Reviews of 15 Gal Home Beer Brewing Kettle w/ Valve & Thermometer

Customer Ratings:

This is a great Kettle. Very sturdy with thick side walls and bottom. Nice and heavy. However, there is one thing I had an issue with. Not a deal breaker, but kind of misleading. The thermometer in the picture has makings that show different temps for different applications. Such as Mash, sparge, and protein rest. This is displayed in the second image that expands when you click on it. The actual thermometer has no such markings. Like I said, not a deal breaker, but I just don't like being mislead no matter how insignificant the details. Otherwise this is a great kettle. It arrived packaged in a box, inside another box. The weldless fittings came with extra gaskets and "O" rings. On some other pots that I looked at, the sidewalls of the pot where the handles were mounted would flex if I applied just a little bit of force. On this pot, nothing flexes. It's sturdy.

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I have done two 10 gallon bathes with this pot. I am amazed how heavy, sturdy and functional this pot is. I am not quite sure about the accuracy of the thermometer, so I use my own to stick in. A great pot at a great price. It is huge. Easy to clean and well recommended.

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Its pretty heavy, but thats ok. It feels sturdy. Thermometer and valve work beautifully (don't forget to close the valve when draining wort into pot! I did, and was not a happy camper).

Only complaint is there are no volume/gallon marks. Would be perfect with that.

Honest reviews on 15 Gal Home Beer Brewing Kettle w/ Valve & Thermometer

My husband love this with the built in thermometer and spout. be careful though, it is large (think storage) and your burner needs to accommodate the bottom for good heating.

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The seal was missing for the thermometer, but I had another one. I could not get either seal to stop leaking. I don't know if the hole was drilled too big or what, but it leaked through spigot and thermometer. The thermometer filled with water as the water boiled, and is basically worthless. I didn't read that anyone else had this problem, so it may be just my kettle, but I'll have to do something to stop the leaking if I'm to get any use out of the kettle. Otherwise, it's good, solid stainless.

Review of Vornado TVH600 Whole Room Vortex Heater, Automatic Climate Control

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $249.99
Sale Price: $153.18
Today's Bonus: 39% Off

Purchased January 5th, died January 28th. The touch panel illuminates and shows the correct temps, but neither the heat nor the fan turns on. No funny burning smell either. We use it in our 2 yr old's bedroom at night, so about 12 hrs each night for 3 weeks to keep the temp at 73. It hasn't been very cold here, around 60-65 in his small 9'x9' room without the heat on at night. Also, the unit is made in China.

I called Vornado and they're doing the repair for free, shipping included. Hopefully the repaired or replacement heater will be more reliable.

update: After 2 months or so of using the replacement unit, everything is working properly. I would rate customer service 5 stars since they are very friendly, helpful, and in the US.

update 2: the replacement one is broken now less than 1 year later. Heat fires up fine, but no fan. Off to get another replacement from Vornado. Again, customer service is VERY GOOD, 5 stars again. If only their flagship heater could last more than one "winter" here in California, which isn't that cold at all.

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This heater is extremely accurate in maintaing the set temp. I have tested it several times against a digital thermometer with memory. With each test, the heater has maintained the set temp. to within .5 degrees, plus or minus of the set temp. These tests have been conducted on 8 hr. time frames.

The remote is very easy to use & is an impt. upgrade, because it allows you to place the sensing device @ any location in the room away from the heater. This gives a much more accurate temp. throughout the room.

The air circulation ability of the vornado heaters is pretty amazing. it really circulates the air throughout the room as advertised. It works slow but effectively.

The heater has been used for probably 48 hrs. of run time. Hopefully, it is durable enough to maintain its current performance over many yrs.

I have two of the vornado VH2 heaters which both failed during the 1st winter of moderate use. I purchased the EH1 heater only after learning that Vornado will pay shipping to return the two VH2 heaters to the factory for free warranty repair & will ship back to me @ no cost. The EH1 also has the free return policy but has a 2 yr. instead of the 1 yr. warranty found on the VH2. Warranty info. that came with the VH2 & EH1 all state that the customer has to pay to ship the product back to the factory and then include $20 for them to ship it back to you. this is basically a worthless warranty and in my call to Vornado, they said that they now pay shipping both ways on all of their heaters.

