Showing posts with label ge refrigerator reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ge refrigerator reviews. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Cuisinart CWC-600 Private Reserve 6-Bottle Stainless-Steel Countertop Wine Cellar

Cuisinart CWC-600 Private Reserve 6-Bottle Stainless-Steel Countertop Wine Cellar
  • 6-bottle countertop wine cellar in an attractive stainless-steel design
  • Thermoelectric compressor-less cooling technology for quiet operation
  • Controls with 8 presets ensures ideal storing and serving temperatures
  • LED display; 3 removable chrome racks; interior lighting
  • Measures 21-1/2 by 11 by 16 inches; 3-year limited warranty

Good:

* Nice looking, well built

* Digital display with presets for easy temperature setting

* Interior light

Bad:

* Constantly powering on and off every 2 minutes for 20-30 seconds

* Noisy fan while powered on. Louder than a full-sized fridge.

* In the event of a power failure, the unit defaults to the coldest setting (45F) which is a more drastic temperature range than if I left my wine on the counter.

Update: My electric bill went up 157% after plugging in this unit. I would reduce this to zero stars, but Amazon won't let me change my rating.

DO NOT BUY THIS ITEM!!!!!

Buy Cuisinart CWC-600 Private Reserve 6-Bottle Stainless-Steel Countertop Wine Cellar Now

I purchased this unit and, contrary to the other reviewers, am relatively happy with it. The fan noise is louder than expected and you certainly wouldn't want this in a quiet area of the house, but its not objectionable in an already noisy area like the kitchen.

Also, I'd like to clear the air about some of the claims against this unit. Many people are complaining about the power usage, mostly because they hear the fan going off and on a lot. The problem is that people are equating this to a refrigerator which would use a ton of electricity if it cycled on and off this much. But a fridge uses a compressor, and this unit uses a thermoelectric cooling system. Its a VERY different system.

I have a power meter that measures the power usage of an appliance over time. This unit uses 15 watts when the fan is off and about 75 watts when its on. I have it set to 57 degrees F, and my house is at 74 degrees. The amount of cycling I get translates to a cost of about $35 a year to run the thing (at 10 cents a kilowatt hour). Seems pretty reasonable to me.

In a fridge, the ENTIRE system (compressor and fans) cycles on and off based on the interior temperature. Since the interior temperature is fairly stable, it doesn't have to turn on and on much.

I'm not an expert on thermoelectric cooling, but my limited knowledge leads me to believe that its a continuous and proportional cooling system. What that means is that its always electronically moving heat from the inside of the unit to a heat sink on the outside. The amount of heat moved depends on the interior temperature, the exterior temperature, and a voltage setting (you set the voltage when you select the temperature on the control panel).

So the fan on the outside is turned off and on just to cool the heat sink on the back. Since the heat sink heats up and cools down quickly, the fan turns off and on frequently to keep it cool. The fan will be on more if your house is warmer. The "cooling" is always happening whether the fan is on or not. That's why it uses 15 watts when the fan is off.

But, and this is the important part, the fan cycling on and off does NOT indicate a compressor or other cooling element turning off and on, so its not using a ton of electricity. Its just the fan.

Now don't get me wrong, the fan cycling on and off can be annoying depending on the location in the house. But don't mistake that for gobbling up electricity.

Other than the fan noise, its a nice little unit. I measured the temperature inside and compared it to the control panel setting and its spot-on. For most people, if you want to use the lowest setting, 45 degrees, you're better off just using your normal fridge since it should be set at around 40 degrees. But if you're really looking for cellar temperatures of 55 to 65 degrees, this does a great job.

Read Best Reviews of Cuisinart CWC-600 Private Reserve 6-Bottle Stainless-Steel Countertop Wine Cellar Here

Cuisinart claims this operates quietly. This is not true. The unit has a very noisy fan. The fan comes on every few seconds, runs for a few seconds and then shuts off for a few seconds. This cycle continuosly repeats and needless to say it is very noticeable and annoying. I've followed the directions and tried all the presets but it doesn't seem to matter. What a disappointment from what I thought was a reputable company.

