Cheap Thermostat Switch - Circuit On At 150°F and Off At 135°F

Customer Ratings:

This Thermostat Switch works Great! I mounted it on my wood stove pipe to turn on/off a circulating fan.

I just plug the fan into an extension cord, of which one leg of the extension cord goes thru the switch.

It is a cheap & simple way to turn on/off something that is running on 110v power, based on the switches temp range.

Works Great!

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Cuisinart 1000-Watt 6-Quart Electric Pressure Cooker, Brushed Reviews

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List Price: $185.00
Sale Price: $99.94
Today's Bonus: 46% Off

First, I was a pressure cooker nut from before. I used my mother's 1930/40's Presto's until I couldn't get seals for them. When I saw this digital pressure cooker I bought it instantly. I loved it so much that I gave one to my daughter, my sis and my sis-in-law, (we're all foodies). I was cooking stuff I hadn't made in years. We ate like kings! All of a sudden, caput. I get online and search and right there on Amazon, Bobby Mac "Micronaut101" describes my very own problem! So no more trying to make the bloody thing work! I call the Cuisinart 800 number prepared to go the distance according to the reviews I've read and I describe my problem, how much I love the machine, how I've seen the problem reported on Amazon and therefore it's a known quality issue and I want a new machine. OK, she says, what's your address? No "did you send in a warranty" or anything else. Bingo, 7 10 days I'll have a new pressure cooker. How cool is that? Oh, and "We're sorry for the inconvenience. Have a great day." Yehaa! Let's hear it for Amazon and reviews!

[[editing review as of 6/4/09: pressure sensor wouldn't set pressure and pressure cooking wouldn't start. Cooker would get to boiling but pressure wouldn't lock the cooker and begin cooking. Little red button wouldn't come up to close opening. I would wiggle the button with a skewer or knife point to get it to pop up to close pressure hole. Hope this helps.]]

And I'm writing this so that others who may get one of those recalcitrant pressure cookers that slipped through the quality assurance check can know that they will get a new pressure cooker with the press of the number buttons. Cuisinart has decided to stand behind this one product, at least.

BTW, all of us are previous users of pressure cookers so we really appreciated the ability to sear the meat in the cooker. My family has used the Cuisinart cookbook for the pasta e Fagioli, Cuban Black Bean Soup, Chicken with Herb Dumplings and the "outstanding" Creamy Rice Pudding" And, in fact, the Rice pudding cooked so quickly that my sis didn't think it was done when the timer went off and over cooked it! Her second batch was superb. We also like Lorna Sass's "Cooking Under Pressure" and "Pressure Perfect"

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I've never used a pressure cooker before, and I was so excited to get my Cuisinart CPC-600 pressure cooker! At first it worked just great and I was delighted to turn out wonderful stews in 20 minutes and even meatloaf in 25 minutes. But after about a week it stopped coming up to pressure and steam poured out of the red float valve. After reading another reviewer's comments, I started tapping on the red float through the plastic cover and jarred it loose; at that point it would rise and seal the unit so it would come up to pressure. Kind of a pain that I have to do that each time.

Except for that detail, it has worked very well.

Another reviewer asked what PSI the unit works at. Very odd that they do not include this info in their user manual or web site since you need the info to adjust cooking times when using other pressure cookers' recipes, but I emailed their tech support to ask and received this answer:

low pressure 6 PSI

high pressure 10 PSI

Best Deals on Cuisinart 1000-Watt 6-Quart Electric Pressure Cooker, Brushed

I got my Cuisinart EPC-1200PC about 2 weeks ago. Living in a house all by myself it was always easy to stop on the way home and get fast food. I have missed "family meals" and "momma's cooking" since I moved out 15 years ago. I get over to my parents house to eat maybe 3-5 times a month. One night my mom showed me a similar EPC that she had bought and invited me over to eat a meal that she cooked in it. I was sold when I saw the ease and usefulness. After tasting how flavorful the food was I had to get me one. I did my research and decided not to go with the same model as her but instead this Cuisinart model.

My first attempt with this unit was a whole chicken. I skinned the chicken, quartered it and put it in the pot with just enough water to cover the meat. Set it on high for 10 minutes. It took the unit about 10-15 minutes to build up pressure so that the red stopper sealed and then it began the actual "pressure cooking". My first thoughts were "No way is this thing cooking, I don't hear the jiggle associated with pressure cookers" and then the 10 minutes were over and the manual says on chicken to release the pressure using the quick release method. I'll admit I was a bit worried about this part. The horrors of my childhood when my dad blew the top off of our pressure cooker making a whole chicken flash back in my mind. I threw a paper towel folded twice over the valve and with a pair of tongs turn the valve to the quick release setting. No worries here. Steam escaped rather easily and the paper towel did its job. After the pressure was released the units lid unlocks and you twist it to open. I remove the chicken to find it cooked perfectly, moist, tender and juicy. To boot I get 7 cups of stock out of it for a chicken soup I made the next night.

I have used this thing darn near daily since getting it. Sure it may take 10-15 minutes to build up pressure depending on how much liquid you put in the pot, but I cooked a Chicken and rice dish last night that took 3 minutes on high. We are talking about a frozen chicken breast and uncooked basmati rice here people. In 3 minutes. It took the unit about 10 minutes to pressurize for that dish and I let the dish naturally release pressure for 7 minutes afterward before quick releasing the remaining pressure. So in total it took about 20 minutes from start to finish. But its a one pot cleanup and I dare you to cook rice in 20 minutes on a stove top and compare it to the deliciousness that I created in this EPC. I see myself using this unit for many years to come and have not eaten out in almost a month now thanks to this little jewel. I save money by eating at home. I save calories by eating at home.

I consider myself a decent cook for a bachelor. I think this unit can only add to that as I will be able to try many more dishes in the future. The best feature about the Cuisinart is that you do not have to stand there constantly tending to it as you do a normal stove top unit. There are almost zero concerns about the dreaded explosion. I am still careful when I use the unit but I am not scared of it as I am my old stove top unit. I hated that dang thing. Do yourself a favor and get this unit.

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Admittedly, there's a learning curve with pressure cookers, and I had not used one before. But this one came with at least one part (hello, "condensation collector") whose packaging--a scrap of bubble wrap--was completely unlabeled (I nearly threw it away with the rest of the packing material). It was also misrepresented in the microscopic, inadequate product illustrations. (In the years since I purchased this pressure cooker, the condensation collector has broken, though I've continued to use the CPC-600 without it--no problem.)

But the operating instructions that I received were unclear, badly organized, and insufficient in too many other ways to enumerate here. (I say this as a technical writer/editor with more than thirty years' professional experience.) For example, I wasn't sure that the "float" in the handle worked--what was it supposed to look like after "rising completely"?--and everything I cooked at first came out caramelized (though I have to admit that this unplanned effect didn't hurt the flavor, but that's my taste). I didn't know whether this contraption was malfunctioning or whether I wasn't using it correctly--maybe some combination of both--and other reviews posted here suggested that the number provided for customer service would not lead to anything but more frustration.

