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Best Teakettle – Calphalon – Stainless Steel Tea Kettle with Superior Human Design

From our Readers:“Paul! I’ve been looking for a replacement teakettle for several months now. I never thought finding a good quality teakettle would be so hard, but it is!

Almost every review I read has complaints about all kinds of issues. Some rust, others the handle gets hot, ones that are supposed to whistle don’t. Please help!

All I want is a good looking, well made teakettle that holds enough water so several of us can share some tea. Thanks.” GR
PG:“GR, it does seem incredible that it’s hard to find a well designed teakettle, considering they’ve been around for several hundred years.

But since the teakettle also has a second role as “Kitchen Art,” creative design has often overridden human design.

However, we found a teakettle that solves nearly all the engineering issues and has a simple, elegant style that beautifully integrates its superior human design.

It should make tea time a simple pleasure for a long time. Let’s take a look…..”

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First, Here’s What Our Research Found a Great Teakettle Should Have:

*2 qt. size to make sharing a cup of tea with friends easy, but not make a full kettle too heavy

*Single-piece Body. (no crimped, two piece bottoms or material bonding)

* Non-Rusting Materials and no welded spouts (welds are a common place for rust)

* A Clear Whistle (to keep us from ruining it)

* Stay Cool Handle, even at a full whistle boil

* Safe, Easy Open Spout Lid, with its opening lever away from the spout, where it’s cool

* No Boiling Surge spout design (no boiling water leaping from the spout as you pour)

* Balanced and Easy to Pour (with a human engineered handle/weight balanced design)

* Tight Lid Seal (so steam doesn’t leak up towards your hand or heat up the handle)

* Easy Faucet Fill Access (wide fill opening and a handle that doesn’t interfere with filling)

* Attractive Design (because it usually lives on your stove 24/7)

* At Least a 2 Year Warranty (demonstrating they stand behind what they sell)

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Calphalon Stainless Steel Teakettle

The Short Story:

We found the Calphalon Stainless Steel Teakettle blended the

Best Balance of Benefits, Performance and Human Design

into a simple, attractive, comfortable to use teakettle.

–It’s 2 qt. capacity provides plenty of water for up to eight (8) ounce cups, without becoming too heavy to manage.

-The single extrusion body shape keeps the weight of shifting water well balanced. The beautifully integrated, spring loaded spout cap /whistle clearly let’s you know when its ready and pouring is safe and controlable.

–The high arched, very heat resistant handle design is safe and comfortable. It has an easy to remove (see my technique photo below) but tight fitting kettle lid and wide fill opening to make faucet filling and cleaning easy.

–It’s Stainless Steel, non-welded design should provide years of rust free service and good looks with periodic polishing using a quality stainless steel cleaner. (two of our polish recommendations are below)

-In the three+ months of our testing, the Calphalon Stainless Steel Teakettle has proven to be exceptionally well human engineered, easy to use and fits attractively into a variety of kitchens.

Now……

The Inside Story:

A teakettle is a unique item to humans. (that would be us, hopefully)

Calphalon Main on stove — Calphalon Teakettle on stove

More than most items in our home, it’s use and presence often connects us to feelings of comfort and harmony.

That’s probably why the Visual Design has very often taken priority over the Practical Experience of using it.

When GR asked us to help them find a teakettle that incorporated both, we started with a Human Design focus and worked our way forward to the also highly important asthetics.

Our goal was to find a beautifully human engineered teakettle that was also beautiful to the eye and could fit into a wide variety of kitchen decors.

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The Calphalon Stainless Steel Teakettle

has a great blend of the qualities a great teakettle should have.

But, based upon our research, we came to appreciate how rare that is.

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Calphalon apparently also felt that form didn’t necessarily follow function in the teakettle world.

During our research we found that they decided to leave the teakettle market completely for about a year.

During that time they tasked their design/engineering department to start from scratch and create a design that not only solved the human design issues most teakettles have, but would also blend attractively into most kitchens.

Based upon the positive and responsive experience I had reaching their customer service (in a reasonable time-under 2 mins.) and seperate conversations with different, but knowledgeable customer service personnel, their customer focus and desire to create quality products appears to be quite cultural.

In fact, the new kettle design originally used a black plastic ring around the lift ring of the whistle. To ensure heat would not break down the plastic ring over time, they upgraded the lift ring to also be stainless steel. All current models now have this change.

We highly value a manufacturer that identifies a potential issue and makes a running change. Cudos to Calphalon. I can tell you, having looked at thousands of products over the years, most don’t unless required to.

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But, let’s look deeper into a few key features

that helped qualify the Calphalon Stainless Steel Teakettle as

A GreatStuffThatWorks Approved product.

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Just Put Your Lips Together and Whistle…….

* First, Let’s start with why a teakettle should whistle:

->Human Beings Forget Stuff.

The number one killer of teakettles in America is…… boiling it dry.

If you love your teakettle, warping it into avant- garde art can feel like you just killed your favorite plant.

So, to avoid future heartbreak you need a good, strong whistle to blow when the water reaches full boil.

The Calphalon Stainless Steel teakettle does this reliably and with a high pitched, but not un-pleasant, whistle easily heard from another room.

Listen: Calphalon Stainless Steel Teakettle Whistling At Full Boil

No more “Oh, sh_t” moments, while running to it’s rescue.

Once your water is ready, it needs to get into the cup safely.

Second:

No Boiling Surge

Ever attempt to pour your freshly boiled water and have it leap over the cup onto the counter?

It’s both messy and a scalding danger.

The spout design on many teakettles actually increases this problem due to its length and the narrowing taper of the spout.

The Calphalon teakettle spout was designed with a short, wide, circular spout that when heated properly (see my note about flame height on Gas Stoves) eliminates the surging issue, even when pouring water at full boil. Yes, we tested this multiple times with a properly full (read “not over the Max” mark) kettle at full whistle boil.

Calphalon No Surge Spout — Calphalon Spout

To also help keep you safe, the whistle cap is easily opened by a spring actuated, beautifully integrated, lever at the top of it’s handle arc. Click On The Video Below To See It In Action!

Third:

Stay Cool Handle

Keeping the handle cool requires several elements to be addressed by the design and one by you.

* The handle should be made of a strong, very low heat conducting materal.

Why should you have to reach for a potholder or towel just to pour your water or open the lid without burning yourself?

The “Philadelphia Arch” Calphalon handle uses a resin that has a very low ability to absorb heat and remains strong. The same arched design and material is used on the kettle Lid Handle, keeping your fingers further away from hot metal.

Fourth:

Easy To Fill

This arched lid design also makes removing the kettle lid easy.

Here’s my tip to do it: Grip the kettle handle at the top of the arch, then hook the lid handle with your middle finger and pull up. Snap!

The tight fitting lid pops right off without you touching the hot metal. —->

As soon as the lid is cool, just press the lid back in place with the “arches” of the lid and kettle aligned for the next time. (nice).

Calphalon design engineers also made it easy to fill the pot using most faucets.

The High Arch handle and wide opening on the kettle allow you to slide most faucets under the handle to fill it.

It also makes it easier to clean on the inside, if your water is high in minerals.

There is a Max Fill line embossed into the upper side of the stainless steel pot.

But unless you’re Superman, you likely can’t see through stainless steel to see it. Especially from the inside, where you need to see it as you fill. (no design is perfect).

Overfilling can cause boiling water to overflow onto the stove or surge from even a properly designed spout and we don’t want that.

But, I found an easy way to know when you’re at the Max mark, without X-Ray vison.

While filling the pot, simply hook your index finger at 90 degrees over the rim at the second joint (the one just before your knuckle or if you have short fingers, at the knuckle bend). When the water rises to touch the tip of your finger, you’re done. Close enough and simple.

* Fifth:

The lid must seal tightly.

The lid should keep all but a small amount of steam (none are 100%) from leaking directly up into the handle above.

This seal is also important to assure the whistle will actually sing.

If the kettle lid allows much steam to leak from the lid area, there won’t be enough pressure to cause the whistle to blow (a complaint our User Experience research found was not uncommon).

The Calphalon Stainless Steel teakettle lid seals with a tight snap, allows very little steam to leak towards the handle and keeps your mini-steam engine fully powering the whistle, once it reaches full boil.

Just a note, the whistle will only blow when the water has achieved a full, turbulent boil. Our research found some users expected the whistle to blow at the point the water begins to churn within the pot, but adequate steam pressure is only achieved once a full boil has been rolling for a minute or so.

In our tests it takes about 5-7 minutes (depending upon the BTU output of your burners) to whistle the kettle at the full 2 quart capacity. Less time, of course, with less water inside.

* Sixth:

The Size of the Burner Matters

And the type of stove (Gas or Electric) you have will also effect the heat transferred to the handle.

The reason most stove tops are designed with different sized burners is to allow you to concentrate their heat directly into the bottom of the kitchenware you place on top.

Calphalon on "too big" burner — Calphalon on “too big” burner

We found many people simply pick whatever burner is convenient, crank the heat to Hi and walk away. Unfortunately this is very “Un-cool”.

The more the burner is oversized to the kettle bottom (or other kitchenware) the more heat is sent up the outsides and yep, into the handle.

So, the best solution for preventing the handle from being bathed in heat, is to put the kettle on the burner best matching the size of the bottom of the kettle. Err towards smaller, not larger.

Calphalon burner sized for base of kettle

If all your burners are the same size, more common on Gas stoves, adjust the flame level to stay within the flat bottom of the kettle. Cranking it further can do three things on Gas Stoves: 1.) It just wastes fuel, sending heat into the room and not into the water you are trying to boil. 2.) When the flames lick out and up the sides of the kettle, it will discolor the stainless steel finish.

3.) VERY IMPORTANT FOR GAS STOVES: When the flames lick out and up the sides of the kettle, it can also super heat the upper side of the kettle, heat the handle and can Cause The Water To Potentially Surge From The Spout, creating a spill hazard. Keep the flames beneath the pot and you’ll probably never have this issue when using a Gas stove. It never evidenced when using an Electric stove.

Over time, most stainless steel will develop a more golden tone as the metal tempers.

Periodic cleaning with a quality stainless steel cleaner (I list two at the end we found work well) will help keep your stainless steel kettle shiny and silver much longer. But the time in between cleanings can be greatly reduced by keeping the flames where they belong….. under the kettle.

*Seventh:

And last but not least, if something does become defective, your teakettle should have a solid warranty.

Like most Calphalon products, this one has a Lifetime warranty. (nice)

The link to the Calphalon Warranty Agreement is in my FYI-2.

So, if you’ve been searching for a great teakettle,

our research found

The Calphalon Stainless Steel Teakettle

had the best balance of

Benefits, Performance and Human Design

to qualify it as a

GreatStuffThatWorks Approved Product!

You can Click Here or Below to see the latest competitive price at Amazon.com!

A cup of mint green tea would be perfect right now!

Until next time…….

Cheers,

Our Disclosure: Manufacturers never influence our choices and we have no influence on pricing.

But, when you buy through our links, it’s one way to thank us for our research and

get a solid deal on GreatStuffThatWorks products from a competitive, quality merchant. Thanks!

Calphalon Stainless Steel Teakettle

Click Here For the Current Price at Amazon!

Haven’t Subscribed Yet? We never sell your info (we hate that just as much as you do) and only quality research will trickle your way.

Click Here To Subscribe to GreatStuffThatWorks!

FYI-1: Here are three Stainless Steel Cleaning Products our consumer experience research and testing found are superior at polishing stainless steel (and some other metal surfaces).

Important!

Some refrigerators, stoves and grills cheat and use a very thin coating of stainless or sometimes silver plating over tin or other metal, often with an acrylic coating on top.

Using stainless steel cleaner on those can dull or erode the acrylic coating, so just use soap and water on those to be safe. If the acrylic coating is removed, the non-stainless metal underneath will begin to rust.

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For your genuine Stainless Steel appliances,

Twinkle, Zep and Barkeeper’s Friend are proven leaders.

(I like Barkeeper’s Friend the best and use it myself on our Calphalon Tea Kettle, our glass top stove, stainless steel sink and more.)

Always read read the label for the recommended uses and safe applications.

Twinkle Stainless Steel Cleaner

Click for The Current Price at Amazon!

Zep Stainless Steel Cleaner Polish

Click Here for The Current Price at Amazon!

Twinkle and Zep are both sprays and do a great job of removing streaks, fingerprints and bringing back the like new shine quickly. The coating they leave also helps prevent the re-occurrence of finger prints, retaining the shine longer.

Spray on, work it in a bit with a cloth and wipe off the residue. That’s about it.

