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Kris
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- Review count59
- Helpfulness votes210
- First reviewOctober 1, 2014
- Last reviewApril 16, 2021
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4
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- Answer count5
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- First answerDecember 22, 2017
- Last answerJanuary 5, 2021
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Enjoy delicious beverages at your convenience with this Ninja coffee brewer. The 12-cup glass carafe is big enough for a whole day's worth of your favorite brew, and the removable water reservoir supports easy filling. This Ninja coffee brewer features programmable settings, letting you make coffee just the way you like it.
Posted by: Kris
from South Dakota
Several features of the Ninja have been a very pleasant surprise. The removable water reservoir is very convenient. It saves an extra step as you don't have to fill the carafe and then dispense it into the reservoir on the machine. It's only a few seconds but it also greatly reduces spillage and counter mopping. I also appreciate the built in reusable filter basket. Rinsing it out is more inconvenient than tossing a paper basket in the trash but there is less clutter on the counter, no more using a paper towel if the filter supply is depleted and I believe the flavor is better than even when using unbleached paper filters. The lid of the carafe is a twist-lock type instead of the typical hinged lift-up and so far I haven't spilled a drop. It really is dripless whereas most other "dripless" carafes I've owned were not. The scoop mounted to the side is also a nice touch. I still use a measuring cup but still a thoughtful addition to the Ninja.
I like my coffee black and rather strong and with my old drip pot used a heaping 2/3 cup measuring cup full of ground coffee per 12 cup carafe of water. I tried this same method with the Ninja turned to "Rich" and it was way too strong so their claim of getting more flavor out of the beans is certainly accurate. The Ninja's box states that the coffee is never bitter but it sure was the first time I used it. However, it's not necessarily the coffee pot's fault. I used the same amount of coffee on the regular strength setting and it was much better. The third time I used less coffee and returned to the Rich setting and it was perfect. With the way it brews, I can get the same strong flavor I enjoy while using less coffee. Coffee isn't cheap so no telling how much money this will save over the course of the life of the machine but I would imagine it will be significant.
At 14.5" tall the Ninja is about 2" taller than the Mr. Coffee it replaced but we have quite a bit of room where we keep it. Just make sure you do too.
In summary, the Ninja is an excellent coffee pot with numerous features and benefits over more standard machines. While more "conniseauer" types might disagree, this particular user is completely satisfied.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+8points
20of 32voted this as helpful.
Boost your home theater's audio capabilities with this Definitive Technology Studio Advance sound bar system. The 5.1 channel system offers virtual surround sound and supports 4K and HDR content for your enjoyment. This Definitive Technology Studio Advance sound bar system has Chromecast built in to let you stream music wirelessly and control the speakers with Google Assistant voice commands.
Posted by: Kris
from South Dakota
I've owned many 2.1 channel soundbars from various big name manufacturers and none can compare to the Definitive Technology 5.1 channel. First of all, I always get nervous having electronics shipped but as we live 50 miles from the nearest Best Buy store it's a nice option once in a while. The packaging around the Definitive Technology is bombproof. You could drive a car over it and probably be fine.
Setup is simple and straightforward but I have a problem with not being able to operate a piece of equipment without downloading an app first. I hate it. However, it seems like most electronics I've purchased lately have to be set up and configured via app so maybe I just need to get over it. My Galaxy phone has all the Google stuff already so it wasn't a big deal. It took a couple tries for Google Home to find and recognize the soundbar but after it was connected it went smoothly and now, after a few weeks of use, I have not had to access the app again.
The sound from the Definitive Technology is awesome. Probably not on par with a component system with multiple separate speakers in different locations but 1000% better than any 2.1 channel system I've owned. No matter how much I spent on a 2.1 system, the action was too loud and the dialog too quiet, causing constant adjustment while viewing. The best feature of the Definitive 5.1 to me is the ability to adjust the center channel which is simply not possible with a 2.1 system. With the center channel turned up a bit, dialog is clear and easy to hear and the lows and highs blend perfectly. I'm a bass junky and the bass from the Definitive Technology is deep and rich. I would prefer a little more rumble but the 8" woofer does a great job shaking the floor and is perfectly adequate for my family's needs. Definitive does offer a PRO 1000 woofer with a 10" speaker so upgrading is an option.
