Review of Electric Heater, 1500 Watts

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This heater has safety protocols that shut it off when it overheats (sounds good, right?) unfortunately it overheats after running for 2-5 minutes.

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DO NOT BUY!!! Very cheap. Plugged it in and 2 minutes later it quit working. It is going back to the store and I will get a better brand.

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Totally worthless. The heater runs for 1-2 minutes and then overheats and automatically shuts off, requiring 10-15 minutes to cool before it will operate again. It's going in the garbage right now.

Honest reviews on Electric Heater, 1500 Watts

This is so great to have and I love the safety button at the bottom, so if my cat knocks it over it cuts off right away....LOVE IT!!!!

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Our furnace broke this week and our landlady provided space heaters to keep us warm until it was fixed. This little heater worked perfectly in our bedroom! Actually worked better than that small radiator that provides the regular heat! We were toasty all night thanks to this.

Review of Dual USB & 12V Heated Mug - BLUE

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No bad. Solid construction. My main need, though, was to sit here in the basement and not go up to nuke my coffee in the microwave avery ten minutes to keep my sips warm. This promised to be able to keep warm from the USB connection. Not so -not enough juice there, I guess -at least from my laptop. In the car it was fine. And don't expect it to warm up your drink from a colder state. It will only maintain status quo.

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Ok, so this product actually topped my list for my husband this year. When going for a product that is used everyday (for coffee and tea drinkers) this one takes it full swing. He loved its features and its geek appeal. It is very nice quality and the red strip around it is actually quite comfortable and slip proof. Nice. The plugs work just as advertised, and it keeps coffee warm in the car (and desk) on winter days..

The only downside we saw to the mug was the lid is push on vs screw on, so there is the possibility it could spill or leak if knocked over that being said, we have been using it for about a month now, no spills.

Overall a great product. Great quality mug. Great features.

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My wife and I each bought one of these and they both stopped working within 3 weeks.

Honest reviews on Dual USB & 12V Heated Mug - BLUE

This is one of those products that will be can be rated anywhere from 1 to 5 depending on your needs. Assuming this product doesn't break, it will serve it's purpose for me. The USB DOES NOT keep coffee piping hot for an extended period of time, but when there is piping hot coffee going in, I can enjoy it for about the next hour. By the end of that hour it not hot as originally was, but still hot enough to be called hot. My cup of coffee is normally gone after an hour anyway. The heating mechanism basically serves the purpose of slowing down the natural heat loss from the cup of java. I hate the microwave, so I was looking for an at work solution to this age old dilema. I brought one of those insertable coils that broke on the first cup, so I'm hoping this doesn't break. So there is basically a progressive decrease in temperature over an hour or two, but 45 minutes later, I was still satisfied with a "relatively" warm-hot cup of coffee. If you need it piping hot as the initial minute or two, you might be disappointed. But I really hate when my coffee gets lukewarm, and I only need the heat for and hour or less, and until scientists invent a better solution, this will have to do. Oh, and I don't think this cup will turn likewarm coffee to hot or even nice and warm. Good looking cup though............

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Not only does this mug keep drinks warm for quite some time on its own, but it reheats drinks that have gone cold. Ten minutes down the road with the charger plugged in, and your coffee/latte/tea is hot again -almost too hot, so be careful! Also, this mug fits in my VERY narrow cup holder without demanding that I wrestle it free to drink. I'd say 5 stars, except the charger imbued the packaged mug with a yucky petroleum smell that took some work to get out of the mug and lid (and is still there on the charger, but how do I wash that??).

Classic Flame 23 in. Electric Fireplace Insert with Backlit Display Review

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List Price: $379.99
Sale Price: $249.00
Today's Bonus: 34% Off

I got this when it was on sale, and that made it an amazing deal. Even at normal price though, this thing is really nice. You don't need to install it in a mantel, it is able to sit level on a desk or dresser easily. Compared to the other electric fireplaces on the market, this one is definitely the most realistic. don't hesitate getting this, its the best in this price range.

