vacuum Archives - Reactual

The Best Cordless Vacuum

Justin Thomas — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 03:00:13 +0000

The best cordless vacuum is the Dyson V8 Absolute Cord-Free Vacuum. This vacuum sucks up dirt as efficiently as a corded vacuum. It has a good battery life (about 30 minutes). It requires no vacuum bags, and it’s easy to clean.

The Details

A cordless vacuum is a useful and convenient device — if it is designed correctly. In the past I’ve had experience with small cordless vacuums that I used to clean my car. However, these cheap devices all seemed to suck — because they didn’t suck.

I read some reviews on the latest cordless vacuum offerings, and several reviewer recommended the cord-free Dyson vacuums. I went ahead and bought a Dyson V6 Motor Head for testing purposes. I used this vacuum in my home for about nine months.

I really wanted to like the Dyson Motor Head there were several problems with it:

It was really difficult to remove the dust canister from the vacuum, and even more difficult to put it back on
The vacuum was too noisy– I ended up wearing some protective ear muffs while vacuuming
The vacuum would often turn off, due to dust getting jammed in the intake valve
The vacuum’s battery life was adequate, but could have been better

Basically, I started looking for a new cordless vacuum, because I was done with this offering from Dyson. However, I couldn’t find any good substitutes. Then I noticed that Dyson had released a newer version of their vacuum — the Dyson V8 Absolute. This vacuum seem to address all the problems I had encountered with Dyson Motorhead:

They fixed the emptying mechanism — the Dyson Absolute only requires a single press of a button to open the vacuum canister and empty the dust inside
The vacuum makes much less noise, even on “turbo mode” — there’s no need for protective head gear now!
The vacuum doesn’t turn off randomly due to dust clogging — it only seems to turn off when it’s actually full of dust
The battery life is much improved — I can easily vacuum all the floors in my house without needing a recharge

With all these improvements, Dyson has now created a cordless vacuum worthy or their brand.

I’ve come to enjoy vacuuming now — having a cordless device really does make this chore easier. I’m also more inclined to grab the vacuum more often since it’s so convenient. I just wish Dyson had got it right the first time!

You can buy the Dyson V8 Absolute Cord-Free Vacuum on Amazon for about $550.

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The Best Portable Air Filter

Justin Thomas — Wed, 11 May 2016 17:41:55 +0000

The GermGuardian AC482522 is the best portable air filter available
One of the air filters doctors recommend most, the Honeywell True HEPA Air Purifier is the best air filter for allergies
The Holmes Desktop Purifier is the best value portable air filter

The Details

A portable air filter is a device that is used to purify the air in a room of impurities and pollutants. Air filter statistics from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have shown that the air inside your home can be five to ten times dirtier than the air outside, and Americans spend an average of 90% of their lives indoors.

Portable air filters are intended to target specific contaminants, decreasing the levels in which they are detected in the room. In order to do this, the air is passed through one of more filters to remove dust, lint, germs and other pollutants. In a stationary (non-portable) purifier, the filter is inserted into the air return vents in a home. These materials include foam, fiberglass, cotton and synthetic fibers. A portable air filter is more versatile, and the same materials and methods are used in many of the best portable filters.

Some of the most popular air filter types are HEPA air purifiers, air filters that use activated carbon filters and others that use charged media filters. When purchasing a portable air filter with HEPA technology, it is important to look for one with a genuine HEPA filter, or “true” HEPA filter. Some may be advertised as “HEPA-like,” but these do not meet the high standards of a true HEPA filter.

Here are three of the best portable air filters on the market today.

The Best Overall Portable Air Filter: Germ Guardian AC4825

The GermGuardian AC482522 is just 22” in height and weighs a tiny 7 pounds, making it easily transportable from room to room. It features three fan speeds, is ultra-quiet and is best suited for medium sized rooms. The CADR rating is 100+, meaning it can clean more than 100 cubic feet of air in one minute.

This tower-like product from Guardian Technologies is the best available portable air filter on the market. The AC4825 uses three different filters that screen out almost all undesirable particles from the air by using multiple filters and systems.

