Showing posts with label portable hot water heater. Show all posts
Showing posts with label portable hot water heater. Show all posts

Friday, November 21, 2014

Cuisipro Donvier Electronic Yogurt Maker Review

Cuisipro Donvier Electronic Yogurt Maker
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $58.00
Sale Price: $51.42
Today's Bonus: 11% Off
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After reading Mirielle Guiliano's memoir about food, entitled "French Women Don't Get Fat" and feeling annoyance over the loss of Total Greek Yogurt on the shelves of my local Whole Food (this is temporary), I decided to buy this yogurt maker and simply make my own.

The procedure is a simple one; heat some milk until bubbles appear on the side of the pan and steam actually rises; take off the stove and pop in the included thermometer. When the milk temperature lowers to a specific window indicated on the thermometer, add some milk to 2 tablespoons of purchased plain yogurt or yogurt starter. Mix and then add to the milk in the pan.

As the yogurt maker has slots for 8 containters with lids, simply pour an equal amount of the milk from the pan, put on the lids, cover the yogurt maker and plug the machine in.

The machine sits on a counter; I advise parking it in a place where the digital controls are not interferred with as just one little push will turn the whole thing off. I set my yogurt to "cook" for 14 hours. The result: Great consistancy and flavor that matches store bought without the preservatives and other additives.

The machine includes includes instructions on how to make flavored yogurt; it seems simple, but I have not tried it.

Bottom line: this machine does the trick with little or no fuss. I also purchased the yogurt cheese maker which will allow me to turn my homemade yogurt into a spread that I can use on bread in the AM. Doesn't get any better!

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I must admit, I was skeptical. Over the years, I've eaten so much yogurt; in the last two years, I've switched to plain yogurt as most others have so much sugar. It's hard to find plain yogurt that tastes great--both the taste and the texture have to be just so. The best-tasting option I've found is a brand sold at Whole Foods; it's expensive, and it seems that the full-fat version is the only kind with the right texture.

When I read the book "French Girls Don't Get Fat", I thought I'd give homemade yogurt a try and save a little money (sort of like buying an espresso machine, rather than buying a $3 latte at Starbucks every day!)

Yesterday I made my first batch with the Donvier Yogurt Maker. First of all, it's SO simple. Three ingredients: Milk, milk powder, and starter (I used 2T of my regular brand). Four simple steps:

1. Stir the milk powder into the milk (I used non-fat milk, and the non-fat milk powder makes the yogurt creamier)

2. Heat the milk until it almost boils

3. Cool the milk till it reaches 110--simple to gauge, using the thermometer included with the machine--then add the starter

4. Pour into the cups, and let the machine do its work!

I mixed the batch up in the morning, and by the evening I could move the cups to the fridge to chill. This morning I was treated to fresh yogurt; the creamiest, freshest tasting yogurt I've ever had, and it was non-fat with NO additives!

I highly recommend this machine. If you like yogurt, you'll love what you can make at home with the Donvier!

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I recently purchased the DONVIER after reading the French diet book. Like another reviewer...I too use whole organic milk. I do not heat the milk on the stove in a pan...too messy. What I do instead is to put all of the milk into a large Pyrex measuring cup, pop it in the microwave for 6 minutes and it is ready to go. I did not buy the starter, instead, I use a couple of teaspoons from the last jar that I am going to use, whisk it all in the Pyrex, double check the temp. and pour it into the cups.

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This yogurt maker gives poor results. I used whole milk and added milk powder, as the booklet suggests. It heated it to nearly boiling, cooled it to the suggested temp with the thermometer supplied, added in the powdered yogurt culture that came with the machine, and cooked it in the little cups for 12 hours. All very easy to do. In the end, I had four cups of decent yogurt from the middle pots, and four cups of liquid from the outer ones. It appears that the machine's main problem is too low a temperature, and even lower temps on the outer parts of the machine.

Also, the recipe calls for 1 quart of milk, and that only half fills the little cups.

I'm going to try making yogurt in my toaster oven, which has a 100F setting, and see how that works. I'm disappointed that this little machine doesn't do the one thing it's supposed to do heat the 8 cups and produce yogurt after 10 hours.

Edited August 2008: I have been successfully making yogurt in my regular oven, by mixing 1 1/2 quart milk and a 1/2 cup Activia yogurt as the original starter culture, then filling small Rubbermaid snack cups and putting on the lids. I use only the oven light and leave the cups overnight (6-8 hours). Excellent yogurt, easy to make, and without any more appliances cluttering up my kitchen. I keep my starter going by using the last cup of my homemade yogurt mixed into milk for the next batch.

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I cannot say enough good things about this item, even though I purchased it somewhat tentatively and my husband thought it would be the next big white elephant. I decided on this product as it seemed to offer a few extras for slightly more cost (thermometer, timer, etc.). I have been making yogurt every week since however and it could not be easier, fresher or better tasting. I have followed the directions included with the maker and have not had any problems (organic skim milk, organic milk powder and yogurt as starter. Heat milk in microwave 8 minutes, "cook" in maker for 10 1/2 hours). The yogurt is firm, I think comparable to American store versions. My four year old eats it on his cereal instead of milk and asks for it for snacks, eating right out of the container. I also purchased the additional set of yogurt cups so I could make a new batch while still eating the rest.

