Hoover WindTunnel T-Series Rewind Upright Vacuum

I previously had a Hoover Windtunnel, it lasted two houses and over 9 years and it finally had enough of keeping up with our two children and 4 pets. So I went out to every website I could find with reviews on vacuum cleaners, including Amazon, and looked at everything from the Dyson, Kenmore, Dirt Devil, Hoover, and so many more. I promised myself that after I used my vacuum cleaner for 3 months I would help all those out there like me looking for a good review and let them know about my experience because the reviews were so helpful to me.

So after reading a bunch of reviews I was leaning towards a Dyson or a Kenmore Progressive. Well my friend had a Dirt Devil M140005 Vision Cyclonic 12 Amp Upright Vacuum Cleaner, a Kenmore Progressive Upright Vacuum, and a canister vacuum cleaner (forgot the brand) that she let me test out. Let's just say I hated all three, the Dirt Devil was a joke, the Kenmore was so heavy and a pain to use, the canister was a pain to use and none of them worked well with pet hair.

So then I went to a local store and looked at the Dyson DC 23 Motorhead and really considered paying over $400 for it. But then I looked down the aisle and there not too far down from it stood the Hoover UH70120 WindTunnel and it was only $100 so I decided to give the Hoover a try thinking if I wasn't satisfied I could take it back. I am so happy that I saved $300 and love how well my Hoover works. It sucks up pet hair off the furniture very well, I have hardwoods throughout my house and it picks up fur and dirt off the floor without blowing it around (the suction is great) and I only have 3 complaints but ya know for the price I can live with them. Complaint #1 I wish the powered hand tool stuck on a little bit better to the vacuum cleaner, if I am not careful to put it on correctly it falls off, so I need to be a little more careful, Complaint #2, empting out the canister can be a little bit dirty so I always do it outside and then it's fine, Complaint #3, I love the retractable cord, I just wish it were up a little higher instead of so low, it would just help keep it from going under the vacuum cleaner but, there is a little clip and if you clip the cord to the vacuum cleaner you don't have to worry about it going under the vacuum cleaner so problem solved.

So I say save your money instead of wasting it on a Dyson or a Kenmore for the price this vacuum cleaner is so worth it.

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Sears Kenmore 83152 Sears/kenmore Air Cleaner Replacement Filter

For anyone who has one of these old air filter machines, this is really the only replacements out there. Fits tight and works well just as the originals did.

CRYSTAL QUEST® Whole House Triple 10" x 5.0" Water Filter System

I bought this Crystal Quest 8 stage Triple device and have it connect to my whole house. the device is working fine have not decreased the water pressure at all (something that you need to be careful when selecting a whole-house water purifier.). I'm still confused with the filtering system and what and when I should buy filters. I was also happy with the seller "Up North Sales LLC". The unit was delayed by a few days so they emailed me and gave me credit even though I did not mind! I would shop from them again (next house or filters). *** I noticed that under product description, there's now a good description for the filters but I wished the had included the part numbers!

Hunter 30928 Replacement Filter

I bought the Hunter air purifier for my basement. The unit itself was about $60 and the replacement filters are about $30.00, every three months. So, it is rather like a printer that is cheap to buy, but they get you with the replacement of the ink.

The air purifier works well with these filters.

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Hamilton Beach 04290FS TrueAir Plug-Mount Air Cleaner Replacement Filter

The 1 star is NOT for the quality but for the error in the description. Please do not make the same mistake I did and order this thinking you are receiving 3 filters. You only recieve 1.

Date written: July 25, 2005.

I have pointed this out to Amazon today so they may change the description so no one else makes this mistake.

Hoover Platinum Cyclonic Bagless Upright Vacuum

We went through our second Dyson, and decided to switch just for the sake of doing so. Aside from the really high end European models, we opted for this new "prestige" line from Hoover, figuring it would be interesting to see what's the best they can do at a higher price point.

The machine itself looks really good, and when you turn it on, it's like starting a nice car, it almost purrs. The electronic start/stop and the electronic height adjustments are fabulous, very refined. And the machine seems to pick up everything in site.

Now, here are a few things to keep in mind, none of which are deal-breakers, but believe me, this thing is not perfect.

First and foremost, emptying the dirt chamber. At first we thought it was like most other bagless machines, you flick a lever and let the stuff fall in your garbage. But after about a week, we noticed the machine not picking up nearly as well, and we couldn't figure out a thing.

Then we looked carefully and saw that a huge collection of hair and debris had collected inside an inner cup, wrapped around the so-called cyclonic device. Once we got rid of that stuff, the vacuum was like new again. Still, it is hardly referred to in the manual, and it is rather a messy task.

