Review of Help stay WARM, with this energy efficient space heater. Comes

Customer Ratings:

We received an ecoquest safehearth heater for Christmas in 2008. My mother-in-law purchased one for her and one for my family. They worked well for the for the 3 to 4 months that we used them during the cold weather. I plugged mine in for the first time this winter and it will not will kick on, when it does it blows cold air. My mother-in-laws is doing the same thing. I called the company but since it is out of waranty, there is nothing that can be done to fix my unit. According the rep. from ecoquest, they do not service this unit, if it goes bad during warranty the company will simply send you a replacement, after that, you are on your own. Not only can they not repair the machine, they do not sell the parts so that someone else can. My mother in law paid $800 for two units and both of them are useless. Think twice about purchasing this heater, what a joke for customer service!!!!!!!!

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I have been using my Safehearth for over 3 years and never had any problems

Will keep my bottom floor about 68 when the temperature is in the 40s

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We have had this heater for two years and use it every day 6-7 months of the year in our very chilly basement. We love the timer, the fact that it will maintain a certain temperature in a room and that it is safe for our children and pet. I do understand that the warranty has changed since we bought the unit. The dealer we bought it from told us that. That doesn't change the fact that we have had zero problems with this unit and we are very pleased with the safety and performance.

Honest reviews on Help stay WARM, with this energy efficient space heater. Comes

I don't own one of these units, but do own an Eden-Pure (a competitor). To the person who wrote that their 2 Safehearth heaters no longer work, try this: make SURE the filter for incoming air is clean. When these filters are dirty there is a sensor that doesn't allow the heat to come on (to prevent the unit from overheating internally) and the unit will then only blow cold air. Also, if you happen to have a very dusty environment try to clean further inside the unit (when it is unplugged), and try to clean the filters at least once a week. Hope this helps.

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My mom bought me one of these overpriced behemouths and I hate it. It is so noisy I cannot stand to use it at night. When you want to turn it off it has to 'cool down' so it takes five minutes for it to turn off when you flip the switch. It does heat but not much better than any fifty dollar space heater you can buy online. Waaaaaaaaay overprices and I hate the Ecoquest company because there in not ONE PRODUCT my mom has bought from them that hasn't broken in a month or less. So far these heaters work, but if what a previous reviewer said is true that they can't service them, it is criminal to be selling these large things for them only to wind up in a landfill because they can't be serviced! Not very Ecofriendly! I think they should change the company name! All their products quickly become obsolete and wind up in landfills. They brainwash their dealers like a religion and perpetuate these lackluster products on them making them waste thousands of their own dollars on products that may intially work, but then require way to much servicing before they become obsolete and the company encourages you to scrap the old ones and buy their much 'new and improved' products. One of the biggest scam companies out there. I know because my mom is a dealer and they prey on their dealers.

Dimplex #DFI2309 Electric Fire Place Insert Review

Customer Ratings:

I was pleased with the realism of the flame function, but somewhat disappointed with the amount of heat it generates. I have a Dimplex stove-type as well and it outperforms the insert. Someone wanting the ambiance of a fire in the hearth, might consider how the Dimplex Stove would look in the firebox instead of the insert if heat is a primary consideration.

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Almost false advertising, certainly a mistake by Amazon. This is a Dimplex DG12309. When the shipping is added in it just ends up costing more.

Best Holmes HCT460-U Home Base Transformable Tower Heater Deals

Customer Ratings:

Just bought this unit. The design is quite nice as far as being able to rotate the vents and the flexibility to have one down, one up, both down or both up. You can set the desired temperature, but you should know that you can only set it to 60, 65, 70, 75, or 80. That's it. Nothing in between those. The main problem I have with this unit, and it is going back tonight for a replacement, is that my room is 64 degrees, and the unit won't go on until I set it to 75. And even at that, it shuts off after the room gets to about 65 or 66. To me, it seems like the thermostat is off by about 10 degrees.

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The thermostat never works. It won't turn on no matter what temperature is set. Asked Amazon for a replacement. The replacement was even worse. Thermostat was off more than 10 degrees, plus one of the towers was broken. Had to send it back for refund. The only good thing is Amazon's service.

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it is effective and somewhat stylish. however, it severely dries out the air, and leaves a twinge of plasticity in the air... not recommended for a bedroom (which I tried first) but will work in a draftier setting, like a living room or garage...