I would like to add I am not an organic go-getter. We've recently been making some changes based on a general concern for how often we are exposed to chemicals, etc. in our and our children's lives. The yogurt maker has given us one more way to feel secure in and expand our choices. Enjoy!

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Thursday, October 23, 2014

Reviews of Mr. Heater F273755 1/4" Male Pipe Thread x 1"-20 Male Throwaway

Mr. Heater F273755 1/4' Male Pipe Thread x 1'-20 Male Throwaway Cylinder Thread Fitting
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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Works like expected.no problems.just what I needed.that's all I can say about this. If you need it,buy it.this word quanta is stupid .

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this can be used for fitting your 1" type blowtorch to a hose for remote use or an appliance that has a 1" female socket, see my other review about the 1/4 bsp thread being too tapered.

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It connects to the flexable hose and to my grill but will not allow gas to flow through, so basically will not work!

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There really isn't much to say. Very good quality, and it does what I bought it for. Used two of them and a felmale to make up my own tee to use on my RV. Works great when using the griddle and the Weber on the same table.

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Nice little piece of brass. Threads were clean and free of burrs. Delivery was within a week of ordering no issues.

The unit include a small internal poppet to prevent gas flow and accourdingly required a matching femail fitting like the Mr. Heater F273754 1/4" Male Pipe Thread x 1"-20 Female Throwaway Cylinder Thread Fitting (http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-F273754-Throwaway-Cylinder/dp/B000BQM8IU/ref=pd_sim_hg_1). I used the fitting to connect an old coleman propace camp stove to a homebrew gas manifold setup.

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Monday, October 20, 2014

Bon Home DDR100WH Heat & Dry Dish Rack Review

Bon Home DDR100WH Heat & Dry Dish Rack
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
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I love this Heat and Dish Dry Rack. I thought I would take it out and put it away but I leave it up all the time. I do not have a dishwasher or room for one so I thought I would try this. It's wonderful! I wash my dishes and put them into the rack and when it is full I push the button and keep on washing. In ten minutes the dishes are dry and I put them away. Then I load up the rest (if I have more). Or while I am waiting for the dishes to dry I have time to wash up the kitchen counters and put this and that away and then I turn around and put the dry dishes away. Done. All done. You do have to learn how to put the dishes in so they have access to the heated air coming up. But honestly that has not been a problem as I am motivated to make it work. All my plastic containers are dry in 10 minutes and I can just put them away. The lids may have a hidden drop of water on them here and there but that is no problem. There is a very small drip tray that slides under the rack and I slide it out when I remember and pour the excess water into the sink. But it is very small and only about a 1/2 inch tall. You can move around the metal racks that come with it. So if you don't need any of them you can just remove them and use them later when needed. My son said he hates drying the dishes they don't put into the dishwasher as he feels he never gets done with all of it. So I am getting one for him and my daughter in law. It is perfect for drying all the bottles and cups and plates she uses with the kids as well as her plastic containers.

Update June 4, 2011: Last week the light started to blink on and off and the motor would come on and then stop over and over. Last night it was doing that while we were not home. And today it won't work at all. It's dead.

I am so disappointed! This was my favorite thing in the kitchen. And we have only used it for the months of Feb, March, Apr, and May. I sent an email to the company and am waiting to see what the warranty is and if there is anything I can do about this. But $100 for 4 months is not very good. I will update if I hear back from the company.

Update June 9, 2011: They are great! I have a new one sitting in my living room right now. It was just delivered and I only sent the broken one back yesterday. They were so quick to reply to my emails and so helpful and honest. I got personal attention and a new dish rack!

Update December 4, 2011: THE SECOND ONE IS BROKEN. IT LASTED 6 MONTHS. We were not even using it. Same as before. We came home and the light was blinking on and off and I unplugged it and then plugged it in and now it is dead. I don't understand it. I make sure there is plenty of room around it for air flow. I use it about 5-6 times a week. I do not overload it. So I will send the company another email and see what they can do. I will update when I know more.

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After months of use my wife started telling me that this rack was not working correctly, exactly as described in other reviews submitted on Amazon. Then one day it would no longer start at all. What I found is that the small momentary switch that starts the drying cycle sticks in after a few months of usage. The design is so that the switch itself is used as the return spring of the plastic ON/OFF button in the front and after time has passed either the switch spring loses its spring tension or the sliding actuator gets material under it which hinders its ability to slide forward then back, therefore not allowing the switch to pop open again when pushed. (This is the reason for the delayed starting customers have been experiencing. That happens when the switch finally pops back out.) For ours I replaced the old switch with one I purchased, but if I had to do over again I'd simply do the following first and save myself the soldering hassle:

(1) Unplug the power cord. (2) Remove the top snap-in dish rack drain plate. (3) Remove the four small screws over the front switch compartment and take the cover off. (3) Pull the small switch printed circuit board up by removing the one clamp screw on the power wire going into this small compartment. (4) Push in and pull out the front plastic button that actuates the switch. (4) Put a small amount of grease or WD40 on the two small slides at the bottom of this actuator. (5) Reverse the process and reinstall everything. The whole job should take about 30 minutes.