Twinkle is a very well liked product and is both effective and easy to use.

Zep is also very effective, but has a strong odor, so ventilate the area when using it.

Barkeeper’s Friend – Powder

Click Here for The Current Price on Amazon!

Barkeeper’s Friend is a long term favorite (over 100 years and counting) and is a great value. It contains Oxalic Acid, so read what surfaces it is safe to use on, mix the power with water (the preferred version of the product) into a paste to prevent scratching and Always rinse the surface after application, to avoid any remaining residue damaging the surface by prolonged contact.

This product also has a variety of other versatile uses, so check the label for what you can and should not use it on and you’ll have great results. If you have a Glass Top Stove, it works great to remove burned on food and spills.

There are the three most effective stainless steel cleaners, according to our research.

Let me know how these work for you!

Cheers,

FYI-2: For your easy reference:

Link to Calphalon Warranty Information

Calphalon Customer Service: 800-809-7267

Best Gas Can – The “No Spill” Gas Can: Hate Your Gas Can? Kansas (USA) Has The Solution

Finally A Gas Can That’s Safe And Easy To Use

The “No-Spill” Gas Can

From Our Subscribers: “Paul, I replaced an old gas can recently. The new government regs make using this new one so clumsy I usually end up spilling gas on my hot motors, floor or clothes, especially when the can is full. It also pours so slowly you get tired holding the 15 lbs (2.5 gal) of fuel in the air for so long. Does anybody make a fuel can that actually works well anymore?” Chris G.

PG: “Chris, you’re experiencing what many people have found over the last few years since the new safety and EPA regulations for gas cans came into place. Awkward spout locks, clumsy telescoping flow controls and air intakes inside the pour spout that really extend filling time, have made most new gas cans simply frustrating to use.

There are only a few manufactures that make these cans. But our research found one company that has developed an excellent, patented design, that exceeds all the government regulations, and works great!

Here’s the scoop….”

The Short Story:

* Push Button Flow Control
* Fuel Level View Stripes Front and Back (1.25 & 2.5 gal. cans)
* Automatic Flow Stop In Nozzle
* Unique, Large Neck Can Filler Opening
* Underside Hand Grip For Better Control (1.25 & 2.5 gal. cans, 2 handles on 5 gal.)
* Wide, Stable Design
* Thick Wall Construction For Increased Safety and Durability
* Professional Grade Quality
* Made in the USA since 1989
* 3 Year Warranty

The Inside Story:

The fact is, most of us think very little about what gas can we have…….until we go to use it.

If you have a very old gas can, made of plastic or metal, it will likely have an air vent located at the back of the can. To pour gas you simply needed to uncap the spout (if the cap hadn’t been lost), open the vent and pour away. This system allowed you to often pour up to 5+ gallons per minute. Fast and easy.

But there were also some serious safety and environmental issues with that design:

1.) Gas fumes, much more than the gas itself, are very volatile. An open vent on a gas can is constantly leaking these potentially explosive fumes into the air surrounding the can. A spark, cigarette, or open flame of any kind can cause the fumes to suddenly ignite, especially in a closed area like a garage, basement or shed.

2.) These same open can fumes continually vent hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, which becomes significant when you consider the many thousands of unsealed gas cans across the nation (and the world) contributing damage to both our air quality and the protective layer between us and the sun.

3.) A dropped or knocked over can could quickly spill gas across the floor, ground or on people, creating a serious safety and clean up hazard.

4.) Children could easily cause gas to flow from the can or be exposed to gas fumes, with potentially harmful consequences.

So, a few years ago the EPA instituted national

guidelines to require all gas cans to conform to both safety and environmental minimum standards.

Unfortunately, this also resulted in most “Safe” gas can designs having the following characteristics:

Most are……

1.) Clumsy and awkward to control and hold.

2.) The Flow Control can be difficult to regulate, especially when filling smaller tanks, like on gas powered leaf blowers, string trimmers, etc.

3.) The gallons per minute flow is now often in the range of 1.4 gallons per minute (gpm), causing you to hold a heavy can in the air (15 lbs for 2.5 gals, 30 lbs for 5 gals.) for significantly longer times.

4.) In our tests, they often created more “spill opportunities” due to the awkward flow activation methods and tank handling required to make them work.

Simply put, a pain in the A.

The three primary designs now being used, with minor variations by manufacture, are: (my terms)

Lever Flow Release: This design has a wide lever attached to the spout with a sliding safety release that must move forward to release the lever that allows the gas to flow. If you stop the flow for a moment, you need to re-release the safety slider, and re-press the lever to restart the flow. This makes bringing a tank up to full without spilling very awkward.

Telescopic Flow Release: This design uses a telescoping, spring loaded pour spout. To open the flow you usually need to turn a safety release on the spout, then hook a notch on the spout onto the rim of the gas tank you’re filling and push forward on the can, shifting the weight forward to compress the spout and open the flow.

Another version of this telescopic design also uses a hook on the spout to push against, but the flow stopper protrudes from the end of the spout when compressed.

Although this design does have an advantage of automatically stopping the flow when the tip becomes immersed below the gas level during a fill, holding the notch in position against the tank rim without slipping off (which immediately closes the flow stopper) is clumsy and the spout frequently gasps for air.

In our tests it also resulted in gas spilling onto the machine (and our shoes) when we were attempting to hook the notch on the rim or when it slipped off suddenly as the gas in the can shifted its weight. Easy to do especially when you’re holding the can in freezing weather. This was particularly true when the gas can was full.

Button Flow Control: This patented design, used by only one company, No-Spill, did not have to be changed from its basic design when the new regulations arrived, as they had already solved the fume and safety issues.

This system uses a Button Activated flow control that allows precise filling of even small tanks with no spilling of fuel or fumes.

Here’s the reason the “No-Spill” gas can qualified as

a GreatStuffThatWorks product:

1.) The nozzle design allows you to precisely control the flow of fuel, no matter how large or small the tank you need to fill is. And how full the can is has no effect on your control of the flow.

2.) It has an automatic flow stop. It allows you to place the fill nozzle into a tank you can’t see into, press the fill button and the flow will automatically stop when the tank is full. As soon as it stops, just release the flow button and you……don’t spill. (what a concept.)

3.) You can easily, precisely top off a mower, generator, or trimmer sized tank with great control.

4.) The cans have a wide, clear view strip on both ends of the the 2.5 and 1.25 gal. cans, so you can always see at a glance how much fuel is left.(not yet on the 5 gal.)

5.) There is an underside hand grip notch to help make pouring control more stable.

6.) They are made from a thicker, professional grade, molded plastic that is highly resistant to splitting, bursting (if dropped) or punctures when used at home or on the work site.

Gas Pump Fill Wide Opening — Gas Pump Fill into Wide Opening

7.) It has a wide mouth fill opening to make refilling it at the gas station safer.

The larger diameter opening makes it easier to see when the can is getting full. That in conjunction with the front and rear view strips showing you the level as you fill, makes refilling the can clean and spill free.

This also means you’re not putting a “spilled-on” gas can into your car for the ride home. Coupled with the self-sealing vent system, it should make chauffeuring your gas can around odor-free.

The No-Spill can is also designed to prevent a spill if it falls over. (just in case you didn’t tie it down well enough for the ride.)

8.) Their nozzle design includes a mesh screen at the rear of the fuel nozzle to prevent bugs or other air born debris from getting back up the spout and into your clean fuel.

9.) The Tank Cap design prevents over-tightening that could permanently distort the sealing “O”ring.

“O” rings can be permanently deformed if they are compressed more than 40%. No-Spill engineered the closure cap to never allow more than 30% compression, even if the cap is fully cranked down. (Not necessary to create a good seal.) In our tests, 4-5 clicks on the cap ratchet were plenty to keep the cap tight and sealed.

10.) The No-Spill can has a flow rate of up to 2.9 gallons per minute. Not as fast as the old style cans, but it is top of the class in fast compared to other EPA conforming designs. (around 1.4-1.5 gpm). This means less time holding a heavy gas can in the air.

If you need a longer reach, there is also an extension nozzle available.

Because the on-board No-Spill nozzle was designed to fill a wide variety of motorized, off road tools, (the primary market for small to medium sized gas cans), they make a 6″ (accessory) extension nozzle that quickly attaches to the existing nozzle when you need to fill an automobile or other on-road vehicle.

No Spill w Xtended Spout — No Spill with Extension Spout

The extension will hold the filler door open inside the automobile’s gas tank, uses a high quality, transparent, fuel rated hose that won’t be eaten by gas (like many plastic hoses) and allows you to see the flow.

If you push the extension tip at least 2″ inside the car’s tank, the auto-stop feature of the No-Spill can still operate and stop the flow automatically. However, when using the extension nozzle, the flow rate will drop to around 1.5 gpm because the extended tube can’t pull air in as quickly.

Important Note: When the fuel does automatically stop, Remember that you need to release the flow button and watch the last ~2 oz. of fuel still in the extension hose drain into the tank Before you remove the hose from the tank! (unless you like a little petro spit shine on your shoes).

To Remove the Extension Hose From the Nozzle, don’t try to pull it off. It will just get tighter. (A little like the Mexican fingercuffs trick.) You want to push it off from the back edge of the hose, where it wraps around the nozzle.

All new gas cans are now designed to be “child resistant,”which is good, But……“Child Resistant” design often means “not easy to use.”

The No-Spill can has managed to integrate these safety measures much better than most.

Nozzle Button Guards — Flow Button Guards

The No-Spill nozzle incorporates a push button design with side guards to prevent accidental pressing of the flow button (green).

And a squeeze position that requires a more adult sized hand to operate.

You put two fingers around the front edge,

And push with your thumb. Flow On.

Release, Flow Off.

The tank cap has a ratchet that requires firm pressure on the edges to move it away from the ratchet post and allow unscrewing.

Here’s the two thumb push / rotate technique we found that should allow any adult sized hand to open it without too much trouble. Once you twist past the ratchet notches, the cap will simply unscrew the rest of the way.

In the end, most of us buy a gas can and then keep it for years.

Heck, I still have a plastic gas can I bought 20+ years ago. (You saw the picture at the beginning of this review. I know, it’s not pretty.)

But because I now have tools that require Regular gas, some Mixed gas (fuel with oil added) or just hold more gas than the cans I had, I bought others.

All the gas cans I’ve bought in the last few years (on an Emergency, no time for research basis) fit into the “Hate Your Gas Can” category. (aren’t you glad you have someone to do the research in advance for you?)

Fortunately, you don’t have to end up with an aggravating gas can (or any other product), because you subscribe to GreatStuffThatWorks! (Ok, a shameless plug.)

So thanks to Chris G., we researched a product that most people wouldn’t,

and found the only Safe and “Easy-To-Use” fuel cans on the market.

My goal is to help you live with only the products that make life better and easier every time you use them.

Because life is just better when you live with The GreatStuffThatWorks!

Happy refueling!

Cheers,

To Purchase One of These Great Fuel Cans,

Click the Links Below to see the latest prices at Amazon on the No-Spill cans.

And when you buy through one of my links, you get the same low price and help fund my research!

No-Spill also make cans, with the same nozzle design, for Diesel, Kerosene and a variety of other fuels.

Not yet a subscriber? Click Here to not miss a new review or update! (We never send you anything but solid, quality content. Promise.)

Also, Check My FYI Below For a Tip to make sure the gas you put in your No-Spill doesn’t go bad and gum up your motors.

CHECK YOUR PRICE AT AMAZON BELOW!

BUY-> The No-Spill 2.5 Gallon Gas Can

BUY-> The No-Spill 1.25 Gallon Gas Can

BUY-> The No-Spill 5 Gallon Gas Can (Same great nozzle, two handled tank, no view stripe)

BUY-> No Spill 6″ Flexible Extension Spout (designed for No Spill nozzle) Needed to fill “On Road” Vehicles to reach and keep tank door open. Auto-stop will still work when using this spout. (see review section on this spout for more information.)

Here are some other cans and sizes also available for you:

3 Other No Spill Types Cans---New-Mixed-Family — 3 Other No Spill Types Cans—Mixed Family

BUY-> No Spill 5 Gallon Poly Diesel Can (For Diesel Fuel-Yellow)

BUY-> No Spill 5 Gallon Kerosene Can (Blue)

BUY-> No Spill 2.5 Gallon Poly Multi-Purpose Can (White)

FYI: Ever have trouble starting a mower, snow blower, etc. after it sat unused for a while?