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As many of the other reviews say, this unit is not a quality unit. Despite following all instructions the unit runs for 30sec, stops for 30sec and then repeats itself. This is very annoying and I would assume a big drain on electriciy. It has not mattered how cool the room is, where I position the unit, or even what setting I set it to. Even in a 67deg room, the unit runs constantly to keep the internal temp at 57deg. We got this as a gift from my parents, and I called the company to ask if it should be running so much. They asked me to send it back, which cost almost $60 because it had to be specially packaged by UPS to be sure it didn't break. We got a new unit and it still runs the same way. I haven't been able to get the company to refund the money I spent to ship the first unit back and they keep giving me the run around, acting like it is something that I am doing to make the unit run constantly. Very disappointed in a company that I thought was high quality.

This is my 2nd attempt at writing a review of this product. We were genuinely excited when we purchased this particular unit. That excitement quickly faded as we learned that it has serious design flaws.

1st: The troubleshooting section states:

The inside temperature does not seem correct The room may be too hot. Example: if the ambient temperature is 80*F or higher, the unit can have difficulty chilling adequately on the white wine setting.

The white wine setting should be about 45*F according to the users manual. Having said that, I took the temperature where the unit is. It is 78*F (I live in Southern AZ where it is hot for 8 months out of 12). I first tried to set the wine cooler temp to 52*F. No dice, the display continued to flash indicating that it was not reaching that temp.

I tried setting it to 58*F. No dice. The display continued to flash. I tried setting it to 65*F. Still no dice.

The other major problem is that as others have reported, the unit will build up quite a bit of condensation on the inside bottom of the unit. It built up so much that it spilled out onto the counter where we have the unit.

I emailed Cuisinart about the problems. I even took a picture of the unit with a digital thermometer on top of the unit clearly showing the room temp to be 78*F. The unit display was blank indicating that it was flashing meaning that it could not reach the set temperature. I had the unit set to 65*F.

I went back and forth with their customer service. They kept giving me canned nonsense answers, and did not read my original email at all. After many back and forth, they finally agreed to replace the unit.

However, after reading some of the other reviews, I am NOT confident that the replacement unit will be any better. If it has problems, I am going to demand a full refund. I doubt that I will get one, but I will demand it anyway.

It is a shame that the unit is so problematic. We have a Cuisinart knife set, and could not be happier with it. The same goes for my Cuisinart coffee maker.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

REFRIGERATOR 1.7CF WHT

REFRIGERATOR 1.7CF WHT
  • Full Range Temperature Control
  • Adjustable Leveling Legs
  • Convenient Racks on Door For Extra Storage
  • Reversible Door - Left or Right Swing
  • Separate Chiller Compartment For Short Term Storage

I bought the Avanti 1.7 cube refridgerator for my bedroom. The fridge only worked for 3 weeks and then the fan in the back just stopped working. THREE WEEKS! Avanti would not give me my money back or exchange my fridge for another one. This was a huge waste of money, I had to go out and spend another $80 because this horrible product worked for less than a month. I would NEVER recommend this fridge or this brand to anyone!!

Buy REFRIGERATOR 1.7CF WHT Now

Two years ago, I bought four refrigerators by AVANTI and within a year, one was already not functioning anymore.

Three months ago, a second one gave up.

The first time, they changed the unit because it was under warranty.

The second time they refused to change it because they said that it was not under warranty anymore.

Now I know why the warranty is only 1 year...because there product is not reliable and I advise any reader to go with another brand if you don't want to be in the same situation.

Two fridges down out of 4...do the maths ;-)

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Black & Decker 1.7 cubic foot Dorm Refrigerator

Black & Decker 1.7 cubic foot Dorm Refrigerator
  • ?NuCool; Enhanced Coolant and Compressor-Free Cooling Technology
  • ?2-liter bottle door storage
  • ?3-position adjustable shelf
  • ?Lightweight design for portability

I bought mine at Walmart and I have experienced the exact same as the other reviewers. One fan never worked from the beginning the whole thing is a piece of junk.

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I bought mine just over a year ago. It worked fine for the year. Then it just stopped cooling. I unpluged it to see if it would start back up. Well guess what the fans wouldn't even turn then. Don't buy this one. Add a little more money to it and buy a different one. I thought the Black and Decker name would be good. NOT!!!

