Eureka AirSpeed Bagged Upright Vacuum

I accidently purchased the AS1050A as a second vacuum instead of the Eureka 4870UZ, which I had also recently purchased, to be used in our basement, where our cat and I office together. So, I thought I would provide a bit of a review/comparison of the two machines.

I will start by saying that I have finally donated the last of the three Eureka bagless vacuums that I have been using over the course of the last several years. This is not to say that the bagless machines didn't work, however, the cleaning of those types of machines was getting on my nerves. Moving on... and again, the basis of this review is more of a comparison to the 4870UZ (Air Extreme), which is a great vacuum.

Assembly of the AS1050A was reasonably simple, and no tools were required. After assembly, I fired up the machine and immediately noticed that weight and handling of the AS1050A was both lighter and easier to handle than the 4870UZ. This could be a result of the fact that the AS1050A is about two inches narrower and a few pounds lighter than the 4870UZ. My wife commented that the AS1050A, because of its narrower width, is easier to maneuver in tighter spaces. Another notable difference in handling is that the AS1050A is able to vacuum with the handle virtually parallel to the floor.

In terms of performance, both of these models are extremely powerful and work very well on all types of floor surfaces. A small consideration is that the 4870UZ roller brush stops when set to bare floors and while using the hose tools, and while locked in the upright position, and the AS1050A does not. While this means that the 4870UZ is quieter while using the hand tools, I didn't feel that the AS1050A was that much louder.

There are several other small differences. The hand operated power switch on the 4870UZ is located in the front of the machine, whereas the AS105A power switch is foot actuated and located near the foot switch to release the vacuum from the locked-upright position. Either seems equally convenient to operate. Perhaps a more noticeable difference was that of the operation of the foot switch to release the vacuum from the locked-upright position. The AS1050A's switch works as easy as anyone might expect, however, the 4870UZ's switch operates with a bit of difficulty. Again, this might be due to an additional mechanism which engages the roller brush when the handle is placed in the vacuum position. Both vacuums have a different bag and method of installation, and both seem as easy as the other. The dirt capacity of the 4870UZ appears to be a bit more, based on the size of the bag. The AS1050A has a full-bag indicator, where the 4870UZ does not. The cord is a little longer on the 4870UZ.

Overall, the AS1050A is a great vacuum, and, after having used the 4870UZ for several months, my wife immediately chose the AS1050A over 4870UZ, mostly for its ease of handling. However, both of these models have received many great reviews.

I've tried to highlight the differences that are apparent to me, and I hope this review helps anyone who might be contemplating between these two models.

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Austin Air Healthmate Jr Replacement Filter

I've never seen a filter for home use, as well made as what Austin Air Systems puts out. I use 2 Healthmate Jr's in the room where my 2 large parrots reside.(The only reason for having 2 Jr's vs 1 larger filter is that I got both used.)I ordered a new filter for the 2nd filter I had just purchased, knowing it was likely the original.Was extremely pleased in a very short time as to how well this system works (with a known new filter in service)With the feather dander a cockatoo creates, any kind of air filter has it's work cut out for it, and having the Austin units pretty much eliminated ANY dander/feather dust settling anywhere except IN the Austin filter. Makes cleaning the room less of a chore now,with dusitng being just a slight go over.

The price for a Austin Air Syatem filter unit OR a replacement filter might scare some off on buying one, but after many ,many years and having gone through a number of "big box store" air filters, trust me a Austin air filter is worth every penny.

If it does such a great job in just one room w/ parrots and related dust/dander, I can imagine how great it would be when one is used in a "normal" house/room setting,and seriously thinking about getting the larger version for the rest of the house.

It's a work horse and does it's job VERY well. 5 stars on every level for this purchase!

Comfort-Aire BHD-651-G Dehumidifier

This unit stopped working after only 10 months, and that was only about 4-5 months of use. It runs but doesn't remove humidity. I suppose that either the compressor isn't working or it has lost the charge. Won't buy this brand again.

Soleus Air DP1-30-03, 30 Pint Portable Energy Star Dehumidifier

I received this unit yesterday so this is a preliminary assessment. The reason why I needed a dehumidifier is the one that we have in our basement is literally 20 years old. It's so old, it doesn't have a piece of plastic on it but it refuses to die. While I didn't test the old unit for electrical draw, my monthly electric bills are too high. I unplugged/put on a timer every appliance that I thought could contribute and it came back down to my belief that my old dehumidifier is an energy hog.

Our basement is HUGE but I still only bought the 30 pint unit because I'd rather run a small unit more often than cycle a larger unit. Same concept as a house air conditioner and a dehumidifier is a miniature air conditioner. Besides, I'd need the Mother of All Dehumidifiers to completely dry the basement and that's not going to happen.

