Best forever

By M. Korn:

I own five of these and one is the old model (non digital) I use them to regulate the heaters in my birdcages. (The pampered little buggers) They get a 250w exo terra ceramic heater since they reside in a windowed room.with poor heat circulation. These units are supprisingly accurate and eventually read the same ambient temperature when placed next to each other and settle in, so to speak, and are given time to acclimate. Those of you using this with heat tape for your reptiles can rely on these items. I am sure there is always a due so buy using Amazon Prime and don’t worry about it I have not had a problem so far. The low temp is 68 or so - you ought to know depending on your application. Each coontroller is rated at 1000watts but I use 250w for each. Nice to know I could double up (or quadruple up if needed) I have to give 5 stars because the accuracy has improved so much since the green-yellow-red version. In spite of peoples complaints these regulators have proven accurate against other thermometers and in relation to each other. I ALSO OWN THE MORE ACCurate digital programmable models but you will find that keeping those plugged into you power strip (I recommend. A GFI always) You will also find it impossible to keep themonitor seperate from the unit. They are great. For electric space heaters but not for any other application. THE new units also are.missing the nice little hook that came with the older model so I either took my needlenose pokers and bent a large paperclip in its stead or just used a garbage bag tie (the cable tie that comes with the power cord works great) so I could affix the readout to the cages. Overall I am very impressed at the new lower price, especially now that they are available on Amazon Prime. As for a seedling mat, I think I have about given up and decided to buy my herbs at the Korean “H-Mart” nearby for my minttea and every other vegetable imaginable although I am certain this would work just fine. I cannot stress the importance of using a GFI power strip if you are using near a wet area. GOOOD LUCK!

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Other quality home & garden products:

Hydrofarm JSV2 ,  Hydrofarm Seedling Heat Mat ,

100 Blooms of Peruvian Lilies ,  Hydrofarm Jump Start T5 ,

Hydrofarm CK64050 ,  Brome 1024 Squirrel Buster

Real Flame Gel Fuel ,  Dart Pellets of Fire CPP50

1. so as far as the RAM goes, at idle this little machine uses about 800MB of RAM, which you may know is 80% of 1,000MB, which is also 1GB. this machine does not need to run on only 1GB of RAM no matter what, so the RAM upgrade is necessary.

concerning the bios update, i think if you purchased your netbook post-2010, asus probably already updated the bios for you. most of the reviews i read that installed RAM problem-free were reviews written in 2011. also, my netbook installed the RAM with no need to install another version of the bios. i can’t confirm this, but if you buy your netbook now and onward, you’re likely okay and can install the memory without issues.

2. there is a lot of bloatware on this unit that really should be removed. i will post a link below that is probably the most comprehensive “what to keep and what to not” list i have found on the internet. please make a few notes: do NOT uninstall bluetooth drivers and i would urge you also not to mess with msconfig and alter your startup processes as suggested on the site. i encountered problems after doing both and they weren’t really easy to fix, although i finally took care of it. nothing you do listed on the site will fry your computer, but software problems can be a PITA, so just be careful if you don’t know what you are doing. disclaimer: i am not responsible for anything you mess up, including if you somehow do fry the netbook (at which point please email me the pictures because that is pretty impressive).

edit: i can’t paste the link, but it is over on the eee user website…so try a search…there are several that will work, just remember my above notes if it is suggested you remove the above pieces.

for my review, i’ll just add that google chrome is the best browser for this netbook. also i am very eager to try meego in place of windows 7 starter, but not anytime soon. windows 7 is pretty good actually, despite having a few shortcomings that are mostly related to user settings (can’t change background, can’t change themes, sounds, etc.). annoying, but doesn’t detract from the OS itself.

after the bloatware removal, addition of chrome, and 2gb upgrade, this little thing is surprisingly quick. it is definitely portable, and that is the main reason i bought it. i think the battery life is the #1 feature by far, and it really rocks. a few people mentioned they aren’t happy with the keyboard, which i find silly. it’s the tiniest computer around, of course the keyboard is going to seem a bit cramped. i can tell you though a little time and you will get acclimated. i am 6′6″ tall and have huge hands and it works just fine for me.

overall, a great product. not as fast as my 3-yr old desktop that is overclocked or my new work laptop, but it runs very smoothly for what i use it for. i don’t know why anyone would spend more and buy an ipad personally.

