Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Hunter 30917 Replacement Filter

This is not a HEPA filter, since it does not meet HEPA standards in terms of particle filtration efficiency. Putting "HEPA" in the name is deceptive, and allows to sell a cheap item for several times the price.

I got this to test the filter media to see if it can be used for a true HEPA application in an electronics room. We have tested this filter at 60 CFM using an APC plus particle counter and got the following readings (presented as counts in the 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 micron ranges). Numbers are accurate to within 10%.

Ambient air:

20565, 1125, 254, 0

Hunter-Filtered air:

2102, 51, 32, 0

Positive control (true HEPA filter we used a Whatman HEPA-CAP here to make sure the counter is accurate)

0, 0, 0, 0.

Thus, this filter is ~90% efficient which should be enough for the most folks to achieve an allergy relief, but also could be achieved by a variety of much cheaper electrostatic filters rated above MERV10 one can get at HomeDepot.

The federal HEPA standard is 99.97% particle removal at 0.3 microns and this filter is more than 2 orders of magnitude (factor of 100+) below this rating. The media appears to be polypropylene and has a surface area at least an order of magnitude smaller than a true HEPA filter which is not surprising.

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Berkey Light with 2 Black Filters

I question where some of these reviewers got their information about performance tests. Check out .

On one of the tabs you'll find analysis results.

The FAQ page says: "There are simply too many varieties of pharmaceuticals that could end up in drinking water. By too many I mean it is impossible to test for them all. However, we do know from testing, that the purification process used by the Black Berkey elements remove more pollutants than any other system available on the market today." It also describes a test you can do by adding red food coloring to the water to be sure the filter is working. Any filter that will remove red food coloring has to be pretty effective.

Regarding the high TDS rate one reviewer mentions, the FAQ page says, "Berkey purification systems do not remove the beneficial minerals from the water but they do extract harmful heavy metals such as lead and mercury as well as sedimentary minerals such as iron oxide. Therefore, the TDS (total dissolved solids) reading will not typically change much unless there are a lot of heavy metals or sedimentary minerals in the source water."

About viruses, the FAQ page says: "Berkey is the original North American distributor for British Berkefeld, a company who makes the finest ceramic water filter available. These ceramic filters are excelent at removing harmful bacteria from sediment heavy, contaminated drinking water. It soon became clear to Berkey that a more powerful filter was needed, one that not only removed bacteria but was also in addition able to remove chemicals, viruses, heavy metals fertilizers and a long list of additional contaminants from your drinking water. After many years of research Berkey developed the Black Berkey purification element. This filter gives you all of the benifits of the ceramic filter with the added abilities mentioned above. Black Berkey purification element signifigantly raised the bar to a level that no other gravity flow water filters are curently able to attain."

These filters are used all over the world by aid agencies. You won't find any filter on the market that will purify better. Certainly not simple charcoal filters like Pur. On this page: it explains that a water filter has to remove 99.99% of pathogenic bacteria. To be sold as a "purifier" it has to remove 99.9999%. "All Berkey systems that contain the Black Berkey elements are classified as water purifiers. In fact Berkey Water Purifiers remove 99.9999999% (log 9 reduction) of pathogenic bacteria. To our knowledge no other water filtration device in the world can match that claim."

I have had a Big Berky for 2 months, due to a cancer diagnosis my treatment plan requires drinking pure water with no added fluoride and no residual agrotoxins, etc. The Berkey filters were the best solution I could find of anything on the market and we're loving the water and quick and easy system.

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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

General Electric GENERAL ELECTRIC WB2X9761 GREASE FILTER

I have a 21 year old stove and was worried about getting a replacement filter as there is no way to do so locally but the filter arrived fast and is better than the original filter.

Honeywell 4B-H703 Central Vacuum Power Unit

This product really sucks! I could't resist the juvenile pun. Recently installed one of these as a replacement for an older vac unit that bit the dust. 4,000 square foot home with 5 inlets. Works great. Plenty of suction power, easy to install and easy to empty. Great price too. Two thumbs up for a mid range central vac unit.

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Monday, December 29, 2014

Clothes Pins Soft Grip XL -36-Pack Clothespins

I hang 90% of my laundry on clotheslines to dry. These clothespins are the best that I've ever used! Previously, I would only use old wooden spring action clothespins because they were the strongest type of pin. These lightweight plastic pins are every bit as strong as the old wooden type pins, plus they are easier to use due to their user-friendly design. Another plus is that these pins open a full 1" wide and can grip even the thickest fabric or garment. Excellent product!

