Alen Paralda - Dual Airflow Air Purifier Tower

At the recommendation of my sister, who has bought the Paralda first we purchased the air purifier for our home. My mother suffers from asthma and terrible allergies and lives with us so anything we can do to make her more comfortable is worth it.

The Paralda is long and slender yet compact it easily fit in our living room and didn't stick out like a sore thumb. It is very quiet and has varying speeds. It also had a UV lamp that zaps bacteria and anything the HEPA air filter doesn't get. I noticed the air seemed fresher and there was less dust on the furniture. It felt like the pristine air you usually find in the dentist office fresh, cleaner, very comfortable. The Paralda is not noisy at all compared to our Ionic Breeze air purifier we used to keep in my mother's bedroom. The control pad was very easy to figure out even my mother could manage it on her own.

We have had the Paralda for several weeks now and my mother seems to have more energy from sleeping better as a result of our cleaner air which makes the price, to me, completely worth it. I must also mention we run the Paralda all the time and we have seem no marked increase in our electric bill ... it is a Energy Star rated appliance and every little bit of savings helps us nowadays. I'd highly recommend this unit.

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Siege Garbage Pals Garbage Can Fresheners

I highly recommend this item with one caution.......please watch around pets and children. The packages hold little pellets that if the package is split open the pellets will be all over the floor. Definitely not good for pets or children if they should eat. So, this is a good product, just be careful. I use in my kitchen garbage pail and in my outside garbage can.

HAPF-22 Holmes HEPA Aftermarket Replacement Filter

I have had a little Holmes air cleaner in the back room with the litter box for years, but this year Target no longer stocked the filter, nor did any of the other local stores I checked out. I found it here at the best price and it was delivered rapidly and fit perfectly. I can use that room again. Silly how little furry things can make such an unpleasant atmosphere! I did not want to purchase another blower box just because the filters were no longer easily available, but ordering through Amazon is easy enough and I have not had any problems.

Hoover Sprint QuickVac Bagless Upright

My wife and I (especially my wife) are very pleased with this lightweight Hoover Sprint QuickVac Bagless Upright UH20040.

We own several vacuum cleaners; our main ones are Eureka THE BOSS SmartVac Model 4870 Type GZ of which we've owned two units for a couple of years now. They are excellent vacuum cleaners and work very well indeed. Maintenance on them is minimal. They are, however, very heavy and that is the reason we bought two of them: one is for downstairs and one is for upstairs. (They were highly rated in "Consumer Reports" and cost about half $150.00 of what other comparably highly-rated machines did at the time.)

We also own a couple of lightweight 'stick' vacuums: a Eureka Lightweight Easy Clean Upright Vacuum Cleaner and a Bissell FeatherWeight Vacuum, Bagless, 3106B (my wife slightly prefers the Bissell to the Eureka). We use these for light touch-up vacuuming and they are excellent for that purpose.

But this new Hoover model almost combines the best of both worlds: it is lightweight (of course not as lightweight as the 'sticks') yet comparable in performance to our 'heavy-weight' Eureka 4870s.

It is so easy to put together right out of the box (no instructions are necessary for assembly) and its use is straightforward. It is helpful and desirable, of course, to read the owner's manual but figuring out this unit is almost (but not quite) a 'no-brainer.'

There is only one tool included with this machine and that's all you'll need. It is a most ingenious tool, combining a crevice tool and an upholstery tool in one compact unit. It has to be seen to be believed.

Everything snaps in place and the machine exudes an air of confidence and of high quality. It has an unusual carry handle which can be used when moving the machine (rather than carrying it awkwardly with the 'main' handle, as is the necessary case with most vacuums).

Using it on stairs is very easy, almost as easy as using a cannister vacuum.

The power cord has to be wound carefully onto its nesting place otherwise it won't fit properly. But that is easy to do. The power cord's length is adequate for our house, as long or longer than all the other vacuums we own.

My wife especially likes the foot-operated on/off switch.

On first use, she exclaimed that the suction was amazing. She said she could not believe it. After she finished vacuuming our entire upstairs with it, she asked me what it sold for. I replied that currently Amazon was charging $70.00 and it listed for $80.00. She then stated very firmly, "That's a bargain!"

Obviously, with it being so new for us, I cannot comment at this time on its longevity or ease of maintenance. Should anything untoward develop, I shall report it here.

But there is one comment I can make: at least one reviewer here states that, to access the belt, one must remove seven (7) screws. That is, in fact, what the owner's manual states.

