Review of Dimplex DFI2309 Electric Fireplace Insert

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $219.00
Sale Price: $170.45
Today's Bonus: 22% Off

The following is the manufacturers instruction manual in .pdf format.I did a little research on the Dimplex DFI2309 Electric Fireplace Insert and here's what I came up with: The manufacturer is Dimplex North America Limited a world leader in electric heating. The company has invested heavily in product R & D and has come up with some pretty innovative and interesting products. Dimplex North America Limited is a member of the Glen Dimplex Group of companies of Dublin, Ireland and employs over 8,500 people worldwide with sales in excess of $3.0 billion.

The fireplace insert distributes an even heat over a wide area by means of a silent fan-forced heater. It will produce approx 4692 BTU's of heat. The flames and heater operate independently of each other so you can have just flames or flames and heat. The fireplace is 100% efficient (like any electric heater). All of the energy supplied to the unit is converted into heat, which stays in the room to keep you warm. Many gas fireplaces advertise 70-80% efficiency. This means that 20-30% of the energy supplied to the unit is vented outside. The fireplace insert operates for pennies a day. The flames use slightly under 120 Watts of power with flames only. With an average electricity rate, the unit operates for a remarkable 2¢/hr. When you choose to activate the heat feature along with the flame, the unit uses approximately 1500 Watts. The total cost to operate the flame and heater is approximately 8¢/hr* (gas fireplace manufacturers regularly advertise running costs of 17¢/hr or more)! *Electricity rates vary. 8¢/hr based on the heater cycling at 50%. Unlike gas fireplaces, which require venting, fuel pipelines, the Dimplex fireplace just needs to be plugged in. When you need a change, you can move it to a different room and when you move to a new home you can take your investment with you.

The fireplace insert distributes a warm, gentle, even heat over a wide area by means of a silent fan-forced heater. Since it will produce about 4692 BTU's of total heat, when working in conjunction with the home's primary heating system, the fireplace is capable of taking the chill off just about any size room, when required. Most gas fireplaces produce over 20,000 BTU's of heat in a single room while the average size home requires only 90,000 BTU to heat the entire house. So there's a good chance you will be heated right out of the room your in with a new gas unit even when it's set to low heat. And what about conventional wood-burning fireplaces? As most of us already know, most wood fireplaces are difficult to start, smoke, create unpleasant cold drafts, and cause a number of other unseen problems. In most homes, they are between -10% and +10% efficient. They supply little if any heat to the house, particularly with cold outside temperatures. Bottom line: Conventional wood-burning fireplaces are extremely inefficient. They can lead to indoor air quality problems, and can result in life-threatening situations. Hence they are incompatible with modern housing, or with housing which has undergone energy retrofit/renovation

The fireplace insert plugs into any standard 120-volt outlet and does not require a dedicated circuit. It is as easy to install as plugging in a lamp! In addition, the fireplace does not require any venting pipelines for fuel or expensive professional reconstruction to your home. The fireplace has full electrical certification throughout North America and no combustible energy sources are used to produce the flame. This means that you never need to worry about oxygen depletion or carbon monoxide poisoning in your home and the unit employs an over-heat safety cut out with reset control as a back up safety feature. The only maintenance involved is done every 2 to 3 years by changing a couple of light bulbs, readily available at any hardware store and you can do this easily yourself. Most gas fireplaces require ongoing, costly maintenance, which must be performed by a qualified service technician on an annual basis. Figure on paying up to $300. dollars a year for this required service.

My personal experience with the Dimplex DFI2309 Electric Fireplace Insert came about some time after my wife and I moved to our new house. Soon after, she decided she had to have a gas fire log like we had in the old house. So, in order to keep the boss happy, I decided to go all out and buy one of the new efficient models that not only looked great, but also give off tons of heat, the only problem, the price. They wanted more than $6,000. for the log set including instillation. Ouch! I then stumbled on to the Dimplex DFI2309 Electric Fireplace Insert. For a price of under $200., I was a little skeptical that this thing could even come close to the expensive gas one, but after reading so many rave reviews on Amazon, I decided to go for it. I figured if it ever turned out to be a mistake, I could always return it anyways. Since I was saving a ton of money, I also splurged on the optional trim kit (Dimplex DFI23TRIMX Expandable Trim Kit for Electric Fireplace Insert) for an additional $160. bucks.

