These days, Nespresso is so popular that a variety of machines have been created, and it can be tricky for some to figure out which machine is the best fit. With all of that in mind, let’s dive into the world of Nespresso and figure out how to choose the best Nespresso machine for your home.

What to know before buying Nespresso?

Before you purchase a machine, think about what you’ll be using it for daily. Are you more of an espresso shot drinker? Do you prefer milk-infused coffees like lattes and cappuccino? These will factor into your decision, as various models have different strengths and capabilities.

Here is a quick checklist to consider:

• Will you be making coffee, espresso, or both?
• How much capacity do you need?
• Do you want a machine that can steam or froth milk?
• What intensity or quality of coffee are you after?
• How big of a cup do you generally drink?

Before you decide on a machine, you also need to consider which line of machines you want.

What is the difference between the different Nespresso machines?

Vertuo vs Original.

The Nespresso Original line has three cup sizes: Classic (40 ml), Ristretto (25 ml), and Lungo (110 ml). These sizes are aimed at traditional espresso drinkers and those who prefer a concentrated coffee drink.

Nespresso is a European creation, and as with many things, the appetite for larger things in North America led to the creation of a new line that was capable of making a larger cup of coffee. In 2014, Nespresso created their Nespresso Vertuo specifically for North American consumers.

The Vertuo is capable of producing Espresso(40ml), Double Espresso(80ml), Grand Lungo(150ml), Mug(230ml) , and Alto (414ml) sizes.

In addition to larger sizes, the Vertuo line uses “centrifusion,” spinning the capsule in the machine at 7,000 RPM to blend the coffee and water. There is also a barcode on each capsule that the machine can read to provide it with the perfect parameters for making that specific style of coffee.

How do I choose Nespresso capsules?

The first step in choosing Nespresso capsules is to ensure you get the suitable capsule for your line of machines. The Vertuo line has its own style of capsules, so it’s essential to make sure you purchase the right ones.

Vertuo capsules.

Next, you need to decide whether you’re after espresso, cappuccino, macchiato, or flat white. Maybe you’re after just straight-up coffee or espresso with water (americano). Nespresso also has a scale for intensity, with capsules between 1-5 being low intensity, 6-8 being medium, and 9-13 for darker, more robust roasts. The lower numbers are best for espressos or americanos, the medium can be served up any style, and the higher intensity shines either all by itself or in a latte or cappuccino.

You can purchase capsules either at a Nespresso store or online. All of the capsules are recyclable, and Nespresso will take care of everything after giving them the used capsules.

What are the best Nespresso machines?

So, with all that in mind, here are a few picks for different categories.

Best Overall: Nespresso Inissia

Inissia.

The Inissia is our choice for the Best Overall Nespresso machine for several reasons. It’s a solid, dependable machine, the workhorse of the Nespresso line. The Inissia is one of the older models in the line, and people swear by it for quality. It has an engaging look, comes in a variety of colors, and is perfect for serving espresso.

The Nespresso Inissa is available on Amazon, Best Buy, and Canadian Tire.

Best Vertuo machine: Nespresso Vertuo Plus

The Vertuo Plus has an original look with the water reservoir housed outside the machine and a minimalist design. It’s built for a busy kitchen, has a smaller profile, and is simple to use.

The Nespresso Vertuo Plus is available on Amazon and Walmart.

Best for Espresso: Nespresso CitiZ

The CitiZ has one of the biggest reservoirs for a Nespresso machine, and it just looks better than most. If you’re an espresso fan, this is the model for you. Simple, small, easy to use.

The Nespresso Vertuo Plus is available on Amazon and Walmart.

Best Quiet Operation: Nespresso Essenza Mini

Esssenza Mini.

Another small machine that will fit in any kitchen or space, the Essenza Mini is a solid performer, offering quiet operation, and it even comes in two styles to suit your taste.

The Nespresso Essenza Mini is available on Amazon and Walmart.

Best High-End Machine: Nespresso Lattissima One

Lattissima One.

Comparing the Lattissima One with a smaller machine like the Pixie shows that Nespresso machines have a huge range of sizes and options. The Lattissima One is a beautiful model equipped with a steam wand.

The Nespresso Lattissima One is available on Amazon and Best Buy.

Best Big-Batch Brewer: Nespresso Vertuo Next

Vertuo.

If you drink coffee and espresso by the gallon, the Vertuo Next is your best bet. It has a large water reservoir and can make up to an 18 oz carafe. Nespresso sells a tailor-made carafe for the Next, but you can also use any vessel on hand. The look of this machine is minimalist, opting for size over style.

The Nespresso Lattissima One is available on Amazon and Best Buy.

Best Portable: Nespresso Pixie

Pixie.

The Pixie is fantastic to take with you; it fits anywhere. It has a more functional, industrial-style look, and while it doesn’t have a huge reservoir or capacity if you’re traveling, it’s the machine to have.

The Nespresso Pixie is available on Amazon and Walmart.

A Nespresso machine is a no-brainer if you’re a big fan of espresso and coffee. It provides simplicity, ease of use, and less mess and cleanup. You can mix and match capsules to provide yourself with a variety of delicious drinks. Whichever model you choose, you can be assured that you’ve made coffee much easier in the home.

Also Read:

• How to adjust drink sizes on Nespresso Vertuo Next by De’Longhi
• How to Choose: Nespresso Original versus Nespresso Vertuo
• Review: Breville Nespresso Pixie

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post How to Choose the Best Nespresso Machine for Your Home appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Air Fryers are massively popular. But what if you took the air fryer concept and improved it? Gave it the ability to make toast for the entire brunch crew? Or to roast a chicken, bake cookies or even make jerky and dehydrated veggie chips? The ‘airfryer, only better’ concept is what’s behind Cosori’s Ceramic Air Fryer Oven.

In this review, I’ll take a look at what this device can do, and what it can cook, how it works, and what the quality of the food is like plus why you might want a countertop oven like this. I’d like to thank Cosori for sponsoring this post. Though they are paying for my time, they have not told me what I have to say or what I can’t say so you can consider these thoughts my own.

What is Cosori 26-Quart Ceramic Air Fryer Oven?

Let’s get to know the Oven. The 26-Quart Ceramic Air Fryer Oven is a multi-use, countertop oven that can cook a wide variety of foods.

It measures about 17 x 12 x 17-inches or 43 x 31 x 44 cm, making it a generous size. It’s also got a big viewing window, interior light, and an easy-to-read angled control panel on top of the door, the Oven is designed to be very easy to use.

It’s also made to be easy to cook with; you can make multiple foods at once, using the 5-layered design.

With 13 cooking functions, it’s made to do whatever you need including:

• Air Fry
• Air Roast
• Air Bake
• Air Sous Vide
• Bagels
• Bake
• Broil
• Dehydrate
• Pizza
• Proof
• Reheat
• Toast
• Holding Warm

Additionally, it cooks more types of food at a time with four levels of racks and one burner on the bottom level…yep, this oven can even be used as a stove!

The Cosori Ceramic Oven is also made for more precise cooking, with top, bottom and rear heating elements for fast and even cooking, while higher fan speed (3150RPM) and precise temperature controls mean you should see better results in your finished food.