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Other quality netbooks we recommended:

ASUS Eee PC 1001PX-EU27-BK ,  ASUS Eee PC 1001PX-EU27-WT ,

HP Mini 110-3530NR ,  Acer Aspire One AOD255E-13639 ,  Toshiba NB505-N508BL

Acer Aspire One AO522-BZ897 ,  ASUS Eee PC 1015PEM-PU17-BU ,

Toshiba NB305-N600 ,  Dell Inspiron iM1018-2628OBK ,  Toshiba NB505-N508TQ

Toshiba NB505-N508GN ,  Toshiba NB505-N508BN

We purchased a new Whirlpool refrigerator earlier this year. The new refrigerator has all the marvelous improvements developed in the last ten years for refrigerators, including a water filter.

The water filter really does deliver better water. However, the water filter seems quite expensive to me. Whirlpool, and other manufacturer’s that use this type of filter, recommend the filter be replaced twice a year, whether you need to replace the filter or not.

The filter is relatively easy to replace, but be aware of what happens when you pull the filter. To remove the old filter you push a button next to the filter, typically to the left of the filter. Then pull on the cap covering the filter and pull the filter out. Make a note of how the filter was oriented when you pull it out.

The filter will now begin dripping water, so have a paper towel or small bowl available to let the water drip into. You can either let the filter finish dripping into a sink, or throw it into a plastic bag that you can seal to keep the water from dripping out of the bag. Be sure you remove the cover from the filter before you toss it. On our Whirlpool the cover twists counterclockwise for removal.

Install the filter cover onto the new filter. It takes just a twist to lock it into place. Holding the filter so that the two straight pieces on the end of the filter are vertical, with the open portion of the filter cover oriented on the bottom, slide the new filter straight into the filter cavity until the button on the left clicks to let you know the new filter is locked into place. Note that these instructions are for a Whirlpool, but I believe most other refrigerators are similar. You should be ready to go!

Had I known refrigerator water filters were so expensive I might have gone with a refrigerator without one, though our local water has a lot of chlorine in it (which is filtered out by the filter).

As with many modern conveniences, this water filter represents a convenience that you did not know you needed until you had it. Now that I have it, I am wondering whether I want it since I have to spend a chunk of change each year in filter replacements. Oh well. I guess I can sleep more soundly knowing that the water filter is now removing a bunch of stuff from my water that my body either did not want or need.

Good luck!

By Lonnie E. Holder “The Review’s the Thing”

Ordering Whirlpool 4396841P online? Get low price now!

Related refrigerator water filter:

Samsung DA29-00020B ,  Whirlpool 4396710P ,

GE SmartWater MWF Refrigerator Water Filter

Maytag UKF8001 ,  Samsung HAFCU1/XAA ,  PUR PBSS ,

PUR DS-1800Z 2-Stage Water Dispenser ,  PUR MineralClear Faucet Refill RF-9999

Whirlpool 4396508 ,  Whirlpool 4396510P ,  PUR QTSS ,  LG 5231JA2006A Water Filter

LG LT600P

Reviewed by S. Wu:

I did a lot of research on infant car seat strollers and was a bit disillusioned by the two that were out there (the Kolcraft Universal and the Snap-N-Go). Reviews for both items showed concerns in using them with a Graco SnugRide (which was my carseat of choice). While some parents mentioned that they both worked great with their SnugRide car seat, there were just as many that had concerns that the strollers didn’t fit that model of car seat well and worried of the two popping apart. Examining both of them up close, I could understand why there might be mixed reviews considering all the minor adjustments you have to tweak depending on which car seat you are using.
I guess this Graco stroller recently came out because I hadn’t seen it before, but as soon as I did, I purchased it. I was amazed by how easy it was to put together. You really don’t need the instruction manual to figure it out, and each of the parts fit together with a very satisfying snap that lets you know that part isn’t going anywhere. And when attaching the car seat, there are several places where it gets latched into place so you know the seat won’t be popping out either.
We’ve used this stroller with our newborn and it is amazing. A week after a C-section, I was able to break it down and throw it into the trunk of our car myself (although carrying the carseat with baby inside was another story). At first I thought the latch that holds the stroller together when it is all folded up seemed a bit flimsy, but I haven’t had any problems with it at all. I also like the fact that you can lock the front wheels into a straight forward position when you are traveling across bumpy pavement. I use this feature often since the sidewalks near where I live are not very even. I also love the extra large basket underneath. Although it is a bit more in cost, I believe this stroller is definitely worth it for the peace of mind. (Please note: this stroller only works with a Graco SnugRide).