Since I've replaced the switch instead of oiling the slides I don't have any idea how long this lubing "fix" will work, but if you do it once it won't take long to do again and again and keep on air drying for a long time. Good luck. Bon Home DDR100WH Heat & Dry Dish Rack

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It was my husband's job to dry the dishes so he is extremely pleased with this great invention! I love it because our new high-efficiency dishwasher does not dry plastic. This drying rack is perfect for doing that job. I also use it for drying my fine china and glasses.

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What's wrong with this dish drainer? Let me list the ways:

1. Blower failure after 2 1/2 to 3 weeks of use the blower would suddenly, on its own, start up and fail to stop. Or it wouldn't start when the button was pushed. Totally erratic. At times, completely unresponsive.

2. Blower failure aside, even if that worked perfectly, there are other issues with the design. Due to having to direct the air up through the dishes, the bottom area is a closed "box" with a small, shallow drawer that the water from the wet dishes drains into. The capacity of this drawer is about 2 teaspoons. When that is exceeded, you will have a drainer that "piddles" all over your counter top. Expect to empty this drawer numerous times throughout the course of a meal's worth of dishes. Apparently designing something that would actually DRAIN the water into the sink was too much of a challenge for Bon Home's design team.

3. The warm air works beautifully to dry the dishes when the blower is actually working; it also works beautifully to heat up the kitchen...which could be an advantage if it's in the single digits outside and supplements to heat are appreciated. Not so much in South Texas, where the more likely scenario is triple digits outside, and an air conditioner running darn near full time to combat the heat. This unit will be a major set-back to utility bills in warmer climes. If it had been designed with some sort of cover/closure method to contain both heat and dishes, it might be a viable design. One review mentioned both heated and non-heated air...there was no such control on my drainer, nor any mention of such in the owner's manual.

4. Customer service: this is the big question mark...I've called Bon Home and a young man took my name and number, telling me someone would get back to me. I've asked for the unit to be replaced and for them to send me a shipping label for the defective unit...I've yet to get a commitment for that from Bon Home.

So there you have it...too much money for a shoddy product. Buyer beware.

1-4-2012 update:

Bon Home customer service stinks. They finally got back to me, told me they have discontinued the item and turfed me back to woot.com since that was where I purchased the item. Told me I would have to get credit for THEIR defective product from woot. Great business model...make crappy products, then refuse to stand behind them when they fail. That attitude would make me wary of purchasing ANY product by Bon Home. Once again, let me say it: Buyer beware.

2-22-12 update:

Woot.com did replace the unit in January, 2012 without hassle. Kudos to woot's customer service. However, desperate for a drainer while all this went on, I broke down and ordered a Simple Human bamboo drainer (works very well, by the way), so when the replacement Bon Home arrived, it stayed in the box, as I scratched my head wondering whether I trusted a second unit enough to try it (having recently read a Consumer Reports article on fires started by malfunctioning household electrical appliances, I was understandably dubious about any appliance with a propensity to start up spontaneously). On 2/17/2012, Bon Home followed up on my original customer service contact (December, 2011); they are now offering to refund my money. I replied this morning and will take them up on their offer.

Additional comment 6-18-12:

In response to one of the comments, below, no, the refund was not in addition to receiving a replacement unit the unit that Woot sent was returned to Bon Home, after receipt of which, Bon Home mailed a refund.

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I got this heat and dry dish rack and completely fell in love with it! It's very convenient and it dries the dishes that I can't put in the dishwasher very quickly. I also liked the fact that I didn't have to assemble it once I received it. The drier is quiet and overall very easy to use. I would definitely recommend this product to my friends and family!

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Monday, September 29, 2014

Ambia Ach-220 Portable Two Zone Ceramic Tower Heater Reviews

Ambia Ach-220 Portable Two Zone Ceramic Tower Heater
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $69.99
Today's Bonus: 13% Off
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I am not a huge fan of electric heaters, but my wife cannot live without them. Problem with them typically is that it is very very warm near the heater, and not so warm away from the heater. Uneven heat distribution actually makes the room less comfortable.

This heater does a better job by allowing you to split the heater into two halves. And yes, that does provide better heat distribution.

But so would having two small heaters spread out across a room. The only thing you save is the outlet.

I am not too keen on the point of it all. Perhaps it is easier to carry than two independent units for some?

It is a good heater though. Both parts are effective heaters in and of themselves.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I unpacked my new heater with much anticipation. The two heaters stacked look more like a speaker and take up less room than the Ambia side-by-side dual heaters that sits on a base. One control on the top heater determines if the top, bottom or both will be running. There is also a thermostat setting which is supposed to allow you to set both the top and bottom independently of each other, especially useful when using them up to 9' apart. This flexibility is perfect for our cold office.

When plugging the heater in you immediately get a thermostat display, which after selecting the auto mode, can be raised or lowered. The display on the thermostat said 77. After selecting auto mode I lowered the thermostat to 70 for each heater. For some reason the display jumps back up to a higher setting apparently what it believes is the current room temperature. The thermostat appears to be off by a number of degrees. The heater seems to work just fine in manual mode, but that means the heater is constantly running.

