Category: Household Accessories

Tumblers: Contigo vs Built NY vs ICONIQ

k.chen99 Comments

Plastic water bottles are wasteful and bad for the environment but water is a necessity for daily life. So how do we stay hydrated and eco-friendly at the same time? How bout using a tumbler? This handy little carrier can carry any liquid as even regulate the temperature for awhile. Keeps drinks colder or hotter for longer! Lets check out 3 that are all under $15!

Contigo AUTOSEAL West Loop:

Price: $14.82 (original $20.99)

Capacity: 16oz

Material: Stainless Steel

SA: 8/10

Great product for the price and has very useful features. It can keep drinks hot for 5 hours and cold for 12. It also auto locks when not in use which prevents spilling. It requires you to push a button to drink which may be annoying for some but not a deal breaker for me. Unfortunately the body is not dish washer safe.

Built NY Double Wall:

Price: $14.20

Capacity: 20oz

Material: Stainless Steel

SA: 9/10

Very useful for people who drink more liquids. It can keep drinks hot for 6 hours and cold for 24 which is a big step up compared to the Contigo. Can slide the lid from right to left to open and drink. Easier to use than the Contigo.

ICONIQ Insulated Tumbler:

Price: $14.95

Capacity: 20oz

Material: Stainless Steel

SA: 6/10

A little bulky, wider than I would typically like my bottles. Keeps drinks hot for 4 hours and cold for 12. The lid can slide up or down to open and close the sip hole. May have potential to leak if tossed in a bag. Some complaints says that it leaks and does not keep drinks cold for as long as it claims.

Reccomendations: Out of the 3 tumblers, the best is the Built NY Double wall. For the price and capacity, it is useful for anyone on the go. Less refills necessary compared to the 16oz Contigo and can keep your drinks at desired temperature for longer than its competitors. I recommend this product for everyone who wants to stay hydrated and wants to help the environment.

Slow Cookers: Hamilton Beach vs Chefman vs Gourmia

k.chen9Leave a comment

Imagine if you could just come home and there is food waiting for you just like when you were a kid. Wouldn’t that be amazing? Well, let me introduce you to slow cookers! These bad boys allow you to prep delicious ingredients in the morning and slowly cooks the food throughout the day which will be ready for you at night. Sounds expensive, right? Well, not all are expensive and I found a few that are actually wallet friendly so let get to it.

Hamilton Beach 33461:

Price: $24.00 (original $34.99)

Capacity: 6 quarts

Settings: 3 (High, Low and Keep Warm)

Material: Stainless Steel

SA: 6/10

A very basic slow cooker perfect for new buyers to try and experience slow cooked food. For $24, this model does everything you need it to do and produces great results. However, it does seem that the glass that this particular brand uses can break after a certain amount of uses so definitely not a long term slow cooker.

Chefman Slow Cooke:

Price: $19.99 (original $33.63)

Capacity: 5 Quarts

Settings: 3 (Low, High, Warm)

Material: Stoneware

SA: 9/10

A very versatile slow cooker. This pot can actually detach from the actual slow cooker and be used in the oven or stove top! It is also naturally non-stick so you never have to worry about anything sticking or cleaning it up after. It also uses less lead than most other similar product which will resonate well with health conscious users. However, use with caution since the material used get extremely hot after use.

Gourmia PC710:

Price: $24.99

Capacity: 7 Quarts

Settings: 3 (High, Low, Auto)

Material: Stainless Steel

SA: 9/10

This product is larger than the other two and cheaper than Chefman. The great feature about this product is the Auto setting which will shift from cooking to keep warm after it is done cooking. Although I am unclear about how they can actually determine that, the reviews seem like it works which makes this product much easier to use for first timers and forgetful people.

Recommendations: I would recommend the Gourmia PC710 over the other 3 because of its size, price and settings. The auto setting is honestly the feature that makes this product so worth it. You will never have to worry about your food overcooking or monitoring it to ensure that it is at the right temperature. This product will set the temperature until it is done cooking and then keep the food warm until you are ready to eat it! Great for families or people living alone. Easily prepare food for yourself way in advance.

 

 

 

Toilet Paper: Charmin Ultra vs Scott vs Presto

k.chen9Leave a comment

An essential commodity for any living space is toilet paper. However, with so many brands out there that claim to do different things but are all doing the same job, it can be confusing. Picking the right toilet paper shouldn’t make you break your bank. So lets talk about 3 types of toilet paper that come in bulk (24 packs)

Charmin Ultra Soft Toilet – Cushiony Touch:

Price: $28.49 (original $29.99)

Softness: 2-ply

Sheets: 363 per roll

SA: 8/10

Charmin is known for being pricer than its competitors but the quality speaks for itself. Its super soft and extra absorbent. You will end up using less sheets than any other brand of toilet paper which pay end up saving you money in the long run. They claim it is equal to about 5 regular sheets which maybe a bit of an exaggeration but it definitely will last longer. A great splurge buy but not necessary.