Speaking of finished foods, one of the big questions about air fryers is, what are they like to clean after you’ve made all that tasty goodness?

The Cosori 26-Quart Ceramic Air Fryer Oven is also meant to be quick and easy to clean.

There’s a non-stick coating on the inside of the oven, and this makes it virtually mess-free since almost nothing will stick to that coating… we’ll see for sure after a few rounds of dinner!

What’s in the box?

Let’s unpack this oven and see what you get. There’s the large-capacity oven which can hold up to 9 slices of toast, a 12-inch pizza or a 5 pound roast chicken, making it great for families. Also inside are a series of 5 racks and pans. There’s a fry basket, a wire rack, a sheet tray and a casserole pan or roasting pan, plus a roasting rack insert that has feet.

You also get a spatter cover for the fan and a temperature probe.

The control panel is cleverly located on the top of the door so it’s easy to read with no bending or squinting. It has quick access to all the settings you’ll need no matter what you’re cooking, and the control knob makes your selection easy.

Now that you’ve gotten to know the oven, let’s see what it can do!

Cooking with 26-Quart Ceramic Air Fryer Oven

The 26-Quart Ceramic Air Fryer Oven is meant to be easy to use, easy to cook with and easy to clean, so I decided to try making a variety of foods over about 2 weeks to put it to the test.

Spaghetti & meatballs: Air Roast + Burner

First up was spaghetti and meatballs, since this would allow me to try the roasting feature and the burner, which I was curious about.

First I made meatballs and roasted them on the Air Roast setting. Then I used the burner and the casserole pan filled with water to boil the pasta. I added some leftover pasta sauce and voila!

Dehydrated veggie chips and jerky: Dehydrator setting

My husband was really excited to try the food dehydrator setting. He will often make beef jerky on his smoker, but this seemed like a lot less trouble. We purchased some thinly sliced beef, and then also sliced up carrots and beets for vegetable chips.

The dehydrator setting works really well; you’ll lay your food out on the dehydrator rack or the fry basket rack and then choose the dehydrator setting which heats the oven to 135°F for about six hours. I set it in the morning and checked in on it near then end of the day. Both the jerky and the veggie chips were perfectly dried, but still had a boatload of flavour.

Roasted eggplant baba ganoush: Air Roast

Next up I had a leftover eggplant so I decided to make Baba Ganoush, using the Cosori recipe book. I roasted the eggplant, and then pureed the eggplant and other ingredients in a blender. I got a nice, tasty dip without having to turn on my oven.

I like the fact the settings are easy to choose and straightforward. Whatever I’m cooking feels really easy.

Doesn’t heat up the whole house

That actually brings me to another really great reason for having a multipurpose oven like this… Particularly when the weather is hot. I don’t have air-conditioning in my home, and turning on the oven even for an hour can heat up the entire main floor. When the outside temperatures are already over 30°, this only makes things worse. Being able to still cook healthy foods and roast, bake, and crisp without overheating my home is actually a major plus to this device.

Charred tomato dip: Air Broil

I like to make a feta tomato dip with charred tomatoes, so this time I decided to try them in the Cosori oven. I spread a layer of tomatoes on the pan and set the oven to Air Broil. In minutes I had beautifully charred fresh tomatoes and a warm fresh appetizer, perfect for a summer evening.

Roast chicken with potatoes

I love a good healthy roast chicken. Not only is it a tasty and relatively quick and easy dinner, it often makes enough leftovers for sandwiches and salads the next day.

I got a 5-pound whole chicken and set it on the rack in the casserole pan, then used the Air Roast setting, alongside the temperature probe.

About halfway through I added some potatoes/brussels sprouts on another pan to roast up too. The multi-layer cooking ability means I can make two dishes at once.

Plus the precision elements seem quite good at roasting evenly; I know some air fryers can simply overdo the top area under the heating element while leaving the rest of the food under-browned, but that’s not the case here.

It made dinner really easily; I just added a side salad… with roasted garlic dressing!

In about an hour I had a beautifully roasted chicken.

Baking bread: Air Bake + Proof

I made more food too in my two weeks; a delicious focaccia that I found in the recipe book. The recipe was easy to follow and allowed me to try both the air baking settings and the proof settings to prep the dough. Having that proof setting is a game changer since it helps the yeast rise quicker and creates a nice poufy dough. About 2 1/2 hours total time and I had delicious warm bread.

Other foods I tried

I also tried other foods in the Cosori oven: I baked a tray of homemade cookies, baked a frozen pizza using the pizza setting for a quick weeknight supper, and air-fried tater tots for brunch. I even sampled the Air sous vide setting for a more delicately cooked fish.

Cleaning

As I said, one of the hassles of having an air fryer is trying to get all the nooks and crannies clean after you make a big tasty mess inside.

Thanks to the seamless, smooth, non-stick coating, I found the Cosori 26-Quart Ceramic Air Fryer Oven was truly easy to clean; even the narrow areas where the racks slide in. Some warm water and a soft cloth was all it took, with only a need for a small scrubbie on any stubborn areas. The removable splatter guard will also just pop out and go right in the dishwasher. Even after two weeks of use you can see how easy it was to clean.

Plus the casserole dish and sheet tray are dishwasher safe too. Even the stainless steel outside just polished clean.

Who would the Cosori 26-Quart Ceramic Air Fryer Oven be good for?

If you’re wondering if the Cosori Ceramic Air Fryer Oven could be for you, I was imagining some of the ideal ways to use it and people who’d really benefit from having one: Students; it would be genius in a dorm room, seniors living in shared spaces would love this, in place of a hot-plate. It would also be super handy in an RV or camper van. And for large families, or home cooks who like to multitask, this portable oven could really save time and effort.

Overall review: Cosori Ceramic Air Fryer Oven

Overall I found myself really enjoying this oven. Let’s go over the pros and cons:

On the pro side, it’s a substantial size, making it ideal for multi-tasking home chefs or big families. With 13 different cooking modes, there’s almost nothing you can’t make in this oven. Plus the handy controls and helpful recipe book makes it easy to use. The cleanup was also an absolute breeze thanks to that ceramic coated-interior, and the (select) dishwasher safe accessories.

When it comes to the cons, it’s hard to find things I really didn’t like. Really the only thing I’d flag is that the size may make it a challenge to place or store for smaller kitchens and spaces. Learn more about the COSORI Ceramic Air Fryer Oven from COSORI’s website, and save 10% by using code ErinLaw10 at checkout. ** Valid until Dec 13.(Applicable only to the COSORI Ceramic Air Fryer Oven (Premium model), only at COSORI.com.

Also Read:

1. COSORI 6-quart TurboBlaze Air Fryer Review

It’s also available on Amazon.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Review: Cosori 26-Quart Ceramic Air Fryer Oven appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

The cordless wet-dry vac-mop is now officially a thing; a device that allows you to mop your floors without a bucket. This product category has only been around a few years, but already we’re seeing big improvements to the devices. The new Tineco Floor One S7 Pro is Tineco’s newest option and it boasts some improvements over the previous model, the Floor One S5, and even over some other competitors. But it’s increased the price substantially—so are the new features worth the substantial extra cash? In this review I’ll try the vacuum mop out here in my home, run it through some cleaning tests, I’ll go over the pros and cons, and let you know if I think this is a worthy cleaning solution for your home.

