Nesco FD-75PR 700-Watt Food Dehydrator Review. The patented converge-flow drying system ensures even drying, no need to rotate trays. With 700-watts of power food dries in hours, not days. The adjustable thermostat ranges from 95-to-160-degrees and provides greater flexibility and better results. Includes five trays but expands to 12 trays with LT-2SG add-a-tray accessories (sold separately). Also includes fruit roll up sheet, clean-a-screen. Contemporary granite vita-save exterior blocks light and helps retain more vitamins and nutrients....

 "A great little machine" 2007-04-04
By B.M.K. (TX USA)

I had been researching dehydrators for months and finally decided on this one. I am happy I did. I have dried veggies, fruits, made jerky and fruit leathers so far. It is easy to use, has great recipes and works well. It is nice to be able to give the kids snacks that are not full of sugars and things no one can pronounce. I only wish it had a timer. I will probably use a regular timer and plug it into that.



Pros: *fan not in bottom of unit - allows for more uniform drying

*temperature control

*size - fits nicely on a kitchen counter

*availability of accessories

*ease of use



Cons: *no timer

*no on/off switch - you have to unplug the unit to turn it off

 "Surprised!" 2007-05-15
By Natural Cooker (IL United States)

I was so surprised at how well this dehydrator works

expected it to work okay but not this good!

I put 5 pounds of beef to dry, expecting it to take at least a day.

5 hours later and it was done!

This was thicker sliced than the paper thin I usually do

on top of that!

I love that the heater and fan are on the top

that makes clean up after jerky

a breeze.

My sister just bought one too and is very happy she did.

We both contemplated on buying the Excalibur one but

this by far is a better deal for your money.

I have had it a week now and have used it almost every day.

With the excellent quality of this dehydrator I expect to get

many , many years of use out of it



Update...

over a year later and we found that we needed more than one dehydrator, so we purchased another one of these with extra trays, screens.

we were hooked on dehydrating...so easy and no food spoilage!

We found ourselves needing even another dehydrator to keep up with all the

fresh produce and meats that we would purchase in bulk to save money.

This time we bought an Excalibur 9 tray with timer.

I have to say, we should of just bought another Nesco American Harvest

FD-75PR. The Nesco dehydrated the corn faster than the high priced Excalibur and I found I did need to rotate the trays in the Excalibur,

because the foods on the back of the trays dried faster than the foods on the front of the trays.

So ...if we need another dehydrator down the road we're sticking with

Nesco American Harvest FD-75PR 700-Watt Food Dehydrator and putting the extra cash we save in the bank!

 "Don't ignore this one" 2007-01-28
By Guy With Stuff

This is one of those items that does exactly what it says it's going to do and does it without a fuss. It's simple to use (even I haven't screwed up anything with it yet) and works extremely well. So far I've used it to make both beef and venison jerky and both have been delicious. This is a fairly large appliance and if you are counter space challenged you won't want to leave it out all the time. But it works so well and the things that come out of it are so yummy you won't want to put it away. The outside cleans up easily and the drying trays themselves require a little more effort. The mesh design of the drying trays (think air circulation) gives a lot of surface area for things to stick to so they just require a little more work. Be warned, when you use this your home will be filled with the delicious aroma of whatever you are making. Be prepared for salivating dogs that are unwilling to leave the kitchen and fantastic dehydrated food.

 "Excellent Little Machine" 2007-05-28
By V. Cummings (Saginaw, MI)

I LOVE this dehydrator! My dehydrator went into overtime at Christmas when I used it to make Beef Jerky, and Dog Treats for my family and friends! This machine gets the job done qickly. Some of the great features of this are:



1 - do not have to rotate trays

2 - has adjustable tempature dial

3 - dries quickly w/ no buring

4 - durable trays

5 - small footprint

6 - able to locate accessories easily

7 - material, the dehydrator does not yellow like some other makers



NESCO to me means quality and wouldn't expect anything less from this company! This is an excellent price, just make sure you get all your accessories at the same time because you will need them once you get going!

 "Timer fix - for FD75pr and FD50" 2007-05-23
By J. Rumohr (Seattle, WA)

A correction - I once owned the FD-50 version of this dehydrator. It sadly got washed away in a flood.



For all of you who want a timer: Go to the hardware store and buy an outlet timer. This is what I did with the FD50 and it worked great.

GE 13-Watt Energy SmartTM - 8 Pack - 60 watt replacement Review. GE 13-Watt Energy SmartTM - 8 Pack - 60 watt replacement...

 "Great deal" 2008-10-21
By J. Pawlowski (Allentown, NY United States)

At a little over 10 bucks for 8 of these, you can't go wrong.



These are just your basic CFLs, at the 2700 kelvin temperature range. That means they're about the same shade as your basic ordinary 60W incandescent bulb. A pale yellow white, not pure white (5100 Kelvin), or daylight (around 6300 Kelvin).



Pure white or daylight CFLS cost more because the phosphors in them are more expensive, but they do have the advantage of being more natural light, rather than imitating the poor quality light of an ordinary light bulb.



So if you're thinking of upgrading to CFLs these bulbs are a great deal to start from. But do take advantage of the technology & get a higher quality light at a higher color temperature for some of your areas, & enjoy better quality light, rather than just using CFLs that imitate the poor quality light of old fashioned light bulbs.



Winter depression can be triggered by lack of natural light because of less hours of daylight, & more cloudy, overcast days in winters. In northern climates when it's cold, people stay inside more, use heavy insulating window curtains, further reducing their exposure to natural light. 5100K-6700k CFLs help with winter depression by exposing you to more natural light. Colors look more rich & vivid. Things look more cheery. It's even easier to read under natural light.



I find I can read just as easy under a 4-watt 5100k CFL than a 13 watt 2700k CFL.