Honest reviews on Holmes HCT460-U Home Base Transformable Tower Heater

I purchased this product a year ago and it has worked wonderfully in my finished basement. It keeps the whole room heated very well if I leave the door to the upstairs closed. Guests really appreciate the warmth since the basement traditionally is very cold.

We're now using it at our office because of the very cold weather and it's doing a great job keeping the heat even throughout the back of the office (and I sit next to a large drafty window).

I don't have any problems with the temperature. Our office stays steady at 74, except in my area, but I can set it to 75 and the temp feels like the rest of the office.

I also have very dry hands in the office and I feel no difference when this heater has been used the past two days here. Everyone in the office has been raving about the awesome design and the output it generates.

I think it is well worth the price!

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I really ehjoyed this heaterm not only warm and cosy bur oh so safe. I would buy again it was a cool product

Discount AKDY 36 inch Wall Mount Modern Space Heater Electric Fireplace

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List Price: $699.00
Sale Price: $199.00
Today's Bonus: 72% Off

This Fireplace has it all. My wife and I had been shopping for some time, and even bought a different model fireplace but ended it returning it because it looked cheesy. We were very excited to find this one on Amazon. The installation was pretty simple. It heats up our large bedroom nicely, has a beautiful curved front glass face, and a variety of colored background LED lights to choose from, plus a remote!!! This is a very nice and modern compliment to our bedroom, we couldn't be happier. As a side note, this seller is easy to work with, was very prompt in his email replies to us, and it was shipped very fast to Wa State. We initially were unable to turn it on, and when we contacted the seller he offered to ship us one the next day. Well we ended up figuring it out on our own, but was very grateful the seller was willing to quickly go above and beyone that extra mile. Highly recommend this!

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I really like this fireplace the side color is a very cool feature. The only thing I don't like is that the heat blows out the top, was hoping it came from the bottom or front, but looks great and love the look of the flames with the stones.

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Easy to install, the directions were easy. Its a Very nice fireplace,it looks Awesome an throws out the heat if needed.

Honest reviews on AKDY 36 inch Wall Mount Modern Space Heater Electric Fireplace

Nice fireplace. The unit itself doesn't have a thermostat only low, medium and high. The colored backround lights were a little diferent but overall this is ok.

Review of Holmes Triple Ceramic Heater with Comfort Control Thermostat Gray

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $156.29
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
Today's Bonus: 53% Off

After seeing how well one of these worked for my parents (for the past 3 years), I decided to get one for myself. I ordered it on a Monday and received it by Thursday. (A week ahead of expectation.) I've seen other reviews of this product and can tell you that its fan is NOT loud and it doesn't stink like burnt plastic when used. The remote control is a great feature and a plus. It's exactly what I expected. I saw it cheaper at Target ($34.98) but they were in season clearance sale and out of stock until next winter in the city where I live. With list price at around $132, this price is still a bargain.

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I bought this heater last winter and had no problems with it. However, this fall the heater stopped heating on a regular basis. I began shopping for another brand of heater when I decided to call Holmes to see if there was anything they would do for me, despite not having my receipt.

They very helpfully found me a similar, but newer model heater and shipped it out to me free of charge. They said I could dispose of the one that wasn't working. I'm incredibly impressed by how helpful Holmes was. I will definitely look for more Holmes products as a result of their great customer service and warranty.

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I got this only a few days ago, but so far it's working awesome. The oscillation helps spread the heat, the heater sits up off the ground a little so you don't have to worry about spilled liquids or overheating carpet, and the digital thermometer is nice for automatic heat regulation.

The only complaint I have is this... there is no audio feedback when changing the temperature with the remote, and since IR is unreliable you don't know for sure that you actually did change the temperature or if the signal was lost and the temp did not change. Strange oversight by engineering since the reliability of IR really is poor.

Anyhow, I highly recommend this over the more dumb heaters where you just turn it to a preset 1/2/3 and let it continue forever. Temp regulated space heating is the best :D

Honest reviews on Holmes Triple Ceramic Heater with Comfort Control Thermostat Gray

Bought this for my cabin which is a 20' X 20' room. It does a decent job and is not loud. Great auxilliary heat and the safety features are nice. It does not get hot to the touch. Has a remote control which does not matter much to me. I wanted a reliable, safe product which it seems to be. It it lasts a few years then it will be a great purchase.

