here so I will leave them out so the review will show up.

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After my 6 year old Sharp died I began a search that took much longer than I expected. I read Consumer Reports, went to 2 vaccum cleaner shops, cleaned the floor at Sears with everyone of their floor modles and even sat through a Rainbow demonstration. Who knew finding a vaccum cleaner would be so time consuming and quite frankly expensive????

I tried a Riccar upright....sale price $399 and took it back the same day. After the home demo of the Rainbow, and not wanting to spend $1895 for something I might not like, I borrowed a friends (she is s really good friend to lend me her relatively new Rainbow) and tried it for a weekend. I found it to be combersome and after it was all said and done I had strined a muscle in my neck with all the cleaning I did and had to see a chiropracter. The Rainbow did not cause all my muscle problems as I have been treated by a chiropracter for a little over a year, but I can certianly say it didn''t help it either.

I have a 2000 sq ft home with hardwood floors throught and several antique rugs...all with fringe (this vaccum will automatically shut off the beater bar if I accidently suck up the fringe....that was worth $500 to me). My husband is an oriental rug dealer and these rugs are very old and have lots of deep down dust in them I''m sure. So I wanted something that would clean the wood floors and rugs with as much ease as possible.

January 17th was my birthday. I met my mom for lunch but before we ate we went to the mall. I was making one last ditch effort to find the "perfect" vaccum cleaner. And there it was.......the Dyson 17. I had looked at it once before but for $500+ was it really worth it? The salesman was quite patient as I asked quesiton after question as I vaccumed most of the appliance department. Still a bit uneasy I sucked it up and made it purchase.

When I got back home I put it all together (not hard at all) and began to vaccum.........WOW!!! I could not believe what I was seeing? The Rainbow was just used on that some rug and the Dyson still picked up more dust and dirt. Then came time to empty the canister. I expected this to be the point at which I would pack it up again to take it back, but no, it was so easy and the dust didn''t fly everywhere. Yeah a little flew back into the air so now I have started using a plastic shopping bag and I just empty it and tie it up and throw it away. Very little , if any, mess is made now.

The attachments are terrific. I love the low floor tool for getting my bathroom floors and it even fits behind the toilet. The dusting brush is great for my plantation blinds and even ceiling fans. The upholstry tool is great for throw pillows. I have leather furniture and that is all I have used it on so far.

I know this is a bit lengthy but if someone else is out there reading reviews like I did I wanted as much information as anyone was willing to give, especially when you are considering spending $500+ for a vaccum cleaner.

One of the most important things to me was getting one that would suck up pet hair. We have a 1 yr old black lab and he sheds, not too bad but enough that my husband thinks our house is never clean. The greatest thing is that after using the Dyson 17 he said everything looked cleaner to him. WOW! He is a wonderful man and tries to be supporative but spending $500+ on a vaccum cleaner was not top on his list of things to do but he is glad I did it now. I have yet to try the mini turbine tool but I think it will be great for vaccuming out the car.

I would strongly recommend this vaccum to anyone who wants to make cleaning a little easier. I have not had a problem with the hose as some people have stated. It is easy to pull out and has a very long reach. The cord is longer than most I have tried. Auto shut off of the brush beater bar is a huge plus for me as is the bagless feature. I just cannot say enough good things about it. Go ahead.....spend the money and enjoy cleaning for a change.

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Zojirushi EC-DAC50 Zutto 5-Cup Drip Coffeemaker Save 18% Off

This coffeemaker was a bit more expensive than others available, but the engineering on this thing is just unbelievable. My wife and I have been using it for about three months now, and we still marvel at how well it works, and the quality of the coffee it makes. Some of the things we really like include the fact that we can take the removable resevoir to the sink to fill it rather than try to pour water into the machine with the possibility of spilling it; the conical container for the grounds is in the coffee pot, so it is very easy to empty the grounds, and coffee doesn''t drip onto the heating plate after removing the pot; it uses a #2 paper filter, and I''ve found that a similarly sized Swiss Gold foil filter also works for those who don''t want the paper filter to soak up the coffee bean oils (but you''ll need to be a little more careful to hold the top on the pot when pouring the coffee if you don''t remove the filter first; And I could go on with the good things. I don''t believe it has an automatic shutoff on the hotplate, or at least we haven''t found one, but we don''t use it anyway. All in all, I think that using this is like driving a Lexus instead of a ten year old junker. It''s a neat piece of equipment, and it makes great coffee.

