Showing posts with label amish electric heaters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label amish electric heaters. Show all posts

Friday, November 21, 2014

Reviews of Cuisinart SBC-1000 Blend-and-Cook Soup Maker, Black

Cuisinart SBC-1000 Blend-and-Cook Soup Maker, Black
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
List Price: $270.00
Sale Price: $139.00
Today's Bonus: 49% Off
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I'm really not understanding the negative reviews for this product...this is revolutionary! I made roasted red & yellow pepper soup in 45 minutes and it was absolutely perfect restaurant quality. My secret?? I read the instruction manual. And I followed the recipe. My plan is to use recipes in the book they provide for the first several uses until I've truly got the hang of when to stir vs. when to blend & how/when/why the heat element stops.

My soup did not merely 'simmer', it came to a full, rolling boil. It was wonderfully hot when I sat down to it for dinner.

And cleaning could not get better!! I used a knife & cutting board. Since I didn't know my recipe well, I also needed a measuring cup & spoon, but beyond that everything else cooked in the blender. And after the soup was done? The top portion of the jug unscrews from the bottom collar with the 'chopping' attachment so that you can thoroughly wash the blade/heating element by hand and wash the jug in the dishwasher. The person who felt that everything tasted of garlic & onion on a subsequent use must not have discovered that the jug of the blender unscrews. (It comes screwed together in the box when you take it out, but if you READ THE INSTRUCTIONS did I mention that? it tells you that part.)

I love soup, so I'm not likely one to ask about smoothies, etc. I'll probably continue to use my hand blender to make a single serving smoothie and just use this blender for savory items. I'm very excited to use it again & again this winter!

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Have been on the look out for this type of blender ever since I got to know of the Italian version of it at 5 times the price!! Cuisinart makes this very affordable model which cooks and blends ingredients to give you a beautifully finished soup, sauce or what ever you need which requires the saute, cook and blend process. Have tried it for soups at the moment and the results have been fantastic. Some prepping of vegetables needed as they need to be cut into small cubes; but i found that slicing them with a mandolin is a quicker way to get paper thin results which cook quicker and better in the bowl.

I recommend it highly for anyone with young children and for soup lovers of all ages. Accompanying booklet gives several options of what can be done with this machine

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I ordered this on Monday and got it yesterday. I made a Butternut Squash soup out of it and it was execellent. I found in the cookbook that comes with it a tomoto soup and ginger butternut squash soup and I will be trying more stuff. I find that this is easier than the stove top and not other pans to get dirty. Everything is in the blender portion and I will be making a chuncky vegetable soup with beef stock to make it a little tastier.

Honest reviews on Cuisinart SBC-1000 Blend-and-Cook Soup Maker, Black

I'm probably the only person who was turned on to this appliance by my favorite bartender. Yep. Not kidding. He was talking about a "cleanse" he and his wife were doing and said he'd found this awesome Cuisinart thingie that made smoothies and soups. I was skeptical, but went home and started Googling.

He paid $200 at Williams-Sonoma, but Amazon came through with $150 plus free shipping. I was still skeptical.

I'm not the review-writing type, but I have to say this is the single best kitchen appliance I've ever had. I've had it for exactly 48 hours and I've made the yummiest Coconut Butternut Squash soup, an eggplant and red bell pepper veggie spread, and now tomato soup. For each recipe, here's my total cleanup damage: 1 knife, 1 cutting board, and the machine. That's it. If we were going vegetarian, I swear this is the one gadget that would get me there.

I don't know what people mean when they say their machine gets the food lukewarm. Literally within 45 seconds of turning it on to heat oil, butter, etc, my machine is ready for the next step---usually onions and garlic. When I made the tomato soup, everything goes in at once, and it was bubbling hot within 1-2 minutes.

I can't wait to try more recipes. I have limited kitchen space and this machine will do so much with so little space.

To my bartender----thank you!!!! (I'll tell him in person when we go out to eat again, but that may be awhile because I'm in love with my soup maker.)

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Cuisinart SBC-1000 Blend-and-Cook Soup Maker, Black

This is a great product. It works as advertised and cleans up easily. I have made a batch of soup at a moment's notice while completing other tasks unrelated to cooking. If you like homemade soup in short order with little clean-up, this is for you.And, the recipes in the instruction book are tasty. I have had no trouble adapting other recipes to use in the soupmaker.

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Saturday, October 4, 2014

Reviews of Dimplex Cornet TV Stand with Electric Fireplace in Black

Dimplex Cornet TV Stand with Electric Fireplace in Black
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $909.00
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
Today's Bonus: 23% Off
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While a lot of my euro friends made claims that only Americans get faux fireplaces, everyone seems to like it now that they get to sit in front of it and stare at the lights. It really does have the same relaxing effect of a fire. The lights can go on whether one turns on the heat function or not. The heat function works fantastic as suggested. Heats up a 400 sq foot space with no problem. I have a flat panel TV on top and there is no problem having the heater on with the TV there.

The console is very sturdy. There is plenty of room for cable box, books, and other media related items. You get the typical backing which includes holes for cable cords on both top and bottom. It is very easy to put together. The lights in the fireplace have the same relaxing effect of a fire.

It's a little pricey, given that it is literally a heating unit in a media shelf. However, I think if you tried to recreate this look separately it would never work. Moreover, I like that it's space saving. I have a fire place and a TV unit all together. That's particularly key for your typical NYC apartment.

All in all very happy!!

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We are very pleased with our purchase of the Dimplex console/electric fireplace. Delivery was very prompt. As far as difficulty putting the unit together, my husband feels it was "medium". The unit is good quality. The flames look very realistic.

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We purchased the Fireplace/TV-stand for just that reason . Looks great and was easy to put together. Seems stable and solid so we are very happy.