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This heater promises a lot, and is certainly on the pricey side for an electric heater. The remote is non-intuitive, and seems to require several button presses to get the heater to respond. The remote's display shows you the current temperature, but not the temperature that you've set the thermostat to -you have to look on the heater itself to see that. It's also easy to change the heat setting (low, high, fan-only) without realizing it, unless you're looking at the heater's display while you're using the remote. All that said, the heater is quiet, and does a good job of heating the room. The auto-off after a set number of hours is a nice feature.

But here was the real problem for me -the heater failed after one week of use. We stepped out of the room for a few minutes, at a time when the heater was not heating, but was still turned on, and came back to a slight electrical odor in the air. The heater was now off, and pressing the "on" button did nothing. I verified that it was the unit and not a circuit breaker in my house. Fortunately, I can return this item to where I bought it within 30 days for any reason. While I have the option of getting a replacement, I don't think it's worth the risk. The manufacturer has a 2-year warranty, but warranty service requires mailing the unit cross-country at my expense, PLUS a $20 shipping and handling fee to get the unit returned to me. I don't want to get another and have it fail 31 days after I get it, so this one is going back. Too bad, because I really like the concept! But poor implementation and apparently poor reliability (sample of one) kills it for me. Not recommended.

Honest reviews on Vornado TVH600 Whole Room Vortex Heater, Automatic Climate Control

Received my order and plugged it in and it heated the room I had it in within a couple minutes. Works as good as advertised if not better with even heat distribution. Now use it to heat our entire downstairs (living room, kitchen, and dining room) during the day, and the furnace very rarely kicks on. When it does it's for less than half the time it would without the Vornado. The real test will be when we receive our first electric bill with this little powerhouse.

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We have had our TVH600 replaced 3 times. The first one lasted about 10 months before the automatic turn-off began to just shut the unit off all the time and eventually it stopped working all together. The second unit, we had for about a week and never worked properly! It tripped off constantly and smelled like it was burning, plus the cord would get really really HOT. The third unit worked for 1 day before the thermostat was reading 68 degrees and it was set to 72 degrees and blowing cold air. The company has been absolutely wonderful about replacing the units, but this particular model is garbage, plain and simple. Vornado is going to send me another model, this time, so hopefully this one works.

Tayama Electric Barbecue Grill Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $44.15
Today's Bonus: 26% Off

This grill is cheaply made and performs as well as a cheaply made piece o doodoo can be expected to perform. Doesn't get hot enough to really grill anything but can be used as a toaster. The most freaking annoying thing is that it won't turn off. The dial used for turning the thing on and then adjusting the temp is so crappy that even at the lowest setting there is no way to switch the thing completely off so it must be physically unplugged if you aren't planning to return to your kitchen in flames.

Don't recommend it at all. Also with this crap type of design it desperately needs a cover to get anything even halfway cooked. If u want something like this cough up the extra 10 bucks for one with a cover

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I am a grill & bbq lover.

PROS: The idea is great: little, easy to handle, easy to clean, temperature works well, adjustable 3 levels, works great.

CONS: Really bad quality...

If you want to conserve it for at least 6 months, you would have to treat it as a little baby.

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Heat control broke after first use. It was stuck in the on position so the only way to turn it off was to unplug it. Also did not get very hot. Sent it back to Amazon within 24 hours of receiving it. Stay away.

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We live in an apartment complex that does not allow BBQing and this works great, for the grilled taste and look!!

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THE TAYAMA IS GREAT FOR GRILLING

THE TAYAMA ELECTRIC BARBACUE GRILL WAS EVERYTHING I EXPECTED IT TO BE. I LOOK FORWARD TO

MANY DELICIOUS MEALS PREPARED ON THE GRILL.

Best Intermatic T104P201 DPST Time Switch In Plastic Enclosure Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $289.09
Sale Price: $107.85
Today's Bonus: 63% Off

I used this timer to replace the on/off switch for our inground pool equipment. No more remembering to turn the pump on or off. I don't know how I lived without it!

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Replaced my worn out timer. Exact fit and function as original. Since it fit in original enclosure, I have no use for the plastic enclosure but it seems to be high quality so it might come in handy down the road.

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I was expecting a sturdier box to house the timer as it is being used outside. Once connceted the one off worked properly the timer worked the first day and then the motor failed. I was not able to get it to reset. Called the electrician to come take a look. Which he did. Motor for the automatic timer dead he didnt want to mess with it because of the warrenty suggested I submit my claim. I have gone to the company with the warrenty and submitted the information requested. I am now waiting on their reply.