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We have a small office and wanted the heater to come on at 7am, one hour before arrival and go off at 4pm. We originally bought the Holmes HQH319, it was quiet and output was great however a wall timer will not work with the unit. I called Holmes and they said, "you need the Holmes HCH6150 it has a built in timer." Returned the first unit bought the second. The timer is a crude count down until it turns off and on. That means while it's on you have to press the button 8 times to get it to go off in 8 hours. If you want it on the next morning you have to press the button 15 times to get it to come on. This is a huge hassle to manage twice a day. Also, it makes too much noise for a quiet office.

Reviews of Citrus Magic Air Freshner

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $6.79
Sale Price: $5.51
Today's Bonus: 19% Off

This is the freshest scent! I mist the linens lightly, when we have overnight guests.....and everyone comments on how fresh the room smells. All ask about it! A crisp, clean, true grapefruit scent. It lasts for quite a while, too. Love it!

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Cheap Dr. Infrared Heater DR968 Portable Infrared Space Heater

Customer Ratings:

This is an attractive unit that is easy to move around and safe to touch when the heat is on. I have tried many 1500 watt space heaters. The others tend to warm only close to the heater and are very expensive to run! I have it in my bedroom (150sf with 12 foot high ceilings). Set on low, it heats the whole room evenly with comfortable heat for very little money. I ran it every day for 4 hours in the morning during the winter and sometimes all night. When I compare with last years bills for the same months, the additional cost to run this heater was only around $4/month! After using it for two winters, I just purchased a second heater for my larger living room space of 500sf with 12 foot high ceilings. With the outside temperature in the 50's, it is again warming the whole room evenly while maintaining my living room temperature at 70 degrees.

A couple of minor issues to mention: First, it has a fan. I don't find it noisy, but it does make some background noise. And second, it has an initial smell that goes away quickly. I am very happy with this heater!

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Have been searching for something to work. It takes the chill out of the air; it doesn't run all the time; it's quiet, small, and easy to roll! We are so relieved.

Have the Electric Fireplace; have a variety of space heaters; all either are limited to what area they heat and cost a lot; or just plain don't work. This is so nice!

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I first saw this heater in a cabin I stayed at in Canada. When I needed a little heater for my living space I looked this up to get the information on the internet. It looks nice, I like the settings that makes it easy to use, it easily heats my space and has great safty features.

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Heater worked great the first several times I turned it on. But then the heater would only heat if I was cycling the mode button. When I stopped the heat would turn off but the fan would still run. I called customer service and they had me take the front plastic panel off and loosen two screws and presto that did the trick. It has worked great ever since.

I would prefer it would be slightly bigger than it is, but it puts out good heat, so it does the job.

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I am so glad I finally purchased this little gem! It works great and is very quiet.

It has provided the warmth we haven't received from our heat pump. We placed it

in between our family room and kitchen, where we spend most of our time, and it

heats the space nicely. I just recommended it to my Dad for his condo.

Buy Hamilton Beach K6080 Large Cordless Kettle, 1.8-Liter, Black

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $22.99
Sale Price: $19.99
Today's Bonus: 13% Off

UPDATE 10/31/12

Another month passed, and the kettle does not work that well anymore as I experienced in the beginning. Obviously, the rust buildup on the heating element is now somehow hindering its auto shut-off function. This means I have to manually flip the switch to turn off the kettle when water is boiling, otherwise it just keep heating up! This can really be a major safety issue, not to mention that the whole point of a electric kettle is that I don't have to stand around it watching the water. Although it is still usable, I wouldn't use it anymore. Sent an email to the company, and I was told that it's most likely due to mishandling, and I'll have to pay to ship it over to get it fixed. Since shipping this guy in its original box costs half its selling price and there's no guarantee it'll be fixed for free, I'll just opt for a new kettle. It could be problem with my tap water, but aren't these supposed to be a way to purify water anyways?

