Discount Insteon 2441V INSTEON and Totaline/Ventstar Compatible Thermostat

Customer Ratings:

I do hereby certify under penalty of law that this adapter was purchased and installed on my Venstar thermostat for use with my Insteon home automation system.

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Reviews of Maverick Laser Surface Thermometer

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List Price: $74.99
Sale Price: $39.99
Today's Bonus: 47% Off

Well, it might not have 101 obvious uses, but given some time I bet I can come up with a few dozen tasks this little baby is perfect for. I bought it primarily for use in the kitchen, as I was lacking a method of checking the surface temperature of my frying surfaces on the stovetop. Stovetops are not precision controlled, and high on one may be medium on another, depending on if its an open flame, glass/ceramic enclosed electric element, or raised element. Now I can put my favorite pans on the stove on medium, and watch how long each one takes to get to certain key temperatures for optimal cooking. I use this primarily when shallow frying items, opposed to deep frying. The temperature is off a little between the top surface of the oil and the bottom, but overall its an accurate way to fry small items you'll need to flip once, like a pan of good ol' fried chicken wings, fries, or perogies.

Its also great if you have an electric griddle and want to regulate the temperature, or check the temperature compared to the built in thermostat. Shine the lazer in your oven aimed at the back wall where you'd normally install an oven thermometer, right upon opening the door so you don't let much heat out. This is also good for the grill to check how hot your coals are, and to even see how well your air conditioner is working. When I am cooking, I'll frequently shine the lazer on my outside and inside walls around me to see the average temperature in the room. of course, the outside walls are a degree or two cooler at night, and warmer during the day. :)

The price is *very* right for this item. other similar products cost $150+. I've only had this thermometer for a few weeks now, but I use it daily and it's worked well sofar. I'd reccomend it highly as a household gadget that might surprise you one day by letting you solve a problem you normally wouldn't have a tool for. :)

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This has really made a difference in the kitchen, believe it or not. I've found that I've not let the saute pans heat up to the right temperature before throwing in the food. No more guessing. It's also handy around the house. It's accurate from many feet away. I've given this as a gift now to two people, and they've had similar fun and usefulness with it.

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I love this thing,lol. It works excellantly !! Right to the dot !! In 4 seconds no less. Very Handy, I'm SO glad i saw Alton Brown using it !! If Alton likes it, I'm getting it, and I'm SO glad I did !!!

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Purchased the Maverick Laser Surface Thermometer to chart water temperatures for a residential "pump and dump" Water Furnace heat pump. It worked fine for about five months, then started showing obviously erroneous readings. Changed to new batteries, but no improvement. This gadget has never been dropped, exposed to extreme temperatures, or abused in any way. The 90-day warranty is past, so no help there.

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The product looks great and works great out of the package.... however, I bought 16 of them as gifts for our sales team and we opened them all to include them in another package. When we had all 16 opened at the same time, we tested the temperature variance between different units. Some of the units were off by as much as 10 degrees when tested side by side.

so if a few degrees off will not worry you... this is a great product and a great price.

Review of Lifesmart 1500W Infrared Heater

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $400.00
Sale Price: $138.00
Today's Bonus: 66% Off

This Infrared Heater works very well in my 1300 sq ft. home. So far it has gotten down to the mid's 30's and I can heat my whole house with this unit and keep it around 74 degrees even the back bedrooms! I don't even use my new heat pump anymore but I still keep it set to 69 degrees. Another reason why this works so well in my home is because 7 months ago I had insulation blown in my attic and 2 years ago I had new windows put in. The insulation made a huge difference in saving money and holding heat longer in the house. I have all tile floors throughout my home. By having tile floors it will make your home colder so by having carpet this unit would work even better. When I put the unit in my living room and turn it on, it only takes about 5-6 minutes (during the day/ set on high) for it to raise the temp by 1 degree. The unit cycles on and off correctly even at night. For me, there is usally a 1 degree difference between the temp reading on my heat pump (thermostate placed in hallway) compared to the infrared heater placed in my living room. I am more than pleased about this unit. I was amazed how small the infrared heater was but yet it heated up a lot of living space.

This infrared heater will heat up to 1500 sq ft. easy as long as you have good insulation in your home. The most compliants that I have heard about this unit is that it will not heat a garage. Duh! Just about all garages doesn't have or very little insulation. So if your home has poor insulation then don't expect much from this unit or any other unit.

I actually bought mine from TigerDirect because the price was $159-179.99 but TD has been selling them like crazy and has been sold out a lot too. I'm happy that I was able to get one before December month started. My family is also looking to buy a infrared heater and I am going to recommend this one to them. Mine works so well that I am thinking about buy another one so that I can control the heat better.

This Infrared Heater needs 15amps to power it. I can plug it into my living room outlet and everything is fine but I plugged the unit into my hallway outlet which it connected to 2 of my bedrooms and the lights dimmed. 1 of those rooms I have my gaming PC/ 2 LCD monitors with my LCD TV, Surround Sound Theater, and PS3 all running the same time. So if your lights dimms then change the unit to a different outlet. Do Not continually run the Infrared Heater off that outlet because you are pulling too many amps and the electrical wiring is heating up and if your breaker doesn't trip then it can catch fire and burn your house down. Run the unit first during the day to make sure everything is fine before you run it at night while you are asleep. This Infrared Heater is very safe to use but you still have to use some common sense with it.

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Heater was deliver with wood case cracked wheel were put on in the wrong places heat rocks back and forth and the thermostats off heater never shuts off they ripped me off

Broan 86W Line Voltage Wall Thermostat single pole rated 120/240VAC Review

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List Price: $27.90
Sale Price: $14.51
Today's Bonus: 48% Off

Easy install,no issues.just right for use in downstairs guest bath.arrived within a week.works as you would expect it to.what more can you say about a thermostat?

