optimummind's stats
- Review count148
- Helpfulness votes4,823
- First reviewJune 28, 2014
- Last reviewMay 27, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.7
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- Answer count23
- Helpfulness votes25
- First answerAugust 30, 2017
- Last answerMarch 4, 2021
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Play to your full potential with this HP OMEN Obelisk desktop. Fluid gaming is ensured with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20 series graphics and an Intel Core i7 processor, running on Windows 10 Home. Make a statement with customizable RGB lighting and a transparent side panel, and perform easy toolless upgrades in adherence to micro-ATX standards with this HP OMEN Obelisk desktop.
Customer Rating
5
Powerful & Splendid Gaming System
on December 14, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
The HP Omen by Obelisk desktop PC is a great-looking, powerful, well-built, and fantastic gaming system~! With its powerful components inside, the Omen can run pretty much all the games at their max visual settings (depending on your monitor resolution, of course). However, future upgrade path is a bit limited and the cooling performance is slightly lacking. All in all, though, it's a great gaming PC and I love it.
*Pros:
-Cool angular black design with glass sidepanel.
-Quality materials & build quality.
-Excellent fit-and-finish.
-LED color and lighting animation control.
-Powerful components (Intel Core i7 8700, nVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, 16GB DDR4, SSD boot drive).
-nvidia RTX 2080 = gaming bliss and full eyecandy mode.
-Lots of USB ports - USB Type C & USB Type A 3.1 Gen 2 included~!
-Pretty quiet for a gaming PC.
-Compact footprint makes it easy to place.
-Pretty lightweight.
-Quality materials & build quality.
-Excellent fit-and-finish.
-LED color and lighting animation control.
-Powerful components (Intel Core i7 8700, nVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, 16GB DDR4, SSD boot drive).
-nvidia RTX 2080 = gaming bliss and full eyecandy mode.
-Lots of USB ports - USB Type C & USB Type A 3.1 Gen 2 included~!
-Pretty quiet for a gaming PC.
-Compact footprint makes it easy to place.
-Pretty lightweight.
*Neutral:
-Supports only 2x SATA-3 hard drives & requires right-angle SATA-3 cables.
-Only one small 80mm rear cooling fan.
-Top vent is mostly blocked off by a plate.
-Bottom vent design is not ideal.
-Wish the PSU was at least 750W.
-Only one small 80mm rear cooling fan.
-Top vent is mostly blocked off by a plate.
-Bottom vent design is not ideal.
-Wish the PSU was at least 750W.
*Cons:
-No additional PCI Express expansion ports.
==== Design & Build Quality ====
I love the design & build quality of the HP Omen. Although I'm usually a fan of the color white for my PC peripherals, the Omen won me over with its nice black paint job and its chiseled and angular design. The Omen logo on the front that lights up is really cool and adds just enough bling without going overboard. Same for the LED lighting inside the case. I love how I can customize both the color of the LED lighting as well as its animations via the Omen Command Center application. I unexpectedly had lots of fun playing around with the different lighting options.
I also love the inclusion of all the modern & up-to-date ports that the Omen offers. On the top of the case are 2x USB 3.1 Type A ports (Gen1, 5 Gb/s), 1x headphone jack, & 1x microphone jack.
On the rear of the Omen, there are 4x USB 3.1 Type A ports (Gen1), 1x USB 3.1 Type A (Gen2, 10 Gb/s), 1x USB Type C (Gen2, 10 Gb/s), 1x ethernet, 3x audio, and 5 additional ports from the RTX 2080 GPU (1x USB Type C, 1x HDMI, 3x Display Port). For me, these ports were enough to accommodate all of my PC accessories (e.g., speakers, keyboard, mouse, monitor stand with USB & audio ports, external USB drives, flash drives).
Coming from a Full Tower-size case, the Omen looked shockingly small to me at first. On the positive side, it is good because it is relatively so light and its compact dimensions doesn't take up too much space. On the negative side, airflow isn't as good and it is harder to improve it in such a small space. To complicate things even more, HP made some head-scratching design choices.
For one, there is only one small 80mm fan on the rear of the case. The other active blowers are the CPU fan, the PSU fan, and the GPU fan. HP should've put in at least a 120mm fan in the rear and added a front intake fan.
Second, HP curiously blocked off most of the top vented grille with a plate that impedes the warm airflow inside from escaping out through the top (see my picture). The plate is held in place by some Philips screws so at least it is removable. It would've been nicer if HP placed a fan up there instead of the plate.
Third, on the bottom of the case, there is a vent protected by a removable filter. Because the vent is on the bottom of the case and many people will try to put the Omen down on top of the floor (e.g., carpet), cooling performance is again somewhat compromised and not ideal. A workaround would be to put something underneath the front and rear sides of the Omen to lift it up a bit and make clearance for the bottom vent. I did exactly that using two reams of printer paper as a temporary measure until I find a more suitable and aesthetically pleasing solution.
Despite these shortcomings, I still love my Omen and it will be replacing my current Full Tower-size custom-built PC as my daily driver desktop.
==== Operating System & Software/Bloatware ====
The Omen came with Windows 10 1803 (2018 April Update) pre-installed with the usual amount of both Microsoft and third-party bloatware apps and games (e.g., McAfee Security,
LinkedIn, Spotify, Candy Crush Saga, Fitbit Coach). They are all easily removable from Settings.
There were many HP apps as well but most are useful utilities to help you with system maintenance, troubleshooting, and driver & firmware updates. The Omen Command Center is a nifty app I enjoyed using to customize the LED lighting.
==== Performance ====
Hooked up to the nVIDIA RTX 2080 is my 27" Asus MX27AQ monitor with WQHD resolution (2560 x 1440 IPS). Instead of using the crappy mouse and keyboard that came inside the box, I'm reusing my mechanical gaming keyboard and Logitech mouse from my previous gaming rig.
Gaming on the HP Omen is PURE pleasure. At maximum eye-candy graphic settings, I'm thoroughly enjoying playing games such as Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Far Cry 5, Assassins Creed Odyssey, and Monster Hunter World. They all run fast, smooth, and perfectly.
I ran the built-in benchmark in Shadow of the Tomb Raider (at Ultra settings) and I got the following scores:
Average FPS: 74
CPU Game: 66 FPS min, 163 FPS max, 104 FPS avg, 73 FPS (95% percentile)
CPU Render: 74 FPS min, 294 FPS max, 140 FPS avg, 99 FPS (95%)
GPU: 61 min, 121 FPS max, 76 FPS avg, 63 FPS (95%)
CPU Game: 66 FPS min, 163 FPS max, 104 FPS avg, 73 FPS (95% percentile)
CPU Render: 74 FPS min, 294 FPS max, 140 FPS avg, 99 FPS (95%)
GPU: 61 min, 121 FPS max, 76 FPS avg, 63 FPS (95%)
The 256GB Toshiba NVME SSD performed well as well. On the CrystalDiskMark benchmark, the Omen achieved 1523.4 MB/s Sequential Read and 718.1 MB/s Sequential Write. Random Read was 682.5 MB/s and Random Write was 275.8 MB/s.
I didn't benchmark the 2TB 7200 RPM Seagate Baracuda hard drive but it performed well and quietly.
Overall, I'm very, very happy with the performance and responsiveness of the Omen. I'm coming from a custom-built PC with a 2nd-generation Core i7 2600K, 16GB DDR3, Samsung SSD (SATA-3), and nVIDIA Geforce GTX 1080. The improvements are very tangible and perceptible. It's awesome.