Honest reviews on Intermatic T104P201 DPST Time Switch In Plastic Enclosure

Renting a house in FL, and there old one, didnt have turn off, and we would forget to turn off the pool, so for the price, it worked like a charm, installed it and timers work now, no forgetting to turn off the pool

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I bought this to replace an old pool timer that was over 20 years old. With all wires in place, this took about 30 minutes to install after the plugs were removed, and worked instantly at power up. I hope that the plastic casing lasts years. Only problem is the 1 set of pins (on/off). I run my pool twice a day and had to use old pins from the last timer.

Honeywell TH5220D1003 Non-Programmable Digital Thermostat Reviews

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $129.94
Sale Price: $53.93
Today's Bonus: 58% Off

I got this thermostat about 3 weeks ago when my Rheem thermostat died. It was the only one the repair guy carried on his truck and I can see why. It works great, closely controlling temperature even if it has to switch from cool to heat mode. Easy operation and saves money by adapting to your house. It's very flexible, works for gas furnaces and heat pumps. It even can deal with those heat pumps with alternate change over valve operation. Non-programmable, but a winner.

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This is an excellent, simple to use thermostat that keeps my house at a reliable temperature within 1 degree of set temperature. I highly recommend this one and as usual Amazon's service is top-notch.

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Set the temp and the house will stay that way. No complicated timers and programming. A little difficulty with wiring as my wires were not colored as the installation guide instructed. Found online advice through a google search, and I was good to go. Whole process took less than 20 minutes total once I was advised on proper wiring.

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I installed the unit about a week ago, and everything seems OK so far. The unit is relatively small, attractive on the wall, and the screen is easy to read. As advertised, it is really easy to use. My only "complaint" is that we have a heat pump, and there is nowhere on the unit to control the emergency heat, so I have no idea if it is engaging or not and no discernable way to control it (short of disconnecting it altogether). I guess we'll find out when the bill comes...

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Did not come with directions, but thankfully my father is an engineer, so he had it installed within 20 minutes.

Buy Koldfront 28 Bottle Ultra Capacity Thermoelectric Wine Cooler

Customer Ratings:

I am writing this review because of my extreme dissatisfaction with the Edgestar wine refrigeration product line and Compact Appliances. Two years ago my husband purchased the Edgestar 28-bottle fridge for me as a Christmas gift. We were so excited with the product that we raved to everyone about it. The following Christmas it was all my parents wanted. We purchased the smaller 16-bottle Edgestar for them. Not two weeks later ours died (right after the one-year warranty). My husband is quite handy and called to purchase various parts to repair the unit--over $100 worth--to no avail. We were devastated to throw away a brand new unit just one year after our purchase. I spoke with my parents last night and found to their utter disappointment now theirs has died too--just one year after we purchased it for them. This is TWO units that died immediately after a one-year period! These products are not inexpensive and were a costly investment to preserve our favorite wines. We are disappointed in the quality of the items and have vowed to never purchase again from Compact Appliances. We are also planning to warn all of our wine-loving friends in the wine classes we attend to not purchase the products as well. What a disappointing Christmas!

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I bought this cooler for several reasons, including:

1.) truly square internal dimensions (i.e. no 'hump' at the bottom for a compressor)

2.) thermoelectric (i.e. no moving parts)

3.) lightweight (i.e. no compressor)

4.) tinted glass

5.) inexpensive

At room temperature (77F), the cooler is able to lower the internal ambient temperature to 55F and the temperature of the wine to 58F. A ~20F differential isn't bad for a 50 watt thermoelectric cooler.

My only complaints/wishes are:

1.) A true thermostat with a digital readout (I currently use an analog thermometer and adjust the rotary temp knob)

2.) Better welds on the rear of the unit (two of the supports broke loose at the welds while moving it around)

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Caution to anyone looking for a quality unit that will last for years. I purchased the 28 bottle Edgestar wine cooler just under 2 years ago and was generally pleased with it's functioning and appearance until it simply stopped working last week. The warranty period is only a year, of course, and I have had no success in finding a reasonably priced repair option. This unit has never been moved or handled roughly and there were no casualties of nearby appliances which could be explained by a power surge. Given another similar review, I can only conclude that this is an inferior quality unit that is not manufactured to last. I will never purchase an Edgestar product again.