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The First Years Ignite Stroller ,  The First Years Jet Stroller

Jeep Overland Limited Jogging Stroller ,  Jeep Liberty Limited

Graco Spree Travel System ,  Baby Jogger Parent Console

By Brandon Giesinger:

I bought this drill to replace my Dewalt DC925, which fell off a roof and landed in a big nasty mud hole, I just figured the drill was toast and ordered a new one, saved the 925 for salvageable parts. The DCD950 and the DCD970 are the EXACT same drill except the clutch ring, which is black on the 950 and silver on the 970. The difference is the batteries that are included 950 has the XRPs and 970 has the new NANO’s(lithium-ion). OK, back to the comparison
Pros of the DCD970/950 VS. the DCD925
1. Much Better balance
2. More power in both low and mid-range(Dewalt says the DC925 has 480 unit watts vs the DCD970’s 450, but the DCD970 is more powerful
3. WAY smoother speed selector (moves back and forth, not in an semi-ellipse like the 925)
4. L.E.D light on front
5. Shorter in length
6. Drill/screw/hammerdrill, various clutch settings are no longer on the same ring, clutch now has its own ring.

Cons of the DCD970
1. Due to pressure from a group of so called “tool users” who ONLY seem to care about aesthetics, Dewalt changed the base to the new nano style, which means if you actually use the drill it only has space for one bit on the front and WILL Not hold a screw guide or short nutsetters very well, whereas the old style base could fit a screw guide for TEK screws on one side and a 1/4″ and 5/16″ short nutsetters for tapcons on the other side.

However, overall the DCD970/950 is a excellent drill and deserves 4.75 stars, if Dewalt would change the base it would be a 5 star item, but that will never happen thanks to people who care more about how a tool looks rather than how well it works.

6-6-2009
I cleaned off my old DC925 and put in a fresh battery and the thing works!! Well now I have two, I guess that is what I get for asuming things, oh well I like the DCD970 better anyway.

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Related quality products:

DeWalt DCD760Kl ,  Porter-Cable C2002-WK ,  Weller WES51

Dremel 6800-01 ,  Weller WLC100 ,  Genesis GMT15A ,

Weller SP23LK ,  Factory-Reconditioned Dremel 6300-02L-RT

Milwaukee 2691-22 ,  Dremel 8000-03 ,  Black & Decker ASI300

Dremel 300-1

Helpful review by Mike in DC “mr”:

Absolutely Recommended! Ordered on Thursday and paid the extra cost of $3.XX for next day delivery because we had a huge snow storm in the forecast. The Snowblower and the storm arrived the next day and the snow blower was really needed. It was very easy to unpack–open carton, remove cardboard and plastic bag, extend handle, add oil (came with it) and gas (remember to buy ahead of time). It started the first pull of the crank and worked hard for two days! It used four tanks of gas doing my neighbor’s driveway and mine plus helping many other neighbors dig out from over 34 inches of snow and the build up caused by the snow plows that came through. It’s only rated for 4-6 inches but by knocking down the snow with a shovel and working at it with the blower we got thru a build-up of snow that exceede 3 feet in spots (over the top of the engine on the snowblower). Really glad we ordered.

Ordering Murray 1695537 online? Get special price now!

