Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Buy Crane Warm Mist Humidifer, 1 Gallon

Crane EE-5200B FFP Crane Warm Mist Humidifier, Black, 1 Gallon
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $44.99
Sale Price: $33.77
Today's Bonus: 25% Off
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I've been using humdifiers for years and have tried every type. The cool mist ones mildew up quickly and the wicks are expensive. The ultrasonics are nice, but unless you use distilled water, you run the risk of breathing in bacteria from tap water, since the mist is cool and the water and any particulates that are in the water are nebulized into the air. The warm mist are the best, since the water is boiled and only the steam escapes. I have used many brands of warm mist humidifiers over the years... Holmes, Duracraft, and Honeywell. This Crane model is THE BEST yet. It hasn't leaked once. The tank size is adequate for a medium sized bedroom. I run mine on the low setting and it goes for 12 hours easily. The operation is quiet. The other brands I've tired all have the same basic design... the heating element is round with a hole in the middle and is difficult to scrub on all sides if there is a lot of hard water build up. This design has a solid heating element built into the bottom of the unit and can be scrubbed easily with a brush to remove build up. There is some basic weekly maintenance required, but it's not difficult. You need to use distilled white vinegar to dissolve build up and disinfect. One thing I don't particularly like is the blue light that comes on when the unit is turned on. It's not bright enough to light up the whole room (kind of like a night-light), but for folks who like 100% pitch-black when they sleep, this may not be for you. I'm glad I found this brand and model. For the price, it's a great machine.

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I needed humidifiers for a couple of rooms and I wasn't sure whether to go with this Crane humidifier or the Vicks V745A. Both had pretty good reviews, had similar capacities, were about the same price, etc. So I picked up the Vicks model at a local store, and I ordered the Crane from Amazon.

Both models are very similar in the way they generate steam, but there are a couple of significant differences that makes me prefer the Vicks model over the Crane.

For starters, the low setting of the Crane outputs about the same amount of steam as the high setting of the Vicks, and it turns out that the Crane is a 400 watt unit, while the Vicks is only about 275 watts. I keep the Crane on its low setting overnight in the bedroom, and the water tank is almost empty by morning. The Vicks needs to be on its high setting to go through the same amount of water in the same period of time.

Second, the design of the water tank on the Crane makes it harder to fill than on the Vicks. Neither one has a tank that will fit under my bathroom sink faucet, so I have to fill them in the shower. And although the filler hole on the Crane is wider, it lacks a handle like the Vicks model has, and filling it under the shower faucet is kind of awkward.

Next, once the tank is in place on the Crane model, the bottom of the tank sits in a lot more water than does the Vicks. Not sure this is really a problem, but when you remove the tank for cleaning (there's both daily and weekly cleaning recommended for both), it drips more water on the floor. Also, the filler cap on the Crane has developed a little bit of a musty odor, and again I'm not sure if it's from sitting in more water on a constant basis.

Finally, I find the Crane model to be a bit more difficult to clean than the Vicks. The space around the heating element is much narrower, making it hard to wipe around with a cloth. The Crane also accumulates more rust deposits than the Vicks, which is probably because of its higher wattage heating element.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program If you should notice that this review is exactly the same as the one I did for the Vicks unit that is because they are exactly the same unit beyond some very minor cosmetic differences.

I think I read every review of every humidifier on Amazon. It seemed like every one of them is destined to leak, burst into flames or turn into a level 3 biohazard. In the end I decided that I agreed with another reviewer and it just made sense to buy one of the cheaper ones and see how it worked out.

To start off this review I think I have to let everyone know a little basic biology. Any time there is standing water it is a potential breeding ground for mold, bacteria, etc. This isn't only true in your little Crane humidifier--it is true everywhere on the planet. If you have ever had a leak behind a wall you know how quickly standing water can turn into a problem and fast. However, there is not an abundant food source in your humidifier so the risk is manageable with some precautions. I'm just going to list them in no real order of importance because they are all important:

1) Don't let water sit in your unit when it is off. This includes the water in the little reservoir below the big tank of water. Yes, empty that out too if you won't be using it for a while.

2) It is much easier to prevent a mold or bacterial overgrowth than it is to clean up once one starts. In fact if you get any serious overgrowth (which can happen to any humidifier) it probably makes sense to just throw it out and start over.

3) Clean the plastic on your unit with a thymol based cleaner. I use Seventh Generation Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner, Lemongrass & Thyme 26 fl oz (786 ml). It's great. It will leave behind just a tiny bit of thymol on the plastic parts and thymol is a natural germ fighter (derived from thyme).

4) Wash out the tank with bleach regularly. They say a tablespoon but I just pour in a bit of bleach and shake it.

5) Practice getting a good fit of all the pieces. There are, if memory serves, 6 pieces to this that need to all fit together like a Lego set. If you played with Legos as a kid this will be easy. If you didn't, don't panic, take a careful look and make sure you've fit all the parts together right. If you don't it will leak and you will be unhappy. If you feel like taking things apart and putting them back together isn't your thing you must look for a different unit.

