Showing posts with label best humidifier for baby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best humidifier for baby. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Quality Importers Desktop Humidor

Quality Importers Desktop Humidor, Capri-GlasstopAfter reading reviews for this and other humidors from the same manufacturer, I expected to receive a good looking box with a malfunctioning hygrometer and a great deal of fine tuning required to achieve the desired humidity. However, after following very simple directions for calibrating the hygrometer (put it in a zip lock bag with a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of water for a few hours), the device read exactly at the level expected.

The newly manufactured humidor was a little dryer than ideal (50% humidity) upon arrival, so I followed the manufacturer's suggestion and placed a shot glass of water in the box, allowing it to season overnight. The humidity rose to the desired (70%) humidity level and has stayed there with periodic charging (a few minute soaking ever week or two) of the element that came with the box. Within a couple of weeks, once dried out cigars that I had stored badly were restored to their original moisture content. The scent of the reconstituted cigars and the humidor's cedar liner are immediate evident when opening the box. There is no need for any of the other gels, beads or other advertised moisture balancing devices to make this product work exactly as advertised.

The glass top and exterior hygromerter both add interest and functionality to the humidor and are worth the few extra dollars over the more stripped down product versions. If you have a few dozen cigars, this is a very elegant and cost-efficient way to store them.

The Capri Glass Top Humidor, is one very nice humidor for not a lot of money. It is actually far better than I imagined at this price point.

The finish is about the same as Bombay Company furniture; that means very nice clean smooth finish over heavy stain on clear wood. Nobody would ever mistake this for a fine furniture finish, but it looks nice all the same. The top has a glass insert that is very heavy. So when you lift the lid, this thing feels very expensive and solid (remember guys love heavy and hydraulic things). The lid seals very tightly so there is virtually no cedar odor outside the humidor. The interior is finished with nice smooth knot free cedar. There is one movable divider.

Included with the humidor, a nice dial hygrometer with brass ring, a humidifier disk, a brass name plate for engraving, and an instruction sheet. Pretty darn simple, exactly what you would expect.

The instructions are excellent and crystal clear. Add one of these, DryMistat HumidiTube Cigar Tube Humidifier, Single Tube, and controlling humidity is almost bullet proof.

For the person with a nice small collection of cigars, or the occaisonal smoker, this is just about the perfect humidor. The humidor is about the total size of three wooden cigar boxes. It is discreet, well made, and a nice size.

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I will start by saying that yes, this is an attractive box to store your smokes in. The glass top is a nice touch. It feels heavy and the lid closes tight with some good weight to it as well. I dont mind having this on display in my living room. Seems to hold about 40 cigars or so. Maybe you could squeeze in 50 if they were a bit smaller gauge. Now there is really only one negative for me. Its a pretty big negative which is why my rating went from a 5 to a 3 star.

The Hygrometer does NOT come attached to the humidor. It comes in a separate little box along with the humidifier. Sounds like no biggie, right? Well I really cant believe noone else has said this, but the Hygrometer doesnt fit properly in the hole in the from of the humdor. It comes with a Magnet for the back of it, but if you try to use the magnet to hold it in place, Ait will not read correctly, BIt does not seal tight or proper. It just kinda hangs there waiting to get bumped so you have to adjust it again. It came with a rubber ring around the base which made it so I could not even push it in the hole in from of the humidor. afer I removed the rubber ring it was simply too loose. wiggling around and not sealed proper, with a cheap magnet holding it in place.

My solution was to Super Glue the hygrometer to the humidor. Now it is in place and not moving around. I think I set it well enough to keep the humidity in pretty good. So now that it is GLUED in place it is totally just for looks. It reads at just over 50% humidity no matter what I do. Bah, whatever. I have a humidity stick in there so i know the cigars are fine, but the hygrometer is usless and a pain in the arse. Really just dissapointing that it did not come already attached to the damn humidor. I would not buy another one. Ill make sure to research better in the future. But it serves its purpose now, and looks attractive enough.

Hope this helps.

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I bought the capri-elegant glass top humidor from Quality Importers for $35.31 after taxes and shipping. Let me say upfront that I consider this a great buy and well worth the money. I was tempted to give the product 5 stars since the price of the humidor more than makes up for the issues I had with the humidor.