The book doesn't help with this issue other than to say if it's not coming on, you've already reached that temperature. I can guarantee it's not even close to 77 in here and wouldn't want it to.

I did raise the temperature setting on the thermostat to 75 and both heaters came on for a time. The thermostat display now says 82 and the heater hasn't come back on over a half hour later and it's been rather chilly in here for awhile. I've since raised the thermostat a few degrees and it's still not coming back on.

I'd give the product 5 stars for looks and the ability to use it up to 9' apart if it worked, but with the malfunctioning thermostat this is practically useless for what we need, hence the rating it received.

Amended 10/26. Was able to get a hold of customer service using the phone number on the instructions booklet. The number is listed a number of times throughout the booklet including calling regarding the 3-year warranty. I was told that this is the wrong number to call for the Ambia product line and the guy apologized but said he had no idea what number I should be calling.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This heater stinks. Literally. I guess there's a burn-in period with heaters in plastic housings, because I've returned other heaters for the same reason. It's a bit disconcerting. The fan is also pretty noisy when it's on high, but the offset for that is that this heater brings the room temperature up to comfort level very quickly.

The heater is easy to use, both as a tower and as a "stereo" heat source. It is true that the tower formation does not hold together super securely, but it works for me to be able to separate the heaters without having to give one of them a bear hug. This is a ceramic heater that will never reach the temperature necessary to combust paper, but it is still not safe to leave it on unattended, including overnight (I'm pretty sure that's the same for all space heaters the same warnings came with my oil-filled radiator and my infrared quartz heater).

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This just arrived, and it didn't take me long to realize it is superior to our other space heaters.

First of all, it's easy to set up right out of the box. Even if you haven't read the instructions although you really should. :)

It's lightweight and easy to carry around. Also, it works fast. I felt heat the SECOND I turned it on.

It has a programmable thermostat. It tells you the current temp. of the room. You select the temp you would LIKE, and it automatically warms the room to that temperature, and then stops running. That feature is going to save us some money on our electric bill. Our other space heaters just run and run until we shut them off.

It's nice that you can separate the two halves of the unit. You can have one unit at your feet and the other near your upper body. Or you can share the heat with another person. The halves fit together easily and neatly.

If I had to pick a negative, I would say that there are a LOT of cords lying around. It sometimes looks messy to see all the wires. But that's a little nit-picky. This is a great space heater with lots of nice features.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The top heating unit does not lock into the base heating unit. When moving the heater from room to room, the top heater tumbled off and cracked against my right hand in an awkward way, giving my fingers a "stubbed" feeling for a little while. This was annoying when it was cool, but I can't imagine this thing falling off if the unit was hot. You'd need a pot holder to put it back into place.

Also, the one I received also seems to have a thermostat glitch. I turned in on in our bedroom last night where it was probably around 67 degrees. Our bedroom has a very high ceiling and is always chilly. The heater was set to 71 and would not kick in. I turned it up and nothing. I'll continue to investigate this issue and update if anything changes.

We have several tower space heaters in our home and this is by far the least useful. If I was purchasing another heater I would get an oscillating fan that has quieter controls. I found the control beeps on this heater to be loud, especially if you're using it at night when kids are asleep nearby.

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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Best Frigidaire FRA08PZU1 8,000 BTU Cool/3,500 BTU Heat Compact Window Deals

Frigidaire FRA08PZU1 8,000 BTU Cool/3,500 BTU Heat Compact Window Air Conditioner with Heat
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $449.99
Sale Price: $334.00
Today's Bonus: 26% Off
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I purchased this unit in May 2012. I used it to cool my apartment for almost four months. I started using the unit's supplemental heating feature in September 2012. At that time, I noticed that whenever the temperatures outside plunged BELOW 45 degrees Fahrenheit, a BURNING SMELL would come from the unit while operating in the supplemental heat mode... and when that happens, the unit provides little to no heat whatsoever! The unit indicates that its supplemental heating feature provides you with an additional heat source "when needed." But what it SHOULD indicate is that its supplemental heating feature provides you with an additional heat source "only when the outside temperatures are 45 degrees Fahrenheit or HIGHER." When I brought this issue to the attention of the manufacturer of this unit (Electrolux Major Appliances), the manufacturer completely disregarded the issue! I had to contact a DIFFERENT air conditioner manufacturer (Friedrich Air Conditioning Co., Ltd.) in order to find out the TRUTH about this unit! This unit is a HEAT PUMP heating unit, rather than a STRAIGHT ELECTRIC heating unit. STRAIGHT ELECTRIC heating units can operate efficiently EVEN WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW 45 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. This unit is NOT a STRAIGHT ELECTRIC heating unit, but is instead a HEAT PUMP heating unit, which means that the outside temperatures must be 45 degrees Fahrenheit OR HIGHER in order for this unit's heating feature to operate. According to Friedrich Air Conditioning Co., Ltd., attempting to use HEAT PUMP heating units when outside temperatures are below 45 degrees Fahrenheit will OVERWORK THE COMPRESSOR and can cause a BURNING SMELL to come from the unit while operating... essentially shortening the lifespan of the unit. So if you are looking for a unit that can provide supplemental heating IN MORE EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES, then this is NOT the appropriate unit for you!