==== Future Upgradeability ====
Unfortunately, the upgrade potential of the HP Omen is pretty limited due to no extra PCI-E slots and only one extra SATA-3 connector on the small micro-ATX motherboard. Still, I managed to make the best of it.
Thankfully, the HP Omen comes with a single stick of 16GB DDR4 RAM with one RAM slot open. So I purchased a matching stick of 16GB Kingston HyperX Fury memory to make it 32GB.
As for the hard drives, I added a 6TB Western Digital Black HDD on the SATA3 port and swapped out the 256GB Toshiba NVME SSD for a 1TB Samsung 970 Evo NVME SSD. In order to install the WD Black HDD, I had to purchase a slim, right-angle SATA3 cable. Otherwise, I wasn't able to close the sidepanel cover.
In the future, I'll be upgrading the PSU to a higher wattage one when I perform a GPU upgrade.
==== Misc Notes ====
The included USB keyboard and mouse are very so-so and basic. Both are cheap- and flimsy-feeling. I can't type comfortably on the keyboard due to its shallow and unresponsive keys that are worse than most laptop keyboards.
==== Closing Thoughts ====
Despite some head-scratching design decisions made by HP in terms of airflow and expansion slots, the HP Omen is still a fantastic gaming system. It looks great, it has quality build materials with excellent fit-and-finish, it has many useful ports, and its powerful components make it a superb gaming system that allows for maximum visual fidelity and quality. I LOVE it~!!
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+60points
66of 72voted this as helpful.
Capture your biggest adventures with this AirSelfie2 portable drone with leather carrying case. This drone records 1080p Full HD and features a 12MP still camera for high-quality results, and the compact size makes it easy to take this drone with you when traveling. Featuring a vibration-absorber system and multiple sensors, this AirSelfie2 portable drone records clear, blur-free images.Fly Responsibly:Before takeoff, update all software and firmware, and read the instructions thoroughly.See the FAA website for registration requirements and information about flying a drone safely: https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/. Additional state or local requirements may apply. Check your local jurisdiction. The following websites may help you make informed decisions about flying your drone: www.knowbeforeyoufly.org and www.modelaircraft.org.
Customer Rating
4
Fun Little Camera Drone
on November 30, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
The AirSelfie 2 is a fun little camera drone that takes pretty decent quality pictures & videos. It is sleek & lightweight, has excellent fit-and-finish, and is very durable. There are, however, some room for improvements. The drone launching height should be a bit lower to avoid crashing into ceilings and the AirSelfie2 app requires further refinement for better compatibility with Android phones (especially those running the newer 9.0 Pie build). And the price should be either lower or the package should include more extras such as a portable powerbank. All in all, it is a delightful device to capture pictures & videos with.
*Pros:
-Small & lightweight. Easily fits inside pockets.
-Quality build materials & great build quality.
-Excellent fit-and-finish.
-Nice leather carrying pouch.
-Flexible flight control options - Easy, Medium, & Expert.
-Worked very well on iPhone & older Android phones.
-Battery charges up quickly.
-Good picture quality under ideal lighting conditions.
-The "CaptureMe" mode is cool & worked well.
-1080P videos looked good & decent.
-Easy to transfer pictures & videos to PC.
-Quality build materials & great build quality.
-Excellent fit-and-finish.
-Nice leather carrying pouch.
-Flexible flight control options - Easy, Medium, & Expert.
-Worked very well on iPhone & older Android phones.
-Battery charges up quickly.
-Good picture quality under ideal lighting conditions.
-The "CaptureMe" mode is cool & worked well.
-1080P videos looked good & decent.
-Easy to transfer pictures & videos to PC.
*Neutral:
-It's a bit of a struggle to push the drone into the leather pouch case.
-Finicky Power On/Off button.
-Battery life is too short (~5 minutes).
-Airselfie 2 app is buggy on Android Pie 9.0.
-Video stabilization could be better.
-Picture & video quality degrades in low light situations.
-Finicky Power On/Off button.
-Battery life is too short (~5 minutes).
-Airselfie 2 app is buggy on Android Pie 9.0.
-Video stabilization could be better.
-Picture & video quality degrades in low light situations.
*Cons:
-Too expensive. Should include a powerbank at least.
==== Design ====
The AirSelfie 2 is a solidly built camera drone with excellent fit-and-finish & quality build materials with a solid and durable feel. Made of aluminum, it's pretty light, smooth to the touch, and does not feel cheap. Due to its small size, handling the AirSelfie 2 is a breeze and it comfortably fits within the hand and inside most pockets.
Its four propellers are located within the body frame, thus being well-protected in case of a crash.
There are 3 visible components underneath the AirSelfie 2 - a Power On/Off button, a Visual Sensor, and a Sonar Sensor. At the front side is the camera that is capable of taking 12MP pictures and 1080P 30FPS videos.
There is also an LED indicator that lights up in different colors to denote battery charge status & drone status (Red LED for Charging, Blue LED for drone power on).
I found the Power On/Off button to be somewhat finicky and unpredictable. Sometimes I will be able to power the drone on or off right away on the first try. Sometimes, it will take me multiple attempts.
I highly appreciate the presence of a USB Type C port on the AirSelfie 2. It makes my life so much easier since most of my other devices also use USB Type C for charging (e.g., laptops, phones).
Despite initially experiencing charging issues with the AirSelfie on the first day - the drone would not begin charging and the red LED kept turning off - I've experienced no other hardware issues since then. The Selfie charges up very quickly and when it's connected to a PC, it is quickly recognized as a USB device and I'm able to transfer my pictures & videos easily.
To sum it up, I like the design & build quality of the AirSelfie 2.
==== Controlling & Flying the AirSelfie 2 ====
Despite the helpful video tutorial and User Manual provided, I initially had difficulty correctly launching the Selfie. When I first hand-launched the Selfie, it was inside my living room while I was standing straight up. The Selfie quickly took off right into my ceiling and continually rubbed against it across the room until I pressed the "Emergency Power Off" software button on the phone app. Since then, I've learned to kneel down first then hand-launch the Selfie so it won't scrape into the ceiling again. When outdoors, kneeling down first was not necessary but still recommended to keep the hover height more manageable. You can always fly the drone up higher later if you want to.
I also experienced some difficulty at first making a connection between the Selfie and my phone(s) in a consistent manner. I discovered, through trial-and-error, that the best way to connect the Selfie and a phone together is by performing the steps in this order:
(1) Power on the AirSelfie 2 and wait until it stops its intro beeping noises.
(2) On the phone, go into Wifi Settings and select the "AirSelfie2" network. Wait until the phone says the connection is complete.
(3) Open the AirSelfie2 app & choose a flight mode.
(2) On the phone, go into Wifi Settings and select the "AirSelfie2" network. Wait until the phone says the connection is complete.
(3) Open the AirSelfie2 app & choose a flight mode.
When I followed that sequence, I was able to consistently make a strong and reliable connection between the Selfie and all the phones I tested with (Galaxy Note 4/Android 6, Galaxy S9+/Android 9, Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact/Android 9, and iPhone SE/iOS 12).
