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- Review count69
- Helpfulness votes181
- First reviewApril 15, 2016
- Last reviewDecember 7, 2023
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.3
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- First answerJune 19, 2020
- Last answerNovember 8, 2020
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Get quick access to favorite drinks with this GE beverage center. The spacious interior holds up to 109 cans or 31 bottles of wine, while the glass door and LED lighting make browsing contents simple. This GE beverage center features five oak shelves for added durability and a natural aesthetic.
Customer Rating
4
Show off those beverages - You know you want to!
on August 22, 2019
Posted by: DonnieZ
from Joliet, IL
My wife and I had been tossing around the idea of getting a second refrigerator for the garage to hold beverages - mainly to relieve some pressure on the interior of our primary kitchen refrigerator - the amount of real estate taken up by soda and craft beer was ridiculous. I didn't want to have to go outside or downstairs to get a beverage, so this beverage cooler was a perfect addition to our kitchen.
We're not big wine people, so we use this mainly for canned and bottled beers and soda.
The design of this unit is top notch - it looks great in almost any setting, especially if you have stainless appliances in your kitchen or bar area already. The cooler fit nicely in our kitchen. We ended up setting this at the end of our kitchen counter. Ideally, this unit would be counter height or possibly an inch or two shorter, so it does look a little short next to our countertops. The stainless steel door, wood shelving, interior light, tinted glass, and modern style handle give this thing an appearance that says, "Yes, I am a premium appliance sitting in your home."
The wood shelving is a nice aesthetic, however, for storing cans and some bottles vertically, they simply don't sit right and I have to move things just-so to get them to stand up properly when refilling the beverage cooler. If I were storing wine horizontally, this would not be an issue - bottles rest perfectly in the space between the wood slats.
The light on this unit is a nice touch, but if you have it full of beverages, the light really only makes the bottles / cans immediately near the light visible. I'm not sure how this could be improved, but it definitely will not be illuminating those beverages in the lower portion of the cooler.
The temperature on this unit can range from 41-61 degrees Fahrenheit. I'd like it to go a bit cooler, but in practice, this is cold enough for both our sodas and beers. Even at it's coldest setting - it holds temperature well and I'm not sure I can tell you that I've heard the compressor running - it's very quiet! However, I suspect the coils for this are on the left-hand side, as that side of the unit is where the heat seems to be dissipated.
The door does have a lock at the bottom. We don't have a use for it in our home, but the lock is a simple key that turns a square bit of metal in the side. When locked, the door can be pulled open a bit from the top, but the lock is mainly there to serve as a gentle reminder to say "Hey, I'm locked - go away."
At its core, this unit is a dorm refrigerator with a nice door, a light, and wooden shelves. It looks great, keeps your beverages cold, and if you can get it on a good sale it's a good value. I'm not sure I'd pay the non-sale price for this unit though.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Achieve the deep-fried flavor you love, without all the oil and added calories. The Chefman TurboFry™ Air Fryer allows you to bake, fry and roast like a pro. This airfryer requires little to no oil, so there’s less of that fried oil smell lingering in the house and less fat that you’re consuming. It’s large 3.5-liter capacity and flat basket gives you the ability to cook enough for a hungry crowd all at once. Skip the microwave! Reheat soggy leftovers in the air fryer to return them to their original texture. Make better-for-you fries that are just as crispy and tasty, roast chicken thighs, or heat up leftovers for a quick and easy meal. The temperature control with 60-minute timer automatically shuts off once food is done, so you never have to worry about burning or drying out your food. Its space saving basket is removable and dishwasher safe for easy clean-up, so you’ll have more time to dream up your next air-fried meal!
Posted by: DonnieZ
from Joliet, IL
I had been looking at getting an air fryer for a while now, as I've been trying to eat a bit healthier and drop some pounds.
The ChefMan Air Fryer is a no-frills kitchen appliance that delivers on it's core functionality - making deliciously crispy food without the use of excess oils or fats.
The air fryer itself is kind of a funky shape that looks like a futuristic coffee pot sitting on my counter. Pulling the handle though reveals it's true self and exposes the cooking basket. The basket isn't exceptionally large though - it can cook enough chicken strips for my wife and I to have dinner in one layer. It will hold enough tater tots or fries as a side for 3-4 people though if you have normal serving sizes, however those foods are layered.