6) There are only 2 settings--low and high. Low is really low and high is really high. In my roughly 10x15 bedroom the low setting will raise ambient humidity by about 13% with the door open and by about 20% with the door shut. So if I start at 30% humidity I'll get to 43% with the door open and 50% with the door almost completely closed. Note, I said "almost" completely closed. I find that in my size bedroom low will take the humidity routinely up over 50% if I close the door completely. That is too much moisture.

7) You need to also buy a humidistat. I like P3 P0270 Mold Alert Electronic Thermo-Hygrometer as it is responsive to small changes in the humidity level. Without a hygrometer you'll really have no way of knowing if you need to use high, low or just turn the unit off. Most people should be shooting for between 30-50% humidity. In fact when I get home most nights I don't even need to turn on the humidifier because the level will already be between 30-50%. Lastly on this topic you can't estimate the inside humidity by getting the % from the weather channel. It just doesn't work that way. The humidity inside your home will depend on a lot of factors beyond just what the outside humidity is. Do yourself a favor and get the hygrometer too.

8) Water has stuff in it. Even distilled water has stuff in it. So eventually you are going to have to clean the heating element with vinegar. When you do this it will be helpful to use an old toothbrush to scrub the metal part that heats the water as this will accumulate the most stuff. Also, don't blame Crane for stuff in your water--talk to your local water department or building owner.

9) Don't ever ever ever use an abrasive pad to clean the plastic. Why? Because abrasive pads will leave tiny little scratches in the surface of the plastic. Those scratches make for a perfect home where bacterial colonies can get established. Only use non-scratch cleaning products to clean the plastic surfaces...nothing abrasive.

So yes, that is a lot of rules and guidelines. There is just no easy way to have standing water in your living space. If you are going to attempt it you have to be vigilant and attentive to the care of your Crane.

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I ordered two of this humidifiers from Amazon later last year,they were used for around 3-4 months so far.This year we started to use them again, but with the first time using, I got smoke from one of them. I opened up the bottom cover, found the heater part melted the plastic in the bottom. This unit was in my kid room, couldn't image what would happen if adult was not there that time!!!! I checked back another unit, saw similar problem, the symptom was not so serious yet, but no doubt, it will get smoke and fire very soon. This product has fire danger, manufacture should recall this product!!

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On the plus side, this humidifier does put out a lot of steam. On the negative side, I woke up in the middle of the night with my bedroom full of acrid smoke.

The heating mechanism became dislodged and burned a hole in the plastic bottom of the unit before I woke up, unplugged it, threw it in the bathtub and doused it with the remaining water in the reservoir. The smell was awful but it did wake me up before my rug caught on fire. So, that's nice.

Had only had it a few months when it caught fire.

Probably won't be buying Crane products again.

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Reviews of Air-O-Swiss Refurbished 7145 Ultrasonic Humidifier - Cool Mist

Air-O-Swiss Refurbished 7145 Ultrasonic Humidifier - Cool Mist
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
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This is exactly what I was looking for. You can feel the moisture in the air unlike other humidifiers. Air-O-Swiss products are the best out there when it comes to humidifers. I can finally breath again.

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Remind me not to buy something that I can't easily return online. This humidifier really didn't work for me. Didn't feel a noticeable difference in the humidity level of the room. The opening to put the water in is difficult to unscrew, to refill it you have to pull the water holder off the unit, so water gets everywhere... The unit also doesn't dry naturally in other words even if the water level runs out it still stays web inside the unit. An opening at the top of the unit would be better design and made it easier to let dry out if not in use. Had to travel for work and now realize I'm 5 days past return date. And to return I'd have to print out labels why can't I just fill out the request online and ship it back? Just kinda bummed about the whole situation.

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Started overflowing on first use. I'm glad I hadn't fallen asleep yet, would have been very dangerous if the water had reached the powerstrips before I noticed.

Return policy is extremely tedious -I'd recommend you go and pick it up from a local store. It seems humidifier technology is not that evolved yet, better to purchase it in a way that is easily returnable.

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We are very pleased with the wonderful humidifier. I suffer from severe allergies and the dry heat in the winter wreaks havoc for me. Since we purchased this Air-O-Swiss humidifier, I can sleep at night and do not have to get up in the middle of the night to take more Sudafed. It is quiet enough for your bedroom too, but you do have to get used to a little bit of noise. I am a light sleeper however and it doesn't bother me at all.

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Reviews of CALIBER III DIGITAL HYGROMETER 4 CIGAR HUMIDOR

CALIBER III DIGITAL HYGROMETER 4 CIGAR HUMIDOR
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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I purchased two of these. While the temperature gauge seems to work fine, not too much can be said for the relative humidity. The advertising states no calibration needed. Nor can any calibration be done. There are two different readings always within 6% of each other. So which one is accurate?? Who knows??? It tells me there is a lot to be said for the quality control and waste of money. Not recommended. Try something else.