Finally is the "dirt" indicator. It works on some sort of audio principle, sending out sounds which come back distored if they run in to dirt. I find that this works most of the time, but sometimes, it just stays red, and even after going over the area five times, it stays red.

I guess one could beef about the extension cord, why they didn't come up with some better way to unreel it and attach it to the machine. This is just like every other vacuum in that respect, but the cord seems longer.

I think I would buy it again, but the bag emptying procedure is sloppy and very unsophisticated. I'd be looking for machines that might do that job better.

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AllerAir 5000 Series DS Air Purifier

I bought this "Excellent/quiet (on Medium 24/7)" unit direct from a Fast talking company salesman in Canada (blah blah blah, and lied about giving it a 10yr warranty vs 5yr! Grrr!)-

Shipped the same day, but It sat in customs for 10 days (normal, and cheaper from USA/ free S&H too). They also tacked on a Big S&H charge!

22lb Carbon filter lasted 2yrs with only one smoker in house (pack a day)I started smelling smoke, and replaced it.

BTWThe smaller exec model only has an 18lb carbon filter, and I suggest that you get the 22lb DS.

CX 1000 TAPS Air Purification System

I'd like to get another one of these, but it is way overpriced (as I think ALL air purifiers are). The company I work for was going to become a distributor for this product, so I got one at manufacturers rep cost 3 years ago, and put it in my daughter's room, who suffers from mild to moderate seasonal allergies. It has run almost constantly for those 3 years and flawlessly too I might add. And her allergies have improved. She doesn't wake up in the morning congested and wheezing like she had. When in auto mode you can hear the fan ramp up briefly when the load get heavy in the room. We moved it for awhile to another room in the house, and the amber lights showed how "dirty" the air was, and we watched as the air improved and the lights turned to green. It is quiet. She keeps in in "small room" mode at night when she sleeps. right next to the bed, and it is extremely quiet. Even when the fan is running at higher speed, it is still very quiet. I'd buy another one, but not at the prices I have seen them advertised. But it is a great product.

Refresher Liquid Spray Fragrance

I ordered it because the product advertised that it was the scent of freashly brewed coffee. It do not live up to the expectations at all. Yes, the scent was pleasant, but did not smell like coffee as described and for that reason I have rated it two stars.

InstaPure F2BWT3P-1ES Faucet Mount Water Filter System

I like the style,the looks, the ease to install & filter longevity( 200 gals.) Twice as long as any other system & the least expensive filter to replace.

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Hunter 30901 Replacement Pre-Filter

This is a review for the product I received from Bulkfilter.com, not the actual Hunter 30901 product which I would rate at five stars.

It didn't come in the Hunter box, which made me suspicious. Opening it, I found the weave much tighter than the Hunter product. This will reduce air flow. It is also thinner than the Hunter product, which will offset that slightly. The Hunter product makes little crumbs of activated charcoal, which this one does not, making it questionable whether it is an activated charcoal filter for odor control.

If they are selling a generic filter, they should note that and people can choose whether they want that or the Hunter product. They shouldn't call it a Hunter 30901, because it isn't.

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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.

Hunter 21880 Low Profile 42-Inch 5-Blade 3-Light Ceiling Fan

This was a low priced item and we were less than pleased with the "fit and finish". It was labeled as a "ceiling hugger" and however, after installation, there was gap between the ceiling and the fan body. The canopy screws were also exposed. Most ceiling fans I have installed come with a plastic ring to cover the mounting screws and fill in the gap between the fan body and the ceiling. This one did not and looked "unfinished". I was pleased with Amazon service and the quick response to our request to return the fan.

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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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6 Stage Acrylic CA3500 New Comfort Air Purifier Cleaner Hepa Uv Ozone Covers 3000 Feet

After buying this filter, I discovered the ionization feature, while I'm sure it must work as advertised, is really poisonous.

(Look ozone up). In fairness makers do warn users. However, ultra violet light is state of the art as are the two other Hepa Reusable, (washable) filters. The noise level on low, for a bedroom is great if white sound helps block outside noises. Bottom line, ignore ozone unless you need to fumigate a room or empty apartment. Gave this baby three stars because of high price, not poor performance.

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Holmes HM5305-UC Warm Mist Humidifier

I believe this item has received unfairly low ratings from other purchasers. Perhaps these reviews are from purchasers who have never owned a humidifier before, or who didn't bother to read the directions. I have owned three different humidifiers over the years, and this one has been overall the best.