The backlight in your LCD display that you're probably reading this from is probably a 5100k-6700K bulb.



Look at the white areas on the screen & then look at your lighting in the room. Doesn't that ordinary light bulb or 2700K CFL look a lot more yellow by comparison?

 "Paid for themselves already" 2008-12-15
By D. Hentze (United States)

I use these bulbs throughout my house, and they have more than paid for themselves in energy savings already. It does take some time getting used to them. The lighting is a little different than an incandescent light bulb. Nothing major though. I did have one go bad prematurely, but I have at least 20 of them in use for over a year now. The price of these bubs has dropped a lot in the last year or two, and soon the old incandescent light bulb will be a thing of the past. Dimmable and 3-way version are also available now. ..Please note that you should dispose of these bulbs properly when they go bad. Do not just throw them in the trash.

 "Great deal for my favorite energy-saving bulbs" 2010-02-03
By D. Sopa

My first fluorescent lights were bought in a local grocery store and I was very disappointed with the color tone (they were white like paper).



So I did my research and found out that these bulbs are just your basic CFLs, at the 2700 kelvin temperature range. That means they're about the same shade as your basic ordinary 60W incandescent bulb. A pale yellow white, not pure white (5100 Kelvin), or daylight (around 6300 Kelvin).



Changed all old bulbs in my studio apartment and the electric bill went down by ~$8.

 "GE 13 watt CFL bulbs" 2009-10-16
By W. Russell (N central WV)

Have used these for quite some time. Found the best price here compared to local stores. If the savings are as good as advertised I will be very happy. I would say that they are a great value for the money... BUY THEM, its worth it...

 "Very Satisfied!!" 2010-04-17
By Kathryn L. Terry (Elkton, MD)

My home is relatively dark and I was a little apprehensive about trying the cfl bulbs so I kept putting it off. I finally tried them and I was very surprised! Compared to my regular 60 watt bulbs, I found these to be slightly brighter and more of a white light. I read a lot of reviews prior to trying them, and I'm surprised that some people think they aren't as bright. I'm curious as to why that is. Anyway, as for me, I am extremely pleased with them, I only wish I had switched sooner! Oh, and in my lamps they take about 20 to 30 seconds to warm up completely. So no big deal there.

Honeywell 38002 Enviracare Universal Replacement Pre-Filter Review. Replacement Universal Carbon Prefilter...

 "Pre-Filter Fits All Honeywell HEPA Air Cleaners" 2001-03-17
By Michela (Seattle, WA, USA)

I follow the manufacturer's recommendation to change the pre-filter every 3 months on all my Honeywell Air Cleaners with HEPA filters. These replacement filters come boxed in a set of two. The pre-filter simply wraps around the round HEPA filter, which is inside the unit, and attaches to itself by means of two velcro fasteners. It takes less than five minutes to change the pre-filter. In between changes, I vacuum my pre-filters to remove accumulated dust and pet hair from them. These pre-filters do help to remove some odors from rooms, especially if you are able to keep the space enclosed where you have the air cleaner running.

Be sure to keep a box or two of these pre-filters on hand in case they become back ordered. The HEPA filter needs to be changed in 1-3 years, depending on conditions where it is located.

 "Universal Pre-Filter" 2003-04-18
By M. Gebis (Southern California)

This filter is larger (taller) than it needs to be for most machines. You simply trim the filter (and it's got pre-made perforations) to the height of your machine. And yes, this means that if you have one of the smaller machines, one which is less than half the height of the pre-filter, you might get two pre-filters for the price of one. Bonus.

 "Good price, quality product..." 2005-08-21
By Jeffrey Pierce (New York, NY)

I'd recommend getting the Honeywell version over the cheaper imitations, so as such, this receives my highest rating. It comes with good installation instructions, and getting it out of the box and onto your Hepa filter is a breeze, so if you're in the market for one of these suckers (which if you're like me, means you're in the market every 3 months), then grab it, it's cheap and you can count on the quality since it's made by Honeywell.

 "It's my choice in universal replacement pre-filters!" 2007-06-13
By Hayley (Santa Monica, CA)

Changing my Enviracare pre-filter is one of the great pleasures of my life. Just knowing that we're not breathing in all that gunk makes it all worthwhile. Honeywell has a very low-tech solution to fitting this oversized filter: cutting it with a scissor. I would recommend trimming the filter material over a newspaper, as it can leave carbonaceous residue. Also, remove the old dirty filter inside a large garbage bag, as it's very easy to shake loose and spread around the dust and particulate crud you're trying to contain.

 "Good filter, I've used it for years" 2007-12-14
By zaxwrit

This is a good prefilter for my Hepa machines. I live in a congested part of NYC with lots of traffic and have two filters running at all times to keep the apartment's air clean. These prefilters last between 2 and 3 months, depending on local air quality. When I change them I can really appreciate them - all that disgusting gunk on the filters instead of in my lungs. As others have said, the filters come two in a package. Cut them in half widthwise (do it over a counter because the charcoal gets all over), then wrap the prefilter around the Hepa filter and secure with the supplied velcro strips. That's it, quick and easy.

North States Superyard XT Gate Play Yard Review. Whether you're at the beach or in the backyard, make sure your child's play area is safely enclosed. Great for indoor or outdoor use, the Superyard XT Gate can enclose an area up to 18.5 square feet. Gate includes six interlocking panels (Note: 8 panels shown pictured - 2 extra panels not included) constructed of durable reinforced plastic. Comes with built-in carry strap for transportation and folds flat for storage. Certified by the JPMA. Each interlocking panel measures 26" x 31."...