In short, I thought this was a handsome and potentially useful appliance, and I wanted to get it working properly. And, finally, I did figure out how to work it. There was one very simple but crucial piece of information that was not clear in the instruction manual. Here's what you need to know: when you place the pressure release valve on the lid, be sure that the little projecting arm on the valve is precisely parallel to the lid's handle. If you do that, the cooker will get up to pressure, and the digital display clock will count down, just as it's supposed to do. That's it. Enjoy!

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The Cuisinart 6 Quart pressure cooker, truly is a Kitchen Magician!

I have not stopped playing with this thing, since I pulled it out of the box. For a 21st century family-man, the chef in the family, discovering this electric pressure cooker is like rediscovering a whole new way to make potatoes, to steam rice, to cook dried beans from the pantry, to make chorizo paella, chicken noodle soup, marinara, the list goes on and on...And almost everything, in 30 minutes or less! Amazing.

Pros:

1) Click and go functionality. Saute, Brown, Simmer, Low Pressure, high Pressure, and keep warm. Click your choice, then minutes, then start. Couldn't be easier.

2) Safety comes first: After reading the instructions, and becoming familiar with the appliance, I feel safe, knowing that it has like 7 safety features.

3) Versatility: I am not just pressure cooking potatoes in this thing...I am doing all one-pot wonders, starting with frying my onions and garlic, or browning my brussell sprouts, then boiling my water, then pressure cooking, then simmering in the noodles, etc. My stove and oven miss me so much. Poor things.

4) no-stick pot: This is the easiest pot to clean, and I have made probably 20 dishes in it so far. Cleanup is a breeze, holds up in the dishwasher.

5) Cuisinart is a name you can trust.

6) 6 quarts, perfect size. Don't go any smaller.

Cons:

1) Directions: Kind of lacking. The pics are a little old-school diagramish. I was left scratching my head on clean-up, for example, like um, how to you take the lid apart...Left figuring stuff out on my own. (see tips)

2) Recipes: Good, but I was wanting more. (see tips)

3) No accessories: No keep-warm lid, no steam pot, no inserts. Checked the cuisinart website, and no accessories sold there either.

4) Maximum fill line: The pot doesn't have one, and I wish it did. It has measurements, but with pressure cooking, you're supposed to not go farther than like 60%. A line would be nice.

5) Pot would not come to pressure a couple times, as previous reviews mentioned, would just turn to "keep warm"...BUT this was while already cooking in the pot (browning) at high temps with olive oil(for example, when I was browning paella in oily chorizo), and then attempting to immediately switch to pressure cook...so I am of the belief that this might be a safety function of the thermostat. The instructions manual talks about the thermostat disallowing the pot to go to pressure if the temp exceeds a safe temp, and I was essentially frying with minimal water, meaning, I think my pot got too hot to pressure cook the food I already had been cooking. Just a guess. Both dishes turned out perfect when this occurred, I simply cooked on brown to finish. Safety comes first. All other times, everything worked normal. Rice, beans, veggies, soups, no problemo.

TIPS:

1) Cleaning the lid: Take lid off, pull the little knob thing underneath, the lower plate comes right off, and you can clean the upper and lower lid with a clean cloth. The silicon seal comes right off also, and can be cleaned as well. Scary to do first time, because the manual is not terribly clear. After that, all fear is gone, and please, DO clean your lid.

2) Cookbooks: Do yourself a favor, and buy a couple companion cookbooks. I highly recommend Lorna Sass, "Cooking Under Pressure", and more specifically, I enjoy her book entitled "Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure." She is the pressure cooker goddess, yiou can not go wrong with her. You'll learn lots of new ways to look at how to prepare your recipes with the pressure cooker, and you can see some of her at work on youtube, she has a blog also. I also recommend the book "The Everything Vegetarian Pressure Cooker Cookbook". I have tried almost 10 recipes so far. Great! So, don't go at it alone. Buy a couple cookbooks.

3) Beans and grains: With white rice, honestly, I don't really think you need to add any oil. The manual suggests this as well. With beans, yeah. Add oil for sure. The pot gets pretty messy, so don't forget to clean the lid after. Now, I tried beans straight from dry, and I tried them after pre-soaking. Both turned out fine.

4) Veggies: delicate stuff, like veggies, really have a tendency to overcook. Try using the "low pressure" setting to help, and just pressure cook them for 1-3 minutes max, with quick release...Keep the super delicate veggies, like broccoli, for the steamer. Not everything must be cooked in your pressure cooker. The right tools for the right foods, etc. On the other hand, artichokes are amazing. 8-10 minutes, with some lemon, and you're golden.

Discount Sunbeam Fleece Throw Electric Heated Warming Heating Blanket Home

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List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $37.95
Today's Bonus: 37% Off

I was shopping around for electric blankets and finally decided to buy a few of these throws. I saw these in the stores and felt compelled to write a review since I've been using them since November. First of all, the reason I bought these throws was because my apt is never warm enough at night during winter. Electric heaters aren't allowed in my building so I wanted to try these heated throw blankets.

After using them for a while, I must say that I understimated these blankets. I figured since I only paid $30 for them at walgreens, that they wouldn't be that great. They output a good amount of heat and have kept me and my family warm during the cold winter. It comes with 3 heat settings and they have been doing their job well so far. They do tend to shed after some use, but I decided to just stick them under our bed sheets and handwash them a few times to get rid of the lint. There are other types of blankets that don't shed, but I've always preferred this type of soft material. Just don't put any sweaters of black clothing on it! The blankets I have do come with an auto shut-off and I don't mind it. Usually by the time it shuts off I'm already asleep. The heat is also not meant to be really hot, but its warm enough to keep you toasty.

For the price, this blanket is a great deal. The material isn't of the greatest quality, but its still very soft and does its job. Everybody has their own preferences, I just prefer fleece. I also like the fact that the heat goes to certain parts of your body while your sleeping. For example, if your feet are cold, you feel more heat go towards that area. Basically, if you want something cheap and usefull that will keep you warm at night, then this is the blanket.

You can try to find another brand like I did, but you might be turned off that they are double the price. I don't want to get caught paying a lot of money for a blanket and then it stops working after a few years. I figure I can probably squeeze out a couple of years from these blankets before I buy new ones. When you put them under your sheets or use them to curl up on your couch, they do the trick!

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I've owned this heated throw for about a year now. It works alright, and does a good job of keeping me toasty. However, the material is thin and flimsy, and after washing it one time, my dryer lint collector was full of fibers that came out, and the throw now has little bare patches throughout. I also wished I had just bought a regular heated blanket instead of a throw, because it's too short to cover me at 5'2". It's uncomfortable to lay on top of, because you can feel the wires, and the controller is easily adjusted/turned off accidentally.

