Saturday, January 31, 2015

Comfort Zone CZST161BTEBK Pedestal Fan

I compared varies models and then saw this was priced the best. It works great. Great airflow. Solid stand. Easy to assemble. Won`t tip over easily. Quality construction. Watch out for negative reviews. They are often published by employees of other companies. And almost 99% of products have negative reviews. I have bumped this fan with my wheelchair and it didn`t tip over. My animals and kids are playfull and even they couldn`t tip it over.

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Smellkiller Zilosoap, Blue

This little gizmo does indeed remove odors on your hands, just as advertised. Great price, love the blue color, and makes a wonderful small shower/birthday/etc/stocking stuffer. I bought two, assuming it would work. Fortunately, it does and now some other happy camper will find this nifty gadget tucked in their package from me.

Friday, January 30, 2015

Rainbow 10520 HEPA Filter for post-9280000 Rexair E series

The picture shows it's the right filter from the front, but when you get the product the connection in the back is wrong. Do not purchase if you can not see front and back!

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3M Filtrete Eureka HF-2 HEPA Vacuum Filter

I have had my Eureka 4870 vacuum for 7 yrs. I replaced the generic HEPA filters I WAS buying from other Amazon suppliers with the black 3M Filtrete Model HF-2 listed here, and (believe it or not) the black 3M Filtrete is far superior IMHO. The amount of air is much greater coming out of the front of the vac. A restricted HEPA Filter is just like a restricted bag. The generics I had used before had an orange casing & had the A & H scent "pad" in the center. Not good....not only did they smell worse than no scent at all but obviously the scent pad was restricting the air flow. Do not buy the Arm & Hammer models. They are shown on the first image above but mine does not look like that at all. The 3M Filtrete package is red & blue not red & white as the Arm & Hammer is. The 3M Filtrete Eureka HF-2 allows more air to pass through the vac, meaning more suction. Mine has the model # 67802A on the back (not front) of the wrapper, does not mention ARM & HAMMER just 3M Filtrete & has a black filter case and may be difficult to find now with all the look-alikes and wrong pics posted. I have posted my own images above of the new one I just received today. I'll gladly pay the extra $5 or so over the cheap generics. The vac also now makes a satisfying deep suction sound I have never heard before. I also use 4 of the 3M Filtrete stand-alone HEPA air filters so I know they make great filters. Worth the small $$ difference to me for sure. Try one for yourself. I ordered from Amazon Prime & they did not send the Arm & Hammer shown in the first pic. Thank goodness. The correct 3M Filtrete package is red & blue with a model # 67802A on the back, not 61111 on the front. Confusing.

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Thursday, January 29, 2015

Essick Air 5D6 700 4-Speed Mini Console Humidifier,White

I just purchased this for a rental property of mine and have been using it for around 1 week. This unit is definitely not fancy, consists of a the fan/motor unit, 2 wicks, and around 3-4 gallon tank for the water. The fan has 4 speed settings, and it has a humidity detection unit that can be set in 20% intervals from 20% to 90% (constant) run. It claims to cover around 1100 sq feet, and so far it is easily doing that. Here are the negatives:

1. Filling is a bit of a hassle. You have to lift the top off and set it aside. The cord tethers you to a small radius of the unit to do this

2. On fan speeds of 3 and 4, the unit can be quite loud. 1 and 2 are soft enough to actually be used in a bedroom or living room.

3. It uses two wicks, costing on average between 10 and 15 dollars a piece. This can be costly to change them if you have really hard water like some of my houses.

4. I had to exchange the unit one time after 1 days use. The motor unit was making a loud "buzzing noise" above the noise of the fan, like a starter in a florescent light continually being charged. The replacement one I have is working good.

I purchased because I did not have many choices in the rural area, nor did I have the budget to invest in another Honeywell HCM-6009 Quietcare, so this will suffice. I will keep this unit tucked in the corner of the dining room, away from the living area, but close enough to cover the bedrooms upstairs. For the price, this will serve it's purpose, but there are better units out there.