Honest reviews on Dimplex Cornet TV Stand with Electric Fireplace in Black

We have a large downstairs TV room and this has been the perfect addition. Within about 15 to 20 minutes the fireplalce warms things up and it adds such a nice ambience to the room. We are very happy with this purchase.

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Friday, October 3, 2014

Best Holmes HFH103-UM Compact Heater Fan Deals

Holmes HFH103-UM Compact Heater Fan
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $24.99
Sale Price: $19.97
Today's Bonus: 20% Off
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Delivery was prompt. The heater fan generates heat immediately and warms up a room rather quickly. It's somewhat louder than an older model I have. It also has a pure fan setting, can be good for summer hot weather.

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I had one of these heaters before and I had it forever before it died. It is great for warming up small places. I use it to warm the bathroom before a shower or just in my office space to warm things up. Great value and would recommend this product.

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This compact heater is a good buy for your money. It is a small heater so it best for small spaces but produces a good amount of heat and has a fan to circulate the heat around. The fan can also be fun without the heat elements on. My only concern would be the base is smaller than the unit it supports so it could topple easily, something to think about in a high traffic area or with kids around.

Honest reviews on Holmes HFH103-UM Compact Heater Fan

I bought this for my bathroom. I love getting out of the shower in a nice and toasty warmed up room. This is perfect for this, it put off plenty of heat very quickly and takes up very little space. Easy to operate. It arrived on time.

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works better than expected heats my bedroom just fine havent had on full power and the fan cools you down

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Thursday, September 25, 2014

IH Portable Induction Cook Top Review

IH Portable Induction Cook Top
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $121.49
Sale Price: $89.99
Today's Bonus: 26% Off
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I have used one of these units for about eight months, and it performs as advertised. I also have a lesser valued IH cooktop, that does not work as well. My complaint is that no where in the product reviews in any of these IH cooktops, does it give the slimmest explanation of what's 'under the hood'. How many elements are hidden beneath the glass top, or where,exactly, they are located. This is like buying a car, without any idea of how many cylinders it has, or what else might be included, or lacking. The manufacturers are getting away with grand and glorious words to describe their products, with nothing to back up their claims.

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This item is great. Take it outside for boiling seafood, making stews, soups etc and not messing up the kitchen.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Review of Vornado PVH Whole Room Panel Vortex Heater

Vornado PVH Whole Room Panel Vortex Heater
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $57.00
Today's Bonus: 29% Off
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Although I like this heater, it didn't work for my needs and so I'll be returning it. I hoped it could take the place of the ancient, oscillating Honeywell ceramic fan heater that I use in the morning to warm up my very cold office (which can be as low as 43 inside when I open it up) before I switch on my oil-filled radiator, but it just does not have the power.

I do like this heater. It worked very well at heating up my 12'x15' bedroom and at keeping my office warm on a coolish afternoon, but it was a total failure at heating up my small, unheated and uninsulated office in the early morning. It took two hours forty-five minutes to bring my office from 52F to 67F. My oil-filled radiator does faster!

However for less cold situations, this is an excellent heater even for someone like myself who prefers heat from oil-filled radiator heaters. It's good looking, appears well made, and has an effective tip-over shut off mechanism. Vornado's five year warranty make it a fairly safe investment that should be satisfactory as long as you aren't trying to heat up a very cold, uninsulated room.

I tested it with my Kill-A-Watt to check the accuracy of the wattage claims. It's rated at 750/1500 watts but on mine, the actual wattages were 725 and 1350. When I tested it on thermostat operation for keeping a 12x15 room at 68F for 12 hours, I was impressed that the electrical consumption of this heater was actually lower than the oil-filled radiator heater I tested.

General information about buying electric space heaters:

=============================================

I've owned and used electric space heaters since 1988, mostly DeLonghi oil filled radiators. When I recently began looking for a heater that would warm up a room faster, I was frustrated at the lack of hard, objective, facts about electric space heaters. Even the manufacturer websites often fail to mention or makes it hard to learn the most basic information you need to know, such as wattage ratings and warranty lengths. Not even Consumer Reports has enough information to really inform a consumer. Therefore it's up to us as consumers to share what we know. The rest of this review shares some of what I've learned.

In case you're wondering what heater I decided on to replace my DeLonghi, I didn't, at least not yet. I tried a Vornado PVH and a Bionaire BH1331-U, but I ended up returning both heaters. I'm sticking with my oil-filled heaters for now.

Basic electric space heater facts:

1. All electric space heaters are equally efficient. All heaters rated at 1500 watts output the same amount of heat, but may do it very differently. You have to choose the one that heats the way you need it.

2. Power consumption is determined by two things: the power setting you're using and how long the heater is actually on. Turning up the thermostat setting doesn't increase the heat or power consumption; it just lengthens the time that your heater will be running.

3. To reduce power consumption, use the lowest power setting on your heater that produces the heat you need.

4. An electric space heater will save you money only if you turn your central heating down or off and use space heaters to heat only the rooms where you need heat.

5. The only kind of electric space heater that's likely to provide adequate heat in a large or draft space is a radiant heater (not to be confused with a radiator heater, which is very different), but radiant heaters pose a fire hazard.

Don't take manufacturer wattage claims too seriously. When I used my Kill-A-Watt meter on six space heaters, I found variations of up to 200 watts between the claimed and actual wattage for each space heater. In most cases the actual watts were less than the claimed watts, but one of my DeLonghi's 1500 watt heaters turned out actually to be a 1600 watt heater.

Two crucial steps in finding the electric space heater that's right for you:

============================================================

1. Learn which heater is right for your needs. A huge percentage of complaints by reviewers about space heaters are due to reviewers buying the wrong type of heater for their needs. Your first step should be to decide between the basic types: Ceramic heaters with a fan, oil-filled radiator, micathermic, and radiant. First learn the conditions in which each one works best and works best and then select the type that will work best for your needs. There is no one single "best" heater for all situations. Each one has conditions in which it works well and conditions in which it's terrible.

