SteveC's stats
- Review count166
- Helpfulness votes2,351
- First reviewSeptember 10, 2008
- Last reviewApril 16, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.7
Reviews comments
- Review comment count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentNone
- Last review commentNone
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count37
- Helpfulness votes26
- First answerJanuary 2, 2009
- Last answerDecember 23, 2021
- Featured answers0
- Best answers7
Revolutionize cooking with the Bella Pro Series 2-qt. Analog Air Fryer. The High Performance Circular Heat Technology and the powerful 1200-watt heating system delivers fast, crispy, and evenly cooked food every time. Time saving appliance with up to 50% faster preheat than a conventional oven. 1.7-lb. food capacity for your favorite foods, including; fried chicken, roasted salmon, French fries, kale chips, and pastries. Adjustable temperature from 175~F to 400~F and 60-minute auto shutoff timer with audible tone. The matte black finish adds style to any kitchen. Easy clean up with a dishwasher-safe, PFOA-free non-stick pan and crisping tray.
Customer Rating
5
Simple and a great little fryer
on October 7, 2020
Posted by: SteveC
from Phoenix - West Valley
We already have a larger air fryer and wanted a smaller one that’s simple to use and for smaller dishes. Well this little Bella is about perfect for that and it’s super simple to use.
This air fryer doesn’t have all the fancy digital controls and settings, just two dials, time and temp. The pot is good enough for a single hamburger patty, a couple hot dogs, or a couple bigger strips of bacon. We tried out some bacon right away, set the temp at 400 and at the 8 minute mark it was perfectly done, nice and crisp around the edges and well done in the center “these were thick cut” so if you used thin the time should be a little bit shorter.
If you are looking for a very simple to use and one that’s perfect for single servings this is about as easy as it gets. The one thing I highly recommend doing when you get this is to clean out the container with soap and water then take the whole thing outside and runt it at 400F for 20 minutes. It’s going to give off a pretty strong burnt smell but after that you are good to go. The nonstick pot is very easy to clean and nothing we’ve tried sticks to it at all. Overall it’s a very good value for a smaller sized air fryer.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
Caf~ quality beverages at home with the Bella Pro Series Capsule Coffee Maker and Milk Frother. Save time, money and customize your morning experience. Easy to use with programmable buttons to brew a single or double shot. Enhance your espresso and make a latte or cappuccino with perfectly textured milk ready in 90 seconds, hot or cold. Powerful 19 bars of pressure with a 1050-watt heating system provides rich and aromatic flavors. Quick 40-second preheat time so you can go about your day. Large 22-oz. removable water reservoir for added convenience and removable drip tray for a variety of cup sizes.
Customer Rating
5
Doesn't get much simpler.
on October 7, 2020
Posted by: SteveC
from Phoenix - West Valley
Wanted to give a capsule espresso maker a try and decided to try out Bella’s new capsule maker.
Unboxing:
The unit comes nicely boxed with the machine, milk frother, bottom power unit for the frother, frother lid, manual, and that’s it, no sample capsules The unit itself is pretty small overall and very narrow so it won’t take up that much counter space. Remember to pull the orange plug out of the bottom of the reservoir or you won’t be doing any brewing.
The unit comes nicely boxed with the machine, milk frother, bottom power unit for the frother, frother lid, manual, and that’s it, no sample capsules The unit itself is pretty small overall and very narrow so it won’t take up that much counter space. Remember to pull the orange plug out of the bottom of the reservoir or you won’t be doing any brewing.
Using:
Pretty simple to use, just drop in the capsule, pick the size of cup you want to use and press the button.
Pretty simple to use, just drop in the capsule, pick the size of cup you want to use and press the button.
The coffee itself came out rich and strong like it should be. The empty is ejected into the bottom tray which is nice, and it holds a few empties so you don’t have to empty it constantly. You have to use the correct sized capsule; nothing else will work in it like “K” cups. From start to finish it only takes around a couple of minutes to brew a cup so that’s a big plus and the reservoir on the back holds enough for a few cups.
The milk frother works as intended, heats up fast and is almost silent. Since my wife is the only one using milk “I like mine straight black”, we use powdered milk, and surprisingly that worked pretty well for blending it up and frothing it. It’s really a nice addition to the whole package and works very well. Cleanup is simple for both units and just as easy as other makers I’ve had.
Conclusion:
If you want a capsule maker that makes a really good cup of espresso, and comes with the frother you can’t really go wrong with this new Bella Pro unit. My only complaint is with this design the water reservoir, it sits on the back and if you have lower cabinets or not a lot of room, that makes taking the water tank off a little more inconvenient than ones that have the reservoir on the side or are moveable, also the lid on the water reservoir can easily fall into the reservoir so care has to be taken when putting it on.
If you want a capsule maker that makes a really good cup of espresso, and comes with the frother you can’t really go wrong with this new Bella Pro unit. My only complaint is with this design the water reservoir, it sits on the back and if you have lower cabinets or not a lot of room, that makes taking the water tank off a little more inconvenient than ones that have the reservoir on the side or are moveable, also the lid on the water reservoir can easily fall into the reservoir so care has to be taken when putting it on.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+4points
5of 6voted this as helpful.
Transmit audio and video with this j5create HDMI over wireless extender. Wi-Fi connectivity enables high-speed data transmission to your HDMI-enabled TV set, HDTV or projector up to 200 feet away with low latency. This j5create HDMI over wireless extender is compatible with macOS, iOS, Windows and Android devices for versatility.
Posted by: SteveC
from Phoenix - West Valley
Wanted a solution to extend the image from my desktop computer in our home office to our big screen in our living room, and decided to give the J5Create HDMI extender a shot.
Unboxing and setup:
Inside the box are a transmitter / receiver units, one 2’ HDMI cable, two power adapters and IR adapter cables “if you want to use an IR remote and have it extend into the other device”, and a manual.
