Reviews of Nesco/American Harvest FD-80P 700 Watt Square Food Dehydrator

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $89.99
Sale Price: $88.95
Today's Bonus: 1% Off

I became interested in a dehydrator after purchasing a Superfoods recipe book. I've used this model for nearly three months, and find it very useful, and a great jump into dehydrating for someone with no experience. I can see how, if I wanted to dehydrate soups and liquids, I would need an open-space dehydrator, but so far this is fine for my purposes. Because one dehydrates for hours, a timer is unnecessary IMO. I have purchased two extra trays and four extra screensone screen and four trays come with the FD-80P.

The square shape affords a lot of space, though one thing I noticed is that the screen ribs become farther apart toward the perimeter and almonds, which sit nicely on the surface next to the center, fall through the tines of the plastic near the edge of the dehydrator. A finer point. Seven different temperature settings between 95º and 160ºF make it easy to dry foods at specific temps, and the cooler/warmer temps are labeled with specific foods, i.e., herbs and nuts are dried at cooler, slower temps; meats and vegetables at higher.

I was slightly mystified when I started, but took to the internet for instructional videos; the model directions explain some things, but are more oriented to drying garden produce and making jerky. I make kale chips twice a week, and two big bunches take up 4 5 trays. I have made crackers, flaxseed corn cakes, granola, and recently dried a big batch of nuts. I am looking forward to dehydrating loads of garden produce this summer.

I am overall highly satisfied with this dehydrator.

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This is a great dehydrator and has transformed my jerky making. Love the square shape! Got the extra trays. Would recommend to everyone.

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Love it. Use it almost daily. My husband loves the apples and cinnamon. It's like having pie.

Honest reviews on Nesco/American Harvest FD-80P 700 Watt Square Food Dehydrator

Works Great! I have made dried fruits and Veggies and Beef Jerky.

The beef jerky was my own recipe and turned out great. I will be dehydrating a lot more.....

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I must have recieved a bad one from the factory. I plugged it in and started cleaning the dishes. Shortly I started smelling smoke and when I turned around the unit was melting onto the heating coils. Since we usually leave the unit running over night I did not want to try another model and risk a fire while asleep.

Reviews of Broil King PCR-2S Professional Double Cast Iron Range, Stainless

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List Price: $264.00
Sale Price: $174.15
Today's Bonus: 34% Off

We've been using the single element version of this (Cadco PCR-1S Professional Cast Iron Range, Stainless) for a year and liked the quality but wanted lower wattage options for simmering as well as the ability to run two elements at once on our limited off-grid power system. This dual element version fit the bill and as an added bonus leaves a useable amount of counter space in front of it (it's not as deep as the single element version--see added product pictures comparing both units side-by-side).

While the single element unit (1600W) linked above is ideal for large pots (over 12" diameter) which do not fit so well on the smaller dual element unit, this dual element unit provides a more even simmer with lower wattage elements (1000 + 650 = 1650W) (total wattage is per nameplate on items--guessing a bit on dual element individual element wattage as product description does not add up to match nameplate). Elements cycle on/off (thermostatic control), so temperature does go up and down, and the swings are more violent with higher wattage. But if you want to boil a large pot fast (say for canning), the single element unit will get it there faster with the higher wattage.

Note that both the PCR-1S (single element) and PCR-2S (this one, dual element) come under both Cadco and Broil King brands--same units with different branding (much like Cadco counter top convection ovens are Unox convection ovens).

One reviewer complained of smell with these units. We're pretty picky about such things, but have had no issues since the initial 10min burn in recommended in the instructions (did it outdoors and would suggest doing likewise). We appreciate quality (and have experience with typical cheap hot plates) and would buy these again.

____________________________

2013-08-07 Update after over one year of daily use for most of our cooking and frying: We've had no problems and are still very happy with this unit, using it for all summer cooking and much of the winter cooking in our off-grid home. For many things, we've found this more convenient than the wood stove even when the wood stove is already running due to the ability to set and forget temperature. We still prefer the wood stove for pancakes though, as it has room for four large griddles--something this can't compete with :)

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I followed the ten minute burn in that instructions called for. It smoked and smelled and now that its over (let the unit cool completely), I haven't experienced any odor problems that a few seem to have complained about. Maybe they didn't read the directions? After the burn in came the test: 8 quarts of water on the big burner and a sauce pan on the little one. It boiled both in about ten minutes. That's fine by me! The knobs feel solid and good under my finger tips while providing a nice adjustment range. The unit works just fine as there's plenty of heat and I'm very happy with it. One note: after I was all beaming over the unit, I noticed a hole in the back of the unit where it looks like a screw might have gone missing. It hasn't. I ordered a replacement unit (Amazon sent it free and within two days) and it was the same. I contacted the manufacturer and this is normal. From their email: "There is actually not a screw missing on the left side of the range there. The hole is there because of the pre-punched metal sheets that are used when manufacturing the units." Great buy in my opinion.