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If the speedometer on your Government Motors car was only celebrated at 10 MPH and 85 MPH you would think they were nuts.

When Broan (New Tone) only calibrates their thermostat at 50 and 85 degrees, two temperatures that you would rarely use:

How useless is the thermostat?

How lazy were the designers?

How can you possibly set the thermostat to 70 degrees?

Broan should have spent the extra 1/1000 of a cent on ink, so you would know what temperature you were setting your house to since, that is the purpose of a thermostat.

In the construction trades, New Tone is viewed as one of the junky brands. You can see why.

Honeywell YTHX9421R5077 - Prestige IAQ 2.0 HD 2-Wire Thermostat Kit Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I say simple as pie to install yourself if one you know how to make a pie and two that you are willing to read alittle outside of the box for the installation.

I chose the Honeywell system over about 3 others that I spent time on Amazon and Google reading about. I originally was looking at the Ecobee system. One main thing that stopped me was the remote stats that I wanted to have on the system. The outdoor temperature and outdoor humidity stat would have required me to pull wire to a location for each of the devices. Also each of those devices are costly for outside use. (Humidity is the most costly) There remote stat that contains both Temperature and Humidity was a breeze to install and better yet I could make sure that it was well out of way of direct sunlight. The other sensors such as the indoor remote sensor that contains temperature and humidity was also simple to install. I have two sensors located in my house, the main is on the 1st floor and the 2 remote is on the 2nd floor. The system does a average for my house. Also the reason for the Honeywell over others....Ecobee has some great features that I have seen used on other places, like the ability for GUI access via a webpage, but the downside to Ecobee, all sensors other than the main unit have to hard wired to the main board and added sensors such as return air temperature and supply air temperatures will need an add on board to the system. Since my Honeywell system has been running, I have actually found that my system spends a fair amount of time in standby mode versus I had a Hunter type of programmable stat before and my system would run constantly.

The interface is simple and straight forward on setup and guidiance on other parts of the system. I know that Honeywell wishes a installer to install their system, but then again, everything you buy the manufacturer prefers they install the product for you. I can say if your installation is different than the all the ones that they list in their manual, then I would consult a local installer, but otherwise, simple as making pie.......

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If you are reasonably handy (if you've every re-wired a light fixture for example) you can do this.

I ordered this unit with some concern since it is listed as "professional install", but after taking the plunge I found the actual installation pretty simple.

The biggest issue is getting the wiring correct. I'm pretty handy with a hammer and saw, but wiring diagrams aren't my thing. That being said, I was able to hook the whole thing up in about 2 hours. If I did it again though, it would probably take 30 minutes.

My setup was: forced air furnace, central air, and bypass humidifier. The wiring diagrams were clear enoughwhat really tripped me up was that my humidifier wasn't working to start withI just didnt' realize it.

Once I got that fixed, the installation was simple.

Everything wires into the EIM unit which you place near the furnace (or wherever you want) and then you run 2 wires only to the thermostat.

Actually communication between the EIM and the thermostat is wirelessthe wires are just for power.

One tipcut a short length of 2-wire and set up the thermostat next to the EIM while installing. Then you can pair it and do all the setup work without running all over the house. Then when it's all the way you want it, you can move the thermostat to the final installation location.

The remote control is fantasticour master bedroom is often colder than the rest of the houseby having the remote override the wall unit in the evenings, we can keep that room at the right temp. Looking to add an indoor sensor to help even that out long-term, but the remote is a great short-term solution.

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No dislikes here at all. It was fairly esy to install on my natural gas heat/electric AC furnace. The instructions were pretty clear just read them!

The iPhone interface is great, and simple to use, but you'll need to buy the Red link gateway for internet connectability. Everything works seamlessy and easily. Highly recommended!!

Best Frigidaire CMSF-10310 Cleveland Floor Standing Electric Fireplace Deals

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List Price: $349.00
Sale Price: $249.00
Today's Bonus: 29% Off

This Fireplace did not come with a remote control and the description said that it did. Unfortunately, that was a feature that I specifically wanted and I may have purchased another fireplace that I was considering that did have that feature instead of this one had I known this ahead of time. Other than that misrepresenation in the description, the fireplace does works great and comfortably heats our sun room which is a 13 X 16 room with a cathedral ceiling. We only used it to heat the room for holiday functions so far, but it has done the job quite nicely and everyone thought it looked very nice.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program It looks okay if you don't stare too hard at it, but the flames look obviously fake if you actually look directly at it while it's doing it's thing. The textured black finish on the MDF board parts looks as if it's meant to resemble cast iron, but it doesn't quite pull it off, it still looks like painted wood. What it does do well is make an acceptable supplemental heater for an average sized living area. There are two heat settings, and an adjustable thermostat. It would make it nicer if it had a crackling fire sound to add to the effect, instead of just a silent fire.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I have not had an electric fireplace before. But, I was certainly surprised at the heating uniformity this one produced. I was suspicious that it would heat in one spot, like those small space heaters.

I placed this in the lowest level of my home. I have a Tri-level and the basement level is the coldest. Athough it is not too cold yet, this electric Fireplace threw out some instant heat. The heat soon radiated into the room, and it kept the heat in the room uniform.

I liked the look of the flames and the wood, as it is quite realistic. The flames are high, and consistently producing nice images of fire.

My only concern is that the flames are placed in the back, and I would like the flames to billow out of the "logs" also. So, the logs are lit, and the flames are in the back.

The unit, itself, does not get hot, and there is an auto safety feature. You can operate this with or without the heat. PLUS, you can operate one heating element or both for greater warmth.

I placed the Fireplace on cinderblocks to bring the heat up a little more. It is not heavy, so you can move it where you may need it.

So, the room I have it in is narrow, but long. The heat remained constant and uniform. But what I do not know yet is if this uses more electricity than normal. I will test it out, But, in the meanwhile, it is wonderful!! Works great, looks better! Rizzo

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I got this product to put in one of my bedrooms.