Other related tools & products:

Snow Joe RJ201M ,  Roof Melt 65 Tablets ,  Garant GPRR24

Greenworks 26012 ,  Ames True Temper 1625300 ,  Suncast SC3950

AVALANCHE! DB550 ,  Toro 51599 ,  Poulan Pro 400E ,

AR North America AR383 ,  WORX TriVac WG500 ,  Black & Decker GH600

By www.EFTzone.com:

For years, I shoveled snow because it was pretty easy in Northern Virginia. Last year we had significant snow so I borrowed my neighbor’s small snow blower. It worked well except when he ran out of gas or 2-cycle engine oil and couldn’t get to a gas station. This year I decided to invest in a small snow blower just in case I needed it. After reading the reviews, I decided to get an electric blower. (No gas, little maintenance and better for the environment.) I also bought two Extreme All-Weather 12-gauge extension cords (one 100′ and one 50′). My driveway is about 125 feet long and 14 feet wide so it’s pretty good sized.

About a month after I got my Toro 38381, we had 4-5 inches of snow. The Toro 38381 zipped through the light, powdery snow. It did take me a little time to get used to flipping the cords out of the way. Yesterday, we got hit with a snow storm with heavier, wetter snow. I was concerned how the Toro unit would do. I was surprised how well it cleared the snow. Yes, I had to make more than one pass because the snow was very thick and heavy. (That might also happen with a small gas powered, one-stage thrower.) Another thing I like about this snow thrower is its mobility. I have to walk around my hilly backyard to clear the snow from my deck. I can actually pick up and carry this unit with one hand. Try that with a heavy gas powered unit.

All in all, I’m happy with how the Toro 38381 snow thrower has performed. Granted, it can’t compete with a big gas powered 2-stage snow thrower, yet for a little guy it packs some zip. My suggestion to anyone interested in buying this unit is: 1) guide the 38381 in heavier snow instead of forcing it through and straining the motor 2) be sure to buy/use a 12-gauge extension cord, preferably one that stays flexible in cold weather 3) get a cord reel so the cord stays in good shape.

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Other related quality products:

Suncast SRR2100 ,  Greenworks 26032 ,  Garelick 89416

Toro 38361 ,  Midwest Rake 96022 ,  AVALANCHE! SRD20

Suncast SC3250 ,  Garelick 89005 ,  WORX WG650

Easy Heat Roof Snow De-Icing Kit ,

Keep It Green KIG40 Snow & Ice Melter

Nice review by OhioGardener :

First, a couple of disclaimers:
1. This is the first pump-driven espresso machine that we have owned.

2. We generally drink cafe Americano, which is an espresso with a little added hot water (or cold water with an iced Americano). We make an occasional cappuccino and have thus used the steam wand, but not extensively.

After doing a cost/benefit analysis in regards to our current cafe Americano habit (~10 per week), we realized that there would be some justification to buying a home unit. We first considered the Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker, but reviewers consistently lamented the unit’s tendency to clog the filter, necessitating time-consuming cleaning. Also, not being completely sure that we would actually use the espresso maker, we balked at the $250 price tag.

We also considered moving up to one of the superautomatico machines that grind, tamp, brew and dispose of the grinds, but we worried about the reliability of technology that had only recently hit the consumer-grade appliances. After reading zillions of reviews, we realized that every mid-priced machine had some glaring flaw and, in the end, we decided to buy an inexpensive pump-driven unit and wait for the technology to catch up before investing a huge chunk of change in an espresso machine. Moving our investigation to low-end espresso makers, we were impressed by the reviews of the DeLonghi EC155 and purchased it from Amazon.

I put off writing a review in order to make sure that the DeLonghi was going to last until we had at least broken even on it. We received it in mid-July and since then it has produced about 200 double shots flawlessly. By my reckoning, that’s about $400 worth of Americanos at the local cafe. Even considering the price of the coffee, we have more than broken even. So, here’s our pros and cons:

PROs
- Price–we paid $91.28.
- Crema Production–this unit consistently produces a thick layer of delicious crema.
- Powerful Stream Wand–Easily froths milk.
- Mechanicals–After six months of nearly daily use this mighty-mite works as well as it did the day it arrived.
- Easy Cleanup–Filter cleans easily.