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Great, small, sleek, very accurate temp and hygrometer.

i have purchased a few hygrometers to finally buy this and finally got what i was looking for, something thats actually accurate.I also like the magnet mount.

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This is a fantastic little piece of equipment, and the price absolutely cannot be beat!

Because of the cheap prices of most small hygrometers, I actually bought a couple of different ones. Well, this is the winner, hands down. It's incredibly accurate (both temperature and humidity) right out of the box, no calibration required.

Of course, the first thing I did upon receiving my hygrometers was test out the accuracy. The Caliber III was perfect right off the bat. The HygroSet II was the next closest (but not close enough), and finally the Analog Hygrometer was pretty far off. After calibrating the other two, they were much closer, but the Caliber III was the only one to stay consistent and accurate 100% of the time.

Considering the fact that it's actually cheaper than the HygroSet II, what's not to like about it? Well, okay maybe it's just slightly on the large side for some. I personally think it's fine. It's really not that big, but I guess there are smaller ones out there. However, as far as I'm concerned it is definitely the most accurate.

Get it and be happy! :)

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Warning: My Caliber III Digital Hygrometer reads much higher than actual relative humidity level (approximately 10% higher than my other calibrated lab units).

If you require accurate relative humidity measurements, I would not recommend this unit--especially for critical applications (fine instruments for example).

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The product has major flaws and are not usable for me,,I see I'm not the only one with this problem,I really think they are selling used one's cause my batteries went dead in two days and the product looked used,You should only buy these things from a reputable place that just deals with them,,I called about it and they sent new batteries but the thing still did not work right ,the humidity gauge was off by over 10%. The temp gauge seems to take too long for a correct reading.....I really would like me credit back.

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Monday, December 30, 2013

Buy White-Rodgers 21D83M-843 Integrated Fan Control Board OEM

White-Rodgers 21D83M-843 Integrated Fan Control Board OEM Replacement Kit
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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My furnace was having an issue starting during the inducer sequence. I was able to tap on one of the relays to get the inducer motor to run. I determined the board was bad. Apparently my previous board (lb 109531a) is obsolete and this is the replacement. I looked into the white Rogers 50a65-843, which probably would have worked but seemed cheap. This board is almost an exact replacement thus very easy to install. It is a little larger but all the wire placement is exactly the same, except the flame sensor which goes in the middle of the new board. The wiring schematic and led error codes are exactly the same. Wish it were a little cheaper, but overall I'm satisfied.

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Buy Kenmore Humidifier Wick Filter 14909, 14912, E2R

Kenmore Humidifier Wick Filter 14909, 14912, E2R
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
List Price: $18.97
Sale Price: $15.12
Today's Bonus: 20% Off
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I purchased this replacement filter/wick for our humidifier this year and all I can say is, it doesn't work. First, the construction of the media is very open -which I thought meant that it would function better than our older wicks. Not so. These filters aren't strong enough to support the weight of the air funnel in the humidifier or their own weight -when wet. They also don't wick enough water up into themselves to humidify the air. I ran our humidifier on high for eight hours last night. The humidity level in the house was 20% and the humidifier consumed about two quarts of water. Using our old wicks, the humidifier reservoir would have been almost empty. I'm looking online now trying to find our old wicks.

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My advise is although these are initially cheaper they are more expensive in the long run. When I first looked at them I thought they would be a much better design due to the very open material weave. They look like a big honey comb. However, they worked very poorly. The original Kenmore filters would last 1/2 of the winter season before changing. These only functioned for about a week and poorly at that. They do not wick the water well and seem to get clogged very fast. The performance at the end of a week was about the same as the Kenmore filters after a couple of months. After getting wet these are almost impossible to replace without having them fall apart. Poor design & poor performance. Stick with the original or at least something similar.

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I will agree with previous comments that the filter has less capacity to wick water up. Our humidifier is not faced with the problem of the "air cone" depressing the filter as it sits on supports that allow the area of the filter itself to remain in it's original shape. The problem is it just doesn't wick up enough water. Don't know what I had before for filters but they were a less 'open'....not so 'holey'...I think they were a folded pleat that was denser, not so openly honeycomb appearing, and they would remain wet enough to allow the humidity to remain at a comfortable level. These filters, even tho they are sitting in an inch of water, are dry to the touch on the upper two thirds of its exposed area. We have a 2 1/2 gallon tank on our Emerson two filter humidifier. With the old filters on dry cold winter days it would need to be filled every 12 hours but it kept the humidity at 50%. With this 'new' type of filter it takes over 24 hours to empty the tank.... meanwhile the humidity drops into the uncomfortable 30's. What to do? I bought six sets (a case) of these filters and find them not up to the task. What can you do to the water to make it more 'wickable' to these filters? I tried a few drops of liquid soap (to decrease the surface tension) but that was not satisfactory.