Inside the box are a transmitter / receiver units, one 2’ HDMI cable, two power adapters and IR adapter cables “if you want to use an IR remote and have it extend into the other device”, and a manual.
Setup is about as simple as it gets, just hook up the transmitter to the device you want to transmit from “the desktop in this case” and destination device “our 65” in our living room”. Each device has its own power supply and there’s one short HDMI cable include which I used to connect to the desktop computer. I used the cable off our DVD player in the living room to hook the receiver up to the TV.
After plugging them in the picture instantly appeared on the living room TV, no problems at all and the picture was superb, better than I thought it would be.
After plugging them in the picture instantly appeared on the living room TV, no problems at all and the picture was superb, better than I thought it would be.
Impressions:
I couldn’t be more impressed, while these only support 1080P the image looked absolutely awesome on our 4k TV, we were pretty much blown away by the image quality. The image itself looked every bit as good as it does on my 32” 2k 144mhz gaming monitor and trying out Fallout New Vegas I didn’t have any clipping that was noticeable and it was able to maintain 60fps all the time.
I couldn’t be more impressed, while these only support 1080P the image looked absolutely awesome on our 4k TV, we were pretty much blown away by the image quality. The image itself looked every bit as good as it does on my 32” 2k 144mhz gaming monitor and trying out Fallout New Vegas I didn’t have any clipping that was noticeable and it was able to maintain 60fps all the time.
Our desktop computer sits in another room approximately 25’ away from the TV and there’s absolutely no problem transmitting that distance. I even had the receiver buried in the bottom of the TV cabinet to keep it hidden and figured this would be a good test to see how the signal was.
Setting this up was a breeze, it was all PnP, I didn’t have to do anything other than adjust the resolution for Fallout down to 1080 but still had all the settings maxed out. I’m going to be using this on our projector mainly and can’t see any issues running that with the transmitter being further away than the projector. This is really going to expand our viewing pleasure using either the big screen or projector now. I can see this device also coming in really handy if you want to hook up a laptop and a projector in an office environment for presentations, this way you could have the projector mounted on the ceiling and not have to worry about how you are going to hook up different devices. I’m giving this a full 5 stars just for how well it works and the quality of the image it produces.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+4points
4of 4voted this as helpful.
The Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker with Strong Brew Selector lets you brew a bolder cup of coffee. The coffee maker also includes Brew Later and Grab-a-Cup Auto Pause features.
Posted by: SteveC
from Phoenix - West Valley
Wanted to try out Mr. Coffee’s newest coffee maker, and wanted something that would go with our SS and black kitchen appliances, plus one that didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
Unboxing and Setup:
This is your basic coffee maker with a few bells and whistles added which give it a nice touch.
In the box is the coffee maker, glass carafe, instructions, and that’s it, no filters come with it so you need to have those on hand.
This is your basic coffee maker with a few bells and whistles added which give it a nice touch.
In the box is the coffee maker, glass carafe, instructions, and that’s it, no filters come with it so you need to have those on hand.
After taking it out of the box and removing the bags protecting it, you have to open up the top and remove some blue tape holding down the filter tray. After that give everything a rinse down and you are ready to go. It doesn’t hurt to run a full cycle just to clean the insides out also.
Now after you plug it in you can set the clock and timers “just follow instructions”, it’s pretty easy. Or you can get to brewing right away. There a selection button for immediate brewing or delayed/timer.
The button below lets you select brew strength. I do like the added Brew Time button in the center; it shows you how much time has elapsed so you know how long the brewing takes.
The button below lets you select brew strength. I do like the added Brew Time button in the center; it shows you how much time has elapsed so you know how long the brewing takes.
The filter basket inside isn’t much different than other models, this one does have a filter disk that fits on the top of it with a slider for keeping track how old it is. This is something we won’t use as we have whole house filtration along with a RO system so there’s no need for it, but nice if your water quality isn’t that great.
The water spray arm swings out of the way so you can remove the filter basket and once filled and replaced there’s no need to swing it back as there’s a lever that pushes it back into place over the basket once you close the lid. There’s a smaller door toward the back that you can open to fill the water tank, but you can fill either by opening the main lid or the smaller water filling cover. There’s also a clear strip on the sides of the tank showing just how much water you have added.
Brewing:
Brewing is simple and just like any other Mr. Coffee maker out there, no surprises here. The water starts coming out almost immediately and there is very little warm up time, and a full pot "strong setting" took right around 15min, that’s not bad for a 12 cup maker.
Brewing is simple and just like any other Mr. Coffee maker out there, no surprises here. The water starts coming out almost immediately and there is very little warm up time, and a full pot "strong setting" took right around 15min, that’s not bad for a 12 cup maker.
Thoughts:
This is a really good coffee maker, it has the timer functions that work as they should so you can have a fresh cup when you wake up in the morning. I usually make small batches, “4 cups” at a time as I like my coffee fresh and this one does that just fine. The larger carafe and capacity is nice if you happen to have company and need more. Using the strong brew setting, it does work and the brew came out a good bit stronger than what I expected using the same amount of coffee as I normally do which is a plus. So if you are looking for a really good coffee maker that can brew up a strong coffee and keep it warm for a good couple hours give this one a shot, it won’t break your wallet either.
This is a really good coffee maker, it has the timer functions that work as they should so you can have a fresh cup when you wake up in the morning. I usually make small batches, “4 cups” at a time as I like my coffee fresh and this one does that just fine. The larger carafe and capacity is nice if you happen to have company and need more. Using the strong brew setting, it does work and the brew came out a good bit stronger than what I expected using the same amount of coffee as I normally do which is a plus. So if you are looking for a really good coffee maker that can brew up a strong coffee and keep it warm for a good couple hours give this one a shot, it won’t break your wallet either.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
Create healthier versions of your crispy, fried favorites with this 4.5-Qt Chefman TurboFry Touch Air Fryer. Cook your restaurant favorites easily with the advanced digital display, simple capacitive control, convenient LED shake reminder, and 60-minute integrated timer. Clean up even quicker with the nonstick, dishwasher-safe fry basket. Cook for the whole family with the XL capacity, with the sleek square design that stores beautifully on any countertop.