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Love this unit, should not be used for only heating source as in the dead of winter it will not warm. we have 8 of these in a small seasonal motel and have had zero issue with them and the operating ambient temp of 40 degrees and it keep the rooms warm enough. I dont beleive it would work well anything below that tempurature.

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BACKGROUND

Traditional heat/cool ACs are specialty appliances, like window ACs that are short or narrow. They're installed where a single appliance does both summer and winter duty (think motel). Usually 220v, they produce ample heat and have ample power bills to go with them. This is because they operate like giant space heaters with resistance coils. But in a world of ever increasing energy costs, there's a better way. Its called a heat pump. Window heat pumps are rare and 120v heat pumps even more so. This is the only one made by Frigidaire and only one other company also makes only one.

THEORY

Normally the purview of expensive mini split systems, heat pumps make heat out of thin air, using much less energy than other methods of electric heat. Most window ACs on the market only make cold. This takes heat on the inside and moves it outside. Heat pumps have the ability to run in reverse. They capture heat on the outside and move it inside. Why is this useful? Because moving heat is way more efficient than making heat. This window unit can generate 3 times more BTU per watt than a space heater. Simply put, if half your winter power bill is currently making heat with space and baseboard heaters, this will cut your power bill by more than one quarter.

LOCATION

But, as other reviews indicate, this process is only effective when the outside temperature is above freezing. This model works great in the southeast, south, southwest, and northwest, where winter temperatures rarely go below 40. This model is a poor choice for the northeast and other climates with regular snow fall.

INSTALLATION

The only issue I have with this model is its size. Its 85lbs and closer in size to 12-18k (medium) window units. This reduces vibration and makes it quieter but also limits the number of places it can be installed. The smallest size you should consider is 23 inches across and that requires not using the side skirts (just get extra foam strips). Fortunately, the sleeve system reduces installation difficulty (not having to hold it while getting the bits in place) and allows for both window and through-the-wall installation. Just make sure to wear gloves when moving the inner sled.

USE

Its a little counterintuitive, how a machine with big moving parts can use less energy than a tiny little heater. But thats how much power a glowing red coil uses. This unit really does take less power than a hair dryer. It also solves that annoying burn smell so common with electric heating. It also solved my moisture problems, eliminating the need for the space/cost/power of a separate dehumidifier. Just plan for condensate: winter heating in the humid PNW, it drips more than an AC in the summer. And of course, when summer hits, no second appliance needed just change modes!

I bought one for the office and liked it so much I bought a second for the house. With enough insulation in your windows/walls and combined with an air circulator (fan or air cleaner), it can handle multiple rooms. Heating my small kitchen, living, dining, hall, and two bedrooms with a single unit, it does need an hour or two head start in the morning, but thats what the timer is for.

POWER

This 120v model can easily operate on an empty circuit. It should not be on the same circuit as other heavy appliances. This model actually has 3 systems/modes, with 3 BTU ratings and 3 wattage levels:

Cool: 8000 BTU @ 815 watts

Heat Pump: 7000 BTU @ 780 watts

Heat Strip: 3500 BTU @ 1290 watts

The middle one is the point of this appliance. The heat strip is a kind of insurance, coming on automatically when the heat pump cannot (but using more power while giving you less heat). Such as when its to cold outside or the compressor was recently cycled. Like old fashioned resistance heaters, if the heat strip hasn't been operated in a while, it will make a burning smell. This is normal and should 'burn off'.

NOTES

Window ACs only have one power level, the BTU rating of the compressor. The compressor runs at a constant rate until a target temp is reached and then cycles off. Low/medium/high only effects the fan speed. The higher the fan speed, the more diffused the total cool/heat output will be and the less cool/hot the air coming out will feel. Higher fan speeds cool/heat better when the extra air flow better distributes the cool/heat generated by the compressor. If you need more cold/heat than medium provides, you need more BTU (a bigger unit), an air circulator, or both.

Air circulators (like the Air King 9214) are handy window AC companions. Placed nearby, they dramatically increase the reach of wall/window units and with AC and fan on low, are also quieter. Cold gets removed from the area near the AC, allowing it to run longer and cool more. Meanwhile, areas further away get colder sooner and stay cooler longer (replace cooler with warmer for winter operation).

Sleep mode does the opposite of the set mode, cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer. If you prefer sleeping cooler both seasons, just press sleep in morning when using cool mode.

Heat mode operates like cool mode when energy saver is on. Cycling off/on to check the room's temp.

This model does not have the loud beep found on other late model Frigidaires.

Most negative window AC reviews are because of shipping problems. Consider ordering "shipped to store", so you can inspect the box before accepting it and won't have to handle the return if there's an issue.

PDFS

Full specs: http://manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/Edison/FRA08PZU1_0213_EN.pdf

...installation guide: http://manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/Edison/2020217a2196.pdf

...and user manual: http://manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/Edison/2020218a1104en.pdf

Honest reviews on Frigidaire FRA08PZU1 8,000 BTU Cool/3,500 BTU Heat Compact Window

Ordered when my repair guy was having trouble finding an AC/Heat unit to replace in conference room. Uses regular electrical outlet. Not only works great, but the heater also turns off and on to keep temp even. A energy saver on AC. Arrived promptly (used prime) and in good condition. Fit perfectly, easy install.