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Installed in an existing recessed wall in my living room. It really delivers nice warm air without any noise whatsoever. The timer feature in the remote control is great, the burning logs and flames look amazingly real and the installation was a breeze.

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Have had this for a few weeks and we love it. Unpacked, installed, and in use in less than 15 minutes! Great addition with no clean up after each fire! Provides great het for our living room, too.

Honest reviews on Classic Flame 23 in. Electric Fireplace Insert with Backlit Display

I have just tested it on the floor. Flames are very realistic. Heat works good and has very little noise. I would highly recommend.

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Very nice looking flames. Numerous flame coloration options. Love timer feature/auto shut off. Plug n heat, no set up required. Heats as advertised. Fan is not too loud. Disclaimer: I have only had the unit for a week.

Reviews of BrewStation 10 Cup Coffeemaker

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List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $35.99
Today's Bonus: 10% Off

I have owned this coffeemaker for only one week, but am happy with it so far. About three years ago we broke a glass carafe and got a new HB brew station 47374, which was the predecessor to this model. It appears to be identical except for a bit more chrome coloring on this model. It had terrible reviews which were primarily due to coffee leaking and even possible fire hazard. We got one anyway because we were tired of having to pour and clean the fragile carafes and have been happy with it. We never had any problem other than small leaks that were due to coffee dripping down the side of the cup during dispensing. We also tried the more expensive 47454 model, but returned it because it leaked internally the first time we used it.

PROS:

1. One hand dispensing, (but sometimes need to steady unit from sliding).

2. No fragile carafes to clean or break.

3. Appears to brew better than our old Mr. Coffee.

CONS:

1. Visually awkward to see time setting due to low side location.

2. The last cup will sometimes leak during dispensing because of low head pressure. I resolve this problem by pouring the last cup manually from the fill bucket.

3. There will be water leaking down the back of the unit when the lid is lifted during or after brew. This is due to the steam condensation on the lid dripping down the back when raised.

4. This unit is noisy. The heating element which the base of the bucket sits on, makes a hissing type noise whenever it is active. This was not noticable on the older unit.

All in all I still like this coffee maker despite its shortcummings. It brews tasty coffee, is easy to use and easy to clean.

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I just purchased this "BrewStation" from a local retailer after my old drip machine (with a glass carafe) died. I have to admit that I am a "coffee snob" and often use a French press (the preferred method by coffee enthusiasts) to brew my morning Joe. However, when I don't have time, I use a drip machine. With that being said, the BrewStation is a very simple and convenient coffee maker with plenty of upside:

The combo water filler/coffee "basket" has a handle and a pour spout that makes filling the unit a breeze. I really like not having a glass carafe sitting on a hot plate (which only burns the coffee and gives it a bitter taste); one less thing to wash. Also, the pour valve on the unit has a solid seal that doesn't leak (so far).

Now with the downside:

It has a spot for a water filtration cartridge, but you have to purchase the unit separately. Second, the space between the base of the machine and the pour spout is only big enough for a standard 6-8oz mug. I usually drink from a travel mug, so what I end up doing is moving the BrewStation to the edge of the counter and tilting my mug so it hits the button. Finally, the last two cups of coffee come out slowly. The machine is gravity fed, so you have to be patient with the last cup or so.

Overall, I think it is a very nice machine that will suit my needs just fine. Hopefully, it will work for you also.

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Bought one late May/Early June. Quit percolating in the first two weeks. Exchanged for another. That one too, quit percolating. Called HB customer support. Will replace after I send in a pic showing I've cut the cord off of it and the reciept and a $15 charge for shipping. What a mess. I explained that if I cut the cord off of it, I would probably just buy another coffee pot and not need a replacement. Couldn't offer a refund. The money back guarantee is a crock of crap. Unfortunate. :(

Honest reviews on BrewStation 10 Cup Coffeemaker

I have had this brewer for a couple months, it worked great and then would quit brewing after a couple cups. It keeps getting worse and is not worth $15 for warrenty. I don't want another one, I will go back to the old Mr Coffee.