Enzyme Gas Treament — Enzyme Gas Treatment

Unfortunately Ethanol begins to gum up gas after sitting for just a few weeks unless it is treated with an Enzyme Fuel Stabilizer.

The product is widely available, one small bottle treats dozens of gallons of gas and it can keep your gas from turning to gum for as long as a year with one properly mixed application.

Just read the label for the proportion to add per gallon, add it to the Gas Can before you fuel the motor, (Not The Motor’s Tank), and use the motor.

Next spring your sleeping mower will be a lot less likely to wake up grumpy.

A bottle that treats about 48 gallons runs around $10.00. A lot cheaper than a motor service or pulling the carburetor apart. I’ve used this brand and several other similar enzyme fuel treatments for several years and it has definitely saved me from aggravation. (A $125.00 carb re-build inspired me to use it)

Tip: Also try to run your motor out of gas if you can at the end of its season. The less gas in the tank, the less gas to gum it up. Cheers, PG

BUY-> Star Brite Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment

Best Indoor Grill: Cuisinart Griddler 4N – A Fast, Flexible, Easy Clean-Up Electric Grill

Cuisinart Griddler 4N

A Countertop Grill With All The Right Moves

From Our Readers: “Paul, I am writing because for the last few months I have been looking to replace my old George Forman Grill with something more sophisticated. I want an on/off switch, adjustable temp control and removable/reversible plates. Everyone I researched has several poor customer reviews and the complaints seem to be repeated by several reviewers.

Of course, I am only paying attention to the bad reviews. I’m afraid the good reviews are placed there by the manufacturers. Any suggestions? It is very frustrating.” Marilyn B.

PG: “Marilyn, you’re experience is exactly why GreatStuffThatWorks.com was created. We know how hard it is for people to sort out what product is actually good in any product type and the Countertop Grill category has many options.

Our research found a Countertop Grill I believe meets all your requirements and will be easy to live with.

Based upon on our experts feedback, consumer experience research and our own personal testing, you should have years of solid performance from the one model that qualified as a GreatStuffThatWorks Product.

So, here’s what our research found!”

Cuisinart Griddler-4N

Cuisinart Girddler 4N — Cuisinart Griddler 4N

The Short Story:

1. Base and Cover: Solid construction with stainless steel self-adjusting cover

2. Panini-Style Handle: Sturdy cast-metal handle allows cover to pivot to accommodate thickness of food

3. Removable and Reversible Cooking Plates: Nonstick and dishwasher safe for easy cleanup

4. Grill Side: Perfect for grilling steak, burgers, chicken, and vegetables (Ribbed side, allowing juices to drain)

5. Griddle Side: Prepare flawless pancakes, eggs, bacon, and seared scallops (Flat side, with no Grill ribs)

6. Controls: Switch Indicator lights signal Power On and Ready to Cook

7. Selectors: Choose the Grill/Panini or Griddle function.
Indicator Light on each selector turns green to signal “at temperature.”

8. Grill/Panini Control: Adjusts temperature from “Warm” to “Sear”

9. Griddle Control: Adjusts temperature form 200°F to 425°F

10. Drip Tray: Collects grease from both plates, even in “double griddle” position. Slide out tray removes from base for easy cleanup (dishwasher safe)

11. Cleaning/Scraping Tool: Helps clean grill and griddle plates after cooking (Use Only when plates are fully cooled)

12. Plate Release Buttons: One top and one bottom. Push in to release and remove cooking plates. Each release button opens the two plate latches simultaneously.

13. Hinge Release Lever: Allows the cover to extend back for cooking in the flat position. (Double Grill position)

14. 38″ Power Cord for easier outlet reach.

15.) Stainless Steel grill plate clips for improved durability.

16.) Plastic Cleaning Tool included. (Only for use on fully cooled grill plates)

17.) Owners Manual and Recipe Guide (Well written with temperature and time included in recipes)

The Inside Story:

Many people are big fans of Countertop grilling for its fast, versatile cooking method and convenient size.

But, Countertop Grills are a product category that until you say the words “George Forman,” most are not sure what you’re talking about.

Since the time “George” created the category, many companies have made their own version of this versatile kitchen appliance.

Originally released in 2012, the Cuisinart Griddler 4N model qualified as a GreatStuffThatWorks Product because this model has evolved to address nearly all the issues people have expressed about earlier Countertop Grills across multiple brands.

It is well made, multi-functional, easy to use, has a customer support department that we found accessible and helpful and is backed by a three year warranty.

Now, most importantly, here’s what this Countertop Grill can do for you…….

Our research found there are two major reasons people buy this type of space saving grill:

1.) To conveniently grill meats and vegetables indoors in a way that drains fats and oils away from food as it cooks.

2.) To enjoy Panini (grilled top and bottom) style sandwiches.

But it can also cook a variety of other edibles quickly and quite well.

We’ll explain as we go….

Like all products, if you read reviews in this category (and we often read hundreds when we research a product), you’ll find issues people have experienced across all brands.

Some are the result of poor design, quality control, user error or trying to use the product in a way it was not designed.

After talking with experts in a product type, we always start our second research phase by identifying the primary concerns users have had with that type of product.

For the Countertop Grill category, here’s what we found:

Countertop Grill Issues

1.) Grill plates were not removable, making clean up difficult and awkward.

2.) The top lid did not angle, creating a wedge effect when closing the top lid on a tall sandwich.

3.) Attachment clips that hold removable grill plates were made of plastic and either broke or melted.

4.) Non-stick coatings began to peal in a very short time.

5.) No variable temperature control for the top and bottom grills.

6.) No “Off” switch. The only way to turn off the grill was to unplug it from the wall.

7.) Grease would not drain properly and hot grease would warp the grease collection cup.

8.) Power cord was too short. Not enough cord to reach an outlet conveniently.

9.) Top griddle didn’t get as hot as the bottom one.

10.) Tall, narrow grill ridge spacing on some brands made cleaning between ridges difficult.

11.) User Manual was poorly written and with no time / temperature recipes included.

So Marilyn, I understand why your search has been frustrating.

But our research and testing found a model that meets our GSTW standards as a well designed, well made Countertop Grill and it does everything you requested and more.

Here’s why the Cuisinart Griddler 4N qualified as a GreatStuffThatWorks Product!

As you experienced, older versions of this product type had fixed grill plates that made their flexibility limited and clean up very awkward.

With the non-removable plates covered with grease, the only way to clean them was to bring the unit near the sink, carefully apply soap and water onto the griddles and then wipe them down with paper towels.

Some also had tall, narrowly spaced grill ridges, making them difficult to clean between. (Remember, you shouldn’t be using abrasive scrubbers on any non-stick finish or you can remove the non-stick coating.)

Griddler 4N Showing Ridged and Smooth Grill Sides

The Griddler 4N has Removable and Reversible Griddles that not only make it more versatile, but provides two non-stick cooking surfaces, one smooth and one with well spaced, low, flat-top ridges, that make them easy to clean. (Issue#1) (Issue#10)

Our users experience research, confirmed by our testing, showed this makes cooking different types of food (bacon vs eggs) efficient and the pop out, dishwasher safe plates, can go right to the sink or washer for easy clean up.

Tip: When you first open the Griddler 4N, we recommend fully washing the new plates before their first use. This helps remove any manufacturing residue and can reduce first use smoking from the new plates.

But what really adds to the Griddler 4N’s versatility, is a slider on the handle that transforms the Griddler 4N into it’s “Double Grill” position.

Griddler 4N Release Lever for Double Grill Position

Before you start, just slide the top handle release to open the grill so that both grills face the sky.

Griddler 4N Shown Without Plates in Double Grill Position

The front handle becomes the stand for the top.

Then choose the plate surface you want for each half and set the curved plate notches into the stainless steel hooks at the back edge.

Griddler 4N Stainless Steel Latches View

Snap the sides of each plate into the two stainless steel clips on each side, being sure they are fully latched.

You then choose either “Griddle” or “Grill-Panini” on the center power Selector.

“Griddle” will activate both plates and let you set the temperature on both grills to specific temperatures from 200-425 degrees.

The “Grill-Panini” setting will allow you to adjust an equal temperature on both top and bottom plates, using Low/Medium/High/Sear ranges used within some recipes. (Issue #5)

In the open “Double Grill” position, both griddles can cook two different types of food simultaneously or twice as much of one.

Griddler Drip Shoots In Double Grill Position

With the Griddler 4N in the “Double Grill” position, both plates will drain their oils into the dishwasher safe (no warping) grease collection tray that slides under the Griddler 4N’s frame.(Issue #7)

Panini or Panino?

Panini Sandwiches made in Griddler 4N — Panini Sandwiches I made in Griddler 4N

The Italian name Panino refers to a sandwich made from bread other than sliced bread. But to those of us in the U.S. U.K. and our friends up north in Canada, the plural form Panini, has come to refer to a “pressed and toasted sandwich.” (Yum!)

Griddler 4N Prior to Top Lid Release Into Panini Position

To make a “Panini” style sandwich, the top lid of the Griddler 4N will release and pivot horizontally to evenly apply pressure to the top of the sandwich. (Issue #2)

Griddler 4N Top Released Into Panini Position

Cuisinart created a simple pivot system that releases the top lid section when you apply downward pressure to the front edge. (When making a Panini, Remember to Use an Oven Mitt to release the top, as all of these types of units get very hot on top.)

To re-latch the grill top, just remove the sandwich and close the top lid against the bottom plate.

Holding those hot plates to the frame on many other units we looked at were “heat resistant” plastic clips. One of the recurring issues our research uncovered was that over time, some of them melted or distorted, making secure attachment or removal for washing the plates a problem.

Griddler 4N Stainless Steel Plate Clip and Release Button

Cuisinart addressed this issue in the Griddler 4N by using Stainless Steel attachment clips and provides a push button on the side of each grill section that unlocks the two stainless clips (one on each side) simultaneously for easy grill plate removal. (Issue #3)

Retaining a non-stick coating on metal has always been a challenge for manufacturers. High temperatures, expanding contracting metals and users cutting or using metal kitchen tools on them has not made it easy.

Griddler Non-Stick Grill Plates — Griddler 4N Non-Stick Grill Plates

That said, some manufacturers have had greater success than others and the Griddler 4N appears to have one of the better lasting coatings.

Our research found very few complaints about the coating releasing.(Issue #4) In some other brands we found complaints about the coatings in just a few months of use.

In our personal testing, the drippings from “Seared” steak,

or melted cheese overflow from Panini’s, and Sockeye Salmon rubbing juices, all cleaned up easily and quickly. By taking the fully cooled plates to the sink and washing them with soap, water and a paper towel, everything wiped off easily.

If you are cooking different types of food in one session and want to remove the remains from the last item, Cuisinart recommends using a wooden spoon or heat-proof plastic utensils to push the excess food and grease buildup into the grease drain channels.

Then wipe the grill plates with a paper towel.

The supplied cleaning tool should not be used while the plates are hot.

TIP: To help preserve the non-stick surface, Always wait for the plates to fully cool before cleaning.

The plates are also dishwasher safe, but our research found most people felt dishwashers did not remove grease well enough or left water spots. Many users confirmed the best way to clean them was by hand. We also found hand washing quite easy.

Some of the grills in this category do not allow you to vary the temperature of the grill plates. Most all of the original versions of this product type were just “On” when you plugged them in and “Off” when you unplugged them. You played “how hot is it really?” and made your own notes for different foods. To make it more fun, cooking times were often not listed in the manuals.

Griddler 4N Selector Dials and Indicator Lights — Griddler 4N Selectors- On/Off /Temperature Dials and Indicator Lights

The Griddler 4N provides two variable temperature controls, one for the “Griddle” mode from 200-425 degrees and the other for “Grill-Panini” mode, from Warm to Sear, with top and bottom grills both being activated.(Issue#5)

Choose the left control when your recipe calls for a specific temp and the right-hand control if it calls for a temperature “range.” When the plates are at temperature, a green light on the dial you selected turns on.(nice!)

You’d think that a simple thing like an On / Off switch would be a standard feature, but in this product category it is not.

Most all of these units turn on and off by plugging or unplugging the unit from the wall, not by a switch. Even the most famous of brands still requires unplugging, even when the up-line model’s cooking timer has elapsed. The timer is just a reminder to remove the food.

But the Cuisinart Griddler 4N has a large On / Off dial front and center and it illuminates when the unit is on. (one of the features you also wanted, Marilyn).(Issue #6) So when you finish cooking, you just switch it to “Off”, instead of stressing the cord yanking it out of the wall each time to shut it off.

Waffles Anyone?