I had never heard of Zojirushi before but I was being very picky, holding out for a coffeemaker that makes 4-6 "cups" (aka two mugs,) uses a cone-bottom filter, and isn''t black or white. This is the ONLY coffe maker on Earth, apparently that met all my criteria. (OK I still would have liked it better if it came in red, but the soft gray color is kind of classy!) And I have to say I''m really pleased with it. The design is simple and elegant and the removable water reservoir is a great convenience; I don''t have to pull the whole coffee maker out from under the overhanging cabinets to get enough room to put the water in.

It also makes really good coffee, mainly because of the cone-bottom filter (I''ll never go back to flat-bottom filters!) And the built in carbon filter makes more of a difference than I had expected.

OK some reviewers below were on about how it doesn''t make coffee "hot enough" and I was like, bonus! I still don''t understand how the rest of the human race can drink hot coffee straight from the pot without scalding their tongues. I was really looking forward to being able to drink coffee without having to put an ice cube in the cup first. (To be fair, I do drink it black.) I was so confident about this due to the "not hot enough" reviews that when I poured my first cup, I just took a great big sip and scalded my tongue. Argh!! Maybe it''s just that the warming plate doesn''t keep coffee at boiling temperature, but it shouldn''t: that would ruin the flavor of the coffee (and I''ve had a few cheap coffee makers that did scorch the coffee in a very short time.)

Anyway if you are the sole coffee drinker in your home and you like GOOD coffee, and you don''t dig the flavor-limitations or wastefulness of those pod-based things, this is a perfect coffee-maker for you. (And if they ever make it in Red, I''ll be the first in line!)

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I spent a lot of time online looking for a 4 to 5 cup coffeemaker to suit my needs. There are the usual suspects: Mr. Coffee, Braun, etc, that seem to get universally bad to mediocre reviews from people, especially people who know anything about coffee. I decided to skip all of those and look for something that would make a really good cup of coffee.

My choices became limited to two coffeemakers: one made by a company called Bodum (which looks like some kind of laboratory beaker) and the Zojirushi Zutto. The Bodum model supposedly performed well and made excellent coffee under ideal conditions, but many people who reviewed it said that it was prone to mishaps such as overboiling. So I went with the Zojirushi. I was not disappointed.

The Zutto is extremely well-designed and functional. The coffee filter is in the lid of the pot (not attached to the maker, like most autodrip models), and there is a removable charcoal water filter to remove chlorine, etc. It''s very easy to clean, attractive and perfect for a small space. After running water through it a few times to remove the burned-plastic taste you would get from any new coffeemaker, I brewed up a pot of Green Mountain. The coffee was excellent, the best I''ve ever had from an automatic drip maker. After the pot was left on the burner for 10 minutes, the coffee still tasted good, with only a very slight hint of a burned taste. I''m assuming this means that the heating element is set to the correct temperature for keeping the coffee warm.

There were no problems with pouring; you just have to place your thumb over part of the lid when you pour. The Zojirushi Zutto is a well thought-out and sturdy product, far better than anything comparable from any American company.

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I agree with most of the other posters here that this is a fine coffee maker. BUT... it has a major flaw in that the carafe handle design is flawed. It works by a metal strap tight around the neck of the carafe, holding the handle on. Other coffee makers I''ve used with this design, also have some means of attaching the bottom of the handle to the side of the carafe, which lessons the pressure created on the strap when you pour. The Zojirushi does not, and when you pour, there''s a lot of pressure on the neck of the carafe. I''ve had to replace the carafe twice, because after time, it develops a crack in the glass at the neck, which eventually leads to breakage. As I say, this has happened twice, and at @20.00+ a pop for new carafes, it begins to add up to being way to expensive to keep. I''ve had my Zojirushi for about a year and a half, and other than the carafe problem, it has worked well.

Feb, 2012.

I seem to be taking a lot of flack here for my review. I hate to tell the people who think I have it in for this coffee maker that that''s not the case, and that I''m not some clumsy clod who can''t keep from breaking the carafe myself. The first two did develop cracks at the neck without any help from me and I did have to replace them. That being said, It''s now 2012, (the first review written in June of 2009), and I''m still using this coffee maker daily, and the third carafe I purchased has not developed any cracks at the neck. And... it still makes great coffee!

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I am not a true believer, but a coffee agnostic. I allow for the existence of an angry coffee god whose strict rules must be followed to the letter, but I don''t operate under that assumption. Instead, I bask in the earthly pleasures of a daily cup of hot, black, strong coffee, and the Zishoruji is a perfect device of such hedonism.

The believers say that the Zujishori doesn''t heat the water to optimal extraction temperature. I like my coffee blow-before-sipping hot and thicker-than-mud strong, and I get both. They say that the water temperature impacts the bitterness as well. I take my coffee black, and I find the bitterness level just right to balance the acidity and create a wonderful complexity.