My next job was getting the existing fireplace cleaned out and prepared. I stuffed fiberglass insulation up against the flue door and cut a piece of Styrofoam board to fit the damper opening slanting to the rear of the firebox underneath the insulation so any possible water entering down the chimney would flow away from the unit. At the time, I was surprised at how poorly the damper closed and actually had been designed with a few open holes in it. I had to be losing all kinds of heat right up the flue before the fix. In less then a couple of days the unit arrived and within minutes I had it out of the box and set up in the center of the fireplace. I measure the cord of the unit to be almost seven feet and just made it to my electrical outlet, but a little elevated off the floor, so I purchased a heavy duty six foot 14 gauge extension cord to give it a little more length. The directions only call for a 16 gauge cord, so I'm way ahead of the game. Be advised, the cord runs from the right side of the unit (as you face it). Now the trim package is a little different story and took a little more than a few minutes to put together. It's kind of a one size fits all type thing. There are 15 pieces and a whole bunch of screws involved, but the finished product was very much worth it, for me. It frames off the insert and I think makes it look more realistic and complete. My fireplace opening is surrounded by a one of a kind type tile and I did not care to cover it, but the trim unit framed it exactly without any blockage. My only gripe, the screen is not designed to completely close and leaves a 3 inch gap or so in the middle. {as far as I can figure out}. I got around this by only closing the screen quarter way or so on either side which kind of looks pretty good and makes it symmetrical and frames it very nicely. Update: After studying the mechanics of the closing mechanism for a couple of weeks, I finnally solved the problem and I can now close both screens completely in the middle. I intend on leaving the screens fully closed as it really does look more realistic this way. Says something about the terrible directions that come with the trim package. If you already have a fireplace screen or glass doors, though, I'd probably stick with them as this unit is pretty pricey and time consuming to put together. By the way, the boss loves her new electric fire log and thinks it looks just like the real thing!

Update: Yes, I still love my electric fireplace insert and the longer I own it the more realistic it seems to get.

I have read in a few other reviews, some were disappointed with the mirrored half moon shape at the rear of their insert unit. Well, I finally figured out what it is designed to do. It reflects the back of the front logs with their reflective embers with the flames between the two sets of logs giving a pretty good holographic 3d effect and the grayed out portion of the mirror simulates smoke. Altogether, it makes for a pretty realistic looking fire. I guess you could call it the use of "smoke and mirrors" to get the desired effect.

Update: I have found that this 3d/holographic effect can be increased by placing ambient light near the front of the fireplace insert. I have two lamps, a table and a floor lamp, with one placed on one side and one on the other side of my fireplace about four feet away from the center of my fireplace opening. This extra ambient light helps illuminate the rear reflected log that creates the 3d effect. Though one light is sufficient, I have found that two low watt lamps works even better. (one a 40 watt bulb and the other a 3-way 60 on low)

I would like to address some reviewer complaints regarding the remote control. The first being that the remote has something to do with the plug. Readers are lead to believe that if the plug is blocked by something (furniture) the remote will not operate. Not so. The remote will turn the unit on and off from anywhere in the room regardless of whether the plug receptacle is blocked. For what it's worth, the remote turns the insert unit on and off from anywhere in the house-the remote reception is that powerful. I suppose you could always turn it on while in the bedroom in the morning and get up to a warm living room when you finally decide to get out of bed?

Which leads me to complaints regarding the remote not controlling the heat function. This is only partially true. Once a heat setting is chosen with the switch (high or low) on the insert unit, the remote will turn that heat setting on or off along with the fire display. Yes, it would be nice to make all the heat changes with the remote, but this is not a problem for me. Basically, in the warmer months you would turn off the heat setting at the insert and in the colder months you would turn the heat setting on at the insert unit. No big deal hitting the switch either way.

Finally, to make the simulated fire "feel" even more realistic, I've added the additional senses of sound and smell. First, I ordered a sound effects download from Hypnosis Health Care (on line for $6.95) to my laptop and then copied it to a 512 MB SD card I already had. I then purchased a Satechi SD Mini Portable Pocket Speaker Mp3 player from Amazon for around $29. and I put it in the fireplace. The Satechi unit is the size of a golf ball and is black which makes it very easy to hide and it puts out excellent sound and it has great battery life. It plays for more than ten hours on a full charge, so no interruption in the mood. Additionally, it works great with the Kindle Fire too. Second, I purchased some pinon pine incense from Amazon and also hid it in the fireplace. Now with the look, feel (heat), smell, and sound of a real fire, all that's left is to enjoy!

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I was surprised how realistic the fire looked when I first turned this on.

This is a solution to a thorny problem I faced. I have a rental property with what is either a faux or unfinished fireplace: depneds on your viewpoint. I didn't want to remove it,and i sure didn't want someone lighting a fire in it!

I had available electricity and available gas, but unvented logs, though heat-efficient, can oxygen deficit a room if one is not careful. (And who wants to be careful when sleeping!)

So, I took a chance on this baby at net $175 after using my prime and offered Amazon discounts.

The two speed heater and blower is just about right for a small room.

This loses its fifth star because the designers placed the remote receiver on the wall plg instead of the unit. It belongs n the unit, so you can simply point the remote at your fireplace, and it works.

In my case, the wall outlet is not reachable by line of sight, and so the circumstances rendered the remote control an otherwise nice feature unusable, and turn thisinto a manually switched fireplace.

Best Deals on Dimplex DFI2309 Electric Fireplace Insert

OK, so I was a little skeptical about buying the electric fireplace thingy. The doubts? It might look fakey, I wouldn't like the flames, it wouldn't put out any heat.