Once successfully paired up, the AirSelfie 2 offers 3 different flight mode options - Easy, Medium, and Expert. My favorite method of control is the "Expert" mode (i.e. joystick mode) since I'm able to control the Selfie in a more precise and faster manner. My prior experience with other drones definitely helped me to get quickly used to the onscreen joystick method of flying.
Using the "Easy" mode was too frustrating for me because there are just too many different navigation buttons to keep track of and tap on. Plus, I found the Selfie to react a bit too slowly & unpredictably.
Once in the air, the Selfie turned out to be a decent flyer. It maintained its height & hovered stably, it reacted quickly and accurately to my phone control inputs, and flew around smoothly (up and down, left to right, and left & right rotations). Depending on the setting I was in, I terminated the flight by either just grabbing it with my hand or using the phone app to initiate the landing sequence.
Knowing that the Selfie's propellers are well-protected within its frame, flying the Selfie has been a fun and low-stress experience. I only wish it could fly for at least 10 to 15 minutes. It would've been even more awesome if the Selfie offered swappable battery packs I can carry around.
==== Camera & Video Performance ====
The AirSelfie 2, equipped with its 12MP camera, does a pretty job taking clear photos and smooth 1080P 30FPS videos. As long as you have good lighting, the pictures & videos come out nicely.
I highly enjoyed using the "CaptureMe" mode whereby the Selfie recognizes your face and locks on to you. When you move left and right, the Selfie automatically rotates itself and keeps you centered. It works really well in good lighting conditions but in low-light, the Selfie will sometimes lose you.
Like most cameras out there, the Selfie's photos become blurrier, a bit smudgy, and less detailed in low-light scenarios. The video quality also takes a hit with introduction of some grain & noise.
Even in the most ideal lighting situations, however, the Selfie's photos and videos aren't as good as pictures & videos taken with my Galaxy S9+. But frankly, that's to be expected considering its small size and price point. If you want higher-quality photos and well-stabilized videos from a drone, then expect to spend between ~$800 to $1,000.
With that said, I'm still very satisfied and content with the camera & video performance of the AirSelfie 2 & look forward to using it more often.
==== Room for Improvement ====
When it comes to compatibility of the AirSelfie2 app and my phones, I found the app to be a bit buggy on newer builds of Android - more specifically, Android Pie 9.0. Both my Galaxy S9+ and Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact are on Android 9.0. Although I can reliably connect to the Selfie and fly it smoothly from those phones, I'm not always able to see the pictures and videos inside the Selfie's gallery. Sometimes they are there, sometimes the gallery is just completely empty. I did not experience this issue on my iPhone SE on iOS 12 and my Galaxy Note 4 on the older Android Marshmallow 6.0.1.
I'm hoping that with newer firmware & app updates, the performance & reliability will be improved.
==== Closing Thoughts ====
The AirSelfie 2 is a well-built and durable camera drone that is fun to fly and operate. It takes good to great pictures & videos as long as there is good lighting. In order to continually use the AirSelfie while out-and-about, I highly recommend taking a powerbank with you to keep it always charged up. At $250, I feel the Selfie is a bit overpriced for what it can do. Therefore, I can only rate it 4 out of 5. Still, I recommend it for those who wants to up their selfie game and take unique pictures & videos from a flying camera drone that is highly portable and simple to operate.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+14points
14of 14voted this as helpful.
Add high-quality audio to video content with the Samson Go Mic Mobile Lavalier Wireless System. The system’s two-channel receiver comes with a variety of mounting hardware and cables to connect your digital device, and the rechargeable lithium-ion battery lets you record for up to 13 hours. In addition to the receiver, the system features Samson's PXD2 Beltpack Transmitter and LM8 omnidirectional Lavalier microphone for up to 100-feet of uncompressed digital wireless operation.
Customer Rating
4
Quality Recording from a Light & Portable Package
on November 23, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
The Samson Go Mic Mobile is a great mobile recording device with excellent audio quality, flexible mounting & connection options, and long battery life. It is ideally suited for YouTubers, Vloggers, and both casual- and prosumer-level audio & video productions.
*Pros:
-Flexible & versatile audio connections available.
-Comes with all necessary accessories & tools to get started recording right away.
-Offers various mounting options for different recording equipments.
-Both the Go Mic Module Receiver & microphone Transmitter units are lightweight & easy to carry around.
-Comes with a nice, solid carrying case.
-Recording quality is great - much better than smartphone microphones.
-Receiver range is good & didn't drop any sounds (tested up to ~40 feet).
-Works with iPhone seamlessly.
-Long battery life.
-Comes with all necessary accessories & tools to get started recording right away.
-Offers various mounting options for different recording equipments.
-Both the Go Mic Module Receiver & microphone Transmitter units are lightweight & easy to carry around.
-Comes with a nice, solid carrying case.
-Recording quality is great - much better than smartphone microphones.
-Receiver range is good & didn't drop any sounds (tested up to ~40 feet).
-Works with iPhone seamlessly.
-Long battery life.
*Neutral:
-Losing line-of-sight results in slightly garbled audio.
-"USB Audio" function didn't work on any of my Android smartphones & their default "Camera" apps.
-The charging port on the GMM isn't USB Type C but the older mini-USB connector.
-"USB Audio" function didn't work on any of my Android smartphones & their default "Camera" apps.
-The charging port on the GMM isn't USB Type C but the older mini-USB connector.
*Cons:
-Compatibility with Android phones & their default "Camera" app is poor.
==== Design ====
The Samson Go Mic Mobile (GMM) is a cleverly designed recording equipment that is simple to operate, lightweight, and very versatile.
The adjustable mounting arm extends widely enough to easily clamp onto big phones such as my Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy Note 4. The rubber grips on the mounting arms offer secure holding power and the rotating knob locks tightly together the mounting arms to the attached device.
Thanks to the numerous accessories & tools included in the box, one can also attach the GMM to a tablet, a tripod, and a cold shoe adapter.
The rubber Power Button, which can also be used to pair the GMM with up to 2 different transmitters, is very tactile and responsive (one pre-paired transmitter is included in the box).
All the other control sliders on the GMM work equally well and are frustration-free.
I say that the Samson GMM is very versatile because it can connect up to 2 different transmitters, supports 3 different Analog Outputs, supports digital USB Audio for higher-quality audio recordings, and it can even output sound to an audio device such as headphones and speakers.
When it comes to compatibility with my phones, however, I had mixed results.
When I paired the GMM to my Galaxy Note 4 running 6.0.1 Marshmallow and used the default "Camera" app, I was not able to get any audio recordings. I had tried with both the 3.5 mm audio cable & the microUSB-to-microUSB cable through the USB Audio port on the GMM.
I also received no audio on my Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact (Android Pie 9.0) from its default "Camera" app when using the microUSB-to-USB Type C cable.
On my iPhone SE, recordings worked perfectly with the microUSB-to-Lightning cable and the default "Camera" app.
On my Galaxy S9+, audio recordings only worked when I used the 3.5 mm audio cable in the default "Camera" app.
On the Android side, choosing the correct third-party app that supports USB Audio recording is very important. It would've been nice if Samson had some app suggestions in the User Manual.
When it comes to charging the GMM receiver, it is done via a mini-USB cable and the AC adapter, both of which are provided. It would've been nice if the charging port was either microUSB or USB Type C instead. Still, it's no deal-breaker.
Connection strength between the GMM receiver to the transmitter was strong and instantaneous. I never once lost connection between the two during my video & audio recording sessions.