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The range worked well for about six months and then the left burner quit working altogether. By that time the cast iron burners were starting to show signs of rust in places. While it cooked reasonably well, it was very slow to heat up, and equally slow to cool down. The controls are quite good for simmering and warming, but it is not really made for cooking. I would NOT buy another, and in fact have replaced it with a two burner induction cooktop that is far superior for cooking.

Discount Duraflame Infrared Rolling Mantel - 5200 BTU, 1500 Watts, Model#

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List Price: $299.99
Sale Price: $269.99
Today's Bonus: 10% Off

I love my duraflame infrared electric heater /fireplace mantel. It's my first so I hope I get a lot of enjoyment out of it. It pumps out the heat! I have it in my livingroom and it keeps it comfortable. I keep it on 72F the default setting and the heater auto shuts itself off when it reaches it's temperature, an when it drops in the room it comes back on.The heater is not loud. It also has an auto timer too which is nice! Also a flame adjuster and remote. When you shut the unit off the fan will keep blowing to cool the components down(for a few minutes). Also the wheels on the mantel are convenient,because you can roll it into any room to "knock the chill off "without turning your heater up in your home. The picture actually didn't do it justice. I was impressed with the mantel nice wood finish,beautiful and I fell in love with the flame, it is very real looking. My parents have a duraflame infrared electric heater stove at their house and I was impressed with the real looking flame and the heat it put out. So I decided to get one. Delivery of my order was fast and arrived in excellent condition and already assembled, so all I did after unpacking it was plug it in!

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We live in a 1970s mobile home with 2 additions. Its not very well insulated and to make matters worse, our furnace ducts run under the belly of the home where they are exposed to the cold air. Our propane bill hit $650.00 for just 5 weeks of heat, and we knew we were in trouble. So we bought this electric fireplace for our living/dining/kitchen/hallway and use it along with 3 smaller infrared heating unts (one in each bedroom) and our house stayed comfortably (70 degrees) warm the rest of winter. It felt SOOO good to call the propane company and tell them we didnt need them to come back out for a LONG time. (our water heater is still propane but Im considering changing that) Even better, Our electric bill has stayed under 200 bucks and I am one HAPPY CAMPER!!! Our total investment in all 4 units is less than we paid for one month of propane!!!!! No more wondering how we will ever be able to afford to heat our home.

-It is every bit as beautiful as it looks.

-The "flame" is nice and you can adjust the brightness/amount. Our toddler loves to watch the flame

-We have a toddler and a dog and its not too hot or dangerous for them to play around.

-The remote is tiny enough to hide out of the way but the buttons are big/easy to use.

-And the best part, it doesnt look like a portable heater in my livingroom but thats EXACTLY what it is.

(I actually came back hoping to buy another for our 3 seasons room that we are wanting to convert to a master bedroom. Hopefully it will be back in stock soon!)

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I couldn't believe how quick we received our fireplace. it's beautiful, heats the room nice and evenly too. we had a propane fireplace, up near the ceiling it would be hot and the floor would be cold. now it's nice and toasty high and low.. the fire sure looks real too. we really love our fireplace. we have only owned it a few days so not sure how the electric bill will be but i do know the furnace hasn't kicked on all afternoon. so saving on propane for sure. great item.

jude

Honest reviews on Duraflame Infrared Rolling Mantel - 5200 BTU, 1500 Watts, Model#

Being somewhat hesitant to purchase a fake fireplace, I must say this is very nice. The wood quality is better than I expected. The size is perfect, not too large and certainly not too small. The flames are realistic enough, it does set the mood. The infrared heater is excellent for our large patio room. The only thing I would change is the fan noise. It's slightly louder then I would like but not overwhelming. That's why I gave it just 4 stars. Would I purchase this again? Yes I love this new addition to our home.

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Just received our Duraflame Infrared Rolling Mantel 5200 BTU, 1500 Watts, Model# 23IF1714-0107 yesterday and couldn't be more pleased. This is our first electric fireplace and I definitely didn't want it to look tacky. It is very beautiful. The wood is rich and the flame is suitable for us. No electric flame is going to look like the real thing, but this is nice and the flame is adjustable. I like the fact that it is on rollers -very portable. Another selling point for me was that it heats up to 1,000 sq ft. Most items this size only went up to 400 sq ft. That was a big issue for this purchase when researching the market: the mantel we needed could not be wider than 36" and that is a difficult quality to find. The area it is in is kind of odd. We bought it for heating a mother-in-law's quarters of our home which, after my mother-in-law recently passed away, is now a den area. The living quarters used a combo heater-A/C unit that is somewhat noisy. We decided that an electric fireplace might be quieter and more economically efficient for the area in the winter months. This product is definitely much more quiet and it is actually much closer to the TV/den area than the old unit. I have already recommended this unit to a friend! The only drawback, which is no big deal, is the smallness of the remote control. I am afraid it will get lost. It would be nice if the cabinet had a storage area on it for when the remote was not in use. I would definitely buy again.