What is Tineco Floor One S7 Pro?

The Tineco S7 is an upright, cordless stick vacuum and mop combo that allows you to clean your tile, hardwood, and other non-carpeted surfaces quickly and thoroughly without leaving a lot of water behind.

The tineco S7  pro uses a centrifugal air drying system too so you don’t have to worry about lingering water, and one of the big pluses here not having to sweep before mopping your floors, since the machine is made to vacuum too—kinda. While it will vacuum up stray bits on the floor, it’s not also a dedicated vacuum, or one you can use on carpets.

The battery-powered system allows you 40 minutes of cleaning before you need to bring it back to the base station for recharging. The battery-powered the S7  pro tineco offers more mobility than a unit that needs to be plugged in. It’s easy to swivel and get into smaller areas.

Watch my video review of Tineco S7

Differences between the S7 and the S5

The S7 has some improvements over the previous model, the S5. The most visible differences are a larger and more elaborate info screen, and a big light across the front of the new S7’s cleaner head. There’s also what Tineco calls its SmoothPower bi-directional self-propulsion system. In plain English what that means is that the vacuum will both push and pull itself forward and backwards; requiring a lot less effort from you.

Previous vacuums in this style often had forward propulsion, but then you had to work hard to pull it back towards you before it would drag it off forward again. This back-and-forth motion is a little unnerving initially, but actually makes cleaning quite effortless as I found out in my hands-on testing.

The running time between charges is now five minutes longer, up to 40 minutes. The Clean and Dirty tanks have been redesigned and are slightly larger than they were. The biggest improvement between the two models is that the Tineco floor one S7  pro is capable of cleaning edges with both sides of the unit, whereas the S5 can only clean with one edge. That will make a big difference in not having to readjust your mop to get at those edges.

The price has also risen substantially on this model. The S5 model sold for about $499USD/$629CAD (and even competitor Roborock’s Dyad Pro is sitting around $449 or less). The new Pro version jumps up to a pricey $799/$999CAD.

Vacuum and mopping; really all that new?

One of the selling features with this device is that it can more effectively vacuum at the same time it’s mopping your floors.

Despite being billed as a “vacuum and mop”, this device is not designed to be used as a vacuum only, since it always has water flowing. But of course, there are ways around this if you’re feeling lazy.

Can you use Tineco Floor One S7 Pro smart wet dry vacuum cleaner on carpets?

If you don’t fill the clean water tank, you could certainly use the vacuuming function of this device. However, in my tests, I found the S7 Pro Tineco only marginally effective as a standalone vacuum. The suction power does not appear to be very strong at all; when I tried to get it to hold a small piece of paper, there was barely enough suction to keep it there for very long.

So yes, you could vacuum with it, but I don’t think it would be nearly as effective as using an actual vacuum. Even with no water in the tank, you could also use it on carpet, but again because of the lack of suction it’s not really going to help you out much.

The S7 is self-propelled and will pull itself along, making cleaning less effort. It also has cleaning rollers that go all the way to the edges of the brush head so you can get right up to baseboards and edges— I found it was actually quite good at getting little grainy bits from along walls, baseboards, and cupboards.

Cleaning tests: how well does Tineco Floor One S7 Pro clean?

I tried out the Tineco in various at-home situations. I used it simply as a vacuum, as I noted previously. But since it’s meant as a wet-dry vac-mop hybrid, the fair cleaning tests are on spills and dried-on dirt.

Getting ready to clean simply involves filling the clean water tank with cold or warm water, and adding Tineco’s cleaning solution if you wish.

When it came to the floor mopping capabilities I was able to try it on muddy paw prints and damp fall dirt, as well as spills like coffee and wine. Here the Tineco S7 Pro impresses; The spinning brushes underneath the Tineco S7 power messes off the floor, the fact it uses clean water to wipe up after it’s inhaled a spill does actually leave your floor quite clean.

From more liquidy messes to thicker sludge like spilled cereal, the S7 Pro Tineco is actually a great multipurpose floor cleaning tool.

The S7 Pro will remind you to clean it after each use and that’s absolutely mandatory if you’re wiping up something like milk, dairy or anything else that will start to smell.

I used the S7 on tile, and hardwood and it did a great job on both. I didn’t find that it left the floors too damp or streaky either; they were wet after I finished cleaning, but not so wet that they were hazardous or that they didn’t dry quickly.

While the vacuum does pick it up dry debris while it’s mopping, one of the downsides of this is that it does kind of form a wet mess inside the dirty water tank, and the internal filter gets full quickly. With that said, a small strainer does do a good job of keeping the debris from the water.

Base Station Self-Cleaning

When you return the S7 to its base station it will perform a quick self-diagnostic to see whether a cleaning mode is needed. The cleaning mode will fully clean the roller brush and the inner water hose and then use its ‘centrifugal drying technology’ (aka it spins the roller fast) to remove the water from them.

The base station itself does need to be plugged into the wall to run and also has room for an extra roller and a cleaning brush.

With this type of device, you do have to manage the dirty water and clean water tanks by hand. The clean water tank is easy to fill with hot water. The dirty water tank has a removable top with a filter in it, made for quick and easy cleaning.

The unit will also let you know if you haven’t installed either of the tanks correctly.

LDC Readout

The S7’s LED readout will let you know how long you have left before the battery runs out. It also contains a sensor that will change colors from red to blue depending on how clean the area underneath the S7 is. It also lets you know how much suction power and water flow the S7 is putting out.

iLoop sensor for dirt detection

Tineco claims its iLoop sensor can detect how dirty your floor is, and when there’s more debris on your floor, the S7 will increase the amount of suction power; when there’s less or no debris, it will lower it.

The most part I have found this technology to be quite lacking; both in this device and in other brands. I just don’t see it working. In my tests when I would run the S7 pro over and obviously dirty spot, the sensor would not change; A red dirt monitoring loop supposedly indicates more dirt is detected while a blue live indicates less. Yet sometimes cleaning relatively clean areas, the dirt detection feature would turn on. I’m not quite sure what it’s detecting, and since I find this device to be quite effective at overall cleaning, I guess it doesn’t matter that this is probably just a marketing line.

There are other modes that are available through the LCD readout, including Auto, Ultra, Suction, and Max mode.

With Auto mode the iLoop sensor supposedly automatically detects how dirty the floor is the uses the appropriate amount of detergent and suction power. With Max mode, the device uses maximum suction power and more water to deal with deeper stains. In ultra mode, the manual says “the appliance will prepare for 30 seconds and then start to work. This mode is suitable for deep cleaning”. I’m not quite sure what this means, except it perhaps it is saturating the rollers in advance to make sure they are better able to power off dried stains.