Even though the old unit had just been running before I installed the Soleus, the new hstat read 70%. I don't really care if that's accurate or not, the basement just smelled damp. I installed a drip hose to run into the laundry tub, set the hstat to 55% and went to bed. This morning, it's definitely drier but I didn't bother to check the hstat. I assume the unit ran all night.

The impressive point is that I used the same drain hose on both dehumidifiers and, subjectively, the Soleus is draining a LOT more water than the old unit. Plus it is VERY quiet.

Once I get the feel of the hstat sensitivity, then I 'll set it and forget it so I can assess the energy usage. I know that I could buy an energy meter but I'll just save the $50.

The unit is also light which is important because I put the unit midway up the wall on a shelf (to drain into the tub). The supplied wheels should move very well on carpets but mine is static. BTW, based on my own reading, the Energy Star rating means very little but it's better to buy an appliance with the sticker.

Thanks to all those who previously reviewed this product and helped me make my decision!

I've updated this since I've used the system for a few months. Previously, I was wrong in saying the blower stays on constantly when the dehumidifier isn't running. Not true, don't know where I got that. All I can say is....dagnabbit but this does pull a lot of water from the air, and it uses less electricity than my old one.

One year later and I'm at the point where I just leave it on. Works extremely well and I'm very satisfied.

It will soon be two years of nearly constant use (at least during the air conditioning season) and it performs just as well as when I first wrote this review.

Yup, two years now and it has been running perfectly. Good investment.

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Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator

I bought one of these on a whim when the product launched just before Christmas, 2006. It seemed like a perfect if unnecessary stocking stuffer for my wife, since we're both wine enthusiasts. I never really felt these "gimmick" aerators did much that a solid 1/2 hour decanting couldn't do. Boy was I wrong.

The device itself is attractive, compact and solidly built. It appears to be a simple oblong plexiglass "funnel" with a rubber grip. There are two small channels in the center of the funnel, which look like "cracks" in the plastic (I've read product info that assures worried buyers these cracks are proper and unavoidable). Wine is poured through the top of the funnel, and immediately a suction sound is heard as the pouring draws air into the wine before it escapes out the bottom of the funnel. The aerator is easily held, and I've never had a problem with spills.

Now on to the "effect" of the Vinturi. I've been using the Vinturi for 5 months now, on a variety of wines ... from a bottle of "Two Buck Chuck", to a nice '98 Vietti Barolo, to a bottle of 97' Phelps Insignia. In every circumstance, with every wine, I've noticed a significant improvement in the quality of the wine when poured through the Vinturi, as opposed to tasted directly from bottle. The flavours are more blended, the finish is less acidic, and frankly, it has made most of the wines I drink a more pleasurable experience, from sniff to swallow. I've conducted several "blind" tastings with friends, and we all agree this thing works.

If you're a serious wine drinker or shopping for a wine drinker in your life give this product a try. At $40, it's about the price of a decent California Cabernet, and will yield results for decades to come. I plan on picking up a few dozen this Christmas and giving them out as gifts to business clients.

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Sharp CV2P13SX 13,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

Power hungry and loud but it will cool a small room for you.

The box says "library quiet" but its misleading.

The ion plasma filtration cannot be used at the same time as cooling.

I returned my unit and got a window unit.

The CV2P13SX is 13,000 BTU and the window unit I purchased is only 6,300 BTU but cools faster and is less noisy.

Also at 120 pounds and as large as a trash can its not really portable in my opinion. It does have wheels however and can be pushed into another room.

You still need a window for the exhaust hose which I think radiated alot of heat back into the room. I would suggested insulating it with fiber glass.

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Berkey BK4X4-BB Big Berkey Stainless Steel Water Filtration System

This Berkey filtration system actually arrives with only 2 filters rather than the advertised 4 filters. This is significant due to the cost of the filters, but the system works fine with the 2 filters provided....the system would simply cycle water faster with 4 filters. Amazon fairly reimbursed us for the 2 missing filters, so I have no issue with where we ended up, but they should either change the product description or ensure that the product is shipped as advertised with 4 filters. From reading other reviews our experience was not isolated.

We are very pleased with the quality of water provided by the Big Berkey filtration system and would not hestitate to recommend it. Our local water is heavily chlorinated and the Big Berkey produces great tasting water from tap water that we did not drink before.

So, if you order the Big Berkey advertised with 4 filters be aware your system may well arrive with only 2 filters, but the system is great and functions very well.

Sharp FZN40HFU Activated Carbon Filter

I bought the filter with this specs because that what it says on my purifier. And after all it was bigger despite on the dimensions. I sent it back. Seller returned my money with a huge delay and charged me for shipping and handling.