UPDATE 9/29/12

Now that I've used this kettle for over a few months, I'll take away two stars for it. The reason is that you have to keep using it very, very often, almost daily, to keep the kettle in good working order. Scale buildup, although a problem, is easily taken care of by some vinegar; however, once I leave the kettle alone for a week or two without using it, the heating element rusts. This not only makes boiling time much longer than before and consume a lot of energy, but also releases potentially harmful chemicals into your water. The only way to prevent this is to wipe the inside of the kettle dry after boiling water. Once the heating element rusts there's pretty much nothing I can do about it than replacing the kettle as it's not really possible to scrape and polish the insides.

This large kettle is very convenient for those who occasionally need hot water. I bought it looking for some tea as well as instant food and it does the job perfectly.

Pros:

-Large volume. Can boil a lot of water, which means the water stays warm a little longer when I let it sit. No need to reboil for refills.

-Power design. The "special" power connection used on the base is pretty high so I feel more comfortable leaving it near the sink.

-Cordless. I can take it away without trying to unplug it. I used to use a corded one and unplugging it can be a pain when the water is boiling inside and the kettle gets hot.

-Handle with anti-slip. Great when the kettle gets heavy.

-Switch that can turn off. The old kettle I have can only turn off itself, and this one is really convenient when I think I don't want the water anymore.

Cons:

-Scale builds up really fast. I've used it a week now and can already see some on the heating element.

-Minimum line at 0.5L. This means I have to boil at least 2+ mugs of water, even I just want a cup.

-Plastic smell needs 5+ boils to clear up.

The bad parts can be dealt with pretty easily so it's no big deal for an occasional user. If you want something to use every hour to serve a whole family (or more), consider one of the stainless steel kettles with hidden elements. This kettle will probably take some descaling, but I guess that is the cost of having one that boils a full kettle in under 4 minutes.

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This product performed exactly as one would hope for, and was well packaged and promptly delivered. The cord length was conveniently adjustable, which is important to avoid clutter on the kitchen top.

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This product is great and does what it says; I use it at least once a day. I drink so much more tea since I don't have to heat it on the stove. I DO NOT like hot water from the microwave! Love this product.

Honest reviews on Hamilton Beach K6080 Large Cordless Kettle, 1.8-Liter, Black

So to start with i use to this to make mostly tea (loose leaf in a defuser) and coffe (french press).

Pros

*boils fast, typically i only boil 1L at a time, it takes 3 minutes and 35 seconds to boil from room temperature.

*Plastic, this is nice because it makes it safe and easy to handle without getting burned.

*No plastic taste in the water, i only use filtered water so if it did it would be very obvious. Now that being said i did fill it to the max 6 times and boiled it and dumped the water when i first got it to clean it.

*THE PRICE

Con

*There is only one con, and that is that it doesn't make any noise when it is done other than the fact that it shuts off. If it wasn't for this fact it would have 5 stars.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a very reasonably priced electric kettle that works great than this is for you. I would buy it again in a heart beat.

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I bought it in July and It stopped working October. It worked fine...when it worked but I expected it to last at least a year...not 3 1/2 months. First impression was that it was cheap, flimsy plastic but for $20, I couldn't complain. I would suggest forking out more money for something of higher quality. It's not worth it to take advantage of the warranty BECAUSE Hamilton Beach says the customer is responsible for shipping to and from their center. Again...I spent $20 on the thing. Shipping would probably cost more. WIth the good reviews, I thought it would be a better quality product. It's not.

Discount Pawleys Island Large Tri-Beam Hammock Stand

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $198.80
Sale Price: $119.99
Today's Bonus: 40% Off

I bought a hammock a year ago on Amazon, hoping that I could find somewhere or another to hang it. However, that proved not to be the case, and I finally broke down and bought a stand for it.

I opened up the box, and inside was a mess of tubes, and endcaps. After about two minutes of assembly, which includes putting the tubes together via spring-loaded locking pins, and putting the rubber end-caps on, I had a fully assmebled hammock stand. Completely brainless, and easy as pie. The tubes aren't light, but they're light enough that virtually anyone could do the assembly on their own.

Once together, I needed to get some chain to actually hang the hammock, since neither the stand, nor the hammock I bought came with chain. I ended up getting 5' of chain, but when you get yours, keep in mind that the hammock will stretch quite a bit. Of those 5' of chain, I'm now using about 2" on either side of the hammock.

Once the whole deal was assembled, all that was left to do was jump in. The stand holds the hammock admirably, is indeed taupe, and has three major beams. Thus, the Tri-beam Taupe Hammock Stand performs exactly as advertised.