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Miele FJM Synthetic Vacuum Bags and Filters by Filtrete

I got tired of the overpriced Miele bags ( $5 each, to fill with dirt and throw away? really?) and looked for an alternative. The 3m bags are still more expensive than the cheapest knock off bag, but they are the best engineered. Miele's reincarnated FJM bag now features a clapper valve that is supposed to shut between vacuuming sessions. Problem is, once the bag starts to fill, the debris prevents the valve from closing. This allows the contents to spill out when the bag is removed. 3m continues to use the old slide up door that clicks into place when you remove the full bag. As far as operational performance, I can discern no appreciable difference.

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Sunday, December 28, 2014

Febreze Noticeables Refill

I love my Febreze Noticeable but have to say the worse scent I have smelled is the "Meadows and Rain". I bought it because it was on sale. Other scents I LOVE. The Meadows and Rain I would not keep now if it was given to me for free. It smells terrible! I plugged it in less than 24 hours ago and noticed an unpleasant smell. I thought it was my trash and got the trash out and still noticed the smell. All day I smelled something like a dirty diaper pail. I then walked around and realized it was the Meadows and Rain. It is not a good scent at all. I see why it was on sale and will stick to buying the others.

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Saturday, December 27, 2014

LG Kompressor Pet Care Upright Vacuum

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)

This video review demonstrates the features, noise level, suction, and other aspects of the LG Luv200, a bagless vacuum cleaner obviously designed to go head-to-head with Dyson machines. Here, you'll see the Luv200 work on multiple surfaces. The only thing is lacks is a self-propelling agitator for easier movement. Unfortunately, due to the file size limitation, I had to cut a couple minutes out of my original video, so if you have a question about something that I didn't cover, just ask. UPDATE: A leading consumer magazine has rated this in its 2/2011, and the Luv200 is one of the recommended purchases in the bagless category.

-Debbie Lee Wesselmann

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16X25X5 MERV 13 Goodman Replacement Filter

These are the by far the best filters I've ever had in a furnace. These MERV 13 filters do an excellent job of filtering the air without restricting air flow. There is a noticeable difference in the air quality and dust levels in the house after installing this filter. These filters are fairly pricey, but for this type of filtering system, and the quality of filter it's not bad at all. Luckily a 2 pack will last for about a year. I am happy with the product, will purchase them again, and would recommend them to others.

Honeywell 29500 HEPA Media Filter

The description says "Genuine Honeywell Part." It is not. I have owned 3 Honeywell 50300 air purifiers for the past 5 years, and the Honeywell filters for the product have a black base and top, and black mesh on the sides. The filter being sold here has a white base and top, and white mesh on the sides. It smells bad, too, like adhesive.

The filter being sold here, according to the information contained in the box is actually an RPS product, Model E295.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Purely Products PEILHP Ionic Lifestyle

Item just tossed in a box. No instructions, no packaging, nothing. Should be zero stars. Product may be fine, but can't tell without some sort of instructions.

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Holmes HAP242-UC HEPA Type Desktop Air Purifier

I've owned mine for about 5 years, and I love it. I was surprised to see so many negative comments from other reviewers. If I may add my two cents to the discussion:

* This machine works great as an air purifier for small/medium bedrooms. It is designed to remove dust and other allergens from the air, and it does so quite well in my opinion. It's not meant to clean the air in the whole house. It's not meant to remove strong odors like stinky pets, dirty diapers, etc. That's what an odor eliminator is for. (I use a Hamilton Beach 04271R TrueAir Plug-Mount Odor Eliminator next to the litter box, and I can't complain.) An odor eliminator contains a carbon filter than neutralizes bad smells. A HEPA air purifier contains a filter of thickly folded fibrous paper that strains tiny particles out of the air. The two devices have completely different purposes and methods.

* Yes, you do have to replace the filter periodically. I run my unit continuously on the low setting and have to replace the filter about once a year. Target usually sells them in two-packs or three-packs for a good price.

* It needs to be wiped down with a damp cloth every couple of weeks because the outer casing gathers dust and lint. In my experience it does NOT, as other users have commented, get filthy. I supposed it might if you never cleaned it. The fact that it attracts dust means it's working.

* It's almost silent on the low setting. Medium is audible but not intrusive. The high setting is almost as loud as a dust buster. I've found the low setting to be sufficient for small bedrooms.

I hope this helps.

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Thursday, December 25, 2014

Miele 25 Miele Type Gn Premium Hepa Filtration Canister Vacuum Cleaner Bags

Really a good alternative to the expensive Miele brand bags for my Miele sweeper. Fit was as good as original, Miele brand, bags unlike another brand I had tried.