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This blanket is very thin and small. May be suitable for a child but will not cover an adult. It is also very thin and does not hold the heat in very much. It is not what I expected at all. Even with several blankets on top, it doesn't really stay warm. Either your feet or shoulders have to go uncovered. I'm only 5' 4" so it's not like it doesn't cover me because I'm too tall. As I said previously, it would be good for a child because of it's size and the fact that it doesn't get too hot.

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This only worked for three months before it quit working. Waste of money. I didn't save the packaging or I would be trying to return it.

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Nice size for using in a chair. It is the perfect solution to cold feet and legs from neuropathy. I really like the mushroom color for the area I use it.

Thermal Switch Can be used with Fireplace Blowers for automatic Reviews

Customer Ratings:

This little thing works just as advertised. Hooked it up electrically in-line with the blower in the fireplace, and now the blower only comes on when the fireplace warms up (no more blowing cold air), and then after the fire is turned off, the blower stays on until the fireplace is cooled down.

I found some surplus neo-magnets at an office supply and crazy-glued them to the side tabs. That way, I could mount the switch, without drilling holes, to the bottom of the fireplace (actually, the inside top of the blower cavity).

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I have two Napoleon gas fireplaces in my home. The newer gas fireplace came with a thermoswitch to automatically turn on the blower when the fireplace gets hot. The older gas fireplace had a blower but it did not come with a thermoswitch. The automatic blower is a very handy feature. I wanted to upgrade my older gas fireplace to have this feature.

My local Napoleon dealer wanted $35 for a new thermoswitch. Amazon had a much better price. The only difficulty with the 19-SF2-115 switch is that it "turns on" at a lower temperature (110F) than the one supplied by Napoleon (120F).

I first tried installing this switch it to the side of the fireplace box (same location as my newer gas fireplace). The problem with this location, is that the sheet metal box stays warm at this location for a long time, even after the fireplace flame is turned off. I discovered that the blower would stay on for 3-4 hours after the flame turned off. This is probably why Napoleon uses a 120F switch instead of the 110F switch. By the way, the 120F thermoswitch switch takes a good 15 minutes to turn on.

By experimentation, I discovered that if I mounted the 110F thermoswitch on the sheet metal air deflector directly above the fireplace box (see attached photos), the blower starts approximately 2 minutes after the flame turns on and shuts off approimately 8 minutes after the flame turns off. It is the perfect location for this switch!

The switch is held in place by two magnets that I epoxied on to the sheet metal tabs on the switch (see attached photo). I wired the thermoswitch directly into the 110VAC blower circuit using a total of 8 feet of 250C high temperature wire (available on Amazon and the major auction site).

As a point of interest, I also have the gas valves on both gas fireplaces connected to a "millivolt" thermostat located on the other side of the room. The thermostat turns on and off the gas fireplace to maintain the temperature of the room. I set the thermostat in my basement to about 65F. It works very nicely to take the "chill" out of the basement.

Summary: The switch works well, but some experimentation with the location may be required.

Hope this review helps!

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Thermal switch(#19-SF2-115) worked as stated. Switch turned on aprox. 115 degrees after several minutes and then shuts back off around 90 degrees. The item has been installed and is working great on a wood furnace.

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THE NEW THERMAL SWITCH IS WORKING GREAT NOW I CAN BUILD A FIRE AND WALK AWAY AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE SWITCH AUTOMATICALLY TURNS THE BLOWER ON AND THEN SHUTS IT OFF AFTER IT COOLS DOWN. EXCELLENT PRODUCT AT AN EXCELLENT PRICE AND SHIPPING WAS QUICK TOO I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT ONE YEARS AGO.

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This switch works as designed and has an appropriate temperature range.

What is special is not so much the item, but the wisdom and advice of the seller.

My gas Fireplace had a number of design faults since new five years ago.

One of the issues was the fan control. The original supplied thermoswitch did not cut the fan in until 207 degrees F. The original switch was not fixed (You can not drill in a fire box). So the original unit flopped about above the box. Eventually the plastic insulators over the connectors crumbled due to heat, the switch moved and shorted against the fire box. In a shower of sparks the switch and solid state fan controller were blown and the breaker tripped at the panel.

I followed this sellers advice and used his switch that cuts in at 115 degrees F. I used the heat shrink over the connectors as extra protection.

The really brilliant piece of his advice was to use powerful small rare Earth magnets to secure the thermoswitch to an ideal location above the fire box in the airstream. Now this gas fireplace works better than ever.

So before you purchase this unit look at his installation advice and his pictures.

Unit is fine but nothing special about it. His advice free but priceless. Thank you!

Cheap Sunpentown RF-320S 3-1/5-Cubic-Foot Double-Door

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $429.00
Sale Price: $192.92
Today's Bonus: 55% Off

My decision for a compact refrigerator was a double door design. Separate freezer and refrigerator.

I highly recommend this product and this brand (Air Purifiers USA). After ordering the product, I contacted the manufacture (via the email confirmation details), and asked about the color options. White on white vs. Stainless on black. (I read them on the product description page, but was not able to make the selection during checkout). The gentlemen suggested putting the order on hold for 2 hours, he then contacted the warehouse, determined availability, and called me back and I selected Stainless on black. The order arrived in 3 days using regular shipping and the box was very well packaged. In fact, the original packing carton was inserted into a slightly larger carton (with good padding) and the entire packing was first rate.

The refrigerator is a thing of beauty. A full size look in a compact size unit. Stainless front with black box. The top has a convenient molded tray, designed to be used as a 'spill proof' counter top. The topside is large enough to hold coffee maker, cups, etc. and will never scratch.

Time will tell if this unit will perform as expected. My confidence is high and I am a very pleased customer.

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I bought a slightly different model 1 year ago. It has worked superbly all the time. So, why do I bother to write the review NOW ? Because of Customer Support. I needed to move the fridge to another location, and re-hung the doors from hinges-on-the-right (the way it came from the factory) to hinges-on-the-left. When I was done, the freezer door was slightly misaligned and did not close properly. I called their 800 number; it is busy much of the time (it is either busy, or a person answers, no waiting), but it was worth retrying. When I got through to a person, HE ACTUALLY WALKED ME THROUGH THE STEPS NEEDED TO FIX THE PROBLEM on the phone; no charge, no hassle (and he spoke flawless American English, as opposed to me). I am so impressed that I felt compelled to write this review. These guys can sell me any of their equipment any time.

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After lots of research, I decided to get a fridge with separate freezer and refrigerator components because I read that having a freezer inside the fridge compartment will make either the fridge too cold or too warm depending on how you dial the setting. This fridge got compliments for its looks in my office, and works great! So quiet, I don't notice it's there! The freezer freezes ice cubes and the refrigerator keeps my food cold. The dial was easily set so that the fridge is not warm but not so cold that it freezes the food. I was even impressed that the dial could be set so cold that my food got frozen in the fridge section!