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I love the concept of this product and purchased it 11/14/11. Two months later it up and died, (no power at all). Hamilton beach sent me a new one since it was under warranty as long as I mailed in the electrical plug and paid the $14 postage for the new model. I received the new model on 1/25/12 and on 2/26/12 the power started shutting itself off after brewing only 1-2 cups. I have to stand by and keep turning it on!!!!!

I contacted Hamilton Beach and they offered no apologies but offered to mail me another unit as long as I once again pay to mail in the plug and pay the postage for the new unit. I asked them point blank if this is a common problem with this product but never did get a response.

So if I accept their offer I am paying over $30 all-together with no guarantees...I don't think so!!!! I would rather change brands and worn you to beware of this product and their "so-called warranty".

Review of BISSELL ProHeat 2X Select Pet Upright Deep Cleaner, 94003

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Hi.

We bought this model at a local retail store last weekend. I had used a different model of the same brand previously (borrowed from in-laws). I have used it once, on my entire living room--a cream colored cheap wall-to-wall carpet laid down about 3 years ago by the previous owners. Probably artificial fibers. Just saying.

The carpet was getting spotty. We have a cat who has hairballs regularly and two four-year-olds. The cream colored carpet was showing spots around the kids computer, both couches, and the high-traffic areas at each doorway. We had some washable-marker marks here and there, and one sticky place. We live in the south so we had red clay marks, too.

I assembled the machine--had to get a long, thin screwdriver from the garage because the kind with the changeable tips is too fat for the holes in the upper handle. Assembly was easy, but I was left with an extra wand that had no home. Ours came with a small, medium, and large unpowered wand plus a powered wand and a crevice tool. At this point I was thinking that all the unpowered wands were kind of redundant.

I filled the machine with hot water and the 'fiber cleansing' solution my husband picked up because he didn't realize there were two bottles of solution inside the box. Not a big deal, we'll use it all, I'm sure. The soap tank was a bit leaky for just a second, so I let it drip til it stopped, then rinsed off the outside.

I grabbed the blue squirt bottle of 'tough stain precleaner' that came in the box and squirted each little gray, brown, or sticky spot. Didn't do anything else, just squirted. Gave the gray area near the doors a sort of 'misting' to get the job started.

I turned the dial on the Bissell to 'normal cleaning' and started near one door. Wet stroke forward, wet stroke backward, dry stroke forward, dry stroke backward. Had a little trouble with the suction at first, but I later determined this was probably because the machine had tipped while it was on. It makes a pop noise when it loses suction, and you pretty much have to shut the machine off and turn it back on to 'reset'. A few places in the carpet needed an extra going over with the wet/dry strokes to get the spots up.

After just a couple of strokes, the machine started spitting out little 'hairballs' that were gray--presumably cat hair and carpet fiber wads. I had read about these in the manual and so was not alarmed. I decided to let them go and after the carpet dried I'd get them with the dry vac.

About half-way through the room (13x18, roughly) it was time to dump the dirty water and refill. The water was like diluted hot chocolate in color, and had hairballs in it. Removing and replacing the tank is quite easy. Originally I was thinking I had to lay down the handle to get at the connections, but this is not true--the machine can be standing up and you can still get the water tank out. Not sure about the soap tank, though.

Note that while cleaning, you're dripping on the back stroke. So you start at one end of the room and work *backwards* to the other end, not forwards. Probably a no-brainer, but there you go. I tried using one of the unpowered wands for a spot under the kids desk, and it did OK but didn't really wow me. It was nice to have the trigger right there on the wand to be able to squirt soap at the spot, and the wand did fine at pulling the water back out. Didn't try the powered wand for it--I just went over it again with the big machine and the spot was completely gone. I'll try the powered wand another time.

Back in action, I finished up the room with no other highlights. I chose not to use the 'rinse' cycle on the machine at all, I guess I'm testing the anti-resoiling agent in the soap. :) I didn't really want to spend the time going over every inch of carpet twice.