BestAir ES12 Kenmore 14911

This replacement set of filters fits my emerson and essex console humidifier and does a great job of filtering the air. However, it does not wick up much water as the pure paper ones so it defeats the purpose of having a humidifier. Since I replaced these with the stock paper only filter/wicks, I get over twice as much water into the air in 24 hours. I would not recommend these if you want humidity in the air from the humidifier. Look for the accordion paper ones.

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Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Honeywell HFD-120-Q Tower Quiet Air Purifier

I decided to get this air cleaner after trying the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze and a larger Honeywell HEPA filter. At the time of purchase, the Sharper Image was the only one with a permanent filter. This was a big plus for me seeing as the older HEPA cleaners have 2 filters to replace, the larger one being nearly the price of the machine. This Honeywell tower has a permanent filter.

There are many claims for and against the Ionic Breeze. I'm still undecided on how effective it is -but I feel almost the same way about my large HEPA filter. I found myself running both of them to control my allergies. Although I cleaned them regularly and found dust on both, I can't say the air was particularly different. However, shortly after turning this on in the bedroom for the first time, I could smell a difference. I haven't had it long enough to say it's made a real dent in my allergies -plus the fact that my allergies are intermittant -but I'm pleased that I even notice it.

One thing to note -the Amazon description says there is an independently controlled Ionizer. I assumed that meant I could control it independently of the HEPA Unit. If that's the case, I have yet to see how. It's not mentioned anywhere in the tiny booklet and there are no buttons for it. For that reason, I am giving this 4 stars instead of 5. I did want to control the ionizer separately because I wanted to be able shut that off entirely. There are camps on both sides arguing for an against ionizers, and some claim they make breathing worse -so being able to compare with and without it was something I wanted to try. If anyone else knows how to do it, then post it here. :)

Compared to the larger Honeywell that I own, this one is much more quiet on each of its three settings. When I first read the description I didn't pay attention to the oscillating function. Now, it's my favorite part of this cleaner. The oscillator is the thing that is independent of the cleaner -and when its on, the machine rotates in place, back and forth, blowing the air in an arc. I like this feature a lot and I think helps with cleaning a larger area. Maybe the ionizer is attached to this feature?

This unit is significantly heavier than the similar looking Ionic Breeze. Also, the manual states it should be placed 3 feet from any wall or furniture. The cord is not that long, and placing the cord behind some furniture to get to an outlet has made it nearly impossible for me to reach a spot a full 3 feet away.

Anyway, so far I am pleased and would recommend this unit to some one who is looking for a compromise between those two types of cleaners.

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SPT Polar Bear Ultrasonic Humidifier

I already have a Hello Kitty Crane type Humidifier and almost got another but decided to get this Polar Bear one instead. I'm glad I got this one for my bedroom since it's about half the size of Hello Kitty and is easy to refill (a bit more easier than Hello Kitty).

It's not heavy as the HK one can get and it's easier to clean too. On the Medium setting (which would be halfway to to the MAX settingsince there's no actual words printed on the unit, just dots), it lasted for almost 3 days straight on a full tank and then it turned off automatically when empty. It works really well even though it's smaller.

Hello Kitty does not turn off like this one does when the tank is empty, the HK stays on with a red light glowing. This one really does turn off and doesn't keep using your electricity like the HK one does.

Plenty of steam comes from the nose of the bear on MAX but the things near it will get wet easily fairly quickly. I recommend the Medium setting and you'll get the best output for moisture that isn't too much or too little. Plus it'll last for days (2 days and a half or so for me and even though the tank isn't real big, it lasts a long while more than the HK one. It's really nice not have to refill so often).

Hello Kitty has a soft blue night light feature, but it does get a little hot at the base. No fire issues for me though and I've had mine for years.

The Polar Bear's base gets warm but it's no where near hot and when it turns off due to an empty tank, it really does turns off (unlike HK which stays on and continues to be hot at the base).

I get sinusitis often due to polyps so this humidifier is a must for me. I sleep better because of it.

This unit is probably the safest option/version for your kids since it doesn't get heated like the Crane ones (I do like the Crane units except for the heat issue).

I highly recommend this Polar Bear. It's blue and white and very cute/charming with the bear having a clear blue tummy. (The HK model is hard to see the water level unless you turn on the night light and it's dark in the room.)