This humidor will do a great job keeping your cigars moist and perfect. Your cigar collection's happiness has little to do with the humidor and more to do with the operator of the humidor. For a humidor to be effective it needs to seal tightly enough to create a "mini-climate" tailored to your cigar and this humidor seals nicely (tighter than many humidors I have seen, but not too tight). You will have to "season" the humidor (as the manufacturer recommends and as all websites will tell you), as the wood inside the humidor upon arrival at your house is extremely dry and will absorb moisture in the air until it is no longer drier that the climate it is currently in. Seasoning a humidor is a way to quickly "undryify" the wood inside your humidor. Its more important to season this particular humidor because it is lined with dried Spanish cedar which is drier than other linings you might find in a humidor.

Please read this document below, as it mirrors my opinions about humidors.

Cigar Humidor Myths Exposed:The Good

1. Looks nice at a distance.

2. Larger than I expected.

3. Quality hinge work.

4. Seems to be well assembled (except for the one small issue I had with the sticker on the glass).

The Bad

1. Included brass hygrometer is a pain to get to work. This was the biggest hassle of the product. (a) The needle of the hygrometer was resting against the dial of the hygrometer (which was making it so that the needle couldn't move freely), so I had to pry the back off of the hygrometer and bend the needle so that it floated above the dial. (b) The screw available to calibrate the hygrometer is almost useless. I had to pry off the back of the hygrometer (which isn't and easy task) and hold the needle while I turned the screw, as just turning the screw simply turned the needle and accomplished nothing. (c) The hygrometer comes with a silicon ring/seal which fits around the hygrometer and is used to create a compression seal into the hole drilled into the front of the humidor. This works well, except that the silicon ring/seal was too thick and I had to use a knife to shave it a bit so that the I could push the hygrometer flush into the hole on the front of humidor. Before I shaved bits of silicon off, I could only push the hygrometer in 95% of the way, causing it to stick out a bit.

2. The people that assembled the humidor left a sticker on the glass that said "Tempered Glass". The sticker was partially underneath the wood that encased the glass and was a bit difficult to remove. They should have removed the sticker before installing the glass, or put the sticker in a place that is easier to remove.

3. The finish on the outside of the humidor is not terribly high quality. I am going to use my own furniture wax (I may apply a coat of poly) on the humidor to compensate for that, but, it would be nice if they had applied a few more coats of sealant at the factory.

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After reading all 37 prior reviews of this product, here is what it boiled down to for me as this is my first humidor (Capri-Glasstop). I wanted a cheaper, starter humidor that can hold my stash (11 as of right now, cigars). This has/will do that perfectly. I wanted to wait about a week before I wrote a review so I do have some experience with it. When I got it, it was nicely packed, no damage and the hygrometer came pre-installed, mine fit perfectly without any problem of that rubber seal. Although I did have to take it off to calibrate it with the infamous salt test (as you do with any hygrometer), mine was off by about 10% and I fixed it with a flat-head screwdriver. I put it back in and it looks and works perfectly. As far as the humidor itself, it has good materials, the hinges work well, the box has a nice seal. The only problem is that tempered glass sticker that another reviewer mentioned, it's under the lid and somewhat difficult to take off, but I did so and then used some goo-be-gone to remove the adhesive residue. The humidor doesn't look cheap at all, just remove the QC stickers and the made in china stickers and you'll be left with a very nice looking and functioning humidor. The humidifier seems to be working, I put distilled water in it and no issues with it so far. I had to season the box for about 3-4 days, I did wipe it down lightly with distilled water with no problems, so I think you can do that with this particular humidor. I plan to get another form of humidification such as the beads or a tube, I don't think that the included humidifier will be able to hold the RH for very long without recharges, and I also plan to get a digital hygrometer because they are rumored to be more accurate. The humidifier comes with a magnet so that you can take it out and replace it easily, I originally soaked the whole thing in distilled water before I realized that. Next time, I would consider a humidor that is a little smaller (this is a true desktop humidor) and that doesn't have a glass top, it's pretty, but fingerprint and sunlight prone. The wood divider works well and has a very nice fit. If you're having problems seasoning, let me assure you that it does take a few days, I used the wipe down method and a shot glass of water and the humidifier, the box is very dry (as if should be) when it comes to you in the mail. This humidor deserves 5 stars without a doubt and I only paid $34 for it, what a steal!

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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

WWHM1840 White-Westinghouse Humidifier Wick Filter

WWHM1840 White-Westinghouse Humidifier Wick FilterFits the model listed and does what it's supposed to do. Look forward to using it for a long time.