Customer Rating
5
Great addition to our collection
on September 13, 2020
Posted by: SteveC
from Phoenix - West Valley
I noticed that Chefman came out with some new models of air fryers, the Turbo Fry Touch, and wanted to try one out. We’ve had a few others in the past and still use one quite often. I didn’t need as large of a one as we have now and thought one for smaller dishes would be nice and the 4.5qt capacity would be pretty nice.
Unboxing:
This is supposed to be a smaller unit and glad we didn’t get a larger one as this takes up a good bit of space “not complaining though” our other air fryer has a footprint double this. Inside the box is the fryer, tray for the bottom of the basked, and some literature with a few recipes to try out. The unit itself looks quite nice on the counter, it’s not that big and the black and stainless body looks really good in our kitchen. The controls are all touch sensitive and unless the unit is plugged I the control panel is completely black.
This is supposed to be a smaller unit and glad we didn’t get a larger one as this takes up a good bit of space “not complaining though” our other air fryer has a footprint double this. Inside the box is the fryer, tray for the bottom of the basked, and some literature with a few recipes to try out. The unit itself looks quite nice on the counter, it’s not that big and the black and stainless body looks really good in our kitchen. The controls are all touch sensitive and unless the unit is plugged I the control panel is completely black.
Setting up and first use:
After unboxing, washing out the pan and tray, the manual suggested running the unit first without anything in it as it may have some residual odor and they weren’t kidding, there was more than plenty of odor and should have ran it outside as it really smelled up the house “oops”. So after running it, cleaning and running again, the odor the second time around wasn’t as bad, “plus I ran it outside on the porch to be safe”. We started using it after the third run, there was still a very slight odor over the cooking smell but it wasn’t bad and it didn’t transfer over to the food. By the fourth cooking the smell had disappeared.
After unboxing, washing out the pan and tray, the manual suggested running the unit first without anything in it as it may have some residual odor and they weren’t kidding, there was more than plenty of odor and should have ran it outside as it really smelled up the house “oops”. So after running it, cleaning and running again, the odor the second time around wasn’t as bad, “plus I ran it outside on the porch to be safe”. We started using it after the third run, there was still a very slight odor over the cooking smell but it wasn’t bad and it didn’t transfer over to the food. By the fourth cooking the smell had disappeared.
Using:
The touch screen is really nice bright and clear, no mistakes about how to choose and adjust settings.
We tried Mini Egg Rolls first; these came out nice, crisp, and well browned. I used a setting at 375 for 15 minutes "only took around 12", and that was plenty, these were also fully frozen so that’s not a bad cooking time as our convection oven takes around that much time to cook also and the insides were piping hot, “super roof of mouth burning hot”, so no issues with cooking going from frozen and having the very center being heated.
The touch screen is really nice bright and clear, no mistakes about how to choose and adjust settings.
We tried Mini Egg Rolls first; these came out nice, crisp, and well browned. I used a setting at 375 for 15 minutes "only took around 12", and that was plenty, these were also fully frozen so that’s not a bad cooking time as our convection oven takes around that much time to cook also and the insides were piping hot, “super roof of mouth burning hot”, so no issues with cooking going from frozen and having the very center being heated.
Then I went on to try out a 1/3lb burger patty, it was cold from being refrigerated long before cooking. I set the time for 10 minutes and started checking it around the 5 minute mark, and at that point it was starting to darken and cook. It did take around 12 minutes to get a very nicely browned burger. I used 400F but the edges came out a little dry, so I think setting it for 350 – 375 would be better giving the center to cook out a little more but so far I was really impressed with how well this worked. And all the fats from it drained into the bottom of the pan.
The next item we tested were some “Bureks” that we had picked up at the international store, “we like to grab something we’ve never had before”, and the instructions said to place in oven set at 375f for 25-30min. I set the fryer to 375 but for 15min, and after 12 minutes "I’m glad I checked", because they were already done and any longer they would have been overcooked. We’re both really amazed just how fast these cooked in here, and they were frozen too.
Conclusion;
This new air fryer from Chefman really works quite well, it’s a perfect add-on to our current air fryer, that one has a stirring paddle and works really good for cooking items that benefit from constant stirring, but for like Egg Rolls it’s too abusive and breaks them apart. And you really can’t fry up a hamburger patty with it. This Chefman on the other hands is perfect for frying up more delicate things like an Egg Rolls, Dumpling “or Bureks”, where you don’t want to be stirring and breaking things down. So in the end these will end up complementing each other and we’ll be able to fix up a full multicourse meal in no time. On top of that, no oil was needed with any of the items we tried, everything inside is nonstick and a simple wipe of come cooking oil would be sufficient if you are concerned about anything sticking.
This new air fryer from Chefman really works quite well, it’s a perfect add-on to our current air fryer, that one has a stirring paddle and works really good for cooking items that benefit from constant stirring, but for like Egg Rolls it’s too abusive and breaks them apart. And you really can’t fry up a hamburger patty with it. This Chefman on the other hands is perfect for frying up more delicate things like an Egg Rolls, Dumpling “or Bureks”, where you don’t want to be stirring and breaking things down. So in the end these will end up complementing each other and we’ll be able to fix up a full multicourse meal in no time. On top of that, no oil was needed with any of the items we tried, everything inside is nonstick and a simple wipe of come cooking oil would be sufficient if you are concerned about anything sticking.
Cleanup was really easy, nothing stuck hard to the interior, a simple wash down with hot water and dish soap plus a light scrub with the brush and everything came right off. The tray inside could be put in the dish washer but it’s small and I wouldn’t even attempt to put the basket assembly in there as it would probably mess up the stainless outer surface, but it’s simple enough to clean up without needing the dishwasher.