The believers say that coffee beans should be ground mere seconds before brewing. I grind mine at the store where I buy them, and lightning has yet to strike me.

The believers say that a five-cup coffee maker ought to serve two mugs of coffee. I say that filling the Zishoriju''s removable water tank to the brim produces two 13-oz mugs of coffee. That does require filling past the 5-cup tick mark of the tank, but then again, I do not recognize the infallibility of the tick mark.

The believers say that coffee grinds should not spill into the pot. I agree, and find that if I shape the five scoops of coffee into a cone in the filter of the Zoshujiri--that is, if I form a depression instead of a mound in the middle--then the dripping water does not splash the grinds into the pot. See, we can agree on something.

The believers say that the filter contraption that sits unnaturally inside the Zijiroshu pot is likely to slip and spray and scald during the act of pouring. I say that, as a primate with opposable thumbs, I intuitively hold the pot by wrapping four fingers around the handle and resting my thumb on top, where the handle, cone filter, and lid all converge. The pot pours smoothly, cleanly, with nary a drip on the counter, and the top remains firmly & effortlessly in place.

The believers say that the Zurijisho''s gadgetry is gratuitous and out of line with tradition. I appreciate gadgetry for its own sake as well as for its functionality. All the important pieces are removable, which makes clean-up and assembly a cinch. With previous coffee makers, cleaning the swing-out filter holder had always been a pain. The removable water tank brings me more joy than a piece of plastic should (you heard me). And the filter contraption that sits atop the pot is a pleasure to fill and breeze to dump out and rinse.

The believers say that the Zujirishi''s pot and its handle are weak and will inevitably break, and I say the pot is light and the handle is secured in place by a metal band. True, I would hesitate before filling the pot with pebbles or slamming it in anger on the granite countertop; but I hasten to add that the pot remains in one piece after a year of daily use, and the handle feels as secure as day one.

The believers say that the absence of an auto-off feature is a fire hazard and a moral hazard, and I testify that I have failed to start several fires though I have forgotten to switch the Zoshiriju off about once a month.

The believers say that the plastic in the water tank contains carcinogens. I worry less about this because (a) the water is in there for all of three minutes, (b) there''s a Zirojushi email somewhere in the reviews claiming they don''t use BPA in any of their plastics, (c) a Wikipedia blurb claims that Japan has removed BPA from most of its food plastics, and (d) one is more likely to damage one''s health from indignation.

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Danze Closeout D510445RBDT Trim Kit

This product must be discussed with the corresponding valve, which unfortunately I think, may be discontinued now. Danze valves are the best on the market with ceramic parts, not cheap plastic that will require replacement later. The quality of this actual product (the valve trim) is great, the finish (distressed bronze) is so unique, so satisfying and unusual, I hope Danze continues to offer it so I can use this in my next bathroom remodel. The only thing I HAVE to point out that I didn''t see in the description was that there is writing in the finish that says hot and cold with a little swish detail. I don''t like it, my plumber told me its something that is required for building codes in some areas or something like that. I find it unattractive, but you only notice it when you are close to the fixture.

I guess its helpful for people who haven''t used this particular kind of shower valve, but I find it obvious-how to operate and therefore unnecessary. thats my 2 cents.

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American Standard F20 Filter Cartridge

• Used For 4665 Series
• Filters Approximately 250 Gallons

We found that this filter is the same fliter we were buying locally. Therefore, it works just as good as the original.

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Seems to work. This is the only cartridge that fits in my filter, so I have to use it. It says to replace every 90 days but I usually go 4 months. Water does taste better with a new filter though. I definitely do not like that it is infused with antimicrobial agent...not to kill germs in your water, but to keep biogrowth (algae) from accumulating on the filter. The filtering action should be enough and the whole point of filtering the water is to remove the chlorine and other junk, so who knows how much residue is making it through.

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I have the American Standard faucet that has a built in filter. This is easy to change and works well. My only worry is the filters will not be available in the future.

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This item fits as advertised and satisfies the replacement requirement of the system. I am glad that I can obtain cartridges from Amazon as Home Depot refuses to ship to CA. Thanks for keeping in stock, other wise I would have to spend a hunnert plus bucks to replace the entire system.

It works just fine nice powerful clean water flow. I use these in my faucet they are great filters for getting clean water..