6" Inch Inline Muffler Noise Reducer Silencer

product states up to 50% reduction in noise. i installed the product and i am sure 50% is not even close more like 10%, dissappointed to say the least.

Improving Lifestyles Natures Purifier Moso Bamboo Charcoal 200g Freshens Air Naturally

Have found success with their own branded products, like the Rock Salt Lamp.

Just received their bamboo charcoal bag..Another WINNER !

A++ Company A++ Products..

Will be back for more for my pets ( cuz natural) and other rooms…

The Bamboo Charcoal Bag is the Perfect Size can put anywhere.

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Hamilton BeachStay or Go Digital Thermal Coffeemaker

I was given this as a gift. I found reviews for it (either the model in all black or brushed aluminum) favorable. Some people rated it negatively because they failed to read any directions and didn't press the "PRESS TO POUR" button on the carafe. Instead they unscrewed the top off and said it spilled when pouring. RTFM You always have to look to see if bad reveiws are due to the user's mistakes and lack of knowledge of the reviewer. They often are.

The two most negative things is...

1. When making a full pot I almost always get a lot of grinds. The problem is that the filter cup fills too quickly and the water level goes over the height of the paper filter. I've tried to find a taller filter, but they seem to all be the same size. Usually I either do a single mug (three 6 oz. cup servings) or the full carafe(10 servings). I can't recall if I've tried 6 or 8 servings to see if grinds are an issue there.

2. the plastic travel mugs retain water between the stainless steel outer shell and the inner plastic shell. UNtil I realized what the issue was, they would dribble (dish/cleaning water not coffee) when I drank from them. I find water gets in between especially after a run in the dishwasher. To get the water out, hold them by the bottom. With them facing upside down wave the mug back and forth (like a pendulum). Do it very quickly and the water will shake out. Once I found the problem, the constant dribble from a clean cup stopped. They keep the coffee reasonably warm for a while. Especially if you run hot water in the mugs before you use them-so they don't leech heat from the coffee to equalize.

3. the Hour/Minute buttons might be too easy hit and change the clock time. They should have a set button. I haven't done it, but that's the only negative.

For singles or a lone couple this is great.

I like the double spout so I can brew one mug, two mugs or a whole pot.

No need to dirty the carafe when I'm making small amounts which is 95% of the time.

The Timed brew is easy to set and works well.

I use unbleached paper cup filters. (this uses a bucket, not the cone shaped filters.)

The coffee bucket lifts out on a loop handle and is easy to dispose of grinds.

The instructions it gave on measures of coffee were good. When I used the instruction on the brand of ground coffee, the coffee tasted terrible. The coffee company said to use almost twice as much ground coffee than Hamilton Beach says.

I've already experimented with Torino's sugar free vanilla syrup, and some ground cinnamon in the coffee bucket add a great cinnamon spice without the sharp taste of the grains of cinnamon floating on top of the coffee.

I've had the coffee maker about two years now. Despite being mostly plastic, I've had no breakdowns. Nothing has fallen off or cracked.

Feb 2013

Coffee maker still going strong. I rarely use the carafe, but the travel mugs are still how I make coffee every day.

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Hamilton Beach 05910 TrueAir Cool Mist Humidifier Replacement Filter

We bought our humidifier two months ago and have already gone through two filters. Despite the fact that we change the water in our humidifier daily, the filter quickly start smelling very moldy. It also seem to disintegrate rather quickly.

I'm happy with the Hamilton Beach humidifier, but wish that the filters lasted a little longer.

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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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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.

New Kaz Inc Kaz Airflow Systems Filter True Hepa Replacement Filter

What wasn't clear to me at all when purchasing this item is that I'd need two in order to properly replace my existing 17005 filter. Not cool at all. I bought a totally different filter today and I'm going to return this one if the new one is actually the right size.

Microplane 38002 Professional Medium-Ribbon Two-Way Grater

The Microplane line of kitchen products has evolved over the past couple of years. This two way grater has:

* AN ALL-METAL FRAME--makes it awesomely durable for heavy duty use. For grating lots of carrots as additions to ground meat or to soups, this grater is tops.

* A RUBBER REST OPPOSITE THE HANDLE--makes it ergonomically more efficient, since you can rest the end on a cutting board or in a bowl, allowing you to use more pressure.

* A PROTECTIVE SHIELD FOR THE GRATING SURFACE--makes it easier to store safely.

* TWO-WAY GRATING--makes it faster, since cutting edges face both ways.