Honest reviews on Koldfront 28 Bottle Ultra Capacity Thermoelectric Wine Cooler

The Edgestar model is the classic example of a lure. If it were being sold in a store, you'd ask about wine coolers because of the low low price on *this* one. Then, live and in person, the salesperson would tell you about how this is a great brand but that this was the "underpowered" model. Like a plastic John Deere lawn mower. Or that baby grand piano at the front of the store for $1000. Online, however, you can't see that it is the lure. Or to be more precise, it is sold as the "bargain" rather than a lure, and you'd have to fish through a billion contradictory reviews to find the truth -if you could -which is that this unit, when in top form, is underpowered, under-built, poorly controlled, and according to most is a time-bomb waiting to cease working the moment its warranty expires. I've had mine for more than two weeks. Plugged in, once out of its box, it looked very nice. And let's be frank I am the guy who bought the $140 wine fridge. So I expected it to run but not to be a Sub Zero. You judge, though, whether this is a wine refrigerator worth owning at any price or a device whose sole purpose is to suck people into stores to sell expensive models. Empty, it took three days to get from 70 to 55 degrees, at which point it actually cooled more slowly. That's with unlimited ventilation space on a good three prong outlet with solid current. Loaded with wine, it then took a reasonable couple of days to get stable around 55 again. The problem is that this is the maximum cooling setting. Now, if you are storing only reds, and you think that a device that runs CONSTANTLY to achieve 55 degrees, because as best I can tell it has never, ever stopped running the compressor, set at the absolute coolest setting (it isn't digital which is reasonable given the price), then you are missing the point. Whites with a thermometer at the bottom or top could never be stored here. The humidity is too low generally, no matter what, because it is constantly running, but the temp can't touch 49 degrees. I shudder to think what the electricity bill from this little thing will run it must be a compressor out of one of those 12 volt portable ice chests to run this much. But the real issue is that it is obvious it will soon die. How soon? Read the other reviews. About a year, it seems fair to guess. I suppose I will hold on to it. What would I do? Sell it on craigslist for $50? But then in a year, I have to buy another one. Perhaps I should think of this as a one-year lease on a cheap car. You decide whether that's what you want for your collection, or whether you'd like to avoid my dumb mistake...

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We purchased this unit a few months ago. It works well, but it is not as quiet as we were led to believe. It makes a constant humming sound that we have gotten use to. We thought that it would be essentially silent. We were wrong.

Buy DeLonghi EW7707CB Safeheat 1500W ComforTemp Portable Oil-Filled

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $84.00
Sale Price: $74.99
Today's Bonus: 11% Off

This is my first oil heater, I have used spot heaters in the past. This oil heater is great because once it warms up (just a few minutes), it puts out a nice amout of radiant heat on high setting. You can feel the heat from the top of the unit when you put your hand over the top.

I feel safe leaving it on at night unlike the spot heaters. I didn't notice the strong odor on like others have posted.

Pros:

-Well built

-Seems safe to leave on at night

-Black color looks nice

-Has Low, Med, High and a maintain comfort setting

Cons:

-Thermostat goes from 1 to 6 instead of actual temperature.

-Wheels don't roll well on carpet

-Handle is only on one side, so have to wait until total cool to carry it upstairs.

-Wasn't the best packaging to ship with

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I purchased the DeLonghi heater instead of another brand because I have for many years associated that name with the oil radiator type of heater. The one I purchased, the EW7707CB works well but has a couple of what I would call "design flaws" that would prevent me from purchasing another one. One of the flaws is that if you press the energy-saver button while the heater is hot, it is natural to use your free hand to hold the back end of the heater as you press the button on the front end. Well, the back end of the heater is hot at some points during use. The other feature that I have found not so helpful, is that when you turn the dial from * to 1 to 2, etc., to set the heat level, it is not easy to see the number. I have to put on glasses and use a flashlight in order to see what number I am turning to. This is not a big deal, but it is enough to keep me from ordering another one. I wanted a second heater, so I just bought another brand at my local hardware store. Other than the above feedback, the heater does seem to work well. It has two settings one for 700 watts and one for 800 watts, or you can combine them and run it at 1500 watts. I have been using the 700 watt setting in an insulated garage with a concrete floor, and I set the dial around 1 or 2 for the heat setting. With nighttime temperatures outside of around 15 or 20 degrees, it keeps the garage at 48 degrees and uses around 2 to 3 KW of energy per 24 hours.

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UPDATE to my original review:

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

Even though I did not keep this particular heater, I still use an older DeLonghi oil-filled radiator and have been keeping records about electricity usage. The results should be helpful to anyone considering an oil-filled radiator electric heater.