My only real complaint is how much hot air comes out the back, it’s like a hair dryer set on medium, it’s pretty warm and here in AZ during the summer with 110+F days I don’t want to heat up the house at all. As fast as it cooks it’s not going to be putting out heat for very long, and the simple solutions for us is put it on the patio table and use it there. The great thing about that is the unit is pretty well sealed up so nothing is going to be getting into it ‘Flies”. Plus this model is light and doesn’t take up much room so it’s easily transported. In the winter months when it’s actually cold enough here we’ll be using it inside, won’t mind the extra heat from it at all then.
If you are looking for an Air Fryer to try out, and don’t need a large unit for a full sized family “only two of us”, this one is about perfectly sized, so don’t hesitate in considering purchasing the new Chefman Turbo Fry Touch you won’t be disappointed. And if you need a larger unit Chefman offers these in multiple sizes to fit your needs.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+17points
19of 21voted this as helpful.
Without sound, they~re just sunglasses. Thoughtfully refined and strikingly elegant, Bose Frames Tenor style feature a refined square frame and distinctive keyhole bridge, for those who crave a modern take on a classic style. Bose Open Ear Audio technology produces clear, lifelike sound, leaving you free to engage with the world around you while discreetly listening to music. Bose Frames also feature an advanced mic system that lets you make crystal clear calls, scratch-and-shatter-resistant polarized lenses and a rechargeable battery that plays for up to 5.5 hours. All this housed in a lightweight frame crafted from ultramodern materials for a luxurious look and feel.
Posted by: SteveC
from Phoenix - West Valley
I’m always looking for different ways of hearing assistance since I have hearing difficulties and don’t like wearing my hearing aids all the time and when I saw the new Bose Frames “Tenor” I had to try them out.
Unboxing and setting up:
Thee come in a simple Bose labeled box, and inside is a very sturdy case with the Tenors inside. Along with them is a proprietary USB charging cable, cleaning cloth and literature.
Thee come in a simple Bose labeled box, and inside is a very sturdy case with the Tenors inside. Along with them is a proprietary USB charging cable, cleaning cloth and literature.
After taking them out of the case I hooked up the charging cable to my universal multiport charger and let them charge. The charging cable has a simple magnetically attached end, so there’s no worry about wear and tear on a USB port. There’s also a small LED next to the charging pins showing charging status.
Once the light quit blinking and the Frames were charged up I installed the Bose Music app from the Google app store and went through the on screen setup instructions. There’s a single button on the bottom of the right bow that is multifunctional and is used for turning on/off, pairing, answering / disconnecting calls. They connected to my S20 Ultras bluetooth without a hitch, and were ready to test out.
Use:
All I can say is WOW, I‘ve never seen or had anything like these. Playing music was nice and clear, much better than I expected. I could easily hear the lyrics even with my hearing difficulties and not wearing my hearing aids. There’s plenty of volume and didn’t need to turn them all the way up either. I also figured that if I can hear this clearly anyone around me could hear it too, wrong; my wife didn’t even know there was sound until she put them on and she was completely blown away how clear they sounded.
All I can say is WOW, I‘ve never seen or had anything like these. Playing music was nice and clear, much better than I expected. I could easily hear the lyrics even with my hearing difficulties and not wearing my hearing aids. There’s plenty of volume and didn’t need to turn them all the way up either. I also figured that if I can hear this clearly anyone around me could hear it too, wrong; my wife didn’t even know there was sound until she put them on and she was completely blown away how clear they sounded.
The sound is actually coming out of the bows, when you look close there are two small grilled slots on the bottom of each bow at the bottom of the bulge, all the sound comes out of there and is directed directly into your ears, no one could hear what I was listening to so it’s very directional and only the user will be the one listening.
Now as for weight, these weigh 48.4g “on my scale”, they are a good bit heavier than my normal sunglasses that have glass lenses and they come in at 31g and my wife’s big designer type come in at 35g. While wearing them I really didn’t notice the weight difference though and got use to the extra bulk very quickly. The extra weight is in the bows and not on the front fortunately and is easy to handle without putting extra weight on your nose.
Thoughts:
I really like these new Bose Frames “Tenors” they remind me or Ray Bans and are very comfortable to wear. I did end up putting some stick on silicone nose pads on them as the nose piece “for me” is very slippery, but no issues after putting on the nose pads.
I really like these new Bose Frames “Tenors” they remind me or Ray Bans and are very comfortable to wear. I did end up putting some stick on silicone nose pads on them as the nose piece “for me” is very slippery, but no issues after putting on the nose pads.
The included USB charging cable is only 22” long, way too short to me, I’ve since attached a 3’ USB extension cable , it would have been better if it were 3-4’ already, but easily remedied with an extension cable. I also tried charging them with a portable battery pack and that worked flawlessly and the short cable was handy using that method.
For functionality as sunglasses they work quite well, the dark grey lenses block out plenty of light, while they aren’t as dark as my regular sunglasses they are plenty dark for daily use in full sun. These also have polarized lenses and really help cut down on glare. I know the lenses are replaceable and I hope they make some computer viewing lenses for these, as I’d happily use them indoors while sitting at my computer.
It would be interesting to try some computer gaming with these, although while the mid and low ranges sound great there’s really not much for base, “understandable due to the design”. You can actually feel the bows vibrate from base, but it doesn’t come across that good into the sides of your head. And a set of computer viewing lenses would be great.
I’ve also used them a few times to take calls; it’s almost strange being able to hear/talk to someone without something being stuck in or over my ears. Calls are all clear and everyone on the other end could hear me perfectly. A quick press on the multifunction button answers and disconnects calls with ease. The Bluetooth range is really good, I easily walked 20-25’ away from my phone without any distortion or disconnects, I did try it a lot further, around 50’ going outside and leaving my phone indoors and they started breaking up during a call but never disconnected so I’m plenty happy with the range.
