Showing posts with label 12 volt heaters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 12 volt heaters. Show all posts

Monday, September 22, 2014

Classic Flame Flagstone 23WM912-S118 MANTEL ONLY. Review

Classic Flame Flagstone 23WM912-S118 MANTEL ONLY.
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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We are building a small cabin and were looking for something to fit, both physically and décor wise. We ordered the classic flame 23inch insert and then found this to go along with it. When they delivered it I was surprised at how much the box weighed, however when I opened it I realized why. The stone on it is not some imitation plastic it is real and beautifully done. The unit is extremely simple to put together and the instructions are perfectly written. I am not exaggerating and you will see ,when I say I have never seen anything packed like this, ever!!!!!!!! excellent.... this can all be assembled by one large, strong person otherwise I would suggest a friend just to make it a little easier. Again this is because of the quality of this product. I strongly recommend this to anyone in the market for something like this. I have never before written a review but I felt so strongly about this product that I decided to send this review along for others.

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Saturday, August 16, 2014

Buy HLH4422M-WTM Convection Heater

HLH4422M-WTM Convection Heater
Customer Ratings: 2 stars
List Price: $70.87
Sale Price: $38.95
Today's Bonus: 45% Off
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I bought two of these units last winter (2012-2013) and they put out great heat. This year I tried to turn one of them on and the power switch broke. It just twists without stopping, in a complete circle. No heat. A couple of days later the power switch also broke on the second unit. I'm not going to buy another Holmes brand heater again. I've also had many troubles with a series of Honeywells. Does anyone make a good inexpensive space heater?

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

Reviews of EdgeStar 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner & Heater

EdgeStar 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner & Heater
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
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This is a general overview of the Edgestar 14000 BTU dual hose air conditioner.

Buying experience: Average

Product was slow to be delivered, approximately two weeks from the time I placed the order until I actually received the item. Buyer's need to keep in mind that this product is not sold by Amazon. It is some external site that sells via amazon. Most buyers will not face any complications but it is important to know that dealing with some little dotcom is very different than dealing with Amazon in terms of service, quality of product, and returns.

Design: Below average

Product itself is extremely bulky in girth and tall in profile. The "portable" tag is rather misleading. Yes, anything is portable but due to the weight and size of this unit, it is not very portable at all. While it looks very slim in the pictures, it has a large rear section where the dual hose is located. The control panel on the unit is also not very touch sensitive and the power button became non-responsive after a few uses.

Product use: Poor to Unacceptable

It is also very unlikely that this product is a 14000 BTU air conditioner. It cannot, I repeat, cannot cool a space larger than 500 sq feet. It has been used in a wide range of temperatures (72-95F) and completely fails to lower the room temperature by more than 5F. I would estimate that it can cool a space that that is at most 200 square feet. Also note that the unit is very prone to condensation and leaks. Puddles form around the unit on high humidity days. Be careful when using on hardwood floors. It is a disaster waiting to happen. Window kit also had a nice big crack around the hose connection area.

Manufacturer/Tech support: Below Average

As mentioned previously, when dealing with an external seller, it can range from annoyance to frustration. First tried the seller for help and as expected was referred to the manufacturer as "this unit should be covered by the warranty". Manufacturer was must have all of one employee working for them. Impossible to get a live person and even then it was the standard read from a script response.

In summary, this is a dismal product with even worse support. It would be best to avoid this brand and seller. I would not recommend this air conditioner even on a sweltering summer afternoon.

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I bought this unit as a birthday present for my husband's new workshop. The square footage of his shop is well under what the unit is rated for, but it was worthless in real heat...we live in South Texas. We called Compact Appliance, who sold it to us with a 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee and they told us to call the manufacturer. They have ignored all subsequent requests for assistance. Manufacturer said its not designed to work where the ambient temperature is over 90 degrees. REALLY?? Why would you spend that kind of money to air condition an already cool place? I will never buy from Compact Appliance again and I will tell this story to anyone who will listen.