I've tested electrical consumption both using a Kill-A-Watt meter and by comparing my electricity bills over time. The results show that oil-filled radiator electric heaters can be extremely efficient *IF USED CORRECTLY*, but that if not used correctly can actually be less efficient than other types of electric heaters.

The most efficient way to use them is to turn them on before you start feeling cold and leave them on low, avoiding if possible turning on both power switches. I live in a moderate climate where nighttime winter temperatures rarely go much below the high twenties Fahrenheit, so this is easier for me than for people in colder areas. I have an oil-filled radiator heater in my bedroom and have found that my electric bills are actually higher when I turn if off the DeLonghi while I'm asleep than when I leave it on low all night. This is because when it's off all night, in the morning I turn it up high, with both power switches, to heat up my room. However when it's on all night at a very low heat setting, in the morning I just turn up the thermostat but don't turn on the second power switch. Instead I use a Lasko 100 My Heat to heat my immediate area. It uses only 200 watts, rather than the 800 watts that the second power switch on the DeLonghi would use, and it heats my immediate area very quickly. The difference in my actual electricity bills were dramatic. Last winter I turned off the DeLonghi before going to bed and this winter I left it on low all night. My electricity bills for the same periods are dramatically lower this year with the DeLonghi on low all night.

I was disappointed that the particular DeLonghi I wrote the original review about did not work out for me, but if I were buying a new heater today, it would probably be another DeLonghi oil-filled radiator. When used correctly, they can be really efficient.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:

I filed for a return on a Friday and UPS wouldn't be able to pick up the unit until Monday, so over the weekend I decided to test it some more. I didn't want to return it unless it really was defective. After about 16 hours of operation at high heat, the odor was finally mostly (but not entirely) gone, but now there was a new problem: the heater wasn't outputting as much heat as when I first had it. Initially, it became so hot that I could barely touch it with my bare hand, but on my last day of testing, I was able to lay my bare hand on top for prolonged periods without feeling any risk of being burned. In contrast, my much older DeLonghi EW0507 Safeheat still gets too hot to touch.

I have two other DeLonghi oil-filled radiators and I love both of them. After returning this heater, I considered ordering the same model as a replacement and decided first to contact DeLonghi and find out their reaction to my experience. I immediately received an automated reply that promised a personal reply would follow, but after four business days I still have not received the reply. I've now decided to stick with my old DeLonghi's for a while longer. When I buy another heater, it will probably be this model, but I'll do more research first to confirm that my experience isn't common.

There is one problem that seems to be common to DeLonghi oil-filled radiator heaters. It's the low quality electrical plug. It's true of both my DeLonghi's, it appeared to be true of this one, and I've read other owners complain about it, so it seems to be a widespread problem. I no longer use my oldest DeLonghi on high heat because the plug shows signs of melting, and my newer DeLonghi's plug also shows signs of melting, though not as advanced. This is the most disappointing thing about DeLonghi oil-fllled radiators. The heaters themselves will last decades, but if you operate them at high heat, the plugs won't last as long as the heaters. I don't know yet how hard it would be to replace the power cord.

In addition to my problems with this heater, I unhappy with the condition in which it was shipped to me. It was obviously a heater that a previous customer had returned. It was disappointing that either Amazon or DeLonghi (I don't know which) didn't even make an attempt to make it look new the box was taped amateurishly, the power cord was unwrapped, the user manual was dog-eared, and the two power buttons and ComforTemp buttons were all turned on. Additionally, when I first turned it on, I didn't smell the intense odor that I expected, which indicated that it had previously been used, but what odor there was never ended, even after ten hours at high heat. I was not happy that no attempt appears to have been made to check out the unit after the previous customer returned it or to ship it in new condition. However I don't know whether the fault was DeLonghi's or Amazon's.

My other experiences with DeLonghi oil-filled radiators have been excellent, aside from my gripe with their electrical plugs. I love the steady heat they produce. I've owned one of my DeLonghi's for 23 years and it's still working, though because of the electrical plug's signs of deterioration, I no longer use it at high heat.

I checked the claimed and actual wattages of the EW7707CB using my Kill-A-Watt meter. It showed that this 700/800/1500 watt DeLonghi's actual wattages are 700, 750, and 1350. Discrepancies like this are common in electric space heaters, and in fact these readings are nearly identical to the readings I got for my older DeLonghi EW0507 oil-filled radiator, which is also rated at 700/800/1500 watts.