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Works great. Multiple speeds and ankles. Easy to use remote. I would buy it again. Haven't had a chance to use the heater functions.

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Monday, June 2, 2014

Review of Sunbeam SLP3310-UM Low-Profile 1000/1500-Watt Convection Heater

Sunbeam SLP3310-UM Low-Profile 1000/1500-Watt Convection Heater
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
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I purchased two of these units both failed after a few weeks. Problem was identical the units would work fine, but when shut off, would not power on again. The indicator light might blink, but then nothing.

I have found the problem is the cheap, polished 2 prong power plugs on these heaters. After a few uses they do not conduct enough current for the electronic control to be able to apply full power to the element.

The fix? Simple. Use an emory board to "roughen up" the plug power prongs so that a decent contact is made when the plug is inserted in the outlet. Then, buy a decent three conductor, grounded power cord and replace the AC cord entirely. At least, cut off the cheap power plug and replace it with a good plug with conductors that can carry the current needed.

If you can't do this competently, take the units to someone qualified to perform the repairs. Obviously, poor electrical connections can cause fires and would, if these units didn't have the "smarts" to see the faulty power and shut off the unit entirely.

Sunbeam Low profile heater digital

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We bought this heater for our living room to try to avoid using our central gas heating very much this winter. Our living room is fairly large, and this heater is doing a pretty good job so far. We closed doors so that it's heating just our living room and kitchen, and it has stayed very comfortable for the most part. There have been a few nights though where it was a little colder (in the 20s and 30s we live in Georgia!) and it did seem a little chilly in the room, but not COLD. We haven't noticed any significant change in our electric bill either, and we run this heater almost 24/7. Overall, it's a decent heater for keeping our living area comfortable, but if you live in an area that gets very cold, this may or may not work well for you (depending on the area you want to heat and the insulation of your home).

***UPDATED*** 12/15/09

It was nice while it lasted. We woke up this morning and the heater was off. We tried everything, and nothing would get it to turn back on no buttons worked, unplugging it and then plugging it back in didn't work, nothing. It worked well for the month that we had it, and now it just suddenly died.

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I purchased two of these last year ('08). I had to take one back to the store because it failed, but the replacement worked perfectly. I click the auto temp to 65 degrees and my rooms are warm (I also have 12' ceilings). I used these in place of the baseboard oil heat (when oil was $4 a gallon) and my heating bill was about $350 a month through the cold northeast Pa. winter. Oil would've been about $1000 a month.

I am buying 2 more to replace other models I tried that just don't work as well as these.

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This unit has changed the way I heat my home in the winter.

I live in Minnesota in a commercial loft with 12' ceilings, 10' windows and hardwood floors. Heating this place evenly can be a challenge! However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that a few of these heaters were up to the task; they've made all the difference for me. I had been relying on my natural gas forced-air furnace, but the ceiling registers were too high in the air to heat the place evenly. Placing a few of these along the walls areas gave me nice, even heat throughout the apartment and sharply reduced my furnace's workload.

Even with all the cubic space created by 12' ceilings, a single heater can handle an impressively large area: each unit heats about 250-350 sq ft in my home and it doesn't seem to have a hard time keeping up. The programmable thermostat allows you to toggle-select temperatures from 65-85 (in 5-degree steps), the automatic shut-off timer has settings for 4, 8 and 12 hours. The energy saving feature cycles the wattage to save electricity consumption over a long period of time. This does reduce the heat produced (despite the claim that there is no noticeable difference) but the reduction is slight enough that I consider it a pretty good trade-off.

Outside it's variable "energy saving" mode, the unit uses a continuous 1500 watts and about 12 amps. The unit doesn't seem to be fragile and looks/feels well made. Dependability hasn't been an issue for me at all, and I now have three of these that I've pretty much been running continuously. These units are also pretty light and easy to move: there's even a small hand grip on each end to make it easy to grab. The claim that this is a silent heater is absolutely true you won't hear it at all except for some soft metallic expansion "pops" from the metal grate as it initially heats up. The size is pretty manageable also. It's about as wide and tall as the boiler drawer beneath a standard oven and is about as thick as a box of Kleenex.

All in all, I've been really pleased with these heaters. For a pretty small investment, they've made my home much more comfortable this winter and haven't been intrusive while doing so.

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I bought this item from another vendor in person and paid a little less than Amazon's list price. So far so good though with this heater. It was easy to get startedjust remove the packaging materials and plug it in. At first, like your furnaces, the unit smells as it heats up. It puts out a fair amount of heat too. I am using mine in combination with a second space heater to avoid turning on the gas furnace as long as possible. I have a small home so it's nice and warm. I would recommend this to people who have a small space to heat. I'll be testing it in the basement soon. That is also the reason for only 4 stars. I really haven't had it long enough to put it through all of it paces yet. Once I do, and I expect it to pass with flying colors, I see myself getting one more possibly.

If anything changes I will post an update.

