Reviews of Bionaire Pure Indoor Living Low Profile Room Heater

Customer Ratings:

Bought this heater at Costco last weekend. It's a great design, nicely made, and the remote is a very nice feature. It's about 28" long, and made of good quality matte-finish black plastic, with a black metal grill (the casing stays cool, but the grill gets pretty hot). It's lightweight and easy to move around. The fan is so quiet you can't hear it at all, even at the highest heat setting. There is a red light on the front that is on whenever the heater is connected to power; the control panel on the top has a main power button, a five-level thermostat setting (65-70-75-80-85) with red indicator light for each choice, and a 3-setting automatic-off timer (4, 8 and 12 hours). There is a separate button to activate the 'Eco-Smart' feature, which supposedly cycles the heater somehow to make it more efficient (I have no idea how to tell if it is more economical or not, but it does put out less heat with this setting turned on.)

I bought this heater to use in the office corner of a larger room, so I don't need a blast furnace, but it's not the kind of heater you can put in a cold room and expect it to warm up immediately. Even on the 'Eco-Smart' setting, it does a fair job of heating the immediate area, but it doesn't broadcast the heat very far from the source on ANY of the settings. I'd recommend this heater for a small room (bathroom, den or small bedroom). I wouldn't consider using it in a larger area, such as a family room or living room, and I'd also avoid it in rooms with especially high ceilings, because with this heater, the warmed air tends to rise straight up rather than spread out horizontally.

All in all, not a bad heater, just not a very quick one.

Note added November 19: This original post included review of the remote control which came with my unit from Costco ($45) but another reviewer noted this Amazon unit does not come with a remote. I've revised my review, but I apologize if I misled earlier readers with my error.

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I read the previous reviews and was hesitant to buy this but my wife decided to try it. Agree w the ?transformer noice which is very quiet though. Disagree that it's slow. We heat up our master bedroom which is 15x15 and takes very short time to make it comfortable. Typically all we need is to go from 69 deg to say 74 which takes no time and makes the room quite pleasant.

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This heater was in use for only 1 month but then broke. It stopped making any heat although all buttons and lights work normally. Even though it has warranty I did not want to ship it back and pay shipping and wait weeks till they fix it. So I opened it up myself and fixed it. As it turned out the problem was a faulty over temperature protection switch. The switch is supposed to be normally closed providing current to the heat element but in my case it was always open so the element never gets hot. Took me a few hours to fix it but now it works again. In addition to over temperature protection this heater also has tip over protection which works without any trouble on my unit. It turns OFF immediately after you accidentally tip it over. Other reviewer is wrong about saying that the fan is quiet. This heater does not have any fan at all. Also, another reviewer mentioned how noisy it is because of transformer. There is no transformer inside. The buzz comes from the heat element. When it gets hot it vibrates slightly. The element is attached to the side walls by only two screws, one on each side. As I had to open it, I know how cheaply it is made inside.

Honest reviews on Bionaire Pure Indoor Living Low Profile Room Heater

I bought this at Costco for 45 bucks and did not expect a lot. It keeps my living room and open kitchen and dining area comfortable (about 700 square feet). Outside the temperature was 32 Fahrenheit. Our house is well insulated and I use insulated curtains (except for the kitchen window ) and It got the temperature up to 68 and for faster heating I turned my infrared heater on at the beginning for about 20 minutes, and the temperature increased to 72. Obviously gas is cheaper, but we are on propane, haven't received my electric bill yet, but I am very comfortable. All with all I like this heater. Its not a fast heater, so during the night I get up at 3:00 am to turn it on and it is ready by about 6:00 a.m.

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Purchased this directly from the manufacturer. Thought it was a good deal, nice, quiet heater, no fan, has thermostat, and covers a good area. However, upon trying it on the first cold night (27 deg as a low that night), I had it on for about 20 minutes, then it blew the circuit. Contacted Bionaire and the representative said that it is rated 12 Amps and most homes are 15 Amps. She said I had to remove everything else from that circuit. How is that reasonable? I'd have to trace that outlet to all other outlets, remove everything connected, and dedicate this small heater to its own 15 Amp circuit? I said that is not reasonable and asked for a refund. She immediately denied and said the only way to get a refund was for me to pay shipping to send it back. At the low price I got this, the shipping would have exceeded the purchase price. So I opted not to bother. However, I will never purchase another Bionaire heater based on that low level and unsatisfactory customer service from the Bionaire company and representative.

Buy Brentwood Single Burner - White

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $34.99
Sale Price: $24.90
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The nice thing about this hot plate is that its small doesn`t take up much space and heats up really quick and the price was great highly recommend product and seller

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I needed a solution for traveling with my hookah and Brentwood's Single Burner was perfect with it being so portable and inexpensive.

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I bought this Burner early summer, and used it like every day i just love it would recommend it anytime, hope to buy a Two burner for my daughter.

Cheap Sunbeam Microplush Throw Camelot Cuddler Electric Heated Warming

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List Price: $69.99
Sale Price: $54.48
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I bought two of these for night-time television viewing.

One for him, one for me. He was reluctant at first. But with the three levels of heat, (mine always on high, his on low) it really made us feel cozy. And they fold up neatly and easily when you're done.

I know this kept us from turning up the heat on a few cold nights, they paid for themselves already.

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This is a very nice and plush blanket. It was packaged well and delivered on time. I washed and tumble dried immediately with no issues or complaints. Confident this will pay for itself in decreased heating bills. I recommend this product as well as seller.

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I really like this blanket because it is really soft and comfortable. However, it doesn't get as warm as what I had expected, even when it is on the highest setting...not sure how good it will be when Winter arrives (my house gets really cold)...

Honest reviews on Sunbeam Microplush Throw Camelot Cuddler Electric Heated Warming

My wife (and daughter) stay cold throughout the winter, so anything that helps keep the thermostat below 75ºF during the winter gets my wallet's seal of approval! It's so popular, on several occasions they have both tried to use it at the same time, so we bought a second (pink) one for our daughter. It's really cute seeing them both wrapped up for a night of movies.