Battery life has been good so far, I’ve had them running for 2 hours playing music without a problem. I haven’t tested how long a full charge will last but a couple hours is more than I usually listen to music anyway and these are very simple to charge up in between use.
Overall if you are looking for a great way to protect your eyes and listen to music and take calls with an all in one solution these are great. While they are pretty large and a little heavier than regular sunglasses you are only dealing with one thing. And the sound quality coming out of these well make them worth having, “they are just amazing”.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+19points
19of 19voted this as helpful.
Meet Talk GO, JLab~s compact, lightweight, and portable USB microphone. With 2 studio-quality condensers and a generous resolution of 96kHz/24BIT, this is a great entry level microphone for all around use with high performance. The Talk GO has 2 directional pattern modes to choose from and has volume and mute controls, making it great for calls, podcasts, gaming, ASMR and voiceovers using its two directional pattern modes.
Customer Rating
5
Outstanding performance and affordable
on July 15, 2020
Posted by: SteveC
from Phoenix - West Valley
I’ve wanted a really good microphone for chatting and video conferencing. All the laptops we have with their built in microphones never sound that great to whoever is on the receiving end so we decided to give the new Jlab TalkGo a try.
Unboxing:
The microphone comes in a nice retail box along with a stand, USB cable and quick start guide. Nothing else is really needed and it’s pretty much plug in play. The microphone is about the size of a coke can, “a little smaller” and pretty light. The included stand screws into the side of the microphone and is plenty sturdy. The microphone has all the controls on the bottom and includes a mute/select switch, volume wheel and a headphone jack.
The microphone comes in a nice retail box along with a stand, USB cable and quick start guide. Nothing else is really needed and it’s pretty much plug in play. The microphone is about the size of a coke can, “a little smaller” and pretty light. The included stand screws into the side of the microphone and is plenty sturdy. The microphone has all the controls on the bottom and includes a mute/select switch, volume wheel and a headphone jack.
Using:
This couldn’t be any easier to set up, all the systems we tried it on immediately recognized it and set it up. The audio quality while using is simply outstanding. Everyone said we were so clear they were amazed, and there’s simply no background noise at all.
This couldn’t be any easier to set up, all the systems we tried it on immediately recognized it and set it up. The audio quality while using is simply outstanding. Everyone said we were so clear they were amazed, and there’s simply no background noise at all.
Now we tried this out with our HP AIO, HP, Acer and Lenovo laptops, Samsung phones “Note 10 and S20 Ultra”, and Samsung tablet, they all worked perfectly with it. For the HP laptop and Samsung phones we had to use a USB to USBC adapter but that worked perfectly, “we used the ones included with our Samsung phones”.
The bottom center button is easy to tap to mute, and the volume control, when used, shows up in the microphone volume slider in Windows 10. We did have to connect a headset to the headset jack to use WhatsApp on our phones but everyone we spoke with said they could hear us perfectly and it was so much clearer than using any of the built in microphones of any of our devices. The control button on the bottom lets you switch between Omni / Uni-directional and the led around the bottom changes colors with the corresponding mode so you can always tell how it’s set or if it’s on mute.
Final Thoughts:
This new Jlab TalkGo microphone works extremely well, the voice quality it delivers compared to any of the built in microphones is so much better it’s amazing. Everyone we spoke to all stated how clear we were and there just wasn’t any type of background noise at all. The big plus is that it worked with everything we attached it to, including tablets and phones.
This new Jlab TalkGo microphone works extremely well, the voice quality it delivers compared to any of the built in microphones is so much better it’s amazing. Everyone we spoke to all stated how clear we were and there just wasn’t any type of background noise at all. The big plus is that it worked with everything we attached it to, including tablets and phones.
The only negatives I could find is the placement of the controls, being on the bottom and not visible means you have to hunt and peck “till you get used to them”, being on the front where you could see them would maybe be better but then the microphone wouldn’t be nearly as streamlined.
Overall if you are looking for a microphone to beef up your video conferencing and face time this would be one to get. The performance is simply outstanding and we couldn’t have asked for more.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
-3points
8of 19voted this as helpful.
Cook foods quickly with this 1100W Panasonic microwave. The tactile buttons, LED display and dial knob offer simple operation, while the 1.3-cu.ft. interior space is easy to clean. This Panasonic microwave features 10 auto cook menus to help quickly prepare common recipes, and the turbo defrost function thaws frozen foods fast.
Posted by: SteveC
from Phoenix - West Valley
We needed a replacement microwave as we decided to get rid of our problematic over the range and install a proper hood vent for cooking.
Unboxing:
The microwave came well packed surrounded by a Styrofoam frame and inside was the microwave, glass turntable, and instruction manual. The microwave itself is surprisingly heavy, and although smaller than above the range mounted one it’s almost the same weight.
The microwave came well packed surrounded by a Styrofoam frame and inside was the microwave, glass turntable, and instruction manual. The microwave itself is surprisingly heavy, and although smaller than above the range mounted one it’s almost the same weight.
Appearances:
The stainless and front looks really nice, it is a fingerprint magnet but cleans up very easily. I do wish the labeling for the buttons and controls were a little larger as it’s hard to read and impossible to make out if the room is dark. Our old microwave had a black background with white lettering and we never had issues being able to read them. The interior is grey almost a “battleship grey” and definitely different from the white interiors I’m used to seeing. It does hide dirt and spatters a lot better “not sure if that’s a plus :) “. And the interior light due to the interior color isn’t very bright but does work.