Griller 4N with Optional Waffle Plates Installed

Since we know a lot of you love waffles, we also tested the optional waffle plates. (Model GR-WAFP)

With the lid closed, the Griddler 4N comes up to temperature from cold in under 5 minutes, indicated by the green light on the setting dial selected.

For waffles, Cuisinart recommmends using the “Griddle” selection and then setting the temperature to your recipe. The Cuisinart “Basic” waffle recipe suggests 400 degrees.

Guest Chef "MS" during Waffle Test — Guest Chef “MS” during Waffle Test

My guest “Chef” (a wonderful cook and great friend’s wife) volunteered to make waffles for 6 of us one Sunday morning. I clipped in the optional waffle plates and turned it over to her for the test.

She followed the Cuisinart waffle recipe in the provided recipe book (reverse side of the waffle plates manual).

These Cuisinart tested recipes list both the ingredients, the temperature setting, plus the expected time to cook.

(information missing from some other units of this type.)(Issue#11)

Some users of countertop grills also said their top grill did not get as hot as the bottom grill. We found few complaints about this (Issue#9) with the Griddler 4N with one exception:

When you’re installing the plates, particularly the top one, you need to be careful to properly hook the bottom of the plate into both of its lower mounts and then fully snap the upper clips around the plate sides.

If the plates are not properly seated, the grill plate will not be evenly spaced to the heating element behind it.

This crooked installation DOES result in uneven cooking.

In our first tests, I quickly installed the plates and didn’t confirm I had fully snapped the upper plate in on both sides.

Result: Our guest “Chef” for our waffle plates test discovered the first waffle out was lighter on top than the bottom.

I noticed the top plate was crooked from being unlatched, snapped it back into place and our waffles became much more evenly cooked going forward. (Issue #9)

The waffle plates create 4 waffle sections per pour. The Cuisinart recipe “MS’ followed includes temperature, cooking time and nutritional information for each recipe. (Issue #11) The “Basic Waffles” recipe said it would be about 3 mins./per waffle with the plates at temperature. (Different recipes will cook differently)

3 min Waffle Time Produced Light, Fluffy Waffles

Per the Cuisinart directions, we lightly sprayed each plate with non-stick cooking spray (we had Pam) before each batter pour to assure easy removal and they came out very easily.

The recommended 3 mins. cooking time produced light colored, fluffy waffles.(and the consensus of the group, very good tasting).

We then went to 4 mins. each and that made them golden brown, but they were not as “fluffy.”

As with every cooking appliance, you experiment to find the “goldie locks” of time and taste for each recipe.

Our optimum time appeared to be 3.5 minutes per 4 section waffle consistently using this recipe.

Dividing each one into it’s four sections to serve 6 people faster, “MS” just kept them coming until the batter was gone. The group consensus was the waffles were very good tasting and light.

There were no leftovers.

There is one issue we didn’t see mentioned in our consumer experience research, but we found in our personal testing:

When you open the grill to put in the next item, while the top lid is released in the “Panini” position, we did have steam and oil droplets from the top drip onto the counter from the top lid.

This happens because as you lift the handle to open the lid, the now horizontal lid moves backwards beyond the lower plate beneath. This causes the top plate’s back edge to hang over the counter where it can potentially drip.

The dripping, when it happened, was minor, but we kept a paper towel handy to wipe the counter when we noticed something had dripped off the top plate.

Something I did have to get used to is how fast this grill cooks. A steak that I would normally cook two to three minutes per side, you guessed it, was done in half the time, as both top and bottom plates are cooking simultaneously.

So, as you’re getting used to this new appliance, err towards checking doneness sooner rather than later.

The final issue on our list was the length of the cord (Issue#8).

Although the amount of smoke generated in our tests of fish, meat, Panini’s and waffles was surprisingly small (it never set off our smoke detector 6 ft. away), some users with stove hoods wanted to set up their countertop grill on their flat stove top to take advantage of the venting.

Some other popular brands only had about a 2 ft cord, making reaching the outlet near the stove not possible without an extension (See page 2, Cuisinart Manual for guidelines).

The Griddler 4N comes with a 38″ (3 ft.2″) cord (yes, we measured it), which raises the odds you can plug it in conveniently. (Issue #8)

The cord also stores conveniently, wrapped around the support legs at the back of the unit.

Finally, one feature we thought might be a nice addition to the Griddler would be an on-board timer.

But for now, our research found the Cuisinart Griddler 4N does the best job at what it was designed to do:

Cook a wide variety of grilled foods indoors with great convenience and speed.

And that’s why the

Cuisinart Griddler 4N

Qualified as a GreatStuffThatWorks Product!

and That’s a Wrap!

Find This Information Valuable? I’d be honored if you’d

Share my Work with Your Family and Friends. All the best, Paul

You can Click The Links Below to get the latest price on:

The Cuisinart Griddler 4N

The Optional Waffle Plates

Important Note: The Waffle Plates are an accessory item and are ordered separately.
The regular price of the waffle plates is about $29.00. PG

All this talk of food has made me hungry.

Turkey, Pepper Jack cheese with sliced tomato on whole grain……

Time for a Panini!

Cheers,

Best Home Ladder: Little Giant Alta One 17 & Megalite – Rock Solid, Lighter, Adapts To Every Job

A ROCK SOLID LADDER THAT ADAPTS TO EVERY JOB

From Our Readers: “PG, I have 8 ft. and 4 ft. step ladders and a step stool. Every time I get up on the step ladders, I fear I’ll have a fall. The 8 ft. wooden one feels loose, especially near the top and its heavy and awkward. The aluminum step ladder is light but feels like it would kick out if I reach to the side. Worst part is they never seem to be the right size for the job, always too tall or too short.

Is there a ladder that would cover at least two of these climbers and make me feeler safe when I’m up high? Thanks, Matt B.”

PG: “Matt, We found one really great ladder I think you’ll really love. It’s stable, light enough to comfortably carry around the house and will take you up from 4’4” to 15′ and anything inbetween. Let me show you something that will likely have you taking at least two of your “climbers” to the swap area at the recycling center.”

Little Giant Megalite and Alta One 17

2 Versions of One Great Ladder

(About $229.00)

Little Giant Megalite without package P1100858 — Little Giant Megalite

*Step Ladder Height: 4′ 4″ to 7′
*Extension Ladder: 9′ to 15′
*Scaffolding Height: 3′
*Weight: Megalite-32 lbs. /Alta One: 29 lbs.
*Stores in a 4’7″ high space
*Tip and Glide Wheels accessory included (Megalite only)
*Can Be Re-cofigured to 24 different set ups
*Megalite Type 1A, 300 lbs. duty rating/Alta One-Type 1, 250 lbs. duty rating
*9 Well Made Accessories for even greater flexibility and safety

Designed, Engineered and Assembled in USA

Video Feature: How To Pick A Great Ladder

——————————————————-

Unless you’re a bird, when it comes to getting off the ground, a ladder is usually the cheapest, easiest way to go.

But most people climb a ladder because it’s the lessor of two evils.

Either they:

A.) Leave the job undone and live with the consequences or

B.) Take the risk they won’t get a physics lesson on the law of gravity.

If that weren’t enough, every time I used to haul out one of my several ladders, two thoughts would also go through my head:

1.) Which one’s the right size? and

2.) The memory from the last time when the ladder started to twist.

The Little Giant company has been making the gold standard of ladders for decades.

Most other models of their highly versatile design are heavy duty. I’ve personally owned the commercial version of the ladder I’m about to tell you about for over 10 years and it’s still as solid and works as well as the day I took it out of the box.

The Little Giant ladder company is another example of American ingenuity at work and it’s still designed, engineered and assembled in the USA. Springville, Utah to be exact.

The MegaLite version, made only for Costco and the Little Giant Alta One 17, nearly identical, has all the great design qualities they’re a legend for, just lighter, so a homeowner can easily carry it around the house.

Where this brilliant ladder excels is in keeping you safer from yourself.

Ever been up a step ladder and reached out too far because you couldn’t get close enough to the wall? Oh, yeh.

Ever had to cut in a ceiling paint line using a standard 4′ step ladder? With an 8′ ceiling, 4′ is just short enough to risk a swan dive followed by a latex christening.

Both these Little Giant’s can become a step ladder from 4’4 up to 7′ in under 5 seconds.

P1100868 — Megalite in 4 ft. 4 in. Step Ladder Configuration

Low ceilings, high ceilings, adjust the side locks and you’re ready to get to work, safely.

Megalite Last Lock Posit. P1100488 — Little Giant Side Locks

Megalite 7 ft. P1100866 — Megalite in 7 ft. Step Ladder Configuration

Need to work tight up against a wall? A sideways step ladder can do that, if you don’t mind working twisted 90 degrees and moving the ladder constantly.

The Little Giant solves that problem with its separately adjustable ladder sections. Slide the side you want closest to the wall down a notch or two and it locks in parallel to the wall. Now you can safely get up close and personal.

Megalite 7 ft step ladder Flat To Wall P1100864 — Megalite Flat To Wall

Little Giant Against Wall P1100451 — Little Giant Against Wall

Need to clean out a gutter that’s from 9′ to 15′ up? Simply release the center hinge lock to fold the ladder flat. Then slide the leg sections to the best height. You’re ladder transforms into an extension ladder.

Megalight against gutter P1100498 — Megalite as Extension Ladder Against Gutter

Megalite in Extension Configuration being carried P1100512 — Megalite As Extension Being Carried

Even as an extension ladder, this version is still light enough to manage if you are moderately strong. (Alta One is 29 lbs., the Megalite is 32.)

Little Giant Easy To Carry P1100571 — Little Giant Easy To Carry

Another of its features is the way the frame flares wide at the base to really stabilize the stance, whether configured as a step ladder or an extension ladder. You’ll experience the benefit of this feature on your first use.

Little Giant Flared Legs P1100457 — Little Giant Flared Legs

Need to change a light bulb above a set of stairs? The Little Giant can handle it safely, even if the stairs wind to a next landing.

Position the front legs on the stair you need to be over and adjust the rear section down to reach a stair for the base.

LIttle Giant On Stairway P1100455 — Little Giant On Stairway

If your stairs turn, you might need to clamp on the accessory I use often, the Leg Leveler, to extend the needed distance.

Little Giant Leg Leveler P1100879 — Little Giant Leg Leveler

Little Giant Leg Leveler on Winding Stair P1100883 — Little Giant Leg Leveler On Winding Stair

Outdoors, where the ground is rarely level, the Leg Leveler can be the difference between a ladder slide and a safely completed project.

Unlike most leg levelers, there’s no drilling or permanent installation required, so you can relatively quickly flip and re-mount it on either leg.

The Leg Leveler friction shoe is tapered on either end so it can be flipped to always follow the same taper as the permanent leg it attaches to.

Notice in the stairway photo that the Leg Leveler is clamped inside the hollow of the leg extension.

Little Giant Leg Leveler Close P1100878 — Little Giant Leg Leveler Close Up

If you have a single story project that scaffolding would make easier, by pulling the extension sections off the inner ladder and connecting them back to back, you quickly have two scaffolding stands. Add a sturdy plank, or the Little Giant Telescoping Plank, (it comes in three sizes) and you’re ready to walk three feet off the ground.

Little Giant Extension Legs Interlocked as Scaffolding Stand P1100528 — Little Giant Extension Legs Interlocked as a Scaffolding Stand

Both Scaffolding Bases P1100527 — Little Giant Configured As Scaffolding Bases

Lay on some siding, hang pictures, change light bulbs, paint, clean a gutter, there’s likely a height or configuration that will make this ladder the right tool for most jobs around the house.

Now anyone who has seen this great design is likely to have seen other manufacturers versions, since Little Giant’s original patent expired.

So here are some of the differences we found:

Werner Ladder makes a version most similar to the original, but in their design, the ladder is 10.5 pounds heavier than the Alta One, 7.5 lbs. heavier than the Megalite.

Another difference, other than its covers being blue, is the number of accessories they offer, which is far fewer. Some of the Little Giant accessories do fit, but some don’t.

Little Giant also double welds every rung to its rails. Other manufacturers rivet them on, because it less expensive. Rivets can pull out, quality welds last.

Little Giant Welded Rungs P1100887 — Little Giant Welded Rungs

Little Giant Welded Bracing P1100888 — Little Giant Welded Bracing

According to the company, Little Giant’s folding hinge strength also exceeds the copies, important especially when you’re up high using it as an extension ladder. Less bounce means more safety.

Little Giant Heavy Duty Hinge P1100892 — Little Giant Heavy Duty Hinge

Little Giant Heavy Duty Hinge Side View P1100889 — Little Giant Heavy Duty Hinge Side View

But that’s also why Little Giant gives you a Lifetime Warranty and others don’t.