The company from which this Humidifier Wick Filter was sent was the only one I could find that sold it. Ordering was easy and it was sent very quickly. I also couldn't ask for a better price. I will be ordering this item again in the future and look forward to the same experience when I do so. I would recommend them. :o)

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This filter seems to be working fine. Although its hard to really judge just how well a filter is performing when its just allowing air to pass through it...The shipping was pretty fast, no complaints there. I would do business with this seller again!!!!

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My old wick filter was several years old and deformed. After replacing the filter I need to fill the water reservoir every day, even on low fan setting. It is really doing its job. We use pellet fuel to heat and the added moisture makes it more comfortable.

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Arrived as promised and in excellent condition. For a product that charged shipping it seemed to take a few extra days to arrive than other things I have ordered.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Homedics Hum-wm75 Cool/warm Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier

Homedics Hum-wm75 Cool/warm Mist Ultrasonic HumidifierFirst off I want to say that I did like the design of this unit. It was an interesting shape which did look cool on my dresser. I liked the fact that it was tall, so that the mist was released higher into the room. The oscillating nozzle at the top was great for dispersing the mist throughout the room. It also produced a good amount of mist at the highest setting.

Why did I return two of these units? One word NOISE. On the first use the first unit seemed louder to me than the one in the store (I purchased the unit at Bed Bath and Beyond). After a few days of use, it got noisier. The sound it made sounded like an impeller or fan had a bad bearing. It was not super loud, but was loud enough to be unusable at night when trying to sleep. Thought maybe it was a defective unit, so exchanged it for another like unit. The second unit was quiet at first, but within two days the same noise started to develop again. So I exchanged it for a similar priced Germ Gaurdian model. Haven't used that one enough yet to make a recommendation, but out of the box it was significantly quieter than the Homedics unit ever was. It really has been whisper quiet so far.

It could be that both units came from a bad batch that was delivered to the store, but I was really disappointed with the noise level for a somewhat expensive ultrasonic unit. The other two reviews both say the unit is very quiet, so this may be the case. I will say it was quieter than my old Vicks humidifier. That thing sounded like a leaf blower!

I bought this humidifier at Bed, Bath & Beyond a little over a week ago. When I set it up I ran into some of the same problems reported here--no warm mist produced at the Warm setting, difficulty getting the water tank off the body, and a hassle to fill the long water tank that doesn't fit under the faucet in any normal sink.

I went back to BB&B today to see what other humidifiers they carry so I could make an exchange. I happened to encounter the store person in charge of the heater/humidifier/fan department. I told him the problems I was having with that model. He was honest enough to tell me that just in the last few days they had gotten an email from Homedics that this humidifier is being recalled from the market precisely because of these problems. BB&B has removed this item from its shelves, and he told me that they would be happy to take back mine.

So be aware: This humidifier has been recalled by the manufacturer. Don't buy it.

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just got this humidifier and IT ROCKS!! its pretty big, but i found a great spot for it. and the size is height, not floor space, so its easy to find a spot. its also VERY quiet, unlike other humidifiers ive used. the warm mist setting is warm, not like an extra heater, which is perfect. also, the light is there but not GLOWING like an unwanted nightlight (i like to sleep in the darkest dark and it doesn;t bother me) highly recommended and well worth the money esp if you cant handle the nasty dry heater air! MY SINUSES THANKED ME

UPDATED TO ADD i ended up returning this after it started leaking all over the rug in my bedroom. I had it less than a month. I originally gave it 5 staRS, obviously now it gets about 1.

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I've only had this for a few days, so I can't speak to how durable it is. BUT...I really love this humidifier. I've had a ton of different machines over the years, and let's be honest, they all sort of suck. They take up a chunk of floor space, they are awkward to pick up, the filter/machine gets totally nasty after a while, and you have to refill them every day.

First this one has a great design. You wouldn't be embarrassed to have this one sitting in the middle of your living room. It is large, but as someone else said, it is tall, but not wide. And because you can have rotating spray or direct it, you can stick it in almost any corner without worrying about the walls. The container holds enough water for at least a couple of days. There is no big filter -there is a small demineralization filter -and I love that you have a warm and cold steam option. The other great thing is that the tank is easy to pull off, fill and place back on without holding this weird, huge jug and trying to set it on correctly (which also is a concern when you live in a small space and worry about bumping into it -or have a small kid. My daughter doesn't push the buttons and just plays with the mist).