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I bought two of these warming throws for my husband and me. His quit warming within a few months but we did get it replaced after shipping it off to the tune of $15 cost. Now that it is October, I got my throw out (the one that didn't break) and it won't warm. what is with this product?? They cost too much, cost too much to send back and they will not last!!!!!!!! Really disappointed.

Lasko 5568 34-Inch Oscillating Ceramic Tower Heater with Remote Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I love Lasko heaters, my hubby had a 29" pedestal heater that lasted roughly 5 years before acting up, so once it decided to die on us I searched and found this one on Amazon.

We had looked in the store and actually bought a Delonghi because he didn't want to have to wait until we could get this one in the mail, but it sucked! It didn't show the current room temperature like the Lasko, only the set temperature so you couldn't tell what the actual room temperature was. It kept turning on and off as if it was trying to maintain that exact temperature instead of turning on 1 degree below the set temperature, then back off at 2 degrees above like this Lasko. And the plastic at the base was grinding and popping when I tried to use it in oscillation mode, which was really annoying.

So it went back and I ordered this one, and am I ever glad we did, I love it! It arrived slightly damaged, but that could have been a manufacturing error as the box was in perfect condition, one of the side panels was pushed in making it look funny, but I carefully fixed that problem even though it didn't affect it's operation any, just couldn't stand looking at it the way it looked. Now it looks and works perfect, we couldn't be happier! And I love the added feature they've started using, it turns on low every 10 minutes for about 10 seconds to circulate the air and recheck the air temperature, instead of relying on the stagnant air temperature which can give a false reading like the old Lasko pedestal heater we had. Don't get me wrong, I loved that one too, but this one is even better! I highly recommend this heater to anyone who's looking for a way to help save on electricity and just warm the room you're in.

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I actaully have the model 5586 which looks exactly like this but the buttons are different. Bought for about the same price $65-67 at a harddware store.

It's great for a small (10ftx10ft) unheated room, but doesn't do much for a large converted attic room with no heating & almost no insulation (which is fine, the product clearly says it is intendend as SUPPLEMENTAL heat, not as your only source).

I like the remote control & that I can have it stationary blowing directly on me or moving to circulate the air. I also like that I can set it to click on when tempature drops below a certain temperature. I like that it shows me the temperature. Those features were (to me) worth spending a little more than the cheaper heaters. I've had it for 3 months and it has made a big difference for cold No. CA nights/early mornings (though our electric bill did go pretty high so I'm not sure we saved $ by running the gas/central heating less).

I find it quiet enough to sleep through, but my boyfriend claims that even on the low setting the noise of the air venting bothers him. But he's gotten used to it & can usually sleep through it now.

Other reviews of Lasko heaters had complained their cords got too hot. My cord gets warm, but not hot. I am not concerned by this.

In my opinion, the only flaw is that EVERY TIME you turn it on/off or adjust ANY setting (even to go up or down a few degrees), a fairly loud beep is emitted.

I called their customer service # and there is no way to turn this off.

This means I can not make any adjustment at night or even turn it on for a little while while my boyfriend is sleeping. This is a serious drawback to me, I'd give this product 5 stars if it wasn't for this.

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The fan is not loud, but I wouldn't say it is quiet either. The annoying thing is that there is no option to leave the fan on continuously, so it cycles on and off with the heater. The problem with this is that you don't have a constant white noise to aid sleeping, but something that could make sleeping not so restful--or worse yet--wake you up. Also using the remote to change any settings creates a loud beep that your sleeping partner might not be so happy about.

I did notice that a smallish room heated up very fast. I'm guessing the large size helps with that.

The remote is sorta cheap, but does the job--with a lot of beeps.

I would say it is a good value at the price I paid: $49.

Honest reviews on Lasko 5568 34-Inch Oscillating Ceramic Tower Heater with Remote

Last winter proved that it can get pretty cold in South Florida. I purchased this Lasko heater to supplement our central heating system. It worked like a dream, is light and very portable. It also came with a remote so one could make adjustments without getting up from a comfortable chair. I have told all my friends about how good this heater is.

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Warms up a 30 degrees, 250 something square meter room in few minutes. Thermostat comes in handy. I love this. Also the front grilldoes not get hot. Unlike the smaller lasko model which burned my child's leg by accident. Great product. I hope it's durable enough like the smaller lasko heater.

Best Kegorator Beer Keg Fridge Deals

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List Price: $499.99
Sale Price: $474.33
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For starters, stop reading reviews prior to 2011. The early issues with this kegerator have been addressed to the point Nostalgia really should assign it a new model number. As reported by others the regulator is now a pretty nice dual gauge unit, with a lockable output valve. Meaning once you get your CO2 settings dialed in you can lock the knob so it doesn't get changed accidentally while changing out a keg, etc. Also, the unit is dead quiet.

The instructions have been completely revamped and are very easy to follow. All the spare parts provided have been labeled in the manual, no mysteries there either. Before this arrived I downloaded a PDF copy of the old instructions, and it's true the early buyers were basically left in the dark.

I followed the instructions, charged my tank, threw in a 1/4 barrel, and no problems at all. The beer has a perfect head on it, and my monitoring of temps have been hovering around 34-35f. That's with the thermostat set to maximum, so I'll be watching that closely. I don't want my beer to freeze!

A few things to note:

1) The keg tower rubber washer (#5) was not already installed, and is not really mentioned in the manual. Be sure to install it otherwise there's not a tight seal between the tower and fridge and cool air will escape. You'll know if it's not on because the tower installs too easy and doesn't feel tight. The nice side effect of this design is that the tower is basically cooled, so less stale beer in the line.

2) A 5 pound CO2 tank will fit with a full 1/2 barrel, and can be bought at a local gas supply or welding shop filled for about 50 bucks. Refills on the tank are around $9. The 2.5 pound tank shipped is fine, and I'll be filling it so I have a full tank at all times. The 2.5 pound tank should be able to dispense 2-4 1/2 barrel kegs, the 5 pound tank 4-8 1/2 barrel kegs. Tighter fittings, lower CO2 settings, more kegs...

3) The casters are optional, and there are already self leveling feet installed if (like me) you prefer the unit to be shorter and stationary. Height to the top of the fridge door is exactly 31 inches without the caster installed.

