Monday, July 21, 2014

Cyanics Sauna Boy Portable Mini Office Bedroom Humidifier USB powered

Cyanics Sauna Boy Portable Mini Office Bedroom Humidifier USB poweredVery small size but great for humidifying my dry office. When full it lasts about 2 hours giving of cool mist (atomized). No puddles either!

I give this product two stars for coolness and looks. It is a neat conversation piece to have on your desk, especially when the steam is shooting through the top. It runs by attaching the supplied USB cable into your computer USB port. There is a small rubber button that you remove from the top and insert in a hole in the back to turn it on. But because of its size, the water empties quickly. My unit only worked once. Now when I plug it in, nothing happens. I've tried both USB ports and fiddled with the on/off button with no success. My office is fairly small, but I really didn't notice any difference in the humidity the one time Sauna Boy worked. It's just not worth the effort, or the price.

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This humidifier is perfect for the office. It's small, but actually produces a fair amount of mist, about equal to a medium setting on the humidifier I have in my bedroom. It's also great that it's portable and uses a USB for power, so I can bring it on the go. I can't speak much about the durability because I haven't had it that long, but it's been working great so far.

The downside is that it needs to be refilled about every 2 hours, so I wouldn't use this in a bedroom. But it's perfect for the office, because the refillings make for good stretch breaks throughout the day.

Also, it comes with a few stickers with alternate faces that you can put over the one on the actual humidifier, so you can change it up whenever you feel like it. It's a great product!

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So it's super cute, and after I figured the rubber stopper I got it working, but it makes this noise. I'm surprised no reviews mentioned this, maybe mine was just defective? However this super annoying high pitched sound comes from it, not unlike the mosquito ringtones I remember from high school. I can't even sleep with this running, which is when my nose dries out the most. I guess i need to invest in a boring-not-as-cute humidifier. It is so cute though! Plus it arrived early! I was so impressed with the shipping speed.

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I was looking for a small humidifier I can use at my desk at work. I came across this here on Amazon and it got a lot positive reviews. I'm giving it a test run now... some things that jumped out at me right away. There were three other people here that said theirs came with stickers with alternate faces. The one I received did not. It is how it is pictured on the Amazon product pictures, and in no way did the description of the product say it had alternate faces that came with it.

This product is made in China (what isn't?), but the manual is not translated really well. There is an English version on the other side, but somehow reading "the use of methods", which I'm assuming really means "instructions", it was not immediately clear what to do with this when setting it up.

When I opened the package, there were two little filters. You put one of them in the device by unscrewing the little base that comes out from under the lid. The instructions never mentioned that. What the instructions also failed to mention is that you need to remove the small little rubber tip on the center of the top lid. I figured that out between the pictures posted here, and one other reviewer that mentioned it.

The mist that it produces is okay, and it has a cooling effect when it evaporates into the air around you and I can feel it touching my hands as I type this. I suppose if I put this thing close enough to my nose, it would allow me to breathe in some more humid air.

It's not a bad device... and it's a neat conversation piece... I just don't think it was worth the nearly $30 price.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Floor Mist Fountain- Green

Floor Mist Fountain- GreenI bought this product as a gift for my daughter in law. When she opened it the piece holding the middle plate was missing. I have been trying to get the piece replaced, but have found the company has refused to do so, due to the product being shipped more than thirty days prior to the request for a replacement part. The part should not cost them more than a quarter, but they refuse to work with me on a replacement. Just a reminder, if you buy this product from this company, open the box and ensure all the pieces are available before your thirty days are up. If you can buy a similiar product from another distributor, I would strongly suggest you do so.

Slant Fin 195518 Replacement Mineral Absorption Pads

Slant Fin 195518 Replacement Mineral Absorption PadsDoes what it is supposed to do. It would be great if it had a longer useage interval between changes but, it lasts a reasonable amount of time. It also seems that the price is high for the small amount of pads that come in the supply pouch. Another thing is, there is no generic pads as a replacement for the manufactuers pads. You can't go buy it cheaper from a competitor, so the price is what the price is. Still, it's a good hot air humidifier and we're glad we made the original purchase 3 years ago.