The other great thing is that this is SUPER easy to move. The hole in the center makes a great handle -Which after 5 humidifiers without an easy grip/handle is truly amazing. This is expensive, but then I think about the money I have spent to buy 5 or so "cheap" humidifiers, this one doesn't seem too bad (especially assuming that it lasts.

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I've had this humidifier for a couple months and I like it ok but it definitely has some major design flaws.

Pros:

Oscillation is great, it spreads the moisture out around the room.

Puts out a good deal of moisture in a large room

Looks pretty

Its tall so it works fine on the floor, doesn't need to be put on a table or anything, but I think it works a little better on one.

Cons:

As an engineer the first thing I noticed and complained about is that it is designed for form over function. The water tank looks good on the unit, but its horrible shape makes it difficult to fill, difficult to handle when wet, and has sharp edges that make me afraid to accidentally drop it and slice my foot open.

The spring in the valve is not made out of a non-corrosive material. It started to rust after only a month. I doubt it will last more than a year.

The "warm" mist is barely room temperature. It really isn't warm at all. 3 inches from the outlet the mist is room temperature, more than 10 inches from the outlet the mist feels cool.

There are a couple parts in the base that if they aren't pushed together snugly, it will leak. Only happened to me once and leaked about 1/2 cup of water total overnight.

I generally put function over form, and therefore would not purchase this product if I had to do it over again. If you want one that looks good and works pretty well, go for it.

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Thursday, March 20, 2014

Essick Air 1044 Replacement Tabletop Wick

Essick Air 1044 Replacement Tabletop WickAfter ordering the other one listed, that didn't fit. This one fits and does a wonderful job, I use it in the bedroom overnight helps my breathing.

Well, it is just a humidifer wick so excuse me for not getting wildly excited, but as far as humidifier wicks go, I can't complain. It does its job exactly as I would expect as I would expect a humidifer wick to. So...yeah. Good product. Thanks

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Monday, December 23, 2013

Stylish Burl Vented Cigar Humidifier

Stylish Burl Vented Cigar HumidifierWe're using this humidifier in our guitar cabinet rather than for cigars. The space is tight and being able to mount it on the side out of the way is what drew me to this particular model. It can't handle the 10 CF volume by itself so we added a small Cigar Oasis unit with a fan and I've ordered a couple more of these, which I think will get us where we need to be.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Carters Keep Me Dry Flannel Bassinet Pad

Carters Keep Me Dry Flannel Bassinet Pad, EcruThis pad is perfect. I was looking for something to cover the changing area of a pack and play, and this pad works great--it is just a touch larger than the changing area. I also have a traditional bassinet that we use for the first few months--the pad fits nicely in that as well. I've always been a fan of using lap pads in changing areas so that if the baby has an accident during a diaper change, you don't have to change the whole cover, just the lap pad. I didn't know these larger ones existed, but I'm so happy I found them. Now I can catch spit up and diaper leaks/accidents in the bassinet and diaper changing areas. In response to the other reviewer, it is 18x27.

I use this pad as a place to change my infant's diaper -either as a cover for his changing table cushion, or as a stand alone on the bed/sofa/floor. I have several other changing pad covers and this one is by far my favorite because it is soft (not vinyl or plastic coated like others, which does not seem nice against my baby's skin), and waterproof enough that we have not experienced any leaks through to the other side when my baby pees during a diaper change. Furthermore, because it is somewhat heavyweight, it stays flat and is hard for my baby's roving hands to grip and pull on during a diaper change, which he does with some other lighter weight changing pad covers. Further, it has a smoother texture, unlike some more fuzzy ones that I got from a different company, and as a result seems to stay cleaner looking. Although not recommended in the washing instructions, I put it in the washing machine (hot water) and dryer, and it's holding up great (5 months of heavy use). It did shrink a bit in the dryer, though I didn't mind since it is still big enough for diaper changes. I am buying another one.

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I put this under the fitted sheet for the Graco Travel Lite Crib and it works like a charm. Keeps the pad underneath clean. I also put these on the floor after a bath, when I'm putting on lotion and dressing the baby. These are just so handy and keep anything underneath completely dry. Wash very well. I've washed these many, many times in my HE front load washer and dryer and they hold up great.

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At first, my wife and I went through hundreds of disposable pads (aka chucks) on our changing table, but since we were washing diapers, wanted to find a 'greener' alternative for the changing table.