Overall review: Tineco Floor One S7 Pro

Let’s go over the pros and cons of this vacuum. Overall it is most effective and impressive as a cordless mopping device. The back-and-forth self-propulsion works really well and definitely makes mopping a lot less laborious. It picks up pretty much any type of liquid and can also power off dried on stains too. Water tanks seem to be a reasonable size to get most of my 1000 square-foot main floor clean, and the self-cleaning properties ensure it doesn’t get stinky between jobs. It also has a relatively small footprint.

On the con side, this device is not designed to replace your vacuum; the “vacuum” portion of this device just means that it helps you manage lingering bits so you don’t need to do a full vacuum before you mop. One of the other downsides is that if you vacuum up any gummy bits, they become kind of messy and gross if they get into the dirty water tank. Perhaps a small price to pay to not having to be down on your hands and knees cleaning up spilled cereal. I also don’t find the dirt detection from the iLoop sensor to be a real thing. The price for this model is also a bit on the high side, when considering the Pro branding and purported premium features. Tineco Floor One S7 Pro sells for about $799/$999CAD.

I was all set to recommend this wet-dry vac-mop until I checked the price. Now I’m pretty torn. In my opinion, I think Tineco is kinda picking the devil’s lettuce when it comes to the pricing here. I think the small gains made in this device —like to addition of the push-pull propulsion (since older models had some degree of that), LED light and a fancier info screen are not worth the substantial extra money it will cost you. Particularly since the vacuum suction power is incredibly lackluster, and it can’t operate as a standalone vacuum.

My opinion as long as the Floor One S5 is still available for sale (and I see it quite often on sale cheap right now too…) I think that would be the one to get in terms of best bang for your buck.

Now with all that said, if you’re excited for the newest S7 model, and you’ve got the funds, this is an effective floor washer. Definitely a lot better than the old mop and bucket.

Check out my review of the Floor One S5, or Roborock’s competitor, the Dyad Pro, right now.

Shop Tineco Floor One s7 Pro on Amazon.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Tineco Floor One S7 Pro Vacuum review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

I’d like to thank COSORI for sponsoring this post. As an ongoing sponsor of the blog and YouTube channel they are supporting our new content every day, so for that I’m grateful. Even though they’re paying for my time, they haven’t told me what I have to say or what I can’t say, and I got to cook what I wanted so you can consider these thoughts my own.

 WATCH: My hands-on review of COSORI TurBoBlaze

COSORI 6-quart TurboBlaze air fryer: what it can do

Let’s take a closer look at the COSORI 6-Quart TurboBlaze Air Fryer, and the 4 key problems with air fryers Cosori is solving with this machine.

Problem: Size

Air fryers can be big and bulky and take up too much counter space.

Solution

The solution? COSORI says its 6-Quart TurboBlaze Air Fryer is made to maximize the interior space while keeping the footprint small; that means it won’t take up needless storage either.

With a smart angled digital LED control panel on the top that’s easy to read without bending over, the unit seems well designed, and does indeed have a huge cooking basket.

Problem: Performance

Air fryers can be loud (I know the last air fryer I had droned incessantly). And they can cook unevenly; scorching the top while the center is underdone.

Solution

I can confirm the COSORI 6-Quart TurboBlaze Air Fryer is quieter than the last air fryer I tested. Plus, with a DC motor, it heats quicker, cooks faster, and allows for more precise temperature and fan control.

That added control allows for 9 pre-set cooking functions, including air frying, but it also roasts, bakes, broils, defrosts, cooks from frozen, dehydrates, reheats and warms  to accomplish almost any cooking need.

Problem: Limited capacity

Air fryers can be too small to make food for the whole family.

Solution

The solution here is that the COSORI 6-Quart TurboBlaze Air Fryer can cook more; use it to bake up crispy sides, but it can also roast veggies, broil fish, cook frozen foods, reheat, defrost or cook food right from frozen. It’s even big enough to handle a roast chicken!

Problem: Hard to clean

Grease and oil and spattered food can accumulate, making cleaning a major chore, or causing your air fryer to smoke. Plus all those nooks and crannies can be hard to get clean.

Solution

When it comes to the cleaning, the COSORI 6-Quart TurboBlaze Air Fryer is made to be easier to clean with a non-stick coating that means most messes simply wipe clean, but the basket and crisper plate are both dishwasher safe too!

Cooking tests

The first test I wanted to take it through was to see if it is faster… While the air fryer is 46% faster than one of COSORI’s older models*, I wanted to see if it would be faster at general tasks than my oven.

I got  tater tots ready for both the oven and the COSORI 6-Quart TurboBlaze Air Fryer. Amazingly I can say I was able to preheat the turbo blaze, cook tater tots, and have them served up hot and ready in less than 10 minutes; my oven didn’t even finish the preheating process before I was already having breakfast!

Next I decided to make breakfast for the next day by using the included cookbook to make a fresh, made from scratch homemade granola. The recipe was very simple and mostly used things I already had on hand. After a quick mix the entire mixture went into the cooking basket (no wire rack) and I set the timer for the recommended seven minutes. Since I like my granola nice and crispy and extra toasty, I opted to add more time. In the end I was rewarded with amazing fresh crispy granola.

I decided to use the COSORI 6-Quart TurboBlaze Air Fryer todo you make side dishes as well. It made lightning fast work of roasted carrots, cooking them to perfection in about 10 minutes. Plus they had the perfect shade of golden brown, and more wonderfully tender inside. When it comes to potatoes, adding follow the recipe block to boil and season some fresh potatoes from my garden. After only about 15 minutes in the air fryer they were tender on the inside and delightfully brown and crispy on the outside. Again here, I will say I added extra time to the COSORI recommended recipe duration; and I think I can say that’s okay if you want to make your own adjustments too.

We made homemade wings for wing night, and toasted the results with a cold one.

I also made breaded chicken breasts with an almond crust, which came out beautifully juicy.

The air fryer has a wider temperature range of 90˚ F to 450˚ F and COSORI says they did that to offer more cooking possibilities and allow better results for a variety of foods.

I cooked a mini homemade lasagna from frozen…. Which actually reminds me that you can even use smaller 8 inch baking pans and tins in this air fryer. That also opens up a whole world of desserts too.

Even used my oven to dehydrate citrus slices for floating on top of fun cocktails, just like pro bartenders use!

I also baked homemade spinach and cheese filled Spanakopita, meatballs, and appetizers.

Lastly I decided to try the roast chicken test. Getting a roast chicken cooked properly in a regular oven can sometimes be a challenge… but… in the COSORI Turbo Blaze it was really easy. Place your chicken breast side down for about 30 minutes, then flip it over carefully for another 30 minutes. The oven is very effective, and it gave us a super crispy skin; our results might be a little too crispy for some folks, so if you want it a little less dark, just place a little bit of foil over top for the last 20 minutes or so.

The chicken was beautifully cooked and as a bonus the pan was full of delicious rich drippings which we made into a gravy.

Safety features

There’s an auto shutoff to make sure that when the basket is removed during cooking, the air fryer will turn off and stop heating. Plus overheat protection automatically shuts it off when needed.

What is cleanup like?

After each meal or dish, I was very surprised to find how quickly and easily both the cooking drawer, and the crisper plate came clean. I also put the basket and crisper plate into the dishwasher and amazingly it did a great job too—with less effort from me.