FAPF01/FAPF02 3M Filtrete Aftermarket Replacement Filter

This product is about the same as a CHEAP furnace filter that you could purchase from Home Depot or Lowes for much less. If you're like me you purchased your Filtrete Air Purifier for almost HEPA properties. Make sure that when you order, you order Genuine 3M replacement and not "Aftermarket"...if you do order this aftermarket product, you will not be satisfied as it only has maybe 25% to 30% of the filter media as the 3M.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Dyson DC23 Animal Vacuum Cleaner

First, you need to understand that there are several models for the DC23 series. As of Oct 2010, there are the Turbohead, Animal and Motorhead. The canister for all 3 models are technically the same (minus the color). The differences between the 3 models are the accessories (e.g. length of hose, tools, handle, etc) that come with each, and how each machine can be stored away.

For a quick rundown of the differences, it is best to refer to dyson's online store and read the "Plus the following Accessories..." in the specifications tab.

This review is specifically for DC 23 ANIMAL (obviously), but most part of the review is applicable for all 3 models.

PRO:

powerful suck thru carpet

pick up animal hairs (cat) like magic

multiple intelligent designs that simplify the vacuuming job

comes with useful tools that can handle most home situations well

most parts can be cleaned easily with cold water

no non-durable parts

long power cable

not THAT noisy

good looking

very helpful customer representative from DYSON

CON:

takes an unexpectedly large amount of horizontal space to store it away despite the small canister (the way it stands in the product picture is the way it is supposed to be put away)

it is a dust magnet and can be difficult to clean up due to many small parts and gaps

may need a longer bit of time than average to fully utilize the machine

very small trash holding capacity

short hose length

very expensive for a vacuum cleaner

Bottom line (my personal opinion):

It does the job (vacuuming) really well. However, it makes me think that the cheapest model in the DC23 series (Turbohead) may suffice my everyday needs, as there are no big difference between the two on paper.

I am a techie yet it took me an unexpectedly long time to figure out what are all those many buttons and tools for. I think they may have 'over-engineered' it in certain area.

It takes a lot of space to store it in my tiny apartment. The Motorhead of the DC23 series that uses less storage space (due to the longer hose) but it is $100 on top of the already expensive $500 pricetag. Luckily, I can improvise and make it takes up less space but detaching certain parts but it also increases the 'setup' time needed for each use.

It's a keep.

Honeywell #V400 1.5GAL Mist Impeller

During the winter, the air in our home is VERY dry so I was not turned off by reviews of this humidifier producing too much moisture. Boy was I wrong! After 3 consecutive days of overnight use, the carpet was drenched AND there was this odd white dust on everything within a 2-3 foot radius of the humidifier! I've used it on and off for the last few months and the results were ALWAYS the same....wet carpet and white dust. Needless to say, I am in the process of looking into humidiers that don't drench carpet or produce white dust.

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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Hisense DH-70K1SJE Energy Star 70-Pint 2-Speed Dehumidifier

This dehumidifier didn't work since day one. It ran but never extracted any moisture/water. Obviously a defective product. I called the manufacturer to use the warranty, and was told that in a case like this they tell the customer to return it to the place of purchase. I called Amazon, explained the situation, and they could not have been more accommodating. They sent me a return label and said I could return the product to them for a full refund. Great customer service.

Hamilton Beach Blue Humidifier Replacement Filter

I like the size of this humidifier/vaporizor, but it is a little noisier than I expected. I could not find the filters instore anywhere, which was very annoying but I think I saw them at WalMart recently. We run the vaporizor almost 24 hrs a day since our baby girl was born 2.5 yrs ago and I have used 4 filters. It's good for white noise too. Just remember to run it dry each time to make the filter last longer and prevent mildew from growing in the container.