Anyway, given all the features and the insane price of $380 shipped I can't see how anyone could be unhappy at this point. All the negative reviews made me really ponder this purchase, but I'm happy to report they're all talking about a different product. I'll post a follow up at 12 months, or before if I experience any problems.

And thanks to the early buyers who posted reviews! Nostalgia listened and thanks to you I have a really nice unit.

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NOTE: I've updated this post in March of 2013, after a year of ownership. My basic feelings of the kegerator are still the same--but I just wanted to update some of the information provided in this review. In summary, I did end up replacing the regulator with a higher-quality one.

----------------

This is an excellent kegerator. We purchased it as a Christmas gift for my dad, and we are currently on our second half-barrel of lager! I was a bit skeptical of this based on previous reviews, but as many reviews state, Nostalgia had changed some parts and old issues are no longer present with this model.

LOOKS

We all think it's a good looking unit. Nostalgia offers the same unit but with a stainless steel door. I decided against the stainless steel model because we currently have stainless steel appliances and they show smudges and fingerprints easily. We keep the kegerator in our garage so the black is more appropriate. This unit also features a rounded front door, so the keg partially hangs out when the door is open. Most other kegerators have a flat door, which makes the whole unit looks larger. It is also not the highest quality appliance you will find, as the internals of this unit seem to be a bit plasticky, especially next to a nice, expensive refrigerator. But if you temper your expectations, you will be very happy with it.

ASSEMBLY

The instructions are a bit frustrating. Each section doesn't seem to be in proper order. Also, there are plenty of extra little parts that come with it. I still don't know where they all go, but it's good to have them I guess. My best advice to get it up and running as soon as possible:

* first have a keg ready to go (call a local beer store, and have them order and hold a keg of your favorite beer until you're ready for it--it may take a few days for them to get the keg if it is not in stock).

* Unbox the unit and put the casters on (not too tightly or they will be difficult to spin).

* Plug it in and turn the thermostat to the coldest setting.

* Get your Co2 tank filled up. I took mine to a paintball place, but you can also try a welding or outdoor sport shop. If you're still stuck, call a hardware store for some suggestions. Also, the beer store you're getting your keg from may swap Co2 tanks.

Take your time with assembly and read the instructions carefully. It may be a bit frustrating at times with all the different sized washers and parts, but keep at it and you will work through it just fine. At first, I used nylon tape on the fittings, but later found that there is no point to this, as the various washers in place are there to stop leaks, rendering the nylon tape unnecessary--but there is no harm in doing so. I had a tough time getting the tower on with the rubber washer (the instructions didn't say to put it on but it is in the parts bag, and the tower doesn't fit right without it). I recommend putting some dish soap on both sides of the washer, put it in place, stand on the left side (when you're facing the unit) and hold the unit in place with your knee while you push down hard and turn the tower clockwise until it locks. It may take a few tries and some effort but it eventually fits snug and will help keep cold air in.

REGULATOR

Past complaints have been about the regulator. The old regulator was a single gauge--this newer one is a dual gauge. After a few months of usage, I decided to replace the regulator due to it allowing the keg to become over-pressurized despite my low-psi setting. The Co2 pressure SHOULD remain constant throughout the life of your Co2--if you are constantly fighting the pressure, get rid of the regulator and buy a new one. Over-pressurizing your keg will waste Co2 and end up costing you more money and frustration anyway. After some research, regulators from Micromatic seem to be held in high regard, so I went ahead and purchased one from their website (dual-guage, premium, part #642). If you do purchase a new regulator, remember to get a new gas line and barbed tip so you can connect it to the keg coupler--Micromatic sells all of this. I've had zero issues since changing the regulator. Also, the regulator I purchased was a bit larger than the stock one, so it may be a tight fit depending on your keg and Co2 tank sizes.

Remember that when you have a new keg, the keg is already pressurized somewhat, so you will need very little Co2 pressure through the first few pours until the keg pressure is relieved, or alternatively relieve the pressure using the pressure relief valve on the tap. After that, you will have slower pours, which is your cue to turn up the pressure. Don't turn it up too high or else you will get foamy pours. There is a relief valve on the regulator to reset the pressure which is helpful during adjusting. There is another relief valve on the keg tap as well, which can also help troublesome pours. This kegerator comes with a 5lb Co2 tank, but it was quickly swapped out for a larger tank. It may be a good idea down the road to get a 10lb tank and keep the included smaller tank as a spare.

Another note: always remember to use a nylon washer between your Co2 tank and the regulator. Failing to use a nylon washer will result in a leak. If you swap your tank at a beer store, they will likely give you a washer. The Micromatic regulator I've described above has a permanent washer in place.

THERMOSTAT

Some reviewers wrote about modifying the thermostat by removing the cover on the thermostat and adjusting the little screw. I would recommend taking a wait and see approach to determine whether you need to do this--you don't want to adjust it too much and unnecessarily freeze up your beer (most beer freezes around 28-29 degrees). I ended up waiting 24 hours before I gave the adjustment screw a clockwise turn, waited a few hours, then checked again (my keg was hovering around 40 degrees, I was shooting for about 36). After the adjustment, the temp has been steady around 36.

THERMOSTAT ADJUSTMENT

Here is how to get to the adjustment screw: first, unplug the unit, then on the back of the unit, turn the temperature dial to the max setting, then pull the knob off. Now, remove the two screws that hold the thermostat housing to the side of the kegerator. Then remove the two screws to take the thermostat off of the housing. Then on the thermostat, there is a small phillips screw above the temperature adjustment dial. Turn it once clockwise to go colder, counter-clockwise to go warmer (just one turn was all I needed). Put everything back together, plug the unit back in, then wait a couple of hours before you check the temperature and make another adjustment as necessary.

After a year of ownership, the kegerator has remained cool and reliable.

CLEANING

An important topic that I did not previously cover in my original review. Make sure you buy a nice kegerator cleaning kit (I recommend this one: Beer Line Cleaning Kit). You will want to keep the beer lines clean, otherwise, bacteria from the beer line can creep back into the beer, causing the beer to go bad. I recommend cleaning the lines after every keg change--it's a simple process of disconnecting the lines and running a cleaning solution through the lines, as well as disconnecting the tap and cleaning some of the little parts. There are also little parts for attaching to the tap to cover the tap opening when not in use for extended periods of time--they can be easily found on Amazon.