2. Look at the warranties. Warranties on space heaters range from one year to five years. Delonghi and Soleus heaters that I've checked have one year warranties. Other companies, such as Bionaire, Honeywell, Lasko, and Vornado offer three year and five year warranties on many but not all of their models. If a company offers only a one year warranty on some models but a five year warranty on others (such as Bionaire), it raises question about the durability of the heater with the shorter warranty. However a long warranty is only as good as the company offering it. Read reviews to learn what experiences people have when their heaters die while still under warranty.

In most cases, you'll have to download the manual from the manufacturer's website to get the length of the warranty. It's a nuisance, but it's worth taking the time to do.

Don't let anyone tell you that any particular type of heater is "the best". The best type is the one that best suits YOUR needs. The best heater for me might be the worst heater for you. Some heaters heat up a cold room faster, some keep a room at a steady temperature, and some will work better in a large space.

Some questions you need to ask yourself before deciding which type of heater to buyWill it be keeping a room at a steady temperature? (oil-filled radiator or micathermics heaters might be best)

Will it be heating up a cold room? (a heater with a fan or a radiant heater might be best)

Are there children or pets who might be injured by touching a hot surface? (oil-filled radiator and radiant heater might be a problem)

Do you want to heat just a particular spot rather than the whole room? (radiant heaters might be best

Are you concerned about fire risks? (oil-filled radiator or micathermic heaters might be best, though no space heater is completely safe)

Oil-filled radiators:

These are my favorite heaters. These are the heaters that look like old-fashioned steam radiators. The oil retains its warmth after the thermostat cycles off, which is important if you want to keep a room at a steady temperature. The downside is that the oil takes longer to heat initially, which is why these heaters take so long to warm up.

I have two DeLonghi oil-filled radiators; I've been using one of them for 23 years, and the other is about eight years old. I love the heat they provide. It's steady, warm, with no noise and no drying out of the air like with some other types of heaters. They are ideal for maintaining a steady temperature in an enclosed room.

Oil filled heaters have a huge drawback, however: they are terrible at heating up a cold room. It can take an oil-filled heater hours longer to heat up a cold room than other types of heaters.

The US Department of Energy recommends oil-filled heaters as the most efficient, because the fins generate warmth even when the heater's thermostat cycles off. However this efficiency is only when the heater is continually on, keeping a room at a constant temperature. If you turn the heater on and off frequently, you'll lose most of the efficiency that's inherent in these heaters.

If you have children or pets, look into one of the shielded radiator heaters. I prefer the unshielded ones because they radiate more heat laterally, but the surface can get very hot and be a hazard if touched. DeLonghi claims that their shielded radiator heaters circulate heated air more quickly. Both of mine are unshielded, so I have no way of confirming that. My concern about the shielded radiators is that they would direct more hot air up rather than to the side, where I need it.

If your electric rates are different for different times of the day, you can use this to your advantage in setting your radiator heater toswitch on and warm the room from cold when rates are low, then let it provide steady heat when rates are higher.

A word of warning about oil-filled radiators: if one is poorly made or damaged, it can leak oil and permanently damage rugs and floors or even start a fire. Only buy from a reputable manufacturer and don't accept one that has any visible damage.

Ceramic fan heaters:

These are great at heating a room quickly, however many people including myself don't like the heat they blow. I don't mind it in my Vornado Personal Heater (375/700watt), which is located under my desk, but I thoroughly dislike it in the old Honeywell ceramic oscillating heater that came with my house. I much prefer the warmth that comes from an oil-filled radiator. Ceramic heaters can be most effective at quickly warming up a cold room.

Radiant heaters

Radiant heaters (don't confuse them with radiator heaters!) work by heating whatever they are pointed at rather than heating the air in the room. If you have a large, drafty space, a radiant heater might be your best choice, because it doesn't heat the air, only the objects and people it's directed at.

Micathermic heaters

Micathermic heaters work similarly to oil-filled radiators, except that instead of heavy metal fins filled with hot oil, micathermic heaters have thin sheets of mica that heat up. I've only had experience with one micathermic, a Bionaire BH1331-U, and found that it's exterior surface remained very cool except for a few very warm spots on top. There would be less risk of young children being burned by touching a micathermic heater than an oil-filled radiator. Micathermic heaters are slower heating than ceramic fan heaters, but are faster then oil-filled radiators..

Baseboard heaters

I have a Lakewood oil-filled baseboard heater I bought five years ago that has many of the advantages of a micathermic heater. It heats faster than an oil-filled radiator but has no hot surfaces and low fire risk. My Lakewood does an excellent job of heating my 12x15 bedroom.

However I have not researched baseboard heaters and only have experience with this Lakewood, so I don't know whether others are as good as this one. I was impressed that when I measured the actual wattages of my various space heaters, the Lakewood's actual wattages came closest to its claimed wattages of all the other heaters I tested. Lakewood unfortunately went out of business in 2009 and had a major problem with oil leaking from its heaters a few years earlier. Despite this, it's in many ways my best heater and has the lowest cost of operation.

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I bought this heater to use in my bedroom. When I first turned it on, it stayed so cool to the touch, I wasn't sure if it could actually heat up the room. But in about 15-20 minutes, it comfortably heats the ENTIRE room evenly (even with 12' ceilings). The best thing is that the heat is not hot or drying. Also, it is not like those old ceramic heaters-this is a totally different technology. I don't really get how it works (or care for that matter), but I already bought another one! Absolutely worth the price-I don't have to turn up the thermostat and heat the rooms I'm not in anymore!