But, if you look at the bottom of the vacuum, you will see a little chart showing the location of just six (6) screws; that is all that really need be removed. (Not that that makes a whole lot of difference.) I do recommend that you do as we do: remove the screws and put them in an egg carton. That way you are sure not to lose any of them. You will need a moderately long and thin Phillips-head ("crosshead") screwdriver to remove the screws but this should be easy. Such screwdrivers are readily available (if you don't already have one) at any hardware store (or even a dollar-store). (I have not tried removing the screws: it 'ain't' broke so why should I fix it?)

I cannot say, at this time, if this machine will replace our 'big' Eurekas as my wife's main vacuum cleaner, but, so far, she is really enamored of it. (She does most of the vacuuming and she is 'in charge' of what we buy and use in such machines.)

As I said at the beginning of this review, both I and my wife are very pleased with this vacuum cleaner. It's offers heavy-duty suction without the 'heavy-duty price' or 'heavy-duty weight.' If you buy one, I believe you will be pleased too.

Thank you for reading this review and for considering my opinions.

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Update: November 11, 2011

We've had this vacuum cleaner for a month now and, if anything, my wife likes it even more than when we first received it. Since it arrived, she has used our 'big' Eurekas only once, much preferring to use this Hoover model which she regards as being lighter in weight, easier to maneuver, and superior in deep cleaning our rugs.

Plus she says that, of all the vacuum cleaners we have ever owned, bag or bagless, this is by far the easiest and most convenient to clean.

And its price is 'right.'

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Dometic Breathe Easy Portable Air Purifier

I live on a boat........A very big boat. I recently had to have both heads completely pulled out and installed new toilets and hoses...etc.

When I came by to see how the repairs were going I notice there was no odor. The repairman had the "Dometic Breathe Easy" plugged in. I now own the Breath Easy and it runs 24/7. It keeps my boat smelling fresh, no more of the common smells from cooking and salt water sea cocks, heads....etc.

I recommend this product to everyone. It really works.

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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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12 x 30 x 1/2 Half Inch Air Condition Furnace Filters Qty 6

Great filters, less expensive than leading brand. They seem wobbly and flimsy compared to their thicker version with leading brands but they are less fragile. With careful insertion in the filterframes I did not have any trouble. Once in they are sturdy and do not make noise whenever airco switches on/off. Has immediately improved airquality in our home. Huge reduction noticable in dust flying around! Verry happy with my purchase. One thing i'd like to see improved is a smaller packing box. They were shipped in original box that would have easily fit 30filters in there. Shipping air is not sustainable ....

WEB WABSORB Absorber

I used this product with this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BO68BU/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_4 and one other as a make-shift replacement filter for my air purifier. Works just as well as the crazy expensive "official" replacements!

GeneralAire Humidifier Unit 81

Works OK. Could use a little better build quality. Lid pops off way to easy when trying to screw the bottom on. The lid top fits into a shallow groove that does not hold well. But the lid only gets removed a few time a season, so it isn't a big problem.

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Mini USB Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier

Great and Fast Shipping got it in two days. Followed the instructions on the manual however the mist was not coming out. Contacted them an were happy to help and quickly responded less the an hour. Turns out the cotton rod needed to be fully submerged for 5 minutes since the instructions didn't say the time specified. As well if anybody else has issues for it much detailed instructions I placed at the bottom.

Overall the product is just what I expected.

Detailed Instructions:

1. Remove the cap module;

2. Remove the fixed bushing that attached to the cap module by rotating it

counter clock wise slowly until it unlatched from the cap module;

3. Soak the entire bushing assembly in water for 5 minutes;

4. Place back bushing assembly to the cap module;

5. Fill water into the container;

6. Cap the container with the cap module;

7. plug in USB power;

8. Turn on the unit by pressing the power button.

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The Good Home Co. Closet and Drawer Sachets

The Good Home Co. Closet and Drawer Sachets, Lavender, 0.5 Ounce is simply superb, made my closet smell fresh and the aroma of the lavender is very wonderful. Highly recommend it.

Holmes HAPF600D-U2 True HEPA Replacement Filter

If you haven't figured it out yet, the Bionaire A1230H is basically the same as the Holmes HAPF600D. I bought two boxes of Holmes HAPF600D two weeks ago. I was going to buy another box, but noticed that the Bionaire A1230H looked very similar. The writeup says they fit my Holmes HAP 8756. I bought one box of the Bionaire A1230H, and they look identical to the HAPF600D. But, right now, the Bionaire A1230H is a few bucks cheaper. So, before you buy, compare the prices and buy the cheaper. (almost forgot to say that these are great filters.)