First, the pre-filter uses activated carbon to remove odors and gases from the home. It also captures larger pieces of dust and pollen. The second filter is a True HEPA system that removes pet dander, dust mites, mold spores and pollen. True HEPA filters must meet strict guidelines to be classified as such. Therefore, you can be assured that the HEPA system in the GermGuardian filters out almost 100% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. Lastly, the air is passed through short range UV light, also known as UV-C. This UV light is effective in killing germs and viruses such as E. coli and streptococcus.

The Best Portable Air Filter For Allergies: Honeywell Air Purifier

The Honeywell Portable Filter goes a little further than most portable air filters in terms of filtering out particles in the air. This is one of the few HEPA filters recommended by doctors. Doctors endorse True HEPA filters for allergy sufferers as allergy symptoms can be reduced, and the Honeywell’s circular, stocky design allows 360-degree filtration. This makes it a good portable filtration unit for removing particles from an entire room.

The True HEPA filter is backed up by an activated carbon filter that reduces odors and filters out large particles of dust, hair and lint. Just as a nose has a membrane to screen pollen and other dust mites before they pass to the nasal cavity, this True HEPA filter product attempts to reduce those particles before they get to the allergy sufferer at all. Capturing virtually all particles that are 0.3 microns or larger, the Honeywell Air Purifier with True HEPA filter has three levels of cleaning and a light to show you when to clean or replace your filters.

An additional benefit for allergy sufferers, who are likely to be running their air purifier a lot, is the Honeywell’s long-life filters. You can vacuum and clean the filters, extending their life to 3-5 years. This greatly reduces ongoing costs, not to mention the number of days you will be miserable from a major allergy attack.

Best Value Portable Air Filter: Holmes HEPA Desktop Air Purifier

For the most reasonable, bang-for-your-buck air filter, the Holmes HEPA Type Desktop Air Purifier beats all the competition. With rave reviews on online retailers, a 3-speed setting/Ionizer and a price that’s barely half of its competitors’, it’s easy to see why it is a bestseller.

The desktop air purifier disinfects particles and allergens from an immediate area – only about 110 sq. feet – however, it does so with excellent efficiency and at a low weight. At only 6.7 pounds, the Holmes HEPA Type Air Purifier defines portability.

The purifier can stand upright or lie flat, and is particularly quiet in its operation. Three power settings allow you to choose the amount of work the filter will do to clean your air. Despite being only around $40, the purifier includes an ionizing function that assists in the removal of particles. An activated carbon filter removes much of the larger particles from the air.

For the price, there are some concessions. As the Holmes HEA Type Desktop Air Purifier does not come with a True HEPA filter, it does not purify the air as thoroughly as the above options. It will trap particles as small as 2 microns (for comparison, the above options trap particles as small as 0.3 microns). However, replacement True HEPA filters are available. Filters are not washable and typically only last 4 months. These caveats make the Holmes HEPA Type Desktop Air Purifier the best option is portability and low cost are the highest concerns and you only plan to use the air filter occasionally. Otherwise, one of our other top picks may be a better choice.

The post The Best Portable Air Filter appeared first on Reactual.

How Standalone HEPA Air Filters Work

Justin Thomas — Thu, 05 May 2016 16:25:14 +0000

We’re all keenly aware of air pollution. If you ask someone about it, they might point to the smoggy haze that hangs over Los Angeles, fumes from a smokestack at an industrial site, or smoke from a burning pile of leaves. What many fail to consider is that, even in the cleanest home, air pollution exists indoors as well. Indoor pollutants can result in irritation to the lungs, and contribute to worsening symptoms of allergies and asthma. Standalone HEPA air filters are an increasingly popular way to combat indoor pollutants.

While most people dust and vacuum on a regular basis, these efforts may just be moving the dirt around rather than removing it from your environment. To effectively remove air–polluting irritants from the home, many are turning to HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) air purifiers. This guide will explain what standalone HEPA air filters are, how they work, and what kinds are on the market today.