These flannel pad are oddly fantastic in that even without a nylon backing, they do not leak through urine or runny solids (unless you leave them for hours). I suspect this is due to a very tight weave. Please note that the tight weave also keeps urine from be absorbed immediately, so I am not so certain of using them as lap pads and two times I did such, I found myself also washing my own garments.

We have found that 10 of them seem to serve us very well.

Regards.

John

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After extensive research and even a class on cloth diapering at the local birth center, I settled on the Grovia system and have not regretted that decision. My son is now 12 months and we have been using Grovia since about 8 weeks. We have lots of cloth diapering friends so I have had the chance to see lots of cloth diapers in action and I am very glad that I invested in grovia to begin with. Here are the products we use, why we like them and (in some cases) how they could be improved. There is a lot of material covered in this review. I am doing it this way because I wish there had been something comprehensive like this on Amazon when I was shopping for my diaper stuff! If you are considering buying a Grovia system, this will be helpful for you. If you are looking for a comprehensive review on just one item, other reviews may be more suitable.

Our total system consists of the following:

Essentials;

*15 All In One shells in a variety of prints and solids = 6 velcro and 9 snap GroVia All-In-One (AIO) Cloth Diaper Planes

*36 organic inserts GroVia Certified Organic Cotton Soaker Pad 2 Pack

*Magic Stick diaper ointment Magic Stick All Natural Diaper Ointment, Clear, Net Wt. 2 oz.

*Brabantia Pedal BinPedal Bin, 30 Litre (White) (25.98"H x 11.54"W x 15.55"D)

*36 Grovia Wipes GroVia Cotton Cloth Wipes, 12 count

*Diaper Detergent Tiny Bubbles Detergent, Net Wt. 60 oz., Yellow Box

Non-essentials, we use these items for convenience,

*Diaper scraper Make My Day Two Birds Silicone Spatula and Scraper Set, Black

*Diaper sprayer bumGenius Diaper Sprayer

*Wipe Warmer (perfectly fits grovia wipes) Prince Lionheart Premium Wipe Warmer

*2 waterproof changing pad covers Carters Keep Me Dry Flannel Bassinet Pad, Ecru

*24 washcloths (for top layer of changing pad)Martex Hospitality Washcloths 24-Pack (White)

*1 little pottyBABYBJÖRN Little Potty White

*Disposable Biodegradable diapers for backup and travel Broody Chick 100% Natural Fully Compostable Diapers Jumbo Box (Junior 26.5 55.1 lbs. (96-Count))

*Disposable overnight diapers for heavy wetters Seventh Gen. Baby Overnight Diapers, Stage 4, 24 Count (Pack of 4) = 96 total diapers

*Triple Paste Diaper Ointment for use with disposablesTriple Paste Medicated Ointment for Diaper Rash, 16-Ounce

There are a number of items that we have tried, but did not find useful and either returned, donated or gave away. There was quite a bit of trial and error and research that went into the above system. I have only listed the items that work beautifully and will simplify your cloth diapering efforts.

I will jump right in with some gripes.

Cloth diapering is not cheap and despite industry claims, I have not realized cost savings in the first year (as compared to buying premium disposable diapers at Costco). When you add up the cost of the diapers and accessories, the cost of your time doing all those extra loads of laundry (or paying a diaper service), the cost of the resources to wash and dry all those loads, and the cost of all the special "cloth friendly" accoutrements necessary to care for the diapers without ruining them, it really adds up. If you are going to use the system for more than once child, then you will realize some significant savings (be sure to buy gender-neutral covers if that is your intention). The bigger motivation to cloth diaper (at least for me) is the dramatically reduced environmental impact and health benefits of cloth diapering. Conventional disposable diapers are loaded with toxins that pollute the earth, the workers that produce them and of course, your baby. Not to mention that it takes over 500 years for regular disposables to break down in the environment. That means that your babies dirty diapers will still be polluting the earth when your great, great, great, great grandchildren are born. Talk about a crappy legacy to leave behind!

Now the good stuff.

I chose Grovia because of the convenience and simplicity of the whole system. I knew that if I was going to cloth diaper, it would need to be as simple and easy as possible, even if that meant I would pay a bit more up front. There is a massive amount of information about cloth diapering on the net and much of it is overly complicated. Cloth diapering does not have to be complicated. You can simplify things quite a bit by sticking with one brand/ one system.