 "This has been wonderful" 2007-09-05
By K. Gehring (Kentucky, USA)

When our 2nd kiddo started getting mobile, I knew it was time to kid-proof the great room. Problem is, our great room is just that - great, as in large. The doorways are wide, the floor space is large, and our very curious 9-month-old was eager to explore every nook and cranny. Our older daughter wasn't quite as curious at this stage, plus we were living in a different house at that time, so we were faced with a new challenge of creating a safe play area for the baby.



One day I had the idea of getting a play yard for the great room, instead of covering/blocking every single potential "hazard" (the entertainment cabinet, the CD tower, etc.). I ventured to Babies R Us and found this play yard and the extension kit (2 extra panels) and bought it. I set it up at home and have been happy with it ever since.



For awhile, I used it in its totally enclosed state, but the baby didn't like being separated from the rest of us. I tinkered with it and came up with a way to keep her out of trouble, while still allowing her access to us - right now, it's in a large arc shape with one end butting up against the couch, the other end butting up against a chair. She has plenty of room to play (I keep her toys in there with her) but she can't get out or get to any "dangerous" stuff in the great room.



As for looks, yeah, our great room isn't company-ready right now. But we have a 4 year old and a 10-month-old in the house, so the house isn't pristine anyway (my house is CLEAN, just not always NEAT...ha ha). I figure it's temporary, until she's old enough to know to not touch certain things. Besides, we don't have company, except for family, so the unattractive-ness of the play yard isn't an issue here. Even so, I'd gladly overlook the ugliness of it just for the convenience and benefits it provides.



When the time comes that we no longer have to use this for the kiddo, I'll probably hang onto it, either to offer up to friends/relatives someday, or to keep as a puppy play yard for the future.

 "Fabulous! Sturdy and functional!" 2007-04-28
By F.Faulkner (Hartford, CT USA)

This product does what it says it does. It is a perfect play yard for our toddlers AND our puppy. We bought THREE! It's very sturdy, durable, easy to clean, and ours has lasted four years now.

Our toddler plays for hours in it and all his toys are in there, it's great. We bought an extra for outside so we can sit outside at dusk on the deck with him. When we got our puppy six months ago, we saw it makes a perfect pen for the new puppy! We have a small crate setup inside it, and a small litterbox to housetrain him. It worked great! Fantastic!

As for the reviewer who looked at it and returned it - I don't know what idiot would think it's beautiful, but why would you expect something like this to look beautiful?!?! Duh. It's a play yard. AND best part is, you can buy the extension kit. We bought two extension kits. This thing is practically unbreakable. My only complaint is that it takes a lot of strength, maybe only a man, to snap the ends together. It's very hard to snap together or get apart. But once together, we leave it up for months.

 "LOVE IT!!!!" 2007-07-15
By J. Brooks (Central Coast of California)

OK so I have a few friends that call this a "CAGE" or "Puppy Pen" but when they come over they love putting their little ones in with my son and watching them play. I call it my "LIFE SAVER" and I'm sure in many ways it's my son's life saver too. He has learned a valuable session in what is his space and what is not. It's called boundaries and he's happy and secure knowing that he has them and so am I. At end purchasing an item like this is ALL about PARENTAL STYLE. I guess I'm a true centrist when it comes to parenting style; my wife and I wear our son, make his own organic baby food and he sleeps with us on occasion. But before he started crawling we knew that baby proofing the WHOLE house was not economical nor at end would it make it safe for him to wonder. SO I happily purchased a "CAGE" or what we lovingly call "P's Play Pen". I had a "play pen" when I was young and so did my wife. This was THE SMARTEST PURCHASE I've made in baby items.



Here is what we like about it: folds flat, is light weight, comes with a carrying strap, easy to clean, no sharp edges, has a sun shade (purchased separating), easy to put together, great resale value (see Craig's list), sturdy enough for my son to pull himself up to standing (he weighs about 20lbs), good size without the extension kit it can entertain three 6-7 month olds easily.



The things that we hope will improve in future; wow at first glance it's huge (I'd say about 4.5-5 feet in diameter, the sun shade only covers half the pen, there wasn't instructions on how to use the carrying strap, we eventually figured it out, the snapping sound when collapsing or putting it up can be loud. My wife thought she had broken it once. That's about it no disappointing issues. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

 "Excellent PlayYard" 2007-07-17
By Melissa Kessler (NJ USA)

The superyard xt is perfect for my 10 month old son. It's sturdy enough for his constant toy banging as well as to hold him up while he tries to walk by himself. It took only seconds to put together (which my husband loved). It's very easy to form to whatever shape you need to fit your space (if used inddors). We all love it.

 "our little jail" 2009-03-14
By Just a Consumer (Bronx, NY)

we bought two units to put together, so that our little crawler can be contained. she loves the freedom, and we love the break it gives us. the only negative is that we find that it is a little difficult to open a section to get in. we realize that it is meant to keep a little one in, so we cannot count this as a major negative. we recommend this gate to anyone trying to keep a little one conatined, while giving them freedom to do their thing.

Euro-Pro Shark S3501 Deluxe Steam Pocket Mop Review. Quick, easy, lightweight and ergonomic. The shark steam mop deluxe is ready to use in 30-seconds. Safe to use on all sealed hard floor surfaces the deluxe steam mop uses ordinary tap water for a chemical-free clean. 180-Degrees of maneuverability helps you be able to clean baseboards and in-between furniture. 2 Interchangeable mop heads are included, the standard and triangle heads. Also included, the carpet glider to refresh and deodorize area rugs and carpeting and 5 patented two-sided steam pockets....

 "Accidental 3 steam mop SHOWDOWN!" 2009-09-17
By Kimmy in Valencia (Los Angeles, CA)

It started simple enough. A friend said, "You HAVE to get a Shark steamer mop thing. It's awesome."



But if you're a type-A like me, that's where the simplicity ends.