I would agree the tank shape could stand some redesign. Like most humidifiers, you turn the tank upside down to refill, thus the top of the tank is best designed to conform to the shape of a tub or sink, so that it stays upright on its own while filling. This one does not do that, but it is still possible to prop it against the end of the tub to refill.

As for the other comments that have been made, of course it makes a gurgling noise. Water is dripping down into the base in order to be converted to steam. I have had the unfortunate experience of owning a humidifier that sounded like an 18-wheeler driving through my house--and believe me, this one is QUIET.

The only knocking noises I've heard were when the tank emptied while I was asleep and I didn't shut it off, AND I hadn't cleaned it in a very long time.

And of course the heating element is going to be hot right after you turn it off, and yes it could char a piece of wood if it came in contact with the heating element. The instructions CLEARLY STATE you must allow the heating element to cool before cleaning or refilling. I cannot imagine why someone would set something wet down on a wood table, or how the heating element came into contact with wood of one reviewer, as the heating element has a surrounding plastic framework that makes it difficult if not impossible to place anything directly against the heating element. Perhaps the user modified this plastic housing in some way.

Also, the tank cap has a mechanism that, together with the humidifier base, controls the amount of water that flows out of the tank. The only way this could malfunction and send water everywhere is if the cap was not screwed on properly (and just like a bottle of soda, if you don't screw the cap on properly, the bottle will leak), or if it is not placed on the base securely.

I have not found the recommended cleaning to be an issue. But then, I use the recommendations as a guideline, not a requirement. How much you cleaning you have to do depends on the condition of your water and your performance expectations.

The recommended "daily" cleaning is basically to remove the base reservoir and dump out any water and accumulated sediment. I actually only do this about once a week, and I have very hard water (lots of clay sediment and calcium. I cannot drink tap water, its that bad.) The recommended "weekly" cleaning is to fill the base reservoir with vinegar and soak for 20 mins, and wipe down the heating element and surrounding housing to remove any calcium deposits. I actually only do this about every 3 months. Sometimes I actually have to chisel off the calcium from the heating element! And with all this obviously poor maintenance, I have noticed no diminished performance!

I'm not sure what the 'reboot' requirement is, stated by one reviewer. The instructions clearly state that you should turn off the humidifier when you remove the tank for refilling, or when you are cleaning. This makes sense. Leaving it on without the heating element resting in a reservoir of water is like putting an empty pan on a hot stove burner. It will damage it. But turning it off for the few moments required for filling or cleaning is sufficient. No further effort is required. And I really don't understand how one is personally offended by an inanimate object.

As for the size of tank, and how long it lasts, that all depends on the settings you use, and the size of your room. The 36-hour timeframe advertised by the manufacturer is at the unit's lowest setting, as most manufacturers do. I keep mine set on low speed, with the humidity percentage at about 60%. This lasts 24 hrs. I definitely notice a humid feeling when walking into my bedroom where I keep the humidifer. My bedroom measures about 12' x 18', but I keep my bedroom door open always so the humidity isn't just staying in my bedroom alone. The packaging states accurately that this humidifier is intended to serve a medium-sized room, not a whole house or very large rooms.

I really love the fact that this model does not require filters. I've had humidifiers that require filters, and of course you can never find the filter when you need one, and they are often very expensive. I've also had a humidifier that advertised no filter required, then upon reading the fine print inside the box, learned that while a humidifier was not REQUIRED, it really needed one to function properly.

I replaced my last humidifier with this one because the lat model I owned had no controls other than on/off, and pumped out so much mist it soaked everything around it, and was a cold mist model that did not keep the calcium deposits inside the reservoir--everything that got soaked by the mist ended up with calcium residue on it that was impossible to remove.

All in all, a very good model. The only thing I would like better is a domed-top model that could rest easily in the tub for refilling.

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iSpring 75GPD 5-Stage Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System

