Bionaire BCM658-U Cool Mist Tower Humidifier with Permanent Filter

I recently bought the model BCM658-U and I didn't expect it to

be able to humidify my 18'X 20'room because of its 1.3 gallon

holding tank. But to my surprise,it easily brought the humidity

level from 28% to my setting of 50% in just a couple of hours,

and it maintained that humidity through the night and well into

the afternoon before I needed to refill the tank. I was really

surprised at how it does a great job and it's small and easy to

set up in a corner somewhere. I didn't like the awkward way that

you have to hold the tank to refill it, but that's a minor complaint

Fred G

Alpharetta,Ga

I've owned my Bionaire BCM658 for a year now just after I had bought a Vornado HU1 a few weeks prior. It wasn't until I got the Vornado that it was apparent I needed a 2nd unit (large house), but but the shipping time was so long that I ran out and bought the BCM658 from Home Depot. I should have just paid for faster shipping on a second Vornado. Hindsight is 20-20.

Pros:

1)Good at getting the humidity up goes through the water fast. But no better than my Vornado HU1 which is a far superior in all other respects, and was even less expensive.

2) Water tank bottom filler cap is robust and makes a good seal.

3) Noise level is not bad even on high, as long as you're in a different room. Unit is too loud to even consider using it in a bedroom even on low speed. So the MCM658 is relegated to the kitchen, and I use the quiet Vornado in my bedroom where it's sound doesn't bother me at all.

Cons:

1) Water tank is a ROYAL PAIN to fill a real issue because in dry conditions you'll be doing this at least once every day. It couldn't be a worse design for sitting upside down while you're filling it from the bottom cap, making it very awkward to handle. To add insult to injury, the tank is so tall, it won't fit underneath the faucet in my kitchen sink for a full filling. I can get it about half full that way, and then have to pour in the rest from a jug or something while trying to hold it upright; a task for which 3 hands are definitely needed.

2) Humidifier sensor is a joke. Reads 25% all the time On or Off. When the humidity gets up over 40%, I've caught it reading 26% a time or two.

3) #2 above also makes the automatic humidity setting useless tripe also.

4) The gauge on top that's supposed to tell you when to change filters, always reads in the red 'change' zone. It did that new just out of the box, and still that way after changing to new filters.

5) Absolutely no instructions are available for dissembling the unit to change filters. What I found at Bionaire's site online was the same as what was in the box; changing filters was not addressed in the documentation at all. I managed to figure it out, but only after spending hours carefully disassembling everything in sight, only to find that 95% of the work was unnecessary.

I've not had the problem with the filters loading up with sediment as in other reviews, but I'm using an inexpensive water additive that is effective at preventing that. I also use an antibacterial water additive that keeps the mold & mildew under control. Both those are a must with any evaporative humidifier unless your want to buy TONS of distilled water, and you'll have great biceps after carrying it all from the store into your house .

To Bionaire:

*You might just try have a real person use your products before putting them production and shipping them out. That water tank needs a SERIOUS re-design, and would have be PAINFULLY apparent if any Bionaire person had tried to fill the water tank at their kitchen sink like all the rest of us slogging mortals.

*Leave off the non-functioning gizmo junk that's only intended sucker us into buying it, and put your resultant cost savings into ease of use and functionality.

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I have had the unit for about a year.. one needs to understand that when buying a small room filter such as this that

it CANNOT DO A WHOLE HOUSE, otherwise it will run all the time. If you have no whole home humidifier, then you need

to get your expectations in line. This is a good one-room humidifier or supplemental one for a dry area.

The unit has an AUTO humidity level function that actually works. As far as filters are concerned, I dont think

the permanent filter claim is really valid. It is washable but I would buy extras just in case. On low setting

it's fairly quiet.

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This unit is great, if you have a standard tub in your house you can refill the water container in about 5 seconds, and the unit keeps a large sized room a good 50% humidity no problem. The container does only hold about a gallon and a half which it goes through daily during the winter, but that just lets you know how well it's working. It really pumps out a good deal of moisture into the air without getting the floor or other items near it wet. This unit provides a really good bang for the buck.

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We had two of these machines for one year and the permanent wick in one became temporary as it crumbled. I've tried to contact customer service through their web site and had trouble with the submit button. I put the number of the replacement wick in the discussion and had to take it out as it did not accept numbers. This should be fixed!!!