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4 Robitussin Humidifier Replacement Wick Filter

The product met my expectations. The filters work perfect in may Robitussin Humidifier as espected. The only problem, they came in an open bag, it was not really the most apealing package

BISSELL Pet Hair Eraser Multi Cyclonic Bagless Upright Vacuum

This vacuum worked great for the first week. Wonderful, actually, and had I written this review then I am sure I would have given it five stars. However, after the first two weeks the problems began. I must admit, when deciding which vacuum to purchase I read many reviews, including the negative reviews for this vacuum, and did not heed them. I wish I had listened now. But having two indoor dogs (one of which sheds quite a bit) I thought this vacuum would be a good fit (I was wrong of course).

After the first week the trouble started with all the dust, dirt, and dog hair the vacuum picked up being piled up at the very top of the vacuum's inside (where I'd have to take the front part of the vacuum apart and take out the top part to get it all out. This is very messy, and I thought this alone was bad enough -now I have to do this every time I use this vacuum (on the rare occassion this vacuum actually picks up anything).

After the second week or so the tiny drawer on the bottom (I forget what these are called) started accumulating all the dust and dog hair, and the vacuum picked up nothing else besides what it could cram in this little drawer.

Now, after about a month or so of owning it, this vacuum picks up nothing. It has lost all suction. when I turn the vacuum over the tube that is supposed to suck all the dog hair and dust up is crammed full of my yellow lab's hair mixed with dust. When I try to get it all out (again, extremely messy) it still doesn't pick up much at all. I have checked again and again for clogs and gotten them out again and again, and it still doesn't help this vacuum. It is ridiculous.

My vacuum is perpetually on RED, which I have to tell you is the most annoying thing EVER. I have owned many vacuums in my life. And the Dirt Devil this vacuum replaced lasted me for almost 5 years and even at the end of it's life worked better than this piece of crap vacuum is today after only one month of use.

Soooo, buyer beware. If you've read this review you've been warned. This is the most high maitenance vacuum I have ever used in my life. It has lasted in my house (with two dogs) for a total of one month and a week and a half.

I will be getting a new vacuum soon, because even though I think it's ridiculous that I should have to pay for another vacuum so soon, I like having a clean house and a clean carpet. You have been warned. And I will never buy a Bissell product again.

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HOMEIMAGE True HEPA Air Purifier Replacement Filter

This is the second time I have ordered this replacement filter. I have the Home Image True HEPA Air purifier HI-9908 and purchased this what was supposed to be the replacement filter, however it does not fit in the HI-9908E. It's the right width but not long enough. The first time I thought I purchased the wrong filter so I went back on Amazon and purchased it again, nope it doesn't fit it again. What a waste!

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BISSELL Lift-Off Steam Mop

The Bissell Steam-mop is a two-in-one toola steam mop and a hand-held steamer. The Bissell mop does an excellent job on cleaning and disinfecting wood and ceramic floors. In many ways it works like a giant steam iron with the squeeze of a trigger you control the amount of steam flowing to the surface.

Notes -

Flow control control the amount of steam to the head some surfaces need more steam while others (like wood floors) require less saturation.

Never had any issues with the unit leaking although I would take precautions and wouldn't store it directly on top of wood floors.

Once detached the handheld unit weighs less than 10 pounds (when water tank is full)

Multiple attachments flat surface cleaner, kitchen cleaner, and grout cleaner (the grout cleaner works well).

Two mop pads included

One flat surface cleaner also included

Set-up is very easy

Very easy to switch from mopping mode to hand held (less than 1 minute).

All of the pads are machine washable

Final Verdict The Bissell Lift-Off Steam Mop is a very convenient way to clean and disinfect all of your household surfaces. It is easy to use, lightweight, and useful for a variety of tasks. The Bissell Steam Mop is perfect for the home and... it could make a perfect gift!

5 Stars

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SoleusAir 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

Pro's:

This unit definitely blows some cool air! It worked out of the box with me,

I bought it very affordable! $300 is a nice price for a unit like this!

It's very slim, and is tall, about the same size as a water cooler cabinet with those 7 gallon water jars on top, like you see in offices; is slimmer than most AC units!