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OK these aren't as thick as the old models, but they work and fit fine, and I received my order the next day. I wasn't able to find the older, thicker filters anywhere, and I've been looking for two years!

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I received these wicking filters very quickly. They have been in use now a couple of weeks and seem to be holding up. I was hesitent to get them after reading provious reviews. Let's hope these hold up!!!

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Buy Duracraft DWM250 2-1/2-Gallon Warm-Mist Humidifier

Duracraft DWM250 2-1/2-Gallon Warm-Mist Humidifier
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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My grandparents had a cabin in Canada, and their "humidifier" was a shovel full of snow in a big pot on the wood stove. Ah...those were the days. Fast forward to the present, in my home without a wood stove, to a complaining wife and stuffy newborn. What I thought was a seemingly easy task turned into a nightmare, thanks to the internet and Amazon reviews.

The type was easy. Cool mist is too moldy (unless they are kept clean, and let's be realistic, who actually cleans humidifiers?) and filters are pricey, ultrasonic has the added benefit of the "white powder" in the air and settling on everything, and the whole-home kind that are attached to the furnace ducts aren't really made for small heat pump HVAC like I have in my house. So, warm mist it was, and I started on my journey to find the perfect one.

And it was a journey. I found fancy ones with all sorts of features, and cheap ones that made steam. All had one thing in common, those that hated them and gave them one star, and those that loved them and gave them more stars.

Meanwhile, my wife borrowed her mother's humidifier, which happened to be a many year old version of this particular one. It's the same humidifier we've borrowed every year since my wife and I got married five years ago. After playing with the idea of a UV lighted, mineral pad soaking, multi-gallon capacity, built-in hygrometer monster, I decided to get two of these units instead--at a cheaper price. Why?

For one, my mother-in-law's unit still runs like a champ after all this use. We really only use it at night for sleeping. The trick is to fill it up and run it on high while getting ready for bed, and then turn it on low when going to sleep. The water lasts all night and it increases the humidity nicely.

For two, many of the features offered on more expensive models are all but useless. So many people complain about filling the things--is it really that hard to walk to the sink once a day? In order to kill airborne germs, a lot more is needed than the tiny UV light offered in other humidifiers. If the built-in hydrometer is out of whack, too bad! Mineral filtration pads? Unless a person is unlucky enough to live in a "liquid rock" area, a good wiping with paper towel soaked in vinegar once a week is all that's needed to clean the heating element.

Sometimes, less is more, and I believe this is definitely the case with humidifiers.

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I really like this humidifier and have been on the very difficult journey to discover which humidifier will work for me, whether cool or warm mist is better and which actually does what it says the same as everyone else. I get frequent sinus infections and am in great need of a humidifier here in the northeast during the cold months with the heat. I just constantly don't feel good without one. For over 10 years I have used cool mist humidifiers. I honestly never considered a warm one. The last one I had was a Holmes and it was certainly not cheap. I took good care of it and it still worked only 1 year. The filters were expensive and the unit was very noisy Last year when it worked it worked well, but last winter it worked only half the time. I did not know where to turn.

A friend suggested a warm air humidifier and I looked into it and liked what I read. I then researched, reading reviews and customer comments even using Consumer Report. I kept coming back to this one and saw the definite mix of positive and negative reviews. I read all the negatives and saw that most were looking for the humidifier to do or be more than it said it was.

I live in a studio apartment and the humidifier says it is for rooms 400 to 700 square feet. Perfect for me. It also says that it runs up to 12 hours on one filling and it does. When I run it on the low speed it lasts 12 hours exactly. The directions also say to disinfect it before the first use. This is very important. With something like a humidifier it is very important to follow all directions. If you do not, you don't have a right to complain if it does not work correctly. This humidifier is very easy to clean/maintain and also very easy to fill. If you do not want to be filling it every 12 hours or more then get a different humidifier. For me, it is very simple and easy knowing I need to easily fill it every 12 hours.

The humidifier also makes no noise at all on either the high or low speed. I find that when running it constantly on low my humidity level is perfect and I feel great. This machine does exactly what it says it does so make sure that it will satisfy your needs. It is easy to use/maintain so much simpler than a cool mist humidifier. I will never return to a cool mist one again.

I highly recommend this unit and say just make sure it is what you want before purchasing. Hope this helps you with your humidifier decisions.

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I have gone through quite a few humidifiers. I had one like this before, after a few years it gave in because I never cleaned it (shame on me). Then I tried a few ultrasonic (ultraexpensive) humidifiers, which really hardly bring the humidity up (I have a hygrometer). So I decided to buy this one again, and am as happy as with the first one. If you want your room to increase in humidity, forget about those ultrasonics and go for this one. Cheap and good.