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Monday, May 26, 2014

Holmes HFH5505 1-Touch Oscillating Power Heater Review

Holmes HFH5505 1-Touch Oscillating Power Heater
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
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I got this one for free when a friend moved out of town. It has been with me for over a year. I have used it on a daily basis, for a prolonged period, and I havent had any problems yet. I was looking for a second space heater for work, and after reviewing other products, I decided to go with this one, because its simple, I have already seen it and I know how it works.

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I owned this heater for a year and used it regularly. It worked very well until recently. Maybe that's its normal lifespan, but I'm not a fan of planned obsolescence. Now it just blows lukewarm.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Review of 21st Century Style A P10A Kerosene Heater Ignitor

21st Century Style A P10A Kerosene Heater Ignitor
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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Living in California, where kerosene heaters are now banned from new sales, owning one left me high and dry when it

came to finding replacement parts. I found the ignitor that was broken doing a google search and now have a fully functional heater!

This was my first Amazon ordering experience and it went so well I've made this sight my first point of research!

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Friday, May 2, 2014

Shabu Shabu Hot Pot, Electric Mongolian Hot Pot W/DIVIDER Reviews

Shabu Shabu Hot Pot, Electric Mongolian Hot Pot W/DIVIDER
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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The hot pot was listed under a name of "Maruki" in January when I ordered it. I thought it was a different product from what I saw in some super markets. So I placed an order. It's was a big surprise to me when I received the item that has a brand name of "Ikeda". I called the seller and they said that they did not have time to edit the description. If I had known this is an Ideda product I would have bought it from 99 Ranch Market. They are now on sale for $34.99 (the original price was $39.99). However, the hot pot is excellent and the shipping was fast.

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This Shabu Shabu Hot Pot makes for great family dinners and conversations with friends. Everyone loves sharing the hot pot, discovering floating delicacies. The only thing I regret with the purchase is not to have invested in the 2 compartment for the broth. With a single compartment we can only have one broth rather than the two we usually get at our local Asian restaurant. The two compartment version allow for a mild and a spicy broth instead of the average dull mix.

Once the food is prepared, there isn't much to do with the hot pot. Just plug it in, adjust the thermostat and wait a few minutes. Usually we set it up on high until it boils, then reduce quite a bit just to keep it warm. With a full load of broth, it takes about 12 minutes to boil before you can start enjoying your delicious meal. Cleaning is very easy as the top comes off.

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We do hotpot quite regularly, at least once a month. This is a very good pot for hotpot. Easy to setup, easy to clean. Definitely recommend it.

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My husband and I added this to our Amazon registry and were thrilled to receive it for our wedding! We had fond memories of several dates out for shabu shabu at Japanese restaurants in Boston and even at home in Minneapolis. We had to throw a dinner party the weekend after it came in the mail to give it a whirl, and it was a big hit as expected! We loaded up on produce and raw meats from the Asian grocery, added broth to the water, and it was boiling within minutes. We had this whole thing set up on our outdoor table on a beautiful autumn night and we laughed, drank sake and cooked our soups long into the night. What a treat to be able to make this now at home and continue making memories with dear friends!

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Some new restaurant opened up near where we live and we made the "mistake" of taking our two little kids to eat there one day. The whole self-serve of plates of food to put into the pot made them go nuts and we ended up spending over 60 bucks to eat there. And then we went back again because it tasted so good. And then we had to take the inlaws and that made it even more expensive. In the end, it felt like we were going broke, but it was still such a yummy experience!

I began looking for a hot pot with a divider just like the one they used at the restaurant, which is ideal because then my husband and I could have our own broth on one side and the kids could have their miso soup broth on the other side. I couldn't find one that was just a pot because I was going to buy it with a tabletop induction burner, but I ended up going with this one since it came with a heating element and pot all in one.

The first time we used it I simply used miso soup and chicken broth like someone else in another review posted. It was so simple and delicious and just as good as the restaurant! I ended up spending 40 bucks on the food because I had no real idea of how much I should buy. This ended up being way too much and I've since then learned precisely how much food I need to buy to serve the four of us and now have it down to about 20 bucks per dinner, which is only slightly higher than a typical dinner anyway. Plus, I always have a delicious leftover soup to eat the next day, which saves me the cost of an $8 lunch.

We use a variety of dipping sauces including somen salad dressing, ponzu sauce, a pineapple chili sauce, and soy sauce. I'm sure there are lots of other options you can make at home as well.

The biggest downside by far is the short cord. Unless you have a table next to a wall outlet, you'll find it hard to plug in on a traditional dining table. It's long enough to keep it at the edge of our dining table, but it's still dangerous and I have to make sure everyone stays away from it so they don't trip on it and spill everything.

Still, the cord isn't enough for me to take off a full star. I still love this thing and have used it four times so far, with the kids loving it just as much as the restaurant's food. And who can complain about saving 50% on a meal when you cook it yourself at the restaurant anyway!

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Thursday, March 27, 2014

Buy Duraflame Spencer 20" 1000 Sq Ft Oak Portable Fireplace Infrared

Duraflame Spencer 20' 1000 Sq Ft Oak Portable Fireplace Infrared Heater - 20IF100GRA-O107
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $399.99
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Today's Bonus: 38% Off
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I looked at every fake fireplace and settled on this one because of the size and the weight. We wheel it from the bedroom in the morning to the living room and back into the bedroom at night. We don't use the baseboard heaters at all anymore. It is easy to move around and heats up the room really quickly. The fire effect without the heat is really nice once the room is warm you can still enjoy the fire. I LOVE IT!