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I bought one portable air conditioner and heater from Sonic value company for father's day gift.and i got damage item. and i confirm and recorded everything before i ordered this item that it is gonna be a new item and not any kind of damage. and the after i got this kind of item.So, i called them and explained everything.and every time they were giving excuses and not giving good customer service.and they were telling me to send pictures about damage, about label, more clear pictures,box pictures.and i did every time. then after they did n't do anything. So, i asked to my money back and one day the company vice president send me E-mail and say you are wasting my and my staff time and bla bla bla...

So i sent below reply.

First of all I have not received the email you are talking about. You

guys have all my information you guys could have called me. Just like

you guys were calling me when you wanted our business. And this is not

the way to respond to the customers. I am very offended by your

response, ,which was awfully rude. I will never shop with your company

in the future.

Secondly, If you feel like we are wasting your time then I will send

back the item as soon as possible. We will never do business in the

future and I will make sure that other customers are aware of the

service you guys are giving. And may be you should re-think about

being in business if customer issues are waste of time for you. I

feel like I am wasting MY time by going through all this with you, it

should be other way around. I will take this to consumer affairs. I

don't want to deal with the company who does not know the customer

value and respect.

Thirdly, talking about language, Obviously you guys don't speak

language that customers speaks.

So, Please don't buy anything from this company because this company does not know how to deal with customers and how to make customers happy.and if you need more head ache in your life then i will advice you to go with this company.

Honest reviews on EdgeStar 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner & Heater

Don't buy this money pit!!! Big waste of $730 (original purchase plus repair costs!!!)

On the day after the one-year warranty ended, it stopped running. The manufacturer was rude & very difficult to work with and as a "favor" sent the replacement part at no charge. The part that failed had been redesigned because a tendency to fracture under heat stress. I opened up the back and realized that the job was way beyond my own diy skills. I shelled my own $130 for the repairman, who was very hard to find. He kindly informed me the secret is most AC techs are not qualified to work on mini-duct ac's, which is technically what this unit is.

One year later, the electronics have failed, and having moved to New England, there is NO-ONE who does mini-duct AC work. Still need an AC, though, to keep the creepy basement dried out and the mold at bay...

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I read all the reviews and this seemed like the perfect heater/ac for my little office. Well it didn't even come close to cooling my office this summer and now that it is winter I was optimistic that it would at least heat my space...no such luck. In hindsight I should have bought a couple of little heaters and a good fan. I would have been $400 ahead and cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter....sigh.

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Thursday, June 26, 2014

Review of Soleus Air PH3-12R-03 Portable Evaporative Heat Pump/Air

Soleus Air PH3-12R-03, Portable Air Conditioner/Heater/Dehumidifier/Fan, 12,000 BTUs
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
List Price: $759.99
Sale Price: $408.24
Today's Bonus: 46% Off
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Despite all the negative reviews of this unit on Amazon.com, I found several other positive reviews elsewhere on the internet, and so I decided to give it a try. I'll admit I was skeptical as to how this unit would perform, especially since it seemed to be much less expensive than other 12,000 BTU units AND it included heat pump functionality. That being said, I am quite pleased with its performance so far.

After the terrible process of having to return a damaged portable AC unit of another brand just a week earlier, I was relieved to see when this one arrived at my door in rather robust packaging. Lifting it out of its "easy open" outer box and inner cardboard crate, I was able to observe its features in person for the first time. The multi-color display is a nice touch; the bright VFD display provides simple animations of the unit's current function, as well as a basic clock (used for setting the on/off timer), and the current temperature setting. The remote control sits in a holster on the back of the unit. I found the remote to be a bit bland, with all the buttons but the power button the same size and no distinction of the most frequently used buttons (i.e. temperature, mode) from the less frequently used extras (i.e. sleep mode, Celsius/Fahrenheit setting). The use of the remote is limited anyways since the display on the unit sits facing upward, preventing you from seeing what you are doing unless you are hovering above it.

Installation is pretty straightforward. The user's manual includes several photographs of the installation process, which doesn't differ much from any single-hose portable AC on the market. You simply screw the hose into the adapters and attach the adapters onto the back of the unit and onto the adjustable panel which you close in your window.