This is a 3" pad. It doesn't look like the one pictured. I purchased it thinking that it was the same pad as in the picture. My Enviracaire Germ Free humidifier has a 1" reservoir. I don't know how a 3" filter is supposed to be crammed into there. The EMP-15P (pictured) filter is supposed to fit the EMP-220 humidifier. The package I received looked nothing like the one pictured. The filters I received did not have the hang tag they were just in a blank clear plastic bag with no part number or text on it. The company that sold it to me said it was the same pad. However there are clearly more holes on the pad I received and it is way bigger than what I had before.

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These pads work well with my humidifier. If they aren't too used you can soak them in white vinegar and reuse.

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The mineral absorption pads I received were different from the description of the product. These are larger pads than what I need and I intend to return them.

I was issued a full refund promptly from the seller.

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The pads came in a clear unmarked sealed plastic bag and they were the larger ones -you have to trim them with scissors to fit. They are not the ones pictured in this seller's advertisement (i.e. false advertising). However it would be too much of a hassle to return so I will just trim them. The seller could at least specify the diameter in the description along with a disclaimer saying "note you will not get the same product as the picture in our posting".

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Venta Ultrasonic Humidifier

Venta Ultrasonic HumidifierWOW! Finally one that WORKS and doesn't wake the neighbors!

We have been through just about every type/brand of humidifier in our quest for the perfect one over the last 15 years. So when I pressed the "on" switch on our new "Venta Sonic VS205" I knew our quest was finally over. Out came an unbelievable "fog cloud" of humidity that gently wafted over the room. Later as the humidity level rose monitored by the nifty LCD readout on the front the unit suspended "cloud formation" and waited patiently until the room percentage had dropped below the set level and then resumed.

Pros::

1) Absolutley soundless!!! Many of the other brands worked fine but were so noisy we couldn't sleep.

2) Runs at least 24 hours on a fill (depending on what level you set it on ours is 45% 50%)

3) Instant gratification monitors the humidity level in your room not many actually do this you just have to guess and never really know so this is big.

Cons:

1) The only one it's a bit tricky to fill. Have to turn the tank upside down and unscrew the filter. As an Industrial Designer I could come up with at least 3 better ways to do this one being simply have another fill cap on the top. But this is really not a problem since the unit has so many other admirable features (AND you only have to do this once a day!!)

Having tried many different types of humidifiers to help ease the dry winter weather, I like this one the best.

1. Unlike evaporative humidifiers, there is no wick. After a few weeks, the wicks develop a moldy odor and need to be replaced.

2. It's very low maintenance: I've had 4 units now for several months (one in the master bedroom, one in each of the kids rooms, and one in my office) and the most I've had to do is wipe the base with a towel and clean some scale off the oscillator with the included brush.

3. It's easy to operate. Two knobs (humidity setting/spray power) and one button (mist temperature). It doesn't have a built-in humidistat, but that's an advantage as far as I'm concerned, since most reviewers say the ones that do are inaccurate anyway. $20 buys you a good hygrometer that you can place anywhere in the room. (I've got the Honeywell TM-005X)

4. It's very quiet. Really. You can barely hear it.

5. I was reluctant to buy an ultrasonic humidifier because, as others have noted, the mist only goes a short distance and it mainly humidifies the floor in front of it. But this unit has a pretty good kick to it. And here's a tip -buy a small fan (I use a Vornado Flippi V8) and use it to waft the mist up into the room. The Vornado on it's low setting is also barely audible, looks great, and takes up minimal space. The Venta-Sonic/fan combo will set you back considerably less than the Vornado humidifier with the built-in fan. Vornado V8 Flippi Personal Fan, Medium, Black

6. Yes, you have to turn the unit upside down to fill it up. Big deal. Don't you have to do this with every water tank?

7. Most important -it humidifies. It easily raises the humidity level 10 to 15% in a very large 15x 20 foot bedroom with a high tray ceiling.