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pros

-stainless steel front

-2 doors

-very quiet

-larger than expected/roomy

-keeps items cold

-light inside

-comes with mini ice tray/holder

cons

-can holder is useless to me

-doesn't hold a quart of milk in the side door

-doesn't have a lock

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Great controls over temperature for the fridge. Lots of fridge space and quiet operation.

Best Kozy World GWD104 10,000-BTU Vent-Free Dual-Fuel Gas Wall Heater Deals

Customer Ratings:

I actually purchased this heater for my mom.....it was smaller than she expected but she says it heats her home just fine..I was very pleased with the price and with the quality of the product...so was my mom...I recommend this product for a small space that needs heating...it is a wall mount heater...I dont remember if it came with feet to stand it on the floor, I think it did not, I will order again from this supplier in the future.

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Great little heater.

Only wish it had a thermostat like the larger ones.

On the little trailer I am using it for heat, the low setting

is warmer than I need unless the weather is really cold.

I can get by if I turn the control down below the low setting,

but you have to be careful to check that the flame is

burning blue, not yellow or orange.

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Great little heater and as such --should come in a variety of colors. Blue flame is as pictured and makes warmth a new meaning..

Dimensions to mount from flamable sources as specified in received paperwork would be useful in the add writeup, especially online..

The wall mount and hookup was easy needing only a screwdriver, hammer, and small crescent wrench. The dual fuel setting was easy to get to and would turn using a downward push and finger turn to either NG or LP setting...

Honest reviews on Kozy World GWD104 10,000-BTU Vent-Free Dual-Fuel Gas Wall Heater

Well satisfied with this purchase. Bought it for the bathroom and it keeps it toasty warm! 180sq.feet of bathroom and well satisfied with the performance and price. It came in quickly with easy to install instructions.Thanks!

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Best price I found anywhere and as long as you know it does not have a thermostat it is a steal. Quiet and efficient and never shut down from oxygen problems. Ran it 24 hours a day for over 2 months this winter and all ok.

Review of MAX Fan Heater

Customer Ratings:

I've had one of these for several years and I've just ordered a second one for another room in our house. We live in northern California and use ours to keep our daughter's room a few degrees warmer than the rest of the house at night (71 or 72 instead of the 66 degrees we set our central heat for). Positives: cute, stays cool to the touch, doesn't heat up the cord or make worrying electrical noises or seem cheap and scary like other space heaters. Quiet fan operation doesn't disturb her if I turn it on or off at night, and the controls seem pretty simple to me. Negatives: I agree with the other reviewers that this is never going to help you heat an unheated workshop or in a very cold climate. It works great for a bathroom, bedroom or an office to supplement central heat when you don't need to keep the whole house as warm. For us the only real negative is that the thermostat could be a little more reliable mostly it seems to approximately work, but sometimes I'll notice that the heater runs the room up into the upper 70s and it doesn't shut off, even though when you test the thermostat setting by hand it should have. We use a Belkin outlet timer cutoff in the winter to plug this into so that it doesn't run more than 3 hrs at night and we don't have to remember to check.

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This unit has a cool design but does not put out any heat. Even on the high heat setting the heat this unit puts out feels like tepid water. I will be returning this for a refund.

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I have had this fan for more than 5 years, and don't understand the negative reviews here. It looks good, and puts out a lot of heat very quickly. It is a heater fan, so do expect a little noise from the fan blades.

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Nice design and function. Heats a room 11x13 very nicely. However, the heat coils makes a audibly annoying whirring sound when put to level 2 (max). Its still there on mode 1 but less bothersome. Still, wish the heat coils made no sound at all.

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This is a piece of junk. It doesn't put out much heat, and died after a couple years of minimal use. It probably would have died sooner if we had used it more, but since it was basically useless, we didn't use it much. Avoid, you can get a much better heater for half the cost.

Discount Vornado PVH Whole Room Panel Vortex Heater

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List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $57.00
Today's Bonus: 29% Off

Although I like this heater, it didn't work for my needs and so I'll be returning it. I hoped it could take the place of the ancient, oscillating Honeywell ceramic fan heater that I use in the morning to warm up my very cold office (which can be as low as 43 inside when I open it up) before I switch on my oil-filled radiator, but it just does not have the power.

I do like this heater. It worked very well at heating up my 12'x15' bedroom and at keeping my office warm on a coolish afternoon, but it was a total failure at heating up my small, unheated and uninsulated office in the early morning. It took two hours forty-five minutes to bring my office from 52F to 67F. My oil-filled radiator does faster!

However for less cold situations, this is an excellent heater even for someone like myself who prefers heat from oil-filled radiator heaters. It's good looking, appears well made, and has an effective tip-over shut off mechanism. Vornado's five year warranty make it a fairly safe investment that should be satisfactory as long as you aren't trying to heat up a very cold, uninsulated room.

I tested it with my Kill-A-Watt to check the accuracy of the wattage claims. It's rated at 750/1500 watts but on mine, the actual wattages were 725 and 1350. When I tested it on thermostat operation for keeping a 12x15 room at 68F for 12 hours, I was impressed that the electrical consumption of this heater was actually lower than the oil-filled radiator heater I tested.

General information about buying electric space heaters:

=============================================

I've owned and used electric space heaters since 1988, mostly DeLonghi oil filled radiators. When I recently began looking for a heater that would warm up a room faster, I was frustrated at the lack of hard, objective, facts about electric space heaters. Even the manufacturer websites often fail to mention or makes it hard to learn the most basic information you need to know, such as wattage ratings and warranty lengths. Not even Consumer Reports has enough information to really inform a consumer. Therefore it's up to us as consumers to share what we know. The rest of this review shares some of what I've learned.

In case you're wondering what heater I decided on to replace my DeLonghi, I didn't, at least not yet. I tried a Vornado PVH and a Bionaire BH1331-U, but I ended up returning both heaters. I'm sticking with my oil-filled heaters for now.

Basic electric space heater facts:

1. All electric space heaters are equally efficient. All heaters rated at 1500 watts output the same amount of heat, but may do it very differently. You have to choose the one that heats the way you need it.

2. Power consumption is determined by two things: the power setting you're using and how long the heater is actually on. Turning up the thermostat setting doesn't increase the heat or power consumption; it just lengthens the time that your heater will be running.

3. To reduce power consumption, use the lowest power setting on your heater that produces the heat you need.

4. An electric space heater will save you money only if you turn your central heating down or off and use space heaters to heat only the rooms where you need heat.

5. The only kind of electric space heater that's likely to provide adequate heat in a large or draft space is a radiant heater (not to be confused with a radiator heater, which is very different), but radiant heaters pose a fire hazard.