So now the important part: how it works. I found the unit to perform quite well. The AC function is plenty cool, and with three fan settings, you can adjust the level of output (and noise) to the current conditions. The heat pump also works well, and I was impressed with the fact that the unit waits to start blowing air into the room until the heat pump has begun generating warm air. That way, on a cold winter's day you won't get a rush of cold air in your face while the unit starts up. After your set temperature is reached, the unit shuts down completely (including the fan). Perhaps handy for some people is an auto mode which automatically heats if the temperature is below 68°F, dehumidifies if the temperature is between 68°F and 80°F, and cools if over 80°F. There also is an oscillation feature which helps circulate the air into the room.

As others have said, this AC unit is not super quiet. While in fan-only mode, the noise is minimal, but while heating, cooling, or dehumidifying, the exhaust fan in the back of the unit adds a considerable amount more. While nobody will be fooled into thinking a jet is landing, some may find it difficult to sleep with the unit in the room if it is doing anything but circulating air.

Just another quick note about draining the water bucket... be prepared to empty it no less often than most air conditioning units, regardless of what the manufacturer claims it can evaporate through the hose. I also agree with others who have said that the drainage plug is really close to the ground, so you may want to place it on a hard surface or elevate it slightly to assist in the drainage process. You do get a short hose and drip pan in the box to help you empty the moisture into a larger pan, but you may want to keep a towel handy as well.

Overall, this air conditioner/heat pump unit is a economical choice if you need all-season comfort in an area of your home. Various room-size estimations abound, some even rating this unit up to 500 sq. ft. My suggestion is that you use this unit for no more than a single large room, as you will probably see much worse performance if you try to heat or cool an entire floor with it. But for supplemental heating or cooling, you really cannot go wrong with the Soleus Air PH3-12R-03.

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I had this AC unit for less than 1 months and it now SCREAMS! due to a bad pump. The manufacturer said they would "look at it" but I had to pay the shipping cost to ship to them in CA. Not worth the cost of the shipping, Total waste of money. NEVER buy from Soleus! Crap manufacturing, cheap plastic parts. poor warranty service. $400 just thrown away for something that only work for 2 months at best! I'd give zero stars if I could! DO NOT BUY, you have been warned!!!!!!

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I just bought this 3 weeks ago. After numerous window units I thought I would try a portable unit so I could direct the air where I wanted it. First of all this unit was difficult to install. The directions were terrible. I have had a lot less problem with my previous window units. 12,000 BTU's should cool my entire living/dining room. It works okay if you are directly in front of it, but 8-10 feet away just so so. It is as loud as any window unit I have had. It does not cool down to lowest temp so compressor is always on. After running it quite a bit for three days I just had to drain the condensation holding tank which was an experience in and of itself! The plug is on the bottom about a half inch from the floor. It is below the hose so you have to remove that. When you remove the cap, there is no type of plug, so the water immediately begins pouring into the pitiful plastic drainage tray that is provided that holds about 1/2 cup at the most. With a 1.5 liter tank to drain you need to also have a bucket or a bowl and plenty of towels as I found it impossible to stop the flow trying to empty the tray of water into the bucket. Long story short, don't waste your money. Way to expensive for the hassle. I'm going to go have a beer and make up with my dogs who are quivering outside after hearing my yelling of obscenities during the drainage process.

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I hope my review can save someone else the trouble and expense that I have endured, I purchased this unit for $420 and we used it for 1 month then put it away until the next summer well when next summer came around it didn't work just hot air comes out.

We call soleus air to use the 1 year manufacturer warranty and indeed they have told me that I will get a new one but I have to ship the old one back at my expense which from michigan to california is $160 shipping and packaging but they don't tell you this and every other company I have ever used pays shipping on a defective product especially one that was only used for a month.

I have $600 into this unit now and they are sending a new one supposedly but what about when this one goes out then I have to pay another $160 to ship it back???? what kind of service is that? My mother purchased one of these units before she had central air installed and she got 2 months out of hers and threw it in the garbage rather than pay the shipping back which is probably a smart move.

I wish that I had asked my mother what brand unit she had before I bought mine it would have saved me $600 bucks and they can keep sending me their junk until one actually makes it a year or I get tired of spending $160 to send them back or get central air which I can't afford but at the price this has cost me I almost could have bought central air.