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I bought this heater for a recent camping trip as an alternative to using a propane heater inside my popup camper. The propane heater works great but you need the fuel source, 's a bit bulky and with the dogs around in a small space you have to worry about a potential burn or tip over. With all that I didn't want to buy a smaller propane heater so after reading a few reviews here and looking at how this function in the store I was still a little skeptical that this would do the job but decided to give it a shot.

We were going camping in Boothbay Harbor Maine, so I expected it to get chilly (To give you a point of reference it's about 3 hours north of Boston.) We were on the water and the first night it went from chilly to cold. It hit the lower 50's so I was thinking I made a bad decision in packing light and that should have lugged the propane heater along.

I plugged it in and for the rest of the night prepared for cold, bitter disappointment about my purchase...

To my surpise this heater was awesome, if you know anything about popups you know it's basically a tent but you are off the ground. No insulation and can be a little drafty where the canvas meets the body of the trailer.

I set the unit for maximum heat (settigng 7?) assuming it need to be on his setting just to give us a little heat, I woke up about 2 hours later and it was hot in the camper, hot enough that I opened the ceiling vent and lowered the setting to the midway point and closed the vent. It cycled on an off to meet the needs of the temperature shifts and kept the cabin temp comfortable for the rest of the night.

The second night wasn't as cold and I left the setting at 2 and it was perfect. A side benefit, the fan isn't loud but fits the need for those who like a little background noise to fall asleep too.

If this can heat and un-insulated, drafty space adequately I think it will fo just fine keep a moderately sized room warmed.

Highest rating for this product, if you are thinking of buying a new heater I recommend you give this one a shot.

Honest reviews on Vornado PVH Whole Room Panel Vortex Heater

Our old ceramic space heater died, and I found myself in the market for a new one right after a cold snap, when the stores had slim pickin's. I bought the Vornado PVH at Target, and I was so hesitant to use it that I left it in my car for about a month before bringing it inside. (I found another ceramic heater at a different store and used that in the meantime.) I was worried mainly that: it would be loud (based on the "Vornado" name), it doesn't oscillate, so it couldn't possibly warm the whole room, and that it didn't have an actual temperature setting, so it would stay on all the time and pump out loud, hot air.

I was so, so wrong. The name is misleading. The sound doesn't conjure images of a vortex or a tornado. It has a quiet hum that is actually comforting more than anything else. I'm actually really glad that it doesn't oscillate, because our ceramic heaters all developed a 'click' sound when changing directions, and the PVH won't have that problem. The heat level selector is great. When I first turned it on, I set it to LOW at level 6, and came back after 30 minutes to a ridiculously cozy, warm (all over) bedroom. It was too warm to even sleep under the covers, so we've since had it set to LOW level 2-3, which I'd say probably keeps the temp in the mid 60s. We don't like a lot of heat; we just want to take the chill off, although there's plenty of upside for people who like really warm rooms. Also, the unit does cycle on and off to maintain the heat setting you've chosen, which is exactly what I wanted. If I walk in front of the the heater, I feel a gentle 'breeze' of air, which is so strange, because the name (and the efficiency of the unit) would suggest that it should be a forceful wind, but it just isn't. I'm not even sure how it works so well, but it does.

We're using the PVH to heat a 12'x14' bedroom with 8' ceilings, and 6' sliding glass patio doors in Northern California (where it actually gets cold, but doesn't snow). The room is warm everywhere, with no chilly or hot spots. My husband and I have been very impressed, and we haven't used our ceramic heater once since I finally pulled the Vornado out of the box. The only downside is that, unlike some of the other reviewers, I do believe the Vornado dries the air out, but I'm a contact lens wearer, and pretty much all fans do that. I would certainly recommend this heater to friends and family. 4 out of 5 stars.

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Just bought and read directions and pluged in. Works great and is very quiet even with the fan running. Brought the room up to temp in about 1520min. Great heater that I recommend.

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Sunday, March 30, 2014

Tiger PDN-A30U Electric Water Dispenser, 3.0-Liter Review

Tiger PDN-A30U Electric Water Dispenser, 3.0-Liter
Customer Ratings:
List Price: $187.00
Sale Price: $129.20
Today's Bonus: 31% Off
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This unit was a replacement for a previous different model heater which lasted many years. It is easy to use, the lid is solid, and the pump is quiet. The adjustable temperatures are convenient. The only thing that could be improved is to be able to shut off the beeps that occur after the water is ready to be used following a refill. It is Ok during the day, but not necessary at night. It is possible to delay the heating with a timer, which then also of course delays the beeps to the next morning.

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I bought this model a year ago. Love the convenience of getting hot water any time. However, half a year later, there seemed to be some corrosion spots on the bottom. Now, the spots are more prominent and are rusty. The thought of drinking water with rust in it does not seem safe to me.

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Friday, March 21, 2014

Tassimo Single-Serve Coffee Brewer TAS1000UC Reviews

Tassimo Single-Serve Coffee Brewer TAS1000UC
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
List Price: $129.99
Sale Price: $99.99
Today's Bonus: 23% Off
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I purchased this machine because I like to drink various drinks as the whim takes me. Tassimo allows you to do this. Also, most of the time I'm by myself, so don't need to make a large pot of coffee. Before I made the purchase, I was comparing Keurig with the Tassimo. The reason I chose the Tassimo was a) the price b) the T-discs were more available than the K-cups and the only K-cups the stores here carried were Van Houtte coffee, which I detest c) reviews said the Tassimo makes better lattes and cappuccinos. I'm extremely happy with the machine for the following reasons:

absolutely no mess

the availability of different brews, from very dark roasts to light roast, hot chocolate (which IS a bit sweet), teas, lattes (in particular my fave, chai latte), cappuccinos, espressos, cremas and even decafs I like a darker roast but was even able to find t-disks that were too strong for me