Having said that, the grovia system was too big, hard and bulky for our 10 pound newborn (and Grovia products are pretty trim compared to most cloth diapering systems) so we used disposables for the first couple of months. It would look like he was sleeping on an incline because the grovia insert was so thick under his bum. Other cloth brands have special newborn sized diapers and inserts, but I chose not to invest the money for newborn cloth diapers that would only be used for a short time. We used Broody Chick 100% compostable disposable diapers for that period and the added convenience of the disposables was great during that initial difficult phase. We had some minor problems with diaper rash during that time, but the Triple Paste always cleared it up in a day (then we would go back to the Grovia Magic Stick).

I breastfeed our baby so the diaper changes are more frequent (than formula fed babies). I wanted enough diapers to last three days. I did not want to do an extra load of laundry every two days. I kept adding covers, inserts and wipes until I had enough to last three days, hence the numbers above. If I had known in the beginning how many covers and inserts were going to be required, I would have saved some money by buying some of the larger Grovia combo deals.

The 30 liter Brabantia garbage pail is all steel, easy to clean and self sealing (no stink outside the pail) and the perfect size for three days worth of Grovia wipes, covers, inserts and changing pads. It has an inner plastic pail with handle that makes trips to the laundry room a breeze. I reuse use the plastic liners (that came with the pail) by putting them in the sun and alternating every three days. The sun eliminates all the odor from the liners.

I primarily used the 6 velcro covers (more convenient than snaps) through 11 months when our baby was finally able to figure out how to open them (and they are pretty worn looking velcro tabs at this point). Then I transitioned into primarily using the 9 snap covers and keeping the velcro covers only as backup. Grovia has a service that will remove the velcro tabs and replace with snaps for $6 a diaper. I wish they would offer a service to just replace the velcro, but I am happy with the durability of ALL the covers. They have held up better than I expected.

Our son gets a lot of time in nature. We don't worry about his clothing or diapers getting dirty if he is having a great experience. The darker colors and the patterned shells hide dirt and grass soiling better than the light solid shells. The gentle cloth diaper detergents aren't great at getting out dirt or grass stains either. If I had to do it over, I would not buy any light colored solid covers.

We bought some Grovia Booster pads to try before we went to the disposable overnight diapers, but our guy would soak through the regular "Soaker Pad" and the Booster Pad and wake up with wet clothes and bedding. There just wasn't enough absorbency for our breast fed baby. Changing him several times a night just added to the stress of those early days so we transitioned over to the disposables for night time and have been happy with that choice ever since.

The Grovia Magic Stick is truly brilliant! It is all natural, effective and does not require you to dip your fingers into diaper ointment while wrangling a diaper onto a squirming baby several times a day! It also does not adversely affect the absorbency of cloth diapers they way regular ointments do. Do not use the Triple paste (or any regular diaper ointment) with your cloth diapers. The waxes and petroleum oils in regular diaper ointments coat the cotton fibers and prevent them from absorbing liquids. We tried several top rated "natural" ointments for our occasional diaper rash, but Triple Paste worked where the natural ones failed. We used it sparingly whenever bumps appeared (which was pretty rare compared to our disposable diapering friends).

Grovia wipes are fantastic. I wrote a separate review on these that compared the three types of wipes I bought. Grovia wipes were the best of the three and they work with the Prince Lionheart wipe warmer perfectly.

The Prince Lionheart Premium Wipe Warmer is the perfect size for the Grovia wipes and will hold a stack of about 15 wipes folded in half and stacked. We load a stack of wipes and then fill the wipe warmer with water from the tap. We do not use any "wipe solution" and we have had very little problem with diaper rash. 95% of the world cleans their bums with water alone (no paper) and it works beautifully. We stopped using the warming function after 5 months and baby does not mind the cool wipes at all. At this point, it is basically a nice looking/ easy to sanitize box to keep the wipes moist on the counter.

Little Potty. We started our son on his Little Potty when he was about three months old. Whenever he would cue that he was "going", we would take him to his potty to go. Now at 12 months, we take him to his potty after every meal and when he cues and he uses the potty pretty consistently. It is easier to dump and rinse the little potty contents into the toilet than it is to change and wash his diapers so we encourage him to use his little potty as much as possible. He gets lots of positive feedback and interaction when he "makes it" to the potty so he enjoys using it. At 12 months, he is very comfortable sitting on a potty to pee or poo. We keep the Little Potty on the bathroom counter and stand with him while he is sitting on it. I have seen lots of people start out with the Little Potty on the floor, but if you have the counter space in your bathroom, this will save your knees and back and make it easier for you to interact with your baby while on the potty. In another month or two, we will transition it to the floor for his use.