They were nasty about it on the phone too with the attitude that this is their policy and too bad if you don't like it so if you want to brave it and buy their junk go right ahead but don't say you weren't warned.

The junk companies like soleus air have their people put good reviews on their products it's been a practice of these junk peddlers for a long long time so that explains the couple of good reviews.

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This air conditioner/heater/dehumidifier is highly overrated by the manufacturer. 12,000 BTU should make your home feel like a refrigerator. It doesn't! It doesn't come close to the air cooling capacity of window units with less than half this rating. The drainage outlet is located way too close to the floor thereby not allowing for a hose to drain properly without elevating the unit. While there is a condensation overflow tank drainage again is an issue. I ran the unit for a solid eight hours at the lowest temperature setting/highest fan speed and the first floor of my small home was only marginally cooler. I was very disappointed as I had hoped this was the answer to both my cooling and heating needs.

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Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Cheap Mr. Heater Big Maxx 45,000 BTU Natural Gas Garage Unit Heater

Mr. Heater Big Maxx 45,000 BTU Natural Gas Garage Unit Heater #MHU45NG
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $774.86
Sale Price: $519.46
Today's Bonus: 33% Off
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I have had the 45,ooo btu Big Maxx heater now for about 4 years. Every winter is a new set of repairs and continued repairs to keep it working. I leave my step ladder set up next to it because I am constantly working on it to keep it heating. I have ordered my 4th circut board to be put in this time. There is a bad connection in it now so I have touch the circut board everytime I want it to start heating. The others were shorted out because there is no fuse on the circut board. I would recommend spending a little more money and getting a better, lower maintenance heater.

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We used an unvented natural gas heater in our garage for several years. With many more cold days this past winter, we began having concerns with the excess amount of moisture and condensation produced by non-venting. Having already roughed-in the electrical and thermostat wiring for a unit heater when the garage was built, we decided it was time to switch to a vented heater.

We looked at the Modine and Big Maxx heaters and selected the Big Maxx 45 when it went on sale for $399 at Northern Tool. We ordered the heater and had it shipped to a store in our area to avoid shipping charges. The heater arrived much quicker that we anticipated. Our original plan was to install the heater sometime during the summer and be ready for next winter. The next weekend was nice weather so we decided to go ahead and install the Big Maxx.

Since the heater needed to mount at a 45 degree angle to the room, we mounted unistrut channel to the ceiling joists and mounted the heater thereto. We used category I gas vent from Lowe's. Installation was simple and straight forward. Then we turned the heater on.

The induced draft motor made a LOT of noise and vibration. Then the blower fan came on and you needed hearing protection to stay in the room. In the bedroom above the garage, it actually sounded like someone was running a couple of hammer drills. Being an engineer, I inspected both blowers to see why they vibrated so badly. The induced draft blower had a nice looking squirrel cage blower but the shaft hole was drilled off center. The next day we took the heater down, boxed it up and returned it to Northern as defective.

Next we ordered a Modine heater. Installation was a little more complicated because we already had the hole in the wall for the vent. We mounted this heater slightly differently to take advantage of the existing hole. This heater required Category III venting for our installation so we ordered Z-Vent online. The Modine heater is quiet as a mouse. As they say, "you get what you pay for".

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I bought this unit in Nov 2007. I have had trouble with it from day one. The company has been good to work with ( they sent replacement parts) but it just stopped working again. Parts come but takes 2 weeks or so. They don't rush it. 3 times now in 4 months. It is garbage and should be recalled and taken off the market. Spend more or get a different brand but stay away from this. I put one star only because that was as low as it would go.

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I got this heater for my garage office. It works as described and no problems thus far. Installation was easy and remember to bleed the lines first before attemting gas hookup.