DOWNSIDE: Two way grating means that this grater is inherently less safe. Now you can cut yourself both ways! Also, unless you're "grating" something that melts under hot water, such as butter or chocolate, this two way cutting feature makes this model harder to clean: Bits of carrot or apple stuck between the "blades" cannot be removed by running your fingers the opposite direction from the cutting edge. A wooden toothpick or an old toothbrush (brush from side to side, not top to bottom) will do the trick.

BOTTOM LINE: This may well have a valued place in your kitchen, but it isn't the first one to buy.

Essick Air E35 000 2-Speed Tabletop Humidifier

The humidifer arrived in good shape, looked good, and fit nicely in front of my (unused) fireplace. I liked the idea of being able to bring water to the unit and to refill from the top, but I agree with another reviewer that the top is difficult to remove while keeping the filter in place and hard to reassemble if the filter has moved out of place. Upon turning on, I found that low speed did not work at all; unit would run only on high speed. Unfortunately the unit is noisy at high speed. I also found the although I could hear clicking at a low and high range when I turned the humidity knob, the unit would only turn on when I manually moved the knob to that high range setting. The only way the unit would turn off was when I turned off the fan switch. If I turned the humidity knob to a point below the high range setting, it would never turn on by itself, even though the humidity in the room was changing. I returned the unit and requested a refund.

BISSELL Digi-Pro Bag Kit

what can I say, they're vacuum bags... they work as expected. Couldn't find them locally, so I went online and ordered. The distributor delivered promply and the price was reasonable.

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Thermwell Products 15X24x3/16 A/C Filter F1524 Air Conditioner Filters

Comes as a big sheet, roughly 2ft x 2ft, and about 1cm thin. I cut it up and used it as filter material for my PC fan intakes, works great! For the price, you get way more quantity than purchasing "specialized for computer use" fan filter material.

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Sanyo ABC-VW24 Air Washer Air Purification System

Product update 1/5/13 Sanyo has discontinued this air filtration system but Panasonic bought them and has a replacement filter for it that FrankieBoy was kind enough to post links to in the Comment section of this review. He has been kind enough to post a link on page 6 of the comments here. The filter is model #6161580870. Hopefully Amazon will begin to carry this soon because the price is pretty steep and Amazon always seems to do better. I've been vacuuming my filter with a good strong vacuum cleaner and that seems to work so far but a replacement will be needed in the future. I love the air cleaner and want to continue using it. A big Thank You to FrankieBoy, for researching and posting the link here!

The thing I like best about the Sanyo Air Washer Purification System (besides that it does a great job of purifying the air) is that it has a nice sleek look to it and doesn't detract from the room decor. It has a handle built into the top, making it easy to carry (15.9 lbs.) and it's pretty quiet as air purifiers go. It has a 4-stage HEPA filter removes 99.97% of airborne particles and allergens. The other thing I really like is that the filters can be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner and are supposed to last for about 4 years. (You'd want to use a HEPA vacuum cleaner or you'd defeat the purpose.) I called customer service to ask about the price of replacement filters and they told me the suggested retail price is $69. That's pretty much in line with other filters I've researched. The customer service people were very helpful in answering questions about the unit which I count as a big plus.

I don't know if the electrolyzed water technology is just a gimmick or not, but the unit does a good job of cleaning the air and removing odors from any room that I place it in. There are several articles on the internet about electrolyzed water technology and electrolyzed water being used to sanitize water and possibly use it to kill bacteria in a number of applications including using it as a non-toxic way to clean fruits and vegetables in the food industry. It would make sense that it could be useful to kill bacteria and viruses in the air. With pets and all their dander, not to mention all the pollen and dust in the air this time of year, it gets a real workout around here. I hope that we find that we have fewer colds in the winter.

Just a few details that I didn't include in the video: I measured the watts that the unit takes at the low, medium and high speeds with a P3 International P4400 Kill A Watt Electricity Usage Monitor device. At low speed it uses 4 8 watts (the higher number when it's emitting the electrolyzed water. You'll see that in the video.), on medium 13 17 watts, on high 57 63 watts, and if you use the "power" setting, 63 65 watts. This compares favorably with other air cleaners that I've used in the past or use now and it seems to work more quickly at removing odors.

BTW, another reviewer had mentioned that the "Device contains a chemical known to the state of Caifornia to cause cancer, birth defects, etc." Living in California I'm used to seeing these warnings on just about every piece of electrical equipment I buy due to the "Prop 65" laws here. Nonetheless, when I called Sanyo, I asked about this warning and what part of the unit had the chemical. As I expected it is the lead in the electrical cord connection, the same as my computer. When handling electrical cords it's always a good idea to wash your hands afterward.

I hope the video is useful. It's difficult to tell from a small photo what the unit looks like and I wanted you to have a better idea of how it worked and what it sounds like.