Wrong, wrong, and wrong. I am in LOVE with this product. I use it almost every day, and people who come over just cannot believe it's not real. One friend is replacing her gas logs after seeing my fireplace. One click of the remote, and you have a fire going. To be honest, I still don't understand how this works on a light bulb. The logs seem to glow, there are little embers that appear to be burning, and the flames dance around just like a real fire.

Oh Dimplex designers and engineers....I don't know how you did it, but you did. For $170 and free shipping (thank you Amazon!) I now have a cozy living room that I enjoy reading or watching TV in. This is truly an amazing product.

I guess you can tell I give it my highest recommendation!

Honest reviews on Dimplex DFI2309 Electric Fireplace Insert

This unit looks nice but is way over priced for what it is. If you are planning on getting good heat from the unit, forget it. It produces a small amount of heat only about one foot in front of your fireplace. I get better heat from a $12.00 heater with the same wattage and btu output. At the high setting the fan is to low, probably for sound reduction, and it may as well not even have the low speed setting. If you want something to look pretty in your empty fireplace then this will work. Sitting in there by itself looks bad unless you purchase (separately) the fireplace trim and screen kit that all looks good when completed. The problem? Thats right, the cost. Another $200.00 plus. And when it comes time to change the 2 bulbs that create the simulated look of fire, you have to take it all apart. Half the price for the combined package would be a fair value.

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The flame does look very real. This fireplace insert is a great product in general. I took out 1 star for 2 minor reasons though:

1. The remote only switches on and off. It can not control the heat setting. So you still have to approach the unit for heat setting changes. One good thing is that the remote is wireless (433MHz). So you don't need line-of-sight between remote and the power switch for it to work. Hiding the power cord is much easier with the wireless remote.

2. Although the fire looks real, it may not be as bright as real fire. I guess fake fire may just have its limitation.

Despite of these minor concerns, the unit is pretty well designed. One great advantage is that you get to use the fireplace all year long even

in the hottest day.

Reviews of Bainbridge II Dual Fuel Freestanding Vent Free Stove Model GSD3033

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List Price: $399.00
Sale Price: $377.53
Today's Bonus: 5% Off

My husband wanted to buy one of these last fall, and I was unconvinced. We had a power outage last winter when it was -30 degrees outside and suffered for three days with no heat in our house. After that, I was persuaded to go along with his "crazy" idea. We are using this as a natural gas heat source. The great part about it is that if we lose electricity again this winter, we will still be able to stay warm and comfortable. One of the things I like about it is the moisture that is put into the air by the gas burning. The humidity in our house is staying around 60 degrees when we have the stove running. We are going to get rid of the old humidifier, as it is no longer needed. We are both very pleased with our purchase.

We had a professional run the gas line and hook it up for us, and bought a CO2 alarm for the house, for safety.

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I have three propane fireplaces in my home. I love being able to warm up a room quickly and watch the fire dance. This one looks nice and sets up easily except that the instructions didn't say where the battery for the electronic starter went. A phone call answered that question easily (you unscrew the starter button). If you are looking for a reasonably priced stove that puts out a lot of heat, it does. Unfortunately for me, the room I put it in is only 13x16 and it heats up so fast that I can't sit and watch the fire for very long. So if you like to sit and watch flames dance, consider getting a smaller stove. My other concern is that when it kicks on, the gas comes out for several seconds before it catches fire with a big "whosh." My other fireplaces don't do that. As long as it is in a big room and far from any curtains or fabric, it is probably perfectly safe, but where I have it, I turn it off when I leave the room just to be safe.

If you are deciding between a vent-free and direct-vent stove, first make sure you have enough space to support a vent-free stove. If you do, I found the look to be much nicer than the direct-vent. The flames dance more, and they put out lots more usable heat.

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I purchased the Bainbridge II Dual Fuel Freestanding Stove with an optional blower attachment. The Stove works great for its intended purpose. The blower on the other hand did not work at all. When I purchased these items I believed they were going to be brand new products like the item description stated. The blower came in a box that had the return receipt of another customer still inside it. So, someone else returned it because it didn't work and then the company resells it to me as brand new! I have exchanged a couple of e-mails with the company about it but then nothing. They have gone unheard of! I'm now out $100 because this company refused to stand behind their sale. Look around for a different seller.

Honest reviews on Bainbridge II Dual Fuel Freestanding Vent Free Stove Model GSD3033

Love this stove. I have a fairly big room (17x24 with arch ceiling) that has electric heat (rest of the house is propane). This room at very best in the winter (New England) was sort of warm. I never use the electric anymore. This stove not only provides lots of cozy heat but it actually heats the rest of the house as well. The logs are pretty real looking, especially at night. I am using just the stove without the blower attachment. The sides and rear of the stove stay cool all the time.

The downside is the starter button. When I unscrew the cap to put in the battery the starter fell back through the hole. Just remove the 2 screws that hold the face plate and then it is a piece of cake.

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I bought this gas stove last autumn (a full year ago) when my home's furnace died, as an interim measure until I replaced an ancient oil fired furnace from the 1920s with electric heat. I live in Philadelphia where it gets COLD, in a 1920s two-story row house of about 1000 square feet, with no insulation in the attic, and old single-glazed aluminum windows. I never intended to use this to heat the house, it was meant to add some ambience and serve as an emergency heat source.