The transmitter, which runs on two AA batteries, is lightweight and easy to handle. The omni-directional Lavalier microphone, which connects to the transmitter, worked very well and recorded high-quality audio free of echos, static, and other noise.
Besides the issues of compatibility on some Android phones, the Samson GMM is a great product that offers flexible mounting options and direct connections to smartphones and other A/V devices for high-quality mobile video & audio productions.
==== Functionality & Performance ====
When testing the performance of the Samson GMM, I used my iPhone SE and my Galaxy S9+ with their respective default "Camera" apps.
On both devices, my voice sounded very clear and robust with no digital noise. It was clean, rich, and very clear. The quality of the recordings from the Samson GMM, when compared to smartphone microphones, was much, much better and of higher quality. There's simply no comparison. If you're serious about producing quality videos for YouTube or vlogging, you definitely want something like the Samson GMM. Your audience will appreciate the higher fidelity audio.
When it comes to transmitter range, I tested up to ~40 feet away from the receiver. At that distance, the audio recording quality was excellent and sounded fantastic. It sounded as if I was sitting right next to my smartphone.
I also tested the GMM by purposely losing line-of-sight from the receiver. When the distance between the GMM and the transmitter was below ~25 feet, the audio recording continued to work with no drop-outs. At about ~40 feet away, however, the audio recording had some garbled noise when line-of-sight was lost.
Overall, I'm very happy with the quality of the audio recording capability of the Samson GMM system.
==== Closing Thoughts ====
Despite some compatibility issues with some Android phones, I still like the Samson GMM a lot. Once I found the right combination of which type of audio connection to use & the appropriate recording app on my smartphone, producing high-quality audio and video was super simple and consistent. Samson has created a unique, versatile, and powerful audio recording system that I can easily recommend.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+21points
21of 21voted this as helpful.
Provide delicious beverages for everyone with this Calphalon Special Brew 10-cup coffee maker in dark stainless steel. The premium boiling system extracts up to 20 percent more flavor. The nonstick warming plate keeps the 10-cup glass carafe warm for up to four hours, and the Delay Brew feature lets you select a brewing time in advance. The strength flavor adjustment feature in this Calphalon Special Brew 10-cup coffee maker ensures the coffee is to your preferred taste.
Customer Rating
3
Overpriced & Bulky Coffee Maker
on November 19, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
This Calphalon coffee maker, despite looking very sleek and modern, is an overpriced and underwhelming product. The unit is too tall for use underneath my kitchen cabinets, the left-to-right orientation takes up too much space on the kitchen counter, the "20% more flavor" sounds like a nebulous marketing claim, and the features it offers (Delayed Brew, Strong, Keep Warm) are no better nor more special than my older <$50 coffee maker. Its few saving grace are its good-looking design, easy programmability, and its ability to brew coffee pretty fast.
**Pros:
-Slick & modern design in stainless steel & dark gray color scheme.
-Crisp and bright LCD screen.
-Easy to clean and maintain.
-Simple operation.
-Brews coffee really fast.
-Delayed Brew function is helpful & easy to set up.
-Crisp and bright LCD screen.
-Easy to clean and maintain.
-Simple operation.
-Brews coffee really fast.
-Delayed Brew function is helpful & easy to set up.
**Cons:
-The power cord is a bit too short.
-Unnecessarily too tall.
-Takes up too much space on the kitchen counter.
-Very prone to fingerprint smudges.
-Too expensive for what it can do. Not a good value.
-Unnecessarily too tall.
-Takes up too much space on the kitchen counter.
-Very prone to fingerprint smudges.
-Too expensive for what it can do. Not a good value.
==== Design ====
My first impressions of this Calphalon coffee maker started off great. The dark gray design with stainless steel color elements looked great and I liked that it looked modern and high-tech. The LCD screen is big, bright, and easy to read. All the buttons are tactile and worked well. All the parts actuated smoothly and in a frictionless precise manner.
Then the negatives began to surface. The short power cord, the unnecessarily tall design that makes it difficult to fit underneath my kitchen cabinets, and the left-to-right orientation that takes up too much space. Once I started to touch and move the coffee maker around, I realized that it is very fingerprint- and smudge-prone and a hassle to constantly adjust it around the kitchen counter.
It sure looks fancy but that's not enough for me to like this thing.
==== Functionality ====
When it comes to executing its primary function - brewing a cup of coffee - this Calphalon coffee maker does a good job. I poured about 6 & 1/2 cups of water, pressed "Brew," and it finished brewing in about 2 & 1/2 minutes. Speedy~! The water was very hot as well, which I liked.
Afterwards, it automatically entered the "Keep Warm" mode that lasts for about 4 hours without burning the coffee, according to Calphalon. I would never leave coffee alone for that long so I don't know if my coffee would've gotten burned or not. But it is nice to have that option nonetheless.
Using a coffee grinder and the included filter, I tried the "Strong" setting but I couldn't taste any difference. Maybe it was just the particular coffee beans I used, maybe it is just some hazy marketing gimmick, or maybe my tongue isn't sophisticated enough to detect such nuances.
When it comes to performance, though, I'm happy with this Calphalon coffee maker.
==== Value ====
For the price this Calphalon sells for, it is NOT a good value. My older <$50 Black & Decker machine can do almost all the same things this Calphalon can do - brew coffee, perform delayed brew, and keep warm. My older unit's brewing time is definitely longer and water feels less hot.
The Calphalon looks fancier, of course, in its stainless steel and dark gray color scheme. However, it is just a paintjob over a build that does not feel any sturdier than my older Black & Decker model.
Unless you really, really like the way this Calphalon looks, I recommend that you purchase something else.
==== Conclusion ====
I wouldn't recommend this Calphalon coffee maker to my friends or family. At its current price point, it simply isn't a good value. Sure, it brews coffee really fast and water is hot and steamy but its inconvenient design quirks - too tall, bulky left-to-right orientation, large footprint, short power cord - and basic functionality do NOT justify its unusually high price.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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+23points
30of 37voted this as helpful.
The Shark WANDVAC Cord-Free Handheld Vacuum combines lightweight portability with the incredible suction power of a high-speed brushless motor. Weighing just 1.4 lbs., this lightweight handheld vacuum boasts a tapered nozzle for easy debris pickup and two accessories for tackling pet hair, upholstery, and tight spaces. Between cleanings, return your vacuum to the charging dock for fast recharging. Fast cleaning, always ready when you need it. The Shark WANDVAC: Extraordinary power for the everyday mess.
Customer Rating
4
Highly Portable & Ergonomic Hand-Vac
on November 19, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
The Shark Ion W1 hand-held vacuum is a great little product that balances many things out very well. It is light, ergonomic, easy to operate & charge, easy to clean & maintain, and has enough suction power to clean up most things. I found it most useful when vacuuming my cars, ceiling fans, and getting those little crevices on and between furniture. It's good stuff.
*Pros:
-Light (1.4 lbs) and well-balanced.
-Ergonomic and easy to hold.
-Easy maneuverability to get at those little spots & crevices.
-Simple cleanup and maintenance.
-For its size, it's decently powerful.
-Cool battery charging dock with LED light indicator.
-Ergonomic and easy to hold.
-Easy maneuverability to get at those little spots & crevices.
-Simple cleanup and maintenance.
-For its size, it's decently powerful.
-Cool battery charging dock with LED light indicator.