For an aquarium fan like me, a source of clean water is essential. I live in a desert town in CA. The city water could be the dirtiest in the country. The TDS meter reads 300-500 ppm in different seasons. I have tried carbon and PP filters but none of them could reduce the PPM to below 200. With some basic education about water treatment, I found Reverse Osmosis is the only cost effective solution. I spent some time researching RO filters on Internet and bought a WATTs unit three years ago. It did the work but later replacement cartridges cost me a leg. Then I found this wonderful seller. Its unit is very similar to WATTs. The seller implied it is made in the same factory that provide OEM for brand names. Both the unit and replacement cartridge are at fraction cost. With that in mind, I purchased one unit and a set of pre-filters-of-three. It worked like a charm so I came back to order another two for my mother and sister. The package arrived quickly than I expected. The cubic box is well packed and includes all parts and accessories, including the upscale chrome faucet, which I like the most. The one that came with WATTs has black plastic handle and looks cheap. I got a local plumber to help me hook it up. With the attached manual, installation is quite straightforward. I found the flow chart is very helpful in understanding how the tubes are connected, although the tubes are colored already. We were confused a bit by the flow-restrict valve that controls the clean/waste water ratio and so called 4-way valve that split clean and waste water. We called the seller and quite surprisingly, the phone was answered right away by a real person. She gave clear instruction. In less than one hour, I got clean water from faucet with a stronger flow than my old Watts. I could not wait to take out my PH-TDS meter. It reads PH7.0 AND 18ppm! This PPM is ideal as pure water is actually not that good for your body. The water tastes great. The full glass looks crystal clear with some cute air bubbles, with absolutely no odds and cloud. I feel it tastes even better than Arrowhead bottle water. My fishes and water plants are happy with the water too. It produces 50 gallons clean water out of about 150 gallons waste water a day. This ratio is much better than WATTs' one out of six ratio. I understand waste water is the nature of RO technology. Besides not buying any bottle water, I use the RO waste water to irrigate my lawn and make myself even a "greener" person. :) I hope the concentrated minerals would help reduce fertilizer use. Over all, this is the best RO filter at this price in the market. I would recommend to anyone.

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HERA Ultrasonic Humidifer

To combat the dry air commonly found in winter, I have used humidifiers for as long as I can remember. I have used various types and I tend to prefer the ultrasonic humidifiers due to their low noise and the lack of required filters and other parts that other types of humidifiers commonly use.

Let us start with the basics. The HERA ultrasonic humidifier is basically another ultrasonic humidifier. The basic functionality of the product is not much different than any other ultrasonic humidifier that I have ever seen. The unit creates a spout of water mist, which in theory will evaporate before hitting the ground and humidify the air. The product does this and does this well.

However, the HERA Ultrasonic Humidifier has a pretty hefty price tag compared to many other models. What sets the HERA brand apart from the rest?

The HERA Ultrasonic Humidifier has touchpad controls that allow the user to customize the humidifier settings to their own preferences. The humidifier has a warm mist feature that helps take the cold, wet feeling out of the room. There is the option of three different output levels. The humidifier can be set up to shut off when it reaches a predetermined humidity level and there is a digital hygrometer to show you the humidity level of the room. The night mode will dim the LCD display if the light bothers you at night. The unit is equipped with a filter cartridge meant to reduce the hardness level of your water and an ionic silver cube meant to help keep the water bacteria free.

I personally found most of the functions on the humidifier pretty intuitive. I did have to refer to the manual a few times to figure out exactly what certain buttons did. I felt that the manual was very poorly designed. I thought the content of the manual was fine, but the layout of the manual was not very user friendly in my opinion. While I did not have problems figuring out how to fill the tank, my wife did have to take some time to figure out where the water went.

There were some things I really liked about the unit. I thought the output level of the unit was powerful. On the highest setting with the unit 2 feet off the ground, the water did not evaporate before it hit the ground. I thought the unit was very aesthetically pleasing. It is an attractive box form that can fit in a number of areas easily. I thought the warm mist was a nice option that I felt made a difference in the feel of the air in the room. One of the things I liked best was that the tank is square, which makes for easy filling. I have had other shaped tanks that were a pain to try and hold while filling with several gallons of water.

The hygrometer seemed to be fairly accurate for the most part. I put another hygrometer in the same room and the readings were pretty close. The only exception to this is when I filled the tank. The hygrometer on the humidifier would read too high for a few minutes after filling the tank. If the auto mode is being utilized, it will usually shut off until the reading corrects itself.

What I did not like about the unit is the concept of the filter cartridge. I live in an area with pretty hard water. There is a water softener in my house, but I know many people do not have one. I have used ultrasonic humidifiers for years before I put my water softener in and I will admit after about 3 or 4 winters, I will usually have to clean the humidifier out with vinegar and a soft brush. While the idea of the filter cartridge did intrigue me, it is a disposable part and one that might need to be changed frequently.

The humidifier comes with a test strip. The test strip appears to be German and measures in units of Degrees of Hardness (dH) and the instructions measures water hardness in "pink boxes." I took a sample of untreated water in my house and using test strips, I measured it to be about 250 ppm (parts per million) or about 15 gpg (grains per gallon). Using the provided test strip, it measured about 17 dH or about 3.5 pink boxes. In my later research, I found that the gpg and dH measurements are not identical, but for this purpose, they are close enough to use interchangeably.