Cheap Mr. Heater 10,000 BTU Propane Blue Flame Vent Free Heater

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List Price: $197.71
Sale Price: $163.17
Today's Bonus: 17% Off

Purchased this product last year. It worked fine for about 6 weeks. Then it started shutting itself off. I tried 2 or 3 times to contact the company and never received a reply. Started trying to use it again this year. It worked for about 2 weeks then it started the same old stuff again. Read thru the manual, followed the instructions exactly. Still it doesn't work right. Still can't get anyone to return my messages. If you get one, I hope it works for you, cause if it doesn't, you're just screwed. There is NO customer support. I'll never buy another product from this company and will tell anyone I know not to either.

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It's a good deal but I couldn't use it because of the moisture that burning propane puts back into the air. Otherwise, it worked real good.

Buy Rowenta DG8430 Pro Precision Steam Station with 400 hole Stainless

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List Price: $400.00
Sale Price: $240.00
Today's Bonus: 40% Off

I had a Black & Decker D2030 Auto-Off Digital Advantage Iron for the past two years, and since I was not completely satisfied with it (this was really just a convenient iron, not what you need when you have 10 shirts to iron at one time every week) I felt like it was time for an upgrade.

I heard from a lot of people that Rowenta irons are the Mercedes of irons (after all, they're made in Germany!) so I looked into their offers, and come across the Pro Precision, which I had no clue existed: an iron with a separate yet compact base where you can put a ton of water and get humongous volumes of continuous steam!

I have never seen so much steam coming out of any iron, not even from garment steamers, this is a brilliant idea, you literally need just one pass and the garment is completely flat, no wrinkles left, not even the toughest ones! The steam goes so deep into the fabric that I can do two legs of a jeans folded on each other at the same time. Ironing my clothes is the easiest thing now!

Other than the steam which is the main benefit of this product and "benefit" is too soft of a word to describe it, this amount of steam should be called a REVOLUTION :) the iron has two other great features which are apparently unique to Rowenta irons:

1/ a "precision tip" which I had never seen on any other brand and allows to go into every corner of a piece of clothes, like under the buttons of a shirt

2/ an ironing plate with hundreds of holes all over the surface, which all release steam all the other brands I have seen on the market only have a few holes, and only on the sides or at the front of the plate, and they don't even all release steam (makes one wonder what they're for, really).

Other cool features are the fact that you can refill the water base while ironing (makes sense, since the iron and the base are separate) and it has a valve on the side that recollects all the impurities from the water that can build up inside the base over time.

I really recommend the Pro Precision for anyone who wants the best in irons and in steamers, it's like having a dry cleaning service at home! Look at my video, it really says it all.

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I like this iron in general. I like it especially for the steam generator ability. However, this is my third iron that has broken and rowenta does not back them up. On all three irons the button that you push for steam has popped and quits working. I would not recommend this iron to anyone.

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I have owned Rowenta Steam Irons and Generators for almost 20 years, they are typically one of my favorite items, and I have been very satisfied with them until now. This model works great, BUT.........there is NO ON/OFF switch. You have to plug it in to turn it on, and unplug it to turn it off. There is nothing in the instructions or in any of the materials that mentions this, come on Rowenta you can and should do better!

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What a great iron. Lots of steam and my iron time cuts in a half. It's expensive but worth for every $ you are spending for this iron. If you are looking for a serious iron, this is it! Highly recommended.

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If you are a quilter, heirloom sewer, seamstress or have to do a log of ironing, this is the best thing you can do for yourself. If you think about it, I've went through Rowenta Steam Irons. Over time, they steam less and less and eventually don't work anymore. This one, with the steam seperate, it won't lime up. All the vents stay clear and you have more steam coming out that you can ever coax out of even the best rowenta steam iron!