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Monday, January 26, 2015

Indus Classic Himalayan Salt Crystal Natural Candle Holder Asthma Curing Gift

Absolutely love this product, bought two for my home. One for living and one for bedroom. Emits a beautiful, soft and comforting light to relax by. Defiently would recommend this to anyone.

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Hunter model 30901, Universal Pre-Filter Replacement

I did receive charcoal pre-filters for use with my Hunter air purifier but was expecting the Hunter product. Instead I received a generic model with a note from the seller stating they were sorry but didn't have the Hunter filters in stock. I did not receive any credit to my account for this vendor substitution.

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Sunday, January 25, 2015

RO MIGHTY MITE SYSTEM 50GPD

Where I live we have had a few notifications from our local water department of elevated levels of arsenic; NOT GOOD. So I've had it in the back of my mind to get an RO system for some time;

and this little gem fit the bill. I am what you would call "mechanically challenged". I didn't want an elaborate under the counter system with it's own faucet that would have to be installed; to complicated for me; besides I live in a rental; and I was impressed with the reviews here too.

My order arrived in 10 days (there were two weekends in between)So it was fairly fast.

The only complaint (and I notified Abundant Flow) were the instructions. I felt there should be pic's explaining the hardware but in the back of the booklet, was a flow diagram.

First off, remove the aerator from your faucet. Attach the adapter (provided with the unit)by screwing onto faucet where the aerator was. The Quick Disconnect then attaches to the adapter. Connect the RED hose to the Quick Disconnect that mates with the fitting installed on the faucet. No tools required On the Red hose, unscrew the collar slip it over the red hose connect the hose to the nipple on the Quick Disconnect; which locks the hose to the quick disconnect

UPDATE: I didn't know that when you push the quick disconnect up onto the faucet, BE SURE TO PUSH UP ON THE COLLAR OR RING TO LOCK IT ONTO THE FAUCET. Otherwise when you turn the faucet on the quick disconnect will just pop off the faucet. Now I can turn my faucet on full force and fill the container in less time.

I almost sent this unit back. I was unsure about all the water being expelled from the Yellow hose (BAD WATER) which is the drain and little coming from the Blue (Good). I contacted Mark @ Abundant Flow and e-mailed me that you will get about a 4 to 1 ratio of waste (Bad) to Good water. It (Good water)filled up a 32oz juice bottle in just a few minutes. So I'm happy about that. It comes with enough hoses to hang yourself so just cut the excess off just make sure to have enough Yellow for the drain.

I highly recommend to have some containers on hand to store purified water in. I'm using empty gallon milk jugs.

UPDATE

I keep forgetting about the water filling the jug and overflowing so I created an overflow system see pic

UPDATE:

It took 35 minutes to fill up a gallon milk jug

I also ordered an Inline DI Adder Kit here on Amazon for the removal of the arsenic; that unit is the final filter that connects to the Blue line.

So all and all I'm very pleased with this unit once I understood how it works and mounted it to the wall in just minuets; the bracket unfolds see main pic for that then just folds back onto itself.

Update:

I purchased a TDS meter and unfiltered water measured at 106 PPM and filtered 001; note this is within the margin of error so I would presume that it would actually be 0 also I have installed a DI final filter

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Airpura Industries R600 Air Purifier

great air purifier, love the black color. used this for cleaning up so called zero voc paint fumes. works great and we keep it on all the time and it has made our indoor air quality just amazing.