Layering is important - it's best to operate this device while food is in a single layer, rather than food stacked on top of one another. If you do have to stack food, give it a toss a couple of times during cooking to ensure that all parts of the food get some exposure to the heat flowing around the outside of the food. Otherwise, you'll end up with deliciously crispy spots and some that are not so delicious and crispy.
The operation is very easy. Put food in the basket, twist the outer ring to the temperature you want to cook at, and turn the middle dial to the time you want to cook for - this turns the appliance on and the cooking begins. Hint: Cook for a little bit less time than you would in an oven. As you use the Air Fryer, you will learn how to adjust your cook times, likely down a bit from what the directions for your food state.
While the fryer is operating, it's really quiet and does not put out a lot of heat, which I was surprised at. The top of the unit is where air is taken in and the back of the unit is where air is exhausted - so don't operate it too close to a wall. I run ours in the center of the kitchen island.
Cleanup is a breeze too - the interior surface is a very nice non-stick coating. A simple once-over with the dish wand with a good dish soap gets this thing looking brand new again.
Overall, this is a great appliance that would make a fine addition to anyone's cooking arsenal - from the experienced chef to those who simply want to have a fast and easy way to heat up pizza rolls. If permitted, this would make a great addition to any college dorm/apartment kitchen.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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-15points
23of 61voted this as helpful.
isten to music and talk hands-free with these JVC Deep Bass wireless headphones. Powerful drivers deliver sharp, lifelike audio, while the Bass Boost feature helps you feel the beat by enhancing low-end frequencies. These JVC Deep Bass wireless headphones have integrated microphones and on-ear controls for making and receiving hands-free calls.
Customer Rating
4
Excellent Value in BT Over The Ear Headphones
on June 17, 2019
Posted by: DonnieZ
from Joliet, IL
When I first received these headphones, I paired them to my phone, put on my favorite Eminem playlist and was disappointed with the sound quality. I hung them up and went to bed, but pulled them out the next morning to give them another shot.
I then realized that I'm not listening to headphones in the $400 range, I'm listening to headphones that cost a tenth of that - and they deliver in the "daily driver" category for headphones. There's times I need a pair of headphones to simply listen to music, podcasts, or even take a call / participate in a web meeting. Then there's other times I need a set of headphones to really listen to music.
These headphones deliver in the former category big time. When I'm working throughout the day, these headphones deliver sound quality that is great for everyday listening needs. They are quite comfortable to wear for an hour or longer at a time, and I've also had good experience using these on Zoom meetings with the built in microphone.
They do have a "bass boost" or similar function, and I find that this is an always-on for me - otherwise the sound lacks quite a bit. These aren't designed to be cranked to 11, but that's OK. They also did a great job of blocking out the lawnmower when I used them while mowing the lawn.
They have an impressive 17 hour battery life - I haven't it yet, but I have listened for multiple hours on a charge, and a little time hooked to the charger buys you a lot of listening time. They charge with a micro USB cord, which is pretty much ubiquitous now a days - this is a plus. You can sneak in a charge practically anywhere with these, and no need to carry a special cable. They also fold flat, which helps save some space when putting them in my backpack.
The only real negatives I see for these headphones are that they do not include any type of a carrying case, and they do not feature any next/previous track functionality on the headphones themselves. I use this frequently with my AirPods, and I find myself tapping the headphones looking to change tracks. However, these are not show-stopper issues.
When it comes to price to value delivered, these headphones are great. I'd definitely recommend these to all but the most discerning of listeners.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
Safeguard your home with this Arlo security camera system. Its 4K resolution provides maximum clarity so you don't miss a single detail, and a siren is integrated so you can fend off intruders either remotely or while at home. This Arlo security camera system is weather-resistant, so it's functional rain or shine.
Posted by: DonnieZ
from Joliet, IL
I was very excited to receive the Arlo 4K Wire Free camera system as I've been contemplating getting outdoor cameras for a while.
The packing and unboxing was pretty impressive - they pack a lot of gear in a small box - but I almost threw away the charging cable as it was so light and packed in a section of the box that I thought was trash - so inspect all parts!
The camera itself is heavier than I expected and comes with a cool magnetic mount that allows for almost infinite range of motion and mounting angles. The magnetic mount fastens to your mounting point via a simple wood screw, and a drywall anchor is also included. I have the camera mounted to an eve on the outside of my home. So far, I am impressed by the ability of the camera to stay in place by the magnetic mount.