Well, this little stove stepped up to the challenge, in ways I NEVER thought it could. It was very easy to set it up, the instructions were very clear and straightforward; anyone with moderate plumbing skills can do it. It's nice and wide, an ideal height, and not very deep so it fits better in a small living room than any other stove I could find. The thermostat works very well at regulating a steady heat, and works in two stages, adjusting the flame height according to how much demand there is for heat. In mild autumn weather it cycles on and off on its own and easily maintains a constant temperature. In the coldest weather of January it runs pretty much continually, but will cycle between a low flame and a high flame depending on the need for extra heat (e.g., when someone opens the front door). Even without using a fan, this stove is capable of maintaining a comfortable temperature throughout the house, THE ENTIRE YEAR! I still haven't replaced my furnace, and this little stove is ready for its 2nd heating season.

Now, because there is no central heating plant (yet, I'm working on that, but I think I'll just install electric baseboard heaters because they're cheaper and I won't ever use them anyway) the basement gets cold. SO! I purchased a gas ventless "garage heater" and installed it downstairs (FOLLOW THIS LINK, HERE: ProCom Dual Fuel Vent-Free Blue Flame Garage Heater 30,000 BTU, Model# MD300TGA ) it's not as pretty but just as efficient. Now the basement is warm, the floors on the main floor are nice and toasty warm, and the temperature is more even. Perfect! And I am saving a TON on heating bills. In the coldest month my gas bill was only $200. And to be fair I should point out that I have gas hot water, a gas clothes dryer, gas oven and cooktop, gas bar-b-que.

As far as safety, I installed a C02 monitor on each floor and the basement. None of them have ever gone off, so the people that say you'll get sick from too mich C02 are nuts. It's no different than using your gas cooktop (which doesn't have a chimney, either, and I've never heard of anyone getting sick from having a gas range). Ventless stoves burn differently than do gas appliances that are designed to have chimneys they are NOT the same. The downside? Because ventless appliances have to burn cleanly the flame isn't as "pretty" as a vented fireplace the flame is more blue and less yellow, and not as large. So turn the lights down if you want to see the flame! Even though the "fire" is not as dramatic as a wood fireplace or vented gas fireplace, IT'S 100% EFFICIENT! no WASTE! Every penny you spend on gas stays IN your house as heat. Nothing goes up a chimney. You'd have to spend thousands on a gas furnace to compare to the efficiency of this stove, and even then no furnace is more than 97% efficient. And these expensive high-efficiency gas furnaces still use a lot of electricity, too, to operate the controls and the fan this stove doesn't need ANY electricity. It's worth having a less exciting blaze knowing you're spending hundreds less on your gas (and electric) bill, isn't it?? Any drawbacks? Yes if you have a dusty environment or are fond of using a lot of air-contaminating air fresheners (or if you smoke indoors, or use cleaners with heavy scents all which ARE bad for your lungs) these airborne particles will be burnt up by the stove, as well. The result is a gray ash film will build up on the inside of the stove around the flame, and on articles near the stove. I am doing renovations, which makes my house dustier than is typical for most people; I have a mirror above the stove and I have to clean it every 2 or 3 months because a faint film of ash builds up. It's easy enough to wipe it off with a damp cloth or glass cleaner. It DID improve when I bought a Dyson vacuum cleaner (awesome!) which significantly reduced the level of dust in my home. Now to be fair, if you've ever used an open fireplace, or a wood stove for heat, this is NOTHING compared to the soot and dust that using a wood fire produces in your home!! Other than that, this little stove is amazing

Buy the stove stop looking for a better model, there isn't one. Just do it, it will pay for itself in a couple of months, AND you'll have the pleasure of an open flame to stare at, and being toasty warm, on those cold blustery nights when your neighbors are bundled up in blankets trying to save a few dollars on their gas bill!

Best Heated Stainless Steel Mug Car Coffee Cup With Charger Deals

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List Price: $14.95
Sale Price: $10.35
Today's Bonus: 31% Off

I bought this mug to replace a similar item that had stopped heating. The new mug looks the same on the outside, but the interior is plastic rather than stainless steel. The visible plastic rim should have tipped me off, but I wouldn't have thought it could turn out this bad. It heats up just fine, but when it does, my coffee tastes more like plastic than like coffee. I tried washing it a couple times and heating up some soapy water in it, but the plastic taste remains. Keep searching until you find a heated mug that you can confirm has a non-plastic interior.

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This heated car mug worked well for a couple of weeks, but then the connection between the mug and a wire stopped working. Something wrong with the connecting parts. It just does not stay connected. The connection between the wire and a car (sigarett outlet) works well. But it does not help much, because the wire does not connect to the mug, so it does not do the intended job. My coffe is cold.

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When I first bought this mug, I heated water in it to test it. It heated the water just fine but it smelled AWFUL kinda' like a tire. I've been filling the mug repeatedly with boiling water and it's getting better. I'm looking forward to using the mug soon when the smell is completely leeched out. However, I would strongly recommend you just buy a different mug and spare yourself the effort.