I like that I can have 4 friends over and give them their preference of hot brews

the tank is big enough that I don't have to fill it for each cup

the bar code reader means a perfect brew each time

the size is relatively small, smaller than my old espresso machine and my regular drip coffee machine (both of which have now been sold off)

you have a cup of coffee in a matter of minutes vs a drip coffee machine or even a french press

using just the cleaner disk, you can also simply spit out hot water for your own tea bags

most of the t-disks are a reasonable price, brewing a cuppa can be less than 50 cents a cup. The Starbucks disks are more expensive, taking you closer to a dollar a cup, but what the hey, what did you pay the last time you actually went into a Starbucks? :)

Cons and yes, even though I LOVE this machine, there ARE some cons:

most of the disks make a small cuppa (10 oz)unless you get the breakfast blends, which will make a bigger cup, or you can simply brew 2 disks.

the cup stand doesn't have finite adjustment you can fit a regular sized mug, the stand adjusts for smaller mugs, but then it's a big leap to a large mug. If you have a slightly bigger mug, you have to set it on the bottom and then you get some splashing

the foam is not as stable as coffee shop foams, but then for $99, I didn't expect it to be. As well the foam stability depends on the t-disk manufacturer as well. Nabob cappuccino was quite firm foam that lasted the duration of the drink.

t-disk storage takes up a bit of space but I'm still in the "try all the varieties until I find my favourite brew" stage, so I have a lot of selections at the moment

In Dec 2009, Tassimo is coming out with packages of just the latte cream. You will then also be able to use it simply as a milk frother if you wish, or you can make any of your favourite brews into a latte.

Aug 2010 this machine has been updated somewhat. The newer machines are a bit smaller, taking up a bit less room yet, on your counter. This is mainly due to a redesign of the tank. I just bought my second machine and will be taking the older one to use at work.

Apr 2011 I just had an opportunity to compare the Tassimo system to a Keurig. To be fair, the Keurig was the single cup model, which requires you to add water each time. I found the Keurig to be incredibly slow to brew, in comparison with the Tassimo. I don't know whether it's the single-cup model or whether all Keurigs are that slow. I didn't like the coffee, but do realize that different brews can be found in the K-cups, other than the one that I was provided with (Timothy's).

Tassimo has just released more T-disks, there are now decaf cappuccinos available as well as a black tea disk. As for the Starbucks disks being discontinued, I'm not aware of that as they are still widely available in Canada.

July 2011 I can now voice displeasure at Tassimo customer service. In Canada, when you purchase a brewer, you are promised coupons for two packages of free disks. I registered for my coupons, yet several months later had not received them. I contacted customer service again, now several months ago and was promised replacement coupons which I also have not received. If you purchase one of these brewers, DO NOT expect free disks with them. If you get them, bonus.

As well, I've noticed a swing in t-disk availability. T-disks seem to have dropped off drastically in popularity in terms of being available in local stores. K-cups have increased greatly. Though I still think the Tassimo is the better machine, I have now purchased a Cuisinart K-cup machine. At present I continue to use both. The K-cup advantage is the ability to use your own coffee blends, which Tassimo still does not offer.

August 2012 I have now made a complete switch to the Keurig system. My reasons for this are following:

the selection of K-cups is HUGE compared to t-disks.

Starbucks switched from Tassimo to Keurig meaning that I could finally get K-cups that I liked still don't like strong coffee, but too many of the other K-cups are too bland, forcing me to brew them at 8 and even 6 oz

never did receive my free t-disks, which really kind of made me angry

the second Tassimo machine now has the red light problem light comes on for descaling, but despite going through the treatment, the light has remained on, this is obviously an issue with the Tassimo machines

stores don't carry the full line of t-disks, so limited selection of t-disks AND limited availability

the Keurig machine tanks are a little easier to fill as they are either on the side or at the front top, instead of the Tassimos which are at the back, making accessibility difficult if you have it sitting on a counter under upper cupboards

I still say Tassimo has the better system, but they need to improve their customer service, their machine descaling light and their selection of t-disks as well as their marketing to major retailers. Keurig still does not do any foaming drinks and is still a much slower machine, but I find I'm using it more than I used my Tassimo simply because I can find a lot of K-cups that I like (iced tea, variety of hot teas, and lots of different brews). When a friend recently asked me which system I preferred I used the analogy that the Tassimo was like a Beta machine and the Keurig was like the VHS (yes, I date myself with that one!). The Beta machine was a much better system, but everyone bought into the VHS.

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I have to say this item has impressed me more than any other kitchen appliance I have purchased in the last fifteen years.

Like all new "concepts", you tend to raise your eyebrows a bit about a new method of preparing an age old food preparation, whether it be a blender, chopper, or in this case the traditional coffee maker. Frankly, my only real concern was the future availability of the Tassimo Coffee "T-discs" as without them, the system becomes useless of course.

But after my father passed away two years ago, my mom began to drink "instant coffee" after being a brewed coffee devotee for over 65 years. Brewing 8 cups of traditionally made coffee for a single elderly person just seemed to be a big waste of time, as well as unused coffee. She seemed to be, a perfect candidate for this unique individual cup coffee brewer. Having tried this item once in an upscale Resort Hotel on a business trip, I was convinced to give it a try as an answer to my Mom's particular situation.

The coffee was absolutely WONDERFUL! She has fell in love with Starbucks Columbian "pods", but I also purchased the Verona, Cappucino, as well as the Expresso Pods and will continue to purchase new blends as they beome available. As my tea drinking Sister lives nearby and visits often, I also purchased the Twinings Chai Latte as well as the Earl Grey Tea "T-Discs" so she could enjoy a hot beverage with our Mom while they are together.

