Usually Amazon Echo products are a smash hit. So when the company’s newest device is earning only three star reviews… What’s going on? If you ask me, people don’t know what to make of the new Echo Hub, and may not understand its place in the larger Alexa ecosystem. This is not simply a new smart home speaker, it’s something else. In this review I’ll dig in on what makes Echo Hub different from my hands-on personal experience, who it’s actually geared for, what it’s best for and not as good at. I’ll wrap things up by going over the pros and the cons and letting you know if I think I can recommend this home hub to you.

What is Echo Hub?

As Amazon tells it, the Echo Hub is an “easy-to-use Alexa-enabled control panel for your smart home devices”, but that doesn’t help us very much since it sounds a lot like every other Alexa speaker device with screen.

You could say that while many Echo devices are speaker-first, the 8-inch Echo Hub is smart home-first. It integrates with all of Amazon and Ring’s smart home devices like alarm systems, cameras, thermostats, smart locks, and lighting, and gives you a central place to manage control of all of them a little easier than on a typical Echo screen device.

Some of the key innovations here are that it’s flat, and designed to be wall mounted (though a $30 stand is available) and you can more easily customize the controls and widgets displayed on the screen, and adjust which devices you see, or which cameras you can pull up quickly.

This small flat panel also uses presence sensing, which Amazon calls ‘adaptive content’ to detect when someone is nearby so the screen will switch automatically from a clock or photo display to the customizable smart home control screen.

In my opinion, I would say this device is designed to be your smart home at a glance. Whereas other Alexa devices like the Echo Show 15 or Echo Show 10 are designed to be more information focused and will display things like news, weather, interesting stories, jokes, or other Alexa how to information, the default viewing on Echo Hub’s screen is your smart home and its gadgets.

Power options (& battery life)

If you choose to wall mount this device you will still need to manage the cable. Amazon recommends mounting it near a plug, but right out of the gate I think I would find that a little messy. You can get a wall rated conduit to hide the power cable inside your wall, but this is a little more trouble than I think it’s worth.

Another option is to use the Power over Ethernet option with a compatible USB-C converter. I opted to use the counter stand and simply have it plugged into the wall.

What can Echo Hub do?

After spending several weeks with this device in my home, I’d say Amazon Echo Hub has four key features.

1. Smart Home security hub

Anyone who had a home alarm system more than 10 years ago likely remembers you needed a hard-wired central panel to arm and disarm the alarm. It looks like we’re back to the future with this concept meant to be placed in a central location in your home.

Echo Hub is an ideal alarm system control panel. I have had a Ring Alarm system for many years, and one of the things I was looking forward to doing with this, is setting up my Ring Alarm 2 system.

I connected my Echo Hub with the Ring Alarm 2 (and you can see the full review of that here). When I call up the alarm system I can see at a glance if my home is disarmed or armed.

Initially, while I was able to arm the system with a tap, when I tried to disarm it from the hub, I got an error message saying “access code required to disarm. Go to security system device settings in the Alexa app to set up an access code”.

I wasn’t able to find the settings anywhere so I reached out to a contact at Amazon for a little assistance…

I was able to get better instructions for how to set a pin code for Echo Hub with Ring Alarm 2. Full details are here but the steps are:

To set Echo Hub to manage your Ring Alarm, load and activate the Ring skill in the Alexa app.

1. Open the Alexa app .
2. Open More , then select Skills & Games.
3. Use Search Alexa Skills to find the Ring skill. Select it and then select Enable.
4. In setting up the skill, sign in to your Ring account, to link it to your Alexa account.
5. After you sign in, Alexa looks for Ring devices and connects with them automatically. If you don’t want a particular device to connect, select Forget. Your alarm system appears in your Devices list in the Alexa app.

Next, set an access code for your system, to use with Alexa and the Echo Hub.

1. Open the Alexa app .
2. Select your Ring Alarm system, then select Settings .
3. Under Disarm by Voice and Echo Hub, turn on Enable/disarm.
4. Enter and confirm a 4-digit access code.
5. To disarm your Ring Alarm when you return home, enter the access code on your Echo Hub, by voice or by touch.

Following the instructions worked for me and I was able to use the Hub to arm and disarm easily.

2. Security camera feed

One of the other interesting things I found the Echo Hub can do is show a longer-term feed of any of your cameras. Just choose which camera you want to keep an eye on, and open it up on the screen of the Echo Hub and you can see and hear everything that’s going on for up to about 7 minutes. This seems to be a bit of a newer feature as some other Echo Show devices I’ve tried let you drop in on a camera for a short time but then always return to the Alexa main screen after a few seconds.