It has wheels underneath

Comes with an expandable hose, exhaust and window adapter, and a window plate to place in the window, when opening it slightly.

Performs better than most wall ac units I've had.

Has a timer, and sleep built in.

Cons:

It is quite heavy (heavier than I would have imagined for such a small device)

It is noisy, not too noisy, but about as noisy as those 1980's wall ac units. Too noisy for me to be used in the bedroom!

It blows air only from the front small window, to get 10K btu, it needs to blow air quite hard through the small front exhaust. This is definitely not a unit you want pointing to yourself, unless you're having a heat stroke!

This unit's exhaust blades do not swing, even if the remote has the option. But you can manually set it to blow air to left/right/up/down about 30-40 degrees max.

The remote seems to be from a more advanced model,as not only the swing does not work, but the fan speed can only be set from 1 to 3, even if the remote has 4 settings; as well as the 'heat' function does not work!!

The different fan speed settings are not that much different. At speed 1 it's already blowing hard, and there's very little difference between each increasing step. In any case they account for less than 3dB in noise reduction when switching fan speed.

The unit has a top and bottom air intake. Only the top air intake has a filter. This makes me wonder why even bother putting a filter in, as on the bottom it's most likely to suck in dust (they only equipped the top part with a filter).

Unit came in a very weak box!

The unit does not automatically (and completely) shut down after the temperature is reached, but continues to blow on fan. I guess it's made to operate energy efficiently, however they should have built in a function that will stop the fan,and turn on the device as soon as the temperature goes up a degree or two.

-Box is made so you won't be able to RMA it!!!! They even put in a letter not to RMA it, but call for help... Risky stuff if the item ends up not working!!

Other thoughts:

It works fine as an office cooler, but is slightly too noisy for the bedroom.

Some functions on the remote don't work, and the fan is blowing quite hard. Other than that, I'd rate this unit to be between 9000-10000 btu like manufacturers specs.

I only hope this unit will last!

Edit:

Unit failed after 4th attempt to turn it on!

I plugged it in a 4000W generator, and the AC system broke!

Fan still works.

Use this in your AC power (wall) socket only, not in generators 4000W or below!

Sucks, because I bought it just for that purpose, to be a replacement unit of my central AC.

No return possible, no RMA, no box to return it with!

Instead I'm stuck with this $300 overweight fan!

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Brushtech B68C 10-Feet Long Dryer Vent Duct Cleaning Brush

When comparing this brush to the other kits sold on Amazon I appreciated the fact that there were no flimsy gadgets promising to get in every crevice of the dryer/vent. This is simply a brush and a good quality one at that. The only thing holding back a 5-star rating on this is the length of the snake. 10' was nowhere close to reaching all the way thru my dryer vent duct. I had to tape the handle to my fish tape and feed it thru the duct that way. After running it thru 3 times it was squeaky clean and my dryer does in fact dry the clothes faster reducing my energy consumption.

BlueAir 450E SmokeStop Air Purifier

We have an issue where our neighbor smokes and we can smell the smoke in our bedroom (apartment living). Looked at numerous reviews on air purifiers and finally decided on this one. I also looked at IQAir (too expensive, probably more than what we actually needed in terms of room size) and a few other brands rated highly on various websites, but ultimate picked this one since it was less offensive looking and I liked the auto sensing features.

Pros:

Has helped immensely with the smoke smell in our bedroom (~200 sq ft)

Less ugly than other air purifiers, although still looks like a giant computer tower

Quiet on setting 1 (like a computer humming softly), relatively quiet on setting 2, and setting 3 is way too loud for sleeping

Design allows you to place pretty much against wall instead of having this large obtrusive thing in the middle of the room.

Cons:

It's not small, I'm kind of glad we didn't get the 500 or 600 series even though they are only a few inches bigger in a couple dimension.

A little pricey compared to some other alternatives, but I tend to go for the peace of mind of better reviewed products

Vornado AQS 500 Air Quality System

I've had some pretty serious allergy problems since I was little. Up until about month ago they were driving me crazy. I was taking Clariton every morning and still suffering. I was desperate so I picked up the Vornado Air Purifier and the results were instant. When I wake up in the morning I no longer have a stuffy nose and my throat is no longer sore.

I stopped taking Clariton and while I do occasionally have an allergy attack it never happens inside the house.

I would recommend dusting your room first and keeping the windows shut.

This device does what it says for allergy sufferers and keeps a cool breeze throughout a medium sized room. Highly recommended.