The base station is about the size of a paperback novel, and connects to your home network ONLY via Ethernet. You cannot connect this via Wi-Fi to your home network unless you use an external Wi-Fi bridge or something. This is important if your router is in a location that is not near the location of the cameras - the cameras communicate back to the Arlo base station via a separate Wi-Fi network created between the Arlo base station and the camera(s).
Setting up the system was fairly simple, and follows a process that a lot of IoT devices follow - Connect your base station to the network, then you download the Arlo app, create an account, it searches your network for the base station, then you scan a barcode on the camera to pair it to your system. The pairing process went pretty smoothly.
The camera comes with a half charged battery, as do most LiOn devices. The battery charged to full using the included charger and charging cable in about 2 hours give or take.
The night performance and color night vision are quite impressive.
So far, so good.
I hung the camera outside and got the view I wanted. I then went in and started looking at the camera on my phone. The video was pretty good, but it was definitely 30 seconds or so behind live. The quality was nowhere near 4K though. I let it ride though, and started about my day again. However, I started getting constant motion notifications. It was recording at least 1-2 videos every minute.
I drew a motion zone polygon to only include motion in my yard and sidewalk, not the street and not the tree branches that would blow in the wind. Also, at this point the battery at the end of Friday was down to about 50-60% on the camera after less than 12 hours of use. I opened a ticket with Arlo the next day, and they suggested to remove and re-add the camera. That helped a bit, but I still continue to get at least a hundred of videos recorded. After contacting Arlo support and speaking to a tier two engineer, they acknowledged that the motion zones are not functioning on the Ultra 4K cameras and that they were developing a fix but had no date as to when the fix would be released.
I was able to improve camera battery life some by moving the base station to my first floor of the house instead of in the basement by all of my other IT equimpent, but this may not be an option for some if you don't have cabling throught your home.
So, I have a really expensive camera system that records hundreds of videos every day of mostly tree limbs blowing or cars passing by.
Also, for a battery powered camera, it seems if you decide to actually record in 4K, the battery life is bad. There's a setting that allows for best video quality, balanced, or best battery life. I had to set it to balanced for any type of useful battery life. Also, the camera does not seem to have slots for dual batteries - so either your camera is down for a period while it's charging, you have to wire it to power constantly via solar or power adaptor, or you have to purchase a charger and spare battery - and constantly climb up and replace the battery in your security camera(s).
Also, the Arlo packages are somewhat confusing as to what you get when you have a subscription and what you get if you don't. There's multiple tiers, a 4K video add on, etc.. Simplifying the subscription tiers would be an ideal adjustment for consumers.
All in all, the Arlo ecosystem has a lot of pros, but a few drawbacks as well, and the 4K cameras seem to need a bit of time to be ready for prime time - especially at the retail price for both the starter kit and additional cameras.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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1of 1voted this as helpful.
Not every mess calls for a full-size carpet cleaning machine. BISSELL® Little Green® ProHeat® portable deep cleaner is a lightweight and compact machine that permanently removes tough spots and stains with the power of OXY. It’s engineered with Heatwave Technology® to help maintain consistent water temperature while cleaning carpets, upholstery, stairs, area rugs, auto interiors, or any other soft surface where stains can occur. It also comes with three specialized tools, including a 3” Tough Stain Tool, 3-IN-1 Stair Tool and a HydroRinse™ Self-Cleaning Tool, as well as a trial-size bottle of our PRO OXY Spot and Stain formula. And this portable deep cleaner doesn’t just clean up after pets, it helps save them! BISSELL proudly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation® and its mission to help save homeless pets. When you buy a BISSELL product, you help save pets, too. We’re proud to design products that help make pet messes, odors and pet homelessness disappear.
Customer Rating
5
Don't let little fool you - this thing can clean!
on May 11, 2019
Posted by: DonnieZ
from Joliet, IL
I needed a small carpet cleaner to follow up on some pet stains. My cat has been vomiting lately and leaving food colored stains on my rug, and unfortunately, hand scrubbing wasn't getting the job done. This is where the Little Green ProHeat Handheld Deep Cleaner comes in to save the day. I woke up this morning to find that it was time to pull this thing out of the box as the cat had left his mark upon the carpet once again.
Setting this thing up was super simple - there were seven total pieces, including the main unit itself. Two attachments, and three organizing pieces (Cord holder, hose holder, and an attachment holder). All pieces securely snap into the main unit and are keyed to only fit in the proper spot. Also included was a small sample bottle of the Bissel cleaning solution plus Oxy. From the time I opened the box to the time I was ready to start fighting stains was about 5 minutes.