I researched the (older model) Shark and because of the not so great reviews, I ended up ordering the Eureka ENVIRO STEAMER. I chose the Eureka primarily because of a comparison review by a user. Turns out, alot of the qualities written in the review, like water tank size and cord length, didn't apply anymore.



So then, I ordered the Haan FS20-Plus 800-Watt Steam Cleaning Floor Sanitizer with Deluxe Sanitizing Tray based on the same reviewer's awesome comparison. But again, the info didn't match up to what I ordered/got.



Today, I finally broke down and just went to a brick and morter Bedbathandbeyond. The guy was very helpful and showed me the various Sharks and told me this new model (the most expensive at $119) had a bigger tank than previous.



So, here I am with 3 different steamer mops. Since I buy most of my stuff based on reviews, I thought I would take the time to do a very non-scientific comparison.



*Euro-Pro Shark S3501 Deluxe Steam Pocket Mop ($106 with my 20%coup plus tax at BBB)

*Haan FS20-Plus 800-Watt Steam Cleaning Floor Sanitizer with Deluxe Sanitizing Tray ($90 via Amazon)

*Eureka ENVIRO STEAMER ($69 via Amazon)



OUT OF THE BOX:

All three were very easy to put together. Handle either snapped/or screwed into base.



HANDLE:

All are plastic and for the most part, feel a bit flimsy. None really stood out above the others.



CORD:

Shark has 30' (the longest)

Haan and Eureka were same... about 18'.



WATER TANK: ((my top priority, behind obviously cleaning))

Shark -- approx 1 3/4 cups* (fill cup provided is not marked)

Eureka -- 1 1/4 cups* (fill cup provided is not marked but manual says capacity total 12 oz)

Haan -- 1 cup* (fill cup provided is marked)



*cup is based on the cup that came with Haan, the only one clearly marked. So I just filled the others and then dumped into the Haan cup. Hence, minor discrepancy. If you convert 12 oz into cups, it's 1 1/2 cups... but for some reason when I filled the Eureka container and dumped it into the Haan cup, it only filled it 1 1/4 ways. Go figure.



CLEANING PAD:

Shark's cleaning cloth covers the head but the design allows you to flip it so you can use both sides with ease. The whole head actually flips on the mop so it's not like you're taking the cloth off and then putting it back on. (2 rectangular cloths included, along with 2 triangular cloths, for the triangular head -- I guess for corners or tight spaces. But I have not used or tried out. Also, 1 fluffy looking thing that's for dusting...again, have not tried this out either.)



**edited to add 1/8/2010** I've used the purple duster on wood floors and love it! Cleans great.



Eureka -- waffle type of towel, held in place by clamps on the base. After 1 wash, the trim started coming off and it already had a very worn/old look to it. Not sure how long it would have held up. (2 included)



Haan -- a thick, microfiber trapazoid that just sort of velcros onto the bottom. Very sturdy. (2 included)



OVERALL CLEANING (see photo):

Obviously, not very scientific but I swiped a wet paper towel on a portion of my tile that I was planning to clean.



I split the area into thirds so each steam mop was used in one section (I have large stone tile with deep grout lines (see photo).

Then I went over that cleaned section with another wet paper towel to see how much dirt could be picked up.



NONE: (first paper towel on left) Clearly, the dirtiest.

Haan: cleaned the best (again, not scientific just how much was picked up on a paper towel after using the steam mop)

Eureka Enviro: cleaned the worst (but obviously, still great, compared to nothing)

Shark: in the middle.



CONCLUSION:

I'm keeping the Shark because of several factors:

*big water chamber (thus longer steam time)

*long cord (convenience of not using extension cord or unplugging and re-plugging)

*dual head cleaning cover (pretty handy)

*complete swivel head... but because of this feature, the drawback is that you have to lean the handle up against a counter because it won't stand on its own, like the Haan or Eureka.



I won't go into detail about the wetness factor because frankly, all three left the surface wet but all three dried pretty quickly (much more quickly than when I use a traditional sponge mop/pinesol). This was really not an issue for me.



OVERALL, seriously, I would be thrilled with any one of these... because they do cut down tile floor cleaning time tremendously-- and without using chemicals. Any one of them clearly beats the old mop and bucket method.



I guess it comes down to how you prioritize the features. For me, after this exhaustive research -- I'm sticking with the Shark! Good luck on yours... and my you NOT find yourself in a similar dilemma where you're obsessing over minor details like I did.



EXTRA FYI:

"Pocket" vs "deluxe" -- what's the difference between the gold and purple set?

Both Pocket (gold) and Deluxe(purple) are priced the same but the Pocket comes with ONE set of cleaning cloths. But you do get a third head -- that's an XL rectagular head. The purple set comes with two sets of cleaning cloths. I think for the money, the purple set is the way to go.



Hope that helps!

 "This is GREAT!" 2009-06-24
By C. K. Shubin (Los Angeles, Ca)

First off, I researched for days before buying this Shark Mop. Many of the reviews slammed it due to lack of pivoting head, small tank and flimsy handle.



Well, the NEW model has NONE of these issues! The head pivots, the water tank is much larger (I cleaned my medium sized kitchen and entryway floor and still have almost a full thing of water) and it feels pretty sturdy - not flimsy. The handle is also adjustable in height to make it easier.



Now to how it performed. Let me start by saying house cleaning week saw me with 2 or more different mops! I have laminated wood flooring, hardwood flooring and kitchen tile. The Swiffer Wet Jet I bought left streaks on my laminate, was afraid to use it on the hardwood and since my kitchen tile is bumpy and uneven it left puddles and some areas would not even get touched by Wet Jet pad. So, I would clean my laminate with windex on my knees, my hardwood with hardwood cleaner and mop and my kitchen with a rope mop w/ammonia and water (ONLY thing that would pick up the grime this horrible floor attracts). Having been diagnosed with a spinal disease, I would be hurting and exhausted from the bending, lifting bucket of water and mopping action. I finally got fed up and went to Bed, Bath and Beyond to try the Shark Mop - bad reviews and all.