The unit has worked well and maintained a 50% humidity range in the downstairs. We have a second in a bedroom and that's doing well also. However, we will order 4 replacements once we find them. Securing replacements should be easier.

Venta Airwasher -Charcoal, 5014436

After reading the reviews and seeing several advertisements, I decided to purchase the Venta LW14 for my bedroom. Venta products are German made and considering the 200.00 price tag, you might say they are the Mercedes of Humidifier/Air cleaners. Besides, Venta's advertising claims that Siegfried & Roy as well as Jose` Carreras are customers, so it's got to be good right?

The LW14 uses a very simple and efficient design of a small 2-speed fan that blows across a housing which holds 1.2 gallons of water. In the water housing lies a molded stack of 40 discs. (Picture a stack of your old '45' records all spaced about one tenth of an inch apart.) This 'disc stack' is slowly turned by a plastic gear set which is attached to the bottom of the fan shaft. As the turning wet discs are exposed to the blown fan air, the theory is that, the water will evaporate off the discs into the air and dust particles in the air are attracted to the wet discs and then deposited in the water basin. As dry, dirty air is drawn in through the top, clean and humidified air is blown out the sides of the unit. It is a great yet simple design idea.

The unit does not require any filter pads but instead requires the Venta Treatment Additive every 10-14 days. Each packet contains 1.5 fl oz. and you get two packets in the box to start. Replacements come in a box of 10 packets for about 17.00 and can be purchased at Bed & Bath or on-line through Venta or other sources. I can state from experience, that the unit will hardly evaporate any water without using this additive. According to Venta's user guide, the additive contains `wetting' and `softening' agents that make the water 'sheet' off the discs instead of 'bead' off. They also state that the additive prevents calcium and lime build up making the unit easier to clean and that it helps eliminate odors and bacteria in the water basin as well. You should refill the basin daily and then rinse it out completely and refill every 10-14 days with fresh water and an additive packet. Venta states that every six months the unit should get a through cleaning with another chemical the sell, Venta Cleaner(15.00 per bottle, one bottle needed per cleaning). Venta adds that a solution of vinegar and water can be used in place of the special cleaner.

I purchased the LW14 several weeks ago from a local Bed Bath & Beyond Store. During unpacking, I noticed a small black piece of broken plastic. I could not find anything broken at first so I took this as a piece of assembly 'flash' as found when building plastic models. I ran the unit from 7PM to 7AM in my bedroom for three nights. On the third night, I heard a clicking noise that I found emanated from the plastic gear set that turns the disc stack. I called Venta directly and the representative advised me to swap the unit out at Bed & Bath so I did so.

Oddly, the second new unit had the same mysterious plastic piece in the bottom of the box. I ran the second unit, and after a few days, I again noticed the clicking noise. Further inspection also revealed a broken plastic top latch. This was the mysterious plastic `piece' but did not explain the recurrence of the click noise. This latch is a part of Venta's '1 Click' design that makes the top motor housing easy to open for cleaning. I called Venta and they were great. They stated that this latch was part of the fan motor so they sent me out a new fan motor as well as a new gear set to cure the click noise.

Now I installed the replacement fan motor, but strangely, I found that it was much louder and spun much faster, on both speeds, as the initial two units. With this new faster replacement fan, I found it was too loud to have in my bedroom, even on the low speed setting. I called Venta again to inquire. The Venta representative was surprised and did not realize that the replacement fans were faster and louder than the fans that the units are shipped with right out of the box.

In any event, I decided to reinstall the initial fan with the broken latch, that came with the second unit, and I paired it up with the replacement gear set which eliminated the click noise.

I have an expensive humidity monitor in my bedroom and I have seen an increase in humidity from 40% to 52% with the LW14 running on low speed all night. Oddly, the unit is only losing about an inch of water in this time period. (Venta claims that the LW14 can use all 1.2 gallons of water in a 24-hour period in dry rooms.)

To Summarize: The LW14 does humidify well and I believe it is also cleaning the air as advertised. Gear noise, inferior plastic pieces are an issue as well as inconsistent replacement parts. I don't believe these problems should exist on a 200.00 German made humidifier. The customer service is very professional and the unit has a 10-year warranty. I have decided to keep the unit even with these service issues.

I have read reviews of the larger Venta models and decided to purchase one. However, this smaller model was sufficient for the room I placed it in.