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We have a double wide in central Flordia and use our heater to bring our living room up from 68 to 72 this unit does a great job for us

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Works great and is very quiet. Does the job on those cooler days and nights when you just want to keep the chill out.

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Saturday, November 9, 2013

Buy Vornado TVH600 Whole Room Vortex Heater, Automatic Climate Control

Vornado TVH600 Whole Room Vortex Heater, Automatic Climate Control
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
List Price: $249.99
Sale Price: $153.18
Today's Bonus: 39% Off
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Purchased January 5th, died January 28th. The touch panel illuminates and shows the correct temps, but neither the heat nor the fan turns on. No funny burning smell either. We use it in our 2 yr old's bedroom at night, so about 12 hrs each night for 3 weeks to keep the temp at 73. It hasn't been very cold here, around 60-65 in his small 9'x9' room without the heat on at night. Also, the unit is made in China.

I called Vornado and they're doing the repair for free, shipping included. Hopefully the repaired or replacement heater will be more reliable.

update: After 2 months or so of using the replacement unit, everything is working properly. I would rate customer service 5 stars since they are very friendly, helpful, and in the US.

update 2: the replacement one is broken now less than 1 year later. Heat fires up fine, but no fan. Off to get another replacement from Vornado. Again, customer service is VERY GOOD, 5 stars again. If only their flagship heater could last more than one "winter" here in California, which isn't that cold at all.

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This heater is extremely accurate in maintaing the set temp. I have tested it several times against a digital thermometer with memory. With each test, the heater has maintained the set temp. to within .5 degrees, plus or minus of the set temp. These tests have been conducted on 8 hr. time frames.

The remote is very easy to use & is an impt. upgrade, because it allows you to place the sensing device @ any location in the room away from the heater. This gives a much more accurate temp. throughout the room.

The air circulation ability of the vornado heaters is pretty amazing. it really circulates the air throughout the room as advertised. It works slow but effectively.

The heater has been used for probably 48 hrs. of run time. Hopefully, it is durable enough to maintain its current performance over many yrs.

I have two of the vornado VH2 heaters which both failed during the 1st winter of moderate use. I purchased the EH1 heater only after learning that Vornado will pay shipping to return the two VH2 heaters to the factory for free warranty repair & will ship back to me @ no cost. The EH1 also has the free return policy but has a 2 yr. instead of the 1 yr. warranty found on the VH2. Warranty info. that came with the VH2 & EH1 all state that the customer has to pay to ship the product back to the factory and then include $20 for them to ship it back to you. this is basically a worthless warranty and in my call to Vornado, they said that they now pay shipping both ways on all of their heaters.

Best Deals on Vornado TVH600 Whole Room Vortex Heater, Automatic Climate Control

This heater promises a lot, and is certainly on the pricey side for an electric heater. The remote is non-intuitive, and seems to require several button presses to get the heater to respond. The remote's display shows you the current temperature, but not the temperature that you've set the thermostat to -you have to look on the heater itself to see that. It's also easy to change the heat setting (low, high, fan-only) without realizing it, unless you're looking at the heater's display while you're using the remote. All that said, the heater is quiet, and does a good job of heating the room. The auto-off after a set number of hours is a nice feature.

But here was the real problem for me -the heater failed after one week of use. We stepped out of the room for a few minutes, at a time when the heater was not heating, but was still turned on, and came back to a slight electrical odor in the air. The heater was now off, and pressing the "on" button did nothing. I verified that it was the unit and not a circuit breaker in my house. Fortunately, I can return this item to where I bought it within 30 days for any reason. While I have the option of getting a replacement, I don't think it's worth the risk. The manufacturer has a 2-year warranty, but warranty service requires mailing the unit cross-country at my expense, PLUS a $20 shipping and handling fee to get the unit returned to me. I don't want to get another and have it fail 31 days after I get it, so this one is going back. Too bad, because I really like the concept! But poor implementation and apparently poor reliability (sample of one) kills it for me. Not recommended.

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Received my order and plugged it in and it heated the room I had it in within a couple minutes. Works as good as advertised if not better with even heat distribution. Now use it to heat our entire downstairs (living room, kitchen, and dining room) during the day, and the furnace very rarely kicks on. When it does it's for less than half the time it would without the Vornado. The real test will be when we receive our first electric bill with this little powerhouse.

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We have had our TVH600 replaced 3 times. The first one lasted about 10 months before the automatic turn-off began to just shut the unit off all the time and eventually it stopped working all together. The second unit, we had for about a week and never worked properly! It tripped off constantly and smelled like it was burning, plus the cord would get really really HOT. The third unit worked for 1 day before the thermostat was reading 68 degrees and it was set to 72 degrees and blowing cold air. The company has been absolutely wonderful about replacing the units, but this particular model is garbage, plain and simple. Vornado is going to send me another model, this time, so hopefully this one works.

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