Honest reviews on Heated Stainless Steel Mug Car Coffee Cup With Charger

This the second time I have purchased this item.

The first one worked until water got in the inside of the shell. While I am not sure whether or not someone put it in the dishwater (probably a no no) the fact is that I was using the cup plugged in with my left arm on the open window frame of my car and when the cup touch my lip I recieved a shock to my arm.

Trashed that one and bought the second one 2 weeks ago.

This one must have a faulty thermostat because the outer shell gets too hot to touch.

Also, the electrical conection in the handle has broken free making it very difficult to attach the plug.

Don't think I'll try for #3.

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mug gets way too hot.I think it would boil if it was pluged in and unattended.also bottom of mug gets too hot,poorly insulated.

gets too hot

MAX Fan Heater Review

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I've had one of these for several years and I've just ordered a second one for another room in our house. We live in northern California and use ours to keep our daughter's room a few degrees warmer than the rest of the house at night (71 or 72 instead of the 66 degrees we set our central heat for). Positives: cute, stays cool to the touch, doesn't heat up the cord or make worrying electrical noises or seem cheap and scary like other space heaters. Quiet fan operation doesn't disturb her if I turn it on or off at night, and the controls seem pretty simple to me. Negatives: I agree with the other reviewers that this is never going to help you heat an unheated workshop or in a very cold climate. It works great for a bathroom, bedroom or an office to supplement central heat when you don't need to keep the whole house as warm. For us the only real negative is that the thermostat could be a little more reliable mostly it seems to approximately work, but sometimes I'll notice that the heater runs the room up into the upper 70s and it doesn't shut off, even though when you test the thermostat setting by hand it should have. We use a Belkin outlet timer cutoff in the winter to plug this into so that it doesn't run more than 3 hrs at night and we don't have to remember to check.

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This unit has a cool design but does not put out any heat. Even on the high heat setting the heat this unit puts out feels like tepid water. I will be returning this for a refund.

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I have had this fan for more than 5 years, and don't understand the negative reviews here. It looks good, and puts out a lot of heat very quickly. It is a heater fan, so do expect a little noise from the fan blades.

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Nice design and function. Heats a room 11x13 very nicely. However, the heat coils makes a audibly annoying whirring sound when put to level 2 (max). Its still there on mode 1 but less bothersome. Still, wish the heat coils made no sound at all.

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This is a piece of junk. It doesn't put out much heat, and died after a couple years of minimal use. It probably would have died sooner if we had used it more, but since it was basically useless, we didn't use it much. Avoid, you can get a much better heater for half the cost.

Buy Sunbeam Hot Shot Hot Water Dispenser

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I've used a Hot Shot a whole lot for heating up water for drinking various types of tea and other beverages. If it's right for what you're brewing, it really is a great product--the water is heated within a minute or two, which is way faster than a kettle, and it holds the perfect amount for a large mug.

There are a couple things to note though. Like other reviewers have said, because of the product's design, some taller mugs (especially large vacuum-sealed caddy mugs) won't fit in to receive the water, so you either can't use them or have to dispense the water into another container first and pour it from there. Also, you definitely should empty the excess water after you're done--you might even want to open the lid while it's still warm to let the extra moisture evaporate. This is because the inside is metal, and re-re-reheated water that's been sitting in there gets a bit gross and might not be the healthiest.

The last issue, which affects me more than it may others, is that the Hot Shot heats the water to boiling or very near to boiling. This is great if you're drinking black tea, hot chocolate, or hot cider, but if you're drinking green tea (which takes hot water that is well below boiling), the water from the Hot Shot can be too hot and make the tea bitter. If it's right for the beverage you want to make, though, I can't recommend a more convenient or quick option.

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Sunbeam 6131 Hot Shot Hot Water Dispenser, Black

We have used a Hot Shot for many years, replacing the first two because they eventually stopped heating water sufficiently (only up to 160 degrees F). Since they had become a mainstay in our kitchen, used several times a day, we were eager to replace the last one, and ordered the sleek new black model, which is of a somewhat different design than the original.

The first one we received from Amazon leaked considerably if we didn't use up all the water that had been heated, so we sent it back (Amazon paid for the entire return postage and sent us a new one at no extra cost). The second one leaked just like the first one, through the dispenser spout, when water was left to sit in the heating chamber. We never had this problem with the older model.

I am giving it two stars instead of only one, since some people may not mind being sure to empty the heating chamber after each use. (If it didn't leak, I would give it 4 stars -and 5 stars, if it were also tall enough to accomodate taller cups).

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I've used a Hot Shot for at least 20 years and won't go without one. But they are made real cheap now. My son is still using the one he bought over 10 years ago. I had this less than a year when it leaked, and is getting worse. Put water in, press the button. Before you get the water poured in and put the cup under the spout it is dripping, real fast now. By the time the water is heated, if I grab it real quick I lose about 2 tbsp. (in about a minute). If I don't catch it right away it will leak enough so I have to warm up more water to make a full cup. I keep a towel under the spout now. This worked good for a few months. Think about it, if every small appliance in your kitchen had to be replaced within a year......