I have not had any shipping/packaging issues that other reviewers spoke of. I also have not had any reason to contact Nostalgia customer support.

NOTES: Some issues people commonly have, especially when they are new to kegs, are that the beer either comes out too slow (which basically means you're out of Co2 or don't have enough pressure), or the beer comes out too fast (meaning too much Co2 is in the keg), resulting in a foamy mess. Firstly, your regulator has two gauges--one, (the left side) gauge, shows the pressure coming from your Co2 tank, and the other (the top gauge), shows the pressure you are delivering to the keg. Typically, the left-side Co2 tank gauge reads anywhere from 500 to 1000 bar psi (which will vary on the tank temperature), and it is perfectly normal for the tank to read in this range when it has enough Co2. When your tank begins to run out, it will quickly hit zero. And when you're setting up a new keg, the pressure may fluctuate a bit as the system normalizes, so while the correct pressure may be set once you first hook up a fresh keg, checking back an hour or two later, you may notice it needs readjusting. This is normal.

Now, in the event that you over-pressurize your keg, it means you have way too much Co2 in there, and as a result, your beer will come out very fast and very foamy. Some reviewers blame this on the kegerator, but really it is their own fault. The simple solution is this: close the valve on your Co2 tank as well as close the switch on your regulator. Then, find the relief pin on your keg tap (you have two relief pins--one on the regulator, one on the keg tap). Pull this pin hard (helpful if you use a pair of pliers) and it will slowly release the pressure in your keg. It may take a minute or two, but the pressure will slowly die down. When the pressure is relieved, start pouring beer until the pour is too slow (it may even take a few pitchers more of foamy beer, but it will get there--be patient). Finally, when the pour is too slow, open your Co2 tank valve, then turn on the regulator switch to the open position as well, and finally slowly adjust your Co2 on the regulator until you get a nice pour. It may take a while and readjusting in an hour or two, but be patient!

Finally, when your keg is kicked, close off the valve on your Co2 tank as well as the switch on the regulator to avoid losing any Co2.

Overall, I think you will be very happy with this unit. It's one of the cheapest ones you'll find on the internet, so as long as you take your time setting it up and do your research on this unit to find out its quirks, you will be happily pouring fresh, draft beer in no time!

Cheers!

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I was a little hesitant buying this kegerator because of some of the bad reviews it received from this site and others. However, I trusted Amazon to take the return if it came in broken or did not perform. I've had this item for about 2 weeks now and I have to say it works beautifully. If you are concerned about the following items don't be:

Thermostat does not keep the beer cold enough false, I've had to turn down the fridge because it was TOO cold. Did not modify it at all.

Regulator only has one gauge false, this kegerator came with a dual gauge regulator.

Slow shipment false, ordered with prime, shipped 3 hours after I ordered it, packaged very well.

CO2 tank held by cheap band false, CO2 tank is held by a plastic mesh and fits very nicely in the back.

Overall this has surpassed by expectations for a kegerator under $400

Honest reviews on Kegorator Beer Keg Fridge

I too was a little skeptical at first, but it all worked out fine. First off; read, read, read others reviews for installation tips. I did and it all worked out for the best. First off, if you're going to go ahead and upgrade to a 5-gal CO2 tank, do it and order at the same time you order your kegorator. You'll end up saving a few dollars. I didn't and instead of paying $60 through Amazon, I paid $90 + tax for an empty tank. Here are more recommendations:

1. The instuctions are a little vague, but try to follow them and the recommendations of others. There are lots of extra little gaskets and misc. parts that are shipped with your unit. Don't panic and think you've missed a step.

2. As recomended, use teflon tape on all fittings.

3. It doesn't tell you in the manual, but do as others recommende and USE the rubber gasket when you install the beer dispenser tower. I sprayed the gasket with WD-40 first. It was still a bit of work to twist and lock the tower, but if you omit installing this gasket, you'll lose cold air.

4. When you first instal your CO2 tank to set your pressure, be sure to turn the regulator valve all the way off, the open the tank valve (just one turn), then open your regulator valve to the required pressue (7-11 psi). I found it easier to set the preferred pressure at the CO2 valve and when it stabilized, I used the allen wrench to lock the regulator valve at that pressure. Note: Be patient when making this adjustment. Turn it slighly and wait for it to stabilize.

5. I was one of the unfortunate few who's kegorator did not get cold enough at first. The coldest it got was 40 degrees with it turned to MAX and waiting overnight for it to cool down. I followed the recommendation of others, removed the thermostat housing and thermostat, adjusted the screw a few turns clockwise and reinstalled thermostat. Now the temperature sits at 36 degrees with the thermostat set just a 1/2" before the max setting.

Now for the not so good part. After all was said and done (e.g. correct temperature and CO2 pressure), I tapped my keg and discovered that I had a faulty beer line. It had a pin hole at the 90-degree bend of the beer line tail piece. Beer went everywhere which of course rendered the unit unuseable. I called the number in the instruction booklet, explainded my issue and they sent a complete beer tower at no cost. BTW, I went ahead a purchased a replacement metal tail piece at a local Home Brew store, cut the plastic tube, inserted the new piece, clamped it down with one of the 'extra' clamps provided and it works fine. I have an extra beer tower just in case.

I now have ice cold Yuengling Lager on tap. So, if you follow the recommendation of others, and with a little patience, you shouldn't have many, if any, issues.

Update: It's been well over a year and my Kegorator is still working like a charm. Cold, cold beer! Cheers.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Kegorator Beer Keg Fridge

I ordered this item on September 14th. Didn't get delivered until October 4th. Way out of the time range that was initially given. Product information made it appear that all you would need to do is supply the Keg and get the CO2 tank filled. WAY OFF. The "regulator" that comes with the Kegerator doesn't regulate ANYTHING its simply an off on switch for the CO2. After spending 2 days wasting beer I took it to my local tavern and confirmed what I already thought. So I had to drive to my local Beer Supply store and spend an additional $50 for an actual regulator. Then I experienced the problem that any regulator you buy doesn't connect to the supplied air hose as it should. Next stop Ace hardware where i purchased new tubing and fittings (another $10 down the drain). Upon affixing my new regulator and air hoses I realized that the beer comes out WAY too fast causing an excessive amount of foam. Last trip to Ace Hardware and got a water flow restricter for another $3 and now at long last i finally have a fully operational kegerator. Cheers and have fun.