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Sprite HF-CM Shower Hose Filter Save 29% Off

• Universal Chrome Hose Filter with Cartridge Life Rating Of 3 Month
• Designed To Fit Any Shower Handle
• Integral Swivel Attachment Allows To Adjust To Any Angle
• Softens Skin and Hair By Removing Chlorine and Pollutants
• Reversible Filter Cartridge HHC Cartridge

I have owned this filter for a month and I am very happy with it. The first benefit I noticed was the missing smell of chemicals as I showered. I was always aware of the smell, but I never realized how heavy the smell was until it was gone. It''s undeniable that the air smells...clean. The next few days I noticed my skin wasn''t dry anymore, and I didn''t have to apply lotion. After a week, my hair was much softer, and my itchy scalp was gone, gone, gone. So far, I''m a believer in this product.

If I was going to name one con, it''s that the water pressure was affected a bit. However, for me, the pros outweigh this one con. I''d rather have the softer skin, and cleaner air than maximum water pressure.

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You don''t even know it is there. It does lower the water pressure, but the filter is worth it!

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I love this product for its looks and for what it does.

It seems to clear the chlorine smell along with the resin of the water softener.

My only gripe is that the flow is reduced just enough to tick me and my wife off.

I have been suffering from a nasty skin itch for over a year and I thought this might help eliminate some of the factors in my water.

I am glad I bought this product and you can clearly tell the different when the filter is off. I highly recommend this product for handheld shower users with HIGH water pressure/flow only. If you have poor flow like I do, you might want to go for a different filter.

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This product works ok. It last me about a month before I need to change the filter, but the problem with this product is, I use a filter because I have a lot of minerals in our water and turns my hair orange. This product alone will not do a complete filter. My hair is still orange. But it does help a bit.

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Excellent quality, easy to use. After researching all the available products, I decided that this is the best system available (other than a central filter) for getting into a bathtub that doesn''t smell like a chlorinated pool. The filtered water is so much better for my skin and hair.

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NewCell Water Ionizer and Alkaline Water Machine Save 27% Off

This product is AFFORDABLE and easy to use. Give the 9.5+pH(tested). I know K*****, that''s why I give this product FIVE (5) stars. A bit confused about setting it up, but finally got it done (MacGyver Chick did it herself).

Hope you do more advertise for people who still think that more expensive ones are the only Ionizers that work. People who don''t know what Alkaline drinking water does to the body, don''t COMPLAIN! Find out about it before complaining!

It arrived super fast and works well but it was not quite a smooth path.

First from the pictures I thought the cover was steel with a bronzey type finish. No not at all its silver plastic. Rather cheap looking but not too bad.

The installation needs the unit to be on the countertop with a hose running to the kitchen faucet. My view is that is just plain nasty and I decided to see if I could do better to do away with that hose from the faucet. I could but it was not so easy, as I''m no plumber, just a regular office person who decides to take on too much at times !

I wanted to Tee into the cold supply under the sink and run a hose thru the granite countertop and down to make that tee. That hose would need a valve near the ionizer to shut the water on and off, as that''s how you control it.

So the steps were

1. Drill a 3/8" hole in the countertop (took 2 hours but no real problem with the right granite compatible drill bit)

2. Cut the ionizer water supply hose near the ionizer base

3. Fit a brass ball valve 1/4"

4. Other side of the valve goes into 1/4" PVC tube thru the hole I just drilled and down to the water supply

5. The water supply is 3/8" so fit a 3/8x 3/8x 1/4 reducing tee

None of these were particularly easy because I didnt know what I was doing and needed lots of Home Depot trips, but if you do and get some advice its pretty easy.

Thats it hey presto....

The ionizer works well, but to get the full pH10 level 3 water you have to dial back the water pressure in to about 1.0-1.2 liter/min rather than the 2.5 they quote than will get you about pH9.2 at best. So a little patience on the water and its all good.

My wife also loves the acid water (either from the waste pipe or the acid setting for washing her face its made a big difference to her skin quality.

I also feel more alert and better focused. Oh and it tastes great of course!

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I had this for almost a year now and been using it since it arrived. it is a good one and have no complains with the water quality it produces. the alkalinity is consistent with the indicators.

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This is basically electrolyzing a weak saline (salt) solution into NaOH (sodium hydroxide... aka lye) and HClO (hypochlorous acid). Then the HClO and NaOH combine to make NaClO (bleach) and H2O (water!).

So basically this machine makes a very diluted bleach. Bleach is indeed alkaline, so it does what it says.

If you REALLY want to drink alkaline everything.. you can put a pinch of baking soda in everything you drink from now on. It''s better than the bleach/lye stuff this makes.

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Has a bit of an after taste..........I''m assuming it''s affilated with the filter. I hope it''s not inpurities getting through.

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