Also, a tall cup/mug won't fit under the spout. So I pour the water from one cup to another. I do like the old hot shot, saves time and electricity.I gave it one star because I do like the hot shot water heater, I just don't like this one.

UPDATE: A couple months after I wrote this review, there was a burning smell--the cheap thing burned out. Meanwhile it leaked water into the cabinets below and spoiled the food.

I went without one for a while, but eventually bought another one because I like the concept... put in cold water, press a button, come back to boiling water. I bought the cheapest I could find because it won't last. I'm just glad I don't have to replace all my other appliances every year.

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Amazon didn't publish my last review so I am rewriting it from memory.

I owned this for 150 days and then it quit. We took it apart, basically this design is living on borrowed time as the unit will eventually fail.

Sunbeam placed the actual electronic switch below the aluminum bowl part and on top of the plastic housing. The grey button on the top is nothing more than a lever to another piece that actually depresses the electronic switch below the aluminum bowl. The real electronic switch is less than an inch from where the water flows from the aluminum bowl and out the dispenser. That switch, also sits right next to the heating element. Now you don't need to be an engineer to know that electronics don't care for heat and they don't care for water. In our case the heat killed the electronic "on" switch. I am not sure where the previous model's (3211) actual "on" switch was, but it had to be in a smarter location that this for it to last TEN years.

So the old design, built in the US apparently lasted 10 years and the new design, made in China lasted 150 days. I should have read the 1-star reviews as I would have found that just about every owner of the previous model have had nothing but bad experience with this model. Don't discount the opinions of those that owned the previous model. I don't think I will ever buy another Sunbeam product again, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

P.S. The only reason we replaced our ten year old 3211 model was because the rubber or plastic seal in the dispenser part had worn out and the unit would leak while dispensing.

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This product has been around for over a decade, and for good reason: it works, and works well. My mother bought me one in Fall 1993 when I went off to college and lived in a tiny dorm room. It has served me well ever since. Nearly 12 years later, it still works as well as the day I got it. It really does heat 16 ounces of water to boiling in under 2 minutes. It's insulated so the outside does not get hot. Just remember to only heat water inside of it, not other liquids. It has a nice, clean look and a modern design which I'd even call "cute". The cord stores underneath the base when not in use, for a clutter-free appearance. I'd recommend it to everyone for a wide variety of situations.

Discount LG 8,000 BTU Window-Mounted Air Conditioner with Remote Control

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List Price: $249.99
Sale Price: $224.00
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This is my fourth LG air conditioner. All the other three units are still working well after four years of use, which is the reason I purchased this unit; my expectations were high and the reviews were good. My complaints:

1. The fan for this unit is loud on setting two and three. This fan noise may be a problem for people who want to use this air conditioner in their bedroom. Many other people on Amazon have made a similar comment about loud fan noise.

2. Build quality -cheap. Moving the plastic louvers that direct the air up or down is very difficult. In another review Dave says he found it almost impossible to move these louvers up and down; I agree with Dave. The plastic part that opens and shuts the unit to allow for or close off outside air is so flimsy that I am afraid to use it. The plastic levers that direct left/right air flow are as cheaply made as the open and shut lever. The louvers that are attached to the sides of the unit to allow for snug fit in the window are as cheap as everything else in the unit and were difficult to fit properly to the open window, as others have also noted.

First update: As expected, this airconditioner works well to quickly cool my office space. When I put the LG on the room was 82 degrees. Within half an hour the temperature had dropped to a comfortable 76 degrees. The compressor for the airconditioner makes very little noise, but as mentioned, the fan is loud, especially on high speed.

Other reviewers have mentioned that they received their units damaged. I recommend that these people contact Amazon customer service. I have always had good luck getting a replacement for equipment damaged in transit. Also, some reviewers have talked about problems with installation of this machine. This A/C fits neatly in the window. Unfortunately, as mentioned, the louvers providing the seal keeping warm air out are cheap and difficult to adjust properly. Extra insulation material is needed to keep warm air out of the room.

Second update: I have added a star to this review. After six weeks of daily use this air conditioner works as advertised under difficult conditions. The build quality of my three other LG air conditioners is better than this machine being reviewed and they run more quietly. Now that the machine is installed in the window, I don't touch any of the louvers that adjust and direct the flow of air so it doesn't matter now that they are cheap or difficult to use. As noted, this air conditioner may be loud on high fan speed, but it does cool well, which is exactly what it is supposed to do. If it is anything like my three other LG air conditioners, it will work reliably for a long time.

Third update: I have not mentioned the remote control on this AC, which works well and does control many functions of the machine. On fan speed one the AC is quiet enough for a bedroom. Lastly, the energy saver does work well to reduce the amount of electricity the AC uses. I turn it on when I leave the office and it effectively maintains the set temperature of the room. This LG A/C is a good machine as many other reviewers agree.

Feedback welcomed.