For more than 10 years I’ve lived with the 22 ft. version for outdoor work. It’s the best ladder I’ve ever owned. But it’s a bit large for some of my indoor projects.

Now for lower indoor and outdoor work, I have a smaller, lighter version that even my wife will grab when I’m away.

Between the increased safety and coming home to a smaller To Do list, that alone can make buying either of these Little Giant ladders a wonderful investment. (It’s also just cool to use……. I know, just a guy thing.)

Click here to buy the Little Giant Alta One 17 from Amazon.

The Costco version is only available in their stores and not on their website.

Cheers,

PS: If you buy one accessory, I’d recommend the Leg Leveler, because it adds safety to a lot of situations where you shouldn’t “just go for it.”

Here’s also links to all the Little Giant Accessories if you want to further customize your ladder to your work. Make every project a safe one. PG

Little Giant Accessories:

Click the links for the current pricing.

Leg Leveler (about $35.00)

6-9 ft Expandable Plank (about $140.00)

Work Platform (about $33.00)

Project Tray (about $35.00)

Wing Span Wall Stand Off ($27.00)

Wall Rack (about $25.00)

Cargo Hold Tool Bag (about $21.00)

Wheel Kit (about $25.00)

Fuel Tank Vertical Paint Roller Tray (about $21.00)

Three Accessory Package (includes Work Platform, Leg Leveler and Wall Stand Off) (about $99.00)

Have fun with your stuff!

Cheers,

Find This Information Valuable? I’d be honored if you’d

Share my Work with Your Family and Friends. All the best, Paul

The Best Coffee Maker For Even 2 Cups-Cuisinart DCC-1200

The World’s Best Scented Alarm Clock

*From Our Readers: “Paul, I’ve been through three coffee makers in the last three years. Some were expensive ($200+.) and some very cheap (under $50.00). None of them made good tasting coffee consistently and some required a training course just to operate.

Why is it so hard to find a coffee maker that just makes great tasting coffee, is simple to use and easy to keep clean?

Can you please help?” Sarah G. NH

PG: “Sarah, it is amazing how many versions of a “coffee maker” are available today. Some perk, some grind before they drip, others do one cup at at time with pre-measured coffees, and still others also do expresso, cappuccino, foam milk, seemingly everything but drink it for you (nice they still left that part to us.)

When it comes to creature comforts, like coffee, most of us don’t want take an IQ test each morning just to get it. We simply want it delicious and simple. That means the product that creates it needs to be the same, or it won’t be “The Stuff You’ll Love To Live With.”

Our research found a proven coffee maker that does all this, is attractive and takes up very little space on the counter.

So grab a cup of “Joe” and get ready to really enjoy both your coffee and your coffee maker, maybe for the first time.”

———————————————————-

Cuisinart DCC-1200 Coffee Maker Stainless Steel — Cuisinart DCC-1200 Coffee Maker in Stainless Steel Finish

The Short Story:

Hi Tech Video Camera Image with Mic MC900432637 — Video Clip

How To Choose A Coffee Maker

Cusinart DCC-1200 Coffee Maker

(about $79.00)

Product Features:

Classic Stainless Design (also available in 3 other color finishes, Red (MR), Bright Chrome (BCH), and Black (BW) textured)
1 to 4-cup mode (double cycles water heating to assure full brewing temperature / great flavor with fewer cups)
12-cup carafe with Ergonomic Handle, Dripless Spout and Knuckle Guard
Brew Pause™ feature lets you enjoy a cup of coffee before brewing has finished
Adjustable Keep-Warm Temperature Control (Keeps coffee hot for up to 4 hrs. Low/Med/High selectable temps)
24-hour brew programming
Quiet brewing (no loud gurgling)
Soft 5 beeps tone when coffee ready and at shut-off
Time-to-Clean Monitor with indicator light and Self-Clean mode
Programmable Automatic Shut-Off 0-4 hours (auto-off default at 2 hrs. if you don’t set it)
25″ Cord stores inside base
Charcoal Water Filter (removes impurities)
Gold tone filter and measuring scoop
#4 paper coffee filter starter kit
Instruction book
Limited 3-year warranty
All materials that come in contact with water or coffee are BPA Free
Product Dimensions: 7.75″ x 9.00″ x 14.00″

—————————————–

Coffee is one of the most universally enjoyed products on this planet.

So why is it so hard to sort out one really great coffee maker?

Hundreds of different models, dozens of different function and feature combinations. But in the end, all we want is a great cup of Joe!

When we began researching these life altering appliances (you know how bad coffee can mess up your morning), we found there were seven primary criteria to look for, no matter how many cups you want to make:

1.) It must make great coffee consistently. (amazing how many don’t)

2.) Easy to operate intuitively. (Really, who could even read a manual BEFORE coffee?)

3.) Will keep coffee hot and tasty for a long time.

4.) Turns on and off by itself. (will wake you up and never forgets to shut off)

5.) Easy to maintain daily.

6.) Takes up little counter space.

7.) Appearance works with many kitchen styles.

—————————————–

Praise the Java gods,our research founda coffee maker that does all these things and is proven to be a coffee maker people continue to praise for years. (almost 10, from its original introduction!)

The Cusinart DCC-1200 Coffee Maker came to the top of the list, first and most importantly, because it consistently makes great tasting coffee.

DCC 1200 on counter under cabinet P1090918 -en — Cuisinart DCC-1200 on counter under cabinet

With so many “one cup” coffee makers out there, many have felt making a pot of coffee was more than they needed.

Now there’s no debating that for one quick cup of coffee, the “one cup” system wins for convenience.

But many I speak with are realizing that they are throwing away multiple K-cups or individual packages per day. Our research found that because each cup is a combination of coffee grounds, plastic, paper and metal, they cannot be recycled.

In 2009 alone, more than 1.6 billion K-cups were sold, with the numbers predicted to have doubled in 2010. (the not so good environmental impact of “one cup” systems.)

However, one of the other reasons many went to the “one cup” system was because their coffee maker wouldn’t make just a few cups and still have it taste good.

They were right. Because with most all coffee makers, when you make less than the full pot, the heating elements and therefore the temperature of the coffee, is below what it needs to be for proper brewing. This is because the heater takes time to heat up, just like the elements on an electric stove.

The Cuisinart DCC-1200 solves this problem.

In it’s 1-4 cup mode, it automatically double cycles the water through the heating chamber to be sure it always hits the coffee hopper at full temperature.

DCC-1200 1-4 Cup Selector Button P1090900 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 1-4 Cup Selector

By simply pressing the 1-4 cup button on the front panel, you can make a small amount of coffee and not sacrifice flavor.

But you say “I don’t drink 4 cups of coffee in the morning!”

Well, that depends on how you measure them……..

Most medium size coffee cups are at least 8 oz. Most coffee mugs are about the same. The Cuisinart DCC-1200 is designed around what many coffee makers use as standard: A 5 oz. cup of coffee.

The reality is if you normally have 2 cups of coffee in the morning, you would fill the carafe to the 4 cup line and it would be pretty close to perfect.(2 8oz cups plus room for steam loss in the brew process).

DCC 1200 Glass Carafe Close P1090927 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 4 Cups Measure

I set up coffee for my wife each night and her morning cup plus her travel mug empty the pot. (She leaves for work earlier, so I get my own later.)

Some coffee maker systems use a thermal carafe to keep the coffee hot after it’s made.

Our research found that many people who had previously owned the Thermal carafe systems and then used the Cuisinart DCC-1200, said coffee simply tasted better when its kept hot in the glass carafe.

DCC-1200 on counter P1090917 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 w/Freshly Brewed Coffee

And to keep it hot and tasty for a long time, the DCC-1200 lets you set both the Carafe Temperature heat level (Low, Med. High) and program the coffee maker Shut-Off time. (1-4 hours) (Nice)

DCC-1200 Carafe Temp Settings A P1090910 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 Carafe Temp Settings

Cuisinart DCC-1200 Timer Auto On Off Controls P1100227 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 Auto On & Off Brew Controls

This feature is one that a large number of users praised and my wife and I can also vouch for.

You might never microwave your coffee again.

If you don’t set the shut off timer, (ie. if you just leave it in the Brew setting), the DCC-1200 will automatically keep your coffee hot at your desired temperature for 2 hours, then shut off.

When it comes to taste, one big factor (other than your choice of coffee) is what makes up 98% of coffee:

Water.

And brewing coffee using unfiltered tap water will add flavors you weren’t intending, like chlorine, minerals and impurities that can significantly alter the taste.

The Cuisinart DCC-1200 incorporates a charcoal filter into the water flow to remove chlorine and other items that detract from achieving coffee Nirvana.

P1090945 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 Charcoal Filter Holder

If you already (wisely) filter the water you consume, just remember to use that water for your coffee too and you can save money on the charcoal filter replacements.

If the minerals do start to build up, the DCC-1200 will flash the light next to the “Self-Clean” button to tell you it’s time to clean it. (where’d I put the white vinegar?)

DCC-1200 Self Clean Close P1090897 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 Self-Clean Light & Control

This feature not only helps you maintain the best coffee flavor, (calcified elements don’t transfer heat well) but helps extend the life of your coffee maker.

Once the proper mix of white vinegar and water is installed,(4 cups white vinegar plus 8 cups water) the “Self Cleaning” cycle is activated by a button on the front to make cleaning easy. (instructions for that process are in the well written manual linked at end of this review.)

Cuisinart also builds in an easy to use, 24 hr. Turn-On timer. It’s simple to program and will make your wake up call the great scent of fresh brewed coffee.

Clock P1090904 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 Timer Setting Controls and Clock

Then the Auto-Shut-Off will happen on schedule whether or not you started the coffee by the timer or manually. (Nice! How many times have you run out of the house and then worried you forgot to turn off the coffee maker?)

Also, in the “Saved my butt” category, if you unplug the DCC-1200, it should give you about 30+ mins (when the unit is new, less as it ages) before it loses that programming.

So brief power failures and clean ups that require unplugging, should not require reprogramming.

In the “There are no perfect products” category, there are two issues some people had with the DCC-1200:

1.) They would like to see a back light added to the clock display. I agree. However, a light On/Off button would make it perfect so it doesn’t burn the midnight oil continually, only when you want it.

2.) The water ladder inside the water chamber is not very useful. Unless you get a flashlight and are very tall, this auxillary way to see how much water you just poured in is not of much help until you get to at least the 8 cup level.

DCC-1200 Water Ladder Close P1090941 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 Water Ladder

But this issue is really easy to solve. Ignore the ladder.

Why, you ask?

Since most of us are using the glass carafe to fill the water chamber anyway, simply use the cup markings on the side of the carafe when you fill it. It is much more accurate and a lot easier to read.

DCC 1200 Glass Carafe Empty P1090878 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 Cup Measurements on Carafe

The Cuisinart DCC-1200 gives you 2 choices to make filtering your coffee easy:

1.) They include a very nice gold filter basket right in the package. Just scoop in the coffee, add the water and brew. When your coffee is done, simply dump the grounds, rinse the filter and you never have to dispose of paper filters again.

Mesh Filter Installed P1090882 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 Using Gold Mesh Filter

2.) They also give you a starter pack of No. 4 paper coffee filters, which make clean up a bit quicker, but, of course, requires regularly buying filters.

DCC 1200 with Paper #4 Filter P1090881 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 Using Paper Filter Only

If you choose to use the paper filters, remember to remove the gold filter and place the paper filter in its place.

Be sure to use only the gold filter Or the paper filter, but not both at the same time.

Why?

If you put the paper filter inside the gold filter, it can slow down the water flow too much and cause water and grounds to back up and spill over the basket. (timing is everything)

Another factor to water flow speed is the grind of the coffee itself.

Cuisinart recommends using a Medium-fine grind. This density will allow the water to spend the right amount of time in contact with the grounds to maximize flavor and keep up with the drip rate of the coffee maker.

If you just gotta have a cup right now, the “Brew Pause” feature let’s you pull the coffee pot mid-stream and the No Drip Pour Spout kept things consistently dribble free. (FYI: you’ve got up to 30 seconds to put the carafe back in before the water backs up too much).

DCC 1200 Carafe Top View No Drip Spout P1090879 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew Pause Lid and No Drip Spout

Now, you get the best flavor by waiting for the DCC-1200 to beep, telling you the brew cycle is completed. Cusinart knows that by letting the total cups your making blend in the completed pot for a short time, it evens out the flavor.