*Neutral:
-The motor sometimes emits a high-pitched whine during longer use.
-Needs a charge after about 10 minutes.
-Has a difficult time sucking up very small debris.
-Needs a charge after about 10 minutes.
-Has a difficult time sucking up very small debris.
*Cons:
-None.
==== Design ====
I'm really liking the design of the Shark Ion W1. I prefer its stick-like form-factor to my other hand-held vacuum cleaner which is a gun-like trigger design. At 1.4 lbs, it is light and manageable and I found it very easy to navigate and maneuver through tight spaces.
Emptying the dust cup is a simple one-button press operation and all the parts that can be cleaned are easily and quickly accessible. I like that the filter can be cleaned by simply running it underneath some water and letting it dry for 24 hours.
The charging dock accepts the vacuum smoothly and perfectly and I appreciate the blinking LED light indicators that show the charge status of the vacuum at a quick glance.
The included accessories - a Multi-Surface Pet Tool and Duster Crevice Tool - slide into the Ion easily and work well as intended.
The build quality and fit-and-finish of the Ion W1 are fantastic.
==== Functionality & Performance ====
The Ion W1 - with its 14.4 V, 11.1 A, 120W brushless motor - delivers good but not phenomenal performance when it comes to picking up debris. I first used the Ion to vacuum the interior of my 4-door sedan and it took multiple passes before it picked up all the debris on the floor mats and on the seats. The Ion had difficulty picking up really small debris such as beach sand, clingy pet hair, and tiny grass debris. Still, I'd say it managed to get rid of about 95% of debris which is impressive considering its small size and low amperage power.
The Ion did much better when I used it to dust up around the house. It picked up everything on my leather couch and other furniture and did a fantastic job sucking up the dust bunnies on my ceiling fans.
As Shark describes it, the Ion is a great supplemental tool that one can quickly pull out and use for quick and simple jobs. Viewed in that light, its suction performance and approximately 10 to 15 minute battery life are fitting and adequate. For more heavy duty stuff, you just have to use different tools.
With that said, I'm satisfied and content overall with the functionality and performance of the Ion W1 and I consider it a great addition to my cleaning arsenal.
==== Closing Thoughts ====
The Shark Ion W1 is a great supplemental cleaning tool to have around the house for cleaning up small messes for which you don't want to take out the bigger and heavier tools for. High portability, lightness, and simple cleanup and operation are its greatest strengths.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Move essential data across devices efficiently with this Western Digital My Passport Ultra External Portable Hard Drive. The drive uses USB 3.0 technology for quick read and write speeds, and the USB-C connector offers effortless plug-in options while boosting transfer rates. Abundant storage space for all types of media and applications. The backup software lets you automatically save works in progress at your preferred intervals. Password protection and 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption for added security.
Customer Rating
5
Fast, Quiet, Highly Portable Drive with USB Type C
on November 6, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
The WD My Passport Ultra is an excellent portable hard drive and a winner from Western Digital. It looks good, it's light, setup and operation are simple, and file transfer speeds are fast and reliable. With a long 3-year warranty and WD's excellent reputation for durability and reliability, the Passport Ultra surely sits nearly at the very top tier of portable hard drives. I'm very happy & satisfied with it.
*Pros:
-Slick & modern design finished in anodized metal.
-Light and easy to grip.
-Ample storage (4TB).
-USB Type C cable comes with a Type C to Type A adapter.
-Supports up to 10 Gb/s transfer speed (USB 3.1 Gen 2).
-Simple Plug-n-Play installation and setup.
-Useful features: auto-backup, password protection, drive diagnosis, & hardware encryption.
-Quiet operation.
-3-Year Warranty.
-Light and easy to grip.
-Ample storage (4TB).
-USB Type C cable comes with a Type C to Type A adapter.
-Supports up to 10 Gb/s transfer speed (USB 3.1 Gen 2).
-Simple Plug-n-Play installation and setup.
-Useful features: auto-backup, password protection, drive diagnosis, & hardware encryption.
-Quiet operation.
-3-Year Warranty.
*Cons:
-None.
==== Design ====
The WD My Passport Ultra is a slick and contemporary-looking portable hard drive updated for modern computers (USB Type C, USB 3.1 Gen 2) outfitted in a compact & lightweight design. The anodized aluminum silver faceplate with its grooved and dimpled lines look cool and the black rim and bottom cover offer a nice contrast. The unit looks premium and the build quality is excellent as is the fit-and-finish. Taking this thing out at school, work, or at a coffee shop definitely won't cause any embarrassments and it will look great sitting next to your laptop or PC. Placing the 2018 Passport Ultra next to my older 2016 plastic model made me appreciate the great strides in design that Western Digital has progressed.
On the bottom of the casing, at each of the four corners, are some rubber feet that offer secure grip on any surface.
On the bottom of the casing, at each of the four corners, are some rubber feet that offer secure grip on any surface.
The front of the Passport Ultra includes an LED indicator light for power & activity status as well as a USB Type C port. The included cable has USB Type C connector types on both ends, which is perfect for modern desktops and laptops. Should your PC support only a USB Type A connection, that is no problem as Western Digital included a small USB Type C to A adapter. Brilliant and thoughtful.
Another noteworthy thing about the Ultra was its near-silent operation. Even during long file transfers, I could barely hear the drive as it quietly performed its duties in the background. WD did a fantastic job with the sound control and dampening.
To sum it up, I give the Passport Ultra a 10 out of 10 in terms of design & build quality!
==== Setup, Usability and the Extras ====
Using the Passport Ultra couldn't have been any easier. To get it up and running on my Windows 10 laptop, all I did was plug the USB Type C cable into the drive then plug the other end into a Type C port on my laptop. Windows 10 recognized and installed all the necessary drivers silently in the background and it was ready to go in a couple minutes.
Out of the box, 3.63 TB of space (pre-formatted as NTFS) was available with just 2 files preloaded onto the drive - a "Install Discovery for Mac.dmg" file and a "Install Discovery for Widows.exe" file. Launching the file for Windows with an active Internet connection started the downloading of the WD Discovery application plus a few more apps.
Through the Discovery app, one can perform device registration, sign in to the WD "My Cloud Home" account, view Notifications about new app updates, install updated apps directly, import data from cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon, OneDrive) or a social media account (Facebook, Instagram), set a device password, control the LED light behavior, and launch other WD apps such as WD Drive Utilities, WD Security, and WD Backup.
The "WD Drive Utilities" app has 3 main functions - diagnosis (check status, scan for performance issues), drive behavior (sleep timer, LED control), and drive erase.
The "WD Security" app allows you to set a drive password with an option to auto-unlock it when the drive is connected to a trusted computer.
The "WD Backup" app, as its name suggests, is used to backup and restore your data. Initiating the backup routine will give you an option to backup your data to either the Passport Ultra or to your Dropbox cloud account. Once you've made your choice, you then set up a backup schedule (Hourly, Daily, or Monthly -> Week of the month -> Day of the Week -> Time of Day) and select the files and folders you want backed up. Setting up an automated backup schedule couldn't be any easier.
The fast and clean UI interface design of all the WD apps made all operations super simple and easy to use.
It's another 10 out of 10 for the Passport Ultra.
==== Performance ====
Fortunately, the Passport Ultra backs up its good looks & lean software with great performance. Moving 26.9 GB of 4K 60 FPS drone footage from my laptop to the Passport via a USB Type C Thunderbolt connector only took about 4 minutes with an average transfer speed of 120 MB/s.