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I read a lot about several comparable A/C units at this price range and this seemed the best to me. Having bought it, I'm glad that I did. It is quiet and quickly cools down our room. I think the complaints about noise must be from a faulty unit or improper installation, because ours is barely noticeable half the time. I would highly recommend this unit to anyone who wants a quiet powerful air conditioner.

Best Deals on LG 8,000 BTU Window-Mounted Air Conditioner with Remote Control

My landlord recently installed one of these in my apartment. The overall build quality seems typical of similar size units. There's a lot of plastic parts that can vibrate and rattle against each other. The seals (or lack thereof) between the inside and outside of the unit are very poor and could use a lot of extra foam. Installation is tricky with the power cord coming out the bottom and a non-flat bottom to the unit. The adjustable side panels seem to sit up and back from the window sill more than they should. This is, unfortunately, all par for the course.

My biggest complaint is that the fan motor is quite loud. Wind noise isn't too big a factor, especially at low speed, but there's a very noticeable low hum. By comparison however the compressor is nearly silent. It's hard to tell when the compressor is running and when it isn't. Airflow is also quite good, with a bias to blowing to the right, but the louvers work well for adjusting that.

The energy saver option is useless unless you use it while away. By starting up the fan every three minutes to "check" the temperature it is highly irritating. It should either leave the fan off or go to low speed. An auto fan speed option would be nice to have as well.

Overall it's not a bad unit as long as you can isolate the rattling and can stand the low drone of the fan motor. It seems like the kind of unit that can cool better than advertised, but there's definitely areas where it can be improved.

Honest reviews on LG 8,000 BTU Window-Mounted Air Conditioner with Remote Control

My model is LW8013ER. It took me 3 units to get one without Fan rattle and the 3rd did not last for long. Note I have a 12K unit that is about 2 years old and never had any issue with it. I tested the 3rd unit and it was fine until about 3-4 weeks then I stared hearing a rubbing noise, not a clanking noise like the first 2. After a week it mostly went away until I heard a big clank and then the fan was being blocked from running at all from that point. So called LG and gave them all the details/Serial # etc. They scheduled an appointment for Monday. Well that night the guy called my WORK number and said he needed more info and would NOT show up unless I called back. Called Monday morning, got answer service and they knew nothing about my appointment and said the guy would call between early afternoon and early evening. Never heard back. Waited another day and still nothing. On the third day I tried to call them and got nothing but ringing..not even an answering machine. So I called LG and told them I needed someone else that would show up. They seemed confused and said they would cancel the appointment. After that I never heard from the tech nor lg other than a call to know if I was satisfied. I won't go anything further as it is still on going but needless to say I am looking for another brand in the 8k unit size. Not sure what happened to LG but as some of the other posters have said, something has happened to them as they used to have a good rep.

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We use these air conditioners in a our telecom huts and have had good luck with them lasting. They run all year round even in the winter. We have tried other manufactures and this one seems to last the longest.

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.

Cheap Duraflame Colby Portable Heater, 10HM1342-O128

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $249.99
Sale Price: $189.99
Today's Bonus: 24% Off

I have a very large family room/kitchen open area. I have been closing the door to the rest of my house, setting the thermostat back to 62 and running the Duraflame in the FR area. The FR warms up to 69/70 and the rest of my home goes down to 62. About half-an-hour before going to bed I set the thermostat to 66. I was concerned about my electric bill, but when it came I was pleasantly surprised that it had only gone up $12 for the entire month. Even better my gas heating bill went down over $25 for the month. The cabinet stays cool to the touch and looks like a piece of furniture. I would definitely recommend this heater.

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Nice heater for my basement, does take the chill out of my basement, i have a very large area to heat, takes awhile but after an hour or so, it does feel comfortable.

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We bought this for a large living room/den which as at one end of our house and which stays a bit cooler in the winter time. This unit keeps the temperature comfortable and keeps the heating in that part of our house. Remote control and manual controls are very nice feature. Heater looks attractive in our living room.

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Never could get this to heat even the smallest of our rooms. We ended up pulling it right up to our chairs to get any warmth from it.

Kozy World 20-6027 Wall Heater Blower Reviews

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List Price: $54.99
Sale Price: $49.04
Today's Bonus: 11% Off

I replaced an old open flame ceramic gas type unit with the Kozy World KWN191 18,000-BTU Vent-Free Natural-Gas Infrared Wall Heater. The heater is located in a two car garage. I expected a marked improvement in air flow by using the fan. Unfortunately, the fan doesn't have much power and is hardly noticeable in pushing warm air from the unit. I thought also that it might help circulate oxygen to the Cozy unit and thus keep the O2 sensor from shutting the unit down... again not much discernable difference. Since the O2 sensor cuts off the Kozy heater if you turn it up to the higher BTU levels the thermostat control that should turn the fan on and off as needed never comes into play. Not worth the $35+ paid for and for no more than what it is, should have came with the unit already mounted. The mounting was easy but again for the cost--should have came mounted right out of the box. I would have been better off to bought (4) box fans from Wal-Mart @ $10 each to move the warm air and to circulate fresh air to the unit. Shipping from BIC Superstore was fast but the charge was high to TN.