This is something many Ring customers have been asking for since it lets you use one of your cameras like a de facto baby or pet monitor. Even so, 7 minutes isn’t a very long time, and it’s annoying to have to re-load the camera constantly. I’d love it if I could simply choose a camera to keep up on the screen for an hour or more.

3. Smart home control

You can also use this device to manage all of the lights in your home; turning each one on or off with a virtual tap. While I generally find it far more convenient just to use voice control for this, it’s good to know this home hub can become a de facto remote control also. It also works to control thermostats and door locks, so it can be a good way to put your home to bed all from one location.

I also found the echo hub makes an ideal secondary control panel to keep in the primary bedroom. This lets you see your home at a glance and secure everything if you’ve already gotten into bed.

4. Plays Music

This Hub wouldn’t be an Echo device without some audio capabilities. You can absolutely use it to play music, news, and podcasts, though with that said the audio quality is not as good as some other more music-focussed Echo devices.

The only speakers for this one live in the top of the device and they are quite small. Amazon doesn’t give any information about their wattage or power; so I can best describe them as adequate. While they’re not high fidelity and they’re not going to fill a room, they’re more than fine for issuing and confirming smart home demands and listening to audio if you’re nearby.

Set up

I’m not going to spend a lot of time on the set up because pretty much every Echo device I’ve configured in the last five years has been a breeze, and the Hub was the same. Plug it in and it will automatically put itself in set up mode. You just need to follow a few prompts either on the Hub or in the Alexa app depending on your device. I had it online and connected to my smart home in just a few minutes.

Amazon might be one of the few smart home corporations that get this better than right. In my opinion, every one of its gadgets is super easy whether you’re a novice or an experienced smart home guru.

Managing your Hub dashboard

On the hub screen you’ll have a series of boxes or “widgets” you can adjust the order in which these display and choose to show or hide any of them. Along the left-hand side is a list that shows a shortcut for Home and your Routines, then a list of your rooms.

Taking up the most real estate on the screen are the larger widgets; things like your cameras, weather, an area for your favourites and more. Along the bottom there’s a list of buttons which you can tap on to open up more options for each.

While Amazon describes the screen as “customizable” there’s not a whole lot more you can do, other than change the order in which they display. For example I had been hoping to get the security widget to display in a large box on the screen so I could see it and all my devices at all times, but if it is possible it was not intuitive how to do it.

And even once I have tapped the Alarm widget to open it up, the only thing I can do is view the arming status; I can’t see which sensors may be open or closed or which cameras may be online or not. The limited viewing options here are actually quite disappointing.

The toughest part about managing your home screen is ensuring your smart home is up-to-date.

A difficulty I have that is unlikely to affect most of the rest of you is that I have a ton of smart home devices across various brands. Many of them are compatible with Alexa and many of them still show up in my Alexa app even if I only use them for a short time to review them. So a piece of advice; if you have a good amount of smart home gadgets he will want to manage from the hub, spend a little time in the Alexa app deleting unused devices and organizing your devices into their correct rooms so that everything will be much easier to manage on this screen.

Accessing Content & Controlling Devices by Voice

This being an Alexa speaker you can of course ask Alexa to control devices with your voice or access music or other content.

Using commands like:

• “Alexa, show me my cameras”
• “Alexa, dim the lights”
• “Alexa, turn off [living room] lights at [5pm]”
• “Alexa, enable the start my day routine”
• “Alexa, what’s on the calendar today?”
• “Alexa, show me the weather”

I found the voice control works well whether I was asking for light adjustments or for the Alarm system to be set..

Who is Echo Hub for?

I think there are some very specific use cases where this device will be helpful, and others where it will simply be frustrating. Let’s go over the best and worst use cases.

In my opinion, the new Echo Hub is a device for people looking for a slimmed down Alexa experience that can mainly be used to control smart home devices.

In my opinion this device is best for someone who wants to wire it in and wall mount it. Any other Alexa or Echo Show device with the exception of the Echo Show 15 is not really meant to be wall mounted. Yet conversely if you don’t have a need for a wall-mounted option, pretty much any other Echo Show device still works to control your smart home, albeit with additional taps on screen, and it likely gives you better audio to boot.

I would also say this device is not for people that already use their voice for most of their smart home control. Any other Alexa speaker or screen device will give you that same control. This device is more for someone that wants that tangible touchscreen option… Yet at the same time it’s not really a good remote control because it has to be plugged in and is designed to be mounted to a wall.