This is because the coffee in the filter saturates progressively as the water hits it.

The first water that hits the coffee draws through at one strength of flavor, whereas the fully saturated grounds pass through a different flavor and strength. When they all rest in the pot for a few moments, everything blends together perfectly.

So for maximum taste, wait for the 5 beeps and you’re good to go.

The glass coffee carafe is easy to clean and the “no-drip” spout works well. The drip through lid is also easy to snap on.

If you clean the carafe in the dishwasher, Cuisinart recommends putting the glass pot and lid on the Top rack of the dishwasher when not cleaning by hand.

We usually clean the pot by hand to help preserve the life of the water level markings on the side.

Ours still looks good after four years and counting. We’ve not had any problems with our DCC-1200.

For maintenance, we normally do a vinegar cycle cleaning once a year to help maintain the heating elements.

In our experience, if you use filtered water for coffee, you may never see the “clean me” light come on.

The Cuisinart DCC-1200 will make great coffee from 2 cups to 12 consistently, keep’em hot at your temperature for up to 4 hours, turns On and Off when you want it to and looks good in even a very small counter space.

I also hunt to find you a great price with a quality merchant for the products we research.

Click here or on any of the highlighted product names to see the discount you can get today!

Buy the Cuisinart DCC-1200 coffee maker and sleep well knowing you have the world’s best scented alarm clock……and its name is “Joe.”

Cheers,

FYI-1: When you first get your Cuisinart DCC-1200, you need to run it through an initial first use cleaning cycle. This gets the the system cleaned and ready to make great coffee. You can read about it in the manual I linked for you in FYI-4. A quick set up of the timer and coffee and you’ll be ready for your java scented wake up call in the morning.

FYI-2: If you find none of your programming is working, check to see if the light next to the “Self -Cleaning” button is on. If that light is on all programming is disengaged in Cleaning Mode. But no worries. Press the Self -Cleaning button once to turn off the light and all your programming should return to normal.

FYI-3: Save your receipt, as the Cuisinart DCC-1200 has a Three Year Warranty. Hopefully you’ll never need it, but if you do, Cuisinart has a reputation of taking care of customers well. During our customer service check, they were responsive and helpful.

However, as good as they are, without some proof of purchase, you have no warranty.

I recommend everyone take a moment and Register your stuff. I know it will connect you with some marketing, but having spent a number of years overseeing service operations for a major retailer, at least registering your product many times will allow them to cover the repair /replacement of a product, even if you’ve lost the receipt.

I also suggest stapling the receipt into the back of the owner’s manual and putting the manual wherever you keep product manuals (hopefully that’s somewhere you’ll remember to look). It’s always good to hedge your bet whenever you can. PG

FYI-4:Here’s a link to the Owner’s Manual for your reference:

Owner’s Manual for Cuisinart DCC-1200 Coffee Maker

FYI-5: Here are the colors the Cuisinart DCC-1200 comes in and their direct product links at Amazon:

Cuininart Red Metal Finish Coffee Maker Photo Dcc-1200mr — Cuisinart DCC1200MR Red Metal Finish

Cuisinart DCC-1200MR Red Metal Finish

Cuisinart DCC-1200 Black Stainless Finish

Cuisinart Chrome Finish photo Dcc-1200bch — Cuisinart DCC-1200BCH in Bright Chrome FInish

Cuisinart DCC-1200BCH Bright Chrome Finish

cups Dcc-1200 — Cuisinart DCC-1200 in Brushed Stainless Finish

Cuisinart DCC-1200 in Brushed Stainless

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Best Water Saver Shower Head: Rohl BI00037

Change Your Shower Head, Change Your Life (at least your mornings)

Rohl BI00037 (APC) Shower Head

Video: How To Pick The Best Low Flow Shower Head

The Short Story

About $79.00 in Polished Chrome (APC)

To help you get a great price with a quality merchant, we also work to track that down.
Click on any of the highlighted product names to see your discount today!

5 great spray patterns (3 unique plus 2 combination)

2.0 gallons per minute water flow (.5 lower than EPA standards)

Superior quality construction

Easy to operate, easy to install

European styling

Exceptional price value

2 yr. Warranty

About $79.00 (polished chrome-APC)

The Details:

Honestly, there aren’t a lot of easy things we can do that will get our day off to a better start.

If you’re like me in the morning, I stagger toward the shower seeking redemption by full immersion…….

But most showers are just not a religious experience.

Either they pee out a highly restricted, mini stream that feels more like you’re standing under a leaky gutter. Or they spread the stream out so wide, you feel like the soap will never come off.

Now, all that has changed.

Today’s GreatStuffThatWorks product is a shower head that “jumped out like a trout” for its balance of benefits, performance and human engineering.

It’s the Rohl BI00037 APC Shower Head. (Catchy name.)

Rohl is a high quality plumbing distributor that built its company originally on seeing value in a new design, the pull out sink faucet and being the first to market it back in the 1980’s. A family run company, they have been discovering and distributing quality innovative plumbing products ever since.

This aquatic marvel serves up 5 different patterns of spray, 3 unique and 2 blended, that make waking up a whole lot more enjoyable.

Since I’m a bit daffed, I’ve named the sprays, as each has become a new best friend, depending on my mood.

The first spray I call (wait, this is deep) “Steady Rain.” Imagine an even, drenching rain flowing over you just where you want it. The firm fingers of water are wide enough for most shoulders and targeted enough to keep your hair almost dry, if you’re in a rush.

Rotate the front no-slip rubber ring and the “Goddess of the Mist” emerges. This is an atomizing, air mixing, body caressing mist spray that you’ve probably never experienced in a shower.

In the winter, just tweak up the heat setting on your shower valve and create your own mini steam shower.

In the summer, it can offer a cool mist that’s gentle on those sunburned shoulders. Neat, huh?

And then there’s “Thumper.” This is the pulse mode that helps smooth out the kinks. It won’t beat you like a drum, it’s more civilized.

But if you have reasonable water pressure, it gives a smooth throbbing pulse that feels especially good on a tense neck and shoulders. Not many of us out there with that?

The other two modes are blends of Steady Rain with either Goddess of the Mist or Thumper. As in wine, sometimes a blend just hits the spot.

Rohl packed a couple of other great benefits inside:

It’s a miser when it comes to water use, only letting 2.0 gallons per minute slip through its fingers.

The head also has a broad swivel, so tall and short humans can get the most from it. Nice.

Superior benefits, performance and human engineering make it a shower head you’ll love to live with!

And that’s why this shower head qualified as a GreatStuffThatWorks product.

This Rohl BI00037 (APC) high quality, multi spray, shower head is probably the easiest route any of us can take to a real “good morning”.

Actually, the real reason this shower head qualified as a GreatStuffThatWorks product is because every day I get to shower with a Goddess and Thumper.

I’m never going back to showering alone. Enjoy! PG

Oh, yes, did I mention its under $79 in polished chrome?

To help you get a great price with a quality merchant, we also work to track that down.
Click on any of the highlighted product names to see your discount today!

Buy the Rohl BI00037 (APC) if you’re looking for one more way to have fun in the shower. Other finishes available at additional cost.

About Us: At GreatStuffThatWorks, you may have noticed we have fun researching and showing you the best products of their type.

But you’ll only hear it from us after we’ve done the hard part:

Letting our extensive research find the chosen few, the products proven to be the ones people love to live with.

We always take that Very seriously. Thanks for letting us earn your trust. Cheers, PG

www.GreatStuffThatWorks.com

The Stuff You’ll Love To Live With tm

Here’s the Rohl Spec Sheet for your files:

5-Function Value-Flow Showerhead

Model: Rohl BI00037(APC)

FEATURES:

5-function spray patterns —
Classic Spray —
Massage —
Mist
Classic/Massage
Classic/Mist

1/2” female connection • Swivel connection

• Restricted to 2 GPM

Exceeds EPA standard of 2.5 GPM

Anti-calcium components
Cleaning wrench included

COLORS/FINISHES:

Polished Chrome (APC)
Polished Nickel
Satin Nickel
Tuscan Brass (TCB)

WARRANTY:

• 2 years on manufacturer defects

* No Warranty on Tuscan Brass Finish (TCB)

FYI’s:

1.) If needed, you can use either the 6” or 8” shower arm pipe (see specs below).

2.) It’s usually best to leave the removable restricter in the shower head, not only to save water, but to keep the head output pressure as high as possible. It adds more fun to each setting! PG

For More GreatStuffThatWorks, Click Here!

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Best Toaster Ovens: Breville 800XL & 650 XL

TWO GREAT TOASTER OVENS THAT BAKE, BROIL AND MAKE TOAST WITH SKILL AND GRACE

Today’s research request came from Alison R. of Wellesley, MA.

“Paul, I’m fed up with the poor quality toaster oven I have… and now we have to open the door with a knife since the handle fell off! I’ve been looking for a new one for almost a year, but can’t figure out which one will work well and won’t fall apart. Can you help?”

You bet, Alison! Thanks to you and others, I’ve had many requests recently for research in this category.

I called my experts and we went to work!

Our research uncovered 3 models, by two quality manufacturers, that meet the GreatStuffThatWorks criteria for superior benefits, performance and customer satisfaction.

Any of the three choices below have proven themselves to be the stuff people love to live wIth. As always, let me know what you think. We’re all in this together.

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Summary: GreatSuffThatWorks – Toaster Ovens

Video: How To Pick The Best Toaster Oven

Most Complete Performance / Benefits / Customer Satisfaction

Breville 800XL

The Short Story:

About $249.00
To help you get a great price with a quality merchant, we also worked to track that down.
Click on any of the highlighted product names to see your price today!

Beautiful, stainless steel design that integrates exceptional performance with exceptional human engineering. Large, easy to read display, Intuitive design, Crumb tray pulls out from front, Intelligent power management system tailors heat to task, Toast rack pulls forward when door opens, Selectable Convection cooking reduces cook time by 15%-20%, while crisping outside, Defrosts then toasts bagels automatically, High capacity in small space, Interior walls are non-stick, Top designed as food warming area, plus more. Comes with baked enamel broiler tray/pan and non-stick 13” pizza pan.

(See “The Details” below)

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Same Excellent Performance, Few Less Features, Smaller Size

Breville 650XL

The Short Story:

About $179.00
To help you get a great price with a quality merchant, we also wotk to track that down.
Click on any of the highlighted product names to see your discounted price today!

Compared to Brevelle 800XL, Similar beautiful stainless steel design and performance, smaller size, 4 slices vs 6, no convection,, Settings move to the knobs vs display, but display still has large, visible numbers, same Intelligent power management system, Crumb tray removes from front, Toast rack does not pull forward when door opens, no Warming feature, (but you can simply set the oven to a low temp an accomplish the same), internal wall surfaces are non-stick, plus more. (See “The Details” below)

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Quality Performance, Excellent Value

Cuisinart TOB-155

(about $139.00) Now Discontinued

The Short Story:

About $139.00
To help you get a great price with a quality merchant, we also work to track that down.
Click on any of the highlighted product names to see your discounted price today!

Attractive stainless steel face, other surfaces matte black, Crumb tray removes from back, Mono-panel touchpad controls on unit threshold below door, Smaller display. “Exact Heat™ sensor” system for even cooking and toasting, Easy-clean interior wall surfaces, integrated clock and oven timer, up to 6 slice toasting or 12″ pizza, one touch Bagel, Reheat and Defrost buttons, two position rack with safety stop feature, cord storage, Limited 3 yr. warranty,

(See “The Details” below)

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Behind The Story:

For decades, my trusted companion, an ancient GE Toaster-R-Oven, with its finger worn face plate and unhinged crumb catcher, has stood by my side.

But like an aging tribal chief, it’s ready to pass on its wisdom to a new generation.

Enter the Counter Top Oven: The new fangled way to toast, bake, broil, warm and in some models, use convection, to cook faster, more efficiently and brown at the same time. Toaster oven, my eye!

In fact, now most two to four portion meals can be made without ever powering up our “real” oven at all.

It Ain’t no “Easy Bake”tm Oven

When I began the search for a toaster oven that would meet the GreatStuffThatWorks criteria, my first thoughts went back to why I originally bought my current toaster oven. I wanted it to be a small, fast way to warm up food and do toast.

But the more I looked at how my wife and I were using it, the more I realized that our little counter companion had become the first place we’d try to cook anything.

Chicken breasts, pork, individual portion tenderloins, fish, crescent rolls (one of my favorites), mini muffins, you get the idea. We were willing to accept over cooked food and unevenly toasted bagels because it was fast and easy. Sad, isn’t it?