Buy Cadet Manufacturing 09956 240-Volt White Baseboard Hardwire

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List Price: $70.99
Sale Price: $47.10
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This product came exactly as described. It is not cheap or flimsy, was easy to install, and is very reliable. I bought 4 of these to replace the older ones in my condo and am very happy with them. I recommend this product.

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I bought these several years ago and they've been a great addition to my upstairs dormer. It was basically unheated up there and space heaters just don't do what these are doing. I placed 1 under each of the 3 windows up there on one thermostat and it has never been as comfortable up there as it is now. They heat quickly and cool quickly. My bill didn't go through the roof either. I would replace them with the same type as they've served us well so far, and are still working and looking great.

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I wish it had been a little more energy efficient. In all fairness the heater was used in a house under renovation.

Honest reviews on Cadet Manufacturing 09956 240-Volt White Baseboard Hardwire

Very nice heaters. work good and look good. The price was right.

buy some.

Reviews of Hunter 42122 5-Minute Digital Non-Programmable Thermostat, White

Customer Ratings:

Replaced my RV analog unit with this digital unit. Now the temp swings are 2 degrees rather than the 5-7 degrees with the analog unit.

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Bought this unit because of size listed as nearly 7" square. This was the prime criteria since wall has custom paint job and was not painted under existing thermostat. Be aware that the mounting plate dimensions are actually as I've listed above, not as listed on Amazon. Otherwise this appears to be a well designed and easy to use thermostat and handles most applications at a reasonable price. Installation is well described, easy to complete, and took about five minutes. All you need is a phillips screwdriver and two AA batteries (not supplied). It is not back lite and some of the lcd readouts are small and hard to read although the temp settings are plenty large and easy to read. The mode settings (cool-off-heat and fan auto-on) are not lcd lights but a tiny blue dot that slides in place to indicate the settings. This is also hard to see in low light. I'd give the thermostat five stars if the dimensions were as described and the settings were lighted. Otherwise I'm happy with the design and construction, easy and well described installation.

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simple, well labeled, very easy to install. I also like that the Hunter website has an online install guide which steps you though the install for all the thermostats and install types you may come across.

Honest reviews on Hunter 42122 5-Minute Digital Non-Programmable Thermostat, White

I really like this thermostat. It is simple to operate and not as complicated as a programmable one. The only thing I miss is a light. It would be easier to read if it had a light. I guess its a small price to pay for simplicity.

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I was looking for a simple digital thermostat and I chose this one due to the low price. When my husband installed it, the a/c worked properly. The heat also worked properly when switched to the "heat/on" or "heat/fan" setting. However, the heat would not work on the auto setting at all. We would set it to 68 degrees, for instance, and it would go full blast up to 74 degrees and not switch the furnace off. So then we'd turn it off manually, switch it back to auto and then the temp would go down to 58 and not kick back on. My husband quadruple-checked the wiring and it was seemingly correct. He tinkered with this thing for HOURS, but the auto-heat just wouldn't work.

We have a gas furnace from 1987, so I'm not sure if that makes a difference. Perhaps this model would work better with a more modern furnace? In the end, we purchased a Honeywell thermostat with similar features from a home improvement store and it worked accurately from the start and has continued to work perfectly.

One more gripe I can think of is that this unit comes with 2 drywall screws and says that no additional hardware or anchors are needed. This wasn't true in our case! The drywall screws tore up our wall and fell loose after 1 day. I had to spackle and repaint the area where this was installed before we put up the new Honeywell thermostat.

I still gave this unit 2 stars, because the price was very good, it is nice looking (gray, rather than white, which looked very sleek against our gray walls) and it's self-leveling. For whatever reason, it just didn't work with our furnace.

Buy My Heat Personal Ceramic Heater

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $18.62
Today's Bonus: 63% Off

have used for one day so i cant comment on durability yet. this little thing after it warms up will put out some heat comparable to a normal 1500 watt unit. this does not move a ton of air, so its not good for room heating, just personal space as advertised. i tried mine out at work in a larger open bay type environment, room was 62-63 and put this little heater about 18-20 inches away and on a small box about a foot off the ground. you can feel a nice warm stream of air blowing over you, good for keeping the chills away. would recommend in an office environment working at a computer, case stays perfectly cool during use and is very quiet. front grille can get very hot and needs time to cool after use. other good things, its only 200 watts so no need to worry about tripping a circuit breaker.

UPDATE:

have been using this heater for just about a year now and still love it. (let me re-phrase this due the comments) i brought this heater with me while stationed in korea. my dorm room dosent have any other working heat, so its up to this little guy. my room is 10 X 12 with concrete cinder block walls and a 2 1/2" thick solid wood door. on freezing or warmer days outside it can keep the 10 x 12 room around 65-70 with the door closed. when the temp drops lower i need to get out the spare heater and they both do a great job of getting the temp back up. i have had only one problem, i went to turn it off and take to work one day and found that the case had gotten hot and started to melt. i'm not sure it the kids or dog knocked it over, but i have still used the same one leaving it on for days or weeks straight and havent had anything go wrong with it again. i still recommend trying this little heater out if you need something small for a small office type environment.

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I purchased this little heater to warm my desk area at work. We cannot use the high wattage heaters because of the risk of overloading the electrical circuit and shutting everyone else down.

The 200 watt MyHeat heater is just about perfect for my intended purpose; heating the space around my desk. It puts out a decent amount of heat; it seems to be more efficient than other heaters using five to seven times the wattage, quite a bit of heat for a mere 200 watts.

The only thing it could benefit from is a thermostat to shut it off once the desired temperature is achieved. For my usage the missing thermostat isn't a big deal, this is why I gave it five stars.

Summary: Nice looking (multiple colors available), small size(smaller than my PC speakers), quality power cord, low wattage, good heat output. A worthy purchase.

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I have 3 of these that I bought locally & really like them. I took one to work to use in my cold office & it heats it up a treat! The other 2 are at home. One in my tiny cold bathroom & the other stays in front of my armchair.