I have NEVER mopped so many floors so fast, had them ALL looking great AND not be hurting or exhausted. I can actually say mopping if FUN with this! Now remodeling the second bathroom, it will have a different type of laminate - i'm so glad I will NOT have to have a 4th mop or system to clean it too. The grime on the horrible, bumpy white tile in the kitchen? It is so clean and streak free I'm keep looking at it with the thought of "wow" going through my head. It NEVER looked this good and ALWAYS had streaks unless I squirted some Jet Dry in the mop water.



In addition, after cleaning the kitchen floor, while preparing dinner, I had dropped the spatula with butter and egg on the floor. Then the youngest child decided to walk through the garage with bare wet feet and then onto my clean white tile floor. 30 seconds of heat up and less than 60 seconds later, floor was clean again. SO EASY. I will NEVER go back to regular mopping ever again. I can't wait to try it in the travel trailer (I do that linoleum on my hands and knees after trips).



You won't be disappointed in the new one - spend the extra $$$ to get larger tank, pivoting head, extra mop head attachments and steam duster!

 "GREAT product!!!" 2009-05-29
By grovemommy (Cedar Grove, NJ)

I just bought this steam mop today in my local Bed Bath & Beyond and I couldn't wait to get it home and try it out! Once I unpacked all of the accessories it comes with, ( 4 double sided floor pads - two rectangular and two triangular, two quick switch cleaning heads, a purple duster pad for hardwood floors, and the carpet glider) the assembly was a piece of cake. You simply snap the 3 pieces together, fill it with water and you're good to go! I cleaned every floor in my house today (2,800 sq. ft.) in less than an hour and they are spotless! I have a variety of flooring also--hardwood, laminate, and tile. Cleans equally well on all surfaces and does not streak at all! It glides easily across all surfaces and the swivel head makes cleaning in tight spots so easy! My harwood floors do need to be refinished in the near future, but this mop actually took away some of the cloudy appearance abd they look quite a bit better! I also cleaned my garage floor with it and I cannot believe the dirt it picked up! I would definitely recommend getting this mop! It does a great job cleaning and will make your life much easier!

 "Worth the price of admission" 2009-07-03
By Laura B. (South Florida, USA)

Admittedly, I've only taken the Shark for one spin so far, having purchased it at Bed, Bath and Beyond only the day before (with the ever-popular 20 percent-off coupon.) It's the first such "steam mop" I've ever tried, though I did a lot of online review searching on a variety of steamers in advance. Anyway, I'm absolutely sold on this model, which I understand is Shark's newest entry in steam mops. Here was my initial experience:



My kitchen floor extends to another room and is pretty large. The tile has a decorative "dimpling" in it, which has defeated other types of cleaning instruments in the past. But the Shark did a fabulous, fabulous job, going beneath surface dirt to grime below. I have the cleanest kitchen floor I've had since I moved in six years ago. Also nice? The cord is wonderfully long, liberating me from the necessity of stopping to find a new outlet. The water in the steam container lasted my whole cycle as well. (I did use both sides of two pads, but as I said, this was a pretty tough job.)



I later used one side of one wedge pad on two bathroom floors and blazed through them in a heartbeat. I also used it on my tiled shower floor. Amazing. I love the idea I can do this without chemicals or having to constantly buy new pads. I also love that the machine is light in weight -- a real plus if you have a bad back or other such issues.



Bottom line? I'm far more impressed than I expected to be and if it lasts a good long while and the pads really do wash up nicely, Shark will have found itself a new customer for other products as well.

 "Very Good Product" 2009-07-08
By J. Petrozzi (Columbus, OH)

I've tried multiple steam mops prior to this one (bissell, original shark, steamboy) and have returned all of them to the store for one reason or another. I was skeptical trying another one, but this one looked to have some nice features. I have to say, this one is by far the best steam mop that I've used. Large water reservoir allows you to mop a large area without refilling. This is the ONLY steam mop I've tried that works as advertised as far as steaming the floor. All of the others left the floor soaking wet, but not this one. It cleans amazingly and dries very quickly. Cleaned my whole kitchen, dinette, foyer, and bathroom and only needed to use one side of the two-sided pad, so the other side is ready for the next use.

Keurig My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter Review. My K-Cup Reusable coffee filter - Use your own gourmet coffee in a reusable filter. Exclusive to the Keurig Home Brewing System....

 "Great Little Product" 2007-05-21
By Big Dog (Dearborn MI. USA)

Very simple to use and no problem if you read and follow directions. Use coarse coffee for best results. Shake a regular K-cup, you can hear the grounds which means the coffee is coarse. Be gentle when you put the top on. It goes on very easily; no force required. Fill the little basket to just below the plastic rim. Cleaning is no problem. Right after the coffee brews brews rinse the lid and holder under the faucet and use the hose sprayer to clean the basket and it gets all the residue out of the mesh. I have a Kroger store near me which carries different blends of Millstone ground coffee in little 1.75oz bags for $1.59. You can pour the coffee from the little bag directly into the basket. Like others I do recommend doing this over the sink for any stray coffee grounds.