Don't take manufacturer wattage claims too seriously. When I used my Kill-A-Watt meter on six space heaters, I found variations of up to 200 watts between the claimed and actual wattage for each space heater. In most cases the actual watts were less than the claimed watts, but one of my DeLonghi's 1500 watt heaters turned out actually to be a 1600 watt heater.

Two crucial steps in finding the electric space heater that's right for you:

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1. Learn which heater is right for your needs. A huge percentage of complaints by reviewers about space heaters are due to reviewers buying the wrong type of heater for their needs. Your first step should be to decide between the basic types: Ceramic heaters with a fan, oil-filled radiator, micathermic, and radiant. First learn the conditions in which each one works best and works best and then select the type that will work best for your needs. There is no one single "best" heater for all situations. Each one has conditions in which it works well and conditions in which it's terrible.

2. Look at the warranties. Warranties on space heaters range from one year to five years. Delonghi and Soleus heaters that I've checked have one year warranties. Other companies, such as Bionaire, Honeywell, Lasko, and Vornado offer three year and five year warranties on many but not all of their models. If a company offers only a one year warranty on some models but a five year warranty on others (such as Bionaire), it raises question about the durability of the heater with the shorter warranty. However a long warranty is only as good as the company offering it. Read reviews to learn what experiences people have when their heaters die while still under warranty.

In most cases, you'll have to download the manual from the manufacturer's website to get the length of the warranty. It's a nuisance, but it's worth taking the time to do.

Don't let anyone tell you that any particular type of heater is "the best". The best type is the one that best suits YOUR needs. The best heater for me might be the worst heater for you. Some heaters heat up a cold room faster, some keep a room at a steady temperature, and some will work better in a large space.

Some questions you need to ask yourself before deciding which type of heater to buyWill it be keeping a room at a steady temperature? (oil-filled radiator or micathermics heaters might be best)

Will it be heating up a cold room? (a heater with a fan or a radiant heater might be best)

Are there children or pets who might be injured by touching a hot surface? (oil-filled radiator and radiant heater might be a problem)

Do you want to heat just a particular spot rather than the whole room? (radiant heaters might be best

Are you concerned about fire risks? (oil-filled radiator or micathermic heaters might be best, though no space heater is completely safe)

Oil-filled radiators:

These are my favorite heaters. These are the heaters that look like old-fashioned steam radiators. The oil retains its warmth after the thermostat cycles off, which is important if you want to keep a room at a steady temperature. The downside is that the oil takes longer to heat initially, which is why these heaters take so long to warm up.

I have two DeLonghi oil-filled radiators; I've been using one of them for 23 years, and the other is about eight years old. I love the heat they provide. It's steady, warm, with no noise and no drying out of the air like with some other types of heaters. They are ideal for maintaining a steady temperature in an enclosed room.

Oil filled heaters have a huge drawback, however: they are terrible at heating up a cold room. It can take an oil-filled heater hours longer to heat up a cold room than other types of heaters.

The US Department of Energy recommends oil-filled heaters as the most efficient, because the fins generate warmth even when the heater's thermostat cycles off. However this efficiency is only when the heater is continually on, keeping a room at a constant temperature. If you turn the heater on and off frequently, you'll lose most of the efficiency that's inherent in these heaters.

If you have children or pets, look into one of the shielded radiator heaters. I prefer the unshielded ones because they radiate more heat laterally, but the surface can get very hot and be a hazard if touched. DeLonghi claims that their shielded radiator heaters circulate heated air more quickly. Both of mine are unshielded, so I have no way of confirming that. My concern about the shielded radiators is that they would direct more hot air up rather than to the side, where I need it.

If your electric rates are different for different times of the day, you can use this to your advantage in setting your radiator heater toswitch on and warm the room from cold when rates are low, then let it provide steady heat when rates are higher.

A word of warning about oil-filled radiators: if one is poorly made or damaged, it can leak oil and permanently damage rugs and floors or even start a fire. Only buy from a reputable manufacturer and don't accept one that has any visible damage.

Ceramic fan heaters:

These are great at heating a room quickly, however many people including myself don't like the heat they blow. I don't mind it in my Vornado Personal Heater (375/700watt), which is located under my desk, but I thoroughly dislike it in the old Honeywell ceramic oscillating heater that came with my house. I much prefer the warmth that comes from an oil-filled radiator. Ceramic heaters can be most effective at quickly warming up a cold room.

Radiant heaters

Radiant heaters (don't confuse them with radiator heaters!) work by heating whatever they are pointed at rather than heating the air in the room. If you have a large, drafty space, a radiant heater might be your best choice, because it doesn't heat the air, only the objects and people it's directed at.

Micathermic heaters

Micathermic heaters work similarly to oil-filled radiators, except that instead of heavy metal fins filled with hot oil, micathermic heaters have thin sheets of mica that heat up. I've only had experience with one micathermic, a Bionaire BH1331-U, and found that it's exterior surface remained very cool except for a few very warm spots on top. There would be less risk of young children being burned by touching a micathermic heater than an oil-filled radiator. Micathermic heaters are slower heating than ceramic fan heaters, but are faster then oil-filled radiators..

Baseboard heaters

I have a Lakewood oil-filled baseboard heater I bought five years ago that has many of the advantages of a micathermic heater. It heats faster than an oil-filled radiator but has no hot surfaces and low fire risk. My Lakewood does an excellent job of heating my 12x15 bedroom.

However I have not researched baseboard heaters and only have experience with this Lakewood, so I don't know whether others are as good as this one. I was impressed that when I measured the actual wattages of my various space heaters, the Lakewood's actual wattages came closest to its claimed wattages of all the other heaters I tested. Lakewood unfortunately went out of business in 2009 and had a major problem with oil leaking from its heaters a few years earlier. Despite this, it's in many ways my best heater and has the lowest cost of operation.

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I bought this heater to use in my bedroom. When I first turned it on, it stayed so cool to the touch, I wasn't sure if it could actually heat up the room. But in about 15-20 minutes, it comfortably heats the ENTIRE room evenly (even with 12' ceilings). The best thing is that the heat is not hot or drying. Also, it is not like those old ceramic heaters-this is a totally different technology. I don't really get how it works (or care for that matter), but I already bought another one! Absolutely worth the price-I don't have to turn up the thermostat and heat the rooms I'm not in anymore!

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I bought this heater for a recent camping trip as an alternative to using a propane heater inside my popup camper. The propane heater works great but you need the fuel source, 's a bit bulky and with the dogs around in a small space you have to worry about a potential burn or tip over. With all that I didn't want to buy a smaller propane heater so after reading a few reviews here and looking at how this function in the store I was still a little skeptical that this would do the job but decided to give it a shot.