I'm thinking of buying another for my sister. Just wish it had a night light feature like the Hello Kitty one does. Thank you for reading my review :)

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Oreck Dual Max Air Purifier

I've been waiting for a forced air ionizer/air cleaner like this for awhile. I use fan based HEPA air filters, and this is by far quieter than any of those. On medium and low settings, the Oreck is nearly completely silent. Even on high, for the amount of air it puts out, I still consider it moderately quiet. Remember, I'm accustomed to fan based HEPA filters, so this is by far more quiet than any.

As for the odor absorbency, this leaves a bit to be desired. It does work but not in a single pass manner. Many carbon filter manufacturers (the part of HEPA filters that scrub out odor) usually pride themselves on single pass efficiency. In other words the ideal goal is to eliminate 99.9% of odor on the first pass. I am a smoker so this becomes important to eliminate smell ASAP.

On all settings, low, medium, high, the odor would be scrubbed about 85% out. For non smokers or low to moderate odor environments, this is probably good enough. The odor scrubber is simply a few strips of ultraviolet LEDs' that can be turned on and off, though I see no reason to turn it off. Ultraviolet light is the best odor absorber to date; however being LEDs' and the fact that a little odor remains tells me the LEDs' don't put out true UV light, or are simply not powerful enough.

Pros:

Super quiet

Easy to clean, nearly fool proof

Doesn't get dirty too quickly

It will dry the "Truman cell" ionizer prior to energizing it, so it doesn't cause permanent damage.

Nightlight that has 3 brightness levels (off, low, high)

Remote control

Cons:

Odor absorbency could be better, but is adequate.

I will update further if anything changes.

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Smoke Buddy Personal Air Filter

This is the most useful product I could have ever wished for man. I have one my car and like one also for the house. Oh yeah one spare too. So this product works for all smoke just so you know. It only lasts for one ounce of herb though man, but it's worth adding to the cost of an ounce. Buy this if you're smoking inside and can't get caught or don't want smell.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Hamilton Beach TrueAir Plug-In Air Cleaner

I have 4 of these....

If you want a small kind of noisy fan in the room with you buy it. It does a mediocre at best job of removing pet odor or cigar smoke. I'd buy a larger air cleaner. Please dont repeat my mistake.You get what you pay for. The unit plugs into the wall and operates with the same noise as any 4 inch fan. It doesnt pull enough air through the filter to be effective.

I have a big kenmore that really works well. Its all about moving air through the filter; this one just doesnt seem to pull much through.

Thanks and good luck

Sunday, December 21, 2014

GE Air Purifier Charcoal Filter Kit

I ordered a Airpurifier HEPA filter so I saw the charcoal filters and when I bought my unit it only came with the Hepa filter so I never tried it till I got these the HEPA filter does a good job but it does not take the oders out of the air the charcoal does I have noticed a difference with the charcoal filter in it. I recommend useing one.

NewAir AF330 Portable Evaporative Swamp Air Cooler

The AF-330 NewAir Evaporative Swamp Cooler with Special HEPA Air Purifier is a pretty good swamp cooler with just a couple of flaws. As with all swamp coolers, it isn't going to make your room feel air conditioned, but in dry climates, it is good to sleep with it blowing over you, or it is good to get raise the humidity levels somewhat. Now for the good stuff first about this unit.

For starters, the 13-liter water tank means that you won't have to fill it as often. Most portable swamp coolers I've owned only had a 10-liter tank which means they don't last more than 8-hours on "cool." There's also an ice tray to add ice for additional cooling effect.

Next on the plus list are the air filter system. In addition to the standard foam filter, it comes with a HEPA filter and a carbon filter. Combined with the ION setting, this really seemed to make an improvement in air quallity. After a month of use, I haven't noticed the normal "swamp stench" that swamp coolers usually get. I don't know if those filters are the reason or not, but there you go.

The fan is much more powerful than any previous portable swamp cooler I've owned. Even at the low setting, the fan works pretty good when sleeping in front of it.

The controls are pretty standard. You get the 1-8 hour timer, oscillating louver control, 3 fan speeds, "cool" function (to activate the swamp cooler function), and ION control. The unit comes with a handy remote control which handles all features, which is great for controling the unit while in bed. ^_^

There were two negatives. The biggest is adding water to the tank. The portable swamp coolers I've owned before have had a convienent port on the side of the unit were one can add a gallon of water to the tank in a few seconds. This unit has no such port. Instead, water has to be added to the top of the unit where a small section is partitioned off from the ice tray to add water. As such, it only holds a small amount of water and the drain into the tank isn't very large. So it can take a couple of minutes to empty a gallon of water into the tank. That's pretty tedious, especially when you are tired and just want to go to sleep.