Yes, the Venta products are a wee bit pricey. However, if it lasts only half of the 10-year warranty, it will be well worth the price. I have, in the past, purchase lesser-priced products of this type and they did not last.

I like the Venta LW14-it does its job well, as both an air purifier and humidifier.

It is fairly quiet; the only annoyance is the slight sound of the plastic gear that moves the wheel around in the unit's water tank. (Hence, I gave the product only 4 stars, instead of 5). So, if you place it in a bedroom-the noise might bother some people who are light sleepers.

The product does not have a water level indicator; therefore, you should periodically check the water level-I check at least once each day.

I plan to purchase a second unit, to place in my study.

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I purchased this unit over a month ago, because I live in the valley (PHX AZ) and there is a problem with air polution during the fall to spring each year. I also quit smoking a couple of years ago and go figure I now have a bit of asthma. I've tried a few cheaper air cleaners that just did not seem to do anything for me.

Like the enclosed brochures say, you must use the water treatment and it can go through a gallon in a day. Mine does exactly that, and I do notice a difference each morning when I wake up that it helps make my breathing a bit easier.

As far an annoying clicking, there is a very light clicking when it runs, but come on, if you need absolute complete silence to sleep try a library. I appreciate just a light bit of background noise when I sleep anyway.

When I clean it every 2 weeks as suggested, I do also notice some dirt/dust residue in the reservoir.

As far as the price not being so nice, I purchased mine at Bed Bath and Beyond and used one of the 20% coupons which knocks it down a bit ($40). It's like anything else in life-you get what you pay for. I'm glad I made this great investment.

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I bought one of these for my wife for Christmas. We used it in our bedroom and found that after a few days it developed a harmonic rattle that was loud enough to disrupt our sleep. i called Venta and they suggested some things which helped, initially, but that rattle kept coming back. I exchanged the airwasher for another thinking it might just be the unit, but the second one developed a similar noise in just a few days. I returned it for a cheaper ultrasonic Venta humidifier and we've been happy ever since.

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I have two LW-14 and one LW-24. After one year, all three have started to make noises. The LW-24 and one of the LW-14 have defective fan speed controls. Is this what Venta calls a "solid product?" Try to order parts, and you'll pay more for shipping than what the darn part is worth, way more. I refused to spend over $150.00 dollars in parts for this garbage.

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Honeywell H11011 Replacement Filter for Bissell 3130 Filter

This is NOT the correct part for the motor pre fiter for a Bissell 3130. The part # from Bissells website is 203-7023.

This filter is almost 2x too big. It does not come close to fitting.

correct part# THIS ITEM. when received, was 3times the SIZE for A bissell model 3130!!

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Work good and fit my big one not the little one if I need to get it I will used honey well. Thank

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Vornado AQS 15 Replacement PreSorb Filter

Some of HEPA filter units put the carbon behind the HEPA filter, and some put it in front. The Vornado has the carbon as a pre-filter, saving the expensive HEPA portion for particulates. I find I change the carbon filter rather often, and so a four-pack for me is a sensible idea. I absolutely notice when the carbon has loaded with whatever muck is in the air. Then it's time to install a new one, which is not terribly difficult. I'd rather not have the HEPA filter pick up volatile components from the air, so I'd say this pre-filter works very well.

I bought 3 Vornado AQS 15 air puirifiers early in 2003 for my home and office. After almost 10 years of use, they still work great and I've been very happy with them.

So I was dismayed when I opened the latest box of presorb filters and discovered that they are of very poor quality-half the thickness of the presorb filters I'd been getting and transparent!

We're all struggling to survive in a bad economy and I can understand cutting the cost of production, but I was pretty disappointed to see this. I'll probably use up my remaining supplies and go shop for some other brand of air purifier.

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These came rather quickly and are exactly as described. Each filter is sealed in it's own bag so they stay fresh while in storage. I've heard that the AQS 15 filters are being discontinued so I'm going to bite the bullet and stock up as I go through these filters at a rate of 1 pre-sorb filter every 2 months.

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Overpriced but they work. I guess I should be glad I can still purchase them. They do not seam as durable as the previous replacements I purchased a few years back, which survived several cleanings.

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I have had my Vornado for a little over 10 years... This Presorb filter is great. Gets rid of most smells and extends the life of the Hepa Filter. For $15 for a 4 pack. It's a great value.