We were going camping in Boothbay Harbor Maine, so I expected it to get chilly (To give you a point of reference it's about 3 hours north of Boston.) We were on the water and the first night it went from chilly to cold. It hit the lower 50's so I was thinking I made a bad decision in packing light and that should have lugged the propane heater along.

I plugged it in and for the rest of the night prepared for cold, bitter disappointment about my purchase...

To my surpise this heater was awesome, if you know anything about popups you know it's basically a tent but you are off the ground. No insulation and can be a little drafty where the canvas meets the body of the trailer.

I set the unit for maximum heat (settigng 7?) assuming it need to be on his setting just to give us a little heat, I woke up about 2 hours later and it was hot in the camper, hot enough that I opened the ceiling vent and lowered the setting to the midway point and closed the vent. It cycled on an off to meet the needs of the temperature shifts and kept the cabin temp comfortable for the rest of the night.

The second night wasn't as cold and I left the setting at 2 and it was perfect. A side benefit, the fan isn't loud but fits the need for those who like a little background noise to fall asleep too.

If this can heat and un-insulated, drafty space adequately I think it will fo just fine keep a moderately sized room warmed.

Highest rating for this product, if you are thinking of buying a new heater I recommend you give this one a shot.

Honest reviews on Vornado PVH Whole Room Panel Vortex Heater

Our old ceramic space heater died, and I found myself in the market for a new one right after a cold snap, when the stores had slim pickin's. I bought the Vornado PVH at Target, and I was so hesitant to use it that I left it in my car for about a month before bringing it inside. (I found another ceramic heater at a different store and used that in the meantime.) I was worried mainly that: it would be loud (based on the "Vornado" name), it doesn't oscillate, so it couldn't possibly warm the whole room, and that it didn't have an actual temperature setting, so it would stay on all the time and pump out loud, hot air.

I was so, so wrong. The name is misleading. The sound doesn't conjure images of a vortex or a tornado. It has a quiet hum that is actually comforting more than anything else. I'm actually really glad that it doesn't oscillate, because our ceramic heaters all developed a 'click' sound when changing directions, and the PVH won't have that problem. The heat level selector is great. When I first turned it on, I set it to LOW at level 6, and came back after 30 minutes to a ridiculously cozy, warm (all over) bedroom. It was too warm to even sleep under the covers, so we've since had it set to LOW level 2-3, which I'd say probably keeps the temp in the mid 60s. We don't like a lot of heat; we just want to take the chill off, although there's plenty of upside for people who like really warm rooms. Also, the unit does cycle on and off to maintain the heat setting you've chosen, which is exactly what I wanted. If I walk in front of the the heater, I feel a gentle 'breeze' of air, which is so strange, because the name (and the efficiency of the unit) would suggest that it should be a forceful wind, but it just isn't. I'm not even sure how it works so well, but it does.

We're using the PVH to heat a 12'x14' bedroom with 8' ceilings, and 6' sliding glass patio doors in Northern California (where it actually gets cold, but doesn't snow). The room is warm everywhere, with no chilly or hot spots. My husband and I have been very impressed, and we haven't used our ceramic heater once since I finally pulled the Vornado out of the box. The only downside is that, unlike some of the other reviewers, I do believe the Vornado dries the air out, but I'm a contact lens wearer, and pretty much all fans do that. I would certainly recommend this heater to friends and family. 4 out of 5 stars.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Vornado PVH Whole Room Panel Vortex Heater

Just bought and read directions and pluged in. Works great and is very quiet even with the fan running. Brought the room up to temp in about 1520min. Great heater that I recommend.

Nostalgia BCS-997 Stainless-Steel 3-Station Buffet Server Review

Customer Ratings:

I purchased this a few months ago. Within using it about 3-4 times, all 3 warming trays got holes which made the product useless. I contacted the manufacture and it took weeks and weeks of emails and voicemails before someone finally replied to my complaints of a defective product and sent me 3 replacement warming trays. All 3 replacement trays now have holes after 3 uses. Dont buy this product unless you want to only use it a few times and then wait weeks and weeks to get new trays. Waste of money. They should recall the item and offer full refunds.

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The Helman Group BCS-997 Stainless-Steel 3-Station Buffet Server with Separate Heat Controls and Glass Lids

My Buffet station BCS997 also came with a loose part and a handle that was not attached properly. I purchased the $64 option and was not surprised that this station was, in all likelihood, a "second".

After having the station repaired I was pleased that the individual heating controls work so well. I'm wondering if the problems the other buyers had were because of the low price option.

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I was very excited to get this buffet for Thanksgiving, but when I opened it up I was immediately disappointed when I saw that the middle heat control's was not poking out of the hole so that I could attach the knob. It was stuck behind the metal and I have not been able to pry it out.

I have not been able to utilize the middle station.

I guess I will just splurge a little next time and get a well made buffet that will last me for years.

Honest reviews on Nostalgia BCS-997 Stainless-Steel 3-Station Buffet Server

This is an excellent product that works good for small buffett feeding. The controls give you the opportunity to work whatever line you need.

Thanks!

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We purchased this 3-Station Buffet Server as a gift for my mother-in-law. As we helped open it and take it out of the box, we heard something rolling around inside.

After looking over the rest of the unit, we realized that one of the Burner Handles was loose. This was rather embarrassing as you would think the unit would be assembled properly and put through a Quality Check process. I have contacted Helman Group via email. Hopefully they will respond with how to get the unit repaired.

Reviews of Holmes HFH416 1-Touch Swirl Grill Power Heater

Customer Ratings:

Though not a large heater it heats up a room as good or better than the space heater I use more than twice as big. The one touch button operation takes a little time to get used to,but all in all I consider this to be an Excellent Little Heater.

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I inherited this heater and admit that I wanted it for sentimental value but I love it now! Having the ability to target a particular temperature is great, I wouldn't want a heater without that feature. What I would like is the ability to point the airstream up or down in addition to swiveling on the base. It is wonderfully light and compact and feels very safe. Though looks aren't important to me this little unit is more attractive than many others I've seen.

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I bought one of these last year and am using it again this winter. This heater is rather quiet for a fan-type although powerful at 1500W. The thermostat isn't very accurate, but then it was only designed to keep a personal space at a certain temperature, which it does well. You would need two of these to keep a small apartment near a specific temperature; otherwise set this heater to 5 deg. above desired temp.

The heater it replaced was a 600W radiant heater which failed just weeks after purchase. Eventually I decided the fan/hot-air heater could not completely replace the kind of direct warmth I get from radiant units, so now depending on my activity I alternate between the Holmes and a newer 900W carbon-FIR heater made Honeywell.

Fan-type heaters usually annoy me, but this one doesn't and it turned out better than I thought it would. I think this one would have rated 5 stars if it had a gradually-adjustable thermostat instead of digital presets.

Honest reviews on Holmes HFH416 1-Touch Swirl Grill Power Heater

Did the job well until it quit after 2 winters. It has thermostat-like settings that show certain temperatures you can select, but I don't think the thermastat actually worked the heater just stayed on all the time, so I just used the high/low settings.