This unit, unlike the Vienna model, was packed well. There was minimal/no assembly required. Mine did come with a remote control but I noted that other reviewers commented on not receiving one. I think there is a quality control issue with this company that needs to be addressed.

This fireplace is a bit smaller than I envisioned but it looks nice although perhaps a bit dated. I wish it had a wood top surface but from a distance it looks OK. The flames look like what you would expect from an electric fireplace. It makes the room feel cozy. There are two switches for heat settings, both 750 watts and one setting for visual effect only.

I can't comment (yet) on the heating efficiency but aesthetically the flames/fire look good. Like I said, the unit itself isn't very modern but it feels at home in the room where we put it. Overall I'd recommend this item but I would caution buyers on potential quality control issues like bad packing and missing parts.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This is a nice sturdy fireplace that is attractive, easy to use and it has worked great. The "flame" is about as realistic as any other electric fireplaces, and is strangely mesmerizing. The three pane window provides a better effect than the single flat pane found on most fireplaces. We put this unit in our bedroom which isn't well insulated, the heater has already come in handy on a couple of cold nights.

An excellent, easy to use product that I highly recommend.

Review of Mr. Heater 20,000 BTU Propane Blue Flame Vent Free Heater

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $284.58
Sale Price: $255.76
Today's Bonus: 10% Off

We bought this item originally as an inexpensive, alternative heat source in the Winter, when we can lose electricity for hours, even days, when a bad storm rolls through.

It quickly became our main heat source -as unlike the two, 15,000 btu, electric space heaters we'd been using -this can heat a cold room within 30 minutes. And, all by itself, heats the entire house better than those two other heaters running together. And we only once turned it to the third setting. It usually stays on 1.

To clarify, we live in a very small space: 750 square feet in a very old, single-wide, with windows that no longer seal well. The weather here is moderately cold -we drop into the teens rarely, but stay solidly in the mid 20s-early 30s at night in winter. Days stay in the 30s. With the exception of if we have one of those storms, then all bets are off.

We ran this, with a little supplementary electrical heat during the day -I suspect if we'd got the 30,000 btu one, it would have heated the house completely, even on the colder days.

We don't run it at night, as it's in the living room. And because we're a little chicken of running propane when we sleep. But, in the morning, it brings the room quickly back to toasty -never more than 30 mins.

We installed it ourselves -with a bit of help from my uncle. Runs with two 50 lb=10 gal tanks. One tank lasts just about a week in the colder weather, and costs $24 to fill. So it's only a hundred a month -half what our heating bill was last year.

Last year, even with 3, electric, 15,000 btu heaters running, the house was never as toasty warm as it is with this propane heater.

Only note: If you use the tanks, only turn the knob slightly on. We found it eats through propane quicker if turned fully on. But has no apparent ill effect if the tank is only barely turned on.

And?

The blue flames are just lovely. :)

Highly recommended!

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This has been a good little heater for me so far, I am using to heat a fish house. I'm not sure about the review stating that it need to be professionally installed though, to connect it to a 20 lbs cylinder (BBQ tank) you need buy a separate house with a regulator. It is available through Mr. Heater, part # F273072 (12' Propane Hose/Regulator Assembly), I purchased this at my local hardware store.

My only complaint on this heater is that the built in fan doesn't move any air. I'm not even sure why they put it in there, because it really doesn't do anything. I just bought a separate fan to circulate the air and have been pleased with it.

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I recently installed this unit in my two car attached garage. I ran black pipe through the wall and attached it to a 20lb LP tank from my grill until I can get a bigger tank. The unit puts out good heat. It comes on at full so dont think you can adjust the output. But what it does do is bring the room up to temp then cycle off per the thermostat. Has some odor but I think that will disapate as it ages and burns off any newness. Battery operated ignition works very well. The only fault I find is the fan. It appears big enough but does not move a lot of air, design flaw perhaps. What it does do well is cycle on and off on it's own if you put it on the auto setting, good feature. I have not had it long enough to determin the gas usage, have my fingers crossed on that one. Overall I am very pleased as it out performs my electric ceiling mounted heater as well as a 23000 btu kerosene heater.

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I have one of these heaters that I bought locally. If you want to connect it to a BBQ type jug you have to buy a hose and regulator. This is no big deal and anyone that has ever turned a wrench can hook this up.

Puts out lots of heat! I'm very happy with mine.

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We are full-time rver's. Had a Glo Warm 10k propane heater for 14 years in our old 33 1/2' 5th wheel trailer. Worked great. Bought a new 38 1/2' 5th wheel. The old heater just didn't provide enough heat in sub-freezing weather. This Mr Heater 20k is great. Heats the whole place to comfortable very quickly. The fan is adequate (old heater didn't have a fan, so hard to compare). Best product for the priceMr. Heater 20,000 BTU Propane Blue Flame Vent Free Heater #VF20KBLUELP

Discount ChiliPad Bed Thermostat Control Dual Zone Queen Heat Cool Mattress

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If you live in Arizona do NOT buy this product. In one year we are in the process of getting our third replacement for queen size chilipad. The other two units, just started circulating room temperature water after a couple months of use. They wont give us a refund since we are past the short warranty period, so we have to keep asking for a replacement. And since we are past one year now, we may not get that replacement. The machine cools the water using ambient air in your room. If you live in Arizona where in the summer the outside temp doesnt drop below 80 and many nights, 90, the room in your home is not cold. The Air conditioning system (as with the chilipad) can only bring the inside air down about 20 degrees from the outside air. Thats just a fact of mother nature versus machine. So lets say your room is 80 degrees at night (A/C on), the chilipad really can only bring it down to 60 degrees in theory. Not 48 deg etc. We have never seen 60 degrees regardless. The moment you lie on the pad, it starts to warm due to body heat. So if the machine gets down to 60, it quickly warms up into the 70s. Guess what, you are almost at your room temp by now. The chilipad cannot stay cool. Its just math. Our first machine died on us after two months. It just has to work too hard in the Southwest to attempt to keep the pad cool. Now if you live in Alaska or some place where the nights are cool, this system may work for you. In Winter the system cools great. But that defeats the purpose. Why cool your bed if its already cold? Again its because the ambient room temperature during winter is colder. Thats about the only time you can get this machine to cool down to 50 or lower.