Read Best Reviews of Black & Decker 1.7 cubic foot Dorm Refrigerator Here

I had this refrigerator for awhile and they don't have a compressor they have some sort of "new and improved" technology to cool. My food used to get moldy and spoiled VERY quickly, these refrigerators don't cool nearly as well as my new Danby "All Refrigerator." DAR259BL is the item nubmer on Amazon and this refrigerator goes just below freezing and my food does not spoil at all in a week (don't know after that) Danby DAR259BL 2.5-Cu. Ft. Designer Compact All Refrigerator, Black

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I purchased this refrigerator a year ago and the unit has stopped working. These are really cheap units and are not worth the money. The name says Black & Decker so you would think it is a good product, the problem is this is made in China by Haier and it is poorly maid. The warrantee is for one year because it only last one year. Read the reviews over at Wal-Mart and you will see most of the folks have had them fail after one year. Pure junk!

Does not have a compressor like a traditional mini fridge. It does not cool as well either. The coldest I can get mine down to is about 50 degrees on the coldest setting. After about a year mine completely quit working. I was able to fix it by taking off the back and cleaning an oiling the little fan that had stopped turning. After reading other reviews it seem everyone has the same problem. I would not buy one of these. Get a traditional mini fridge with a compressor. They get colder and last longer.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Primo Water Floor Model Water Cooler

Primo Water Floor Model Water CoolerPrimo was very quick about shipping. I recieved my cooler in 4 days. The cooler is not heavy; easy to unpack. I was able to unload the cooler and set up quickly without any help. The cooler will fit in to any decor. It really has a nice sleek look. I was surprised to read the review of a noisy cooler. My cooler runs very quietly. Other than when we first started it up, we don't hear the compressor, no rattles. We have ours set up in the kitchen on a good thick vinyl floor. Perhaps there is enough cushion to keep any vibrations to a minimum. The safety button for the hot water is definitely a plus. Especially if you have small children. The hot water comes out nice & hot; makes a great & quick cup of tea or hot cocoa. I have to admit, I wish the cold water was colder. Using a good pH meter with temp guage, we are getting water temps of 58 60 degrees. Perhaps that is standard but I like my cold water colder. Still its nice to have a head start on a nice cold glass of lemonade. Dispense water, add lemonade mix or squeezed lemons...and throw in a few ice cubes. I didn't notice right a way, but a day after set up, I discovered my Primo cooler has a defect along the front right side. There is a slight gap where the right side does not line up & hook up with the front panel. The other/left side fits nice and snug to the front panel. I'm sure I could send it back, but I just don't have the time right now to pack & ship. Besides it works fine and I don't believe this causes any problems other than cosmetic appearance. Also, I enjoy Primo water and found it can be purchased at our K-mart at about $13 for water in the special primo jug.

Bekka

I have had this for a couple weeks now, it came really fast 2 or 3 days I think, the other primo cooler had really good reviews which is why I got this one, and liked that the controls were on top of the cooler bc they were more out of reach for toddlers, and it looks nice. Now the bad, it is noisy whenever the heater compressor is running (which is about every 10-20min it seems) there is a annoying rattling that I can hear in the next room for about a minute at a time, but it is quite distracting. Also the water has been getting a "rubber" like taste. I have cleaned it out well as they reccommended and it helped some, seems to be getting better over time. I have called Primo 1-800# and you get a real person right away who is willing to go over her checklist of solutions to these problems, they reccommended I unplug it overnight and call if the noise doesnt get better but that it is normal for the compressor to be heard.