The Definitive Technology 5.1 costs considerably more than any 2.1 system but it's a worthwhile investment and your ears will thank you. We love ours.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Experience legendary performance and sound of ASTRO Audio V2, with the convenience and freedom that comes without wires. The A50 Wireless + Base Station for PS5 /PS4 / PC delivers top-of-the-line acoustics, ergonomics, comfort and durability that gamers demand. The all-new Base Station provides clear, low-latency voice communication, while making headset pairing and charging simple. The ASTRO Command Center software allows gamers and streamers to tune every input and output parameter of the A50 precisely for their specific setup. Experience absolute audio immersion with the A50 Wireless + Base Station.
Posted by: Kris
from South Dakota
I started out with the Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 and fell in love but we have a high-traffic home and as it is a wired set, the cables soon proved to be too much of a hassle. Enter the Astro. The sound quality is fantastic. Crystal clear, even at unhealthy volume levels and the directional accuracy is superb. I can easily tell where sounds are coming from; to the left, right, above, below, wherever. If it makes noise, you'll find it. I placed my game character in front of a waterfall and looked straight at it. Slowly turning from left to right, the sound was dead on as to which earpiece was projecting and gave a surround sound effect that simply cannot be duplicated with TV speakers or most sound bars. Gone are the days of frantically spinning around to see where enemy fire is originating as the Astro directs you to the commotion with pinpoint accuracy. Some have said that placing the headset in the charger is tricky but the magnetic contact points pull it down to the right spot 90% of the time for me. My only negative comments are that a separate wall charging adapter would have been nice since I power my PS4 down when not in use so having the charging cable plugged into the console does me no good. The plastic microphone feels like it needs a stiffer wire inside as getting it to stay in the right place can be tricky. Its very flexible, which is good so that it doesn't break off but it does take adjusting every once in a while. My biggest dislike is the narrow strip of foam padding under the headband. The headband itself is plenty wide but the foam pad that sits on your head is narrow, like an inch or less. It makes a hot spot right on the peak of your dome. If the pad were as wide as the headband it would double the contact area and distribute the weight better. That being said, I have lots of charging adapters, the microphone is adequate and the headband isn't uncomfortable, just all the weight in one spot so really, I have no major complaints and I love not having the kids or dogs tripping over cords and ripping the headset off. A+ effort Astro! My Turtle Beach set is back in the box.
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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3of 6voted this as helpful.
Game on the go with this Dell Inspiron laptop. An NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti runs most titles, while the two tuned speakers and 15.6-inch Full HD anti-glare narrow-border display deliver an immersive experience. This Bluetooth-compatible Dell Inspiron laptop has a 9th-gen Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM, handling multitasking without issue, and the 512GB NVMe SSD offers exceptional data access speeds.
Posted by: Kris
from South Dakota
At the the low-ish end of the gaming laptop market, the new Dell G3 is very hard to beat but I personally find it uninspiring. I completely understand that price is a factor in most purchases and for what you get the G3 is an excellent choice. The picture is sharp, the graphics and processor speeds are adequate for most any game and when not gaming it handles everyday tasks with ease. However, it's not the lightest laptop out there and the 100% plastic case feels a tad flimsy. I love electronics and gadgets and to put it simply, the G3 is not a laptop I would be excited to show my friends. Don't think that I don't like the G3, I do. I would highly recommend it to someone who didn't want to break the $1,000 mark but I would probably be inclined to pony up an extra $200 to move up to the G7 series for the i7 processor and upgraded graphics or save up a bit more to get into the Alienware line.
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Experience an immersive acoustic performance with these Sony XB Extra Bass wireless headphones. The noise-isolating fit mutes ambient noises, while the lithium-ion battery offers up to 30 hours of playtime, keeping you entertained during long-distance travels. These Sony XB Extra Bass wireless headphones have a touch sensor for convenient control.
Posted by: Kris
from South Dakota
The Sony WH-XB900N headphones are awesome. The sound is crystal clear and the bass is deep and rich. I've noticed others comment that the bass is almost too much but in my opinion that is not the case. I thoroughly enjoy listening to all genres of music and spoken word podcasts and never have I wished the Sony's has less bass. One of my favorite features is being able to hold a hand up to the earpiece and mute the sound. Super convenient. I have only 2 minor complaints. First, it would be nice to be able to adjust the head strap to fit a little tighter. The headphones have never fallen off but I haven't done anything strenuous while wearing them either. And 2, the charging cable is very short, like less than a foot long. Other than that, the Sony WH-XB900N are by far the best pair of headphones I've ever owned.