When I transferred 180 GB of data (9551 files, 53 folders, 153 GB in videos, 27 GB in photos, 654 video files, 8897 photos), it took 29 minutes over a USB Type 3.0 Gen1 (5 Gbps) Type A connection on my desktop PC.
For a portable storage system with a spinning drive inside, these speeds are quite good. If you require even faster transfer rates, then you would need to get an SSD portable drive which costs A LOT more (e.g., 1TB Samsung T5 SSD is $228 & 2TB Samsung T5 SSD is $398). For most people, I think the Passport Ultra will be more than adequately fast for their transfer and storage needs.
I, for one, am very happy and content with the performance of the Passport Ultra.
==== Closing Thoughts ====
As expected from WD, it has produced another fantastic portable hard drive product. The My Passport Ultra looks great with its metal design & clean lines, it is light & portable, compact, very performant, and arrives with modern interface technology (USB Type C, USB 3.1 Gen 2). It is also a great value at about $0.03 per gigabyte. It's an absolute Win & I can easily recommend this for anyone looking for ample and reliable storage.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Enjoy interactive streaming with this Google Nest Hub. With the built-in Google Assistant, you can view your calendar, receive alerts and reminders, and control devices from the single dashboard, and voice control lets you access other smart features. This Google Nest Hub lets you listen to music from Spotify and Pandora and view YouTube content. "
Customer Rating
5
Compact & Intelligent Smart Display System.
on October 31, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
Google has created a really good smart display hub system that combines a sharp and vibrant 7" screen, a decent music speaker, and a smart artificial intelligence program (the Google Assistant) held together by an interface that expertly blends sight, speech, and touch controls. It is fun to use, simple to control, and offers powerful automation control options for a home equipped with smart devices & appliances. It can also serve as a delightful picture frame. Best of all, the pricing is just right ($150) making the Google Hub accessible to most people. It's a Win from Google.
*Pros:
-Clean, minimalist design that blends easily into most settings.
-Compact footprint.
-Sharp, responsive, and colorful touchscreen.
-Decent sound quality for its size.
-Far-field microphones work well & reliably.
-Google Assistant is smart and responsive.
-Smart Home controls (e.g., lights, TV's, security cameras, thermostat, doorbell, etc).
-Routines (multiple automated tasks) are easy to setup and use inside the Google Home app.
-Via “Voice Match” technology, up to 6 different people can create their own custom Routines.
-No video camera/webcam (good for privacy).
-The Hub makes for a lovely picture frame.
-Comes with 6-months of free YouTube Premium.
-Compact footprint.
-Sharp, responsive, and colorful touchscreen.
-Decent sound quality for its size.
-Far-field microphones work well & reliably.
-Google Assistant is smart and responsive.
-Smart Home controls (e.g., lights, TV's, security cameras, thermostat, doorbell, etc).
-Routines (multiple automated tasks) are easy to setup and use inside the Google Home app.
-Via “Voice Match” technology, up to 6 different people can create their own custom Routines.
-No video camera/webcam (good for privacy).
-The Hub makes for a lovely picture frame.
-Comes with 6-months of free YouTube Premium.
*Neutral:
-The Hub needs to be plugged in all the time - no rechargeable battery inside.
-I wish there was an onscreen keyboard for YouTube music & video search.
-In a pitch-dark room in ambient clock mode, it's difficult to tell the time (unless you're really close-by) because the screen becomes too dark.
-I wish there was an onscreen keyboard for YouTube music & video search.
-In a pitch-dark room in ambient clock mode, it's difficult to tell the time (unless you're really close-by) because the screen becomes too dark.
*Cons:
-Can't cast Netflix videos to it.
==== Design ====
I find the design of the Google Home Hub to be clean, simple, and unobtrusive. The Hub, with its 7" LCD touchscreen framed by a white front bezel and a fabric-textured charcoal stand in the back, is able to fit in easily and naturally pretty much anywhere in the house (e.g., desk, nightstand, kitchen counter, dining room table). The white rubber mat on the bottom of the stand is super grippy and prevents the Hub from moving around and easily falling over.
The screen is nice with its sharp and vibrant colors and the viewing angle is good as well. The ambient light sensor on the top middle of the frame does an excellent job adjusting screen brightness and reacts quickly. If the default auto-brightness is too bright or too dim for you, you can adjust the Ambient EQ auto-brightness level from the Google Home app (Settings -> Display Settings -> Ambient EQ). From there, you can also control other settings such as Screen Timeout, Screen Color Matching, and there is an option to show the clock during low light.
Also on the top frame of the screen are the two far-field microphones that does an excellent job picking up your voice commands easily from across the room. The Hub always picked up on my prompts and commands reliably. Speaking to it in low volume worked just as well. Should you want to disable the voice command functionality, there is a toggle behind the screen you can slide to Off which is a nice touch.
The microphones and the speaker performed satisfactorily together during phone calls and the voices came in and went out clearly.
Behind the right edge of the screen is the volume control button that goes from 0 (silence) to 10 that is tactile and easy to locate. Although the speaker is small, it gets loud enough to entirely fill out a small- to medium-sized room. Music playback was pretty decent although, as expected, bass is weak and the soundstage is limited. It is no replacement for a quality bluetooth speaker. Audio quality can be slightly adjusted inside the Google Home app where you can set Bass and Treble levels between -6dB to +6dB. Your music won't become super fantastic all of a sudden but the inclusion of these settings is still appreciated. For what it is, however (a smart AI display), the Hub is good enough for me for casual music listening and streaming videos.
Some other notable hardware features inside the Hub is the inclusion of Bluetooth 5.0 technology, 2.4 & 5 GHz Wifi capability, and support for multi-room audio sync and playback with other Google Home enabled speakers (such as my JBL Link 10).
The Hub is powered via a power cord tethered to the wall and has no rechargeable battery inside, which is a slight disappointment. It would've been nice to temporarily unplug it and carry it around with me around the house. I'm hoping for third-party companies to quickly release battery base mods so I can turn the Hub into a portable smart display.
All in all, the Google Home Hub is a very well-designed smart display system with many thoughtful touches and good hardware.
==== Control & Navigation ====
There are two main ways of interacting with the Google Hub - via touch or voice - and both methods worked very well. The screen is very responsive to taps and swipes and all the animations and transitions are smooth and fluid. A single tap wakes up the display from its slumber clock mode into its ambient mode. Another single tap takes you into your "home screen." From there, you can swipe from left to right to go back into ambient mode or swipe from right to left to view your Reminders, Calendar events, News, Music, Videos, and more.
Swiping up from the bottom of the screen reveals some convenient shortcut settings - the Ambient EQ brightness setting, Volume level, Do Not Disturb Mode, and a About Device screen. Swiping down from the top of the screen reveals the "Welcome home" or "Home View" screen where you can control all the smart devices around the house such as smart light bulbs, speakers, thermostat, etc. There is also a "Broadcast" option which allows you to say something and have it played back across all the connected speakers around the house like an intercom system. Very neat.
The second major way of interacting with the Hub is via your voice and this method, too, worked very well. Just speak "Hey, Google or "Ok, Google" and speak out your query or command and the Google Assistant responds back quickly. Simple and powerful.