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Vicks V1300 Portable Steam Therapy

How worthless? Let me count the ways, unless you are a child, the fit does not fit. This is not an electrical device and you are only allowed to use hot tap water, about a cup's worth, so there is no steam. Save yourself a bit of money and have a hot cup of tea, it will surely produce more steam than this ill-conceived gizmo.

This is not as big as it looks in the picture. It is tiny! You have to heat up the water yourself separately and then pour it into this piece of junk. There is no electric heating. Stay away from this.

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After reading the reviews here I wondered why on earth I had purchased this contraption. But I decided to give it a try because I had a VERY stuffy nose, it was late at night, and I was desperate. When I breathed in the vapors as indicated by the illustration on the directions not much happened. Then I tried placing my face/mouth directly on the unit creating a "seal" and breathing in deeply. The medicated vapors flooded my throat and lungs and then to my surprise I was instantly able to breathe freely through my nose! After six days of dealing with an incredibly stuffy nose, this seemed like a miracle to me! The relief was temporary but could be attained again by repeating the process. It really did help to open my nose, cool my throat, and quiet my cough. This will be coming along with me on vacation next week!

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I have submitted this review because the product is easily dismissed as a waste of money. It is not. No, the Steam Inhaler is not electric. No, it isn't meant for use with boiling hot water. No, you might not get steam (although you can if you want). Yes, it's basically a cup. But it does a fantastic job--if you know how to use it.

I followed the directions exactly--even using tap water. Bear in mind one's hot tap temperature will vary from another's, depending on the water heater settings. (Perhaps some negative reviewers don't have very hot tap water.) If you want the best results, you could always heat water to simmering temps in a water kettle or microwave. You WILL get steam this way.

The only thing that isn't specified in the instructions is how closely to hold the Inhaler to the face. If you follow the pictures on the box, you won't get optimal effects. So here's where you need to improvise: Put the Inhaler directly against your face, and it does exactly what you would want. This is also why the Inhaler isn't merely a cup. The funnel at the top concentrates the vapor/steam directly on the nose and mouth and keeps it away from the eyes. This feature alone is absolutely worth the $7-10 you'll spend on the product. While I'm sure some faces fit better than others, I suspect there are very few faces on which this product wouldn't work.

Lastly, one HUGE advantage this product has over others with heating or steam-generating features is portability. You can take this thing anywhere without needing to worry about plugging in. I take it EVERYWHERE with me in the house. You can also travel with it anywhere you can get hot tap water. For portability, this thing is a killer product.

If you get the Inhaler knowing what to expect and how to get the best results, you will probably be very satisfied.

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I would have given it a negative star. This is not an electronic device and it cannot use boiling water. I agree with the previous comment that by putting boiling water in a cup will produce more steam than this device.

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The Protégé 25-50 Cigar Glasstop Humidor

I gave this humidor as a gift, and he loved it. The quality is nice, the glass cover is an attractive element, but the hydrometer does not work.

This is my first humidor. As far as appearance, it looks great, nice and elegant. The wood smells great and looks like good quality. I'm having a hard time seasoning it but that could just be due to inexperience. Overall it's a good first humidor buy.

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The box itself is very nice but like other reviews I agree the hrygrometer does not work. Still overall it is not a bad price for what you get.

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this item is great and it looks great. However the problem about the hygrometer is not the problem like most are saying in this review. The main problem i have solved is that the crystal humidifier that it comes with is not good enough for the humidore. You need another humidifier in inside it to get optimum humidity. I added the gel humidifier inside with the one it came with and by the next day when i checked it it had exactly 70% humidity on the hygrometer.

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I bought this product and its looks great. The outer finish is clean and elegant. However, the hygrometer didn't worked. I solved the problem very instantly because i purchased a digital hygrometer with the order. I just placed it in and that was it. I reached my humidity level, now all that's left is smoking one to see the results.

I strongly suggest you buy a digital hygromter with most of your humidors.

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Honeywell H12005 Replacement Filter for Dirt Devil Extreme Power Cordless Hand Vac

These work perfectly. I bought TONS of them so I can throw them away after each use because they get so gross and clogged up with cat hair and dirt(we have hardwood floors and there's nowhere for the cat hair (OR dust/dirt for that matter) to go except onto EVERY SURFACE IN THE HOUSE). They are cheap enough to where I feel ok doing that. At the time it was buy 4 get 1 free or something like that and they come in 2-packs.