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This inexpensive little personal heater has a lot of great features that you don't find with other models in the same price range. First of all, in addition to the high-low setting that most heaters have, there is also a specific thermostat setting that lets you choose amongst five different temperatures (I believe the degree choices are 60-65-70-75-80). Secondly, the heater is self-adjusting, so once the room reaches the desired temperature, the heater turns off, only to come back on if the temperature dips back down. This heater has a nice swivel feature which allows you to angle it in different directions without having to move the entire unit. Finally, it is one of the smallest, quietest, most lightweight space heaters you will find! I have owned this heater for several years now--I use it in my basement exercise room, where it works perfectly, but it would also be great for bedrooms, offices, and other small rooms. Highly recommended!!!

Dimplex EUH08B34CT 7.5/5.6-Kilowatt 240/208-Volt 1/3-Phase Review

Customer Ratings:

I have been using this heater for just over a year. Very good heater when I need it. Will warm my 20x22x10 garage in about 15 minutes. Down side is it runs about $4.00/ day in electricity (2011 rates) so I don't leave it on all the time.

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I have a 600 square foot (3-car) garage with 12 foot high ceilings, and this heater has been a great addition. My garage has insulated and finished walls, but several windows and drafty garage doors (that's my next project!), so it's not particularly easy to heat. Running for about 15 minutes per hour, this heater warms my garage by about 30 degrees which is fine for my needs. It's also possible to run just the fan, giving me some much needed air circulation, even when the temperatures aren't cold.

Construction quality is about average for this type of unit. It's somewhat plain and industrial looking, but after all, it is intended for a garage. The controls are simple an on/off switch for the fan, and then a basic thermostat to regulate the temperature. If you like, you can wire it into a remote thermostat instead of using the built in temperature regulator. It can be tilted within a limited range, but the mounting isn't really all that flexible...I might have preferred one on some sort of swiveling mount so as to be able to direct the heat where I want it.

Still, it more than meets my needs. When it clicks on, it is indeed very warm in the vicinity of the heater, and in just a few minutes, my entire garage warms up. Temperatures tend to vary quite a bit with distance from the fan...in fairness, two smaller (5KW) units would have probably heated my garage more evenly, but I didn't want to give up that much ceiling space.

I didn't have the required 40A circuit nearby, so I paid a professional electrician about $300 to run the line and install the heater. The installation went smoothly and there were no issues getting it running.

I'm tempted to keep the thermostat set to about 50 degrees and to let it run continuously, although I'm afraid of the electricity cost. In my area, electricity is about 12 cents per KWH, so if the heater runs 15 minutes per hour, it can be as much as $6 per day to operate this heater. Where I live, that would probably only be an issue during the very coldest days...otherwise, I think the average cost will be more like $1 or $2 per day. Still, it's worth giving some thought to what the cost might be if you're on a tight budget, and of course, you can always simply shut it off, put it on some type of timer or spend a little more time insulating your garage.

Above my garage is living space, and until now, it's always been cold and chilly. Heating the garage has had the benefit of helping keep the room above notably warmer. I can hear it running from inside the house, which is about my only complaint. Otherwise, it's a fine unit for the price.

Definitely recommended.

Buy Honeywell RTH221B Basic Programmable Thermostat

Customer Ratings:

My wife and I are both retired so every day is a 'weekend day'. Most thermostats require multiple settings for different kinds of days. Good idea if you're a worker but bad idea if you're me since going on vacation etc requires MULTIPLE thermostat adjustments. Also, why pay extra for annoying unused features. This thermostat is simple, easy to install and has typical Honeywell accuracy and reliability. For me it's ideal.

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Basic programable t-stat. Works well, easy to install Honeywell is a good brand. **HOWEVER in picture on amazon the screen on it looks back-lit, but it is not lit.

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I bought this thermostat this fall from a big box home improvement store and it's paid for itself several times over in a few short months (and I paid more than the listing price on Amazon).

I had never installed a thermostat before, but it was a breeze to install. I turned off the breakers to my living room, carefully removed the old thermostat, attached two wires, installed a couple of screws (I think that I ended up drilling one new hole), and turned the power back on. Less than 15 minutes from start to finish, and I'm not the handiest gal you'll ever meet. It worked. I set it to turn down at night while we're sleeping and during the day when we're gone. I also put the plastic on the windows, but other than the new thermostat I did nothing different this year than last.

February 2008the portion of our utility bill for natural gas was $188.03. February 2009, with the average temperature just 4 degrees warmer, our natural gas bill was $88.08. We have saved at least $40 every month since I installed it. It's paid for itself several times over. It's probably the best thing I've purchased in a very long time.

Honest reviews on Honeywell RTH221B Basic Programmable Thermostat

I can't believe I waited so long to replace the old mercury bubble thermostat on my hot water heat system. I noticed a friend had a new one, so I decided it was time to do some research here at Amazon.

I wanted a vertical style to match the placement of the old one which narrowed the field considerably. I wanted a simple day/night setback and didn't need separate settings for weekends. I wanted simple controls and ease of temporary adjustment. This one fit the bill perfectly.

Installation was a breeze. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. My two-wire system connected to the Rh (Red heat) and W (White) terminals. The wires weren't that color (probably the original 90 year old wires!) so I either guessed right or, more likely, it would have worked if they were reversed since it's simply an open/close switch to activate the heater. I even reused the mounting screws from the old unit sweet! Stop by your local Dollar Store and pick up a mini screwdriver set if you don't have one.

Programming is straightforward, and again the instructions are clear. It comes preprogrammed with four periods Wake, Leave, Return, and Sleep. It's easy to adjust these to your desired time/temp. I skipped two of them completely by simply pressing the Hold button for four seconds while that period was displayed during setup. Believe me, you'll be tweaking your settings with abandon after the first run-through... it's that easy.

I love the simplicity of the display. What's the current temp? Look at the screen. You're a bit cold? Tap the up arrow once and read the setpoint; tap it again to temporarily raise the setpoint one degree, again for two degrees, etc. The unit will retain your temporary setting until the next programed change (e.g. night setback) or until you press the Run button. Going away for a couple of days? Tap in the desired setpoint and press Hold. Simply press Run again when you get home. As noted in other reviews, there is no backlight in the display.

You can download the installation and user's manual at the Honeywell website to get a peek at how it works.

Be sure to note the Configuration Menu in the installation instructions. I had to change the "Heating Cycles per Hour" setting to "3" (for my hot water system) from the default "5" setting.