When finished, I put down a couple of clean towels to walk on since we can't avoid using the room. The carpet itself was dried within a couple of hours--even the bit at the start where I was having trouble with suction.

Once dry, I have to say the carpet looks great. There might be one or two places where the spots wouldn't come out--but they have been cleaned at least 3 times now with three different machines and have persisted through all of them. Anyway, I do notice that the carpet nap is starting to look a little worn--it's cheap carpet. I haven't been back over it yet with the dry vac to get the hairballs up, that might change the appearance.

Husband said the smell of the soap was pretty much gone once the carpet dried, so it didn't leave a heavy stink of 'just washed the carpets' behind. The soap smell was itself reasonably pleasant and not overpowering even when wet.

So on to disassembly and cleaning. Emptying the dirty water was again no big deal. I rinsed out the tank afterward to get the hairballs out and keep it from getting stinky (why leave microban a big job, after all). I left the remaining soap in the soap tank for the next time. Since the shields over the nozzles and brushes are clear, you can see how scummy they get after just one use, so I grabbed my screwdriver again and popped off the clear shields (one screw for the front 'suck' piece, and two screws each for the side 'edge cleaner' areas) to rinse them out. The brushes themselves were exposed at that point and I could see the surfaces behind them were scummy but I didn't feel like removing the brushes so I just wiped with a rag to get the scum out of the places I could reach. At this point the vac is lying on its back in the kitchen, in the way. But one more wipe of the sole plate (where the dirty drips come from) and reapplying screws and shields and it all went back together easily. It took about another five mins or so to clean the machine after use. Then I grabbed a clean rag and the reassembled machine and moved it to its storage home. Since it's sitting on the carpet, I put the clean rag down first, then the machine on the rag to catch any drips I might have missed.

I am very pleased with how the machine performed. It made a dirty carpet look clean again, which is exactly what I wanted. It was relatively easy to use and clean (might tape a screwdriver to the machine just to have one handy) and it did a great job.

If I were going to improve the machine, I'd make those clear shields use a fastener other than a screw so they could pop off by hand. I'd maybe add one more fastener for that spare wand. I might include a plastic tray to sit the thing on when it's not in use. I might try to work on that suction pop noise thing to make it clearer that you need to stop and fix something before you squirt more soap down. I might also leave off all the marvelous stickers identifying special features. Not needed, and they get in the way of seeing what the machine is doing. And if I were really working hard to improve, I'd have a 'self propelled' motor to assist the user to move the machine at the proper speed (slow) and with the proper contact between machine and floor (to improve suction).

I hope the machine will last for the amount of time we intend to keep this carpet. Other reviews make me wonder if my satisfaction will last, since it seems other people have a lot of trouble with their machines, regardless of brand and model. I hope to update this review again later, after a few more uses.

-----edited Nov 30 2009

After using the machine several more times, I am still pleased. It's kept the carpet looking pretty good, and sometimes I'm able to get up spots using only the warm water without soap. That's nice. I haven't used up all the carpet soap that came with the machine (and that we bought by mistake). The cat was quite ill over the summer and kept throwing up all over the carpet, everywhere..and you really can't tell at all. Likewise the kids have repeatedly gone after the carpet with washable markers and crayons, and those marks are gone as well. Red clay marks gone. There are some shadowy gray areas at the main entrance/exit to the room that the shampooer doesn't seem to be able to help, I guess the carpet is just showing its age.

I have taped a gallon zip bag to the front of the machine, in which I have the manual and the screwdriver I mentioned earlier. Very handy. I've used the powered wand a few times now, and I like that much better than the unpowered ones. Agitation really helps get the gunk out.

I like using this machine better than my Spotlifter now, it does a better job. I do tend to 'save up' spots so I can run the machine for long enough to make it feel 'worthwhile', but it even gets up the old spots.

Anyway, I'm pleased with the machine, it does what I wanted it to do. After months, it doesn't stink (I still rinse it out after each use), and it hasn't made anything scummy while it sits waiting for the next use.

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I've owned three of these Bissell models over the past four years.