A  week of hot meals and dishes later I also wiped out the air fryer with a dishcloth. It came clean quite well, with only a small scrubbie needed on more stubborn areas.

Overall thoughts: COSORI 6-Quart TurboBlaze Air Fryer

Overall this air fryer strikes a good balance between what we need and what we want; Let me tell you what I liked: it’s got a smaller footprint so it takes up less space on the counter and in the cupboard. It heats up fast, runs so much quieter, and has more precise control than your average air fryer too.  Plus it can cook many different things in 15 minutes or less.

Making homemade granola.

With the ability to cook all kinds of foods, it can be a quick easy way to dinner, or an extra option when cooking for a crowd.

Another pro is the price. Selling for an affordable price of $119.99US, it’s available now on Amazon, Walmart, and at COSORI.com.

The only downsides I can think of might be that finding a place to use and store an air fryer could still be a concern for some, or that others may be looking for even more versatility. If that’s the case you can check my upcoming review of a new COSORI product, coming soon.

Also Read:

The post COSORI 6-quart TurboBlaze Air Fryer Review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Nespresso Original versus Nespresso Virtuo: How To Choose, what’s the difference?

Specifically, I’m reviewing  Nespresso original versus virtuo here in this video, but I’ve reviewed many more models. Both machines make espresso, the Vertuo line is also designed to brew regular coffees to – all in the same machine.

Nespresso launched the VertuoLine in about 2014 as a way to lure North American coffee drinkers, who are less about espressos than they are about full size coffees.

Coffee pods and capsules: what’s the difference?

First, let’s look at the difference between Verturo and original Nespresso pods. The original Nespresso pods are small and narrow and come in one size only (since they’re really meant for espresso), while the Nespresso Vertuo pods are wide and round and may differ in height depending on what’s inside. With an original pod you can make espresso, double espresso or add water for an Americano. Vertuo coffee pods have special barcodes on the pod that carry specific instructions for how each coffee is to be extracted. The Virtuo lineup offers drinks in five sizes, from a single espresso, to double espresso, a 5 ounce gran luongo/Americano (150ml), a 230ml/8 oz ‘mug’ coffee to a 14 oz Alto coffee.

Milk or no milk?

Let’s move on to another differentiator: milk or no milk?

One of the key differences between Nespresso Virtuo vs original set ups is that none of the Vertuo models come with built-in milk frothers, while Nespresso Original does offer machines that will handle the milk, like the automatic Lattissima here.
But you can bundle a Vertuo with Nespresso’s popular Aeroccino frother —often at a discounted price.When it comes to Choice and availability, The Nespresso Original machine has a far bigger selection of capsules. And because the patent on the capsules has expired, you can get them everywhere – and even fill reusable ones with your own coffee.
Vertuo capsules by contrast are available only from Nespresso because they need a proprietary barcode to be recognized by the Vertuo machine.

Nespresso Vertuo vs Original: Drink options and sizes

Time to talk drink sizing…Nespresso VertuoLine capsules come in three different sizes, so larger drinks can be as strong as smaller ones. In total those three sizes will make 5 different coffee drinks. Nespresso Original Pods only come in one size and are meant to make espresso, double espresso or a luongo.
Now, you can make a bigger coffee with an original pod by adding more water, but it is obviously more diluted… something you don’t get with the Vertuo.
With that said, both the Nespresso and Virtuo machines let you permanently alter the drink size to your tastes – yes even the Nespresso Vertuo capsules with the special barcode can be easily reprogrammed to make the drink you want. I’ve got videos here on the channel that show you how to do that on both types of machines.
I have a how to video that can show you how to do this, right here on the blog.

Nespresso Original Machine vs Vertuo: Coffee quality

Crema is a hot word in coffee circles… Both Original and Vertuo machines and their coffee pods give you a beautiful crema on top of the coffee which a lot of folks really love.
Some say the Vertuo Nespresso capsules produce a thicker layer of crema, and I guess that’s true, but it begins to dissipate almost immediately since it’s mainly a product of all the air in the spinning process. For me, I’d rather a better coffee than taller coffee foam, so I’m not as wowed by that, personally.

I’ve tried dozens of coffee pods from both lineups and I can say there’s lots to choose from and you’ll be able to find something you really like. I find the coffee fresh, delicious, hot and tasty.

Which machine is stronger: Nespresso Vertuo or Original

Brewing pressure is another hot topic, since that helps make a creamier drink.
Despite the seeming higher end feel and more tech smarts of the Vertuo experience, the Vertuo machines use exactly the same amount pressure to extract coffees as the Original line does; you can generally expect 19 bars from both sets of machines.
When it comes to Brew time… Perhaps not surprising but the Original lineup tends to produce faster results. This is likely because original line drinks are smaller.

Coffee Temperature

Coffee should be hot, right? Not so fast. We tend to brew our coffee with boiling water since the temperature can help extract flavours and oils a little easier, but very hot water can make coffee bitter.
You’re probably familiar with cold brew coffee, which essentially replaces heat with time: letting ground coffee sit in cold water for up to 24 hours to extract the same flavors—without the bitterness and acrid taste. For that reason, the Vertuo line uses a slightly lower temperature when making coffee; and here all those rotations help saturate the grounds faster, so not as much heat is needed.
Now for some people this is a problem; coffee that comes out of the machine at any temperature other than volcanic may not be as enjoyable. I guess your temperature and taste preferences are probably very individual. So whether a slightly cooler but more flavourful and less bitter brew will be enjoyable for you is definitely a matter of taste.
For me, I found there were still some Vertuo coffee roasts that did taste bitter, and at the same time I didn’t really notice a huge difference in temperature.

Nespresso Original versus Nespresso Vertuo: which is better?

So…Which to choose? The Original or the slightly more advanced Vertuo line?
Now you know how the key features of Original and Vertuo stack up against each other. In my opinion you should buy a Nespresso Original machine if you want it for espresso or espresso-based drinks. You’ll pay less for the machine and the Nespresso capsules, and you’ll have way more espresso pod choices.
Buy a Nespresso Vertuo machine if you’re more of a coffee drinker and you want the option of making espresso and coffee from the same machine. With the barcoded capsule brewing system, the VertuoLine makes brewing any style and size of drink foolproof, but it is adjustable.

For me, since I want it mainly for espresso, I’m going to stick with my Nespresso Original machine, but I think both of these systems have their benefits. The choice is up to you.

I’d love to hear which line you chose and why, so share your story in comments below.

Nespresso Original and Vertuo are both available from Amazon and Walmart.

Also Read: 

The post How to Choose: Nespresso Original versus Nespresso Vertuo appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

The personal blender is an interesting device. They’re meant to be portable, and to blend small, single-serving drinks easily—and without the need to haul out the big guns. The Ninja Blast Blender is an interesting concept, because with this one, you don’t remove the cup and take it… you bring the whole mini blender with you. So why would you want to take a blender with you? And does this one deliver on its promises? I’ll find out in this hands-on review.