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I have had a Venta VS205 for several months. It does not have an LCD indicator on it -I think the VS207 has the LCD gauge. I think the picture on the web is incorrect. I live in a very dry climate. I have found the VS205 a delight. It is very quiet, works well, needs to be refilled about once a day. I operate it at about 1/2 speed in a 315 square foot second floor bedroom. At half power it raises humidity from 2% to 30%-35%, then maintains humidity at that level. No "white dust". The warm mist is not very warm, but I rarely use that function since I am more interested in the energy efficiency of cool mist operation. I like the removeable tank. At first I found flipping the tank over to fill it inconvenient, but I having filter access on the fill cap is an advancage. I am going to buy a second one for my first floor.

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This unit worked well enough for 10 months and then stopped fogging. I called the service number as it is still under warranty but they refused to take it back or offer any option other than return it to point of purchase. BB&B no longer sells these and insists that my only option is to contact Venta who loops me back in circles. Very poor service as others have stated so I replaced this for half the price from Lowes with a Hunter 33257 Hunter 33257 Carefree Humidifier Plus with Permawick with the new Permawick system that only requires a cleaning once a year instead of replacing the pricey filters every few months. While the Hunter produces much more noise on high the low setting is fine for sleeping. In addition the evaporative system does not produce any of the white dust that the Venta did. I live in Colorado and we have some of the purest water in the US flowing out of the Rockies so I don't feel there is any hope in an ultrasonic unit not producing copious amounts of white dust. We also have some very dry air and the Hunter also humidifies a larger area better without leaving the puddles that the Venta did. I'm going to call the parent company in Germany as I've found EU companies tend to care about the quality of outsourcing vs.US firms. I'll see how that goes and will revise this if a decent warranty solution is provided by them.

Stay clear of the Venta's for now though, take a look at the new Hunters with the Permawick, and save yourself some time, money, and frustration.

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I have just started using a VS205, very impressed. Over a number of years I have used every type, from a fan pulling air through wet straw to real wicks, furnace mounts, and ultrasonics. The VS205 is doing very well so I have got online to see if I can find them cheaper. I then started reading reviews.

People you must use clean water. The white dust, slimes etc. are whats left after you remove the water from the source. White dust is from dissolved minerals. Slimes and algaes are either in your supply water or pulled out of the air they are everywhere. Mineral sediment can be cleaned with vinegar, its an acid which redissolves the minerals. Slimes and algaes can be killed with household bleach, you may have to scrub their residue to delay regrowth.

I have various qualities of water in my house as I use untreated for toilet flushing, then filtered and softened for dishwasher and clothes washer, then taste and odor filter for kitchen and bath, to reverse osmosis for drinking, cooking, and HUMIDIFIERS. Reverse osmosis removes dissolved solids which is what is causing the most problems and work with these units. All my humidifiers are more effecient and cleaner with the cleaner water. Wicks don't calcify as quick and I expect the Venta-Sonic to live a long life with RO water as it's supply. No, I am not affiliated with reverse osmosis sales, I purchased one for spotless rinsing of my motorcycle. I went ahead and piped it to refridgerater and kitchen sink. I decided to use it in humidifiers as it would reduce wick replacement. They can only be cleaned twice before deteriating too badly.

This is the grain of salt to take to other reviews. Enjoy!

Pro Care Replacement Humidifier Filter PCWF813 For Use With Cool Mist Humidifiers Fits Models: ProC

Pro Care Replacement Humidifier Filter PCWF813 For Use With Cool Mist Humidifiers Fits Models: ProCare PCCM-832N & Relion RCM-832N, Robitussin, Duracraft, Sesame Street & Many MoreThis was my first time ordering a filter on line for any machine & for the price this was ridiculous. Next time I'll just buy it at the store.

I received the filters and they were not sturdy at all. I used one and 2 weeks later had to use the other one. They are not sturdy enough to last for 30 days.