The first (2006) lasted nearly 18 months and about as many carpet cleanings. Eventually the spray system broke. Since it was out of warranty it was not worth getting fixed.

The second (2008) lasted 13 months. Same story, the spray system broke.

The third, this year, last 4 months and 3 carpet cleanings. Under warranty I called Bissell, got the names of two service centers but when I called them they both told me the same thing: Bissell was not going to warrant the spray system unless it was a manufacturer's defect.

Being prudent, I called Bissell and went through a 30 trouble shooting session over the phone. It was grueling. Check this gasket, that gasket, take out the spray nozzles, get an old toothbrush and clean the sprayer, try the hose, re-seat the water tank, re-seat the soap tank, try the hose again, chew some gum, run the machine for a minute, walk on the ceiling for 30 seconds, run the machine and press the spray button for two minutes, check the hose without the attachment, spin your partner loop-de-lou, stretch the hose out, look out the window and wait for a police car to go by, run the machine and try the spray....

When I questioned the Bissell customer service person about the two service centers reporting that the spray system was probably not going to be covered by the warranty, because Bissell apparently doesn't believe spray problems are a manufacturer's defect, they stuck to the company line: we will fix a manufacturer's defect. How about a return? That's up to the store where you purchased it.

Here's my take: I expect a $200 carpet cleaner to work. I expect to fill it with water, put the tank on, fill it with soap, put the tank on, turn on the switch and clean carpet. My position is that all the trouble shooting Bissell made me go through was just to make up for bad design, bad engineering, poor quality parts, etc. This model of machine has a serious spray system issue. It obviously has several points where it fails and Bissell seems to believe it is your problem not theirs.

Don't buy this product, the spray system may last 2 years or 4 months, just to get it work is a problem even if the pump is still working, but no matter what Bissell's support system isn't there for you.

Luckily for me, a brought this product at Costco and they took it back and gave me a full refund.

Though I'm not sure carpet cleaners from other manufacturer's are any better, I know the Bissell is not an option.

Personally, I would pay more for a longer lasting quality product if and when I can find one. I think we need to stop sourcing these products from China.

Best Deals on BISSELL ProHeat 2X Select Pet Upright Deep Cleaner, 94003

My wife and I have two dogs, a 2 year old child and the cheap white/beige colored carpet that I'm sure everyone has seen before. It came with our house when we bought it. We have been living here for 3 years and you don't realize how dirty your carpets actually get until you clean them. It came to a point where I could not stand to be in my house because the carpets got so bad. As if the dogs weren't enough, my daughter spilled liquid bubbles everywhere and dirt attaches to the fluid like a magnet. We bought this bissell a week ago and finally finished using it this past weekend. I'm very happy with the results. My carpet looks A LOT better!!

Pros:

It is very easy to use after you understand how to use it.

If you compare, side by side, the section you cleaned next to an area you didn't get to yet you will notice that it does a really good job.

The carpets barely get wet and dry incredibly fast for that reason.

Cons:

You really need to understand how to use this before you try for the first time. For example, you need to make sure you change the water before you use it all. If not, it will start to use all of the cleaning solution and it wastes it. The solution isn't cheap so you want to avoid this from happening. (we did find deals online for larger bottles which make this cost more upfront but over the course of using this it will save you quite a bit)

You go through more solution than I would like and you have to change the water fairly often (it isn't hard to change though).

If you have pets, their hair will clump up and lay on the carpet after you've cleaned it. Honestly, after the carpets dry I walked around and picked up maybe 5 or 6 quarter sized clumbs and that was it. I didn't even need to vacuum after.

The bottom line is that this machine does a really good job after you learn how to use it well. It has it's pros and cons but what machine doesnt? If you think it's going to magically make your carpets brand new again you are naive, but if you are looking for something easy to use, fairly inexpensive to buy and something that makes your carpet look a lot better than they did, then this is the machine to get. My wife and I are certainly happy we bought it!