But in locations where the outside air just doesnt cool down at night (Arizona), this system cannot work. So i am sure there are good reviews out there for this product. I am sure just none from hot climates, which defeats the purpose of using the chilipad. The warranty for this product is only a couple months, which isnt long enough. Especially when you are pumping water through a pad on your bed. Too many things can and do go wrong. Be very careful if you spend the money for this unit. The unit has NEVER cooled to anything near what it says in any condition we have tested it in. Add warm climates and forget it. Its a lot of money to waste.

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I really hoped that this product would deliver; the idea of keeping your mattress cool in the summer months sounded so seductive. I first started with the queen sized single unita model the company no longer sells because at their own admission, the pad would't get chilly. So then I tried a single unit full sized pad, and it worked a little more efficiently, but still it didn't do the job. So finally I bit the bullet and upgraded to the dual system queen size. The temperature settings purportedly can be adjusted between 46-116˚, but when I set the pumps to the coolest temp, one reached a tepid 66˚and the other 62˚, and that was with my AC cranked to full throttle. I think the pumps' cooling mechanism depend on ambient temperature, so if your room is warm and humid, there is no chance that this product is going to reach the lowest setting. So perhaps if you live in a house/apartment with central air and lots of open space, this may in fact, work well. I happen to rent in the NYC area, where summers are hot and humid, and the older apartments are cramped convection ovens. If you are a latter dweller, then this is not the answer to your hot and sleepless nights. I gave the product one star for two reasons: 1 the heating mechanism works great and with winter on its way, it will be nice to have the extra benefit of warmth, and 2 customer service was genuinely interested in trying to solve my problem. Bottom line: I would not recommend this product.

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The Chilipad works very much like the radiator in your car. It exposes your body to a constant flow of water through the hidden tubes. Your body attempts to cool or heat that water to 98.6 degrees. That water is then sent to a processing unit that senses the tempuature of the water coming from your body and then either cools it or warms it depending upon what tempuature you have set the unit to as a goal temp. Then it sends the water back to you. It's a simple idea and well executed by the Chilipad. The response is fast. You will never again have a hot spot in your bed as the Chilipad is constantly responding and adjusting to your selected tempurature setiing. Put a big, cozy comforter on the bed and, no matter the ambient tempurature, the tempurature under the covers stays right where you want it to be. Super product for those of us who have different tempurature needs in a single, queen bed. Sharing a comforter no longer means sharing the same heat.

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Just got one of these, and after two nights I think it is great. I have a latex foam mattress, and my only complaint has been that it is hot. The Chilipad fixed that issue. Good customer support too needed for someone who does a poor job of reading the manual.

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My biggest fear was that this would not be quiet. It is very quiet. I only hear it when I first turn it on and then I don't hear it at all in 2 or 3 min. Usually any noise bothers me when I sleep.

It works very well keeping me at the temperature that I have set. It took a little experimentation to get "my temp" but after that it is set.

I did order the extension tubing because the device did not fit under, right next to the bed due to the nightstand.

My wife loves it as well a I.

Cheap West Bend 84905 5-Quart Oblong-Shaped Slow Cooker

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $39.99
Today's Bonus: 33% Off

This is an excellent appliance; I'm on my second one. However, it's no substitute for a true Crock Pot.

As with a whole string of multicookers, this cooker is basically a container-removable in this case-on a heat source with a thermostat. Unlike most of the thermostats, this West Bend simply has numbers approximating some of the settings on Crock Pots. A Crock Pot has heating elements surrounding the crockery insert to provide a more even heat.

There are advantages to both designs. One of the great advantages to this type of cooker is that one can cook much faster in this. The hot plate will heat up the ingredients hours faster. The wattage is ten times higher, so of course it will boil faster.

What's the disadvantage? That same thermostat. Rather than providing a steady heat, the thermostat in these cookers cycles on and off and without the crockery insert to 'even out' the heat, the food will alternately boil and cycle off. Not such a bad thing necessarily, but it can and will cause some foods to stick to the nonstick interior. Even if they have a crockery pot to go on the hot plate, these cookers will still have a hot zone on the bottom that isn't present in a true Crock Pot.

Another advantage is that, because these pots have much higher power, one can take the lid off and stir to minimize sticking, and the heat source will quickly restore the preset temperature. In a Crock Pot, removing the lid will add at least 30 minutes to the cooking time.

Why am I on my second pot like this? Just wore the finish off the bottom on my first one-though it took many years to do that, even only using plastic utensils. After a year or two the outline of the heat source became visible on the bottom, though the nonstick finish was still there. It just started flaking off and so I got rid of it. For those who are nervous about chemical nonstick finishes this isn't the setup for you.

For those who are used to cooking in a true Crock Pot, there will also be some adjustment required to recipes. This type of cooker loses moisture like an average pot on the stove, so most slow cooker recipes will lose more steam/water in this type of pot.

West Bend made 'bean pot' cookers for many years with a crockery pot on a hot plate; I've got one and it does an excellent job as this type does. Just don't expect it to do what a Crock Pot does.

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This is the best small appliance I have ever had. I have had it 20 years or so. I cook everything in it: pot roasts, pork roasts, stew, pulled pork, beans, etc. I have purchased about 8 of them over the years for wedding gifts, college graduation gifts, Xmas, etc.