There was one more problem when I submitted my request to return this heater: Amazon gave me instructions to give it to my letter carrier for pickup! I can just imagine the expression on my mailman's face if I asked him to put a very large, 25 pound box in his mailbag! I had to contact Amazon via chat to straighten it out and schedule a UPS pickup. Amazon made that part of it quite easy.

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. I tried a Vornado PVH and a Bionaire BH1331-U, but I ended up returning both heaters. I finally decided to stick with oil-filled radiators and to replace my 23 year old DeLonghi with one of the new black ones, but it was defective so I returned it and am sticking with my old DeLonghi's for the time being.

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:

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

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 quickly. 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.

Honest reviews on DeLonghi EW7707CB Safeheat 1500W ComforTemp Portable Oil-Filled

Heater is being used as a supplementary heater in a finished/insulated basement about 1000 sq/ft. Have only had the heater for a week and a half and the "comfort temp" is at least 70*. I have a thermometer on order to place in the basement to see how warm it is, but it keeps the entire finished area in my basement warm. Winter has not come yet, so we will see once it gets cold out, like highs in the single digits and sub zero temps. I'm in WI, so its only gotten down to 30* or so at night and close to 50* during the days. Have not had to turn on furnace yet, temps have gone down outside and with heater in the basement the upstairs has not dropped below 68* yet (1800 sq/ft).

Heater is silent, stink from being new took about 3 days of consistent running to wear off. Even if I have to run this unit on high it will be worth it. with the kwh charges for electricity by me if I run it on high, 1500w, and using the peak kwh rate it will cost me $63 to run it 24 hrs a day for 5 months. Plus, all the heat will just go upstairs, none wasted.

I opted for the radiant style heater for constant output without a fan to dry or force the air and the silent operation. I don't think there is anyway this would heat 1000 sq ft by itself in WI temps, but we will see. I also have furnace piped into basement as well, but haven't used it yet. Keep in mind the finished area in the basement is fully insulated and the house was built in 2006 and it cost me less money to heat this house as compared to my old 1000 sq/ft house that was re-insulated and built in the 1940's.

UPdate: My math was off, cost me almost $60 to run this heater 24hrs a day for 30 days on the comfort temp setting. I have since moved out of this house so the heater is now unused.

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I received this in a great amount of time. I had actually expected it to come later than when it did. I've had it for a few weeks/months (not sure exactly) but it works great. In the instructions it tells you to leave it in a well ventilated area for the first 2 hours so the smell can go away. It had something to do with traveling, I'm not really sure. But I didn't really smell anything. I put it in my room after that, as I'm usually the coldest person in the house and it works great. It heats up my room quickly and when I reach a temperature I like, I move the nob so it clicks so it can keep that temperature. I've never really tried the ComforTemp button, but after reading the instructions about it, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. I like it really warm as, I have pretty crappy circulation and I'm always cold. There's no real temperature setting on this thing, because it's based on what you feel is comfortable for you. So make it go on the max to first get the room to the ideal temperature and then adjust it so it keeps that temp. This was TOTALLY worth every penny. It also looks really cute and chic so it'll fit any modern room like a glove! And it's great because you never have to re-fill the oil! Score!!!

Best Honeywell RTH2510B1000/A 7-Day Programmable Thermostat Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $30.00
Today's Bonus: 40% Off

Easy to install. Has wire clamps that you insert the wire ends into and tighten down rather than a screw that you have to wrap the wire ends around.

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Great Directions...Easy install including wiring...programming is very straightforward...anyone with little experience can accomplish this replacement very easily...if you can read and operate a phillips-head screwdriver you can install this product

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We bought them for our church, were easy to install and program. Any one can do it with a small screwdriver by reading the instructions that came in the package. Better priced than Wal-Mart.

Honest reviews on Honeywell RTH2510B1000/A 7-Day Programmable Thermostat

There is nothing fancy about it. It does the job. The only negative I have experience is the lack of "vacation" mode.

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Installed easy, like features, and it works. Similar thermostat purchased from Wal Mart failed. Keeping our Fingers crossed this one keeps going

Best Whirlpool 61006116 Heater and Thermostat Assembly Deals

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List Price: $48.74
Sale Price: $20.95
Today's Bonus: 57% Off

Great Company to work with! Received the new Heater and Thermostat Assembly for my Maytag Side by Side Refrigerator, and both the freezer and the refrigerator are working just fine once again. Easy DIY replacement for anyone Just too bad that Maytag made such terrible products which require ongoing fixing.