Grovia Little Bubbles diaper detergent. I have used the 5 top rated diaper detergents and honestly, I can't tell a lick of difference between them. I do a prewash with 1/2 indicated amount detergent and then a full wash with extra rinse using the full amount (per detergent instructions) of detergent. The most important thing is that you use a detergent designed for cloth diapers. Regular detergents have enzymes that will deteriorate the waterproof barriers in your cloth diapers. Cloth diaper detergents also do not have the dyes and perfumes that can irritate baby skin. I am currently using Grovia detergent and it is at least as good as the other top rated diaper detergents. I can't say that it is anymore effective at removing stains than the others. My diaper inserts are stained, but they are clean, soft and have no smell whatsoever when they come out of the dryer. I have always used cloth diaper detergent and I have never had to "strip" them. I use 14 ounces of wool dryer balls to dry my inserts and wipes. The dryer balls shaved ten minutes off the 80 minute dry cycle required to get a load of diapers dry. It takes only 70 minutes with the added wool balls.

Bum Genius Diaper Sprayer. We bought this, but after reading stories of flimsy parts and flooding disasters, we replaced the hose and a couple other flimsy parts with higher quality metal plumbing pieces and have not had any problems for the past year.

Carter's Keep Me Dry FLannel Bassinet Pad. This is my mid layer on the changing pad. I have three layers on my changing pad at all times. Bottom Layer; changing pad cover that came with the pad Middle layer; Carter's Keep my Dry pad Top Layer; Cotton washcloth. The washcloth gets changed about twice per day and does the heavy work in this set up. It catches all the drips, smudges and bits that accompany diaper changing. The Carters catch everything else and help keep the diaper pad cover looking fresh. It gets changed about once per week. The changing pad cover itself gets changed about once per month. This three layer set up makes it easy and fastto keep the changing pad clean and fresh. All of these layers get tossed into the cloth diaper bin and are washed right along with my cloth diapers.

I will come back from time to time to update this review. I hope it was helpful for those trying to wade through all the cloth diapering info out there and find a simple, but effective set up. If this review was helpful to you, please vote!

Friday, July 5, 2013

Best Baby Humidifier

As a parent, my worst nightmare is when my baby has trouble breathing. If your baby is sick, or is suffering from dry air in your region, consider getting a humidifier to help moisten airways.

Dry nasal passages are breeding grounds for viruses since they can survive best in dry places. Running a humidifier can be a great way to stave off colds and flus.

When you first start shopping for a humidifier, you can easily get lost in the sea of what is on the market. There are some things to consider when shopping and they include knowing what kinds of water a humidifier will take.

Some take tap water and some take distilled. I would recommend using distilled if you can anyway, tap water has minerals that can build up and eventually be a breeding ground for microorganisms.

However, if you must use tap water, make sure to clean your humidifier often with vinegar. You will also want to make sure if the humidifier has replacement filters or wicks. That can be an extra cost when it is time to replace those. If you know you'll be using tap water, it is probably best to get a humidifier with a filter to help eliminate some of the minerals.

Kinds of Humidifiers

One type of humidifier available are ultrasonic ones that give you a cool mist by ultrasonic sound vibrations.

There are also impeller humidifiers which use a high speed rotating disk, or fan, to make the mist.

Another kind available is evaporative humidifiers which use a fan to blow air through a wick, or filter.

The first two kinds have been known to put out microorganisms and minerals into the air from the water, but the kinds with wicks and filters do not. If you decide you want an ultrasonic or an impeller humidifier, then please ensure that you clean it well between uses.

Top Rated Baby Humidifier

If you want a sturdy machine that runs efficiently, take a look at this Lasko 1128 Humidifier. This is a great humidifier to get if you want it to disperse into multiple rooms.

This humidifier holds up to 4 ½ gallons of water and is easily removable for filling and cleaning. It has a 9 gallon per day output. It features three different control speeds. I like that it has castors so it can be easily moved once sitting upon a surface.

Your purchase includes one evaporative filter pad. It also features a power indicator light. Because this humidifier is so large, it runs quite loud. You probably wouldn't want to put this in your baby's bedroom, but it will do a great job moistening the air throughout your home.