There are two main reasons I love this so much. One is the versitility of the heat control. I hate crockpots because all you get is low and high! Give me a break, who cooks like that?? These have settings from 1-5, almost as many as a stove burner. I can brown my stew or roast on 5 then turn it down to 3 or halfway between 3 & 4 or 4 depending on how long I want to be away from the house or want it to cook. The base doubles as a griddle by itself. Takes up very little counter and storage space. The pot goes into the oven or on the stove if you need or want it to. The pot and lid go into the dishwasher, although I ususally just give a quick wash with hot soapy water and wipe off the base. The other reason I love it is it is small and lightweight. No heavy monster crockpots to handle, try to lift full of food and then try and wash!

I have the older model of this cooker that is 6 quarts. At the time I purchased it you had the choice of 4 or 6 qt size. After 20 years I need to replace it, although it still works perfectly, the teflon pot lining is scratched and the teflon coating on the base(griddle) is flaking. But after 20 years of using it 3-5 times a week, its certainly held up wonderfully. I am now purchasing two more, one for me and one as a wedding gift! My only regret is that they no longer make the 6 quart in this model, only the 5 qt. I would recommend it without question!! Enjoy!

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I received this 6qt oblong cooker back in the 80's for a gift. It was gold in color. I LOVED this unit! I use it all the time. Over the years it has shown wear. Because of my love for this unit, I attempted to replace it, even though the old one is still functioning. I found that this unit is no longer available in the 6 qt size, it is now a 5 qt. Very disappointing but acceptable. I ordered it. Upon receipt I found the glass lid did not fit properly. It rocked allowing heat, steam & moisture to escape...Very dangerous for transporting. Called the Company and was sent a new vessel, assuming mine waa warped. I didn't think the glass lid could be faulty. Received vessel (after a 2 week wait). Same problem! Vessel is much more thinner than original. Again, I can deal with this. Not happy but will deal with it. I am VERY VERY disappointed in the unit because of the ill fitting lid. I am very sorry I ordered it. Definitely would not recommended it.

Honest reviews on West Bend 84905 5-Quart Oblong-Shaped Slow Cooker

I ordered this slow cooker to replace a Rival that was 10-years-old and no longer coming up to temperature. When it first arrived, I was a bit skeptical as it appeared to be smaller than my original slow cooker, but despite its compact size, this slow cooker holds the same amount as the much bulkier Rival.

PROS: I love the fact that I can brown meats on the stove in the cooker before placing the cooker on the base to slow-cook no need to dirty up an additional pan browning the meat. I also enjoy using the base as a griddle for pancakes or French toast, or grilled cheese sandwiches freeing a burner on my stove. The griddle and slow cooker are very easy to clean the non-stick surface is great. The temperature settings on the griddle range from 1 -5 1 being low, 2 medium, 3 representing high for a slow cooker, and 4 and 5 used for griddle use. This slow cooker is so compact! I've never seen a slow cooker of similar capacity take up so little space.

CONS: I have not discovered any yet.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for West Bend 84905 5-Quart Oblong-Shaped Slow Cooker

I wore out my West Bend cooker of some 20 years ago, bought one for my dad, and sister and two friends.

This item is sturdy, versatile, easy to maintain, and reliable. Better suited to large pieces of meat like whole chickens because of the shape.

The only negative is the short cord length.

Kenwood TT756SL 2-Slice Radio Toaster with FM Radio Reviews

Customer Ratings:

C'mon all you critics who've given this thing 1 star, be fair here. Take one look at this and you have to KNOW it is designed for those who want a clever accent in their kitchens. Collectors of toasters won't be able to resist it!

However, if you ONLY care about the practical aspects of this toaster, be aware that while it does a fine job of preparing toasted bread, it is only a a so-so radio. On the other hand, as an accent to a Space Age, modern or even a retro kitchen, this adds a unique touch.

Bottom line? I give it 5 stars for DESIGN, but only 3 for FUNCTIONALITY.

If you really want a great radio, stay away. The sound quality is lackluster, at best. Also, it can't be too safe to have a radio and a toaster combo, not with all the heating elements. I'd be a bit wary of using a radio/toaster combo every day. Maybe on occasion, though, especially as a conversation piece...

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I have to say that this is one of the most dismal products I've ever bought. The toaster barely toasts, even when turned all the way up, and helpfully flips over when you press down the handle. It takes two hands to use. The radio, in addition to being the worst-sounding radio I have ever encountered, has to be reset to your channel each time the radio is turned on, and that has to be done by a blind search button. How convenient is that?

I assumed that coming from Kenwood, the radio would at least be a decent unit. Wrong.

This thing is merely a gag product, and the joke's on the buyer.

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The Radio Toaster is a really good toaster...probably the best toaster I've ever had. It is a so-so radio, though...the speakers are necessarily not very large and the sound it emits is rather tinny.

BUT, I just keep in mind that it's a TOASTER first, and a radio secondarily. The radio controls are, ummm, primitive, but perhaps that is for a reason---all radios usually are affected by electrical appliances running close by to them, so maybe overcoming that interference necessitates the non-sophisticated radio controls. I do notice that when I run a blender nearby the radio transmission is silenced.

Let's face it, it's a gimmicky appliance. But I love it. I can have my radio on right by the stove while I'm cooking, and hear it well, and not bother someone watching TV in the next room. I've developed a great affection for the thing!!!

So. A terrific toaster. A so-so radio. A gimmicky gadget that is easy to love! :)

Honest reviews on Kenwood TT756SL 2-Slice Radio Toaster with FM Radio

Very poor quality radio, about the same as a crystal radio of times gone by. As a toaster, it toasts two pieces of bread just like a regular cheap toaster.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Kenwood TT756SL 2-Slice Radio Toaster with FM Radio

I love this item for two of its exceptionally wonderful qualities first and most importantly, it's a great toaster. I can make batch after batch of toast, with each batch coming out as well as the previous one. Because a toaster's job is to well, toast stuff, and this does that job very well, I'd have to give it a five on toastability alone. (You've never heard of toastability? too bad. my review, my thesaurus.)