The other problem I had was with the documentation. As you note, the product description proudly mentions the carbon filter. The box the unit comes in proudly mentions this. And a carbon filter comes sealed with the unit. Initially, I thought that maybe this was some sort of water filter since I've used carbon filters for fish tanks and for water pitchers. However, there is NOTHING in the documentation that says anything about the carbon filter. The regular foam air filter and the HEPA filter are mentioned, but that's it. Since it didn't seem to obviously go into the water tank (that is a bit of a pain to get to) and it did fit the back panel where the air filters are, I put it back there. But does it go before or after the HEPA filter? Some documentation would have been nice.

The final negative about the unit is purchasing replacement filters. I found none on Amazon's site. Air & Water, the company from which the unit actually came, has a website, and while ordering the unit directly from them gives you the option to purchase additional filters, their website has no place to just purchase replacement filters. That's pretty stupid if you ask me.

Bottom line: There are many good things about this swamp cooler to include the HEPA filter, carbon filter, larger water tank, ION feature, and greater fan power. The lack of a good water input port, no information about the carbon filter, and a lack of ease to aquire replacement filters weren't enough to stop me from giving this an overall "buy" recommendation.

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Shark Navigator Lift Around Pod Vacuum

First of all, doesn't it seem strange (and marginally ethical) that many of the positive reviews are authored by Shark "Ambassadors"? Do they receive their units for free and then post (mostly) positive ratings. I wonder...

Regarding my experience: This unit is light and easy to use, but I found it poorly implemented, fragile and not well constructed. By their nature, vacuums see a bit of rough use. The first thing to fail was the cleverly designed power/rotary brush. This is the best attachment and it jammed after a few minutes of use; fixing it required 15 minutes+ of troubleshooting (the manual was marginally helpful) to remove some small debris. This experience repeated itself to the point where it rendered this attachment practically useless (although I reduced my down-time to several minutes per incident as I gained experience and expertise with this issue). Then, with a bit more use, the hose tore off, rendering the entire unit useless. Can not recommend it, feel ripped-off and would not purchase it again. Other than that, it was all good.

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Saturday, December 20, 2014

Blueair 601 Air Purification System

The product description and independent reviews (e.g., allergybuyersclub) say it all. This is an excellent air filter, quiet & reliable. The improvement in my office's air quality is dramatic. My unit is combating strong chemicals, pollen, auto fumes & cigarette smoke seeping in my window cracks, and occasional thick smoke from controlled burns. With the BlueAir601 on, I don't react to any of it, and I have very sensitive allergies.

Genuine Electrolux Carbon Filters EL023

$34 for a few carbon filters? You can buy them in bulk from Honeywell. They come in a sheet 16.5 X 48 inches long. You can get 3 filters out of one sheet. DON'T buy the cheaper generics, you'll be sorry. There's two types, depending on your main concern. Smokers will definitely want the second style, HRF-AP1, NOT the HRF-APP1

These are made with Activated Carbon made with Zeolite/Volcanic Rock.

Copy and paste this link:

http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HRF-APP1-Filter-HEPAClean-Purifier/dp/B0046L57WA/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1333328103&sr=8-7

Pro's

1 Great for chemical fumes and odors

2 Good for kitchen odors

3 Good for pet odors

4 Good for new car smells

5 Can be re-used by putting it in the sun

Con's

1 Hard to find in it's pure form

2 Not available for most air purifiers

These are made with Activated Coal Carbon.

http://www.amazon.com/Kaz-Home-Environment-HRF-AP1-Honeywell/dp/B003UH9I2G/ref=pd_sim_hg_1

Pro's

1 Great for smoke of any kind

2 Great for kitchen odors

3 Great for pet odors

4 Great for chemical fumes and odors

Con's

1 Has to be replaced periodically

2 Most carbon filters are overpriced

Carbon made from COAL is the air purifier best odor absorber.

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Friday, December 19, 2014

Metrokane Rabbit Wine Aerating Pourer

In these days of over-hyped products that rarely work as advertised, it's a treat to find something that actually does what it's supposed to do. Metrokane's Rabbit Wine Aerating Pourer is one that does, based on our family's experience. We've found it greatly improves the taste and drinkability of freshly opened red wines without having to decant them from the bottle, while at the same time being functional and easy to use. As an added bonus, clean up is a snap! We tried it out with members of our gourmet group and it garnered kudos from all concerned. Highly recommended!

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