I don't need to crank up the central heat at home when I'm feeling a bit chilly & my tightwad boss doesn't complain about me running up his power bill at the office. It's great not to have to beg for a piece of coal from Mr. Scrooge!

Honest reviews on My Heat Personal Ceramic Heater

UPDATE after one year of ownership: This little heater continues to impress me. I don't know how it would perform in a really cold climate, but here in Northern California, where nighttime winter temperatures rarely go much below freezing, it's outstanding at heating a small space quickly. The room where I now work is unheated; it was converted from being the house's garage. I use a deLonghi oil radiator heater for the main heat in this room, but off course it takes a long time to warm up. The Lasko heats the area around my desk quickly while the deLonghi is warming up. After the deLonghi is warm, I switch off the Lasko. This combination works well for me, and using the Lasko this way allows me to conserve power by using the deLonghi at a lower power setting.

I was impressed enough with the Lasko that I ordered a second one (a model 103, identical except for having a red front). I use one in a separate building behind my house and the other in an unheated room inside my house. Neither Lasko is my main heater. They just provide heat while the oil radiators come up to temperature. They also occasionally provide a relatively low power supplemental source of heat as an alternate to using an oil radiator heater at a higher power setting.

After a year of ownership, I'm raising my original four star rating to five stars. The price is so low and the heater works so well that the little guy deserves it.

My original review:

This little guy puts out an impressive amount of heat. It won't heat a large or even medium sized space, but if you need to heat under your desk or very near your person, it definitely puts out the heat. It works well in my 8'x 9' office in a standalone unheated, uninsulated brick building. I've only owned it for two weeks, so I can't attest to its durability, but its three year warranty does offer some assurance.

Ironically, I canceled the Lasko after ordering it and ordered a Vornado Personal Vortex 375/750 watt heater instead, but Amazon was unable to cancel the Lasko in time and shipped it. I left it packed in the box for a week, intending to return it... until I became frustrated with the Vornado's pathetic heat and out of curiosity, opened the Lasko and tried it. I was immediately impressed with the heat it generates, so much so that I've returned the Vornado and ordered a second Lasko MyHeat.

My main use for the two Lasko's will be supplementing the oil filled heater in my office, which during the winter can be as cold as low forties Fahrenheit when I open it in the morning. The Lasko's will provide immediate heat while the oil-filled heater slowly heats up.

A secondary use for one Lasko will be cold weather camping in my truck. The power draw is low enough that I can power it using the deep cycle battery I carry when traveling.

My only real complaint about the Lasko is the lack of any tip-over protection. A thermostat would be nice, but for this price, I'm not complaining. However I am knocking off one star for the lack of tip-over protection. This is my one concern about camping with this heater. I don't use heat while sleeping so it won't be a problem for me, but for anyone who camps with it and leaves it on while sleeping, you'll need to be very careful to prevent it being accidentally knocked over during the night and starting a fire. I plan to affix Velcro to the bottom to protect against tipover.

Other than that, this is an outstanding little heater. Its looks won't impress people, but it will keep a small space warm while consuming very little power.

UPDATE: I've used my Kill-A-Watt meter to confirm the wattage of nine electric space heaters. Virtually all of them have actual wattages that are below the claimed rating. The exception: both of my Lasko MyHeats. Lasko claims 200 watts, but one of mine has an actual wattage of 211 and the other 202. By comparison, the Vornado Personal Vortex Heater, which I originally wanted but ended up returning, claims 375/750 watts, but the unit I had was only 326/696 watts. I don't say this to disparage Vornado. Nearly every other space heater I've tested had lower wattages than claimed, except these two little Lasko's.

General information about buying electric space heaters:

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

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

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

Basic electric space heater facts:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oil-filled radiators:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ceramic fan heaters:

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

Radiant heaters

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

Micathermic heaters

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

Baseboard heaters

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

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

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for My Heat Personal Ceramic Heater

I ordered 2 of these units last month. They are the perfect size for my small offices and they only draw 200w so they won't stress the electrical system at work. They both worked great for about 3 weeks, then they both started to die. They started sputtering, then the fan wouldn't turn on at all. This happened to both units within 2 days of each other. Now one is totally dead and the other is still sputtering away.

There are ton of positive reviews of this heater, so I believe I just got a bad batch. I contacted the manufacturer and they will do an RMA.

Cheap Farberware P04-303 thermostat for coffemaker urn.

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Save $50 by replacing your thermostat when your percolator stops making strong coffee. There is 1 nut to remove on the bottom of the percolator and 3 plugs to remove and put on the new thermostat (for the model I have). Waalaa now you will have that strong, hot coffee you loved.

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Background. I own the Farberware coffee percolator 4 to 8 cup size. I purchased it in about 2003 and it operated about 4 years before it failed – daily use. The failure was typical in that the perc cycle got shorter and shorter until the coffee was only lukewarm and weak. I went out purchased another Farberware percolator in 2008 and it still operates. Having time I purchased a new thermostat for the first percolator that failed. When I pulled out the old thermostat it was identified as a TOD thermostat which is "Thermo Disc Company" a subsidiary of Emerson Corporation. I looked up the specs on this thermostat was surprised it had fairly good agency ratings including UL which approved it for 100,000 cycles. Clearly this thermostat is not living up the to the UL rating. Application notes to the TOD thermostat states, "These controls contain exposed electrical components and are not intended to withstand exposure to water or other environmental contaminants which can compromise insulating components. Such exposure may result in insulation breakdown and accompanying localized electrical heating." Perhaps water is a factor when cleaning the percolator. I intend to write to the UL rating agency and let them know their rating for this product doesn't seem right. Either production quality for the TOD thermostat has declined or it was used in the wrong application for these percolators.

Review. The replacement thermostat is an Elmwood thermostat from Honeywell Corporation. I installed it and fired up the 4 to 8 cup Farberware percolator and it worked just fine.