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This is my third warm mist humidifier. They just don't last very long. The cool mist ones don't seem to make the room more humid. The last one I had (which looked similar to this) lasted two years, and the rubber stopper part at the bottom dried up during the summer (when it was not in use) and cracked. My first one only last one year. I am resigned to the fact that I will likely have to buy a humidifier every 1-2 years, so I'd better not spend a lot for them. This one works well, and on the low setting, can last 10-11 hours. This setting is enough for my medium sized room. On high output, it goes through the water very quickly, and if your room is small, will feel tropical. The one thing I don't like about this one is that after putting the dial on the desired setting, you still have to push a "start" button to make it start putting out mist.

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The plastic on this model is pretty thin and flimsy, so I'm always afraid I am going to accidentaly snap or crack a part (like the screw-on lid) and completely destroy the product or render it useless, but the overall engineering design is really good, it is still working after about a year, great for baby, great for me. For the price I am satisfied, but I wish they would make more of a "mercedes" model for a slightly higher price that uses the same design, maybe a little more technology for the controls and more durable plastic. I love the fact that the water tank is removable, fillable and sealed shut for the trip back to the unit, no pouring or spilling involved. I bought this model because it has the same water tank and mist tower design as a Sunbeam cool mist humidifier that my parents used on me as a baby (which I still have and use for my son), and that thing is damn near indestructible.

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Sunday, December 29, 2013

Honeywell Easy to Care Cool Mist Humidifier, HCM-750 Review

Honeywell Easy to Care Cool Mist Humidifier, HCM-750
Customer Ratings: 2.5 stars
List Price: $64.99
Sale Price: $40.00
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Last fall I purchased a Honeywell HCM750 cool vapor humidifier, made by Kaz. Initially it worked fine but, following its instructions, after a couple of weeks I cleaned it. When I put it back together, it would not run and had to phone Kaz customer service. I am quite handy with these gadgets and followed their instructions but could not get it to work; it appears the core of the humidifier is a magnetic rotor that makes the fan turn and it just would not work.

Finally I sent the unit back for repair/replacement, and since it was winter and wanted to keep the humidity in my house at an appropriate level, I purchased a second unit, which I figured later on to use in the bedrooms area. It was around Christmas time, but it took three weeks to get the repaired unit back. Once back it worked fine, and I kept both units going. When both were working, my electronic temperature and humidity control was measuring between 25 and 30%, which I consider on the low end of humidity during the winter months, with gas hot-forced-air heating, and I kept the units runnning 24-7, except when adding water to the tanks.

A few weeks later it was time to clean both units and lo and behold, one of them would not run and had to play with the magnetic rotor for maybe one hour or so until it would start running properly. Put both units back to work, and the next day, one of them is sitting in a 12-inch poodle of water. Could not figure out what was the problem; took it apart, put it back together, and then again problem with the magnetic rotor. Finally got it to work only at medium speed (it has a 3-speed dial).

By this time I was quite disappointed and decided to take both units and donate them to a non-profit organization, while looking to buy another brand for next winter. Sorry I bought it. I will do better next time.

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We should have researched before purchasing this humidifier. It worked fine for a couple nights, then randomly stopped working. We played around with the assembly of the tubing and got it to work, only to have it break down again a few nights later. We ultimately returned the unit, assuming it was defective, only to get a brand new one that also stops working on a regular basis.

In short, I would NOT recommend this humidifier to anyone who wants a reliable unit that you know, actually functions. If you want to tinker with it for hours on end, then this is for you.

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After using this product for about 6 months, and letting it run dry a time or two, I found that, as others have noted, the pump would lock up (with a loud "clack") and the water would stop flowing. I disassembled the pump and tried various fixes involving washers, but my thinnest washer was still too thick to let the impeller spin.

I then had the idea of lubricating the impeller and the inside of the pump. I didn't have any silicone spray, but I did have a candle I used for fragrance. Smearing a fingertip with the oily wax, I wiped the wax all over the impeller, the removeable cap, and the inside of the pump, and reassembled the pump. Voila! No more locking up. This worked until I accidentally let the pump run dry again; after relubricating it it's working fine again.

This is an easy fix for the only problem I've found in what is otherwise a great product. I particularly like the fact that filling the humidifier with water is very easy and requires no disassembly; you can just pour it into the large openings even while the unit is running. Also, the wicking is clearly visible at the top of the unit so that you can tell that all's well with it.

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This humidifier worked fine for a few weeks, then the pump failed. I called up customer service and they sent a new pump. It ran another month and now this pump is failing. It's a poor design, the bushing on the pump rotor wears out and the pump rotor jams. I'm replacing the pump with a small table-top fountain pump. These last much longer under continuous use.

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We bought one of these near the end of November and were initially happy with it. I read some of the other reviews out here; we didn't have any issues with the motor, and didn't find it particularly noisy. It worked well for about two months. I took it apart and put the washable pieces through the dishwasher on a few occasions. The humidity in the house was finally hovering around 35-40%. No problems so far.

The other day, I decided to relocate it. I picked it up and there was a huge wet spot on the carpet where it had been sitting. No good. I cleaned it again, and set it on a plastic lid from a storage container. Sure enough, the next day it was sitting in a puddle of water.