Scott Tube-Free Toilet Paper:

Price: $13.29 (original $13.99)

Softness: 1-ply

Sheets: 275 per roll

SA: 7/10

Much cheaper than the Charmin Ultra but much lower quality. It only uses 1-ply which maybe require more sheets per use. In addition, it also comes with less sheets per roll but it is very eco-friendly. Without the tube in the middle, they cut the cost and lower the carbon footprint of the user. However, compared to Charmin, these sheets only claim be equal to 2 regular rolls of toilet paper. Some critiques of this product stems from the tubeless factor. Towards the end of the roll, it gets hard to pull. It also runs out fairly quick.

Presto! Ultra-Soft Toilet Paper:

Price: $20.45

Softness: 2-Ply

Sheets: 308 per roll

SA: 9/10

This is Amazon’s own brand of Toilet Paper and it is surprisingly very good. Costs less compared to Charmin Ultra but has does lack in the quality department. Each roll is claim to last as long as 4 regular rolls and leaves less lint behind than other brands. The reviews claim that you cant really tell the difference between these and the Charmin brand.

Recommendation:  The Amazon brand of Toilet Paper beat my expectations by a long shot. For a product from a company that never made toilet paper before, this particular product was pretty good. It soft like the leading brands and last just as long. The best part, it is cheaper too! So if you want to save on toilet paper, buy the Presto!

 

Hair Dryers: Conair vs Revlon vs Red by Kiss

k.chen9Leave a comment

No one likes to go to bed with wet hair, but letting your hair air dry just takes too long. If you ever came across this problem, investing in a hair dryer maybe something you should consider. I will be introducing 3 different hair dryers that are all very affordable.

Conair 1875:

Price: $14.99 (original $24.99)

Power: 1875 Watts

Speeds: 2

Weight: 1.55 LBS

SA: 8/10

Great product that gets the job done. Comes with a retractable cord that makes storage easy and quick. The speeds allow you to pick 2 types of air flows and a attachment that helps create certain hairstyles. Since it is light and compact, it is great for traveling.

Revlon 1875W:

Price: $16.99 (original $17.99)

Power: 1875 Watts

Speeds: 2

Weight: 1.7 LBS

SA: 3/10

At first glance this product seemed very similar to the Conair 1875. However, after reading the reviews from buyers, it seems that this hair dryer is very unreliable. There has been mentions of it catching on fire and breaks after a month or two. It seems that if you want a reliable product, stay away from the Revlon products. Low quality product.

Red by Kiss 1875 Pro:

Price: $19.97 (original $24.99)

Power: 1875 Watts

Speed: 2

Weight: 1.98 LBS

SA: 9/10

Although this brand is a littler pricier than the Conair, for under $20, this product is amazing. It comes with 4 attachments that allows the user to not only dry their hair, but style it as well. It has 3 heat setting so you will not have to worry about damaging or drying out your hair. Also has a removable filter than prevents lint buildup inside the hair dryer and comes with a 2 year warranty!

Recommendation: The Red by Kiss 1875 Pro is definitely the best hair dryer in this group. Although it is slightly more expensive, its features are worth it. In addition, it guarantees 2 years of use. This product is best for families that because it has the capability to be shared and not over heat as well as work on different types of hair styles. However, if you are someone who travels a lot, maybe the Conair 1875 would be the better choice. It is lighter and its retractable wire makes it easy to store.

Blenders: Black + Decker vs Hamilton Beach vs Oster

k.chen9Leave a comment

Its almost summer, so you know what that means. Nothing beats a nice cold smoothie or milkshake when its hot out but buying them can be expensive. However, with your own blender, you could be mixing like a pro while saving on some dough. Browsing through Amazon, there are countless blenders from top of the line to basic blenders. However, summer is only 1 season, so no need to splurge on something you might put away after a few months. Black + Decker and Hamilton Beach offers low cost Blenders at a bargain for their basic models but are they really as good as the Oster for the price? Here’s how they stack up against each other!