Environmental Pollutants

Common dirt particulate, invisible to the naked eye, include dust mite debris, bacteria, plants spore, mold and smoke, typically measured in microns of .5 to 100 microns. A micron is equivalent to 1/25,000th of an inch. A human hair is typically 50–100 microns. HEPA air filters are effective in trapping dirt as small as 0.3 micron. HEPA filters are typically composed of a non–woven synthetic fiber. Some HEPA filters may be made of glass fiber. HEPA filters traps dirt in four ways:

Impaction: As air flows through the filter, particles larger than 0.5 microns are propelled forward by the force of the air where they impact and stick to the surface of the filter.

Diffusion: Tiny particles of less than 1 micron are so light that rather than flowing with the air, they diffuse through the air. Because these tiny particles don’t follow the air path around the filter, the particles penetrate the fiber and become trapped.

Interception: Mid–range particles are not heavy enough to be inert, but are not light enough to be defused through an air stream. These particles will follow the air stream as it circulates the filter, and they are trapped in the filter as they pass by it.

Sieving: Sieving occurs when filter fibers are closely spaced together and particles cannot fit through the air space between the filter fibers, so they become lodged. This occurs with particles typically 1 micron or larger.

These four filtration methods combine for exceptionally high filtration of pollutants and environmental irritants, with the weakest point of filtration at 0.3 microns. HEPA filters, at their weakest, trap 99.97% of all microparticles. HEPA filters were originally developed by the nuclear industry, which needed this technology to ensure a thorough cleanup of dangerous, radioactive particles. The technology was also championed by factories and workplaces where the environment produces heavy amounts of dust as part of the manufacturing process. HEPA filters are also routinely used in places that require the highest hygienic standards because of their ability to trap mold spores, bacteria and viruses.

HEPA Filter Classifications

HEPA filters may be classified using a five-letter system, A through E. Each letter designation indicates how well the filter captures particles and resists airflow. A is the lowest ranking, but still meets the basic criteria to be classified as HEPA. E is the highest ranking and is considered military grade. E rated filters are able to handle chemical, radiological or biological particles. HEPA filters may also be rated as type 1 or type 2. Type 1 is fire resistant, and type 2 is semi–combustible.

What You Should Consider When Purchasing a HEPA Stand Alone Air Filter

When purchasing an air filtration system for home use, there are few key things to consider. First and foremost, look for filters designated as genuine HEPA filtration. You may also see the terms “True HEPA,” or “Absolute HEPA.” This indicates that the filter will pick up 99.97% or particles at 0.3 microns. Some manufactures may list their products as “HEPA–like,” or “HEPA type.” These products are not quantified in any way and may be much less effective than a true HEPA filter. A true HEPA filter will always quote the numbers regarding their effectiveness.

Be aware that air purifiers with true HEPA filtration may have slightly highly power consumption than air filters without HEPA, and they may be slightly noisier than other air purifiers. However, most people adjust quickly to the sound, and some people even find the “white noise” sound to be relaxing, The few extra dollars of electricity each month incurred using a HEPA air filter is more than offset by the improved health and comfort that comes with removing indoor environmental pollutants.

HEPA filters need to be cleaned or replaced periodically. You can check the price of replacement filters before purchasing an air filter to insure maintaining the unit will fit within your budget.

Types of Air Filters/Purifiers

When choosing an air filter, there are two basic types to choose from; room models, which are portable and may be easily moved from room to room, and whole–house models, which are built into the ductwork of forced air hearing and cooling systems. Let’s take a closer look at the room, or portable, models.

Room/Stand–Alone Air Filters/Purifiers

Room/stand–alone air filters typically weigh between 10 and 20 pounds, have a handle for easily moving between rooms, and can stand on a floor or table. When choosing a unit with true HEPA filtration, they can absorb 99.7% of indoor environmental pollutants. The HEPA filter inside the unit is replaceable and should be replaced once a year in most households.

Cleanable HEPA filters can be cleaned and reused. Room air filters use a built–in fan to suck in air. Some models may have a built–in service indicator light that indicates when it is time to clean or replace the filter. Some models may also have a dust sensor and air quality monitor that raises or lowers the fan speed automatically as pollutants in the air rise and fall.

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The Best Compact Wireless Hi-Fi Speaker System of 2016

Justin Thomas — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 14:53:41 +0000

In a Nutshell

The DeVialet Silver Phantom is the ultimate compact wireless hi-fi system, delivering incredible power with no sacrifice of sonic clarity even at the highest volumes.