I called Honeywell product support, they said it was defective and wanted me to ship it back to them at my expense. I told them I didn't have the box anymore and it would be cheaper for me to just toss it and buy a new one. Mwa waaa.

Pros: works well, not particularly noisy, kicks out plenty of moisture (as long as you fill it once a day).

Cons: leaks like crazy although there are no apparent cracks in the water containing portion of the unit. Maybe it isn't a leak, I suppose the warm motor could attract some condensation but I doubt it.

We threw it out. Buy something else.

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Buy SPT SU-4010G Dual Mist Humidifier with ION Exchange Filter, Green

SPT SU-4010G Dual Mist Humidifier with ION Exchange Filter, Green
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $110.00
Sale Price: $65.06
Today's Bonus: 41% Off
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Met and exceeded expectations. Good quality product. Many on the market but this one works well. Would have preferred blue but green was fine.

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This is a very quiet machine. Works well but the water reservoir does not hold very much water and it is not an easy refill. I would call it awkward. You have to take the tank off the base and water always drips, then unscrew the filter (large white cylinder in the picture) and then fill from the bottom (upside down under a tap). Then you have to screw the filter back in and turn it back right-side up. Water invariably drips on the floor again no matter what one does.

I have a second one in the bedroom and it is very quiet and seems efficient. Just wish it were more user friendly for filling. The real test will be to see how long it lasts. My last humidifier made it through only one year.

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ORIGINAL REVIEW: Tank broke the second time we used it. I called Sunpentown, however, and they were quite pleasant on the phone. They said they think it is the fan, based on what I described, and promised to send me another fan to see if I could replace it myself at home by taking apart the motor compartment with screwdriver. If not, I will have to send in the motor portion and pay for the shipping myself. That was 3 weeks ago. I emailed them again and they apologized and said they will get the fan out shortly. So far, I'm not impressed with this.

Having said this, I am very sad this is not working out because the design of the tank is AMAZING for cleaning. The hole is HUGE. This it totally unlike the Crane humidifiers shaped like animals. Invariably, my spouse or I neglect to empty the tank and then we end up with funk in the tank and no great way to clean it. Bleaching it seems counterproductive, as the tank will then end up smelling like bleach, etc. I tried cleaning the funk out with vinegar. Didn't do anything. So I was desperate for a new solution and this Sunpentown looked easy to clean.

So...I'll update everyone on what happens with Sunpentown customer service and whether or not they will fix this.

UPDATED REVIEW: See the comments section. Sunpentown sent the fan and a relative with mechanical experience and a special tool fixed it, so I didn't have to ship it back. Has been working nicely for months. Tank is so awesome and easy to clean. I am a woman and I can literally insert my entire hand into the tank to clean it :)

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Discount 1C Bionaire Humidifier Cleaner and Descaler (32 oz.)

1C Bionaire Humidifier Cleaner and Descaler
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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This works about the same as most sold by other humidifier companies to clean them, but no better really. I have found the best is white or distilled vinegar with peroxide but please do not stand over or have your eyes close to the fumes from this combination as it can be long term harmful to vision according to studies done on these products. As long as you leave the room for the soak in the sink or in the product base, and then come to rinse it in plain water, that has come to be my favorite combination for cleaning and descaling. Not straight vinegar and peroxide but mixed in water, like gallon of water, cup of vinegar, half or quarter cup of peroxide. This also will kill any mold or mildew that might have developed.

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This product does descale and the humidifiers in our home are staying cleaner after using this product. We will probably get more in the future.

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My humidifier had such bad hard water built up it was gross! No matter what I tried I could not get the hard water off. I decided to try Boinaire Humidifier Cleaner and following the instructions to the tee, The hard water just melted away! I was amazed! I wish I took before and after pictures because it was just a complete difference! This works wonders!

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Hubby realized that our water we had in the humidifier was not keeping the air correct so he bought this product and cleaned out the gunk in the humidifier and all is well with the air now!

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This took the coating off of the stainless steel heating plate on my humidifier. Now it's not working. I wish I had stuck with vinegar.

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Saturday, December 28, 2013

Discount THF13 Lasko Humidifier Wick Filter (2 Pack)

THF13 Lasko Humidifier Wick Filter
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
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I received these filters they shipped it very fast. They failed to make sure they shipped the correct size filters. The filters I received will not fit into the lasko thf humidifier. The filters are too long, too wide, way too thick. I cant even slide the back on of the humidifier.

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I have not been able to find filters for my humidifier in the stores and found these and they are perfect. This is my second time ordering them. They last a long time. I have even washed them a few times and reused them. I would definitely recommend these filters. Make sure you check the model number on your humidifier and match it with the filter you need. I did this and the filters fit perfectly!