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Very easy to assemble and more sturdy than most backyard trees. Did come missing an S hook though; otherwise, would have gotten 5 *s.

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nice stand, paint has faded a bit after a year being stored outside exposed to the elements, but isn't peeling or exposing any metal. There are 3 segments, they all fit together easily and are reinforced to prevent breakage or bending, but they're freely attached. So if you need to move your hammock stand you'll need 2 people unless you push it, if you pull it, one of the angled arms will slide out of the horizontal bar. You could probably fix this yourself by drilling a hole through the bottom (horizontal) bar and into one of the arms to screw in a bolt, but the steel is very thick, about 3/16" or 1/4" thick.

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Very strong, easy to assemble and disassemble. The coating is excellent except where welded. Rust has shown through within a month, however, we live within 2 blocks of the ocean. We also purchased the attaching table with cup holders which we enjoy. Excellent service, shipped and received within a week. We definitely recommend this product and its provider, Hatteras Hammocks.

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This hammock stand is very strong and durable. It was easy to assemble. The only drawback it has is the cross bar at the bottom of the hammock when put together. Before the hammock stretched out it easily turned over and you would fall on the crossbar. We bought a piece of foam pipe cover and placed it over the bar to prevent anyone else gettting hurt from falling off the hammock.

Best World Marketing 20401U KW-11 Replacement Wicks Deals

Customer Ratings:

I purchased a square heater from kero-world and the wick that was installed worked fine, but this replacement was hard to install and smoked very bad. I tried several wicks and had the same results. I was told to purchase a larger round heater that takes wicks with pins and had no problems. I dont know why these wicks would not work???

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It was great to be able to find this wick when we needed it. Things like this you can't find in a store any more. It works like it should. I thought it was a little high priced but lots of things are now. I'm very satisfied.

Best Classic Flame 18EF010GAA INSERT ONLY. Fixed Front 18" Insert, No Deals

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List Price: $289.99
Sale Price: $265.00
Today's Bonus: 9% Off

I attended a small community meeting in a neighbors 1830 town house where there was a charming fire in the fireplace. At the end of the 2 hour meeting I complimented the hosts on what a perfect fire. they'd made. They burst into laughter & said, "Come, look closely."

That's when I realized for the first time that the fire was artificial. I had been convinced the log fire was real.

The next day those neighbors surprised me with a gift of my first Classic Flame Insert for my 1840 house, nearby, in which there were 7 fireplaces. It was an instant hit & used nightly, just for the charm of it.

Incidentally, some months later my insurance company informed me that they would no longer cover damages resulting from the use of real fires, unless I had the fireplaces & flues lined with stainless steel. A quick check revealed it would cost over $5,000 per fireplace to do that. What about my rental apartments & the tenants fireplaces?

I explained the situation, that real fires would be banned, at the signing of the lease renewals, and I would offer & instal a Classic Flame Insert at no charge. I proudly demonstrated my own.

The proposal was a hit. All the fireplaces now have Classic Flame Inserts, the cost of relining the flues was eliminated, so was the cost of firewood, and the storage space it required, air pollution from the smoke was eliminated as was the messy chore of cleaning up the ash from a real fire. Plus, my insurance company was happy.

As a bonus the Inserts also make adjustable heat if you wish. They are especially convincing when seen behind the classic fire screens found on most fireplaces. The effect is magical.

PS When Santa came the next Christmas we just gave him a key to the front door.

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Reviews of 18,000 Btu Klimaire 17 SEER DC Inverter Ductless Mini Split Heat

Customer Ratings:

[Note -I purchased this exact unit last month but not on Amazon, so this review is just about the unit, not the vendor].

Last week I completed installation in my 2-car attached garage, which is in the process of being purposed as a wood shop. Mine is a typical tract-home attached garage, about 21 x 22, roughly 450 sq ft, located in Northern Virginia. The back and side walls are insulated as is the attic and I have a single garage door with insulated foam core. I installed the indoor component of the split on the back wall with the compressor directly behind it on the outside.

First the positive I gave it 5 stars for functionality. There are a couple of "cons" below but I'm so thrilled by how it works, the pros (for me) totally outweigh them.