So why am I spending so much time talking about water hardness? The filter cartridge life is dependant on water hardness. With 15gpg/17dH water hardness level at my house without the water softener, I can expect the filter cartridge to last for 20 to 40 gallons of water or 10 to 20 fills of the tank. At the time of this writing, a Stadler Form A-112 replacement cartridge runs $15 to $20. The Stadler Form Replacement Ionic Silver Cube is supposed to be replaced annually and currently that runs another $25.

My treated water is about 1 gpg. According to the manual, at this hardness level, the filter should last about 115 gallons of water or about 58 fills.

While I liked the humidifier, the price of replacement cartridges and silver cubes can be quite expensive. Both of these items are optional to use, but if you take those aspects away, then this is just another ultrasonic humidifier and then there are many more cost effective alternatives available. Those alternatives might not be as stylish and the controls might not be as user friendly, but when it comes down to it, without the filter cartridge, my $50 Sunbeam has most of the same functions as this one.

Overall, I thought it was an excellent product worthy of 5 stars. However, keep in mind that there is potentially quite an expense to utilize the product to its full potential. For that, I am deducting 2 stars.

Kaz V1700 Mini Plug-In Waterless Vaporizer

This is a little heart shaped diffuser as shown. There is no on/off swtch. You just plug it in. It works like one of those Glade plug-ins, only using essential oil instead of a little chemical packet. Although they sell these pre-scented pads to go with it, I bought some blank pads, with nothing on them, and cut one down to fit. You can add any essential oil you want to them and you can re-oil the same pad again and again.

Essential oils are sold as single oils or as blends. Buying the oil is a lot cheaper than buying refill pads that are pre-scented, especially since the oil on a pad dissipates overnight. And for those who are worried about using essential oil, they come in dropper bottles so you never touch the oil, you just dab it on the pad using the dropper bottle and pop the pad into the diffuser/waterless vaporizer.

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iRobot Roomba 550 / 551 AeroVac Technology Vacuum Cleaning Robot

I have had Roomba's for years... They do require a little maintenance (Brush cleaning, cleaning the pet hair from the ends of the rollers) but overall they are pretty great. Cleaning the brushes is no big deal, I do it when I empty the bin. It takes a minute or two to empty the bin and clean the brushes, and it's ready to go.

We have two pugs, and they shed constantly. The 500 series Roomba's are a pretty huge improvement in design (I am a mechanical design engineer) They have redesigned the roomba to make everything modular, so if something does wear out, it is very easy to replace. My old Roomba was the first model with the scheduling ability, and I did have to replace a few things. I had to replace some transmission parts, and the batteries. Of course, I had to replace the brushes and filters many times over the years. I upgraded the batteries to give it more time to vaccuum, but the 550 seems to be pretty great right out of the box. It can run for almost two hours sometimes, depending on how big the space is I want it to vaccuum. It is also much easier to program than the old Roomba, it took just a couple of minutes and you program it right on the Roomba itself.

The Roomba 550 is also much quieter than the old Roomba was... MUCH QUIETER! It slows down before it bumps into things and the vaccuum itself is not bad. That was the biggest improvement I saw initially, with battery life and ease of replacing parts coming in right after that... (It's nice that the parts are easier to replace, time will tell how useful that is... Hopefully, it won't need much beyond brushes and filters. :-0 )

The virtual walls are also improved... They only take 2 C cell batteries, and the batteries seem to last longer. On my old Roomba, you had to schedule the virtual walls as well as the Roomba using the remote, and it was a little clunky. The new virtual walls don't require any programming. The only thing that has ever malfunctioned with the virtual walls is the dogs have apparently played with them and they occasionally are not pointing in the right direction... It is also not as obvious as they used to be regarding which side is the front... I have found the roomba cleaning the room I wanted it to stay out of because the Virtual wall was aimed at the doorjam instead of across the doorway; apparently it got kicked and whoever set it back got it backwards.

The Roomba 550 is $250 at Costco, and if the thing does ever break, you can return it to Costco for a replacement or your money back. (One of the little perks of membership, if you are not satisfied they will take it back fairly indefinitely...):-)

That is the primary focus of this review... Why would you pay over $315 with shipping plus tax at whatever your states rate is?

I think the Roomba is a pretty cool little device, and I recommend that people who want to keep their house vaccuumed all the time buy it... But I would recommend buying it at Costco.

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