CONs
- Ergonomics–As other reviewers have noted, there could be a little more room between the area where the cup sits and the output nozzle. Also the steam wand could be longer.
- Features–No cup warmer. Not a big deal to us, especially considering the price of the EC155, but it will put off some buyers.

SOME THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED
- Using a coffee especially made for espresso, such as Lavazza, produces a much better espresso. Lavazza has the added benefit of allowing you to go for hours without blinking.
- Preheating the unit for 15 minutes and warming the cups in the microwave improves the results and experience.

Ordering DeLonghi EC155 online? Get spcial price now!

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Black & Decker DCM18S ,  Mr. Coffee Programmable Coffeemakers

Aerobie 80R08 ,  Cuisinart DCC-1150 ,  Cuisinart DCC-2600

Cuisinart CHW-12 ,  Cuisinart DTC-975 ,  Cuisinart DGB-900BC ,

Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinders ,  Bunn NHBX-B ,

Presto 02811 ,  Cuisinart DCC-1100 ,  Back to Basics CM300BR

Helpful review on Cuisinart DBM-8 by Matthew Dees:

Don’t believe that ANY grinder in this price range will be the ultimate grinder for all your grinding needs. I read with amusement as some reviewers slammed this grinder for not grinding well enough to use with their espresso machines. I own this machine for use with my drip coffee maker only. I own a $500+ Mazzer Grinder for my espresso machine. The point being, that for the absolute consistent grind needed for use with espresso, you better be willing to step up significantly in price. That said, on to this grinder review.

Considering there are no decent blade grinders on the market - including those in the $25 price range, the best grinder to have is a burr grinder. Burr grinders do not create the heat that destroys the flavor of your beans and creates a more uniformed grind. Burr grinders do not produce the large “chunks” of beans in varying size that a blade grinder does. I have yet to see any missed “untouched” beans find their way past the burrs (as one reviewer claimed) and find that hard to believe, considering beans can only pass through the small space between the burrs and would thus be ground on their way through. You may get some bean smaller than your setting, but will not get anything larger than your setting.

As with any burr grinder under $200 this grinder does create some powder. It creates a lot of powder if you attempt to grind at its’ finest setting (called Turkish Coffee). For drip coffee makers though, a mid-range toward coarse setting doesn’t produce enough powder to be a concern when using paper filters in your coffee maker and a GOOD bean to start with. I sometimes wonder if the complaints of “bitterness” from some reviewers isn’t a problem with their bean choice or their water temperature. As a drinker of 100% Kona in my drip maker, I have yet to taste a bitter cup of coffee, even with the less than a tsp. of powder that is present in my freshly ground coffee.

Noisy? Yes, but no more noisy than some and less noisy than most in this price range. A grinder of this size will create noise, but unless you plan on grinding 24/7 that is to be expected. My guests are actually enthralled by the noise and the ability to watch fresh beans meet their demise (I hang with a morbid crowd) as the beans slowly disappear down the hopper. The timer is a nice touch if noise is a concern. The fact that you can turn it on, leave the room and return in a minute or two (avoiding the noise) to find the unit automatically shut off should make those with sensitive hearing happy.

This grinder has a decent weight to it, making it feel sturdy on your countertop. The S/S body also gives the appearance of a well built machine and makes it more stylish than your standard black plastic neoprene models being produced by other manufacturers. This is a solid, sturdy, and well built machine for this price.

If there are complaints that you should be warned about, it is the age old problem of static cling caused by the use of plastic for the grounds receiver. Cuisinart should have used glass to receive the grounds. I would have gladly paid an extra $3 on the final price in order to avoid dealing with the static cling found in every machine that uses plastic for this purpose. The other is the clean-up, if you are as anal as I am about coffee equipment. Again, the static cling is annoying, but I keep a slim painters brush nearby for the purpose of brushing out the chute and receiver which makes the task quick and easy. It loses a star for the static cling issues, but I guess every grinder in this price range has the same problem because they use plastic.

Overall, for under $50 this is a very good machine for the price.

Ordering Cuisinart DBM-8 online? Get special price now!