BLACK+DECKER BL1500SG Counter Top Blender:

Price: $39.99

Capacity: 48 oz (6 cups)

Speeds: 10

Power: 700 Watts

SA: 6/10

The Black + Decker basic blender is decent but its functions does not justify the price. Although it has some features that sound impressive, the biggest deterrent for this product is the lack of a warranty. Usually products that require a lot of power to function are sold with a warranty because they should be built to last and stored. The fact that they do not offer one makes me skeptical on the life of this product. In addition, if you plan to store this product when it starts to get cold, keep in mind you may have trouble using it when summer comes around again.

Hamilton Beach Wave Crusher:

Price: $32.95 (Originally $38.99)

Capacity: 40 oz (5 cups)

Speeds: 14

Power: 700 Watts

SA: 7/10

The Hamilton Beach Wave crusher is a very decent buy for this price point. Since it is currently on sale, it is a great time to buy one. Although it has less capacity than the Black + Decker basic model, it has more speeds allowing you to create a better consistency for that cold summer drink. This product also comes with a 3 year warranty which is a bonus for a product like this. You will not have to worry about replacing this product or breaking it for 3 years, what a relief! It is also super durable (can blend 8,000 frozen drinks) and super easy to pour (has a pouring lid).

Oster 6812-001 Core:

Price: $36.99 ($49.99)

Capacity: 40 oz (5 cups)

Speeds: 16

Power: 700 Watts

SA: 8.5/10

The Oster is a currently on a huge sale, discounted at 26% from its original price and is the most notable product in this list. With 16 speeds, you’ll have the ability to make your frozen drink to your preference. Being able to effortless make anything from milkshakes to frozen margaritas, this product does it all! It comes with a 10 year warranty as well! That’s right, this investment of $36.99 can last you 10 years of making smoothies or shakes. However, be cautious when cleaning this product because there has been some complainants on removing the blade. The whole product is dish washer safe.

Recommendations: The Oster is hands down the best product at this price point and will be a worthy investment down the road. The pros heavily out weight the cons since the only problem that seem to arise is due to its old fashion base. If you’re a college student trying to throw a margarita party, this product is for you. Or if you’re a parent trying to provide your kids with a healthy smoothie, this product will meet your expectations as well.

Coffee Makers: Black + Decker vs Mr. Coffee vs Aicok

k.chen9Leave a comment

This post is for all my coffee lovers. Purchasing coffee from any coffee shop will add up quickly. However, making your own coffee would only cost you a fraction. In this post, I will be comparing three different brands of Coffee Makers that can all be found on Amazon. The two most well known brands of this group are Black + Decker and Mr. Coffee. The third is by Aicok which is a brand relatively unknown in this market.

BLACK+DECKER Programmable Coffeemaker – DLX1050B:

Price: $21.49

Capacity: 12 Cups

Material: Plastic

SA: 7/10

Very basic drip coffee maker. Given this price point, there are not a lot of bells and whistles that comes with this product but you can set a timer to have the coffee made automatically at a certain time. It also has an auto-shut off time of 2 hours so you will never have to worry about forgetting to turn it off. This product also has a sneak-a-cup feature that allows the user to freely pause the brewing process and pour before the entire brew is compelete.

Mr. Coffee Programmable Coffee Maker – BVMC-EVX23:

Price: $22.93

Capacity: 12 Cups

Material: Plastic

SA: 7/10

Similar to the Black + Decker coffee maker, this is also a very basic coffee maker. Although it’s features are similar, this brand is slightly more expensive than its counterpart.

Aicok Coffee Maker:

Price: $29.97

Capacity: 10 Cups

Material: Stainless Steel, Plastic, Glass

SA: 8/10

Also another very basic coffee maker which is surprising given its price. However, the materials used for this machine is higher quality than its competitors which is why the price is so much higher than the previous two that I have mentioned. One reason for this maybe due to its superior brew time. It can make a whole pot (10 cups) in about 3 minutes. This product also automatically keeps the coffee warm for a long period of time. The downside of this function is that you must manually turn it off as this coffee maker does not have an automatic shut down option.

Recommendation: I would recommend the Black + Decker coffee maker for home use since it has an automatic shut off option and automatic brew option. This is perfect for anyone who just wants a machine that can have their coffee ready by the time they wake up. However, for small to medium size offices, the Aicok coffee maker is the better option. It will allow everyone in the office to enjoy warm coffee no matter when it was brewed. In addition, it will be able to handle more brew than the other 2 because of the superior materials that was used.

Water Filters: Brita vs PUR vs Waterdrop

k.chen9Leave a comment

Having clean water is something everyone can agree on. So today I will compare some low cost options for water filters. I’m sure we all are aware of the brand Brita since they are something many college students use in dorms. However, there are also other brands that not as many people are aware of. In this post, I will be comparing Brita with PUR  and Waterdrop.