Down to what really matters - how well did it get the stain out of my beige carpet? The included 3" scrubbing/extraction attachment worked well and was easy to use, and the process is essentially foolproof common sense. Following the instructions that advised a 5 minute pre-treat by spraying the solution from the wand, waiting, then performing the scrub/extraction process essentially eliminated the stain. I attribute this to both the performance of the unit as well as the quality of the included cleaning solution. Even hours later after the spot had dried, there was no trace of the stain.
One note - it uses a remarkably small amount of water/cleaning solution. I thought for sure I had to fill the reservoir to the larger amount of water, but the smaller fill line would have sufficed and still left plenty of cleaning solution left over.
All in all, this unit really delivers. In reality, a lot of the stains that a household is going to run into are smaller in nature and will require a spot cleaning rather than dragging out larger equipment that is better suited to cleaning an entire carpet rather than spot cleaning. It's compact and fits perfectly in the bottom of the linen closet - and the ease of use encourages immediate stain treatment.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+8points
23of 38voted this as helpful.
The all-new Magic Trackpad 2 has been enhanced to deliver more comfort and functionality than ever before. It includes a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery that charges fast, lasts about a month or more between charges, and eliminates the need for disposable batteries. With the included Lightning to USB cable, you can charge your device and automatically pair it with any Mac.
Customer Rating
5
Great accessory for your Mac
on April 23, 2016
Posted by: DonnieZ
Verified Purchase:Yes
I use this with my 27" iMac. I also have the Magic Mouse and I keep them both connected.
I originally had a MacBook and became so used to using gestures, that I really missed them when I started to use the iMac. For some things. like scrolling through a document or a webpage, it's great.
Overall, it makes a great companion to the Magic Mouse.
My Best Buy number: 0318510963
My Best Buy number: 0318510963
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
With password protection and hardware encryption, this WD My Book external hard drive allows you to protect and privatize your stored documents. The 4TB capacity delivers ample space for videos, photos, music and other files.
Customer Rating
5
Great for what it is
on April 22, 2016
Posted by: DonnieZ
Verified Purchase:Yes
This is a 4TB external HDD. Nothing to get too excited over, it simply gives you another 4TB of storage.
I bought this as my 27" iMac has a 512GB SSD. I run all my programs and VMs off of the internal storage, and then I store my photos, movies, music, and other videos on the 4TB External HDD.
I've only had it for a few weeks but it does well for what it is. If you are using it with a Mac, you will need to reformat it to either the HFS or ExFAT file systems- otherwise you won't be able to write to the drive, only read as the drive comes formatted with the NTFS file system. ExFat is probably your best option if you ever want to be able to plug it into a Windows PC to read data.
My Best Buy number: 0318510963
My Best Buy number: 0318510963
I would recommend this to a friend!
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1of 2voted this as helpful.
With 14.7 million pixels, the 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display is the most powerful iMac ever. It features quad-core Intel® processors, the latest AMD graphics, a 1TB Fusion Drive, and great built-in apps. All in the same ultrathin design that's just 5mm at the edge.
Customer Rating
4
Once you go Mac, you don't go back..
on April 15, 2016
Posted by: DonnieZ
Verified Purchase:Yes
What can I say about the iMac that hasn't been said? If you're considering a 27" iMac then you know what you're looking at.
Yes - if you look at a spec sheet between this and a comparably equipped PC - you're paying a decent premium for similar specs. However, where the Mac shines is in some of the intangibles.
The 5K Retina display is just over-the-top good. It's literally candy for the eyes, no matter what you have on screen. It's also a huge boost to my productivity.
First - this is a machine that's built for photo editing. With all this display real-estate you can have today's high megapixel images on screen and have a decent, if not full, portion of the image available for viewing without scrolling. Using Lightroom is a joy on this machine.
In the productivity category the 5K retina also shines - it gives me so much desktop real-estate I can have multiple terminal windows open, a browser session, instant messaging, and another app or two all in a usable display size. I used to run a dual and triple monitor Windows 7 and Windows 10 setup but the 5K Retina display allows me to be as productive, if not moreso.