We had never considered using it for any of that when we bought it 15 -20 years ago. And neither had the engineers who designed it.

But, human beings life styles have evolved from wanting their “Toast-R-Ovens” to primarily toast and warm, to in many cases, being the better alternative to microwave cooking.

Statistically, during the 1950’s only about 10% of American households were single people. By the end of the 1990’s that number had grown to 26%.

Nowadays, only about 52% of American households are married couples. That means there are a lot more people out there whippin’ up dinner for one or two.

And with the number of empty nesters growing, so is the number of people considering the new age “Toaster Oven” as an everyday cooking appliance.

This should be causing a change in what companies are designing to meet that need.

Yet, our research found most toaster ovens today let people down. There is a jungle of low end, poor performing, cheaply constructed units out there. Most can’t even toast bread evenly!

But we found 2 quality manufactures and 3 GreatStuffThatWorks qualified products, that emerged from the research.

These units provide great user benefits, superior performance and have proven themselves to be the ones people love to live with.

Remember that since price, although definitely important to each of us, is not a criteria for qualifying as a GreatStuffThatWorks product, you’ll ultimately decide what makes sense for you to spend vs the benefits it provides.

But the 3 models we found cover a span of price points that will hopefully fit your budget: $249.00, $179.00 and $139.00 average street price as of this review.

Unfortunately, our research showed that low cost in this product category (under $100.00) translated, for a high percentage of people, into both short and long term user dissatisfaction.

Now for the GreatStuffThatWorks!

Breville BOV800XL

The Smart Convection Toaster Oven with Element IQ

(average selling price: about $249.00

The Details:

The Breville BOV800XLemerged as the most comprehensively designed toaster oven on the market.

It’s really a “Counter oven that automatically bakes, broils, browns, warms, convection cooks and does anything a larger oven will do faster and more efficiently, just with smaller portions” oven. In a word.

Brevelle designed both the BOV800XL and the BOV650XL (see below) from the ground up specifically for the American market. They clearly asked the right questions first.

The look, fit and finish is superior. There are no perfect products. But, based on our extensive research, there are few products on the market that have as strong a positive customer reaction as the 800XL.

It also does an excellent job evenly toasting bagels and bread! (Who’d a thunk it?). It’s so smart, it warms both sides of a bagel, but only toasts it on one side!

Using Breville’s Element IQ system, this 5 element design automatically adjusts the number of elements, their power and location, based on what you’re cooking.

This not only allows it to evenly toast your bagels on just one side, but for each cooking task it uses energy only where it’s needed, bringing up to 1800 watts to the party only when necessary.

For toast, something our research showed most “toaster” ovens do poorly, you simply dial the number of slices, how dark you want them and the 800XL adjusts the heat and number of elements to make it perfect.

I tested multiple settings and each accomplished an incremental, even level of darkness. Very cool.(hot actually).

Speaking of hot, one of the complaints about toaster ovens is about being burned by the hot metal case and door. Now Breville engineers haven’t solved this issue completely, but they did add design features that help make it safer to use and to take advantage of the heat.

Such as:

1.) The grab bar door handle is large, easy to grip and sweeps up and away from the door for safer hand clearance.

2.) Control knobs, although silver in color, are not made of metal (one of the few components in this unit not of brushed metal) for good reason: The knobs need to remain cool to touch when the oven is hot.

3.) The top of the unit is designed with reinforced ribs for use as a food warming area. A nice help while waiting for the other tasties finishing inside. (The oven also has a “warming” setting for the inside, too.)

4.) A custom bamboo cutting board (optional accessory) stores perfectly covering the top of the oven. This keeps the hot top shielded from hands and keeps whatever’s on top of the board cool, even when cooking.

And with bamboo being renewable, harder than most hardwoods and naturally antibacterial, it’s a very handy cutting board for quick prep at the counter.

The human engineering in its design (vs gadgets) makes control very intuitive. Really. You won’t need a course to use it. My review and its included videos will probably be all you need to know. The rest will be just getting used to how quickly it cooks and the settings you prefer.

First, unlike the majority of toaster ovens on the market, Breville designed the crumb tray to pull out from the front! No need to spin the unit around or lift it up as you jockey the tray from its guides.

Controls are next. On the right face of the unit are three dials that display their settings clearly on the soft blue / amber LCD display. (Being over 40, I can actually read the temperature and time settings without my reading glasses! Nice.)

To start, you simply turn the smaller top knob to tell it what type of food you want to cook or toast.

It then makes a temp / time recommendation on the display for that item. If you decide you want a different time or temperature, a twist of one of the two larger knobs below quickly changes either. The next time you select that item setting, it also remembers your last temp / time setting. (Also, Nice.)

Another helpful feature is the “pull forward” cooking rack. When the 3 position rack is in the center “Toast, Cookie, Bagel, Pizza” position, (clearly marked on the glass door) the door integrated magnets automatically pull the rack forward as the door opens. This makes removal of toast and other items on the rack much easier and safer.

This pull forward rack feature does not work in the other two “Bake/Roast” or “Broil” rack positions. However, items in these categories are usually cooked in Pyrex or metal containers and would likely be too heavy to allow the rack to slide.

It’s easy to quickly change the rack height positions, but be aware there are no stops on the back of the rack to keep it from coming out when you reach the end.

On the control panel, there are three additional buttons that allow you to toggle settings on / off:

Convection: One of its benefits is it can reduce cooking time by 15%-20%. Another advantage is it allows food and baked delights to be crisp on the outside and moist on the inside. And its convection fan is quiet. You probably won’t even know it’s running. Compared to a full sized oven, this oven it is often at temp faster, with a lot less heat in the kitchen.

Defrost: When engaged, the Brevelle will automatically add time to the clock to defrost your frozen Toast or Bagel as part of the total toasting cycle. FYI-The Frozen setting is only designed to be used in the Toast and Bagel settings, even though it may illuminate on the display in other modes.

Temperature Display: Toggles between either Fahrenheit or Celsius scale.

Even the 3 foot power plug was designed with an easy to grip finger hole to help safely plug and unplug the power. No more yankin’ the cord from the wall by the cord.(Bad!) (However, if you do unplug the unit or have a power failure, your last preference settings reset to default.)

When the unit is not in use for several minutes, all display backlighting turns off. Although the LCD display is still barely readable, there are no lights of any kind that remain lit, so the unit can disappear into the kitchen background as much as possible.

Although you might expect current time to display, the backlighting would need to remain on to view it. It appears Breville chose not to waste more power or add to the lighting landscape. (Most of us probably have plenty of clocks.)

It would nice if Breville could add an LED light to the interior, but none of the other toaster ovens we found had this feature either.

The display also provides visual cues when using the oven.

Two colors back light the display, depending upon the function operating at the time.

1.) A soft Blue backlight displays when adjusting the settings.

2.) An Amber backlight indicates the cooking mode is active. When the oven requires pre-heating, the temperature and word “Preheating” will flash while the unit is ramping up to speed. It will signal with a beep when its time to put the food in and then immediately begin to count down from there. It does not preheat and hold the timer.

And that pretty much covers it! You now know more about toaster ovens than you probably ever imagined, but you’ll look at any other toaster oven knowing what elements a quality human engineered design can have.

If you’re looking for a well designed counter companion that has the most versatile range of cooking options in the smallest space, the Breville BOV800XL makes the cut as a GreatStuffThatWorks qualified product.

Nothing’s Perfect-FYI’s:

1.) Due to the oven’s ability to pull up to 1800 watts when needed, if your kitchen has several appliances on the same circuit, you may trip a 15 amp breaker if the toaster oven runs simultaneously with another high draw appliance.

2.) When cooking with convection, be sure to reduce standard recommended heating times by about 20% or you will over cook your stuff! I do the quick math like this: If it says “10 – 15 minutes,” set the Breville at 10 mins and check it.. If it says 20 minutes, use 20 x .20 = Reduce cooking time setting time by 4 minutes, ie. set at 16 minutes and check it..

3.) Disposable aluminum trays are not recommended for use in the oven. According to Breville, any standard baking vessels, Pyrex, Baked Enamel, or other oven safe cookware works fine.

PS: My sister was one of the people who requested we research toaster ovens. Because both my sister’s family and mine needed a toaster oven rescue, both she and I now have Breville’s.

We have the BOV800XL with convection and my sister bought the BOV650XL, the smaller unit without convection and a few other feature differences (See below). We purchased both units at the prices listed with the units.

Both units have the benefits, performance and human engineering you’d expect from a GreatStuffThatWorks qualified product.

When I did my company Customer Service Check, I called shortly after Breville opened on the west coast (11: 05 EST). In December my wait time was 25 mins, but when they answered they apologized for the delay and were helpful, knowledgable and friendly.

Warranty: 1 Year Parts and Labor (per Breville customer service, this is a replacement warranty, vs repair. They said they also pay for the shipping in both directions.)

Dimensions: Width: 18.5″ Depth: 16.25″ (including handle approx. 2”) Height: 11.25″

Customer Service Contact Information: Breville USA. Consumer Services Dept.

Ph: 1 866 273 8455 | Fx: 1 310 755 3039 (Hrs. 8-5 PST M-F)

Tip: If you know you need to speak to a customer service agent, wait until the first message completes and asks you to select 1 for product questions. Select 1, then hit * to immediately enter the cue for an agent and skip listening to other options.

Alternate contact: askus@brevilleusa.com They say email response is 24 hrs.

Breville USA, 19400 S. Western Avenue, Torrance, California, 90501, USA

www.brevilleusa.com

Included Accessories are:

1.) A two part enamel coated broiler pan, with a slotted top pan and a bottom catch pan that can also be used by itself for other cooking.

2.) A 13” non-stick, solid pizza pan. (Per Breville, the non-stick coating is a higher temperature, not Teflon, coating.)

Optional Accessories available:

Cutting Board for Smart Oven™

BOV800CB

$39.99

Bamboo cutting boards are ideal as they absorb very little moisture and have natural antibacterial properties. They are also harder than most cutting boards and are less prone to knife markings over time.

Recessed handles on the sides make it easy to pick up and transfer directly to the table for serving. As a tray, it replaces the need for a trivet or heat mat to protect the table surface from heat damage.

13″ Pizza Stone

BOV800PS13

$29.99

The pizza stone distributes heat evenly across the pizza base to maintain constant baking temperature. The pizza stone’s porous surface absorbs moisture from the pizza dough, resulting in a crisp brown pizza crust.

Pre-heat the pizza stone in the Smart Oven™ for 15 minutes at 450°F (230°C). It may also be used with traditional household ovens.

13″ Non-Stick Pizza Crisper

BOV800PC13

$19.99

13″ non-stick pizza crisper pan with 1/3 inch crisper holes for supreme golden-brown results. Designed for use with the Breville Smart Oven™, the crisper may also be used with traditional household ovens.

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Breville BOV650XL Compact Smart Oven

Breville BOV650XL Compact Smart Oven with Element IQ

(average selling price about $179.00)

Brevelle BOV650XL video demo:

The Details:

The Breville BOV650 is the little brother (or sister) to the Breville BOV800XL.

As the name “Compact” indicates, it’s smaller in footprint with a frameless glass door, no convection option, with a smaller display. It has the same great looking, stainless steel brushed finish.

Due to the frameless door design, the one feature I miss is that the door does not pull the center positioned toast rack forward when you open the door. It still has space for up to a 12” (vs 13”) pizza capacity and up to 4 (vs 6) slices of toast.

The core cooking functions that make the Breville BOV800XL exceptional are also still in the Breville BOV650XL.

It uses the same 5 Element IQ system with up to 1800 watts. It defrosts, has front crumb tray access, selection of 8 different types of cooking / toasting settings using two large, straight forward knob controls. The missing 9th selection, present on the 800XL is Warming, but you can create the same effect by putting the Bake function on low.

Although the easy to read display is smaller in area, it retains the same large number format, for quick glance viewing across the kitchen.

A custom Bamboo cutting board is also available, downsized for its smaller top.

If you have the convection feature in another appliance or just need a smaller unit to fit your space, the Breville BOV650XL will give you the design and performance elegance of its big sister, but in a smaller space.

Warranty: 1 year parts and labor (Same as above)

Dimensions: Width: 16.5” Depth: 14.25″ (including handle approx. 2”) Height: 10″

Included Accessories are:

10″ x 10″ enamel baking pan
10″ x 10″ enamel broil rack

Optional Accessories:

Bamboo Cutting Board for Compact Oven

BOV650CB

$39.99

Breville12-Inch Non-Stick Pizza Pan / Baking Pan for Compact Smart Oven

BOV650PP12

$29.99

12¨non-stick pizza pan that doubles as a baking sheet.