 "Good coffee!" 2008-01-03
By CJ (Northeastern US)

I recieved this filter with my Keurig B40 Elite Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System for Christmas this year, so I cannot review its durability. I have some worries based on the previous reviews, but I'll hope for the best. As far as the coffee this makes, it is great. Of course, it greatly depends on the coffee you use. The coffee I find myself using most in the filter is Peet's Major Dickason's Blend, but I've tried many others and they are all superb. It is hard to believe, but this produces a cup of coffee just as good as a K-Cup. It is nice to be able to fill it to the very top to get a nice strong cup, as well as use coffees not available in K Cups. It also saves a lot of money. I try to use this more than K Cups and that will keep the expense of K Cups low enough for me. Note: Many reviews specify a type of grind, but I find that a medium grind that you would find in a bag of pre-ground works great. Also, filling it to the top leaving a little room works best for me. If this lasts a reasonable amount of time, it is

certainly worth the price to replace it. UPDATE: I have already reviewed this product. I got it this Christmas with a Keurig B40. I got a "good" my k cup. I was worried by the bad reviews about it breaking. Clearly, some of these are made faulty. I found this when i bought a second so I wouldn't have to wash the first over and over. I got a "bad" one. These filters are great, unless you get a bad one. Before you use your new filter, make sure that the top EASILY tightens onto the filter. If it does, you have a good one. If it is difficult, return it go get another. If your are buying in store, check first. If you own a Keurig, you need one of these, but make sure you get the right one! (UPDATE: 6 months later; the filter still works great, but I have found that only coarsely ground coffee will work without it getting clogged. If you are using medium/fine ground coffee and it gets clogged, leaving you with little coffee, use coarsely ground. It took me a while to figure this out. Now it works every time.

 "6-Month Owner and Heavy User of "My K-Cup"" 2010-01-12
By Ronnie (Northern VA)

So I, like everyone else, bought the Keurig because it was the only unit on the market that offered the choice of either using the proprietary coffee pods or your own coffee. I am a heavy user (grad student) and would simply not be able to afford the actual k-cups all the time. I now keep them around for visiting friends or those days when I need to brew a quick cup before going somewhere (of course I splurge every now and then and have a couple of cups of Coffee People Jet Fuel or Black Tiger).



My K-Cup has saved me loads of cash and to date, it has lasted 6 months of heavy use (6 to 10 cups per day) I am not sure how folks are breaking theirs regularly. Below are some hints that I use for brewing a strong cup of coffee.



1. Best Cup of Coffee. First you must start with good coffee to brew good coffee. Max-house just isn't going to do the trick. The strongest mass-market brand I have found is Folgers Black Silk which may be good for those who like it semi-strong. I find, however, that purchasing premium coffee by the pound is still much cheaper than the branded k-cups. For real strong coffee you should experiment with "SB" Italian Roast, French Roast and Espresso Roast found in your local grocery store or here on Amazon. Not to mention if you read the coffee bag closely you will discover that an empty bag can be traded for free cup at your local SB store. I also find that if I buy the bag in whole bean and use the store's self-serve grinder to grind it down to the setting right between drip (course grind) and espresso (fine grind), I get a better brew out of the My K-cup. Be advised however, at the bottom of your coffee cup will likely have some very fine grinds in it (not at all like getting regular grounds in your coffee, these will be very fine and mostly noticeable by sight alone when all the coffee is gone).



2. Rapid Fire Use of a Single My K-cup. Now, everyone knows that when the big name coffee chain store makes your espresso, they do not wash out the little handle thing that the grounds go in. instead, they simply bang it in the trash and refill it with fresh grounds and then brew. So why would we insist on rinsing with water every time we want to make a successive cup of coffee. Instead, here is what I do: Take the filter basket over to your trash can and hold it upside down with two fingers. Now flick the plastic between the screens (all 4 of them) a time or two. Then give one final flick on the bottom and it should be clean enough to simply fill it back up again and brew another cup. For the first brew of the day, I usually do a full cleaning of My K-Cup. An additional hint is that I bought a nice stainless steel canister to hold my bulk bought coffee and I use a stainless steel teaspoon measuring spoon as my scooper. Using a teaspoon scooper allows me to get coffee into the filter basket without getting it all over the sides of My K-cup and the counter.

 "Works Great, No Modifications Required!" 2010-08-03
By C. Prutzman (Jefferson City, MO)

I've had my Keurig for 2 years, and my re-usable K-cup for 1 year. It works perfectly just as it is, as long as you don't overfill it and follow the directions.



Oh, wait...mine didn't HAVE directions.



When I first got it, I won't lie...I screwed it all up. The blasted thing didn't have directions, so I thought the cute little basket went right into the K-cup part of the Keurig. I had not a clue that the black K-cup holder part with the needle that pokes the bottom of the K-cup had to come OUT of my Keurig to put the gray part in.



I made a huge mess.



So, here are the directions for everyone else, so you don't have to be a dummy like me:



1. That place in your Keurig where K-cups normally go? Yeah, it actually comes out of the machine. Really, it does. There are three little tabs you have to push on the rim of it to pull it out. Get that thing out of there. It's not difficult, so if you're being rough with it, stop. It comes out pretty easily. Be careful you don't gouge yourself with the stabby-thingies in the machine.



2. Open up your reusable gray K-cup filter, wash it, and put about a tablespoon of coffee in there. If you like it strong like me, I suggest a finer grind. If you use Folgers, put it on a smaller cup setting or you won't get it very strong. This little bugger is made for just one cup at a time (whereas I can usually get one big cup or two little cups out of a disposable K-cup).



3. PUT THE LID BACK ON (!!!) the gray K-cup filter and put it into the spot where the regular black one usually lives (amazing, it fits!). Close it up and let 'er rip.



4. If you got coffee everywhere, you did something wrong. I know, I know...I didn't want to believe it either. Maybe you didn't put the lid on, or put the cute little basket into the machine without the gray part. Whatever. Either way, it's not the product's fault that you're dumb like me. :o) Start over, figure out what you messed up, and enjoy your coffee when you finally have that forehead-slap moment.

 "Everyday Use" 2006-11-05
By Ben Trimble

I now use the reusable filters at all times.