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Saturday, January 24, 2015

Miele S2121 Olympus Canister Vacuum Cleaner

I underwent a long and arduous search for the best vacuum, and I finally found it. I read a ton of reviews and looked at lots of models, and am very happy with my choice. However, we've only had it for a few weeks, so perhaps I'll find fault later on, but for now, my husband and I are both thrilled with this vac. It's light, easy to maneuver and great on our hardwood floors and rugs. Even though there is no brush roller, it still works well on all our rugs, which are mostly orientals and some with a fairly thick pile. One caveat: Make sure you use the switch on the vac head to go from hardwood to carpet, or else it will make that terrible scraping sound another reviewer wrote about. Once you hit the switch it works fine, so I guess that person just didn't notice the switch. It's nice and quiet and also works well on cat hair. The only criticism I have is that the vent blower on top of the vac can blow dust a bit but that's only when you are holding it at odd angles, like on the stairs. Once I was aware of that, I was able to turn it to avoid the issue. The cord was long enough for me; didn't have that issue as others have. I love that it has a holder to keep the wand upright when you need to stop and move something-you don't have to find something to lean it on. Overall, I'm VERY pleased!!!

NOTE: Amazon lists a suggestion to buy vac bags at the same time, but it listed the wrong kind of bag. This machine takes G/N bags and not the other kind as was listed.

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Essick Air 1102 Replacement Electrostatic

Received the product new in good packaging. The product fit my air purifier as expected. We will see if it collects dust like the previous prefilters.

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Friday, January 23, 2015

Frigidaire FRA052XT7 5,000-BTU Mini Window Air Conditioner

I spent quite a bit of time researching A/C before purchasing. We live in Oregon and it doesn't get too hot but there's a month or two in the summer where the heat and humidity get oppressive in the house. I wanted an inexpensive, small, window A/C to increase the comfort. I wanted something small enough that I can store it the other 10 months.

So, after much research I ordered this model. I was going to get the 6K BTU model with the electronic controls but I figured I would get something super cheap and if it didn't work I could use it as a single room cooler. Shipped free which makes this a pretty good deal. Arrived in about a week.

Installation was easy, following the instructions in the manual. I did have to install and remove the A/C about 3 times to get all the sealing right. In the box there's a lot of different thicknesses of foam and foam tape. There is no specific instructions about what to do with this, except the stuff for the top gap of the upper sash. So, I experimented with various combos to get a good seal. We have recent vinyl windows with screens but no storms so the unit basically dropped right in. However, there are some gaps around the bottom in this configuration. I stuffed these with the thickest foam that came with the unit. This did the trick but didn't look too great. Luckly I ordered extra foam tape as another reviewer recommended, and I used small pieces of that to caulk around it inside and outside, leaving the big foam inside. It actually looks pretty neat and professional. $4 well spent ;)

Anyway, the unit is installed in our main living room. We are in a 1940's box bungalow so this room is about half of the width and length of the house. The bedrooms and kitchen connect to it. With it on HI cool/Max(7) the entire house has been very cold and huge amounts of water have been pulled out. We will see how it performs in the upcoming week of 95+ temps. We keep a few $10 box fans around to circulate air so I can move the cold air around.

One thing is that I have heard mentioned on a few other models is that the fan catches water in the pan and spits it around. This is a feature and not a bug ;). The unit is designed to pitch backward slightly when properly mounted. Moisture removed from the room collects at the bottom. The fan blade is coated in rubber and it's designed to suck water up and spray it on the evaporator coils. This facilitates some precooling of the outside air. It drastically increases efficiency. I would not drill drain holes, as other people have mentioned.

Summary:

$100, and my house is cold AND quiet. You can't say much more. If it's not enough for the hottest day I might get one more and move them to the bedrooms. It's very quiet on low but I like white noise.. I hope it lasts, even if it doesn't I'd gladly pay another $100 in 2 years.

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14x20x5 (13.75x19.75x4.38) MERV 10 Honeywell Grille Filter

These things are hard to find locally, so I'm happy to have this online source. The price is about what you'd expect to pay for it at the store if you can them.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

FilterStream H-100 DirtTamer Hand-Held Vacuum HEPA Filter

The H-100 DirtTamer is as advertised. Living alone in a small, one bedroom, carpetless apartment, I find it lightweight, convenient to use and powerful enough to handle my vacuuming needs without the bulk of a full sized machine. The filtering system seems to work well because there is a noticeable reduction in dust build-up since I began using it. The price is quite reasonable, and for light cleaning, I would recommend it to anyone.