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Installation was easy. The product work and continues work with no problems whatsoever. Im very happy consider the I was thinking the fridge was really bad, but after replace this looks like is going to give more years of service...

Broan 353 1140 CFM Gable Mount Powered Attic Ventilator Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $99.00
Sale Price: $85.69
Today's Bonus: 13% Off

The fan arrived safe and quickly in the original factory box. This is a replacement for another fan in the same location, same mount.

Quiet fan in final installation (see below).

Works as expected cooling attic (too early to comment on life).

Normal/easy mount.

Excellent price.

Application specific comments:

MOUNT: I did have to get into the attic and access the fan twice. The first thermostat setting did not turn on the fan by 11AM here in FL (should go on by ~9AM on a sunny day). So while I was up in the attic resetting the Tstat, I took the time to redo the mounts. I used a home made isolating rubber type spacer between the mounting ears and the wall. This significantly reduced the noise transmitted from the fan to the house. Now all I hear is the actual sound of the fan blades with little or no vibration resonating in the house or wall.

TSTAT SETTING: This fan has the thermostat permanently mounted inside the fan shroud. The other fans I have used the thermostat was mounted on the wall outside the shroud. I believe the remote mount increases the temperature that the fan/thermostat "sees". Inside the shroud you are closer to the gable vent and in the air flow both of which I believe lowers the appearant temperature the thermostat sees. If you are doing a replacement, you may need to reduce the temperature setting.

ASSEMBLY: Easy to assemble as expected. I was not real comfortable with the mounting ear screws which stuck into the fan blade area. This left very little clearance between the fan and the screws. The other fans I used were either nut/bolts or just had the head in the fan area intruding much less. This was a non-issue in my installation as it turned out.

DON'T BUY THE PLASTIC GABLE END VENT FAN! It is a better design, lighter weight, more rigid but the motor does not have adequate life (

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Cheap Danby DWC620PL-SC 6 Bottle Wine Cooler - Platinum

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $109.99
Sale Price: $99.37
Today's Bonus: 10% Off

I bought this unit for my friend for her birthday and then my husband surprised me with one for Christmas.

LOVE IT! We keep it stocked with Pinot Noir at a perfect 55 degrees. We have not experienced any malfunction of the unit and our friends is working perfectly as well.

The blue interior light (with on/off switch) is very sexy and gives it a sleek look. Contrary to the look in the picture, the casing is actually a silver tone-not white. The size is perfect, and it fits very nicely on our counter above our liquor cabinet.

Super quiet too, you can barely hear it running when it cycles on.

Best Christmas present ever!

UPDATE here we are 01/01/2013 and it's still going strong. LOVE IT! (and yes, our friend's cooler is running perfectly too).

Ok, I should not have posted that update. 2 weeks later the thing crapped out. I had simply turned the interior light on (which I almost never do) and the next day I noticed the temperature was reading 65 degrees nearly 10 degrees warmer than it should have been. The next day it was up to 70.

Needless to say we just unplugged it and have not tried starting it up again, but I am looking for replacements now...

BOO!

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Although this wine cooler is attractive-looking and compact, it is very unreliable. I've had mine for only a few months before it started acting up. Every time I pressed the temperature gauge downward to make it cooler, the worthless piece of metal only got warmer instead! That's insane.

Avoid this product.

Best Deals on Danby DWC620PL-SC 6 Bottle Wine Cooler - Platinum

I have owned this wine cooler for about 4 months and after only

1 month I had to return it for a replacement because it would no

longer cool it just stayed at room temp. After another month of

having my replacement it also won't cool any more. It is very

quite when running but after about 1 month they don't cool at all.

It's hard to keep you wine lasting long when your cooler is at 75 degrees

fahrenheit.

Honest reviews on Danby DWC620PL-SC 6 Bottle Wine Cooler - Platinum

My Matre'D wine cooler went bad just after four (FOUR!!!!) months. The worst part is that the manufacturer (Canadian based) refused to fix it, replace it or even discuss the issue. If you are looking to buy a wine cooler, Matre'D brand is not it. Its a Trabant (or UGO) of wine coolers.