Personal blenders have always been an interesting type of kitchen appliance for me because they often trade a couple of the big downsides (power and volume) for numerous small upsides. If you’re craving for a quick shake or smoothie, you most likely won’t need the extra blending power and larger capacity of a large blender. Combine that with the cleaning you have to do afterwards and finding a travel mug to pour your shake into and preparing for healthy treats end up being a chore. While many personal blenders address these issues, they only tackle the “drinking” on the go part. What if you want to blend on the go as well? That’s where the Ninja Blenders comes in!

What is the Ninja Blast Blender?

The Ninja Blast is a fully portable blender which means that you don’t take your blended treat with you by detaching it from the base; you take the entire blender with you!
So why would you bring a blender with you? Anyone who’s ever brought along a shake or smoothie, and been delayed in drinking it knows the liquid can separate and look kind of unappetizing. Having the blender with you means you can give it a quick re-mix to make it uniform and appealing. Of course you can also just pack the blender cup with ingredients, and then blend it when you’re ready. This also means you could blend things like dressings on demand for that lunchtime salad, or your post-workout power shake.

Think of the Ninja Blast as a blender-drinking cup hybrid. With its 18-ounce capacity, it may very well take your travel mug’s place if you don’t mind the 1.74-pound weight.
The Ninja Blast portable blender separates itself from most traditional blenders in three ways. First, the base houses a non-replaceable but rechargeable lithium-ion battery allowing you to blend without plugging it in. Second, you can recharge the battery using the included USB-C cable so when the blender runs out of juice, you may be able to recharge it using your phone or laptop charger or possibly a car charger, powerbank, or solar panel. Finally, the blender’s leakproof lid has a built-in handle and an outer cover which you can pop out for sipping without requiring you to unscrew the lid.

Watch my video review of Ninja Portable Blender

Using the Ninja Portable Blender Blast

Since the blender only draws power from the 7.4-volt battery, you do have to temper your expectations a bit as it will never match the power of a large at-home blender. While the blades are sharp and spin fast, Ninja doesn’t recommend you use this for grinding. However, the Ninja Blast is strong enough to blend frozen fruits and crush ice, and it can also make dressings and dips or protein powder shakes too.

You just have to help the blender out by adding the liquid first before adding the solids to let the blades work or else you might experience a jam. Ninja includes instructions for how to layer your drink to avoid any problems.

Blending with the Ninja portable blender blast is as easy as pressing the power button and then pressing the “Start/Stop” button to let the Ninja Blast blend for 30 seconds. Depending on what you are trying to blend, you might experience a blade jam even if you added liquid. And since you don’t have any power cables to worry about, you can give the Ninja Blast a quick shake and restart the blending process.

Safety Features

Drinking directly from a blender might seem a bit weird knowing that the base has these super sharp blades. As long as you remember to turn the blender off before drinking or cleaning, you shouldn’t have any concerns because powering the blender on requires you to hold the power button for a bit.

The vessel also has a fill line to ensure you don’t overstuff your blender with ingredients. The leakproof lid’s cover can also lock into place if you push it far back so you can drink without worrying about the cover hitting your face. Using the Ninja Blast often in a short period of time could cause the base to heat up but fortunately, the Blast can automatically power down the unit to rest.

Battery & Charging

Ninja portable blast blender claims that a fully charged battery should last 15 to 18 cycles depending on the mixture. The outer portion of the Start/Stop button flashes yellow when the blender is running out of battery.

Having a USB-C charging port is really handy since you can either use the included cable or any other USB-C cable you might have with you. However, the Ninja Blast won’t charge with every charging adapter and the Start/Stop button will flash red and blue if you hook it up to an incompatible (too low power) charger. Check the charger or powerbank’s label to see if it supports 15 watts or more specifically 5 volts and 3 amperes. With a compatible charger, the Ninja Blast takes around two hours to charge from empty.

Cleaning the Ninja Blast

The easiest way to clean the blender is to add warm water and soap to the cup and run it for a few seconds. You can also unscrew the vessel and the cap, since both these parts are made of plastic and are dishwasher safe. I will say cleaning the blades on the base is a bit of a challenge since you must be careful and make sure you don’t wet the charging port as it lacks water resistance.

Overall Ninja Blast Portable Review

The Ninja Blast isn’t the first USB-C blender around, but Ninja totally nailed it with the execution. It does a terrific job in blending all sorts of ingredients and sip lid really eases the transition from blending to drinking.

The cleanup is easy and convenient whether you run it on the base or disassemble it for placement in the dishwasher. It seems to blend most single-serve ingredients easily, though like a lot of smaller blenders, it can face challenges if you overfill or don’t layer your ingredients properly.

In short I think this blender is actually pretty handy for travel, vanlife or athletic pursuits — and is even a convenient helper in the kitchen for small batches of dips, dressings and sauces. I can recommend the Ninja Blast to you.

Ninja Blast sells for about $59USD/ CAD and you can get one from Amazon.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Ninja Blast Portable Blender review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Courtesy: Samsung.

Clothes dryers fall into the category of an appliance you barely think about until it doesn’t work. A dryer is a sizable purchase and something you want to make sure works for as long as possible before having to replace it. Cost aside, replacing a dryer can be a hassle with having to move things around, get the dryer out of the house, and bring the new one in.  So it makes more sense to keep your  clothes dryer in good working order, and all you need for that is some easy maintenance. Not only will you lengthen the life of your  clothes dryer, but you could also lower your fire risk and remove any buildup you might find on your clothes.  If you’re here because you’ve been thinking, how do you clean the inside of a dryer, best part is dryer maintenance is simple and takes almost no time.

How do you clean the inside of a dryer?

How to Clean the Dryer Drum

If you’re wondering, do cloth dryers need to be cleaned inside, the answer is definitely yes. If you’re using fabric softener or dryer sheets, you might experience a film or build-up on the inside of the dryer drum. Get into the habit of wiping down the inside of your dryer drum every month or so. If you have an electric dryer, you can use a very weak dish soap solution with water or even vinegar and water with a clean cloth.

Wipe down the inside of the  clothing dryer drum, paying attention to the crevices and areas where things may get caught, as that’s where thread buildup is most likely to occur. Using a clean, damp cloth, go over those areas again to remove any soap or vinegar that may have been left behind. If you have a gas dryer, make sure whatever cleaning product you’re using does not contain alcohol.

The Lint Filter

The lint filter is the first place lint is gathered and should be cleaned out after every use. A clogged lint trap will lower your dryer’s efficiency and cause you problems down the line.  Think of this as the world’s most straightforward maintenance, a simple action to save a lot of effort in cleaning the lint trap later.  Keep a bag or bucket near your dryer, and after every load, simply pull any lint off the filter and place it in the bucket. When the bucket is full you can add it to your compost bin. If you find your lint filter has build-up on it, you can use dish soap, water, and a toothbrush to clean it off. Afterward, rinse with water and dry with a clean cloth.

The Lint Trap

Any material that makes it through the lint filter will end up in the lint trap. If you see any buildup in your lint trap, it’s likely that you’re not cleaning your lint filter after every load. Remove any visible lint by hand, and when vacuuming, use a small attachment to pull out any lint that lives a little further in. You can also use a clean, damp cloth to wipe down the sides of the trap.