I also love the Continuity features that allow handoff of calls to the Mac. It's one of the features I use the most. My office computer is literally a huge speakerphone that I use with my iPhone. As long as my phone is on the same Wi-Fi network, I can place and receive calls. I also love the integration with iMessage, I can send and receive text messages to both Apple and non Apple devices.
The keyboard does take a little getting used to I will admit, but I have adapted quite nicely and can hammer out 80+ WPM on it even with larger hands. I still prefer the comfort of a nice Das Keyboard or my Microsoft Natural Ergonomic keyboard, but the Apple keyboard isn't bad.
I also have both the Magic Trackpad 2 and the Magic Mouse. I use them both. Sometimes I naturally reach for the mouse for some tasks, and others I use the trackpad for. The trackpad also allows me to use OSX gestures, which make switching desktops, and between programs a breeze.
The only reason I scored this Mac model down one star is the Fusion drive. Apple got cheap with this generation of iMac and dropped the SSD portion to 24GB on the 1TB Fusion Drive equipped Mac. If you're a speed demon and have a lot of things going on at once, you might find that the Fusion drive slows you down. Initially I didn't - but I really wanted an all solid state drive iMac, so I returned the 1TB Fusion drive model and had to custom order one from Apple. This is a big purchase that I expect to last for a few years so I want the absolute fastest performance I can - and most of the time the limiting factor is disk speed. For someone who doesn't have a ton of programs loaded at once or isn't running Virtual Machines, or loading a lot of disk intensive apps, you might find the 1TB Fusion Drive OK. The 2TB model has 128GB of SSD combined with a 2TB spinning disk, which might be a better choice.
With that being said, I'm a Mac convert after using DOS/Windows based PCs for almost 30 years now. If you'd have told me two years ago I'd be "Mac Guy", I'd have said you're nuts. However, Windows 10 didn't impress, the way all my Apple devices work together is just awesome, and the 5K Retina display is icing on the cake.
If you're thinking about getting a Mac - definitely consider one with a Fusion drive. If you can afford the 2TB model, go for that. It has a slightly faster processor and more solid state drive which is what will make the Mac feel fast.
My Best Buy number: 0318510963
My Best Buy number: 0318510963
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+41points
42of 43voted this as helpful.
Accelerate your WiFi 5 with NETGEAR Nighthawk! Enjoy fast WiFi speeds up to 1900 Mbps and a powerful dual core 1GHz processor for extreme performance. High-powered amplifiers, external antennas and Beamforming improve range and reliability for up to 100% more wireless coverage. Features like downstream and upstream QoS prioritize streaming and gaming, creating a blazing-fast, lag-free WiFi experience
Customer Rating
5
Rock solid and great range
on April 15, 2016
Posted by: DonnieZ
Verified Purchase:Yes
We use this router in our small business and it's performance is great. I had originally purchased the Asus RT-AC68P and had stability issues with that model. Constantly losing connection on both Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections which would require a reboot of the router, even with two different firmware upgrades it had to go back.
The Netgear router is leagues ahead in stability. Since I've put it into service about a month ago I haven't had to touch it. We have four wired connections, a few wireless on the private network, and countless guest Wi-Fi users and this thing delivers in the speed and stability categories. It sits in the rear office of our business and covers the entire customer area, about 1500 square feet with speed enough to max out our DOCSIS connection with multiple users online.
I would buy this router again without hesitation.
My Best Buy number: 0318510963
My Best Buy number: 0318510963
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Samsung Jet™ 75 Complete Cordless Stick Vacuum features a lightweight and maneuverable design and a removable battery that can be easily swapped* for extended cleaning time up to 60 minutes. Compatible with Samsung Clean Station™ for mess-free, automatic emptying of the hygienic dust bin. *Second battery sold separately.
Is the unit able to stand upright on its own?
It is not. The tools themselves have swivel heads that provide no stability if you aren't holding it. It will sit upright if you wall mount the charger.
3 years, 5 months ago
by
DonnieZ
Expand connectivity on your Apple MacBook Pro or Air with this gray HyperDrive DUO seven-in-two USB Type-C hub. Two USB Type-C ports support Power Delivery for charging mobile devices rapidly, while the HDMI output lets you connect a UHD display. This HyperDrive DUO seven-in-two USB Type-C hub has USB Type-A ports and microSD and SD card slots for fast data transfer.
Can you use this with an SD card reader?
You can, but it has an SD card as well as a micro SD card reader built in.
3 years, 10 months ago
by
DonnieZ