I love this unit, did I say that??. While I may be the butt of a few jokes in the neighborhood... it is AWESOME to have air conditioning in the garage!! This weekend it was in the 90s and humid and my garage was, get this -68 degrees!! I wont run it down to 68 normally but I wanted to see if it could do it.. and it was no problem. Yesterday my wife was doing yard work and opened the garage door several times. I was amazed! Once the temp gets near the target setting, the unit backs off to a (very) quiet level just maintaining. The wife opens the big door to get the mower and for 4-5 minutes the door is open. When she leaves, I notice the Klimaire automatically kick it up to make it up. I was working in the middle of my garage and while I obviously felt the heat encroaching when the door was opened, because of the automatic speed increase, I could also feel the cold air blowing from the back and it never got uncomfortable in the middle of the garage. Once the door was closed it only took a few minutes to recover.

Now the "cons" (or at least warnings)...

These may be a bigger deal to some than they were for me. After researching it, none of this surprised me. And considering the money saved going this route vs buying a marked-up unit from an AC dealer/installer was worth the risk to me.

1. The Mini-Split Warranty Myth

After looking at a lot of product literature, poking around HVAC contractor forums, etc... one thing I have taken away is this: Though all the mini-split systems on Amazon and Ebay are promoted as "simple to install" and within the scope of an experienced do-it-yourselfer [which I agree with], the fine print clearly states that if you do, you will likely void the warranty. Most warranties require that the installation be done by "certified" HVAC technician. The supposed work-around to this is to do all the installation grunt work yourself (hang the inside unit, cut the holes, run the lineset, etc), then call your neighborhood AC guy to come out and hook stuff up, leak test, evacuate the lines, then VOILA!.. you are in business for a couple hundred bucks with a full warranty!.. NOPE... Every warranty fine print I've read (including this Klimaire) wants you to register the warranty with the particulars of the installation tech/company who will then be responsible for performing any warranty repairs down the road. Good luck finding any decent HVAC firm that will do that, they won't. It doesn't mean that you can't find an HVAC tech to do the check-out and evacuation as a side job, and I recommend that. But your not likely to find one to sign up for being responsible for the warranty when they don't supply the system and get the mark-up they are legitimately entitled to. So, resign yourself up front to no warranty or buy from a dealer/installer. You'll have to decide for yourself if it's worth the risk.

2. The DIY Installation

Again, after much surfing and reading I decided to tackle the installation myself. It seemed to me to be within the grasp of most competent do-it-yourselfers. Mine was pretty straightforward with only a 4inch frame and siding wall separating the two parts. I only used a 16ft line-set and frankly I wish it had been 10ft. You'll notice that these systems are packaged with different lengths of line-set. The variety is obviously to fit different install scenarios, but an important thing to remember is that the amount of refrigerant charge shipped in the compressor is matched to the line-set length. Altering the length of the line-set after the fact technically changes that balance. So in my case if I shortened the line-set to 10ft I would be creating an overcharged condition and conversely if I had a 25ft line-set lying around and used it... it would be undercharged. I'm not certain how big a deal either of those scenarios might be, but I decided to try to make sure I installed the line-set it was shipped with without alteration. Not wanting to have the line bundle running vertically down the outside of the garage, I ran it inside the wall and had it come out a hole down about 12-15 inches off the ground, then I had to run it 4-5 feet horizontally before bending out to the unit. I wasn't thrilled to have a 5 ft run but its low enough that the plants easily hide it. The lesson here is to put some serious thought into how long a line-set you'll need. When I started planning the install (after receiving the unit) I cut a piece of Romex to the length of the line-set and played with different configurations before deciding the best place to park the outside box. I was pretty surprised how long 16ft was.

The inside and outside parts were pretty straightforward to install. As several reviewers of other units mention, the trickiest thing with the line-sets is bending the larger diameter tube. I spent the money on a fairly good tubing bender, the one that has the two handles and has sized channels for 3-4 different diameters. I think it cost me about $60 on Ebay, but it was worth every cent and the bends went flawlessly. I will probably just re-sell that on Ebay. I also picked up a flaring tool which I never used and will also resell.