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Friday, July 18, 2014

Essick Air 1040 Replacement Wick, Twin Pack

Essick Air 1040 Replacement Wick, Twin PackI haven't used anything different in my Essick Humidifier (which is by far the best humidifier I've ever owned -definitely worth the $80 I paid for it), and I think these filters work swell.

To make them last:

-add a cap of liquid bacteria treatment (buy this in a hardware store for cheap) to the base of the humidifier every other week

-soak the filters in warm vinegar water once monthly (they will retain a slight vinegar smell for a day, but that quickly fades)

I typically get 4 months use out of the filters before I replace them. With the effort I put into keeping them clean I likely could use them longer, but the mineral stains make me think they're dirty.

I haven't been able to locate these filters in local stores (and trust me when I tell you I've searched all over Denver!), so I tend to order in bulk off from Amazon once a year and keep a supply of them in the closet.

The filters were well priced, exactly as advertised, delivered with lightning speed, and made that humidifier work like new. You can't ask for much more than that!

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I was surprised to find them at such a great price. I will not actually use them until next winter but they are just like the ones I purchased elsewhere at the beginning of last winter and they were a good product so will assume these will be too.

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Better pricing than what's on other websites; exact fit and replacement of original filters furnished with unit.

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Works great and fits great. Should be used in combination with some type of bacteriostatic.

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100-cigar Humidor Cherrywood with Glass Top

100-cigar Humidor Cherrywood with Glass TopI have written knowledge that they shipped and sold me a BROKEN humidor. The bottom was clearly busted and when I asked for a replacement I was informed that it was still in workable condition. I did not agree to buy nor do I want a BROKEN but usable humidor. The only other solution they offered was a 10% credit to their store. DO NOT BUY FROM THIS PATHETIC COMPANY. I will be turning them into the better business bureau.

Great Humidor,

Bad Service,

My humidor came with a chipped corner on the lid and they replaced it with particleboard (cardboard), and then when I left a bad review because they are responsible for their product, they got mad at me--saying about returning, but unfortunately I didn't "have the time" to deal with that, just like they didn't "have the time" to check their product.

After they emailed me BEGGING Me to remove their bad rating, I did, because I didn't want to deal with them anymore. Then they stopped emailing me when I had further questions, because they got what they wanted. So I'm leaving this review here

DO NOT BUY FROM CHEAPHUMIDORS unless you feel like arguing.

Other than that, great value, and for the price I shouldn't complain because its keeping my cigars nice and fresh

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This is a very nice looking humidor, much better than what the pictures show. Inside is very roomy, and it comes with a good instruction booklet.

Problem is, it doesn't work that well. The included humidifier didn't seem to maintain consistency, and my cigars were drying out fast. I bought a DryMistat humidifier, and it worked much better, but I think the seal isn't tight, as the humidity fluctuates a good deal.

Good for smokers who only keep a few cigars on hand, and don't mind them drying out, but you may want to look at an alternative if you really want to keep cigars for a long time.

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this product provides great storage and also looks great.. its not hard to set up, and keeps humidity levels at a variable 60-80%. I DO RECOMMEND!!!!

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The humidor itself is nice. It does hold humidity fairly well. I did have to make a few adjustments, such as tightening screws and hinges. The included hygrometer on MY humidor is strictly for looks, and mine wasn't adjustable. I am not sure if my hygrometer was a dud or if all of them are like this. There were instructions with the humidor on how to adjust the hygrometer so i assume it was meant to adjust. I did the salt test and the needle didn't budge, it stayed at a steady 40%. At my local smoke shops walk in (Humidor) didn't budge either.

The glass top is great and the main reason i bought this particular humidor. It was affordable and looks great on my shelf. The hygrometer and lock on the front give it an expensive look and most importantly my cigars smoke perfectly.

UpdateAfter owning this humidor for a little over a month the wood has swelled around the screws causing the lid to break. I had issues with the screws before i even seasoned the humidor and seasoning it finally did it in. It did keep my cigars in great shape and did look good, it's unfortunate that this has broken.