The Details

The best to be found in a compact wireless hi-fit system in 2016 is the DeVialet Silver Phantom. DeVialet claims that the Phantom (with the Silver Phantom being the upgraded, even more powerful version) was designed over a period of 10 years, taking 40 engineers, 88 patents, and $30 million to bring to fruition.

The Silver Phantom is spherical (actually, oblong) in shape and white with silver dome drivers. The 26-pound music machine is lovely to the eye. The only control on the unit is a white “Reset” button that’s hard to find (to preserve aesthetic appeal). Everything else is controlled remotely via your Android or iOS device. The Phantom’s heat sink, blended seamlessly into its backside, reminds me of fins on some elegant fish.

The Silver Phantom supports many file formats including AMP3, aptX (which isn’t available on iPhone), AAC, AMP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, and OGG Vorbis. The music machine streams them with all lossless quality kept perfectly intact. For those who prefer wired connections, a flap at the back of the unit lifts to show Ethernet and TOSLINK ports.

DeVialet engineers explain that the Silver Phantom’s structure accommodates the two proprietary “Heart Beat Implosion” aluminum bass drivers (woofers) placed across from each other underneath a pair of thin aluminum domes. The diaphragms of these woofers (which have a 26mm peak-to-peak stroke), just like those of the coaxial midrange and tweeter drivers ensconced at a 90-degree angle to them, are flush with a spherical superstructure. In terms of acoustical physics, their being so situated focuses sound waves toward the Phantom’s center (which is vacuum sealed so as not to fissure or crack due to sonic onslaught).

This concept (which DeVialet calls its proprietary ACE or “Active Cospherical Engine” loudspeaker technology) is inspired by the work of famed Princeton, NJ acoustical engineer Dr. Harry Ferdinand Olsen of RCA Labs. In experiments he conducted in the 1930s, Olsen concluded beyond the shadow of a doubt that a spherical speaker cabinet is the most efficient, the best at maintaining the fullness of the signal’s original sound quality. The closer that acoustical engineers can come to creating a single point in space out of which music emanates, the closer to “pure lossless” the music is.

The sheer sonic power of the Silver Phantom is quite simply astounding. At maximum volume, it produces 3000 watts of power to generate a jaw-dropping 105dB. Furthermore, as you increase the volume the Phantom’s sound becomes even cleaner. (Any extraneous sounds like humming or clacking that you hear are coming from the surface that the unit’s sitting on or is close by to, or may be the result of a low-quality recording.) Strong bass and outstanding clarity are always there at any volume level, but once you turn it up enough to really let those woofers run wild the audio experience deepens, whether you’re listening to R&B or a symphony orchestra, or even solo classical guitar.

But even at extreme volume, the Phantom never distorts or gets out of phase. The sound is always complex but balanced, one might even say “silky”, with excellent separation between highs and lows.

The Phantom’s components and outer shell are protected from their own heat and energy (and from outside impacts such as drops) with braided sheets of Kevlar acoustic insulation, which at once cool the the circuit boards and keep the unit so strong as to be literally bulletproof. Durability is no issue.

If there’s a flaw with the Silver Phantom, it’s that DOESN’T yield stereo surround sound. You would need multiple Phantoms to achieve that (or a close approximation). DeVialet engineers have made it possible to chain together up to 24 of them. (Oh, and one more flaw: the visually obtrusive, bright-greenish-yellow power cord! Who thought that up, anyway?)

The post The Best Compact Wireless Hi-Fi Speaker System of 2016 appeared first on Reactual.

Buy It For Life: Thermos Stainless Steel King Beverage Bottle

Justin Thomas — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:19:08 +0000

Thermos makes tough beverage bottles — durable enough to be worthy of our “buy it for life” designation. They are constructed with stainless steel on the exterior and interior, making them pretty much immune to dents and cracks. All Thermos bottles feature the company’s double-wall vacuum technology, which is designed to keep liquids hot for 12 hours, and cold for 24 hours.

The Thermos Stainless Steel King Beverage Bottle is available on Amazon for about $25.

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