The only control option I wish the Google Hub had included was an onscreen keyboard. Having a keyboard would’ve made searching for music and videos more precise and easier. Hopefully, Google will add an onscreen keyboard in one of the future firmware updates.
To sum it up, Google did a fantastic job with the control options. Everything worked well without any hiccups.
==== Functionality & Usefulness ====
The brain behind the Google Home Hub is the Google Assistant AI software and what a powerful tool it is~! The list of things that Google Assistant can do and perform is too numerous to list in this review. Instead, here are two links that showcase some of the capabilities of the Google Assistant - one from Google and one from a popular news site.
https://assistant.google.com/explore
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/pictures-story/917-best-google-assistant-features.html
For me personally, I find Google Assistant to be very helpful for the following things in my life - playing music and music videos, setting up Reminders and viewing my calendar entries, getting weather forecasts, creating shopping lists, having the news read to me, setting up alarm clocks, viewing my family photos in Ambient Mode, making hand-free phone calls, quickly finding recipes in the kitchen, getting restaurant recommendations, and turning on and off my smart home devices (e.g, light bulbs, TV).
I do wish, however, for a little bit more. As of right now, the Google Hub cannot send text messages and for some reason, Netflix movies does not work although it is listed inside Settings as a supported “video service” that can play videos. Casting from other video apps such as Tubi and Hulu, however, worked just fine.
Despite these somewhat minor gripes, I feel confident that the Google Hub will continue to be improved steadily by Google and new features will be added in the short- and long-term future.
Overall, I’m excited and enjoying the convenience of having such a smart AI assistant nearby that can, in addition to speaking back answers to my queries, also show me videos, make phone calls, control my smart devices, and act as a wonderful and dynamic photo frame.
==== Closing Thoughts ====
For ~$150, the Google Home Hub is a fantastic product with great value. It has a clean and pleasing design, the AI component is brilliant, the screen is vibrant and clear, and the powerful automation and smart home control features are well-integrated & highly functional. It also doesn't take up too much space, easily blending into almost any environment inside a home. The Hub is an excellent creation from Google that I highly recommend.
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Grill, bake, roast or broil with this Delonghi Livenza 0.5 cu. ft. digital compact convection oven. This compact oven saves space while providing enough capacity to save the hassle, heat and cost of using your full-size oven. This Delonghi Livenza 0.5 cu. ft. digital compact convection oven has toasting _and warming functions for maximum flexibility.
Customer Rating
5
Versatile Toaster Oven with Predictable Performanc
on October 24, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
The DeLonghi Livenza toaster oven is a great cooking machine that is well-built and stylish, easy to handle and use, and high-performing in its various functions (Toast, Bake, Convection, Roast, Pizza, Cookies, Broil/Grill, Keep Warm, and Reheat). For a toaster oven, you can't get much better than this. Excellent product.
*Pros:
-Stylish & modern design.
-Compact footprint.
-Easy to handle and use.
-Analog dials are grippy and satisfying to turn and use.
-Bright and easy to read digital screen.
-9 Preset Modes for quick and easy cooking.
-Very helpful User Manual with a Functions Table and a Recipes List.
-Food comes out well-cooked, even, and as desired from its two heating elements and double glass door.
-Easy cleanup and maintenance.
-Compact footprint.
-Easy to handle and use.
-Analog dials are grippy and satisfying to turn and use.
-Bright and easy to read digital screen.
-9 Preset Modes for quick and easy cooking.
-Very helpful User Manual with a Functions Table and a Recipes List.
-Food comes out well-cooked, even, and as desired from its two heating elements and double glass door.
-Easy cleanup and maintenance.
*Cons:
-None.
==== Design & Build Quality ====
I find this DeLonghi toaster oven to be pleasing to my eyes with its modern design in silver and stainless steel. The fit-and-finish is perfect and all the moving parts actuate and move about fluidly and precisely.
The display is bright, easy to read, and conveys all relevant information in a concise format (Toast Level, Function icon, Timer, Clock, Temperature, etc).
I like using the two main dials very much (Function selection dial and Time/Temp dial) due to its clickity and precise operation and good grip. The rest of the control buttons are well-laid out and simple to use.
The unit heats up quickly and its double-pane glass door design does an excellent job keeping the heat in and even.
The toaster oven comes with 4 accessories - a Bake pan, a Crumb tray, a Pizza tray, and a wire rack. All in all, the Livenza toaster oven is a nice and complete package that is ready to cook up many delicious meals and treats.
==== Performance ====
I find the cooking performance of the Livenza oven to be very satisfactory and good. My toasts came out perfect - regular bread, flat bread, pita bread, garlic bread, and bagels.
Cooking fish via the baking function, such as flounders, and broiling some Korean short rib BBQ meat were right-on as well.
Another frequent menu item is some CPK Pizza that I enjoy with my daughter and it, too, came out perfectly.
By following the suggestions inside the Functions Summary Table in the User Manual that lists the recommended temperature setting, timer duration, and pan/wire rack position, the uncertainty and slight stress of cooking were evaporated (yes, I'm a noob cook). XD
I especially appreciate the Keep Warm function that can not only keep my cooked food warm but which also doubles up as a slow cooker.
DeLonghi has created an awesome toaster oven with many convenience features and excellent cooking performance at a price level that is reasonable and inside that "sweet spot."
==== Closing Thoughts ====
I can easily and highly recommend the DeLonghi Livenza oven for its great performance, simple functionality, excellent user manual, and its handsome design. It really is amazing how such a compact toaster oven can do so much and do them so well in a consistent manner. It's a complete Win from DeLonghi.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Look sharp with this electric Philips Norelco Prestige shaver. Its Superb SkinComfort rings ensure the NanoTech precision blades flow fluidly across even seven-day beards, and the multi-direction ContourDetect head follows the definitions on your face for a precise trim. This Philips Norelco Prestige shaver's lithium-ion battery recharges in one hour so you can quickly resume your grooming routine.
Customer Rating
5
Premium & Excellent Shaver with Smart Features
on October 11, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
The Philips Norelco S9000 Prestige is an excellent rotary shaver that is light, easy to operate, and offers a close shave that rivals a foil shaver. The fit-and-finish is excellent and both the shaver and its carrying case feel premium and durable. Smart features such as Travel Lock and Cleaning Reminder are thoughtful and helpful additions. It is a great product from Philips.
*Pros:
-Premium feel, nice fit-and-finish, & great build quality.
-Easy to operate.
-IPX7 water-resistant.
-Quiet operation.
-Nice, big LED screen.
-Easy maintenance.
-Helpful smart features (Travel Lock, Cleaning Reminder, Replacement Reminder).
-Easy to operate.
-IPX7 water-resistant.
-Quiet operation.
-Nice, big LED screen.
-Easy maintenance.
-Helpful smart features (Travel Lock, Cleaning Reminder, Replacement Reminder).
*Cons:
-None
==== Design ====
I was impressed from the get-go when I started unboxing the S9000 Prestige. The box is attractive and has a nice, soft texture to it. The parts are neatly organized inside and easy to unpack everything. It kind of felt like I was unpacking a premium smartphone from Samsung.
The carrying case for the S9000 is the nicest of its kind I've seen and touched so far. It is a hard case with soft textures front and back and it exudes quality and durability. The soft texture offers solid grip and reminded me of high-end eye glassware cases. Just by looking at the carrying case, you know there is something nice and expensive inside.