Buy Primo Water Floor Model Water Cooler Now

Got this little unit for under 100 bucks at Lowe's and it works just fine. We don't use the hot water dispenser in any of the water coolers we have had, so no comment on the safety issue someone wrote up on. It is quiet, more than the new refrigerator we have, has a night light on it, and the water actually seems colder than the whirlpool model we previously had. Here are some things to consider when purchasing a water cooler. 1. place unit upright for at least 2hrs prior to turning it on. If you had this unit in a laying down position (which you will have to get it home), the oil in the compressor will not be where it needs to be for the unit to work right. You can actually damage the compressor with oil starvation by not doing this important step. 2. Look for simplicity. The more expensive unit we previously had developed problems in less than two years. It was a whirlpool that was just a tad bigger an heavier, the problem was that after any pwr interruptions it had to be manually turned back on by the touch pad press button. Now that doesn't seem to be a big deal for most people, but the water wont be cold unless you remember to turn it back on after a pwr outage, circuit breaker being turned off or even if the unit gets unplugged for some reason. Then for whatever reason it didn't want to respond to you pushing the on button on the pad press. Soooo after calling the customer service number on the unit, they told me to buy a new one. forget that noise. I ended up spending an hour or more with a volt meter and dis-assembled the unit to see if i could find the problem. after pulling wires off of the circuit board and re connecting them i pwred up the unit and got it to pwr up the compressor. I had to do this for two more years and finally that fix wouldn't work anymore. This Primo unit has 3 switches on the back, one for cold, one for hot and one for the night light. if a pwr outage occurs, when the pwr is restored, it kicks back on and cools or heats your water. Simplicity is best. 3. Top feeders are better than bottom feeders....this is more or less a true statement about anything in our world. The top feeder uses gravity to get every drop out of the water bottle, the in-cabinet types that you can store water jugs in the bottom shelf require a pump to "pump" water out and up. These pumps will fail long before the compressor does. I guarantee it. plus they don't remove all the water. 4. Bad taste from water..., if you are buying a primo sealed water container to place in your new water dispenser, the first thing you do is empty the container in the parking lot after spending 11-19 dollars on you new water bottle. The water that is used in these contains buffers for long term storage purposes and tastes like garbage. dump it out and refill from a culligan/primo water dispenser at Wal-mart or any other store that dispenses filtered water. The primo bottles will have a white plastic cap on the bottom of the bigger blue cap that allows you to turn it upside down without spilling it. Someone complained about not being able to keep water from spilling out when installing these, you simply have to remove the big water cap just before you refill (and the unit is empty of course), and shake out the smaller white plastic cap and pop it back on the bottom of the blue cap. The center probe on the water dispenser at home will pop this off when you place the water bottle on the top of the dispenser. Then drain out about 32 oz of water from your cold water side, and do the same with the hot water side, but wait for about an hour for it to cool and heat the water first. this will remove any residual tastes from the system. You only have to do this last step the very first time you use this unit. I think that covers it.

Read Best Reviews of Primo Water Floor Model Water Cooler Here

I'm so glad that I used primo for a couple weeks after I saw it sold fresh, pure water at walmart. Their 2 gallon jug fantastic plastic number 3 the most poisonous one!!! Good thing I used it to give my kid his helping dose of PVC and Phthalates.

It's a bonus. You get pure water with a little poison mixed in.

Thanks, Primo, you assshats.

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installing water bottles is difficult to do without spilling it. had it for a few months now, still cant find an easy way to swap in new bottle without the hastle.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

EdgeStar Deluxe Mini Kegerator & Draft Beer Dispenser

EdgeStar Deluxe Mini Kegerator & Draft Beer Dispenser
  • AC and DC compatible with DC adaptor cord included for easy portability
  • Temperature Range: 38-54 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Accepts Heineken 5 liter Draughtkegs
  • Capacity: 1 standard 5L mini keg
  • Dimensions: 15inches h x 15inches w x 13inches d

The Background:

I first thought of the BeerTender from Heineken as the 5L kegs are simple, easy to use and a big hit at parties and keeping the beer cool and out of the fridge is a challenge. While in a specialty shop I saw several other foreign brands of beer also in 5L kegs, but to my surprise, their tap was at the bottom like a Gatorade cooler. I then learned that the Heineken Draft kegs have an internal pressure system and that the Beertender would only work with that particular type of keg.

The Search:

At first it didn't really matter that much to me because I love Heineken and Heineken Light. After seeing the variety of beers available in the 5L minikegs, I decided to start shopping for a kegerator that would work with more than just the Draftkeg line. A low price was important, but so was functionality and reliablility. While searching, I found several other options with most looking similar and having the same features. You can go crazy and get one of the $300+ models out there, but I'd only recommend doing that if you have that kind of cash-flow to spend on a counter-top beer dispenser.