So now I was at that "certified tech" part. For those whose successful install reviews I've read, I'm certain I must look like an idiot to you. But really, I have done some fairly sophisticated DIY stuff... lots of electrical, some major plumbing, several tile baths and couple of decks... but this humbled me. From all the reading I did, I was certain that I could do this myself if I was just careful. So I invested in few necessary tools. I bought a cheap vacuum pump on Ebay for about $100, a digital vacuum gauge for about $110 (required to read the necessary deep vacuum down to 200 microns), a set of manifold gauges for about $90 I think and a 410 adapter fitting (on Ebay for about $14). And trust me, you will need that adapter, no matter what the manifold gauges say. Mine said they were specifically for 410A (and that usually means the gauges cover a higher pressure max than the older refrigerant required)...but they did not fit the service valve out of the box. So... do the math... I am out close to $300 for tools I'll likely never use again. Pretty sure I could have found a Craigslist HVAC guy looking for side-work for that, but some of us just like to try to do it to see if we can do it... anyway that's me.

So I dive into playing HVAC tech and spent most of a morning realizing I'm not an HVAC tech. I spent a fair amount of time on the internet trying to figure out which ports on the manifold I should hook up to. Then another couple of hours trying to decide where the vacuum gauge should be hooked in there, suspecting for quite a while that someone must have forgotten to include the specific part I needed. Once I did get it connected correctly enough to actually get a reading on the vac gauge, imagine my excitement as I watched the digital display steadily decline from like 1900... 1840...1810...1790...1750...1710...1693...1643...1609...1588...1557 1557. 1558 .1557 .1557 WTF??? It has to down to 200 !!! Messed with the pump, oil, connections for another 2 hours... never got it go below 1200. I finally gave up trying to monitor the vacuum and to get a tighter connection I removed everything but the pump, connected it directly to the service port, let it run for an hour continuously, crossed my fingers, disconnected the pump and turned the control valves to release the gas into the lines. After much additional research, I'm pretty sure my problem was cheap Ebay vacuum pump. So I guess I should have dropped at least another $50-$70 on a better pump.. or maybe donated it to homeless HVAC guys.

The end of the story is so far a good one, the unit came up smoothly and works great did I mention I love it? I'm pretty confident I'll recover most of the $$ for the tools. But whats eating at me is that I don't really know how good an evacuation I got on the lines... so after all this.. I am probably gonna have a guy come out an check it out for me.

I am very pleased with this purchase, if I were to do it again, I would pay a pro to do the final checkout for cash, but again resign yourself up front no warranty.

UpdateOct 30, 2012

I am still loving this unit!! It cools the garage in no time and makes summer projects a joy. And on a couple chilly days this fall and all last winter...nice and toasty! No problems at all.

UpdateFeb 20, 2013

(Still in love!!) I thought I would update this since we've had some seriously cold days this winter, several in a row in the 20s and a couple of dips into the teens. I was really not expecting much heat output at those temps from a heat pump because, after all, not much heat left in 15 degree air. (And in fact purchased a 220 amp garage heater for those bitter days, not installed yet)

BUT....I have been pleasantly surprised! On a 20 degree day; while it won't get the garage to 60-70, it does get it fairly comfortable (I'm not sure exactly how warm it got, definitely above freezing. I do know my wife complains when it's not on and she goes into the garage to gets stuff from the spare fridge!).

The bottom line for me (re: heat) is that having this unit in my garage warms enough to solve two concerns; 1) I added a sink a few years ago and have had to use heat tape to prevent frozen pipes and 2) I do woodworking and have a cabinet full of finishes, paints, etc., that can be affect/ruined by freezing. Now I set this to about 40 and I no longer have to worry about either.

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DO NOT PURCHASE! That is do not purchase anything from Klimaire and/or Heatandcool.com. They are scam artists out to take your money. their equipment is sub-par and their customer support would rather insult you and your intelligence than address their equipment issues.

I have never dealt with a company as bad as this one before in my life and has resulted in me having to retain an attorney.

they are so bad I found a website dedicated to them www.klimairesucks.com and a BBB rating of "F"

http://www.bbb.org/south-east-florida/business-reviews/air-conditioning-parts-and-supplies-wholesale/klimaire-products-in-doral-fl-11012672#reasonrating

Best Deals on 18,000 Btu Klimaire 17 SEER DC Inverter Ductless Mini Split Heat

Hey, Guys. I bought two units, the KSIM009-H219 and the KSIM018-H217. Research led me directly to the Klimaire distributor in Miami (I'm in Jacksonville) where they responded to my call for info. I bought directly from the dist where they cut me a break on the shipping for the two. Ordered on Thursday, they shipped on Monday SAIA freight and arrived in Jacksonville the next day where I picked them up at the terminal. Packaging was spot on, no issues.