Although I traditionally grind & brew my own Gevalia Coffee Beans here at home in a 8 cup brewer, I decided to purchase an additional Bosch Tassimo maker for my home as well; as the availability of Expresso and Cappuccino brews is something I can now enjoy as I desire. Now, my Sister's best friend who lost her husband recently has tried it at my Mom's home, and they purchased her a new Bosch Tassimo maker for her home for her recent birthday gift.

Incredibly easy to operate, my 87 year old mother has no problem in brewing the wonderfully fresh hot brewed coffee she had enjoyed for over 65 years.

I want to thank Amazon.com for once again searching out yet another unique and quality made kitchen appliance that has become a big winner for our entire family of coffee and tea lovers. I just received an Email from Amazon notifying me of a new shipment of Tassimo T-discs that has arrived at their central warehouse which is just another way this fine Internet Products purveyor does an outstanding job for their regular customers.

THANK YOU AMAZON!!!

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Easy to use, great tasting latte and cappuccino, much cheaper than coffee house, what more could I ask for? The answer is: nothing. Okay, maybe a smaller unit I can buy as a 2nd unit to keep on my desk at work.

Instead of spending $4-$5 dollars everyday for a coffee house latte on the way to work; I just make a double or triple latte straight into my insulated travel mug and I'm all set for the morning.

I also enjoy the bolder brews such as the Starbucks Verona T-discs. The Twinning Chai Latte is also excellent as an alternative to the daily espresso. If you go more for hot chocolate, I definitely recommend the Milka over the Suchard (which is way too sweet for my taste). Either works well to make your latte into a mocha. For espresso and latte; I prefer the Gevalia.

Maintenance so far has consisted of a descale after 9 months.

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I've owned one of these for a year, purchased at Bed, Bath, & Beyond (I guess this qualifies as "beyond"). I'm not very impressed by this product, in spite of the hype and high price.

I bought this (instead of Senseo or Keurig) because it was totally automated, and had this way cool bar code reader. Huh... I also wanted Starbucks coffee, which wasn't available from the other brands.

First off, I've found that the coffee tends to be either too weak or too strong. The remedy for too strong is to manually add hot water, which is fine if you like standing next to the coffee maker with your finger holding the button for 15-20 seconds. There is no remedy for too weak other than not buying that product. There is no provision for manually determining the portion size; this is set by the bar code on the pod automatically.

Second, the pods are quite expensive, and not easily available. None of the grocery stores around where I live carry them, and very few "boutique" stores carry the coffee types I like, including the BB&B where I bought the maker originally. I've had to buy the pods mail order, mostly from Amazon. I've ordered a few items directly from Tassimo, and found that their service leaves a lot to be desired. Their shipping charges are high, even for ground shipment, and the items took over a week to arrive the last time I ordered.

Third, the "head" of the thing (whatever it's called) seems to require frequent removal and cleaning with soap and water. This can be a pain in the neck.

Fourth, there is no way to use your own blend of coffee or make your own pods as there is with the competition. You're stuck with whomever Tassimo negotiated. (For example, they don't sell a REAL cocoa mix; it's "chocolate FLAVOR", which tastes like crap to me). I also found I didn't really like the selection of coffees, even Starbucks.

In conclusion, I'd recommend one of the alternatives if you want a single-cup brewer. I just bought a Keurig from Amazon, and so far I'm impressed. I'm selling my Tassimo...

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I like coffee but I don't drink it everyday. To me the coffee tasted pretty good. My wife loves coffee but drinks only like a cup a day. So take my review for what it's worth. If your lucky enough you can try a cup or sample if you know someone who has one or catch it on demo somewhere. The main competitor of this is the Keurig coffee maker which you can also catch on demo. These machines are great so you don't have to wash a coffee pot everyday for just a cup or two of coffee. If you drink a lot, then stick with the pot. These machines advertise no clean up. Yeah right... You need to rinse any parts that come into contact with liquid and wipe it. Still easier than washing a pot and filter tub. If you don't then your coffee will taste off and the build up will cause problems later. And not to mention that is just gross.

The difference between the Tassimo and the Keurig is that the Tassimo reads a barcode on the coffee discs and it adjusts the brew temperature amount of water, pressure,etc. and by doing this you can have a regular cup of coffee, espresso, make a latte, americano etc. with the milk discs. So you can make different types of coffee drinks. It won't be as good as the rob you blind coffee shops but still decent. Imagine how much money you would save after a month. But keep in mind, most of these type of single cup coffee makers make about 8 ounces of coffee. Most orginated for the European market and they drink like 4 ounces. You can manually press a button and send more water through but your coffee will be watered down. You don't have the option of buying your favorite flavor with a larger serving. There are only a couple coffee flavors out there that makes an average Amercian mug sized serving.

The Keurig is basically a drip machine. You choose from like four programed drink sizes and the machine will dispense as such. The premeasured coffee grind cups are more suited for the smaller serving. The bigger the size, the more watered down the flavor will become. Since this is more of a drip machine, it can't make an espresso or latte style drink. The coffee on the Keurig also tasted decent.

Here are some points that might help in the decission proccess.

Tassimo can make drip, lattes, cappucino, americano, and espresso type drinks. But remember, it won't be like from a real coffee shop. Just an imitation. Keurig, only drip. Both offer teas as well.

Tassimo small selection of varieties compared to Keurig. Keurigs offerings is huge. Keurig also has a reusable cup filter that you can put your own coffee grinds in and make your own so basically your selection of coffee is limitless. It comes included with the machine depending on where you buy it.

The Tassimo coffee is not as available in stores. You can find them mainly at Bed Bath & Beyond and Target. And they carry only a small selection. The Keurig coffee you can find just about anywhere and more selections.