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Discount MIU COLOR&#8482 Color Changing Aroma Diffuser Ultrasonic Humidifier

MIU COLOR&#8482 500ml Aroma Diffuser Ultrasonic Humidifier LED Color Changing Lamp Light Ionizer
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $49.99
Today's Bonus: 50% Off
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I have been searching for an essential oil diffuser plus humidifier that is easy to clean. I love this so much that I bought another. It puts out a good amount of moisture with the added benefit of essential oils. I use this mainly when the kids are sick. I put it right next to their bed (which I can't do with regular humidifiers which are cumbersome and will drench them) and add oils to help them breathe when they are congested and coughing. I have tried another diffuser that I bought on Amazon. It was awful in comparison. I am so happy to have found this one. You will NOT regret this purchase!

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After researching many diffusers, I decided on this one. So far, I like it! The instructions were in English. It is easy to use and easy to clean. The colors change or you can choose a color to stay on, or no color at all. It is very quiet. The only "issue" I have which may not even be a big deal is that when you lift the lid to put more water or oil in, drops of water fall onto the counter/surface so I need to have a paper towel in my hand when I add to it due to it being on a wood surface. Also, I bought an essential oil set with it from someone else and used their "Relaxation" blend which my husband didn't like too well and it took several days to get the strength of the smell out of the house, so it definitely works!! If you are looking for less strong smells, lemon, orange, rose, and vanilla have worked so far. However, they don't seem as strong of course, but my husband isn't complaining anymore. :-) I hope that helps!

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This is a very nice product that can be used to set the ambiance of a room, freshen the air, and help you to relax or to add humidity to the air for your health. The unit uses a 2.4 MHz ultrasonic piezo activated diaphragm to atomize the water and fragrance that you put into the water reservoir. It releases a fine mist of water or water and fragrance to create the ambiance you want according to how you are feeling.

In addition you can turn on the internal LED lighting system and add color to the experience that is really attractive. My wife fell in love with this humidifier immediately. You add water into the chamber and it will hold up to 500 mL of water. The side of the tank is clearly marked to indicate the number of mL of water in the tank to help you mix in the right amount of fragrance oil. We used distilled water. You can also add fragrance and you can purchase many types to suit your favorite fragrances or mood. You add 2 or 3 drops of fragrance per 100 mL of water. The fragrance oils are not included in with the humidifier.

What's in the box:

* The atomizer/humidifier

* The instruction manual

* A measuring cup

* The AC power wall adapter with a 6 foot long power cable.

The AC power adapter is UL approved and it is rated to operate on 100 to 240 VAC and 50/60 Hertz. You can turn on the accent LED lighting and it is very attractive. The light colors will change from white to green to yellow to red to purple to blue and start over again. It changes colors about every 5 seconds. The light can also be turned off. The unit can be set to operate for 60 minutes, 120 minutes and 180 minutes or continuously. To set the operating time you have to press the mist button multiple times to get the setting you want and a LED will light up and indicate the setting you have selected. The unit will not operate the atomizer without water and it will shut off when it is empty. You can set the unit to generate mist and create mist at a high or low rate.

If you are not going to use the unit for a while it is advised that you drain out the water in the tank. You can also wash the inside of the tank with a mild detergent and dry it but do not submerge the unit into water. The top of the unit is made with PP plastic and the base is made from ABS plastic.

This beautiful and functional unit has many applications for your home or office and it fits into any setting. You are generating this aroma mist and or humidity without heat by using the ultrasonic piezo diaphragm that is safe and quiet to use. Not using heat on the fragrance helps produce a mist without heating and changing its smell.

This is a very nice product and I rate it at 5 stars.

I was supplied a unit for test and evaluation and I promised to provide a fair and honest review.

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I've been looking for a while for a diffuser that I can use with my essential oils in my work office. I read the reviews on this one and decided that it was worth a try. It came in about a week. I was surprised at the size when I opened the box, apparently I hadn't read the information on it. I expected it to be much bigger, but I am loving the size..it's not big and bulky like I thought it might be. I got nervous thinking that it ran on batteries because there was no power cord in the box, but it was neatly packed away INSIDE the unit. Who woulda thought to look there? LOL!! It gives out a really good amount of vapor. I'm trying it out at home before I take it to the office. I filled it to the maximum amount of water (500ml) and I ran it for an entire day and it was still half full, which I really like! I put it in my bedroom and within about 10 minutes the vapors had found themselves to my kitchen (my other diffusers don't work that good). I am loving it so much that I plan to order a couple for my house and I have already suggested them to family and friends. The instructions say to clean it every 4 or 5 days with citric acid..gotta find me some!!

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I love keeping a vaporizer going, especially in the dryness of winter. I like what it does for my skin and having some moisture in the air helps my sinuses and healthy for the lungs. I had previously had the greenair spa vaporizer. Hmmm...in fact I had four of them. Two from Amazon and then when those two (one for my daughter and one for me) went to the vaporizer graveyard (in less than 6 months each) , I found two more on clearance.( I know, I know, but they were such awesome little machines!) , those also lasted less than 6 months. So this time I decided to spend a little more money. I hope this machine lasts, because it is awesome at diffusing my essential oils and really throws out a nice vapor. It has settings to run from 30 minutes to just "on" Nice selection of lighting..blues, greens, reds, white or none at all. Holds more water than the greenair unit did and lasts about 10 hours each fill, then it automatically shuts off if on the "on" position. It is much quieter than the greenair unit as well.