The stainless and front looks really nice, it is a fingerprint magnet but cleans up very easily. I do wish the labeling for the buttons and controls were a little larger as it’s hard to read and impossible to make out if the room is dark. Our old microwave had a black background with white lettering and we never had issues being able to read them. The interior is grey almost a “battleship grey” and definitely different from the white interiors I’m used to seeing. It does hide dirt and spatters a lot better “not sure if that’s a plus :) “. And the interior light due to the interior color isn’t very bright but does work.
Using:
Now for actual use, this microwave works great, it cooks a good bit faster than our old one that’s also rated the same wattage. I was very surprised when we put a frozen burrito in and using the same amount of time it over cooked and split open “oops”. We’ve boiled water, reheated meals, heated up frozen dinners, cooked a pot pie “took a full minute less than the old one to cook” and cooked up some bacon on our microwave bacon cooker “also took less time to cook and easily over cooked using the same amount of time as our old one”. Heating was very even, it was a lot better at that than our old one also.
Now for actual use, this microwave works great, it cooks a good bit faster than our old one that’s also rated the same wattage. I was very surprised when we put a frozen burrito in and using the same amount of time it over cooked and split open “oops”. We’ve boiled water, reheated meals, heated up frozen dinners, cooked a pot pie “took a full minute less than the old one to cook” and cooked up some bacon on our microwave bacon cooker “also took less time to cook and easily over cooked using the same amount of time as our old one”. Heating was very even, it was a lot better at that than our old one also.
Final Thoughts:
The time dial is a nice touch, it’s super simple to spin it and enter the time and pressing in on it starts the cooking cycle, and overall we really like how well this microwave cooks. Now this one doesn’t have a rack inside like our older one “but we never used that anyway” and really like that “while large” this is not nearly as large as the over the range one. It makes about the same amount of noise “maybe a little less than the old one so no surprises there. The only other thing that we have to remember is when opening the door you have to push close to center on the opening button/release it doesn’t do anything if you push close to either edge of it “almost feels like it could break” but we are careful about pushing on the center of it.
The time dial is a nice touch, it’s super simple to spin it and enter the time and pressing in on it starts the cooking cycle, and overall we really like how well this microwave cooks. Now this one doesn’t have a rack inside like our older one “but we never used that anyway” and really like that “while large” this is not nearly as large as the over the range one. It makes about the same amount of noise “maybe a little less than the old one so no surprises there. The only other thing that we have to remember is when opening the door you have to push close to center on the opening button/release it doesn’t do anything if you push close to either edge of it “almost feels like it could break” but we are careful about pushing on the center of it.
Overall this is a great microwave with just a couple small complaints, it doesn’t affect the cooking/heating ability at all and it easily outperforms our older, more expensive, over the range model. So if you are looking for a really good countertop microwave you should really consider spending the extra and get this Panasonic unit.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+9points
9of 9voted this as helpful.
Store your leftovers and perishables in this 2.5 cu. ft. Galanz Retro Style compact refrigerator. The two full slide-out shelves and two door bins offer flexible storage and organization, while the chrome handle provides easy operation. Featuring an adjustable mechanical thermostat, this Galanz Retro Style compact refrigerator ensures precise temperature control.
Customer Rating
5
Excellent and great looking mini fridge.
on June 21, 2020
Posted by: SteveC
from Phoenix - West Valley
We’ve been looking for a small refrigerator to place sodas and water in, and if it had any freezer space that would be a bonus. Just wanted enough room to free up some space in our regular refrigerator, then I saw this new “retro” style fridge in a “Surf Green” color and figured that would be perfect. It’s a very common color seen here in AZ and would fit right in.
Unboxing and setting up:
The unit is very well packed with plenty of Styrofoam framing protecting it from damage and there wasn’t a single scratch, dent or anything wrong with the unit. It’s also covered with some clear plastic covering on the sides protecting the paint which you’ll want to peel off. And inside the shelves were held in place by some easily removable tape. Also inside the instruction manual and door handle are in a bag. The handle you have to install yourself, and they’ve even included an allen wrench so you don’t have to look for a tool to install it. After attaching the handle to the door with the 3 included screws you snap on the outer cover and that’s it for getting it ready to use.
The unit is very well packed with plenty of Styrofoam framing protecting it from damage and there wasn’t a single scratch, dent or anything wrong with the unit. It’s also covered with some clear plastic covering on the sides protecting the paint which you’ll want to peel off. And inside the shelves were held in place by some easily removable tape. Also inside the instruction manual and door handle are in a bag. The handle you have to install yourself, and they’ve even included an allen wrench so you don’t have to look for a tool to install it. After attaching the handle to the door with the 3 included screws you snap on the outer cover and that’s it for getting it ready to use.
According to the manual you will want to let it sit for 4 hours before turning the unit on, this is so that the oil can run back to the bottom of the pump just in case the unit was placed on its side at any time during shipment. There are also two leveling feet at the base of the front so you can get it leveled up while you are waiting.
Use:
After the 4 hour wait we plugged it in and turned the thermostat to the recommended 4 setting initially. I figured it would take a while to start cooling but within a few minutes the sides started getting very warm “which is normal” and the inside of the freezer box was getting very cold “pretty impressed with how fast this cooled down”. We waited for a couple hours and then checked, the inside was nice and cold so we loaded it up with some sodas and a couple items out of the freezer.
After the 4 hour wait we plugged it in and turned the thermostat to the recommended 4 setting initially. I figured it would take a while to start cooling but within a few minutes the sides started getting very warm “which is normal” and the inside of the freezer box was getting very cold “pretty impressed with how fast this cooled down”. We waited for a couple hours and then checked, the inside was nice and cold so we loaded it up with some sodas and a couple items out of the freezer.
I did notice that at the 4 setting it was getting quite as cold as we would want so I went ahead and set it just below maximum and that did the trick. Our drinks are extremely cold and the freezer compartment was super cold “more than plenty to keep our items frozen”.