At its best it should work as a central alarm management hub for Ring Alarm 2, except at the moment the only thing it is able to do is arm and disarm the system. There’s no viewing of your alarm components.

Speed concerns

One of the things I did become a bit concerned about after using the Hub for a couple of weeks is its speed. Navigating with the touchscreen can be quite sluggish taking anywhere from a couple of seconds to up to 8 seconds in rarer occasions to accomplish some tasks. Also, I found frequently it required several taps on some apps before anything would happen.

Overall review: Amazon Echo Hub

Overall I have to say I’m incredibly conflicted about this device. It seems to be bobbing aimlessly on a sea of Amazon gadgets looking for just the right port to dock in. I think for the right user with the right use case this will be a very handy device. However if you are simply evaluating this alongside more traditional Amazon speaker gadget and you don’t already have a specific reason for choosing the Echo Hub, you can opt out.

Let’s go over the pros and cons.

On the pro side the Hub is easy to set up, it’s got a nice streamlined design, and is perfect for wall mounting. It’s geared primarily at controlling smart home devices and uses presence sensing to decide whether to show a clock and photo screensaver or your smart home devices, and accomplishing this with no camera built into the hub, you don’t have to worry about privacy. The on screen interface is simple and uncluttered and makes it easy to find what you need.

On the downside, the audio quality is not going to be top of the line, but you can find plenty of Echo speakers that are, such as the Amazon Echo Studio, or even Echo Show 10. I also found the screen can sometimes be slow to react, and with some products the settings and options presented on screen are extremely limited.

Like I said if you know exactly what you want this for it will probably do what you need, if you’re hoping for a whole new Echo experience this might not be enough for you. But that’s why I like to share all the info and let you make your own decision.

They all new Amazon Echo Hub sells for about $179USD with the additional countertop stand costing $30. You can get it of course from Amazon.

While Amazon did provide me with an Echo Hub at no cost the company did not request or receive any input or approvals over the content so you can consider these thoughts mine.

**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 New Amazon Echo Hub hands-on review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

We could all picture ourselves living in a palatial midcentury place like this… But the reality is that a $1 million home is going to be out of reach for most of us… Me included. But that doesn’t mean I can’t feel like I’m living the good life. For a much smaller price I can have the comfort and looks of a chic modern home, thanks to… a chair. Yes, a chair. I recently picked up a high quality lounge chair from Sohnne and in this review I’ll try it out in my home, see what the shipping and assembly is like, and most importantly I’ll share my personal experience about how comfortable the Sohnne Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (Premier Tall version) truly is and whether I think I can recommend it to you.

My in-home review: Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (Premier Tall version)

When Sohnne offered me the opportunity to try out its furniture to see firsthand what the quality is like, I jumped at the chance. The company has graciously gifted me one of its iconic Eames chairs in exchange for my full and honest opinion, and has not made any requests or requirements about my content. So in this review I’ll check out the build quality and design, the comfort and see how it fits into my home. I’ll take a look at the pros and the cons of buying a replica chair like this and I’ll wrap things up by letting you know if I think you should make your order from Sohnne.

Watch my hands-on video review of Sohnne Eames chair

Should I buy a replica chair?

For some people mid-century modern is kitschy, but for others it’s a lifestyle steeped in tradition. One of my favourite places in the world is Palm Springs California where mid-century architecture and design is everywhere. I love the look of furniture and design from the mid century and I’ve inherited several amazing mid-century pieces.

But there’s a few iconic mid-century modern furniture pieces that I’ve had my eye on but just couldn’t afford. So how does one get the chic and timeless look of iconic furniture without the staggering price?

Choosing replicas may be the way to go. But some replicas can be made of cheap materials with poor construction. So I’ve been on the lookout for a reputable company that makes durable furniture of similar quality to those iconic originals.

How to choose a mid-century chair

I spent a good amount of time on Sohnne’s website trying to choose a great piece of furniture that would fit in my modern but smaller space. The chair I ordered is the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (Premier Tall version) in Ivory White Leather/Walnut Wood. There’s a few different wood finishes and you can choose from black or white leather as well. I have to say I was also crushing pretty hard on the Togo Chair replica and the CH25 woven lounge chair replica too, so my decision was a tough one.

Shipping

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect before the chair arrived—just about one week after my order. When delivery day came, one large box smaller box were delivered to my door. I tore into both immediately. The smaller box houses all of the metal parts and fittings for putting the chair together, well the larger box contains the four pieces of the chair. Everything is well packed in foam to keep it from getting scratched, dented or ripped.