Brita Large 10 Cup Everyday Water Pitcher with Filter:

Price: $26.99

Capacity: 10 cups

Filter Life: 40 gallons (roughly two months)

SA: 8/10

Great product for a very decent price. Would recommend for college students living in dorms since it is small and light weight (about 3 pounds w/o water) Great for individual use and lasts quite awhile. For the price, it is a pretty good buy for anyone who is looking to have cleaner water. Also helps filter our distinct tastes from hard water which is great for making coffee.

Waterdrop Extream Long-Lasting 10-Cup Water Filter Pitcher with Wooden Handle:

Price: $23.99

Capacity: 10 cups

Filter Life: 200 gallons (roughly 3 – 5 months depending on household size)

SA: 10/10

Top of the line product. Probably the best filter you can buy for this price. At $23.99 and long filter life, this product will definitely help you save money short and long term compared to similar priced products. It’s filtration system also helps the water filter out faster so not too much time is spent waiting for clean water. Perfect for families and its relative small size makes it easy to pour and carry. Highly recommended for everyone.

PUR 18 Cup Water Filtration Dispenser:

Price: $26.87

Capacity: 18 cups

Filter Life: 40 gallons (roughly 2 months)

SA: 8/10

Great product with larger than capacity than most water filters in this price range. Great for families and large households. Will reduce the amount of times needed to refill. However, due to its larger capacity, it is not as portable as its counterparts. Mostly stationary and user must move to location rather than bring it with them. Same amount of filter life as Brita but does not require to pick up to pour. Instead it has a handle that allows it for easier pour.

Recommendation: I highly recommend the Waterdrop Extream water filter due to its price and filter life. It is outstanding in all the necessary departments such as filter speed, portability, price and filter life. This product is great for any living space and arrangement. Regardless if your are a college student needing a filter for a dorm or a parent that wants quick clean water for your children, this product will satisfy those needs. However, get the PUR if you are someone who prefers ease of pour since this has a stout making it the easiest pour out of these 3 products.

 

 

Humidifiers: Vicks vs Everlasting Comfort vs Pure Enrichment

k.chen9Leave a comment

Today I will be talking about an extremely useful device for any home. That’s right, I will be comparing a very popular brand in this department, Vicks, and two lesser known products by Everlasting Comfort and Pure Enrichment. These products can be found on Amazon for decent prices and feel free to browse others. However, I feel that these 3 brands are the most popular and has the most reviews to go through.

Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic Humidifier:

Price: $59.95

Capacity: 6 Liters

Run Time: 50 hours

SA: 9/10

Amazing product for a very affordable price. If you are someone who is willing to spend a little bit extra on useful devices, this product is for you. Although it comes with a premium price tag, its features back up the price. I can run 50 straight hours (without overheating), ultra quiet, 360 degree of motion, and can fill up a room that 400 sq ft. No filter required however, like all humidifiers, when using tap water, minerals may be exposed to the air.

Vicks Ultrasonic Humidifier:

Price: $49.95 (59.95)

Capacity: 5.67 Liters

Run Time: 20 Hours

SA: 7/10

Decent product but overpriced for its performance. Only has 20 hours of run time for such a large tank and difficult to clean. It is quiet allowing use at night and recommends use of a filter. Although it is not required, not using one may lower the life of the product. Also, be careful of where the nozzle is pointed, it releases a lot of humidity quickly causing surfaces to become wet.

Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier:

Price: Currently $39.99 (Original $79.99)

Capacity: 1.5 Liters

Run Time: 16 Hours

SA: 8/10

The discount price for this product currently is a steal. It is 50% off on Amazon and has great features. 16 hour run time on a 1.5 liter tank. Lower output allowing the humidity to travel further. Ideal for people bedrooms and small offices. Not bulky like other products so does not take up too much space. Great product for anyone who lives alone.

Reflection: The best product in my opinion for families would be Everlasting Comfort due to their long run time and wide range. Great for living rooms and keeping the air from getting too dry which may irritate children. However, if you are single, the Pure Enrichment is definitely the best option if you are working with a budget. Its small body allows it to be easily moved even when full so any room you’re in will be dry free. The run time allows the user to not worry about it turning off when sleeping and it is very easy to refill unlike larger products. The Vicks is decent, but there are better options out there for the same price. The biggest deterrent about this specific Vicks product is the humidity output which can cause issues if in use for too long.