Honest reviews on BISSELL ProHeat 2X Select Pet Upright Deep Cleaner, 94003

I did a lot of research before purchasing this item, and I'm very pleased with it. It is easy to use and did a good job getting out some pet stains that my spot cleaning couldn't get rid of. I've already used it 3 or 4 times because I have major dog/child traffic. Using it and even cleaning it up afterwards isn't much more work than using a vacuum.

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UPDATE ADDED TO END 3/1/2013

I am on my second Bissell Proheat 2X. The first one, I bought four years ago and used it constantly. I have twin tots and two dogs, I feel I got my money out of the first machine. The reason I bought a second machine is that the hand held attachment on the first broke and I got a GREAT deal on the newer model. The new one also came with a myriad of attachments the old one didn't have (the seller for me being the crevice tool). It also came with two big bottles of cleaner.

Yesterday, I used it on my stairs and the entire upstairs. We have a light colored shag carpeting. I was astounded at what the machine picked up yesterday--when I emptied the water from cleaning the stairs, it was near black. The rug hadn't even looked dirty. I did the entire upstairs and used the crevice tool to get under the wood trim on the floor. The upstairs looks and smells as fresh as when the carpets were new. I highly recommend this product. I took one star off because there is no automatic indictor as to when you need to add more water. It was pretty much by trial and error for me. Otherwise, this machine is excellent. It heats the water to a very hot point and has great suction to grab the dirty water back up. The cord is very long, I was able to do every room upstairs without moving the cord to different outlets.

I also recommend that people shop around--you can get this machine for $160 at some stores. It's better than hiring a professional and you know 'where it's been'--I always wonder about the professional companies! Did they clean up a crime scene with their machine? Yuck. I also hate having strangers in my home. It does a great job and for what you pay for someone (nd not deal with all of the haggling), you could own this great product to use for years. Don't be put off by the fact I broke my attachment--I can be very destructive with vacuums etc!!

UPDATE 3/1/13: My ProHeat stopped dispensing solution. I took it apart and could not resolve, finally took it to a local authorized vacuum repair center. While I waited for someone to come out to help me, I noticed there was a row of recently repaired Proheats. Peeked at some of the tags and all had the same issue--solution not dispensing (and all with a repair bill around $90! You could practically buy a new one for that!). The repair woman came out and told me to take my cleaner home and bring it back another time, she was too busy with other cleaners. Rude! I dragged my unit back to the car and drove it home, comepletely angry. I searched online and found the belowrepair center manual. I tried two things and my cleaner was dispensing cleaner again in minutes! There was a little gasket that had become separated. I also poured very hot tap water through the tank and voila! I guess it may have become clogged with dried solution, or it was the gasket being off. Whatever, it works and for free. So save yourself some money and try this guide before going to a repair center. My cleaner is working as good as when I purchased it years ago. cleaner

Buy Muskoka MQHS40BWL Infrared Heater with Table Top

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List Price: $319.99
Sale Price: $230.14
Today's Bonus: 28% Off

It's a little darker than the picture, but I actually like the color better. It's been helping heat our house; we set the house thermostat at 62 and it'll still routinely be warmer because of this heater.

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Review of Vornado PVH Whole Room Panel Vortex Heater

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List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $57.00
Today's Bonus: 29% Off

Although I like this heater, it didn't work for my needs and so I'll be returning it. I hoped it could take the place of the ancient, oscillating Honeywell ceramic fan heater that I use in the morning to warm up my very cold office (which can be as low as 43 inside when I open it up) before I switch on my oil-filled radiator, but it just does not have the power.