It does such a good job getting the air moist, you really may not care about the noise. I like that it has two handles with which to carry it, and if you do so, you won't have any leakage issues. I have found that using this unit on high speed for about a week had increased the humidity in my home up to around 45%. This humidifier is user friendly and is a workhorse.

Cool Mist Humidifier

This SPT Ultrasonic Humidifier is a lot more intense that many others you can get, but it gives you a lot of versatility. First of all, this is not only a cool mist humidifier but a warm one too.

Often, to treat symptoms, one or the other is better for your particular ailment. Having both options in one machine is super convenient.

It has a sleek design with large, user friendly knobs. The carry handle feels very sturdy and is easy to use when transporting. It features an ION exchanges filter that de-mineralizes and treats the water to get rid of calcium and magnesium from hard water. These two things add to a nasty build up.

It runs fairly quiet and features a nozzle that can be rotated 360 degrees for the best adjustment. This machine will moisten the air for rooms 500 square feet and has a 4 liter water tank. It includes cleaning brushes since the parts are a little more complicated than other, simpler humidifiers.

This machine took the humidity in my room from about 20% to 40% in just a few short hours. If you find this machine leaking, you must ensure that the o-ring isn't getting rolled up on itself when you put the tank cap on. This should eliminate leakage issues. At full power, I needed to replace the water about every 12 hours.

An Inexpensive and Cheap Baby Humidifier

The Crane Drop Humidifier not only has a cool design, but works very well and comes in multiple fun colors. This humidifier is good for rooms up to 250 square feet and can give you 24 hours of moisture if you have it on the medium setting.

The best thing about this machine is how quietly it runs. It has an auto shut off feature for added convenience and safety. This would make a great humidifier to put in your baby's bedroom specifically. This will put out 2.3 gallons of moisture and has a 360 degree nozzle so you can direct the flow wherever you want.

I like that the manufacturer claims that it is energy efficient by using less power than a standard light bulb. It's pretty user friendly as well and is easy to fill. If you know that you have severe hard water, you should use distilled. But if it is mildly or moderately hard, then the use of tap water is an added convenience.

Since this humidifier does not require the use of a filter, you should make sure to clean it well between uses. I like how compact this unit is, however I find that the water needs to be replaced almost every day since the reservoir is small.

You should be aware that the higher the setting, the louder the operation. It is a lot quieter than others I've used however. This is a great machine to have for small spaces and does the job quite effectively; you can't go wrong with this one.

Quiet Baby Humidifier

On the whimsical side, and since you are considering a humidifier for your baby, consider getting this Crane Adorable Mist Humidifier. There are many cute animal designs to choose from, including a dog, a bear, a frog, and an elephant to name just a few.

This humidifier is also good for moistening the air up to 250 square feet and has a removable one gallon water tank that puts out 2.1 gallons of moisture in the air per day. This is a nicely compact unit and will be great for small areas.

I like that this machine is quite easy to fill and features a built-in auto shut off for convenience. This is also an energy efficient humidifier and uses much less energy than others on the market.

You should be aware however, that you can't individually adjust the humidity and mist levels. If you don't require varying degrees of moisture though, this will be a good choice for you.

The opening is small so scrubbing the inside of it out is not as user friendly as one would hope. To fix this, I usually only use distilled water to keep the tank from getting gunky. When I do scrub it, I use a bottle brush with a super long handle to get the inside clean. I like that there is no filter to use either so that saves money.

Top Rated Warm Mist Humidifier

The last, and most affordable humidifier on our list is the Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier. This machine boils the water to a pure steam vapor that is 96% bacteria free. It has a built in shut off for added convenience and safety, features a 1 gallon water capacity and runs up to 12 hours between fillings.

It runs very quiet and I love the soft glow of the night light. You get 2 different settings to choose from and I like that it features a medicine cup for use with Vicks Vaposteam or Kaz Inhalent for even more symptom relief. The only drawback to this feature is that the cup is a bit on the small side, but just having it makes using it very nice.

Obviously the higher the setting, the louder it gets but it doesn't sound much different than a waterfall feature bubbling, or a pot of boiling water. The two handled design makes it very easy to carry around. The output is vertical and does not have as much versatility in direction. The tank is quite tall so you will want to make sure and fill this in either a very deep sink, or your bathtub.

This would be a good addition to your small baby's room to help with dry air issues. I have noticed that this humidifier gets dirtier more quickly, especially with tap water. As long as you clean it 2-3 times a week with a bit of vinegar and water, it stays pretty clean and will last a long time for you.