Chilly Blue

Solve 2 Problems with 1 Whirlpool Water Cooler

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What do you expect a water cooler to do? Give you cold water, right? This Whirlpool water cooler (model 8LIECH-SCSSFP5W) is self-cleaning and bottom-loading, but that doesn’t even get at its second main “trick”. This cooler also gives you hot water!

With the Whirlpool 8LIECH-SCSSFP5W, you can have hot drinks just as easily as cold water or other flavored cold beverages. Whirlpool really should call this a “water dispenser” instead of just a “water cooler”. Continue reading “Solve 2 Problems with 1 Whirlpool Water Cooler”

Best Ice Cream Maker: Cuisinart, Whynter, and Breville – Oh My!

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When looking at home ice cream makers, there are a few brands that always seem to rise to the top. Cuisinart, Whynter, and Breville are the big three that most people like. There is a fourth – Musso – that appears on many lists as well. (At least, I think Musso is the brand name. More on that later.)

This is not to say that ice cream makers from other manufacturers never make it into a top ten list, but they don’t usually hit the top five. So in the review of some of the best ice cream makers available today, I’ll concentrate on those four brands. For both Whynter and Cuisinart, there is more than one model worth your consideration, so I’ll compare them to each other for you. Continue reading “Best Ice Cream Maker: Cuisinart, Whynter, and Breville – Oh My!”

Best Soda Maker: SodaStream Is Still the Champ

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Note: Much of the information in this review is based on tests done by the good folks at Wirecutter.

If you like fizzy, carbonated drinks, perhaps you often buy soda pop or similar beverages. If you have some unique tastes or want to pay less for these drinks over time, you should consider getting your own soda maker.

With a soda maker, you use regular tap water (filtered is good) and add (infuse, to use the jargon) as much carbon dioxide (CO2) as you like. Then, with most makers, you can add the flavor or flavors of your own choosing.

In this review, I’ll look at several soda makers with you. One, and only one, of them can handle more than plain water. Continue reading “Best Soda Maker: SodaStream Is Still the Champ”

Best Countertop Ice Maker: Igloo ICE108

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There really aren’t as many different countertop ice makers out there as you might at first think. Even the Igloo ICE108 has a clone in the Della Premium model. In fact, the pictures you’ll see here are technically the Della ice maker because Igloo doesn’t even acknowledge on their website that they make ice makers.

You can find some of the most popular countertop ice makers marketed under several brand names. (More on that below.) They all have their pros and cons, but the ICE108 seems to top them all, if only by a little in some cases.

In this review, I’ll look at the Igloo ICE108 with you to show you why it’s probably the model you should buy, if you need a small ice maker at all. Continue reading “Best Countertop Ice Maker: Igloo ICE108”

Brita Everyday 10-Cup Pitcher: The Best Pitcher Water Filter You Can Get

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I was going to compare several water pitcher filtration systems here, but then I came across the Brita Everyday (in combination with the Brita Longlast filter) and decided there was little to no reason to continue the search.

So let’s make this relatively short and sweet.

There’s really only one pitcher water filter I think you should consider. It’s the Brita Everyday. Continue reading “Brita Everyday 10-Cup Pitcher: The Best Pitcher Water Filter You Can Get”

5 Popular Countertop Water Filters: Can You Get By with One of These?

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A countertop water filter is generally a small affair, at least, compared to the multi-component undercounter systems that are also available. If you don’t mind – or even prefer – a tower-like gadget sitting on or near your sink, then a countertop model may be what you’ve been looking for.

How do you know which model is the best countertop water filter for you? That’s what this article may help you figure out. There are many from which to choose. This article reviews 5 of the more popular models so you can get some idea of what they are like and, even if you don’t like any of these, you’ll at least have an idea of what to look for elsewhere. Continue reading “5 Popular Countertop Water Filters: Can You Get By with One of These?”

3 Budget Water Filtration Systems Review: Cleaner Water from a Small Package

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There are so many water filtration systems available today that it’s almost impossible to know which one is the best. So where do you start? With the title of this review, I’m suggesting you’ve already started by looking at your money. Budget water filtration systems, by default, don’t cost a lot of money.

In a way, you may have also already decided that you don’t need a large number of contaminants removed from your water. Most of these budget systems simply don’t remove as much as some of the larger and more expensive setups. If you actually haven’t decided that this is what you want, don’t worry. I’ll have a few suggestions below to help you figure out which type of water filtration system you need. Continue reading “3 Budget Water Filtration Systems Review: Cleaner Water from a Small Package”

High End Water Filtration Systems Review: How Dirty Is Your Water?

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Does “dirty” water come out of your faucets? Do you know if “dirty” water is coming out of your faucets? Maybe you should find out and then check out these water filtration systems, if you find that there are too many undesirables lurking in your drinking water.

High end water filtration systems come in many different styles. In this review, I’ll take a look at several of the more popular models to see what they have to offer, so you can get some idea of which one might best work for your situation and current water quality. Continue reading “High End Water Filtration Systems Review: How Dirty Is Your Water?”

3 Best Iced Tea Machines: All from Mr. Coffee?

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It seems just a little strange that the top three iced tea machines at Amazon should all be made by Mr. Coffee.

Or does it?

Coffee isn’t that much different from tea when it comes to making a pot of it. You heat some water, add some coffee/tea, let it sit for a while as the two components mix together, and when you’re satisfied that it’s ready, you drink it.

Sure, the flavor and effects are vastly different, but that isn’t the point here. The point is that Mr. Coffee may have had a head start on this process with its coffee machines and was able to apply that knowledge to iced tea machines better than most of its competitors. Continue reading “3 Best Iced Tea Machines: All from Mr. Coffee?”

3 Best Selling Wine Chillers: Igloo or NutriChef?

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Products that are popular at Amazon tend to be pretty good quality items or they wouldn’t be classed as popular or best sellers. The three best selling wine chillers at Amazon are currently coolers made by Igloo and NutriChef. I’ll take a look at each of these and tell you how they compare to each other in the review below.

Igloo (which some spell “iGloo” for some reason) is a well-known brand. NutriChef, which is actually a Pyle Audio brand is generally lesser known. (Pyle Audio produces all kinds of products besides audio equipment.) Continue reading “3 Best Selling Wine Chillers: Igloo or NutriChef?”