Designed for use with the Breville Compact Smart Oven, the pizza pan may also be used with traditional household ovens.

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The Cuisinart TOB-155

The Cuisinart TOB-155 Toaster Oven w/ Stainless Steel Face

(Average selling price $139.00)

The Details:

Cuisinart has been building quality appliances for years. So, it didn’t surprise me when the research uncovered this lower priced gem.

Although not at the level of the Breville units in human engineering and elegance, it solidly qualified as a GSTW product and it costs about $100 less.

It has stainless steel front panels, matte black sides and top, and a wide, easy to grip, brushed chrome handle.

This toaster oven does a very good job of evenly toasting, you guessed it, toast!

It uses what they call the “Exact Heat™ sensor” temperature control to prevent long spaced, hot and cold cycling of the elements that occurs in the lesser quality products. Something my “Toast-R-Oven” could have really benefited from! It brings 1500 watts of cooking power to the task.

Toast is evenly toasted, the Bagel setting toasts a bagel properly and bakes a pizza quite evenly. Its not as fast as the Brevelle convection oven for cooking, but for most toasting and cooking, you will not be disappointed. It does a great job.

Keep in mind, that although it may not have all the benefits of the most complete units, if it wasn’t proven to be a product people love to live with, you wouldn’t be reading about it as a GreatStuffThatWorks qualified product.

The Cuisinart TOB-155 provides Bagel, Reheat and Defrost buttons on the mono panel area and can be accessed with a single touch. Due to the placement of the control panel beneath the front door, the crumb tray pulls out from the rear of the unit. (oh, well)

Because this unit is slightly larger than the Breville 650XL, it will accommodate up to 6 slices of toast or a 12” pizza. It has a 2 position interior rack with a safety stop feature that prevents the oven rack from pulling straight out when it sliding it forward. This is a nice safety feature, but does makes the racks slower to adjust. (The Brevelle’s racks pull straight out without a stop, but are faster to adjust.)

The display, incorporated into the panel below the door is small, but legible. The over 40 gang may need their glasses for this one. It does however incorporate a feature not in either of the Brevelle’s: a clock and oven timer. It also has an easy to clean interior, comes with a stainless steel, two piece broiler pan and the longest warranty, 3 yrs.

(Note: As of this review, the Cuisinart website did not list the stainless steel broiler pan and tray as an included accessory, but my call to Cuisinart customer service confirmed they are always included. I requested they add this, as the broiler pan combo shows in the picture.)

For a toaster oven that is well made, cooks and toasts consistently and does it at a moderate price, the Cuisinart TOB-155 is a very good value.

When I did my company Customer Service Check, I called in December around 8 pm. Cuisinart answered in under 3 minutes, had wide customer service availability hours, especially for the holidays and were both helpful and courteous.

Warranty: 3 year limited warranty

Dimensions: Width: 16.14″ Depth: 15.75″ Height: 10.03”

Customer Service Contact Information:

1-800-726-0190

customerservice@cuisinart.com

Optional Accessories: None

Here’s the Cuisinart TOB-155 spec sheet for your files:

Stainless steel front panels with brushed chrome commercial style handle

Matte black exterior

Easy-clean interior

Functions: Pizza/Bake, Broil, Toast

Total Touch® touchpad controls

Always Even™ shade control

Exact Heat™ sensor maintains precise oven temperature

4-6 slice toasting button

Bagel, reheat and defrost buttons

Clock and oven timer

Automatic shutoff after four hours

Two-position oven rack with safety stop features

Cord storage

Slide-out crumb tray

Instruction/Recipe book

Limited 3-year warranty

FYI: Cuisinart’s alternative with convection: Cuisinart TOB-195 priced around $179.00.

Same basic unit with convection feature. The front, top and sides are also stainless steel finish. However, although people really like living with it, it didn’t make the cut because the side mounted convection fan breaks up the design and is noticeably noisy when cooking.

That’s the results for GreatStuffThatWorks Toaster Ovens!

Any of the 3 recommended units, the Breville BOV800XL with convection, the Breville BOV650XL compact oven without convection or the Cuisinart TOB-155, should make your life easier and tastier without the frustration of inconsistent results, complex controls or low quality construction.

Remember, to help you get a great price with a quality merchant, we also work to track that down.
Click on any of the highlighted product names to see your discounted price today!

As always, let me know what your results are. We’re all in this together.

Until next time, I’ll be out here looking for more of the products you’ll love to live with!

Cheers, PG

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Best Flushing, 1.28 GPM Toilet:Toto Eco-Supreme

Today’s subject is near and dear……. to the REAR.

Why? Because today we’re talkin’ Toilets.

Other than Dorothy’s little dog in the Wizard of Oz, you may not have heard of TOTO.

However, your water closet education begins here with one of the top quality manufactures of toilets in the world.

TOTO is a highly respected Japanese toilet manufacturer with years of experience in low water designs and attractive styling.

To also help you get a great price with a quality merchant, we also work to track that down. Click on any of the highlighted product names to see your discounted price today!

——————————————————

Video: How To Pick The Best Flushing 1.28 GPM Toilet

The TOTO Eco Supreme model #MS864114E #01, is overall, one of the very best toilets on the market currently. Why has this one model ranked high enough to qualify as a GreatStuffThatWorks product?

Here’s why. Not only have three of my plumbing experts, Master plumber Mitch Shair, Douglas Lavelle and senior plumbing sales professional Kathi Abacherli, ranked this a top choice, but after 1.5 years of my own, in home, bottom tested use by both males and females, it has all the benefits, performance and human engineering qualities that make it great to live with everyday.

Now here’s the poop:

This TOTO is a one piece, low profile, all porcelain design with an elongated bowel that gives it a contemporary style. It also incorporates their patented G-Max™ flushing system, a powerful way to flush without using much water.

Some of the technical things your plumber or you will need to care about are that The Eco Supreme MS864114E, has a 12″ offset from the wall. This is the distance from the wall to the center of the toilet drain. Since moving a drain already in the floor is not usually easy, the odds are high this toilet will fit into most standard plumbing configurations.

For all of us concerned with our planet, it is also being registered to carry the EPA’s High Efficiency Toilet WaterSense© label. Many of TOTO’s new models will earn you one point in the LEED US Green Building Standards rating system.

All this is jargon for “save the planet and be rewarded with potential tax credits.”

One of the great features of this TOTO model MS864114E is that it only uses 1.28 gallons per flush (GPF).

For reference, a standard toilet today commonly has a GPF of 1.6. Older toilets can be as high as 3.5-4 GPF! So, replacing a frequently used old toilet with one of these at 1.28 GPF could save you from using as much as 7,900 gallons Per Year. The math on this is simple at an average of 6-8 flushes per day. Amazing, isn’t it? Good news also for your water bill or septic system.

Some low water toilets choose to use noisy, high pressure to flush, but this marvel flushes unassisted, quickly, quietly and completely.

An alternate design in conventional toilet systems is called “dual flush.” It allows you to choose from two flush water amounts, depending upon what you’ve just deposited. This can potentially save you even more water, but there are a few things to consider with this innovative design.

A dual flush system mechanically requires a split flushing system internally. Externally, there are two levers or buttons the user chooses depending upon their current “deposit.”

Being a relatively new design, it is difficult to know about their long term reliability.

Since each manufacturer appears to have created their own special design for this dual system, finding parts 5-10 years down the road for that special, no longer made, design may be more difficult.

That said, the “pee” flush usually uses only .75 GPF vs a “poop” flush of 1.28 or higher on most models. Since we tend to pee more than we poop, over time the water use can add up.

I am researching the dual flush designs to see if there are models that meet the GSTW standards of superior benefits, performance and human engineering and will report back.

However, this TOTO MS864114E single flush, very low water use toilet, also incorporates features you would likely never know about until you lived with it.

Some lessor quality designs use plastic in the internal water channel vs a full porcelain design, either to cut costs or to allow adjustability from the wall.

A drawback to this design is significant water noise during every flush.

Even if you have an all porcelain design, the completeness and quality of the glazing is critical to long term performance.

TOTO not only computer designed and perfected a unique internal bowel design to assure a complete flush, but also baked in a durable, super smooth glaze finish throughout the toilet, and specifically within every inch of the water channel, were you would never see.

Lower quality toilets often leave rough surfaces in the internal places you can’t see to save money and manufacturing time.

One of my experts told me before he installs a customer supplied toilet he runs his hand up into the dry, clean water channel and feels for roughness. If its rough, he asks the customer to pick another toilet. He knows it will only be a source of long term aggravation.

This is because the rough areas in the channel begin to collect debris over time, slowly choking off the water flow and reducing the velocity of every flush. Your toilet plunger soon becomes your trusty toilet sentry.

Bottom line, this TOTO G-Max™ model flushes everything it’s designed to flush, 99% of the time, First Flush.

Only once in this last year and a half of daily use did we have to make a toilet brush adjustment and re-flush. We have never had to plunger the bowel.

First Flush is all that counts. A low GPF toilet has no value if it requires two or three flushes or sends you running for the plunger.

Disclosure: We did not test toys, stuffed animals or other non-human byproducts.

This TOTO also comes in several colors to make coordinating it with your color scheme easier.

Remember to Click on any of the highlighted product names to see your discounted price today!

And now a Bonus Feature!

Topping (or I should say “Lidding”) off their superior design is an equally superior toilet seat design referred to as a damped or “Soft Close” design.

The design finally brings to an end the dropped lid sonic boom by slowly, quietly closing both seat and lid, once set into motion!

This TOTO model MS864114E comes with this seat as part of the package. So, no running out to the “depot” to get a new seat when you change the toilet.

In fact, co-habitating women may enjoy another side benefit:

Guys are so fascinated watching the seat and cover slowly close, that the 2:00 am, sleepy lady splash could be a thing of the past!

Two other toilet models my experts feel match the GSTW standard of this TOTO model are:

The TOTO UltraMax II MS604114CEFRG with the option for specifying Left Hand or Right Hand flush lever location.

The TOTO Carlyle II MS614114CEF with decorative side skirting (at a premium cost).

Final Considerations:

1.) If you have a “back to back” plumbing installation, meaning you have two bathrooms that are on opposite sides of the same wall, Ask Your Plumber if you are able to use a low flush toilet on both sides. Because of the draw the lower water toilets create, some “back to back” on the same vent stack installations have been known to pull the water from the opposite toilet when the other is flushed.

2.) Another option in toilet design is side skirting, a cosmetic design that covers the water channel bend moulded into the porcelain base. If you want an even more designer look, it’s an upgrade to consider.

3.) Once you live with a Quiet Close toilet seat, you’re likely to change your other toilet seats soon after. I came home one day and my wife had “upgraded” our other two seats to the BEMIS seat listed below.

BEMIS, a quality toilet seat manufacturer, makes a GSTW qualified seat that has the best combination of benefits, performance and human engineering we’ve found in this type of product.

Their “WhisperClose with Easy Clean & Change and Tight Grip” seat not only closes quietly, but its EasyClean & Change feature makes everyday cleaning around the hinge side of the seat fast and simple.

The seat installs using two large plastic bolts that fit through the holes in the porcelain base. Bemis now includes the Tight Grip plastic bolts that automatically break off the excess thread when the bolts are at the proper tightness. This means the toilet seat is always installed to the proper tightness and shouldn’t loosen up on you.

The head of these bolts above the rim are round with a groove below the top of the head. The hinge side of the seat has two slide locks that move from a left (open) position to a center (closed) position.

To complete the install, simply position the hinge locks in the open position over the bolt heads installed in the base. Press down to snap in place and move the side locks to the center locked position. Done.

Now, anytime you want to clean the hinge area grime, simply slide both locks to the left (open) position and gently pull up on the rear of the seat. The seat completely removes for cleaning. Nice.

Remember when ordering the BEMIS seat to specify whether you need:

A Round style (Bemis 200SLOWT) or Elongated style (Bemis 1200SLOWT), depending upon your bowl shape. The links above will automatically take you to the correct version you choose.

Remember, we always work to find you a quality merchant with a competitive price. Click on any of the highlighted product names to see what your discount is today!

And that’s a wrap on the crapper! Quality design, low water use, great flushing toilets and friendly toilet seats that don’t go boom in the night. Now you’re living the good life!

Happy flushing!

Cheers,

For More GreatStuffThatWorks, Click Here!

Find This Information Valuable? I’d be honored if you’d

Share my Work with Your Family and Friends. All the best, Paul