The Vent Hose 

If you’ve been lax about your dryer maintenance or if you just want to improve the efficiency of your dryer, every year or so, you can clean out the vent hose and pipe.  You can hire out to do this, or if you’re a bit handy in the DIY area, you can buy a vent dryer cleaning kit from Amazon or elsewhere.

Courtesy: LG.

You’ll need to either unplug your clothing dryer if it’s electric or use the shut-off valve to stop the gas if it’s a gas dryer.       Look at how the vent hose is connected to the back of your dryer. It may be held in place by clips, or it may be held in place with tape of some kind. Next, disconnect the vent hose from the back of your dryer. Using the brush attachment in the kit, reach as far into the hose as possible and gently remove whatever lint is there. You may have to go to the other end of the hose as the lint may be pushed forward rather than pulled back. Repeat this process from the other end of the hose and remove any lint that comes out.

Reconnect your vent hose, move your dryer back in place, and power it up or turn your gas back on. Run a quick load with a couple of towels to blow out any residual lint in the line.

Clothes Dryer maintenance is simple, and it’s something that with which a little goes a long way. Keep that filter clean, and you’ll save yourself a lot of issues down the road. Take a little time to clean the trap out occasionally, and if needed, clean out your vent hose. You’ll find your dryer works more efficiently, cleans clothes faster, and will last a lot longer.

Shop Panda Portable Compact Electric Clothes Dryer on Amazon.

Shop dryer cleaning kits from Sealegend or Holikme,  Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Multi-Surface Cleaner Spray, or  Amazon Basics microfiber cleaning cloths on Amazon.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post How to Clean Your Dryer appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

I love sparkling water and find adding that bit of bubbles helps me drink more water throughout the day.  My old Sodastream seems like it’s becoming less effective after about 10 years of use, so I was curious what’s new. In this SodaStream Art review I’ll  see how well it carbonates water, what else it can or can’t do, and I’ll also take a look at the design and the new Quick-connect cylinder technology. I’ll wrap things up with the pros and the cons and let you know if I can recommend this machine to you.

Design & what’s in the box

In the box of SodaStream Art machine, you get the Sodastream Art, plus a starter carbonation canister and a bottle. Unlike some previous models from Sodastream, a dishwasher-friendly 1-litre plastic bottle is included (although technically the capacity is limited to 840ml to allow for carbonation). You can also pick up smaller to-go bottles to make it a party.

The very first thing I noticed is that the machine is made entirely of lightweight plastic. It feels like and, if I’m being honest, really cheap and hollow; like a knock with something will snap it. My old Sodastream was part plastic and part aluminum, and it’s been a tank in my kitchen; I’m actually disappointed in the build, but I think the design keeps true to the slim and sleek looks that many Sodastreams are known for. A little more utilitarian than something like an Aarke carbonator, but not as juvenile as say a Sparkel. The lever on the side of this model adds a retro vibe that also makes it easy to carbonate with.

Sodastream Art sfor sparkling water doesn’t need power to function, which is a huge plus in my kitchen.

Sodastream Art uses the Quick-Connect Cylinder, which is meant to be an improvement over previous soda stream carbonator canisters which required being screwed tightly into place.

Since it’s part of the set up I’ll cover this off right now; you’ll pop the rear cover off of the Sodastream machine, and then lift the lever. Slide the bottle with its flared neck into the slot, then close the lever.

If you have some old Sodastream cylinders, take note they will not work with this model: a compromise to be made for a far simpler mechanism, which will likely become the standard in the future.

Making water

There is little fuss when it comes to the operation. Sodastream recommends cold water for best results, and it works with different types of water (filter, distilled, etc.).

To use SodaStream Art sparkling water maker, hook the bottle under the carbonator nozzle, then push it backward until it locks. The lever maneuvers easily; you’ll pull it down for about one second at a time; each lever pull adds a shot of carbonation to the water, so the amount of carbonation is easy to control. Sodastream says three poles of the lever will give you standard carbonation, and five pills will give you a high carbonation level.

If you know how much fizz you want to add, you can also hold the lever down until you get your perfect carbonation.

Watch my video review Sodastream Art

How does the water taste

I find the SodaStream Art sparkling water depends a lot on the water you use with the machine. If you have crappy-tasting water going in, your sparkling water isn’t going to be much better. For that reason, I preferred to use filtered water in the bottle.

I like a fizzy or drink so my preferred setting was the higher carbonation level. I found the machine made quick work of carbonating my water and was extremely easy to use.

Depending on how many times you pull the lever, one cylinder should last between four to six weeks; Sodastream claims that each canister is suitable for the carbonation of about 60L of water.

I also definitely appreciate the fact that the bottle that is included with this machine is dishwasher-safe. My old machine’s bottles needed to be handwashed and that meant it didn’t get done as much as it should. (If your bottle is dishwasher safe there will be a small dishwasher emblem on the side of the bottle.) I also think this is another aspect of Sodastream’s operations that will become the future standard.

Can I carbonate tea or juice in SodaStream?

Unfortunately for some beverage lovers out there, only water should be carbonated in the SodaStream, according to the company. The money-back guarantee and the warranty are both invalidated if you carbonate any liquid other than water in your Sparkling Water Maker.

With that said, if you search Google for what else can I carbonate with a Sodastream Art Sparkling water maker, you’ll get a lot of information. Because this machine was on loan to me, I did not try carbonating other drinks.

If you do want a beverage maker that can handle different types of liquids, I highly recommend you look into the Sparkel water carbonator which I reviewed here.

Noise

Like almost every other Sodastream I’ve tried, the noise of SodaStream Art machine required for carbonation is noticeable but not unbearable. It makes a loud whistling and squealing sound, but it doesn’t last long.

Price and Final Verdict

There are several options when you go out looking for soda water makers. The Sodastream Art Machine is on the higher end, although not at the top of the table. What it does offer, in comparison to cheaper alternatives, is a simple, no-nonsense mechanism, a two-year warranty, and a brand name leading the industry. It’s also future-proof within Sodastream’s product line. Future carbonation cylinders will have the Quick Connect technology, so you don’t need to worry about finding cylinders and getting your fizz fix.

In addition to the convenience and easy carbonation it brings to your kitchen, it’s worth noting the sustainability aspect. Owning a couple of Sodastream bottles that maintain carbonation for several days reduces the need for single-use plastic bottles, or cans or bottles of Perrier, or the like, making it an eco-conscious choice.

In summary, the Sodastream Art may not steal the spotlight in a bar, but it will undoubtedly become the star of your kitchen. Its combination of nice-looking design, easy use, effective carbonation, and sustainability make it a valuable addition to any household, especially for those looking to quench their thirst for customizable sparkling beverages.

So what are the downsides? The biggest knock on this particular model for me is the 100% plastic construction. I do have questions about its longevity over time… Questions I won’t get answered in the short-term review.

I also think the price is a little high for the flimsy materials. It’s also made only for use with water. Even so, I think this is a very good machine that does its job well. I can definitely recommend it to you if you are looking for an at home water carbonation device.