A/C Safe??? Pan Tablet

  • Use for air conditioners, humidifiers, or refridgerators
  • Cleans scum and other accumulations
  • Eliminates plugged drains and pans
  • Stops odors, overflows and water damage
  • Non toxic

My HVAC guy recommended these tablets to keep algae from forming in my system. I've used them for three years and guess what? No algae. The HVAC guy says that algae is one of the main causes for a system to flood and/or smell. By popping in a few of these inexpensive tabs, I'm buying some insurance against a mess. I'd call that a good deal any day. These tablets work great, and they are the ones my HVAC guy said to use.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Dyson DC24 Ball All-Floors Upright Vacuum Cleaner

I bought the DC 24 to replace a small vacuum and was my first Dyson purchase (though I have used them regularly in the past). I would not recommend this vacuum to replace a dedicated large upright. Dyson uses "airwatts" to specify the power of the vacuums and the DC 24 has 115 airwatts vs. 220 airwatts for the DC 25 and DC 15. Not knowing how many airwatts other vacuums use, I can only guess similar comparisons to other brands.

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What to Like

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The DC 24 vacuum is lightweight 11.5lbs (DC25 16.1lbs and DC15 19.95lbs) and can go up and down stairs without problems (3 story condo). In fact, instead of using the hose attachment for the stairs I prefer to use the vacuum itself. It has a nicely placed handle in the front for this function (like a weed trimmer). You have to hold it out away from your body, as the brushes don't spin if the unit is placed upright.

Despite being lightweight and lower power, it has consistent suction and still get's a lot of dirt and dog hair out of the carpet.

The "Ball" allows the vacuum to access small, hard to reach areas without using the attachment. It is similar to using a swivel head on a mop. It handles my hardwood floors well, and now has replaced my sweeper.

The no-mess canister, easy to dump out with just a push of a button.

The washable hepa filter. This is one reason I do not have a problem with paying more for a Dyson. Effective heppa filtration requires regular replacement and that adds up in extra dollars. The dyson solves that with an easy clean filter.

5 year warranty. You will probably experience a disconcerting feeling when it's out of the box and it seems like flimsy construction. I usually destroy vacuums and so far this vacuum has held up well. I think the flimsy feeling comes from it's flexibility, the adjustment points and the ball. Trust me, I have dropped it a few times down a flight of stairs on the hardwood and it still looks and works as good a new.

Compact storage... that goes hand in hand with light weight, but it also telescopes down in height to fit under shelves for storage.

Coolest Dyson feature for me is the no-tool brushbar access/removal. Makes it very easy to remove obstructions from the brushbar without a tool set.

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What not to Like

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The attachment is difficult to convert, this is not unique to this Dyson model. Some cleaver engineer came up with a way to make this attachment compact and self contained, but impossible to convert the first 10-15 times you use it. Dyson does have more expensive models that have easier to use attachments. After using their products for awhile, I have become a Dyson attachment Jedi Master.

The hose for the attachments is short. It can't reach my 10' ceilings without lifting the base up off the floor. I recommend the Dyson's flexible attachment for dust and/or cobwebs.

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Other Notes

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The vacuum has trouble with large items (clumps of dog toy stuffing) that big vacuums normally don't hiccup on. It either doesn't have the brush head height or the plumbing for large items. It's not really a negative for me, as I learned early on to pick up big items that might destroy a perfectly working vacuum motor. I didn't have the same problem with using only the attachment.

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18x20x1 (Actual Size) Accumulair Emerald Filter

After searching every place in my city in Atlanta, Ga, I couldn't find this filter anywhere. Thanks Goodness for Amazon! This filter worked very well for my daughter's town house. It was definitely true to fit and I will be buying again

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Woolite Pet Stain & Odor Remover

Am delighted to find a product which lives up to its label I've been working on old dried pet stains and the spots are being completely removed. Instructions say to spray on spot, wait 5 minutes, and wipe with a clean cloth. I've been brushing it in a little because the spots are so old but that's probably unnecessary. I've treated a couple of the worst twice and am quite pleased to have a spot-free carpet.