Update: Well, it no longer works and has joined the vaporizer graveyard. I am very upset as I really liked this vaporizer. I had it approximately 2 months until it no longer emits vapor at all. The lights still work (yippee) and I hear the motor humming....just no vapor. I believe I even paid 15 dollars more than what is stated here, so for the low, low price of 40 dollars per month I had vapor. Yep, I am totally feeling ripped off, as the window for returning/replacing the item is closed (a whole month window). Now I am left wondering if it is a coincidence that they only give you a month to return/replace when the product only last two months? I don't know, but what I do know is I treated this thing with kid gloves and followed all instructions to a tee, as I wanted it to last. My advice is to stay away from this vaporizer and if anyone knows of a good quality vaporizer that is time tested, I would greatly appreciate it if you would leave a comment and let me know the name of it.

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Broksonic Hybrid Ultrasonic Humidifier and Diffuser Reviews

Broksonic Hybrid Ultrasonic Humidifier and Diffuser
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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I was so excited to get this from Brookstone because of the good reviews and it looks so beautiful. However, it is a bit loud for us to put in the bedroom while sleeping. I don't know what other reviewers think of the sound of the motor but it bothers both me and my husband so much that we have to turn it off after 15 minutes of us trying to get some sleep. The motor makes this power noise for a minute then shut off for a second and turn back on again and repeat it constantly. It also has 3 lights on the bottom of the unit for "on/off", "medium/high" and "2hr/4hr" that's like yellow green and red. You can hardly notice them when the room is lighted but when we shut off the light for bed, these little lights shine like crazy. We finally decided to put it in the living room instead since it won't bother us if we are just watching movie. Over all still a pretty humidifier but it won't work for the bedroom if you have an issue with noise and lights in the bedroom.

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Most beautiful minimal designed humidifier I've ever owned or seen.

Easy to use and fill.

If on the high setting will last you one night's sleep. On the low setting you will get more than 2 nights without refilling.

I don't feel that it really pumps out a ton of moisture that I am used to with other humidifiers unless it's on the high setting.

If you like clean minimal design instead of a bulky ugly machine, this is for you.

I am generally happy with it.

The one problem that it has is when you take the cover off to refill, some of the condensed water drips out and you need to wipe those few drops off the floor or the table it's sitting on.

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Humidifies my bedroom and looks great enough that my partner will allow it to stay out on our dresser. No other company makes a fashionable humidifier.

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Handy, even set on high runs a long time. It's been helpful for winter dryness. It blends in well to the home space as it looks like a vase on a table.

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great humidifier, really love it, but it doesn't hold all that much water, so you have to refill it often. But it looks good on and off : )

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Friday, December 27, 2013

Review of Desktop Humidor Cigar

Metro Fulfillment House La Romana Desktop Humidor, Dark Mahogany Finish
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
List Price: $39.95
Sale Price: $28.19
Today's Bonus: 29% Off
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Ok, first off the price advertised is $19.95 but when I checked out the price was $22.95, $3 difference but I still went with it.

The box arrived and considering the cost I was somewhat impressed with what I recieved. The construction was good and the lid fit fairly well. When I allowed the lid to go down slowly it wouldn't close all the way, I needed to push on it which impressed me. Since I didn't have much in this one I decided to see how air tight it really was and filled it up with water (not recommended) and began tipping it on edge. The water of course began to leak out in several places but I let it have a good soaking for about 25 minutes. I dumped out the water and let it dry in the sun with the lid open (inside the house, next to a window. This raised the hairs on wood and created a much tighter seal. I lightly sanded the interior compartment with 00 steel wool and filled it up with water again. Same treatment, sun dried then light sanding on the interior but this time I had very few drops leak out of the box so it sealed up much better.

I checked out the gauge while the water treatments where being conducted and I ended up throwning it in the trash after a few attempts at calibration. The instructions say the variation is %5 +/-, mine was closer to 15% when placed inside a good humidor with a known humidity. I would attempt adjustments and still ended up way off.

The humidification system is a foam type humidifier, I use crystal systems so that went into the trash as well. It would work fine if you want to add the juice but I find the crystal systems to be easier to use.

The size is as advertised dimensionally and looks just like the photo provided. I think I might get 40-50 coronas in there, which is why I bought it. You won't be filling this up with 50 churchills or anything over 50 ring for certain, it just isn't that big.

Overall assessment, I think it is a decent box that can be tweeked to function as a humidor. I won't be putting a box of $300 cigars inside but it should work well to improve the humidity and quality of a bundle of $30 coronas. You should plan on buying a better guage or maybe yours will work better than mine did. I actually am pleased enough with this box that I will be ordering another one. We'll see what my next one is like.

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