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I've had the Big Maxx 45,000 btu heater for about one full year now and am overall quite satisfied with the unit. It's installed in a converted to theater room, detached 24x24 foot garage with a 10 foot ceiling that is well insulated. I keep the thermostat set at 50 degrees and warm it to 72 degrees when we watch movies and that takes about 20 to 30 minutes when outside temps are around 20 degrees. The heater has worked flawlessly except for a cracked circulation fan which customer service was extremely helpful in replacing. My only complaint is that this unit is too loud (65 to 70db) for a theater room type application. We get around this issue by first warming up the room then running a very quiet electric heater that keeps the temp constant. For a garage or workshop application, this heater is perfect and fairly easy to install if you're handy with tools. Recommended!

Update; I finally determined that my inducer (exhaust) fan has been the noise maker. I called customer service and they sent me a new fan and associated gaskets. Installed the item and now this heater is much, much quieter. Kudos to a great customer service dept.

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Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Cuisinart TEA-100 PerfecTemp Programmable Tea Steeper and Kettle Review

Cuisinart TEA-100 PerfecTemp Programmable Tea Steeper and Kettle
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $235.00
Sale Price: $129.00
Today's Bonus: 45% Off
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I bought this after my Adagio Teas triniTea Electric 32-Ounce Tea Maker began deteriorating after about a year. I've been using the Cuisinart for about two weeks now, and I really like it compared to the Adagio maker. Below are my list of pros and cons (when comparing this to the Adagio.)

THE GOOD:

The Cuisinart tea maker is a very sturdy device (the kind Cuisinart is known for.) The carafe is very good, the spout does not dribble when it pours, and all of the parts seem to be made quite well. It is also quite easy to use; reading the directions are probably a minor necessity, but once you get the quick hang of it, it is very easy to use. Fill your carafe and steeper. (b) Turn on and program the desired water temperature. (c) When that is reached and the machine beeps, lower the stepper (with a twist of the dial) and program the steeping time. (d) Once that time is reached and the machine beeps, bring the steeper back up and pour your cup. Lastly, I like that the "keep warm" feature not only keeps the tea at your selected temperature, but stops after 30 minutes (keeping in mind that the carafe still holds the heat for another 45 or so minutes, even when the burner is off).

THE BAD:

For all that, there are a few minor annoyances. First, unlike the Trinitea, which does everything for you (like a coffee maker), this machine requires a fair amount of manual attention when your tea is brewing. That is, the steeper doesn't extend and retract by itself, but relies on you to manually adjust it. This is only a minor annoyance, but it does mean that you can basically get the same results with buying an electronic kettle and an Adagio Teas 16-Ounce Ingenuitea Teapot, keeping the time yourself. (It also means that I can't just turn the machine on and do other things while it is brewing.) Secondly, while I love the fact that the "keep warm" feature shuts off automatically after a certain time, I'd love it if we had the option to choose how much time we wanted it to stay on for. I take my time with my tea, and 30 minutes is JUST too short for me to enjoy my customary 3 cups without having to microwave the last of them. Again, not a big deal, but something to consider. (Of course, the Trinitea nokt only doesn't have an automatic shut off feature, but the "keep warm" setting should read "keep luke warm" because that's what it does. So I can't complain too much about the Cuisinart.)

So, if you are considering a tea maker, I would strongly recommend this over the Trinitea (which several people have noted breaks down after a fairly short time.) This machine is sturdier, makes tea that is every bit as good, and does a good job of keeping it warm (for at least 30 minutes) after it is steeped. But just be advised that this is not an "automatic" machine that you can turn on and let do its thing; it does require manual adjustments of the steeper when it is making your tea. If money is an issue, you might just consider getting an electric kettle and a cheaper Adagio Teas 16-Ounce Ingenuitea Teapot and controlling the time and temperature yourself. But if you can spend very-low-triple-digits on a machine, this is a really good buy.

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FINAL UPDATE 6/20/2013: The replacement I was sent by Cuisinart died after eight months, just like its predecessor. The unit was kept clean, the base dry and it handled with care. I used it once about 5-6 times a week, so it's not as though it was being used all day every day. I love the looks the unit and the ability to heat water to different temperatures, but I am now in the market for another electric kettle. A kettle that costs over $100 should last longer than eight months...

UPDATE 10/24/2012: After approximately eight months of consistent usage, the kettle shorted out. When plugged in, all the lights flashed and I was unable to select any of the options. I'd say that it was used about 1-2 times a day for about eight months. While used frequently, it wasn't abused in any way. I kept it reasonably dry on the outside and no dropping/rough handling.