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We purchaed a Farberware perculator and after a few months, noticed the coffee wasn't that hot anymore. We really didn't think that the thermostat was bad, afterall its "Farberware". I had a Farberware perculator years ago, and nothing was ever wrong with it....but then again, perhaps it was made in the USA at that time. We found the new thermostat on Amazon from a supplier "Goodmans". Since then, we had to purchase another thermostat, because the replacement didn't work anymore either!! We gave up, contacted Farberware...they sent a new perculator..but guess what happened?........you guessed it the thermostat went bad. We since then, purchased a "Westinghouse" perculator, and after a few weeks....guess what again?.......YEP...the termostat went bad. Contacted Westinghouse's supplier/manufacturer (can't think of the name) they sent us a new pot. Now, we have hot perculator coffee again..but for how long, we don't know. Probably the same thermostat is in the Westinghouse pot too...but we're not going to dismantle it to find out. All I know is, these people who are putting crappy thermostats in perculators, should re-evaluate their product. BEWARE.

Honest reviews on Farberware P04-303 thermostat for coffemaker urn.

Item was as shown and easy to decide it was the right part because of the great photos. Part was installed and works well.

Cheap ICM SC2201L Muti-stage Heat Pump, 2-stage Heat/1-stage Cool

Customer Ratings:

This circuit board no longer has a reset button as stated in the installation instructions.To reset it you have to go to the breaker box in your house.so to me that means when the power goes off it resets itself.but if you read the instructions it has a 30 minute power interruption memory so which is it.Also states to use the temperature differential setting you need to use the reset button???????I emailed ICM and there is no new instructions for it.Now for me to send this 57.00 item back it is going to cost me shipping both ways and a 20% restocking fee I figure it will cost me 24.00 to return a 57.00 thermostat.Great deal for the company sell somethig that is not what it say's its make 25.00 and sell it again and again.stay away from this thing.

Dan Leary

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Reviews of La Pavoni EPC-8 Europiccola 8-Cup Lever Style Espresso Machine

Customer Ratings:

I bought one of these a couple of months ago and although it is a bit expensive it is one of the best purchases I've made in a long time. It looks great. It is so well made, it feels like it will last forever as it is so simple, no electronics to break down no plastic bits to break off. You get a huge amount of control over the way the coffee tastes, it's all in the speed of lowering the handle and the tightness of grinds. It takes a few attempts to get it right but once you've worked it out you'll never look back.

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My parents bought this about five years ago and I followed suit about a year ago. When she first bought it I thought they were crazy, but when it got there I understood why.

This machine is superb for almost any kind of coffee. Sometimes I like a strong espresso and sometimes I like a cold cafe sheccerato which is a cold coffee and is great. (To make it you simply get a shaker (like a martini shaker) and fill it with ice and a few teaspoons of sugar. Brew the coffee and while it is still very hot throw it in the shaker and shake it strongly for about a minute. The result is an ice cold frothy espresso, great for warm days forget Starbucks imitation stuff, this is much better).

As other people have said, it takes a little bit of time to get it right. Typically I've found that very thin grains are not the best to work with, something between your typical Illy coffee grain and the larger cheap grains usually works well. It take a bit to get used to, but once you start to get a hold of the whole concept it works superbly well. Frankly, even when you do a poor job the coffee is still good.

In addition, my parents have had this item for about five years and have not had a single problem. It's extremely easy to clean and if you are in a rush it's also a great machine since it loads so quickly and easily.

Also, if you are running out the door you need not wait for the water to completely heat up. You can run it after just a few minutes (of course your coffee won't be as warm, but it doesn't have to heat up completely in order to use it). For those quick out-the-door mornings, this is great. You won't have the best espresso in the world, but you'll still have one that beats just about anything.

I've been through about three [price range] machines in the last few years and they all broke or just didn't taste right. ... You have to be able to taste the difference between good and bad coffee to enjoy this machine. If you don't you probably won't enjoy this machine as much. In other words, if Folgers Instant coffee tastes good to you, move along.

It's also worth getting good coffee for this. ...

In the end, if you are looking for a high-quality product that makes high quality coffee, this is a great choice.

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You'd better know your coffee before you even start looking at this espresso maker. It is a manual pull espresso maker, meaning there is some art and a lot of trial/error incurred when making your coffee. That said, this has produced some of the best espresso I've ever had. It's a smaller maker, and is great for someone who just wants about 4-6 espresso shots before needing to refill. (I work out of home office, so this is perfect...)

PROS:

* Small, means it doesn't take up much counter space.

* Manual Lever If you want fill control over your coffee, this is the way to go.

* More than enough steam pressure/volume to steam 12oz+ of milk.

* Solid construction. It is mostly all metal.

* Comes up to heat FAST. (About 5min with a full tank.) The head also comes up to temp quickly.

* Visible water level

* Easy clean drip tray

* Easy screw-off levers, knobs, etc easily replaceable/customizable.

CONS:

* The base is lightweight, and could be more solid. It feels cheap compared to the solid construction of the boiler/head.

* The steam nozzle does not swivel out, causing you to have to steam your milk VERY close to the boiler. (Ouch!)

* Must wait for it to cool before refilling due to steam pressure.

* The default tamp that comes with this unit SUCKS. Too small for the basket..leads to bad coffee...why, Pavoni, why?

CAVEATS:

* Not a "push button, receive coffee" type of maker. This is a pro for me, but you should be well aware that this requires finesse and patience.

* Ensure you are comfortable with servicing it yourself or OK with mailing it to a service center. This is not a throwaway item after a few years, and can be a lifetime purchase.

MUST ALSO BUY:

* 51mm Tamp. Seriously. Don't even use the one that comes with the unit. It will ruin your pulls. 51mm is the correct size.

* DEEP milk frothing container. Because of the angle and stiffness of the steam arm, you WILL spray yourself in the face if you don't have a good angle on it, and something to catch the overspray. (I use my mug, and have given up on having fancy foam.)

* Nylon brush Coffee regularly gets stuck in the area between the head and steam curtain on this unit. Clean after every use.

* Insulated espresso mugs/shotglases On bigger units, you can sit what you use to catch the coffee in on the unit to warm it up. Not so here. I use glass shotglasses that I heat up with hot water prior. (I'm cheap, ok?)

* Conical burr grinder A consistent grind is very important for this maker, as it is the difference between great coffee and awful coffee. This unit is sensitive to the grind, so once you have the right grind, it is very helpful to have that dialed-in on your grinder for every grind thereafter.