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Let the s9 handle the tough messes so that you can handle everything else ~featuring PerfectEdge~ Technology, our most powerful cleaning system, and advanced features. With a single command to your Google Assistant or Alexa voice assistant like, ~Tell Roomba to clean under the kitchen table,~ it gets to work~when and where the messes happen. It even learns your cleaning habits and offers personalized schedules and recommendations during pollen and pet-shedding seasons. A specially designed Corner Brush and 40X the suction* pull in embedded dirt, dust, and pet hair from wherever it hides~for cleaning that fits seamlessly into your life.
Posted by: Kris
from South Dakota
Roomba took a cue from the Neato Botvac and ditched the hockey puck shape. I've been researching robot vacuums for over a year and really wanted a Roomba 980 but at around $800 I couldn't pull the trigger on it as it was consistantly beaten in head-to-head comparisons in corner and edge cleaning by the Neato's square, forward-facing shape. The D shape of the S9 alleviated my fears and the performance and navigation is impressive. We have 80% hardwood flooring with carpet in the 4 bedrooms but our hardwood is probably 30% or more covered by area rugs. We have 3 kids under 10 and 2 big dogs so there are random socks, toys, etc. scattered everywhere and dog hair and dust are a constant. After picking up the clutter on the floor I ran a training run on the Roomba. No suction, just a mapping run. The S9 came off the charging dock, did a circle and went back to the dock. The error message on the history log simply said "Stuck". Time and again the S9 would leave the dock, turn around and come back. Reestablishing the WiFi connection didn't work, powering the unit down and back up didn't work, uninstalling and reinstalling the app didn't work and removing my specific unit from the app and adding it again didn't work. After messing with it for several days I finally gave up. I sat down to write a horrible review but then decided to contact the iRobot tech line. The agent connected with my S9 and after trying a few different options she did a factory reset and the Roomba took right off. She must have been able to preserve the settings I had entered because no further input from my end was required. The first time it actually got out of the gate it cleaned for 1 hour and 33 minutes before returning to the base to charge. I watched the s9 the entire time and can say that it doesn't miss much. I paused the job 5 times to empty the dust bin and it was embarrassing. There was so much dust and hair in the bin I almost felt sorry for the vacuum. The s9 isn't what I would consider loud. You can hear it but unless you're a light sleeper I don't think it would wake you up. There is an audible increase in power when transitioning from hardwood to carpet but the volume level is still far from obnoxious. One of our rugs has tassles that are approximately 3" long and I was certain they would tangle in the brushroll and cause the Roomba to stop but it went right over them again and again with no issues at all. We have been using the s9 for over 2 weeks now and we have only had to manually return it to base 2 times. The first was because we placed the Roomba in the back of the house to start a job. The battery ran out and the machine just quit in the middle of the floor. I was disappointed but learned that if the unit does not start a job from the base, it will not return to charge. No big deal. The second time was when one wheel of the Roomba went over the lip on the bottom edge of a dollhouse and it couldn't back out. We helped it over the lip and it took right off and resumed it's job. Corner and edge cleaning is exceptional but leaves me wondering why there aren't brushes on both corners of the s9. I would think that would eliminate a lot of turning around and returning to finish the edges. There are 3 cons to the s9, 1 of which is easily remedied. First, despite being chock full of technology, the s9 still uses a bump-and-go way of feeling around and I have noticed some white paint from our kitchen island on the machine and a dark spot on the island. Slightly annoying but not enough to deter me from using the Roomba. Second, about 20% of the time while attempting to access the s9's settings, job logs, etc. I receive a message that in order to use these features, my phopne has to be on the same network as the Roomba. They are on the same network. Have been since day 1 but still the message continues to come up. Normally a power down of the Roomba fixes the issue. The third con is emptying the bin. It holds a lot but is still a tiny receptacle. Fortunately, an agent at iRobot confirmed that the s9 is compatible with the self-emptying base of the s9+. I will be adding one shortly. Yes, it's $300 so do yourself a favor and get the s9+ with the base in the first place. You'll save a little money, have the best robot vacuum on the market and since the self-emptying base is supposed to hold up to 30 bins of debris, you'll hardly have to think about it.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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2of 4voted this as helpful.
Upgrade your home theater with this 55-inch VIZIO M-Series Quantum smart TV. Native 4K resolution lets you experience content in rich detail, and an integrated Spatial Scaling engine improves image quality in real time. This VIZIO M-Series Quantum smart TV features Apple AirPlay and Homekit compatibility and boasts a dynamic contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1, which improves image quality with brighter whites and darker, more natural blacks.