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I installed the fan on my heater. The only way I know it's on is I can hear it. Does not seem to move any air or heat around the area.

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This blower was relatively easy to install but to me, the small amount of air it moves is not worth the noise. It's laud.

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It helps spread the heat around, but not very well. The thermal sensor seems quite slow to respond to the heater also. It takes several minutes after the heater ignites to the fan turning on and the same when the heater turns off. All in all, my ceiling fan does a better job of spreading the heat out than this fan does. If you need a fan for your heater get a cheap box fan.

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I agree with the other reviews that the fan is not powerful. But I do notice a difference when running the fan vs not running it. The heat seems to get to the other side of the room quicker, even if I don't feel a lot of air being blown out of the heater. The fan has its own thermostat, so it waits for the heater to get hot before turning on, then it remains on after the heater turns off, until the heater cabinet has cooled down.

It has a 3 position switch Off, Manual (always on) and Automatic (thermostat control).

Installation is simple. Just remove the 4 screws in the metal plate on the back of the heater, discard the plate, shove the blower in, then secure with the same 4 screws. No wires to hook up. The blower has an AC cord already installed. The blower works completely independently from the heater. If your power goes out, you can still use the heater without the blower.

I'd rate it 5 stars if the blower was more powerful.

Review of Cuisinart® 12-cup Coffee Maker - Black Chrome Series

Customer Ratings:

I am VERY picky when it comes to coffee makers and have trouble finding one that doesn't make the coffee taste like plastic. This one works fine for me. I owned a DeLonghi before this one for about 6 years and the new DeLonghis have suffered a setback in quality as far as I am concerned. I returned about 3 of them. The minor flaw in this coffee maker is that the water gauge is on the inside and it is a little hard to tell what the level is. It is also a little tricky to pour water into. That wasn't enough for me to return it though, since the coffee tasted great!

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I purchased this coffee maker 4 months ago and it has worked wonderful so far. This is the 3rd coffee maker I have had in the last year. It told me last week to clean it and I did. Makes wonderful coffee set to my taste, and stays as hot as I want it to. Looks sleek and beautiful on the cabinet. Only drawbacks are you have to pour slow so you don't dribble (but only when I rush) and clock can't be seen in dark so I keep it unplugged when not in use. I hope it lasts as long as it is warranteed for but would take 2 years.

* P.S.: It is now Dec2010 and I have had NO problems with this coffee maker for 3 years. When it finally does break I hope the new ones are just as good because I plan to buy another when needed. Even with a couple of drawbacks listed above it is the "Best Coffee Maker I've ever had".

* P.S.S.: It is now Dec2012 and still no problems with this coffee maker. Love, love, love it. Just have to clean it a couple of times a year and works great. I broke the pot and ordered a replacement.

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We bought this coffee maker less than 2 years ago. For the past few months, we babysat it to restart it during the brew cycle. Now it is completely kaput. In researching other coffeemakers, I see that most manufacturers have at least 10 percent 1-star reviews, many because of the short lifespan of the product. After having a Braun coffee grinder for 25 years and prior coffee makers for at least 5, I expect more than a 2-year lifespan for something on which I spend nearly $100. We are going back to stovetop boiling and dripping into our own thermal carafe no coffeemaker involved.

Honest reviews on Cuisinart® 12-cup Coffee Maker - Black Chrome Series

I read reviews obsessively and couldn't find the combination of features and looks and color I wanted (I got this in white), and settled on this one.

I was worried about how difficult it would be to pour water in b/c of the placement of the well, but what you find out is that the Cuisinart pot is perfectly designed to sit on the lip of the well and pour the water on.

Wish the lid on the pot were attached with a lever, instead of being a pop on and off affair... and if I break the pot oi doesn't seem like a cheap replacement.

Small minus points for plastic knobs with cheap feeling little silver lines painted on which look like they'll get stripped off.. As mentioned the water gage is inside and isn't the easiest to read, you just have to measure carefully before you pour in no biggie. And small minus for the faintness of the LED clock, and that to program the machine, you have to click TWO settings, not one, but still I'm more impressed than I expected.

And Big points for style.

Oh and no plastic taste here.

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This is the best coffee maker I ever had. I was reluctant to spend $80 on a coffee maker. After living with this one for 6 months now I can honestly say that I would have paid a hundred for it and still been just as happy.

I have seen many people who say that the water gauge being on the inside is a flaw in the design and they don't know how much water they put in. I do not understand this. I am 6'2" and can see the water gauge fine. That said, I never look at it anyway because I use the pot to measure the water and fill.

Another "flaw" that I read in many reviews referred to the place where you pour the water being too small. Not the case. It is not tricky AT ALL to pour in the water. I use the coffe pot to fill it and I have never spilled a drop. I don't have to be particularly careful to get the desired result, either.

This is a great coffe pot and an excellent value for the money. It makes a GREAT pot of coffee!

UPDATE 6-25-12

I have now had this coffee maker for about 3 years and still love it just as much. It's a great coffee maker!

UPDATE 9-22-13

Still going strong!