Second criteria is the amazing attractiveness of the toaster. Every guest who has come to our home has commented on the "vintage" toaster we have. Our kitchen is decorated in a 1940's style, and a few people have asked if the toaster was from the 1940's. Ummm. No. But the toaster is solidly made and nice to look at.

As far as the radio aspect goes... well, I have to tell ya; I didn't buy a toaster so I could dance to it. I bought a toaster to make bread brown and crispy, and I got a toaster that didn't look hideous at the same time. I'm satisfied. I don't know if the radio works, and I don't particularly care. When I want music, I turn to my iPod, when I want bread that is brown and crispy, I go to my toaster. Both look wonderful and do an exceptional job serving their partcular purposes. But if Steve Jobs announced a new iPod, where you stick bread in the dock, well... I might think those black turtlenecks were running a bit tight.

Reviews of BUNN BT Velocity Brew 10-Cup Thermal Carafe Home Coffee Brewer

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $169.95
Sale Price: $126.45
Today's Bonus: 26% Off

****Update 10-5-11****Unit has died (heating element apparently went out). Now out of warranty since it has been 4 years. On the one had I hate to spend $135+ to get a new one, but on the other hand, once you've had one of these things, it's hard to go back to the traditional coffeemaker. It did make great coffee for 4 years, and I loved having my coffee ready in just a minute or two. Despite the fact that I would have liked to get more than 4 years out of my original purchase, I will probably buy another one.

****Update 2-27-09****

My coffee maker developed a leak. I dusted off my original paperwork, and was very happy to see that this unit comes with a 3 year warranty. I sent it back to Bunn, and they sent me a brand new unit. Painless and relatively quick (less than a week). Yet another reason to buy a Bunn. The only thing I would mention is that I had to pay to have the old unit shipped back to them. Cost me $13 UPS, so it's not really that big a deal, but I just have this old fashioned notion that if something is covered by warranty, it shouldn't cost the consumer a penny to get it fixed or replaced.

****Original Review****

I don't see why anyone would buy a traditional glass carafe coffeemaker. The heating element scorches the coffee after about 15-20 minutes, so if you haven't finished the pot by then, you end throwing the rest away. At least I used to, until I discovered thermal carafes years ago.

I really like this coffeemaker. I am a big coffee drinker, and I usually make 1 pot in the morning, 1 pot in the afternoon, and 1 pot at night. The quality of the coffee that it brews is excellent, and I like the fact that the coffee is ready in 3 minutes.

A few other observations:

-I have not had any problem with the carafe. No spills or dribbles, and it keeps the coffee piping hot for a good 90 minutes, and then drinkably hot for another 2 hours. I especially like the fact that you don't need to open and close the lid to pour the coffee. The lids stays in the closed position while the coffee is brewing and it stays in the closed position when you pour it from the carafe.

-I have not had any problem with the basket overflowing or grinds in my coffee, but I have noticed that the grinds rise up to the tippy top of the filter, and I use Bunn filters which are a little taller than most. Although I have not had a problem myself, I can see where someone who likes an extra strong brew and adds a little more coffee might have an issue. For me it works, and I use about 10 tablespoons of coffee per full pot.

-I don't particularly like the automatic feature that starts the brewing cycle as soon as you close the lid to the water chamber. I would prefer to have a button to press, but its not a huge deal for me. Like another reviewer, I can see potential disaster if I have company or overnight guests and they want to make the coffee, and I haven't briefed them on how the machine works.

-Price is high when compared to the Mr. Coffee type machines with glass carafes, but I really do notice a difference in the taste of the coffee when I visit friends and they break out their $30 coffee maker after dinner. I think the price is a fair price for what you get, and although I haven't had it long enough to comment on its durability, Bunn typically makes products that stand up over time.

-The entire machine does have a rather large footprint, and it is bit taller than many coffeemakers. I have alot of counter space and my cabinets are high, so its not an issue for me, but do yourself a favor and take 30 seconds to measure the space where you intend to put the machine to make sure it will fit nicely.

Overall, if you're into good coffee, and you're willing to spend the money, and you're willing to overlook a few very minor flaws (see above) I would highly recommend this machine.

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I bought this brewer in October. At first I was very happy with it. Then the carafe started leaking so bad it was ridiculous. I called Bunn a couple of days ago and the lady told me to wash the spout and the seal around the rim with Dawn dishwashing soap (she specifically said Dawn which I happened to have on hand) and the carafe would perform much better. She said that after a number of uses the oil from the coffee keeps the seal from sealing well. I hung up fully expecting to call her back in a few minutes. I washed the carafe as she suggested and it works like new again... no leaks!! If you have this pot, try it, you'll be amazed at the difference. Now I love this brewer again!

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We purchased this to replace an aging Mr. Coffee. The Mr. Coffee was programmable, which was nice when I remembered, but when I didn't it could take nearly 20 minutes to brew a pot. That is a long wait in the morning. We considered this or the Braun programmable, which appeared to be rated well, but I couldn't determine how long it took to brew. I knew I wanted speed.

I got speed. This thing is fast. By two and a half minutes its down to waiting on the last drips to come out of the basket. The coffee's flavor is excellent, but a little weaker than I like. I upped the amount of coffee to the recommended tbsp per cup (which would yield very bitter coffee on other machines I've had) and its back to where I like it. A darker roasted coffee would also add a lot of strength. I enjoy the fact that the coffee doesn't sit on a burner and cook too. The carafe has done a great job of keeping the coffee hot for hours at a time. I've had no real trouble about the carafe dripping.. this may be because the Mr. Coffee trained me to go slower to avoid such drips.