What is Heating Cycles per Hour, you ask? It's a means to fine-tune the efficiency of the system's attempts to maintain your desired temperature. It's ONLY active when you're within a degree or so of the setpoint temperature. Here's how it works:

Say, your setpoint temperature is 70°. As the heater brings the room air temp up towards the setpoint, an anticipator circuit cuts off the heat at a predetermined value, say 69° to keep from overshooting your requested 70°. Ideally, the residual heat from your burner/blower/fan/radiator will gently nudge the air temp up to 70°, and all is right with the world. So far we have: temp below 69°, run heater; temp above 70°, stop heater. But what happens between 69° and 70°? What if there wasn't enough residual heat to get to 70°? Or what if your furnace isn't sized properly, or your insulation is weak, or the kids left a window open? Where's that 70° you requested?

This is where you heater starts cycling. My "Cycles per Hour" is set to 3, which means 3 twenty minute cycles each hour consisting of 10 minutes OFF, 10 minutes ON. When the air temp hit 69° the heater stopped for 10 minutes, hoping the air temp will reach the magic 70°. 10 minutes later it takes a peek at the temp... 70° or above? Great! Job done. No cycling involved. Oops only 69.3°? start up again for 10 minutes, shut down, wait 10 minutes and check again. 69.8° this time? Start up again for 10 minutes and another cycle. This time, let's say the temp hit 70° after 8 minutes of heat. Great! job done, shut off heat and stop cycling. It might overshoot to about 70.3° this time well within your comfort zone. Now, sit warm and cozy in front of the TV as the temp slowly falls from 70.3° to 69° and listen for the cycling to begin again. If you're well insulated, it's a fairly mild night, and your heater is sized properly, it might go through a cycle every couple of hours. If there's a blizzard blowing outside your poorly insulated shack, it might cycle on and off every 10 minutes, or even stay on constantly if it can't get you above 69°.

To recap: Temp below setpoint minus one: heater ON. Temp above setpoint: heater OFF. In between: cycle ON and OFF in attempt to efficiently get to setpoint without too much overshoot. Why? A heater is more efficient running longer cycles rather than rapid On/Off cycles. A heater with a lot of "thermal inertia" like my hot water system, takes a while for those warm radiators to gently get the air temperature to the desired setpoint... it needs cycles a bit longer to be efficient and effective. A rapid heat system, like an electric wall heater, will get that air temp up quickly it needs a higher cycle rate / shorter 'burn' time to stay efficient and avoid overshoots. In fact, the cycle rate for electric heat is 9: that's 9 cycles of 6.7 minutes per hour.

Air conditioning cycle/hour is fixed at 3.

One more thing: if you want the fancier model, the Honeywell TH2110D1009 is the same unit, but with backlight, 5/2 day programming, and something called "Adaptive Intelligent Recovery" which learns how fast your heater gets you to your desired temperature so that you can program it to BE at a given temperature at a given time... handy for those early morning middle-of-winter wake ups!

Be sure to properly dispose of that mercury!

Enjoy!

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I bought 2 of these units. After letting them sit on the table next to each other for a while, they displayed different temperatures, by a difference of about 3 degrees. I was surprised they were that different. I considered sending them back, but instead I used them as they were. The temperature difference seems to have worked its self out and they do their job just fine. After using one of the Lux models a few years ago, I found myself wanting the extra features that it had (another mode for weekends). The display constantly shows the current temperature but unless you hit one of the up/down buttons, will not show you what the current thermostat temperature is set to. I found this annoying as my wife is constantly changing the temp on me and I would like to know what it is currently set at. The LUX model displayed both. If I had it to do over again I would have bought a different brand, probably Lux. Also, a horizontal model would have covered the round marking that my previous thermostat left.

Reviews of LG Electronics LW1211ER 12000 BTU Electronic Air Conditioner

Customer Ratings:

I selected this model after reviews (Consumer Research) gave it a "Best Buy" rating for cooling larger rooms. The review also noted the difficulty with installation, which I also found problematic. The manual has ambiguous illustrations and poorly written instructions. After two-hours of trying to get the chassis frame installed in an upstairs window and inserting the main unit, it would not operate. The fan shaft was separated from the housing. I should have noticed something askew when I found small pieces of black plastic inside the unit along with machine screws around the compressor. The front grill fits very poorly and if not for a single, center-mounted screw it would fall off completely. Fortunately, it was quickly and cordially exchanged. Now that it has been "up & running," it is quiet and efficient, especially in the energy saving mode. Overall, the quality of the workmanship is inferior (Made in China), the instructions are meager, and the installation is challenging. If you decide to purchase this AC, I'd recommend removing the four screws securing the main unit, sliding it out of the chassis, and inspecting the interior for damage as in my opinion it is not well constructed and potentially at-risk for damage during shipment.

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I just walked out of Home Depot with one of these for $300, drove home lugged it inside and installed it myself in 20 minutes. The instructions are poorly written and the illustrations are small and obscure, but there's basically only one way things can fit together and it works out fine. The metal screws are tight-fitting and you'll be glad to have a cordless driver for the assembly. Otherwise it's pretty easy and with the outer case removed, the guts of it are light enough to lift up and slide into frame. Be sure you have each part in the proper orientation before tightening the screws. The unit seems quiet when switched on but that's based on the first 20 minutes experience. The plastic front grill is floppy and flimsy but I don't care.

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We have this AC for about 2 years now and we are still very happy about this AC. The installation was not difficult at all, and it was up and running beautifully after half an hour. It is very heavy and big, so it took 2 people to get the job done. Our apartment is a 800 sqf loft space. With a small fan in the far end of the room to get the air moving a little bit, it cools the whole place nicely. At first we thought the electricity bill will be very expensive, but it's actually lower than we expect. We also use curtains to block the windows during the day, and it helps to keep the room cool and cut the energy usage.

Honest reviews on LG Electronics LW1211ER 12000 BTU Electronic Air Conditioner

Out of the box and no cold air. Exhausted 3 hours of phone time with tech support, which is terrible. Most of the customer service reps barely speak English, and only read from the sheet in front of them.

A real question 10 minutes into a conversation: "Is it plugged in?"

Terrible. Returned for a Frigidaire.

Never going to buy an LG product again. If the customer service is that bad when something isn't working, I don't want to roll the dice on having to ever call them again.

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I bought the LG 12,000 BTU air conditioner at Home Depot. The reviews say that it's difficult to install. That, in my experience, isn't exactly accurate. Yes, the instructions are not great. Any person who is handy with tools and good at working around the house wont have a problem with the installation of this unit.

It is a shade heavy but, you install the outer case first, then slide the actual AC unit into the case. So, it's not bad and, your getting 12,000 BTU's. What do you expect?

This unit makes cold air really well. The fan runs and like all AC units, the compressor cuts in and out as needed. Mine seems a bit louder today than it was last night when the compressor cuts in. I'm not worried about it. It's a small vibration sound. As long as it's cooling I don't care. It's still not loud, making less noise than a box fan.

All in all, it's a good air conditioner (so far). And, when your hot and uncomfortable it's a real sweet deal.