SodaStream Art sells for about $195US /$239CAD and you can get yours as I got mine from Amazon.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Review: SodaStream Art for seltzer & sparkling water appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

I’d like to thank Yeedi for sponsoring this post. While they’re paying for my time to do this review, they have not told me what I have to say or what II can’t say so you can consider these thoughts all mine.

What is Yeedi Cube?

Yeedi is a fairly recent tech company founded in 2019 and as of writing, the company solely focuses on robot vacuum products. The Yeedi Cube is the latest product from the company’s lineup and while Yeedi positioned the Cube as a more premium product with its self-cleaning and mopping features, it’s $699 USD retail price undercuts the competition, making it a great value.

Yeedi Cube offers a couple of key features that shoppers may find enticing: one is that it’s both a vacuum and mop with the ability to clean and dry itself. The mop consists of a flat removeable and washable mopping pad that scrubs your floors with a high speed oscillation.

The second is that it uses some clever design tricks to make its busy base station a lot nice to look at.  Let’s dig in…

Base Station

I want to talk about the vacuum’s base station first as it’s the vacuum’s key feature and helps define the Yeedi Cube. The charging station not surprisingly has a squareish appearance, and it’s significantly shorter than many of its competitors.

How Yeedi managed to make this station small is about to become pretty obvious – it has a small 1.2-liter dirty water tank and a 2.1-liter dust bag. Even so, the base station didn’t compromise on more important features such as the ability to wash the vacuum’s mopping pad.

Interestingly the base station uses a nubby grid that hovers over the base plate that scrubs the underside of the mopping pad to work out the dirty water and debris, then suctions it all up into the dirty water tank.  The grid helps keep the mop from sitting in any wet water which is kind of smart.

The Cube will return to base to keep the mop clean about every 20 minutes, though you can also shorten this length of time and have it clean itself more often if you prefer.

When the bot is all finished it’s cleaning assignment it will do one final clean then turn on a nearly silent hot air flow (104 degrees!) to dry the pad so it doesn’t mildew.

One other neat touch I haven’t seen in a base station yet, is a soft LED light on the front.

You wouldn’t necessarily know it, but the Yeedi Cube’s compact base station doesn’t have a clean water tank. Yeedi intentionally did that as it decided to house the tank on top of the vacuum unit itself…

Meet the robot

The UFO-shaped water tank stands out right away because Yeedi has chosen to position it on top of the bot and make it fully visible, which is neat. No cover and no opaque plastic; you’re able to see right inside.

The tank’s 1-liter capacity may seem small but that volume gets you surprisingly far. I found it was able to clean my home several times on a single tank.

You can find one of the other standout design features on the top of the vacuum. At first glance, you might think that the rubber strip found on top of the water tank is just for the aesthetic but it’s actually a rubber handle which is useful when you want to relocate the vacuum. Plus it helps you more easily remove, carry and refill that tank.

Underneath you get two corner and edge brushes and a roller brush, plus that flat vibrating mopping pad.

On the opposite end on the robot’s body is a rather small dustbin and its disposal port.

Obstacle avoidance

The front of the vacuum features an IR sensor which the Yeedi Cube vacuum relies on for avoiding obstacles. The vacuum is actually pretty good at navigating around and avoids hazards effectively. That’s actually important, what if you have a robot vacuum that isn’t adept at avoiding potential land mines, it will always get itself caught up and shut down and rarely complete a clean without help from you. The fact Yeedi Cube (Check out our Yeedi Cube comparison to ECOVACS vacuums too) can look out for itself is a huge plus and means it cleans more effectively and regularly.

Set up

Setting up the vacuum is simple too as most of its parts are preinstalled. Just attach the brushes and add the plug to the UFO water tank . Then fill it up with clean water and you’re ready to roll!

Watch my video review of Yeedi Cube

Using the App

The Yeedi Cube works with the Yeedi app which you can find on the iOS App Store and Google Play Store. After an initial mapping scout of your home, the Yeedi Cube will generate a virtual map of your space. You can then use that map to refine the room boundaries, and rename the rooms. Then you can schedule daily or weekly automated cleanings.

Once you have connected the vacuum to your home network and start a cleaning session, you can use the app to track the vacuum’s position in real-time. The Yeedi Cube vacuum does a decent job in generating an accurate map of the room and can even make partitions to help separate rooms and let you identify them. Like other modern robot vacuums, you can also check the vacuum’s status, adjust settings, and switch cleaning modes.

The iOS version of the Yeedi app supports Siri. If you have an Amazon Echo device, you may also add the official Yeedi Alexa Skill and give it basic Alexa commands.

Battery life and runtime

Under the hood is a 5200mAh built-in battery . Yeedi says it runs up to 150 minutes and covers up to 2000 square feet on one charge. I can confirm it was easily able to clean my 1000 square foot home on a charge and still head back to base with about 50% charge left.

Cleaning tests

I ran Yeedi Cube around my house for about a week just to get a feel for how it would clean on a day-to-day basis. With two dogs in the house, keeping up with pet hair is always top of mind, and I found the Cube was easily able to manage pet hair and keep the house looking tidier.

Next up I ran it through my standard array of robot vacuum cleaning tests where I have it vacuum finer things like flour or sugar, middle sized beds like rice or oatmeal, and larger cracker pieces on both carpet and hard floors.

I found the bot was very effective at each of the messes.

Vacuuming

With 4300 pascals of suction power, Yeedi Cube is powerful. This 3-in-1 housekeeping hero sweeps up pet hair, crumbs and dirt on floors and carpets. Made for multi-tasking, it vacuums and mops at the same time, leaving floors twice as clean with just one use.

When the robot’s on board dusbin is full it will return to the station and empty it into the sealed vacuum bag in the station. This means you never have to get your hands dirty.

Tackling carpet while mopping

How does Yeedi Cube tackle carpet while it’s trying to mop? The answer is carpet detection technology; the robot will lift its mopping plate off the carpet up to 8 mm, which means it keeps the wet mopping pad safely away from most carpets and rugs.

Mopping

One of the things I appreciate in a robot mopping device is the ability to adjust the water flow level to provide either more cleaning or less dampening to floors. I really like that I can customize that if I want a real good floor washing or to simply gloss over my hardwood.

Yeedi Cube also boasts an ultrasonic scrubbing mop which is able to add scouring power to the floor cleaning, at a speedy 2,500 vibrations per minute.

The mop will let you know in the app and via the robot voice that the mop needs refilling or if the dirty water tank needs emptying.

Yeedi Cube: Overall Review

There’s a lot to love about the Yeedi Cube so let’s run down the pros: The base station size gives you more options for placement, and while it is more compact, you don’t have to give up any of the self-cleaning features. I also like the innovative placement of the water tank; right on top it’s also easier to keep an eye on the water level even though the bot will tell you when it needs filling.

The vacuuming power is strong and the mopping does an excellent job.

When it comes to downsides, this bot isn’t immune to getting caught on odd obstacles like a barstool seat or a floppy rug, but fixing that is as easy as marking a no-go area.

Whether or not the Yeedi Cube is best for your home really depends on how important the base station’s compact size is. The $699 USD price tag puts it well under competing robot vac-mops, and for that price you’re getting premium-level features at a bargain price. You can get one from Amazon.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Yeedi Cube Review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.