New York Renovator

Our old Gevalia coffeemaker was having problems… the clock and the digital timer on the screen would suddenly start sputtering and blinking, and the coffeemaker would suddenly turn on or off, again and again. I suspect it may be my less-than-adequate power supply here (the kitchen still has no electrical power, and we are “borrowing” power from a shared circuit). And I didn’t like the fact that the Gevalia was ALWAYS on– one of those “vampire” appliances we are always hearing about (appliances that continue to use energy, even when they are “off”). So I shopped around for a more basic coffeemaker that turned OFF when I turned it off and turned ON when I turned it on. And I didn’t need any fancy doo-dads like a digital clock, auto-programming, and etc. I just wanted a basic coffeemaker.

I got it with the Mr. Coffee 12-cup Coffeemaker. It’s on sale right now at Buy.com for under $18. (Shipping is not free, though). This is my first experience with Mr. Coffee. And I’m still “testing” it out (for example, at what point will the plastic basket start to smell like musty old coffee?). But I’ve been using it for a few weeks, and I really like it! And it’s SIMPLE!!! All is has is an ON/OFF switch. That’s IT. No blinking lights, no computerized features, no power-eating displays or lights. I’m a simple gal and I like my appliances simple. This fits the bill. And, at a price under $20, it was a good deal for me. So if you are looking for a simple coffeemaker, I’ve had good success with Mr. Coffee. It makes 12 cups which is *just* enough for the 3-4 coffee drinkers in the house.

If you are looking for good deals on household appliances, appliance parts, garden tools and supplies, and especially electronics, computers, and back-to-school stuff, I really recommend Buy.com. They have a weekly and daily sale page on the website, with incredible deals. (I saw a Netgear extension router for only $15 today! I’m definitely going to nab that!). Buy.com currently has some incredible prices on back-to-school stuff, too– backpacks, durable netbooks (the Samsung models look SWEET), books– they’ve even got the 2010 Farmer’s Almanac on sale right now! Check them out– I have had excellent success with the folks at Buy.com. And now.. off to make more coffee!

Another vacuum bites the dust. :-p

We got this machine in October, and have been trying to endure it since then. We’ve resisted the urge to throw it out the window… but have come pretty close a few times. I wish vacuum manufacturers would realize that we consumers don’t want a vacuum with the latest doo-dad, fancy accoutrement, microchip and hard drives that remember our last vacuum session, etc!!! I just want a vacuum that VACUUMS! Simple enough?! Gah!

I bought this particular GE vac because it is lightweight, has a powerful motor, and is bagless. The vacuum directions say to replace the little filter once a month ($10 per filter). But the filters on this thing are teeny-tiny– the size of an index card. And my old house is very dusty (we have a bird and the walls are the original plaster). So guess how frequently I have to replace the filter? ONCE A WEEK. Yes you read that right. ONCE a week. If I don’t, the vacuum will not pick anything up. I’ve had it! Forget it! No more of this.

Anyway, I think I’m going back to bagged vacuum cleaners. My experiments with the filter/bagless models have all failed, and the filters are costing me a fortune. It’s like printer ink– the printers are inexpensive cheapos, but the manufacturers getcha with the cost of the ink. Grrrr.