There’s plenty of room to fit 24 cans of soda, between the bottom shelf “10” cans, then 9 more easily in the door. The rest I put on their side on the other shelves “the height of the other shelves can’t hold a full sized can upright but the mini cans fit fine. Water bottles I just laid on their side on one of the other shelves and there’s room in the door for a couple tall bottles, two 750ml wine bottles should fit fine.
Final Thoughts:
If you are needing a small refrigerator and don’t want one that’s too big this one would be perfect for a game room, family room, wet bar. And you can place it so everyone can see it with its retro styling you really don’t want to hide it away. Our neighbors that have seen it love it and the color, they were also very impressed with how cold it got. It’s surprising just how much stuff you can fit into that 3.5 cubic ft, and the freezer, while being small, held enough stuff to free up some space in our regular freezer.
If you are needing a small refrigerator and don’t want one that’s too big this one would be perfect for a game room, family room, wet bar. And you can place it so everyone can see it with its retro styling you really don’t want to hide it away. Our neighbors that have seen it love it and the color, they were also very impressed with how cold it got. It’s surprising just how much stuff you can fit into that 3.5 cubic ft, and the freezer, while being small, held enough stuff to free up some space in our regular freezer.
The pump on this actually runs less than our regular refrigerator and it doesn’t look like it’s going to add much at all to our electric bill “not enough to where we are going to notice it”. We really like the retro styling, it’s not a plain old drab looking piece you want to hide away but something you’ll want people to see, “and they definitely notice it”.
The only negative “minor” that I could find is that the one shelf isn’t adjustable, it’s fixed “you can remove for cleaning” but you can’t adjust it up/down which would be nice to have so you could fit full sized cans on one extra shelf, but for us, the way it is, it works out just fine.
The pump also runs super quiet, you really can’t even hear it running and it’s much quieter than our full sized unit. We will be using this for many years to come and I’m sure you’ll be pleased with it and the design.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+17points
25of 33voted this as helpful.
Simplify personal grooming with this Panasonic ARC 5 electric shaver. The ultra-fast motor and five-blade system make short work of facial hair by providing up to 70,000 cross-cuts per minute,. This Panasonic ARC 5 electric shaver has a built-in pop-up trimmer that makes it easy to sculpt mustaches, beards and sideburns.
Customer Rating
5
Excellent replacement for my old Arc3
on June 18, 2020
Posted by: SteveC
from Phoenix - West Valley
I’ve been using electric razors since the early 80s, my first one being a good ol’ reliable Remington. Then over the years I’ve had all the major brands and finally settled on Panasonic. For my beard this one does the best job of them all. I have some hairs that are super thick and tough, I can’t use a razor as these hairs cause the blade to dig in and cut me. After trying an electric long ago and this never happening I was sold on using electrics ever since. My old Panasonic Arc3 is really showing its age, and it was about time to retire it, I’ve had it for 11 years and it never let me down. In that time I’ve gotten a couple other ones “Norelco and Braun” to try out and for me they just didn’t work as well. I saw the Arc5 and finally decided to try one out.
Unboxing:
The Arc5 came in a nice retail box, and inside the razor was in a nice leatherette carrying pouch along with a charger, lubricating oil, cleaning brush, smoked plastic protector for the head, and paperwork. There’s no room in the pouch for the charger so that would have to be packed separately when traveling.
The Arc5 came in a nice retail box, and inside the razor was in a nice leatherette carrying pouch along with a charger, lubricating oil, cleaning brush, smoked plastic protector for the head, and paperwork. There’s no room in the pouch for the charger so that would have to be packed separately when traveling.
Using:
The first thing I did was plug it in and charge it up, it was half charged so getting a full charge took less than an hour. There’s a nice graphical battery display on this one, different from the LCD display of the Arc 3. I also washed it thoroughly making sure the head was clean. These Panasonic's are very easy to clean too. We have an automatic dispenser with antibacterial hand soap in it and it dispenses just the right amount for cleaning. I then run a little water over the head and turn it on and run for a few seconds, “there’s a cleaning instruction sheet included that shows pretty much the same”. After letting it dry out I went ahead and shaved.
The first thing I did was plug it in and charge it up, it was half charged so getting a full charge took less than an hour. There’s a nice graphical battery display on this one, different from the LCD display of the Arc 3. I also washed it thoroughly making sure the head was clean. These Panasonic's are very easy to clean too. We have an automatic dispenser with antibacterial hand soap in it and it dispenses just the right amount for cleaning. I then run a little water over the head and turn it on and run for a few seconds, “there’s a cleaning instruction sheet included that shows pretty much the same”. After letting it dry out I went ahead and shaved.
I let my beard grow out a couple days beforehand so that I could give it a good workout. My old one didn’t have any problems with this so I figured this one would have to equal it for me to be happy and I wasn’t disappointed. I noticed that this one has more of a hum to it and is quieter than the old Arc3. I see in the specs that the Arc5 has a 70k cut per minute rate “cpm”, and the Arc3 is rated at 13k cpm. That’s a big difference, and surprisingly it’s quieter doing so “could be the age of my Arc3 too”.
Shaving seemed pretty much the same except it cut through hair a lot faster “probably due to it having 2 extra blades and higher cpm”. And the wide head pivoted around my face just as good as my old one. Afterwards I was left with a very nice, close clean shave. I’ve never used shaving cream or lotion with my shavers, something I may have to try one of these days but have never really seen a need to use it.
Conclusion:
Once again Panasonic has produced an excellent razor, for my beard type it works great. I like the pivoting head; it has a lot more movement to it than my old Arc3. I like the two extra blades, makes shaving that much faster. The way the head pivots more too means I’m not moving my wrist around as much getting into all the little spaces around my face. And like my old one it’s very easy to keep clean.
Once again Panasonic has produced an excellent razor, for my beard type it works great. I like the pivoting head; it has a lot more movement to it than my old Arc3. I like the two extra blades, makes shaving that much faster. The way the head pivots more too means I’m not moving my wrist around as much getting into all the little spaces around my face. And like my old one it’s very easy to keep clean.