Reviews of LuxPro PSPU732T 7 Day Programmable Touch Screen Thermostat - 3

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The LuxPro PSPU732T is the only accurate thermostat with a built in humidistat that I could find on the market that has an option to control the temperature and humidity independently. I could not find this feature on any Honeywell, White-Roger or any other digital thermostat with built in humidistat. This feature is especially useful for minimizing energy consumption in vacant summer homes in humid climates. It is an established fact that high humidity causes mold and mildew to form and that as long as the humidity is controlled the temperature can be allowed to get much higher in a vacant home than when it is occupied. Other manufacturers that make thermostats with built in humidistats turn off the AC if the conditioned air temperature falls 3 degrees below the thermostat's setting, even if the humidity is higher than set by the humidistat. I believe that this is done to prevent the AC to run continuously if the humidistat is set too low, a valid issue. However, with such products, if the thermostat is not set low enough the humidity can exceed the desired levels in periods when the temperature is moderate but the humidity is above the level where mold/mildew can form, a condition that can occur many times. In fact, if the temperature is set too low it can cause mold/mildew to form at outside wall sheet rocks where the humid outside air and the cold inside air meet. The LuxPro's humidistat is accurate to +-4 percent. It would be better if it would be tighter but this is the most accurate humidistat that I found, most manufacturers don't even state the humidistat accuracy and the one thermostat with similar features that I bought had a humidistat that was off by at least 20% making it useless for controlling humidity.

The LuxPo is a full featured programmable thermostat with a well designed human interface and an excellent display that has a back light which can be set to be on permanently or turn off a few seconds after the display is touched. It has many options that need to be set up properly, however, once it is set up it is easy to use. It has non-volatile memory and does not need batteries. There is an optional outdoor wireless temperature sensor for automatically controlling the humidity in cold climates which I didn't test.

If there is anything negative, it is the Instruction Manual that is missing the calibration information for the humidistat (probably very rarely needed) and could elaborate on the de-humidification and other options.

After researching all the digital thermostats with humidistats on the market I can say that the LuxPro is the best product for controlling the temperature and humidity in homes in warm climates that are vacant for extended periods.

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Easy to install and looks good. Programming is easy and instruction book is clear and easy to understand.

Thermostat is easy to adjust and display gives all the info necessary.

Review of DeLonghi TCH7690ER Safeheat 1500W 28 In. Tower Ceramic Heater

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List Price: $98.00
Sale Price: $76.99
Today's Bonus: 21% Off

I bought this space heater after searching for something to quickly heat up my bedroom in the winter, so I wasnt running the whole house heater all evening. I have had this for 5 months now and it has worked flawlessly! The remote is super handy as well. From the remote you can turn the power on, turn swivel off and on, increase the temp setting, and change the mode. Thats the other great thing it has a mode that just blows air like a fan, a low heat setting and a high heat setting. It also has an eco setting, but Im not quite sure what that does. The ONLY drawback Id say for this, is that you cant sent the timer from the remote. You have to set the timer on the unit itself. The timer is great too, you can set it for 30 minute increments, up to several hours. Ive never tested it, but it also has a tip feature that shuts the machine down if it falls over. Sorry to disagree with the other reviews, but this heater has been great for me!

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I bought 2 of these. One quit working after 3 months. The other one is still going strong. So, overall, taking the average, I'd give 2.5 stars. The still working unit is great.

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I don't want to get too philosophical here 'cause this is a after all a product review but this product is yet again another example of cheaply made Chinese garbage.

If Companies want to operate in the US they should at least offer products made in this country and as consumers we should all demand that they do. It's not just that the Chinese make products that die prematurely wasting everyone's time and money, we need to realize that it takes the Earth's FINITE resources to make them and dispose of them as well.

Anyway, performance-wise the Delonghi TCH7690 Safeheat 28" tower ceramic heater is the same as any other 1500 Watt heater. Despite the marketing hype you may read from heater manufacturers, 1500 watts of input yields something under 1500 watts of output. That's it, I don't care how you slice it. So if you're in the market for a space heater, I would look for the most attractive, least expensive unit, made in America if it exists. And if not made in America at least backed by a US company that you can actually contact and who will gladly repair or replace the unit when (not if) it fails. This will not be too long if it's made in China.

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Pretty disappointed with this product. Worked fine for a three weeks and then one day it stopped blowing hot air. It would only turn on and then turn itself off. Too lazy to return it. Will be avoiding this company for now. What got me to buy this on was when it was mentioned as the top model to buy by Hammacher and Schlamer. I generally trust their taste (bought an amazing shower curtain from them) but I didn't know that not ordering from them would equate to getting a Lemon from Amazon.

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Like other reviewers, I now have a 28-inch piece of junk. This unit for the past 4 days would not operate properly, and I was too busy with other tasks to return it to Amazon. Well it died today [no red light indicating power], and it's 1 day past the Return policy! So, straight to the Trash.

Stay away from this product.

Amazon needs to do a better job of (a) quality control of products they sell, and (b) relaxing their Return policy when devices they sell/ship fail outright.

Cheap Heavy Duty Metal Thermostat Guard with Ring Base

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List Price: $25.06
Sale Price: $17.90
Today's Bonus: 29% Off

This cover is the same quality of other metal covers that can be priced two times as much. This is a good buy and works just as you would expect it to.

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