The Product:

The EdgeStar Mini Kegerator jumped out at me first because of its low price, and second, because it's identical to the more expensive Avanti MBD5L Mini Kegerator. (Note: Although the Edgestar doesn't display a drip tray like the Avanti, one is included.) For about $50, you can purchase a CO2 kit to tap and use non-pressurized 5L kegs from any other brewer (I've even seen it suggested that home-made beer can be placed in such a keg.) The kit comes with three 16-Gram CO2 cartridges (the small silver ones that you can pick up at Walmart) which are enough to dispense 3 or more 5L kegs. If you don't feel like replacing the cartridge every time you change the keg out, the space provided for the CO2 canister is large enough to accommodate a larger (340-Gram) CO2 Cylinder which is enough to dispense up to 20 5L kegs! The EdgeStar comes with a direction booklet, a cleaner bottle to wash out the system, an AC cable and DC cable, and an adapter for the Heineken Draft kegs.

The Perks:

Having draft beer right in your own home!

Looks great and comes in silver or black

Better than the BeerTender for the following reasons:

o Costs less even with the CO2 kit

o CO2 kit allows you to use any 5L keg

o Has a controllable temp fan (38-54 degrees Fahrenheit) for a variety of beer types

o Comes with a DC adapter for tailgate parties and RV use!

The Bad:

Can be tricky for people who don't normally pour from a tap

Pours a lot of head if not setup properly (I suggest coiling the tube and getting it as horizontal as possible to mitigate this.)

Tap is plastic, not stainless steel

Five stars because even with the few shortfalls, it blows the BeerTender away!

Buy EdgeStar Deluxe Mini Kegerator & Draft Beer Dispenser Now

As I'm sure with many people looking for a 5 liter keg unit I was torn between the various ones out there and the Krupps BeerTender. I chose the Edgestar due to the low price, looks and the additional ability to utilise a CO2 cannister, which the BeerTender cannot. As far as I know the Heineken 5L keg is the only keg to come with its own CO2 built-in and only such kegs are usable with the Krupps model. Therefore, whilst I'm a Heineken fan, the BeerTender completely limits your choice of drinkto Heineken or Heineken Light.

So I bought the Edgestar, sight unseen and I'm very glad I did. It's a light-weight unit comprising mostly of chrome plastic and a few actual chrome parts, and overall looks great and feel sturdy. The drip tray (not shown in the picture but supplied) is well thought out and easy to remove when full. The door is opened by a small button on top and swings outward. You only have to open it a short amount to place a keg in it, offering a small footprint for the unit. The keg is cooled by a plate and you have a blue backlit display indicating current temperature which is adjustable using the chrome buttons. There is also a small blue led inside the cabinet which is nice although not bright it can be toggled on and off using the lower button on the front of the display.

The tap is solid. I was completely surprised by how firm it is and it works a treat. The small black beer tap is removable and so you could replace it with one of your own if you had the right sized thread.

The unit is supplied with an AC and a DC lead so you could power it from a car/RV/boat. It also comes by default with a Heineken keg connector which was supremely easy to attach.

A final sweetner is the ability to clean the lines, which the BeerTender amazingly does not have (you have to buy a new line for each and every keg you use with the Krupps). The Edgestar comes with a small plastic bottle which I filled with 2 parts water and 1 vinegar and it clips onto the line and you simply squeeze it as you open the tap. Took 20 seconds.

Now I haven't purchased the optional CO2 kit yet, choosing initially to use up my Heineken kegs, but I have no fear that the kit will work as advertised. The small black circle to the right of the tap that you see in the picture is for a CO2 gauge to fit into, and the CO2 bottle sits inside the unit so it's all tucked away neatly.

Ultimately, very happy with the unit and had my first pint last night.

Cheers!

Read Best Reviews of EdgeStar Deluxe Mini Kegerator & Draft Beer Dispenser Here

I originally wrote this review for what I think is a different model of kegerator by this same company. After reviewing both listings, this is clearly the model I own, but the other model doesn't contain enough information on the Amazon page for me to tell if it's a duplicate of this one, or another model entirely. I lean towards the former. Off we go...

The reason I chose this kegerator is because the vast majority of kegerators on the market 1) only take Newcastle or Heineken pre-pressurized mini kegs, or 2) are really expensive. I'm not a huge macrobrew fan, so the fact that this model will accomodate non-pressurized 5-liter kegs is a huge plus. It's essentially the only reason I wanted it.