My only minor complaint is the trimmer popout, I think the Arc3 had a better one, and is easier to use, but it’s not that big of a difference to worry about. I’ve found that with all electric razors you have to try them out to see which one suits your bear/skin type, everyone isn’t the same, but for me this one is pretty much perfect. If it works for you I’m sure you’ll like the Arc5 by Panasonic.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+19points
29of 39voted this as helpful.
SteveC's Review Comments
SteveC has not submitted comments on any reviews.
SteveC's Questions
SteveC has not submitted any questions.
Equip your screening room with this Epson home cinema projector. It lets you enjoy movies, games and online content at an image size of up to 300 inches, and it has a built-in 10W speaker for a complete audio and video setup. This Epson home cinema projector has two HDMI ports for connecting a Blu-ray player and video game console.
Will the lens shift on this model allow for mounting on a shelf above and behind the viewer?
It should be no problem, I have ours mounted on a stand above and behind us. The lens shift allows quite a bit of movement, fortunately with the adjustable stand I only had to use the lens shift to move the image a couple inches.
8 years, 2 months ago
by
SteveC
Lenovo ThinkPad P50 Laptop: Lenovo's thinnest and lightest full-function mobile workstation yet, the ThinkPad P50 features a beautiful 15.6-inch UHD 4K display and is certified to run users' most requested ISV applications. The ThinkPad P50 is a feature-rich, highly powerful mobile workstation for performance-seeking users. As the follow-on to the ThinkPad W541, the P50 builds on the innovation and purposeful design of Lenovo's industry-leading ThinkPad mobile workstations.
Does it have RAM expansion slot. Is the battery on outside and removable like T61. Is any external cd/DVD drive compatible with this. Thanks.
There or no expansion slots on the board and nothing is removable or replaceable.
8 years, 4 months ago
by
SteveC
Acer 15 Chromebook: Enjoy up to 12 hours of battery life with this 15.6-inch Acer Chromebook. Its Intel Celeron processor and 4GB of RAM load webpages quickly and provide lag-free streaming, and the 16GB of internal storage holds documents and photos. This Acer Chromebook has an HDMI port for connecting to a larger display.
Does this support SD memory cards
Acer 15 Chromebook: Enjoy up to 12 hours of battery life with this 15.6-inch Acer Chromebook. Its Intel Celeron processor and 4GB of RAM load webpages quickly and provide lag-free streaming, and the 16GB of internal storage holds documents and photos. This Acer Chromebook has an HDMI port for connecting to a larger display.
can you install windows 10
No, this only has 16gb of storage and you cannot upgrade it. This is pretty much locked to using the Chrome OS.
8 years, 4 months ago
by
SteveC
Get your very own BB-8 rolling around with this Spin Master BB-8 toy. Voice activation lets you control this little droid and have him come over when you need him, and you can even attempt a conversation with him, if you don't mind chirps and whistles. This Spin Master BB-8 toy is the perfect companion for any Poe Dameron cosplay.
I don't see an option for the protection plan through Best Buy? Is it available as an option if purchased in store???
I see a "2 Year" protection plan option on the product page, just look right above the "Add to Cart" button.
8 years, 7 months ago
by
SteveC
Clean fur, dust and dander quickly with this Hoover REACT cordless pet vacuum. Integrated sensors automatically adjust the level of suction and the brush roll speed to handle different floor types. This Hoover REACT cordless pet vacuum uses a long-lasting lithium battery, so you can clean the whole room without a recharge.
Does vacuum only clean one room on a full charge?
I was able to go over our house, "about 1800sq ft before it needed charging. We don't have thick carpet, mainly laminate and tile flooring so your time may vary on that and how fast you are but it will easily do more than one room here.
8 years, 7 months ago
by
SteveC
Complete your cleaning routine with this Shark IONFLEX vacuum. Its 2x ION power pack system includes two LiIon batteries to provide backup power and longer run time, and it bends to reach floors under low-lying furniture thanks to its MultiFLEX technology. Convert this Shark IONFLEX vacuum into a handheld vac to clean ceilings and small corners.
How do you clean the roller?
The front roller pops right out after opening the maintenance door, and it's washable. The second brush is attached, but is very easily accessed after opening the maintenance door on top of the power head.
8 years, 8 months ago
by
SteveC
Add high-end performance to your everyday life with the Google Pixel XL. A quad-core processor, a 5.5-inch LED screen and 32GB of memory ensure this phone is able to handle daily life, and Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protects the screen. Easy cloud storage ensures you never run out of space on the Google Pixel XL.
Is this water resistant?
It is IP53 Water Resistant rated, not water proof but it should survive a simple splash
9 years, 7 months ago
by
SteveC
when are you going to have it again?
Sony - VAIO Laptop with Intel® Core™ i5 Processor - Icy White
Model: VPCCW26FX/W | SKU: 9723879
Really need one of this but you are out of stock online. Does it mean you are not going to get more stock???
Model: VPCCW26FX/W | SKU: 9723879
Really need one of this but you are out of stock online. Does it mean you are not going to get more stock???
I was looking too and ended up getting the VPCCW27 in black, the Sony site shows that there is a new model coming out, but I really wanted the i5 processor so I went with what they had, and this one has Blue Ray build in.
16 years ago
by
SteveC
Mississippi
Laptop recommended for a Trucker
I'm looking for a laptop to travel with when I have down-time while hauling cargo. It will be used mostly for internet surfing and movie watching. I need it to be durable so that it can withstand jouncing and jostling on the road. I'll have a lapdesk to place it on with a built in fan, so I'm not terribly worried about overheating.
Look at the Sony line of laptops, they hold up very well, as well as Asus, but the Sony line is one of the top rated by consumer reports for fewest repairs.
16 years ago
by
SteveC
Mississippi