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In the small cooler department, this is the best. But, it is not without issues. I bought this model because it was the only one that claimed the ability to get down to the very low temperture that I like for my white wines. What they did not tell me is that it can only get to that temperture if you also run a "cold house". If you keep your house down below 65F you get to the low temperture advertised. It is also sort of loud in a small space. However, having said all this, I would most likely still buy the productd again.

WDM

Best Cuisinart Private Reserve 6 Bottle Wine Cellar Deals

Customer Ratings:

Pros: 1) It works quite well keeps a very even temperature, which I think is the only thing that's more important than keeping a wine cool to preserve it. (My thought is the juice "breathes" through the cork, and thermal expansion, either up or down messes with the chemistry more than anything.)

2) It actually holds 8 bottles stacked if you remove the two top racks.

3) Looks very well-made, the digital temp (in degrees F or C) is great.

4) Very easy to use.

Cons: 1) Smelled terrible: like Bondo or fingernail polish at first. Because of the "breathing" that wine does (mentioned above) I recommend leaving it open out on the back porch for a few days before using it, and then with a bag of activated charcoal in it for a while (baking soda didn't help.)

2) It's loud maybe as loud as a regular refigerator running. The heat-sink fans on the back sound like a suped-up computer system, but what's worse is that they go on an off every few seconds (apparently precisely adjusting the interior temperature.) If the fans would stay on constantly, at least you could get used to it.

3) If the power goes off, it resets to 45 degrees which is way too cold and negates the benefit of Pro number 1. The last thing you want is a slowly-warming bottle going up to 65 or 70 in a few hours to then be quickly chilled to 45 I can just see the cork sliding back and forth like a piston on an antique locomotive.

If they packed it with a bag of charcoal, had a quieter fan that you could set to be on-continuously, and used non-volatile memory for the temperature setting, it would get 5 stars.

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This is a great size for a vacation cottage or to fit a smaller space. It's sophisticated enough to set different temperatures for the different wines. It has an interior light and a circulating fan. The instruction booklet gives you the 8 settings it has for various wines. The wine cellar looks good, so you could have it wherever you need your wine for meals or entertaining.

Although it is quieter than other beverage coolers and small refrigerators that we've had, it still hums quite frequently. We had to move it away from our dining room so it wouldn't annoy us.

Best Deals on Cuisinart Private Reserve 6 Bottle Wine Cellar

Received my 6 bottle Cuisinart unit for Christmas. The requirement that the unit works best at room temperature below 70 degress is plain silly. In Texas one seldom sets the house thermostat below 78 degrees. With winter full upon us my kitchen temperature is 74 76 degrees and the unit will not cool below 55 degrees with continuous operation. Tomorrow it goes to the resale shop along with a couple of other useless gifts of Christmas past!

Honest reviews on Cuisinart Private Reserve 6 Bottle Wine Cellar

I read alot of negative reviews but tried the product anyhow and I LOVE it. I will say the first one I bought did not hold the temperature. I called Cuisinart and they shipped me a new one, which I had in about 4 days AND they took the old one back with an RMA. I have no complaints it chills the wine great and the racks are sturdy. There are plenty of preset temperature settings along with manual if you need them. I do reccomend you keep it a cool room and out of direct sunlight as the instructions say. I definately reccomend this product to anyone that needs a small refrigerator.

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I bought this product hoping to be able to help preserve some of my better wines during the warm summer months. According to the insert with the product, if the room temperature is 77 then you can't do better than 54 in the wine cellar. My house temps usually run around 78+ through the summer, so this unit won't even make the 54 setting or the 57. I have it set at 64 and it continuously cycles on an off (every 30 seconds or so) with a fan that's very obnoxious and not at all quiet as advertised. On the insert and in bold letters they state "This is a wine cellar, not a refrigerator." I'm not so sure I would even call it a 'wine cellar'...more of an energy gulper (approx. 100 watts according to the user guide.)

Best Dimplex CFP3913O Compact Electric Fireplace with Oak Finish Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $449.00
Sale Price: $256.97
Today's Bonus: 43% Off

The fireplace has a very elegant styling to it. It heats very well for a small size room. Would not recommend it trying to heat large rooms. But is a excellant fireplace for small rooms.

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Fireplace heats up room very well. But, after the fireplace was installed, the metal plate on the bottom rattles when its running.

Best Deals on Dimplex CFP3913O Compact Electric Fireplace with Oak Finish

Had problems with the shipping charges, but seller took care of issue. This winter, this unit has made a big difference in my room, it's been very cold in VA. And it looks great also, adds class to my bedroom, warm and cozy!!!