Now, if you're going to use the pre-pressurized kegs, it's a very easy process with only a few steps to get set up. If you're using non-pressurized kegs, it's a little more involved.

General Principles:

-CHILL YOUR KEG. If you don't chill your keg for at least 12 hours, you will get warm, gross, flat beer.

-Read the instructions. Especially when dealing with non-pressurized kegs.

-If you want to use this with non-pressurized kegs, you MUST buy the C02 adaptor kit. I've read some reviews indicating they were very hard to find. My wife got one with no issues.

-When using the C02 kit with non-pressurized kegs, ensure that 1) you keep the beer-to-tap supply line as straight and level as possible, and 2) keep the pressure valve set so that the C02 flow is extremely low-to-nonexistent for the first few pours, otherwise the first pints will be nearly all foam; increase the pressure in increments with each additional pint to maintain a proper head on your beer.

-Be sure to buy food-grade C02 cylinders, not sporting (paintball, bb etc). Sporting C02 often contains oil.

Upsides:

-Variable temperature settings.

-Compatible with all 5-liter kegs (with adaptor).

-Draft beer in your home. Can you beat that? No. No you can't.

-Once it's set up, it's easy to use and clean. No need to purchase new lines after each keg (as in the Krups Beer Tender); just use the included cleaning kit, water, and a little vinegar.

-With the adaptor, use any available 5-liter keg.

-If you homebrew, you can find brand-new, empty 5-liter kegs on Amazon. You can keg-condition 5-liters of your own beer and dispense it as a draft in your own home. How cool is that?

Downsides:

-It's not heavy metal construction, so you'll need to be a little gentle, especially until you get a feel for the tap. Don't yank that thing, be kind!

-Instruction manual is not terribly user-friendly. Take your time to study it, especially when using the C02 adapter kit. They could have done a much better job with the pictures and step-by-steps. Of course, it may help if you refrain from drinking while you're setting it up.

-When using the C02 adaptor: If you're obsessed with a perfect pour of beer, you'll need some practice with the C02 settings to make sure your foam-to-beer ratio is right.

Another thing worth noting, which I don't consider a downside, is that there aren't currently a ton of mini-kegs available. Other than the pre-pressurized Newcastle and Heineken, most everything else I've seen are German beers (Hefeweizen, Kolsch, Dortmunder, Pilsner, Maibock, Schwarzbier, Rauchbier, Kellerbier) in limited variety. Fortunately, most these are from good breweries (Einbecker, Reischdorff, Kulmbacher, Kostritzer, etc) and I like those styles of beer. However, you're not really going to find much in the way of American beers on here, especially if you like microbrews. Coors Light I understand is test marketing a 5-liter keg. HOWEVER, if you are a fan of Bell's Oberon summer beer (and who isn't), they DO offer 5-liter kegs of it. Oh frabjous day!

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For a while now I've wanted a kegerator for the bar/theater, but I've lacked the space for a full(or even mid-) sized one. So today, despite some iffy reviews here and there, I bought an Edgestar mini-kegerator to sit on top of the mini-fridge in my bar.

This little machine keeps a 5L beer keg chilled at 38 degrees and delivers the perfect amount of head for a pint glass...only you get used to the pour speed and nozzle strength. The unit is pretty much like the Krups BeerTender machines that support Heineken and Newcastle, but this one also supports non-pressurized mini-kegs. I have to admit that I'm not a beer expert by any means, but when I heard that Newcastle was FINALLY available in Atlanta in the 5L size, I jumped all over this.

After a short 4 hours with the unit, I'm breathing a sigh of relief (between beer pours, that is). As I mentioned above, reviews have been hit or miss. Some people complained the non-pressurized conversion kits weren't yet available. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I had no problem ordering the Edgestar-branded one two days ago, and it even arrived before the main unit itself. Some others complained Heineken was the only act in town. My local stores have all kinds of non-pressurized beers, in addition to the Heineken and Newcastle kegs, so again I'm probably just lucky to live in a fairly large city. Some folks said the unit was just cheap plastic junk. That last point will probably be true for me at some point, as the unit is just plastic and faux chrome, but at $140 I couldn't have expected too much more. Someone somewhere said that the door was constantly ajar and the cooling plate couldn't do its job. From what I've heard and now seen firsthand, this just isn't a problem. My mini-kegs set nicely on the cooling plate inside the unit and I'm able to close the door completely and securely.