Installed myself, but I'm no stranger to mechanical stuff. I think an installation of this sort for a newbie would be a challenge since there's so many disciplines involved. The biggest challenge is working with the supplied lineset and making sure you don't damage it or run short since you don't want to modify the length. Careful planning always pays off here. After the typical hookup, I vacuumed the lines for about two hours on both units, opened the liquid line a bit to charge the vacuumed lines and evap up to atmospheric pressure, opened both packing valves and buttoned everything up.

At this point checked for leaks with a leak detector solution and found I had leaks on three out of four connections. Some serious tightening solved those problems and I'd say that was the most surprising, it takes more than you'd think it would. I worked with a plumber for several years as a young pup and the answer to "how tight should this be?" was "till it stops leaking."

After flipping the breaker on the disconnects I started each system and have simply been amazed at how quiet and seemingly efficient these units are. I think you could run them both on power from a hamster in a wheel. Matter of fact, I did connect both of these units to my gen-set so we'll have cooling in those two rooms when the storm hits. Less than 4 amps on the small unit and 7 on the large unit. Amazing.

My thoughts on reviews. Anyone that is considering making a large purchase such as these will do some research and inevitably run across negative reviews and there are those here as well. But, any company that is putting forth the effort to bring items like this to market is not doing it to fail. Sure there are issues and problems that can and do arise, but that's from any company, with any product. More often than not problems stem from a language barrier, and this is where patience, compassion and persistence will help solve most problems. If you're looking for trouble, you'll probably find it. Those with a bad experience will rush to warn while those with a good experience will simply enjoy and move on so one needs to see all reviews in that context.

Of course most AC guys in the states hate messing with something they did not sell you, or something they are not familiar with. Most everyone is biased in one way or another. Knowing that and wanting to learn something new can make a project such as this rewarding if you do it yourself. Of course it's all at risk, and they'll be no shortage of people with a God complex to warn you of that fact.

All in all, I'd say that if you're a good car mechanic and know your way around the construction of a house and have an understanding of home wiring beyond the basics, you'll be happy.

Of course, mine could fail tomorrow.

Feel free to write me with any questions and I'll try to help.

All the best, Don

Honest reviews on 18,000 Btu Klimaire 17 SEER DC Inverter Ductless Mini Split Heat

I just purchased a KSIM018-H217 A Klimaire 18kbtu

220 volt D.C inverter heat pump and air conditioning unit from HeatandCool.com

It's been great I must say . I stay in Green View, Ca and we get some extreme heat,

Over here and probably one month of cold temperatures. But I have a living area

That is around 750 square feet and my unit heats and cools this space with no trouble

at all . Even with my family coming over which is most of the time and we usually end

up in the living room we're able to sit there comfortably. Most of the times we might

even need jackets. Another thing is that my unit is extremely silent and that's a major

plus for me. I'm very pleased with this unit and the klimaire brand and I would recommend

klimaire products to all my friends and family. Thanks for making such a great product

Best Comfort Glow ES5132 Keystone Electric Stove with Thermostat, Bronze Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $154.99
Sale Price: $114.99
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I use this in our family room when I don't want to heat the rest of the house. The heater part is not real noticeable and the flame glows nicely through the metal doors. For the price, this unit is built sturdy and is attractive.

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I ordered this in white in New/Used...got it and the heat part did not work at all ...Amazon was GREAT in taking it back quickly...then I ordered a NEW one ...had to get this color because the white one cost more than this color for some reason??? It works fine but would have liked the white for the same price.

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List Price: $135.00
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I love this heater, in that it heats the finished section of my basement (approximately 550 square feet) very easily. Better yet, my electric bill doesn't go up much at all. I keep it on the regular setting (even without adjusting the thermostat down) and it will make my basement warm and cozy WITHOUT a big jump in cost. This is comforting to know, because I can virtually run the unit all day without cost concerns. I recommend this electric stove for those who have a medium-sized room to heat, and for those who love a nice accent (log & flames) as well.

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