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BISSELL Healthy Home Upright Vacuum Cleaner

I've been using the original Bissell Healthy Home vac for nearly two years and have been extremely pleased with it. This updated version builds upon the strengths of the original and adds a few new features.

My biggest complaint with the original Healthy Home was the weight. Bissell has addressed this common complaint by making the new model lighter by a few pounds. But, the lighter weight appears to come at the expense of solid construction parts like the handle and collection bin feel less substantial. I know you can't equate durability with weight, but my initial impression of the new model was that it's less resistant to the knocks and bruises that vacs tend to take. Too early to tell, however. It has a five year warranty like the old model.

Assembly is a snap two screws for the handle (which are no longer recessed, so they are easy to get in) and two screws for the cord wrap.

Operationally, the new vac preforms just as well as the old model. I have seven cats. Yes, seven. This is the house where vacuums get put to the test. The Bissell takes all that is thrown at it with nary a problem. The carpet suction is excellent; the tool suction is good. Easy to maneuver with large, non-marring wheels.

As in the old model, the carpet beater can be turned off for hard floor or very delicate/thin carpet use. The switches have been repositioned so they are less prone to being hit accidentally. The beater has a clutch, so if it gets bound up in something it stops turning rather than burn out the belt. The belt is (according to Bissell) a "life time" belt.

The carpet height is adjustable with a knob. I prefer that type of manual adjustment since the auto adjust models from other brands never seem to get it right on some carpets. Doing it manually lets you set a higher height for more delicate rugs, and a lower, more aggressive height for rugs that need to be churned up more to get the pet hair/dirt out.

The HEPA filter has been moved from the side of the vac to under the collection bin. According to Bissell this allows for better functionality/cleaner exhaust. Seems to work fine, but the old method also worked well. Having the filter in-line does make the vac narrower that's probably the main benefit.

It still has the foam (washable) pre-filter. Great feature to have since it extends the life of the non-washable HEPA. I've been getting about 18 months life out of the HEPA filters in the old model.

The hose routing has been changed. It's a bit harder to dislodge than the old model for tool use, but still fairly easy compared with other vacs I've used.

The collection bin is also easy to take off and empty. I prefer bagless since I can't stand paying for bags. The new bin has straight sides to help get all the crud out. Still, dumping out the bin of any bagless vac can be messy, and you sometimes have to reach in to get out the big clumps of light-weight material (such as cat hair). If you have major allergies or just don't like to deal with this, you may want to consider a bagged model.

Tips:

1) Every so often take the collection bin apart and wash it out. Very fine dust can collect in the upper cyclonic chamber, and can affect performance. Make sure all parts are bone dry before putting them back on the vac.

2) I recommend you replace the plastic wand with an aluminum wand. You can get it at the Bissell site online (register online and you'll get free shipping). The metal wand is more robust than the plastic and also has positive click stops to ensure it does not fold up when you push hard.

3) The contour head is also a nice add-on if you have pets. It is a non-powered head (unlike the included turbo head) which is good for more delicate fabrics or furniture throws with loose threads that can snag. You can get it from Bissell or Amazon.

4) If you want a full-size floor brush, the models from Sears fit the Bissell.

In summary, this is an excellent vac. The new model takes a couple of steps forward and perhaps only a half-step back (construction quality). If you can get the old model at a discount, it's well worth it if you can deal with the weight. If not, this model is also highly recommended.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Hunter 30904 Replacement HEPA Filter

ITEM AS ADVERTISED KEEPING THE TEXAS POLLEN OUT OF OUR BREATHING SPACE AMONG OTHER THINGS IN THE AIR.. WILL BUY A REPLACEMENT WHEN THIS ONE IS USED UP

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