My only complaints so far are 1) the internal fan or whatever parts make it go are a bit louder than I'd like, and 2) I dislodged a washer in the plastic cleaning solution bottle that came with it. The second part was just stupidity on my part when I first flushed the lines, and it's totally fixable, but the former point is indeed a minor inconvenience. It's no louder than my ice maker or mini-fridge, but it's something else whirring in the back of the theater. Oh well.

So at this point, my margarita machine quest is on the back-burner indefinitely as I work on my beer pour perfection and fish out that stupid washer in the cleaning bottle. But for anyone in my shoes who may be considering one of these units but afraid of the spotty older reviews of the unit, I'm pretty pleased so far.

Cheers.

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I bought this so I could enjoy some of our Seattle area microbrews which aren't available bottled.

My first one died after 1 1/2 weeks. The unit ran constantly but the cooling pad no longer cooled. I contacted warranty service and sent it back. They said the warehouse was busy, so it took about two weeks to get a replacement. The second one is working fine after three weeks.

I bought it with the optional conversion kit for non-pressurized kegs, because I buy my beer in growlers and transfer it to a mini keg. The regulator is also a bit finicky. I've found the pressure can suddenly rise 2-4 PSI several hours after you've set it, so I now set it a little below where I want it and work up to the pressure I want over a day or two. My digital thermometer tells me the actual temperature of the beer right after I pour it is 5-6 degrees higher than what i have it set to. I like my beer in the '30's and it isn't able to chill it below the low 40's. A pre-chilled (frozen) glass helps, and with the pressure set at 12-13 PSI, I like the results I get with my favorite IPA's.

There is a review saying that the plastic tap broke when disconnecting it from the keg. The tab fits very tightly into the rubber bung, to prevent gas leaks. The instructions say to wet the probe before sliding it in. When a keg has gone dry, the probe is dry plastic against dry rubber. I've found turning the keg upside down and sloshing it around a bit, and then turning it right side up, filling the top recess with water, turning the tap clockwise a few turns, pushing down a bit and trying to get some lubrication between the probe and the bung allows removing it without breaking things. Also a fussy operation.

All in all, after five mini kegs, I'm happy with it. There aren't many competitors, so if they up-graded the quality a little and charged a bit more, I would still buy one.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Kitchen Aid 21.7 Cu. Ft. White Side-By-Side Refrigerator - KSRV22FVWH

Kitchen Aid 21.7 Cu. Ft. White Side-By-Side Refrigerator - KSRV22FVWHWe bought our Kitchenaid Side by Side Refrigerator (KSRV22FV) a year and several months ago. We did not purchase the pricey extended warranty. The first month repair man had to come to fix the noise said it was just a rattle, made some adjustment that lasted a few weeks and it is noisy never bothered calling him back as I can live with it. During first year, the track for the bottom drawer broke had to be replaced. Within 6 months or so of that slider being replaced all the other tracks, including the replaced track have broken. The meat keeper drawer is cracked at the back. The top shelf frame started to crack and fell through to the next shelf broken glass and food on the floor! The second glass shelf, the plastic frame is broken off at the back; the third grass shelf is splitting on the plastic frame and will soon fall through. WE called Sears repair and were told they would send a repairman $80 to assess our fridge; I refused to pay $80 to have someone tell me all the tracks and shelves of my fridge are broken. Sent repairman anyway who was dumbfounded didn't charge us said he would have to talk to his boss since we refuse to pay the several hundred dollars it will cost to replace all the broken parts. Did you know it costs $70 to replace the plastic frame for each shelf and that is just the frame without the glass! Next day called customer service who said it is over the warranty and Sears is not paying. We are currently waitiing for Sears Corporate Office to make a decision as to what they are going to do for us. Even if all the shelves and tracks are replaced they will beyond a doubt break again.

This fridge has not been abused we are 2 people, an older couple with no children. The fridge has shelves that are poorly designed/made of cheap plastic. Will NEVER buy Kitchenaid again as it certainly is not what it used to be before Whirlpool bought them out. It is a shame because if the shelves and tracks were durable it would be a great fridge. So far my ice cube maker is working fine I see by other reviews that it will likely break soon too!

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