As for the shaver itself, the S9000 Prestige is constructed very well with its attractive matte black and brushed stainless steel design. Despite the appearance of lots of metal components, the unit is surprisingly light and comfortable to use for an extended period of time. All the seams and lines are perfect and the fit-and-finish is excellent.
Operating and maintaining the S9000 couldn't be any easier. To start shaving, just press the big Power Button, use the + and - buttons to set your shaving comfort level (Low, Medium, and Fast), then put the three rotary heads on your skin to start shaving while making small circular motions.
Here is a nice tutorial video from Philips on how to shave with the S9000 Prestige for those not familiar with rotary shavers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GjUCQBVKf4
After shaving is finished, I cleaned the shaver by turning it on and running the head under some warm tap water as instructed. For a more thorough cleaning, you can just pull off the top part of the rotary shaver head to rinse off the hair chamber inside and/or twist off the three individual shaver rings. Once done, you just snap the top back on to the base. Super simple and easy.
The smart features of the S9000 are conveyed through the big and bright LED screen & offers useful information at a glance - the battery level, the shaving comfort level, and notifications if any are available (e.g., Battery Low, Cleaning Reminder, Travel Lock, Overheating, and Replacement Reminder). I find Travel Lock to be an especially thoughtful and helpful addition as it can prevent accidental power-on and drainage of battery.
The S9000 came with a single extra attachment - the Sideburn/Mustache precision trimmer. It was a simple affair to pull off the rotary shaving head and snap on the attachment. And it performed very well neatly trimming my sideburns.
For design and build quality, I give the Norelco S9000 Elite (SP9820) a 10 out of 10~!
==== Performance ====
Having used a Philips Norelco rotary shaver in the past before switching to a Braun foil shaver, I was pleasantly surprised by how close the shave was. The older Norelco model I used from about 6 years ago was not able to shave as close as my Braun foil shaver and it was too time-consuming to use due to the many passes I had to make on the same spot.
With the S9000, not only is the shave as close as my Braun Series 7 foil shaver - if not better according to my wifey - it doesn't require so many passes that I get impatient and frustrated. As a result, I'm quite pleased with it and I can put aside the Braun as a backup now.
Other aspects of the S9000 that compares more favorably to my foil shaver is that it is much quieter in operation and it does a much, much better job at shaving the angled areas of my face (i.e., jaw area) and my neck area. This is just an inherent advantage of a rotary shaver compared to a foil shaver.
It is not a complete win for the S9000, however. Although it offers a closer shave than my foil shaver, the S9000 does require more shaving passes than the foil. Approximately, I would say that my shaving time increased by about 1 minute overall.
With that said, I rate shaving closeness a 10 out of 10, time consumed a 8.5 out of 10, and overall performance & satisfaction a 9.5.
==== Closing Thoughts ====
Philips has created a fantastic rotary shaver that is premium in build with great fit-and-finish that is lightweight, performant, and simple in operation and maintenance. The built-in smart features such as Travel Lock and Cleaning Reminder are great additions. I would highly recommend the S9000 Prestige for those looking for a close shave with a quiet operation and easy maintenance.
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I would recommend this to a friend!
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Ninja Foodi's TenderCrisp pressure cooker allows you to achieve all the quick cooking and tenderizing wonders that you love about pressure cookers. The Foodi's Crisping Lid allows you to air fry, bake/roast, and broil. That means you can give your tender, juicy pressure-cooked meals a golden, crispy finish. The secret is TenderCrisp Technology, which produces the perfect combination of heat, fan velocity, and air circulation to give your food even crisping from top to bottom.
Customer Rating
5
Wonderful Cooking Machine
on October 7, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
The Ninja Foodi TenderCrisp Pressure Cooker is a fantastic, wonderful cooking machine~! With one machine and two lids, it can do so much~! All the dishes I tried came out perfect - New York steak, asparagus, Korean Kalbi Stew, multi-grain rice mixture dish, and french fries. The number of different dishes the Ninja Foodi can churn out is staggering. Ninja has created a superb cooking machine that is also easy to use, clean up, and maintain.
*Pros:
-Well-designed and ergonomic.
-Control Panel is easy to figure out and use.
-Food is cooked very well.
-Easier to clean up compared to conventional cookware.
-Air Crisp, with no oil, leads to healthier food.
-Pressure cooker function is fabulous.
-Saves lots of time in the kitchen cooking food.
-Predictable cooking performance.
-Control Panel is easy to figure out and use.
-Food is cooked very well.
-Easier to clean up compared to conventional cookware.
-Air Crisp, with no oil, leads to healthier food.
-Pressure cooker function is fabulous.
-Saves lots of time in the kitchen cooking food.
-Predictable cooking performance.
*Neutral:
-Takes up lots of kitchen counter space.
-The audio alerts could be a bit louder.
-The audio alerts could be a bit louder.
*Cons:
-None.
==== Design & Usage ====
The Ninja Foodi is a solid and well-designed cooking machine with great ergonomics and a very intuitive and easy-to-use Control Panel.
All the parts are well-placed, easy to grip, and sculpted with round soft edges for comfortable grip and operation.
The included accessories - the Reversible Rack, Cook & Crisp Basket, Detachable Diffuser, 6.5-quart Cooking Pot, Pressure Lid, and Condensation Collector - fit perfectly and harmoniously with each other. All the parts are easy to clean as well, more so than conventional cookware.
The Control Panel is another wonderfully easy-to-use and intuitive part of the cooking experience. All the functions are laid out in a clear and quickly understandable manner highlighted with big letters and bright white LED light. It was a pleasant surprise that such a complicated machine was so simple to use. My wifey does most of the cooking but even a newbie in the kitchen such as myself was able to quickly serve up several dishes that didn't suck~! XD
Ninja has truly created an awesome product with oh-so-many-uses that is so uncomplicated and simple to operate. Bravo~!
==== Performance ====
The cooking performance of the Ninja Foodi blew everyone away in my household. During colder weather, I love to enjoy a Korean dish called Kalbi Stew. Using a conventional manual pressure cooker, it takes about 6 hours to cook as one has to slow cook all the meat and vegetables over a fire for about 6 to 8 hours. It takes even longer (12 to 16 hours) if one uses a regular pot. With the Foodi, it took only 35 minutes~!! Unbelievable. The meat came out buttery soft and juicy.
Another food item that normally takes a while to cook (1 to 2 hours) is some multi-grain mixture my mom likes to eat. With the Foodi, it only took 15 minutes and all the grains came out super soft.
The BIG test from me for the Ninja Foodi was cooking up some New York Strip steak, asparagus, and crinkle french fries for the family for dinner. Following the general recipe and instructions from the included Recipe Book, I churned out three perfectly cooked steak meat (medium rare for me and well-done for the wifey and mom) with crispy and juicy asparagus on the side. The french fries turned out perfectly as well - crunchy and super crispy and all without using any oil. Wonderful~!
Thanks to the Foodi, I look forward to spending more time in the kitchen experimenting and serving up more delicious meals for my family to enjoy.
==== Closing Thought ====
Ninja has created an awesome cooking machine that even a newbie such as myself can use to fire up delicious meals. It is sturdy, durable, and well-designed with good ergonomics. The Control Panel where all the commands & settings are entered are super simple and intuitive to use. Cleaning up is fast and easy. Most importantly, food comes out perfectly cooked and ready to enjoy. Things can't get any better than that.
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I would recommend this to a friend!
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