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

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

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

General information about buying electric space heaters:

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

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

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

Basic electric space heater facts:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oil-filled radiators:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ceramic fan heaters:

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

Radiant heaters

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

Micathermic heaters

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

Baseboard heaters

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

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

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

Best Deals on Vornado PVH Whole Room Panel Vortex Heater

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Honest reviews on Vornado PVH Whole Room Panel Vortex Heater

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

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

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

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

Review of Mr. Heater, MH30T Double Tank Top Outdoor Propane Heater

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List Price: $134.96
Sale Price: $86.28
Today's Bonus: 36% Off

I enjoy smoking cigars outside after dinner and needed another heater to take the chill away. I own a tall standing patio heater which burns a lot of propane and generates very little heat ( especially if it's breezy ) and has no way for me to lower the height of it so it's pretty useless AND wastes a lot of propane. This heater however caught my eye and it is awesome !! Uses very little propane and is 100x more powerful then my tall free standing heater that i stopped using altogether now. Going to buy a second one for those really cold nights so i can sit down and have one heater on each side of me.

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My guests out in my backyard were very comfortable. This was fairly easy to setup and use. One complaint to light it requires holding a metal valve down for 30 seconds. it HURTS after about 4 seconds so you have about 26 seconds of increasing pain in your fingers to get this sucker lit. I recommend an easier button be designed so the human finger is not poked so hard my a metal rod. Anyway once lit product was good

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These heaters are terrific. This is the second I've bought and now makes working in the garage comfortable. They are easy to light, heat up very quickly and do exactly what you want them to do. When it's in the 20s, I can get the work area in the garage up into the 50s. Unlike the larger heater I have that's wall mounted, you can aim these where you want the heat and get very nearly instant gratification. Great product.

Honest reviews on Mr. Heater, MH30T Double Tank Top Outdoor Propane Heater

This heater arrived within a few days after placing the order. It came in a box with good installation instructions. Works great.

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Easy to setup and use. Knock over switch works well. Puts out enough heat to keep my 2 car garage warm enough to work in.

Review of SpeedHeat Rugbuddy 370 Under Rug Space Heater, 5' X 7'

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I bought one of these early in the year & it has been a blessing in my old, drafty, under-insulated house. I don't need to crank up the expensive gas heating, but I stay nice & warm in my family room now. I am saving up to buy 2 more in smaller sizes for other rooms. The increase in my electric bill has been slight, but the decrease in my gas bill has been noticeable!

Plus my older cat loves it too! She just lays right down & goes to sleep!

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We bought our first rug buddy (5x7) for our baby's nursery and love it! It keeps his room warm (with a programmable outlet thermostat we also ordered) while we can keep our bedroom and the rest of the house cool. We loved it so much we bought a second one for our drafty living room. Guests always comment on how great it feels!

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This has saved my life. I live in a split-level house, and my entry levels are always too cold while my upstairs are always too hot. Speedheat has saved me by allowing me to just heat one room at a time...and you don't have to rip up your floors to use it either! just throw it under a rug, plug it in, and go!

Honest reviews on SpeedHeat Rugbuddy 370 Under Rug Space Heater, 5' X 7'

I have a large room on a lower floor that is always freezing. The mats really help. They do the job unless it's really cold and then I need a space heater as well. But it does a great job and exactly what I was looking for, I have 2 under a big rug.

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Since I live in apartment wanted floor heating I could take with me. This was as easy as lay down add rug, plug in.Waterproof makes it save for spills. Love it

Buy Sunpentown SP-3017 3-Liter Stainless-Steel Hot-Water Dispensing Pot

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List Price: $91.00
Sale Price: $57.83
Today's Bonus: 36% Off

Having grown up in Singapore many years ago, I was quite familiar with items like this and National brand rice cookers. My mother had one of these 20 years ago until it gave out a few years back. I purchased this item for my husband for Christmas. He couldn't wait to open it and so we've been using it for the past couple of weeks. I wish I'd bought it sooner. My husband was given a Cuisinart stainless steel Grind & Brew several years ago. Fabulous machine. However, a couple of years ago my husband found that despite his being the only coffee drinker (at the time) in the house, that it was 100% MY responsibility to keep the machine clean and ready for morning brewing. I got tired of this and last year he "discovered" the pleasure of Nescafe Classico instant coffee.