If you drink mainly just drip coffee more than lattes, espressos, etc. Then probably better off with the Keurig and treat yourself to a real latte, espresso, etc. at a real coffee shop because it will taste better. If you like changing up and can live with it's not the real thing but better than paying $$$ for a cup. Then maybe the Tassimo. If a good cup of coffee with the fancy names is the world to you and you can afford it, then stick with what you are doing now.

I didn't bother to mention the other single cup disc/cup coffee machines out there because they are not as popular and you might be stuck with a machine that you can't find coffee for. Hamilton Beach now makes a single cup coffee maker unit and also a dual single cup / 12 cup coffe maker called the Scoop and the Dual. The single is a small unit that comes with two premeasured reuseable filters that you use to scoop your grinds in and then place directly into the unit but it doesn't have a timer. The dual unit is a full size coffee maker with a seperate single serve maker on the side. The dual does have a timer function that works for both sides. Both units have two brew strengths to choose from. The units can take the senseo coffee discs also, but be aware that the senseo discs are designed to be used with a pressurized system. The Hamilton Beach does not use pressure and you won't get the full intended flavor out of them. The reviews have been pretty positive on the Scoops.

So bottom line is flavor and availabilty of coffee. You can buy online also if you can't find what you like in the store. Something you should take into account if you don't live near any stores that carry your favorites. And mind you, the stores carry only a limited selection of offerings. You have to go online if you want the full line of flavors. And with Tassimo you are really limited in the stores compared to Keurig. Next time you go to a store, take a look at what they have and you will get an idea of what I am talking about.

Update: Starbucks did not continue thier contract with Tassimo, so your selections is dwindled down even more now with Tassimo. I down graded my review from 4 stars down to 3 stars now because of the even less limited varieties of coffee available for Tassimo.

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Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Honeywell MM14CCS 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner with Remote Reviews

Honeywell MM14CCS 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner with Remote Control - Black/Silver
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $599.99
Sale Price: $549.00
Today's Bonus: 8% Off
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program We moved into an older home that has no air conditioning, high ceilings, no insulation, and louvered windows. This is in the eastern edges of LA county, in a valley, where it gets pretty hot during the summer and occasionally other times of the year (it was 103 yesterday, for instance, a record high).

When we moved here I got a Whynter 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner with Heater (ARC-14SH) for my office, which is at one end of this ranch style home.

I'm a big fan of the Whynter. It worked fine in the heat, never quite cooling the whole room, but certainly giving a blast of cold air where I needed it. The room was at fault, so I don't blame the unit. In fact, later in the summer we moved it in the bedroom to supplement a far too small window unit. The room got downright chilly. It started cooling down and I moved the unit into our babies room, with the heater function keeping the room at a steady temperature throughout the relatively cool winter months. Now that its getting hot again, I was torn about moving the unit out of her room. She needs it cool in hot weather for the sake of all our sanity.

So, I was looking for an addition. The goofiness of our windows and lack of ability to do home repair projects tends to cancel out window units. This one looked like a good choice so I went for it.

Which do I recommend, this Honeywell or the Whynter? Well, both have 14000 BTU cooling, with equivalent cooling power, I look at other issues. And there's no clear stand out. The Honeywell is a bit smaller, and I the vent is more variable. Though, you can't quite enjoy the full force of it hitting you. Both units prefer to vent upwards. The vent on the Whynter just closes off, never getting a horizontal direction worth noting. The Honeywell does allow for more horizontal flow, but when you close the vent to focus it horizontal, it opens a gap in the back of the vent, with about half the power or more still directed upwards.

The big difference is in the air flow in and out. Both units have a standard sized intake and exhaust, but the Honeywell, for some reason, only comes with one hose and a window adapter with one slot. This creates a possible vacuum situation, where air is being sucked in from inside the room and sent outside, which means that air has to come in from somewhere else, a crack in the window or something like that. My office is old enough this isn't an issue, but it might create a problem for other situations, and some people highly recommend always using a dual hose setup. The Honeywell, again, allows for this, but doesn't come with the attachments for it. And the attachments are surprisingly expensive unless you're able and willing to patch together your own. The Whynter comes with two hoses and a window adapter with two slots, and caps in case you're not using one, leaving a one or two hose situation optional.

The window attachment on the Honeywall is fairly shorter. I only have to take off one of my louvered window panels, while the Whynter requires me taking off two. However, the Honeywell adapter uses pegs and slots to tighten in length. Unfortunately for those with nonstandard windows, like me, the pegs don't match up, and I have to jerry rig a way to keep the adapter secure in the window.

The remote works fine, and the display and buttons on the unit are pretty much the same for both units.

Which would I recommend. Well, again, the Honeywell is a bit smaller and that might be an issue. It also seems to handle water a bit better. The Whynter has a water tray and plug that's terribly inconvenient. Too low to put a bowl by, too high to really drain the inside pan. Have to tip it and finagle it. Fortunately, we live in a generally low humidity environment, but on those rainy days in winter I was having to empty the Whynter every couple of days, taking and lifting it into the shower.

But the Whynter does have that heater. So, there's a bit more bang for the price.

I like both and am happy I don't have to pick between them for my own use.

ADDED: Got pretty hot here the other day, had the air conditioner on. Was quite dismayed to see a trail of water coming from this Honeywell unit, leaving a puddle on my hard floor. Have no idea what was happening, as it wasn't leaking from any of the plugs, just coming from the bottom of the unit itself. I live in SoCal, so humidity isn't an issue, and if it's leaking because of that here, then I have to worry about how it will leak in higher humidity areas.

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Unit appears well-made compared to the other junk out there. Interface is slick, and remote is somewhat useful. Three problems:

Unit is LOUD, even on lowest fan setting. It is a bit louder than most window-mounted units, and is about the same volume as those fan coil units installed in cheap motels. I have to use earplugs, and others have refused to sleep in the room with it on.