I have found I like Tullys Coffe the best and I

can get it locally. I drink 5 to 10 cups of coffee a

day, and I its not too expensive using ground

coffee.

Black 28 Oz. Blender Bottle W/wire Shaker Ball Review. For hundreds of years, gourmet cooks have used the wire whisk to quickly blend their ingredients into a smooth, light consistency. The unique Blender Bottle harnesses the power of the wire whisk to create a compact, modern mixer that puts other shaker bottles to shame. Athletes and other peak performers rely on nutrition shakes to supply an important part of their daily nutritional needs. Shaker cups are a convenient way to blend these drinks when an electric blender isn't available. Unfortunately, though, most shaker cups do a poor job of mixing nutrition shakes. The drink mix ends up stuck to the sides of the cup, and the portion that's not stuck is usually lumpy and poorly mixed. The Blender Bottle changes this with a simple but effective technology that produces a drink that's almost as smooth and creamy as one made with an electric blender. Not only does the Blender Bottle do a great job, but it's very low in cost and easy to clean....

 "Works perfectly" 2009-08-26
By Pen Name (Fairbanks, Alaska)

This product does exactly what it's supposed to do, blends powders for drinks. I've used several other protein shakers in the past, most specifically the Bodytech - Bodytech Shaker Bottle, 1 piece and I always have drinks that come out not completely mixed. It's pretty disgusting to be drinking a protein shake and take a bit out of a big clump of unblended whey powder. I can vigorously shake one of those shakers for 20 minutes and not get results as effective as 10 seconds with the Blenderbottle. It doesn't even require much effort, since the blenderball does most of the work (rather than your arm). The lid on the top fits very snugly. Unlike other shakers where I have to hold down the lid to prevent it from opening up while I'm shaking it and spraying my drink everywhere, the lid on the Blenderbottle is very secure. For the first few days I covered it up with my hand while I blended, because I was afraid it would open up, but finally realized that it wasn't going anywhere. The bottle is very easy to clean, and I usually just rinse off the wire blenderball with water.



My only problem with the bottle, is that the measurement markings are clear (same color as bottle). It would be nice if they were an offset color so I could quickly read a measurement without having to hold the bottle up 2 inches from my face. But other than that, I couldn't ask for a better product.

 "great shaker" 2009-02-11
By Stephen Miller

one of the best i have ever used, doesnt leak, blends fast and easy, and doesnt have any hidden crevasses for chunks to get stuck and stink up the thing. easy clean, no complaints.

 "GREAT PRODUCT" 2009-02-20
By Matt (West Branch, MI United States)

This is great for making shakes. I also use it for scrambled eggs and works like a charm. I will be ordering more of these bottles. Can't recommend enough for shakes or mixing eggs!

 "Best ever" 2009-02-13
By D. Medeiros

This is the best shaker you can buy hands down. The only shaker ive ever seen that can blend casein protein without clumps forming. Worth every penny, you wont be disappointed.

 "Amazing" 2010-03-14
By Alex Chu

I've been buying things off amazon prime for years now, but I never actually reviewed a product. UNTIL I USED THIS. AMAZING. When shopping for bottles I wanted one that was easy to clean, will not leak, and the mixing for me is a bonus. This bottle more than satisfied those criteria. I've had it for about 5 months now. It mixes my powder very very well. I never have small chunks floating in my drinks anymore.

As for the leakage, if you use hot water, it WILL leak. I tried it a few times and it leaked every time because of the pressure buildup inside. However, when I mixes with cold water I had never had a problem.



This bottle is indispensable to my workout routine.

Feliway Plug-In Diffuser with Refill, 48 Milliliters Review. The secret to this innovative product is not a drug or a tranquilizer, but pheromones, natural chemicals secreted by animals to communicate. Feliway mimics the facial pheromone released by cats to calm and reassure other cats. The Comfort Zone plug-in will relax your kitten or cat in these stressful situations and more: when transporting, boarding or hospitalizing, when moving to a new home, and when introducing a new household member. Just screw the plug-in onto the bottle, gently tighten, and plug into an ordinary household electric socket....

 "Miraculous!" 2005-09-08
By Alejandra Vernon (Long Beach, California)

The scenario: my 6 month old kitten adopted from a garbage pit 4 months ago, for many unpreventable medical and physiological reasons reverted back to her feral state; fearful, crying, and creating all-night insanity, making sleep impossible for me, the other cats, and perhaps the neighbors as well.

Most alarming was that the stressful condition she was in altered her appetite, and the most she would consume was some warm milk.

I didn't want to add to the medications she was already taking, with a prescription of something like Diazepam (Valium), so decided to give "Comfort Zone" a try.



I noticed an improvement within 8 hours, and by 36 hours, all her feral symptoms had vanished, and she was calm, slept through the night, ate, and was her charming, cuddly self again. During the first 36-72 hour period, there were some "extras," like her rubbing against my legs while I was standing in the kitchen, but now things are back to normal, and she is behaving the way one would expect a healthy 6 month old to act.

The last month has been quite an ordeal, but with the help of "Comfort Zone," I feel as though a miracle has taken place, with harmony and peace back in our humble but cozy abode.



This 48 oz. bottle lasts approximately 4 weeks, covers up to 650 sq. ft. and is recommended for all situations that cause stress in a cat, from new environments to the addition of a new pet in the family. It will also treat "urine marking," another symptom my kitty was exhibiting, as she would spray against the wall instead of urinating into the litter, a nasty habit that required a lot of cleaning up and that "Comfort Zone" has cured.

Completely odorless, the bottle and plug-in unit is a 1-2-3 simple assembly, and feline facial pheromone that is the active ingredient does not affect humans, except to improve their lives by making their fur friends happier.