How to assemble Sohnne chair

Assembling the chair was a lot easier than I thought. The ottoman goes together in a minute; just bolt on the 4-legged stand. For the chair, the back, which looks like it’s two pieces but it already connected, attaches to the seat with thick and immovable steel brackets and bolts, and while it doesn’t look like it should hold together, I can 100% confirm that it does.

With the shell of the seat in place, I assembled the base stand. Then all I had left to do was add the arms.

Hilariously, I only realized after I finished the assembly and taking a seat for a few minutes, that I had put the arms on backwards! Just like the original version, the hardware should be completely invisible in the finished chair, so husband Roger and I flipped the arms around to their correct position and were rewarded with a beautiful, comfortable chair.

Build quality and comparison to original

I have to say I have been extremely impressed by the quality of this chair. I did a lot of research before my order about how to measure the quality of this particular chair. In short, you don’t want things like screws simply driven right through the wood and into the fabric. Ideally quality replica should be faithful to the original design.

While I was assembling it I actually noticed how weighty and substantial the pieces feel. The wood is beautiful and solid and doesn’t look like glue-lam, or that it will split along the edges. The leather covering the seats feels thick and substantial while at the same time being smooth and supple. There’s leather piping along the edges where the fabric meets the wood, and leather covered buttons punctuate the seat, back and ottoman, but they are driven in far enough that you don’t feel them when you sit down on them.

The colour of the wood I chose, a light walnut, is perfect for my space, and seems evenly applied and the overall feel is silky smooth.

Even the metal bases for the chair and ottoman feel like solid steel with a nice brushed silver finished on top. Each of the small feet goes in on a screw so that makes each one individually adjustable.

There is absolutely no visible hardware on the chair, so it looks just like it marched off the pages of a 1960s Architectural Digest magazine.

Is Sohnne Eames chair comfortable?

This chair it shelf is insanely comfortable. Because of the odd angle the chair sits at I wasn’t sure if this would be comfortable for long stretches. I’m so glad to find out that it is. Whether I was reading the morning news, or watching TV, the chair is beyond comfortable. Perhaps that down in part to the fact I ordered the taller frame.

Even husband Roger has fallen in love and has even coined the term WFC or “work from chair”, to describe how much more time he is spending in this chair as well.

The amazing thing about this replica is that it makes you comfortable whether you prefer to sit up and read, or lounge back and relax. It’s kind of hard to describe how it can make both things comfortable… But I guess that’s the secret of a good design and probably why this chair has become so iconic.

About buying replicas

Reproductions and replicas have existed for decades, but is it me, or are these “inspired-by” designs coming closer to looking like the real thing?

I had some reservations about purchasing a replica. Eames chairs are iconic and rightfully so. Both the design and unique construction of this chair in particular has stood the test of time. And it has the amazing ability to look both fresh and modern and vintage all at the same time. While I would love to own an original, I eventually came to the realization that will never be in the cards for me. Spending $5-7,000 on one single seat, is just not justifiable.

But is it okay to purchase a replica?

I actually did some reading on this (including this very interesting article) and in a nutshell there’s nothing wrong with owning replica design goods. in some cases design copyrights expire making it okay for retailers to build and sell replicas.

What’s really important is buying quality. You want to make sure the design and construction are durable and the materials are high-quality. After all, if you find a knock off Eames chair online for $500, chances are it won’t last you very long.

There are a few considerations and some do’s and don’ts when it comes to the replica furniture market. For starters, do you want to make sure any manufacturer is not pretending they’re selling the real thing. If you’re going to be paying top dollar for an original, make darn sure the place you’re buying it from is licensed.

Overall review of Sohnne chair: my personal experience

I’ve had the chair in my home for about three weeks now, and husband Rodger and I have been forced to take turns sitting in it because we both find it so comfortable. It’s pretty great when a new piece of furniture is such a good addition to your home that you end up fighting over it!

Let’s go over the pros and the cons of this Sohnne Eames Lounge Chair replica to see what you need to know.

On the pro side delivery was fast, assembly was quick and easy, and the price is definitely right.

The chair is supremely comfortable, it feels very durable, and I actually believe I am going to have this in my home for years to come. I find the materials to be really high-quality; from the wood, to the steel, and the leather, all the components feel extremely high-end.

Now, anytime I do a review I try to find some downsides or at least things that might end up being red flags for some shoppers even if not for me. I have to say I am legitimately struggling to find anything I did not like about this chair. At most I would have to say that because I have only had it for a short period of time I can’t assess or speak to its longevity.