Another point: I checked and the Bunn filters ARE taller than my others. The coffee grinds do get pretty high on the filter, so I can imagine that getting off-brand filters would get you grinds in your coffee. Just buy the Bunn filters at your local megamart. They're not that expensive. Also, decaf and/or finely ground coffee does sometimes overflow the filter anyway. The manual mentions this and offers a free replacement sprayhead to improve this. We don't drink a huge amount of decaf, so I don't think we'll ask for it.

I've tried some premium coffees again, and am happy to report that they are worth it now. A good coffeemaker does make a difference in the quality of the coffee.

Pros: Very fast. Coffee tastes very good. No burning the coffee on the carafe warmer. Keeps the coffee hot. Did I mention fast?

Cons: Coffee seems a tad weak. Very finely ground coffee, and decaf, sometimes overflow the filter a bit. I wish it had a button to press to brew instead of closing the top.. I foresee a big mess if company is up before me (It starts pouring coffee out the basket as soon as you close the lid, you HAVE to have the carafe in place).

Would I have been happy with the Braun? Probably. But I bet its not as fast, and after years of inadequate coffeemakers, I'm happy to have one this quick, and making coffee this good.

Honest reviews on BUNN BT Velocity Brew 10-Cup Thermal Carafe Home Coffee Brewer

We received this coffeemaker as an upgrade when our last Bunn was recalled due to a manufacturing defect. (NB: Bunn has excellent customer service and is conscientious about recall notifications, and I recommend the company highly. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this product.) We have been fans of Bunn coffeemakers for years; our first home machine provided us with at least 14,000 pots of fresh, hot coffee before it succumbed to the ravages of time and Minnesota's hard water. We tried very hard to like this model, but ultimately its flaws outweighed its benefits, and we are now shopping for a new coffee maker. The flaws include:

An incredibly drippy carafe. There does not seem to be any way to predict when it will drip or in which direction. Sometimes only a few drops fall from the carafe; sometimes, it spills 1/4 to 1/2 cup of coffee across the countertop.

The internal assembly (which Bunn fans will know is cleaned with a tightly coiled metal reaming spring) is much more difficult to clean in this unit than in our past ones.

This model also seems far less forgiving of our hard water than previous ones and requires cleaning much more frequently. We've had trouble with calcium buildup even with softened water in both the brewer and the lid of the carafe. This and the completely opaque carafe (in combination with our increasing age and forgetfulness) have led to some huge messes in the kitchen, with coffee running over and even into the cabinets below the coffee maker.

Like most thermal carafes, this one does not keep the coffee warm enough for us, and we go through coffee very quickly. I don't see this working at all for most people.

On the brighter side, you will have a fast cup of coffee most of the time, and you will be doing business with a company that deserves its good reputation. If you ask me, though, I'd suggest you buy the model without the thermal carafe unless you own stock in a paper towel company.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for BUNN BT Velocity Brew 10-Cup Thermal Carafe Home Coffee Brewer

This brewer surprised me a little when I received it. First of all, it is fairly difficult to figure out because it holds two pots of water at a time. For most of us, this is a strange concept. However, it works well because one pot's worth of water stays hot all the time and the other that you pour in, replenishes the hot water in the lower chamber. It seems like a waste of enrgy to me so I put it on a timer to keep it from sitting there at 170 degrees or so all the time.

It brews a great pot of coffee at the proper temperature unlike many thermal carafe units.

All in all a great unit. But if you don't do well at programming VCRs than this isn't the unit for you. This is unit is probably geared more toward commercial or constant use. It brews a pot of coffee FAST as in three minutes because the water is already hot.

The carafe itself is very well made if not a bit tricky at first. You use your thumb to push the top part of the handle counterclockwise while holding the handle in your hand to get the top started so you can open it. Again, a little counter intuitive at first but very well made.

I like the Bunn better than any coffee maker I have owned, ever, but be prepared to have to give multiple lessons on its use to other family members.

Review of MaxiMatic ETO-730B Elite Gourmet 20-Liter 1500-Watt Convection

Customer Ratings:

I wasn't familiar with the Maxi-Matic brand, but decided to try this toaster oven because I liked the color and design, the convection option, and the reasonable cost. We have been using it for a about a month, and have found it to be a very practical and well designed oven. It heats evenly, the interior is spacious for a toaster oven, and the front pull-out crumb tray is a really helpful accessory.

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Love this oven, a little larger than expected as site did not give dimensions prior to ordering ( 10" tall, 12" deep, 19 1/2" long). Often used this often instead of regular oven. Perfect for baking casseroles for 2-4. Wonderful for heating standard size frozen pizza. Would recommend this if you have room on kitchen counter.

Purchased through Amazon.Com

MJW

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This oven gets a little hotter towards the back. Heats up fast. I bought it to replace a microwave, but it isn't that great for reheating or I haven't figured it out yet. I over cooked the bottoms of the first batch of biscuits I tried. I messed up and used the bottom rack. I haven't used the bottom rack since, just the top rack. I imagine the bottom rack will be great for pizza. The outside gets hot so plan for that. Also you have to pick the degree of heat you want for toast or it won't turn on. I think it's a great oven.

Honest reviews on MaxiMatic ETO-730B Elite Gourmet 20-Liter 1500-Watt Convection

We had never heard of this brand before, but after reading the Amazon reviews, and my wife discovering on a consumer website that this toaster oven was rated as one of the top 10 to buy, we were sold. There is only one word to describe this ovenAWESOME! We wanted to reduce the cost of using our propane gas stove, and heating up the kitchen. Chicken breasts bake a nice golden brown on the bake setting at 350F in around 23 minutes. My wife makes homemade pitas, and used the convection setting, they puffed up nice and fast, something that was never accomplished in regular ovens. The manual advises to bake convection items at 50 degrees lower then normal, but we found that it should be 75 degrees lower. We make mini pita pizzas on a daily basis, they turn out terrific. The broiler setting works great for melting cheese on potatoes, and making tuna melts. We use the broiler pan, included, for chicken and meat. Clean up is easy, and the included handle to pull out the racks is a tremendous help. We mainly use the lower rack and bake everything on foil for easy clean up. When making toast, we advise using the bake/roast setting at 350F or the broil setting. The toast setting left a rather cold oven, and didn't seem to do well. The oven does release heat on all sides, so make sure you place it in a well-ventilated area.