This product has a three year warranty. So, I called Cuisinart and paid ten bucks for them to send me a new one. And, of course, I had to ship the old one back. I will use the brand new one and update this review periodically. Hopefully I just got a bit of a bum unit the first time...Nevertheless, doesn't inspire much confidence as this was a new model on the market when I purchased it.

And to the person who asked: Yes, it is BPA free. :)

ORIGINAL REVIEW: It's a little embarrassing, but as an avid tea drinker (around 4 cups a day), this is my first electric kettle. After my trusty stove-top kettle stopped whistling and found fit to spit scolding water, I was in the market for a new one. I wanted an electric kettle for the safety features and convenience. I searched online for a kettle made of quality materials (glass, stainless steel, and BPA-free). And since I mainly drink green, yerba mate and white teas, I became increasingly sold on the new variable temperature options. Not necessary to make a good cup of tea, but it sure does make the process fool-proof.

Armed with research, I went to my local Bed, Bath and Beyond with a 20% off coupon (which I would recommend if you have one in your area since my kettle came to One-hundred and three dollars, about twenty-six dollars cheaper than the current advertised price on Amazon). In the end, it came down to this kettle and the Breville One-Touch Tea Maker. At first glance, you would think this to be a poor substitute for the Breville, but side-by-side, the quality of the construction seems equal. Also, since this kettle has a manual steeping basket, it has fewer automated parts and is less likely to break down. Plus, it comes with a separate lid that removes the steeping mechanism, should you wish.

At first, it took me a couple of minutes to figure out the steeping mechanism and lid. Depositing the loose leaf tea was awkward the first couple of times. It is dishwasher safe and I found cleaning it by hand to be a snap. That said, I do have small hands and I know one of the reviewers indicated it was hard with arthritis, which I can imagine, but not speak to personally.

I got this a week ago and I'm loving it. However, I can't speak to the longevity of it, but I will periodically update this review.

One star off for the slightly awkward steeping mechanism. Otherwise, close to perfect.

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I use to drink coffee where brewing is pretty standard. I always loved teas but could not make it taste good every time because teas are far more difficult to brew properly. And I researched buying an iced tea maker but couldn't find one without problems. This tea maker makes both hot and iced teas to perfection.

At first, I thought this was a cheaper version of the other steeper that sells for around $240. But, I was glad to see that this has fewer moving parts and, therefore, less likely to break down. The water heats rapidly and it keeps the correct temperature for the entire steeping time.

Read directions carefully-they are a little confusing. And it's difficult to spoon loose tea in, get used tea out, and to clean strainer because of poor design. There is some plastic on the tea steeping mechanism which comes in contact with the hot water, but, there is no aftertaste. The metal at the bottom of pot does become permanently discolored but does not seem to interfere with taste. The product just came out at the end of 2011 so there has not been enough time to determine durability.

But, it does what it says. I am drinking much more tea and enjoying it.

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I do like the Kettle but there are a few problems with it. As someone else has mentioned already, it is difficult to clean out the tea infuser. The shaft that runs through the middle of it makes it very hard to reach down to the bottom of the infuser to clean out the remains of the tea leaves. The holes in the infuser are very small, so trying to run water in reverse does not work. The lid for the infuser gets in the way when you put the tea leaves in. It would be better if the infuser detached from the shaft and lid so that you would have clear access to the interior of the infuser. The water temperature runs 10 degrees cooler than it is suppose to be. I set the kettle for the oolong temp (190) and the water measured with two different thermometers read 180. Using the herbal tea setting(200), the water was 190, again 10 degrees cooler than it is suppose to be. Overall, I like the kettle. You just have to get used to working around its deficiencies.

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First impression: Compact, stylish, looks more expensive than it really is. Used one time, did have some confusing moments at first on how to turn, lower, raise steeping apparatus. Need to pay attention to complete part names as they are similar. Most impressed with the keep warm cycle. It does just that, keeps tea very warm. Will update as used. BTW: Tea is very, very good!

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