Why I rated 4/5 instead of 5/5??? Because of the craptacular plastic tamp, the inflexible steam nozzle, and the flimsy seeming base. Don't get me wrong, I would have zero issues recommending this unit highly, I think they just could have gone that extra little bit.

Honest reviews on La Pavoni EPC-8 Europiccola 8-Cup Lever Style Espresso Machine

Manual machines, without question,produce the best cup of espresso. I have owned them in the past, and recently purchased a brand new La Pavoni. The machine arrived broken. I could not even get one cup of espresso. I called thinking that La Pavoni would have me send back the machine and replace it. WRONG. I was told that this was not allowed, and the only option I had was contact one of there US Service Agents and arrange to have the machine sent to them for repair. Even then they indicated that the repair expense would be my responsibility.

At this point what do you do? So either I keep the machine as a useless decoration, or concede and try to fix it.

I tried the three numbers they provided. About 10 days have gone by, and I have called each number numerous times to no avail. You never reach a real person. Only a tape recording informing you that they would contact you as quickly as possible.

So, yes, a manual machine is the best, but La Pavoni warranty and service is horrible. If you want a manual, try a different vendor.

Don

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Simply put, this machine rocks for high quality espresso.

Once you have the technical skills down, learn the nuances of the beans you are using, and the stars align the espresso this machine can produce is as good as (or even better) than the highest end models above $6K (La Marzocca GS/3 comes to mind).

For under $1K this is the best deal available, period.

The Pro's:

1) Absolute control of the pressure. You can do everything (with pressure) that the fanciest machines are just becoming capable of such as pre-infusion, controlled variable pressure while pulling the shot, and make tweaks on the fly based on what you see coming out of the spout.

2) It is a beautiful and striking piece of kitchen equipment with a timeless design. A true conversation starter which will never go out of style.

3) It can produce the the best quality espresso possible.

The Con's:

1) Almost no temperature control, it get's hot and after that you have to "surf" the temperature as the machine's interior metal parts start to heat up. Commonly I can only pull four shots before it starts to get unrecoverable hot. There are tricks to help this, such as running the portafilter under cold water between shots, but you are always having to ride the temperature wave.

2) You can only make a few good shots in a single session due to both the temperature issue above as well as the volume of the boiler. This is not a machine appropriate for entertaining with as you won't be able to make six quality shots. However, if your guests do not have a discerning taste for coffee you could perhaps get away with it.

3) The learning curve is insanely steep due to it's 100% manual nature. It's easy to pull a shot that is as good as the swill Starbucks pulls within about a week of use. However, to learn to pull high quality shots on a consistent basis it will take over a year of practice. This can be fun as you'll probably be pulling random amazing shots within the first month if you seriously dedicate yourself to trying.

4) The portafilter is not the standard commercial size. This doesn't impact the espresso quality for most blends. What it causes a problem with is the tamp. It comes with a piece of junk tamp you should immediately throw away however to buy a new quality one is not as easy as popping down to your average coffee shop. As it has an unusual size you usually have to order it online.

5) The design of the machine leaves built up pressure in the portafilter and group-head after you've pulled a shot (if it was a good shot that was properly tamped). So when pulling out the portafilter you have to "bleed" the pressure off carefully otherwise it will "sneeze" hot coffee grounds and water all over the place. It invariably does this when you are showing the machine off to friends.

6) It gets amazingly hot. Almost all of it. Only the base remains cool but every other metal exposed metal part gets far too hot to touch quickly.

7) The steam wand is at an odd angle and hence is hard to use which is too bad as it has pretty good steam pressure.

8) Eventually, under heavy use, the seals will wear out and you'll either have to replace them yourself or send it in to one of the three shops in the nation who will replace them for you.

9) Finally, regardless of how good you get with it you won't be pulling great shots 100% of the time. I've had mine for nine years and still can only pull a good shot perhaps three out of five times. There are simply too many variables and if the grind, tamp, pressure, and temperature isn't spot on the shot will go sour. However, at least one of those shots is usually so good the sky splits open and angels sing.

Summary:

That's a long list of serious cons, but if it's truly quality espresso you are after and you are OK working for it this is the machine for you. Be sure to buy a good grinder too though.

My recommendation for beans are the very forgiving and truly delicious Counter Culture Toscano blend. Most blends will work but the Toscano is a good starter as it isn't as picky about temperature and pressure.

Infinity Instruments The Inca - In/Outdoor Clock with Slate Mosaic Reviews

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List Price: $123.90
Sale Price: $84.81
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Item advertised as indoor/outdoor. Came well packaged. Heavy. Seems solid. Attractive. Nice color scheme around outer edge will go with most decor. Prblm: Not really for outdoor use. I wanted to use it outside on a pool fence, fully exposed to the elements. When clock arrived, sticker on unit said not for use in direct sunlight. Isn't that "outdoor" use? Apparently, per seller (not Amazon), indoor/outdoor really means indoor or outdoor under protection (covered porch, maybe fully exposed but in shade all the time). So I can not use it as I had hoped. Listing in Amazon should be more precise. So use caution when considering purchase and intended use. Note that there is a return policy that I could have used, but frankly I did not feel like going through the effort and time.

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Given the expense of this item, I had expected so much more. The timing mechanism appears to be no better than clocks that can be purchased for a fraction of the cost. And, incredibly, it doesn't keep time as well as its cut-rate counterparts. I've had this clock for just over a year and am ready to replace it. Despite fresh batteries, it typically runs more than an hour off and the face is already badly faded.

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we bought this clock 1 1/2 yrs ago. it's beautiful, but it doesn't keep time. stops. replace battery. stops again. so what do you do with a beautiful clock that doesn't keep time?

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The clock is beautiful and the thermometer works great. However, we gave it to my parent for Christmas and the clock does not work in the cold weather of Colorado. And that is the main part of the face. Not sure what we'll do as it would be expensive to ship back to return the item. It should not be advertised as an outdoor clock in colder regions.

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the clock is very attactive, but the timing mechanism is really cheap. I stored the clock this winter face up and when i pulled it out to hang it this spring the hour hand does became loose. There is no access to fix it so i had to throw it away. I would not recommend this product.