 "I Wish I'd Bought Feliway A Long Time Ago..." 2006-05-16
By HJW

To the Feliway product description information above, I would also add, "Aids in calming cats...who manage stressful chronic health conditions."



My 4yr. old neutered male cat manages several chronic health conditions, which at times create seemingly unrelated behavioral issues, when flare ups occur that jangle his nerves. When his IBD is not well controlled, my otherwise angelic cat becomes stressed out & does deadly things - chewing through power cords, consuming inedible objects, eating plants untouched for years, climbing to & jumping/falling from extremely high places aggravating his arthritis, & more. When he's not feeling well, acting-out is his way of externalizing his bad nerves & telling me, "I don't feel well, help me".



So I bought a Feliway Diffuser for him for his birthday a few weeks ago, & the change in my cat's behavior was noticeable within the first few hours after plugging it in. Initially, I noticed a personality change - sort of a mellowing effect, reflecting a more leveled out & increased general sense of well-being. I see less lethargy, & more interest in social interaction, his environment, & play. It's a subtle overall field effect, but his happiness & joy somehow seem happier. I've noticed I've had an easier time with giving him his regular medications & brushing his teeth. It's a synthetic feline facial pheromone, but I call it "the airborne feline prozac"... And without putting more chemicals into his system that don't belong in the body, & their problematic side effects. My cat seems to appreciate the general change in the overall atmosphere of his home, & occasionally, he even sleeps underneath the diffuser.



The benefits my cat experiences also pass on to me - because if he is less stressed & upset, & doing fewer life threatening things in reaction to his nerves - then I'm less stressed out as well. I'd rather buy him Feliway, than spend money on veterinary visits & additional medication to deal with new problems he creates when he's stressed. And there have been a lot of them.



Feliway contains an odorless oil by human standards, & it does not upset my cat's severe asthma or allergies, nor my own more moderate conditions. In fact, I am wondering that if he's less stressed out psychologically - & in turn physiologically - if there might even be less asthma & less digestive upset due to a reduction in the cycle of internalized stress. And if it improves his overall quality of life, I'd much rather buy him peace instead of more doctors...



I live in a small 1 person unit, & 1 diffuser does seem to cover the entire place. I unplug ours when the window is open, & plug it back in when it's closed, while I sleep or am away, & any time I think he might benefit from it. The plastic bottle can be unscrewed from the plug-in unit & recapped to preserve it until your next use. This may help to extend the 6 week life span recommended in the packaging information, we'll find out. I would also add that the diffuser gets warm, but not hot to the touch, & certaintly not hot enough to burn a hand or singe a whisker or fur. I have handled the diffuser many times during use, & I have no fear of allowing my cat to be directly near it.



The only negative aspect of this product so far as I can determine is how much you'll want to kick yourself for waiting to buy it for long as you did... As a pet store employee recently told me, "It is one of the few behavior mod products for cats on the market that actually does work." While there is no substitute for building & maintaining a solid, trusting relationship with your pet - or for seeking competent veterinary care - Feliway does seem like it could be a great adjunct to it.



Feliway gets 2 Thumbs & Paws Up from kitty & me. =^..^=

 "Changed my life!" 2006-06-09
By J. Tan (Bay Area, CA)

What a truly amazing product this is! I want to give them the Nobel Prize or something. Here's how Feliway changed my life (and my kitties too!).



Jake and Elwood were from the same litter, and played well together for a few years. My devious neighbor decides that it's okay to feed Jake...and then all of a sudden, Jake stops coming home (gee, wonder why) I actually thought he might have been dead, since I hadn't seen him for months.(Both cats are outdoor, btw). When I finally did see him, I snatched him, and confined him to indoors for a while. That's when all hell broke loose. Jake and Elwood started hissing and fighting with each other, and I couldn't have them in the same room as each other. Elwood freaked out over this "new" kitty, and started spraying every corner of the house... and he's neutered! So both cats were completely unhappy. Enter Feliway.



Within 2 hours of plugging this bad boy in....Jake and Elwood were mellow with each other, and stopped hissing. After a full day, they were sleeping with each other and spooning. Even cleaning each other's heads! I can't even completely explain how magical this truly is. I love this product. I also bought the spray to wipe down the carrier before they go to the vet. It's also just as miraculous!

 "I wish the vet would've recommended this!" 2007-09-10
By K. Smith

I have a male cat who would repeatedly (and seemingly randomly) go outside the box- like right outside the box. I took him to the vet a few times, after ruling out an infection, they suggested I try to give him anti-anxiety drugs. Well one smell of the pill raised his anxiety even more and he would hide under the bed. A few months later, hopeless and tired of cleaning the carpet (and tired of buying cleaning supplies!!!) I bought feliway. I've been using it for 6 weeks now and I haven't had to clean the carpet since. Keeping my fingers crossed!

 "happy kitties!" 2007-09-24
By Gretchen Collier (the frozen tundra, nodak.)

After much agitation, from both me and kitties, i broke down and bought this.

We were having issues of them going where they are not supposed to.

I asked the vet what he thought about this product, given the situation i was facing, and he recommended it.

I bought it and brought it home.

After I plugged it in, it took about 2 days for it to get in the atmosphere and make a difference.

But it has. My cats are normally pretty laid back and affectionate, I think this has helped them be even more so.

They haven't gone outside of the box since about 48 hrs after I plugged this in; that's been a HUGE relief.

Advice: bringing a new cat into the house or changing things? This and a spray bottle of Nature's Miracle are about the two best investments you can make to make sure your house doesnt smell like you have cats in it if you do. It's a relief to walk in the front door and no longer smell that telltale ammonia smell in the air.

I know some people say they can smell it or it irritates allergies. I have never been allergic to cats, so i think thats why it doent bother me. Also i think i can smell it barely, but its not unpleasant to me- i think that its actually mellowing me out a little bit too ;)