Posted by: Kris
from South Dakota
I really did. The description, features and specs made it sound like a winner. I'm basing my impression of the VISIO M Series to a comparison of my Sony XBR65X900E purchased in December 2017. That TV cost twice as much as the VISIO but going on 2 years old, I figured the newer technology of the VISIO would level the field. I used the Netflix loading screen as a visual aid to compare the two. The "N" was bright red on the Sony and the background was deep black. On the VISIO the N was orange and the background was grey but that was out of the box so I spent considerable time adjusting settings (with a pretty chintzy remote) and when I got the background to black and the "N" to red there was a noticeable bloom around the red logo. It wasn't a professional calibration by any means but I'm confident that it was as good as most "fairly tech-savy" home users would do. Motion wasn't supposed to be an issue but an NHL playoff game was noticeably jerky. I used the HDMI ARC connection to run the soundbar. That works as it should, powering a Sony soundbar on and off with the TV and displaying the volume level on screen. The pre-programmed app buttons make it easy to get to Netflix, Amazon and a few others but adding Youtube was a bit of a hassle. Other issues aside, my main complaint is that every single time I switch the TV input on the VISIO to HDMI 3 to watch the DirecTV receiver, or to HDMI 2 for the PS4, it starts SmartCast. This TV really, really wants to run SmartCast. I'll probably find a way around that but it's still an annoyance for now. Maybe my expectations were too high but with so many other TV's in the same price range I would assume there are better options.
Mobile Submission: True
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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-14points
9of 32voted this as helpful.
Keep your kids safe online with this Circle Home Plus monitoring setup. The included device uses your router to manage every device on your network, and Circle App makes it simple to limit screen time, filter content, and check browsing histories. This Circle Home Plus monitoring setup is easy to set up and lets you create custom settings for each family member.
Posted by: Kris
from South Dakota
We have 11 connected devices in our home. Some Apple, some Android. Right off the bat there were issues with some of the Android devices and an older iPad trying to connect and quite frankly, the hassle of installing the app on every device was annoying. Plus, with so many ways to get online, setting limits for individual profiles was useless. Our kids aren't dumb and figured out quickly that switching devices was an easy work around and it's not practical to keep everything locked down at all times. We keep things pretty secure through parental controls on our devices already but thought a few of the features of the Circle Home Plus would come in handy. Unfortunately, the ones we are most interested in like bedtime are premium features that will require a paid subscription after the initial trial period of 12 months. A year free is a pretty generous offer but without doing much that we can't already control through the devices themselves, routers and settings in individual apps and services and good old fashioned parental oversight, I'm not inclined to pay a monthly fee in a year so why get used to using it? If there were less devices all on the same platform I'm sure it would work fine but it's not for us.
Mobile Submission: True
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Position your smartphone safely in your vehicle with this iOttie iTap 2 Magnetic CD slot mount. Rare-earth magnets hold your device securely, and the metal plates and protective film offer universal compatibility with wireless and wired charging. The rubberized connector and locking lever of this iOttie iTap 2 Magnetic CD slot mount provide precise, effortless installation.
Posted by: Kris
from South Dakota
The iTap2 serves its purpose and has worked well so far. It comes with 2 (1 large and 1 small) adhesive-backed metal plates that attach to your phone or phone case and provide the magnetic connection. Once attached to your device, the adhesive is very strong and leads me to believe that although quite secure, these plates are not reusable once removed unless you use your own adhesive. The instructions say to mount the plate lower on the phone to prevent interference and wireless charging still works on my Galaxy S9. The mount inserts easily into the CD slot and the locking lever takes a considerable amount of force to close. The lever spreads the tabs inside the CD player making it a fairly tight fit but mine still has a lot of up and down play to it. So far so good though as the magnetic connection between the holder and the plate on my phone case is secure but watching it bounce makes me wish the fit in the CD slot was a bit more snug. From the driver's seat of a Toyota Sienna, the iTap2 and attached device don't block any of the vehicle controls or displays.
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0of 0voted this as helpful.
Enjoy your movie experience with this Sony 2.1-channel sound bar. Stream from your smartphone with the Bluetooth connection, or use the HDMI ARC to control information right from your TV. The S-Force PRO Front Surround and wireless subwoofer make this Sony 2.1-channel sound bar powerful, providing bold, dramatic sound and a cinematic experience.