Unit works, but no way it is 14k BTUs! Cools more like a 6-8k unit. I have a 480sf bedroom and on a hot day (80's) it takes hours to cool down the room. Granted I have high ceilings though.

Remote control works to turn unit on & off, and to set timer (a neat feature although very coarsely-implemented). I have yet to reliably use it for anything else. Basically in middle of ight when you can't take the noise anymore you can shut it off without getting out of bed.

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Did not cool the room well. Poor air flow. My old air conditioner worked much better. Big and clumsy. It took up a lot of space.

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I have a 500 sq. foot (lower level) apartment in the city and I'm not pleased with the way this unit cooled. I expected a lot more based on the BTUs and price paid. It is also extremely noisy. I would not recommend it.

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Two problems.

1) the unit had evidently been jarred significantly during shipping, as the metal grate below the top vent had come loose and was rubbing on the main fan, causing it to sound like a blender. I removed the grate entirely and things are much quieter.

2) Be careful and measure your window before committing. The window assembly will only expand so far, and it lacked a good 18 inches of coverage on our window. Luckily I had some leftover stuff from a previously failed air conditioner and was able to hack together something that worked. The little plastic screw thing is really not sufficient the old unit had sturdy wing nuts. Poor design here.

All that being said, the thing seems to be cooling the room well, which is the primary purpose. Too bad they couldn't avoid dropping it off of the loading dock or whatever happened.

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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Reviews of LifeSmart LS-1003HH13 1800 Sq Ft Infrared Quartz Electric Portable

LifeSmart LS-1003HH13 1800 Sq Ft Infrared Quartz Electric Portable Tower Heater
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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THIS IS THE FIRST OF 3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF ELECTRIC HEATERS, MOST JUST WANT TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A FIRE AND DO NOT SPEND THE EFFORT ON HEATING EFFICIENTLY

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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Water Heater Flushing Tool Review

Water Heater Flushing Tool
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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Made a mistake and let another camper borrow my last one and never got it back. Purchased another brand and it broke after second use. Was happy to find the replacement for the first one that got away that had lasted for 7 years of almost continuous use as I helped many elderly RV people service their water heaters. Great help in getting sediments out of your tank.

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Had the rotten egg smell going on in my water heater and wanted to flush it out. This tool worked excellent and I couldn't believe the chunks of crud that came out of it. Highly recommended.

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I was able to flush my popup's hot water heater in the garage without hardly any mess. The adjustment valve on this really worked well (to my surprise!). This was first time I had flushed the tank after 3 years, so my anode was nearly all gone. I'll do this each year now that I have this great tool.

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Did a great job of flushing out the heater. I had no idea there was that much dirt and build up in the heater

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Saturday, November 16, 2013

Kozy World KWN121 10,000-BTU Vent-Free Natural-Gas Infrared Wall Reviews

Kozy World KWN121 10,000-BTU Vent-Free Natural-Gas Infrared Wall Heater with Thermostat
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $159.80
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I like the appearance. I usually replace such units within 5 years due to changes in the fire from buildups. The unit burns very cleanly with no odors. It sits in the living room next to my desk, yet projects radiant warmth across the room 15 feet away to the easy chair. It makes the living area most comfortable with 100% efficiency. An added bonus is that natural gas flames make moisture, so the colder it gets outside making drier outside air, the moisture produced by combustion of hydrogen and oxygen makes more water, so a humidifier is unnecessary.

After having wrong unit sent, returned item at my own expense to Amazon. Several days later they sent the correct item by FedEx. Other than the first shipped incorrect item, the unit is excellent. I replaced an 18,000 btuh natural gas unit with this 10,000 btuh unit, as the larger unit never ran longer than 15 minutes at a time, which indicates it was too large. The heater works the same as the old unit using its built-in thermostat.

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I installed this in a laundry room that was fairly well vented at 8400'. It works perfectly. Cheap heat. I think I'd try it in a bathroom, but not a bedroom, as long as I had a CO alarm. Works great!

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Great little heater ! fast shipping ! easy to install . this silent heater put out some good heat , it is perfect heater for our extra room . i would buy another if i needed one .

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My KOZY vent free heater replaced a similar larger model of different make that has heated my enclosed front porch for nearly 18 years. This model works as well trouble free,and reliable. This is now my 4th vent free space heater tha heats front and rear enclosed porches in Chicago with excellent results.

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You may not want to purchase this heater. If you do I hope you are handy with tools or know a good pipefitter (plumber).

Part of the installation instructions indicate that all the fittings need to be checked for leaks. Mine had several. One fitting that raised a large bubble indicating a slow leak was to the rear of the unit and impossible to reach with a wrench let alone a wrench and a backup wrench. Paying a pro to disassemble everything and put it back together so it doesn't leak could prove to be more than the cost of the unit.

The instructions indicate that things may loosen up in shipment and boy was a true statement. The two fasteners that attach the pilot light assembly apparently were so loose that they fell out of inner frame work, out of the unit and out of the factory box it was packaged in and out of the external shipping box. The pilot light assembly was flopping around inside nowhere near where it should have been. I'm surprised the tubing didn't crack from the constant flexing if must have endured in shipment.

Installation calls for putting in a drip tube a minimum of three inches from the the gas input line. There will be no problem here for a wall installation but if plan to use the optional floor mount legs they do not allow enough clearance to put one in.

Finally when disposing of the shipping boxes I found a copy of a letter from a gentleman in California returning the unit. Had I known I was buying returned goods, I probably would have not purchased this product

p.s. Before you elect to use corrugated stainless steel tubing on this or any other heating device

please Google CSST and read about the potential lightning danger.

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