We couldn't be more pleased with our purchase. The price can't be beat, and my wife enjoys cooking even more. Thank you Amazon, for offering such wonderful products at great prices! Your customer service is top notch too!

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I just received my toaster oven in the mail today. Still too early to thoroughly review, but I just wanted to include some omitted information. I notice in the instruction manual, it failed to suggest a temperature to set the oven at when it was on the "toast" function, so I called the company. The temperature suggested by the CSR is 350 degrees; she stated that info was inadvertently skipped in the manual. I also like the fact that a rack/broiler pan "handle" was included with this toaster oven to pull the hot rack/broiler pan out of the oven (No burned fingers!). The interior is NOT teflon coated for the folks that are concerned with fumes, of which I am one. Thought this might be helpful to other potential buyers/owners. It's a nice looking oven; judging by the other reviews, I can't wait to use it!

Update: Love this oven. The convection feature works wonderfully, it is large enough for full meals to be baked and does not look like a giant box sitting on your counter. Very pleased with this, especially considering the price. I am a fan!

Discount White-Rodgers 1F86EZ-0251 Non-Programmable Thermostat

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List Price: $50.00
Sale Price: $48.45
Today's Bonus: 3% Off

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This White Rogers Thermostat is a bare Bones, easy to install replacement for just about anyone's basic furnace/AC set-up.

The unit itself seems well made with a nice clean appearance. The controls are pretty self explanatory. A complete exploded wiring diagram with all specs and requirements is posted on the company website so you can easily check this model against your personal electrical requirements to make sure it will work for your central units. All the info you need is posted on the company web site and is MUCH BETTER than the included instructions which are a bit hard to see for us old timers.

GO HERE to download the installation/wiring diagrams:

http://www.emersonclimate.com/en-US/products/thermostats/Pages/non_prog_single_stage_thermostats.aspx

A word on installation, if in doubt GET SOMEONE to do it for you, but if you feel comfortable reading simple schematics then it really is a piece of cake to do it yourself. It's not rocket science, it's just a switch/thermostatic control with a few connections. Total installation time was around 15 minutes and everything worked perfectly the first time. (looks good on the wall too)

I was not interested in units that are programmable or respond to internet commands. All I wanted was a good solid decent looking replacement for our ancient 22 year old dinosaur that came with the house when it was new. This Emerson branded White-Rogers does the job admirably and honestly should last hopefully as long as I do. (knock on wood)

Fairly priced, nice looking and functional. Recommended for all those needing a no frills solid thermostat.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I used this White-Rodgers thermostat to replace a Honeywell RTH221B Basic Programmable Thermostat that I had purchased from amazon.com a few years back. The installation was fairly straightforward, it took me less than 15 minutes to remove the old and put on the new. The better part is its operation, it's really fool-proof, there are only three selectable and self-explanatory modes "Home", "Sleep" and "Away", no need to read the user manual in order to know how to use it. With my old one, I could not even figure out how to programm it after reading the manual, maybe that's just me, I always used the up and down buttons to adjust the temperature when needed.

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The white-Rodgers thermostat is the best for its look and user friendliness, as far as I am concerned. The blue background is very helpful when adjusting the temp in the dark. It holds only three simple temperature settings: when you are home, sleep time,and when away from home. The settings can be easily adjusted by moving the arrow up for higher temp or down for lower temp.

Honest reviews on White-Rodgers 1F86EZ-0251 Non-Programmable Thermostat

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The programmable thermostat in our home has given us nothing but trouble for many years now. For unknown reasons, it will drop the times & the settings we have programmed into it. My husband & I were looking for a thermostat that was simple to install and simple to use.

The White-Rodgers IF86EZ 0251 has fit the bill. My husband is technically minded, so it was simple for him to install. The thermostat has been easy for us to use. No more dropped times or settings. All we really need is something for home, away, or sleeping, which makes this thermostat perfect for us.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for White-Rodgers 1F86EZ-0251 Non-Programmable Thermostat

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program When programmable thermostats first came out, I rushed out to buy one because I liked the idea of being able to pre-set my desired temperatures and, theoretically, reduce my hvac bills. As it turned out, the programming instructions proved to be complicated, so instead of programming, I would set my desired temperature and press the "hold" button. To change temperatures, I would use the arrow buttons, and press "hold". So much for needing a programmable thermostat.

Over the years, and thanks to owning numerous rental Properties, I've learned that many people are just like me set temperature, then press "hold".

This easy set thermostat is made for the "hold" button crowd. All you have to do is set the thermostat for three scenarios, home, sleep or away, and then you press the corresponding button for the time of day. If you don't want to program, the thermostat has factory pre-set temperatures (see chart in the included instructions). The up-down buttons are still there, so you can adjust your Settings, and, if you desire, the thermostat has a Cool Savings Option that allows the thermostat to make small temperature adjustments during high peak demand (like the thermostats advertised by the power companies). I have not tried this setting, so cannot give first-hand experience detail.

For us, having installed well over 75 thermostats over the course of years, installation was not difficult. The unit comes with screws and batteries (many units do not come with batteries), and the unit itself is fairly small. It sticks out from the wall about an inch, but the display is a nice size and I can read the numbers without my glasses (!).

Overall, I am very happy with this unit. It is a good basic thermostat for those who don't want a fancy, programmable unit, or for landlord's who are looking for a simple digital thermostat for their rental properties.