Posted by: Kris
from South Dakota
Setup was fairly straightforward but I did have issues getting the HT-S350 to sync with my Sony XBR65X900E TV. After neither the instructions nor a web search turned up a solution, I restarted the process several times and it eventually worked. I don't care for the lack of easily seen function buttons or any type of visible display on this unit. The function buttons are on the top of the unit and are not illuminated. Since the HT-S350 is square and mounted on the wall under the TV, the already very subdued markings virtually disappear and there are no tactile bumps or depressions to indicate where to press. With a new-ish (Dec 2017) Sony TV, Sony soundbar and HDMI ARC, everything should power up and down and function seamlessly but about 10-15% of the time the soundbar fails to power on when the TV is turned on. Not a huge deal and there is a remote for the soundbar but it's annoying to have to find the additional remote or illuminate the soundbar with a phone and guess where to press. If the HT-S350 is sitting on a TV stand or entertainment center, the blocky shape would probably be just fine bus as a wall-mounted unit it looks odd. It juts straight out from the wall whereas my previous Sony soundbar was more of a wedge and appeared much more sleek. That's purely personal preference. My major issue though is with the volume variation. Not so much with DirecTV content but while streaming Netflix, Amazon, etc. the difference between action or other louder scenes and dialog is extreme. I find myself turning the volume up and down multiple times during virtually any streaming session. I've tried multiple settings on both the TV and soundbar and it's still an issue. The last comment is that during these attempted adjustments, there is no display whatsoever on the HT-S350 except for 3 LED's making what setting you're actually on another guessing game. Excellent sound when properly adjusted but can't recommend this one.
Mobile Submission: True
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Kris's Answers
Go Epic! Enjoy an epic viewing experience virtually anywhere with the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF11 Laser Projector. With a built-in high-quality speaker system, this all-in-one projector is the perfect way to watch all your favorite streaming services. Simply hook-up your preferred streaming solution such as an Apple TV, Roku, Amazon FireTV, or Android TV to the built-in HDMI port and you~re ready to start streaming your favorite content up to an epic 150" ~ no screen required. The Epson EpiqVision Mini EF11 Laser Projector takes the complexity out of watching your favorite content anywhere in your home.
How well does the keystone on this projector work? Does it change the image in any way?
I have this projector and the only adjustment is focus. It pretty much has to face the screen or wall straight on.
5 years, 5 months ago
by
Kris
Go Epic! Enjoy an epic viewing experience virtually anywhere with the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF11 Laser Projector. With a built-in high-quality speaker system, this all-in-one projector is the perfect way to watch all your favorite streaming services. Simply hook-up your preferred streaming solution such as an Apple TV, Roku, Amazon FireTV, or Android TV to the built-in HDMI port and you~re ready to start streaming your favorite content up to an epic 150" ~ no screen required. The Epson EpiqVision Mini EF11 Laser Projector takes the complexity out of watching your favorite content anywhere in your home.
Is there anyway to mount this projector such as using a stand?
There aren't any mounts or adapters under the projector so it does have to sit on a table or shelf.
5 years, 5 months ago
by
Kris
Get the party started with this Samsung T70 sound tower. The powerful speakers fill the room with up to 1500W of bi-directional sound, and the built-in 10-inch woofer delivers loud, impressively detailed bass. This Samsung T70 sound tower has integrated LED party lights that enhance any gathering with a variety of rhythmic lighting effects.
can you pair two of them
Yes. The are designed to be used in pairs although one is sufficient for most applications.
5 years, 10 months ago
by
Kris
Keep your head in the game with this Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 audio system. The SuperAmp audio controller is compatible with the PlayStation 4 Pro and standard, and the headset can be used alone with any 3.5mm jack. This Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 audio system brings comfort and audio quality together for long nights of action.
Will the black ps4 version of the Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 with SuperAmp work the same on the Xbox One?
No. There are specific versions for PS4 and XBox.
7 years, 2 months ago
by
Kris
Improve your audio experience with this 2.1-channel Sony sound bar. It lets you enjoy wireless streaming from radio services with its Wi-Fi connectivity, and its S-Force PRO Front Surround technology produces dynamic audio details. This 350W Sony sound bar supports playback of high-definition audio formats from Bluetooth-enabled devices with its LDAC technology.
I purchased this yesterday. it works with the bluetooth but i am not getting sound from the tv. I have the HDMI plugged into the ARC slots and I have tried every HDMI setting as well as TV setting. what am i doing wrong?
Just purchased this as well with a Sony Bravia TV. I had to go to my TV sound settings and change the sound output from TV speakers to “external speakers”.
8 years, 5 months ago
by
Kris