Lazy to boil water in the pot, he'd microwave his cups of water, never bothering to boil me a cup. I've been searching for months for a nice airpot and found this. Unfortunately, I didn't go online in my search and bought one at my favorite Chinese supermarket in Dallas. I paid over $75 when I could have found one online for close to $30 less. However, I have to say that I'm 100% satisfied with this product. It's incredibly convenient. Great for coffee, tea, hot chocolate & malt drinks, not to mention ramen noodles & other instant food items or frozen veggies that require de-frosting. Why didn't I get this sooner????? So easy to use. The only wish I had is that it came in a larger capacity. I love it so much that I use it all the time and have to keep filling it up!

Well worth the money paid. Extremely convenient. Easy to use. Looks great.

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besides the problems report earlier, the product is actually very unreliable . the cord quit working, contacted customer service, no responses. I had to fix it myself, after a while, it quit for good.

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i wasnt sure at first about this unit,because it would be replacing a under sink unit.the under sink unit was always breaking & it was very costly to replace. this thing is great.i got it for my wife-who has to have hot water-& its quiet,doesnt take up to much counter space,plus the stainless exterior matches everything in our kitchen. its also full automaticjust add the water. 11/12 this is an update still working pefectly......

Honest reviews on Sunpentown SP-3017 3-Liter Stainless-Steel Hot-Water Dispensing Pot

So far this product has worked exactly as described, I use only filtered/spring water in it to prevent buildup.

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I have had a hot pot for 10 years, and it finally gave up. I looked at several and I decided on this one. I like the fact that it has a lock and It is filling in for the old one just fine. The price was great too. You can pay over $100 for these babies, but why? This one is great for a lot less.

Discount Optimus H5300b Black Heater Quartz And Convection Radiant

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List Price: $162.99
Sale Price: $74.86
Today's Bonus: 54% Off

I NEEDED A HEATER THAY WOULD QUICKLY HEAT MY SUNROOM DURING THE WINTER MONTHS AND THIS ONE FILLED ALL MY HOPES.

THE SITE WAS EASY TO NAVIGATE AND THE PRICES WERE VERY RESONABLE.

THE MERCHANDISE WAS DELIVERED ON TIME.

I WILL RECOMMEND THIS SITE TO OTHERS AND WILL BE SHOPPING HERE AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.

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Discount Venture Tape 3"x150' White Vinyl Tape 460-K008

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I used this tape to tidy up the installation of an Owens Corning Garage Door Insulation Kit (also sold on Amazon INSULATION GARAGE DOOR). This tape is the exact same stuff that came in the Owens Corning kit.

This is very, very sticky! It has a peel-off backing.

This is vinyl tape if you don't know what that means, think blow-up pool toys.

Made in USA.

As of July 2011, this is the same product as that sold by McMaster-Carr as item no. 77375A82 (they call it "Embossed Vinyl Insulation Tape; Highly conformable, this tape also has a pebbly, embossed surface that matches the surface of insulation. Thin yet strong, it's shrink-resistant, making it ideal for repairing insulation and water heater blankets. Tape has an acrylic adhesive. Temperature range is -25° to +260° F; apply at +10° to +100° F. Supplied on a cardboard spool.") However, I can't really say that the surface is "pebbly." McMaster also sells it in black.

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Looked around for this tape locally and was astonished at the price, so checked out online and opted to go through Amazon. The tape was used for repairing the vinyl vapor barrier/insulation on our basement walls prior to our basement finishing project this summer and both the flexibility and adhesion properties are superior. The tape arrived within a couple days of order, so both the merchant and product are on top of their game.

Best Deals on Venture Tape 3"x150' White Vinyl Tape 460-K008

I was under the impression this was the Vinyl insulation tape with foam (R1 rating), it however is not, just plain Vinyl tape. I did end up keeping it, but not for what I intended it for.

Honest reviews on Venture Tape 3"x150' White Vinyl Tape 460-K008

I had some white vinyl faced insulation for a garage door and needed some extra tape to tape the joints. This was easy to apply and did the trick. Plenty sticky and seems pretty strong, although I didn't need it for its strength.

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this tape was advertised as embosed and it was not. it was just plain slick tape so it did not match my job application