Other related products:

KitchenAid Blade Coffee Grinder ,  Hamilton Beach 80365

Capresso 565 Infinity Conical Burr Grinder ,  Breville BCG450XL

Hamilton Beach 80374 ,  HARIO Coffee Grinder ,  Black & Decker CG700

KRUPS GVX2-12, Burr Grinder ,  Black & Decker CBM210 ,

KitchenAid Pro Line Series Burr Coffee Mill ,  Bodum Bistro Electric Blade Grinder

Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder ,  Cuisinart CBM-18

Reviewed by sodakar: 

As a long-time Canon user, I opened the box and was surprised at the lack of a dedicated battery charger. I will confess I didn’t go out of my way to check, and assumed it was included.

Since Amazon doesn’t list what’s in the box, I’ll list it here:
- manual
- wrist strap
- software
- AV cable
- USB to AV cable (aka charging cable)
- EH-68P AC-to-USB adapter
- EN-EL12 battery
- and of course, the camera

Every Canon camera I’ve owned for the last 10 years has always come with a dedicated, compact, wall-mount, battery charger with a flip-out AC plug, eg: CB-2LB. The Nikon 8100 came with an AC-to-USB adapter (EH-68P) and a USB-to-miniAV cable, which forces you to charge the battery INSIDE the camera.

I don’t think I’m in the minority when I say that I generally dislike having downtime on my camera while charging. I also don’t like having to pop out some plastic/rubberized tab on the camera and stick in a proprietary cable repeatedly, which eventually leads to a broken cable or broken port. What’s worse — the AV cable port is on the bottom, which means that your camera can’t even sit upright when charging — it has be to be placed on its lens or its LCD. Far from ideal.

I completely don’t understand why this would make sense on an electronic device that has an easily removable battery. Perhaps this could be a cost-savings move on the part of Nikon, but at the point they’re shipping you an AC-to-USB adapter, they’re not saving a bundle.

Of course, you can buy the Nikon MH-65, which is a dedicated battery charger, but you’ll notice I didn’t say “compact”, or “wall-mount”, or “flip-out AC plug”, as none apply. The MH-65 does not mount directly on the wall, but comes with a long AC cord and a slot to insert your battery. Not gigantic, but far from compact, if you include the cord. The MH-61 is a wall mount that was designed correctly (albeit for a different series), but starting with the MH-62 up to the MH-65, Nikon has abandoned the wall-mount capability in favor of an AC cable. Perhaps too many people were electrocuting themselves on the fold-out AC plug? I have no idea.

With a compact, wall mount charger, you can pop the camera in one pocket, and the compact charger and buy a spare battery for your other pocket, and you’re an instant road warrior / vacation photographer / etc. With the Nikon, you’re now stuck carrying a cord as well, which adds considerably to the bulk. Sure, you can look around on eBay for a generic charger with a flip-out AC adapter, but I would be a bit concerned about the quality of said charger. It’ll probably be fine, but with Li-ion batteries that can incinerate when overcharged, it makes me think twice about whether or not I’m willing to trust a generic charger.

All that being said, the Nikon 8100 came in at 2/3rd the cost of the Canon 4500 (at least for me - your mileage may vary), and even with the annoyances surrounding the battery charger, it’s an incredible camera for the size and cost. I would recommend this camera to a beginner who dreams of DSLR-quality shots, but is not willing to put in the necessary hours (and hours) to hone one’s skills, as well as the minimum ~$1000 one needs to get a decent body, flash, and lens. This is just my opinion, but these compacts are good enough and smart enough to allow a complete beginner to get a better shot in difficult conditions than a beginner-intermediate user with a DSLR.

Minus 0.5 star for a noisy zoom lens and antiquated interface. Minus 0.5 star for not only not including a wall charger, but not even making one available for purchase. Overall, 4 stars for an incredibly great camera for the price.

Ordering Nikon Coolpix S8100 online? Get special price now!

Related quality camera:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2 ,  Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100

Nikon D90 ,  Sony DSC-W330 ,  Fujifilm FinePix XP10 ,

Canon EOS 60D , Fujifilm FinePix S1800 ,  Kodak EasyShare Z981

Pentax Optio I10 ,  Kodak EasyShare M575 ,  Samsung Dual View TL205