Not only am I a huge fan of this new chair, but I am already shopping the site for a second so Roger and I don’t have to fight over this one.

I can absolutely recommend the Sohnne Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (Premier Tall version) in Ivory White Leather/Walnut Wood.

Also Read:

1. Valencia Home Theatre Seating – Verona chair

The post My hands-on Sohnne chair review: Eames Lounger appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

You don’t have to be a birder to enjoy the relaxing sound of birdsong in your yard. Birds can bring life and cheerfulness to your space and the easiest way to get more of that is with a feeder. And what’s becoming even more popular than a standard birdfeeder is a smart birdfeeder with built-in camera, like the Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder Cam from Netvue. This lets you see who is visiting your yard at any time of day and it creates a photo and video record for you to enjoy whenever you want. I recently received a test sample from Netvue to install and try out here. I’ll show you what you’re getting with this purchase, how it works, what the set up and battery life is like, and I’ll wrap things up with the pros and cons to let you know if I think I can recommend this smart birdfeeder concept to you.

A quick note that while NetVue provided this sample to me at no charge, it did not make any requests about the content of my review so these thoughts are 100% my own.

Whats in the box?

When you unbox this package you’re going to find a lot of stuff. You’ll get the main feeder unit which has the camera pre-installed, and perhaps not surprisingly the camera is IP65 weatherproof since it will be used outdoors. The camera itself is not removable from the feeder, but with this kit, that’s not a problem since there is also a solar panel kit with flexible mount. There’s also a roof-lid for the feeder, and perch, as well as several mounting options including clips for attaching your feeder to a pole, post, wall mounting it, or even wrapping it around a tree.

I have to say I am extremely impressed by all of the options available for virtually any type of installation situation. This differs greatly from at least one other product I’ve tried, Bird Buddy, which only offers very limited installation options.

I will say it would be nice if Netvue included a small sample bag of birdseed so I could fill it right away, but like other feeders on the market it’s up to you to bring the seed to your yard.

Set up & installation

You will need to assemble a few parts to get your feeder ready but fortunately this is easy and takes just seconds; snap the lid on first. The roof doubles as a flip-top lid for the feeder, making it incredibly easy to fill. Next up you’ll attach the perch which goes in with a small thumb screw.

While the box says to download the Netvue app, the company let me know  after my review that there is also a second app specifically for the feeder, called Birdfy app.  I used the Netvue app to connect the feeder and camera to my home’s Wi-Fi. Set up was very easy with just a few taps and I was connected to my feeder in a matter of minutes. Definitely high-fives for an easy set up process. The dedicated Birdfy app has some additional features.

You’ll want to install the feeder somewhere you can ensure you’re going to get reliable Wi-Fi from your house, so try to keep it within range.

For my installation I opted to use the tree mount; with this you’ll use an L-shaped bracket and Velcro band to wrap around your tree. The mount is actually quite secure and holds the feeder firmly in place—even during a recent furious windstorm

Solar Panel & battery

The solar panel being included in this package is pure genius; once connected you will never have to worry about taking your feeder down to recharge it. The solar panel connects into the back of the feeder using a USB-C cable, and the flexible rubber mount allows you to hang the solar panel or wrap it around a branch. It’s actually a really great option for mounting.

Since I did opt to install the solar panel with the feeder, I can confirm it works perfectly and my battery never went below a full charge.

Filling is super easy

Filling the feeder is extremely easy; just unlatch the back of the roof and tip it forward to fill from the top. The seed will flow into the feeder at the base and then stack up in the plastic hopper behind the camera. There’s no need to tip the feeder to fill and absolutely no spillage during the process.

The feeder holds a large amount of seed; about 1.5 L. While that may seem like a lot, it actually didn’t last me much more than a day once I started getting regular bird visitors.

Because the base tray is wide-open and lets the seed flow unfettered, just turned the feeder into an open birdseed buffet with nothing to meter the seed flow.

Optional seed tray cover

It was then I found out Netvue actually sells an optional base plate that you can use to cover the trade and slow access to the seed. It does cost an additional $24US but I think it’s pretty much mandatory if you don’t want to be filling the feeder every day which I definitely had to do before I got the cover.

I think the wide open tray is a bit of a design flaw that could be upgraded in a future version of this feeder, and I hope Netvue will start including it as part of the package in the near future. Otherwise from my testing I found the birds from greedily inhaling every last seed in just eight hours.

With the camera connected and full of seed it was time to watch the birds.

Cloud recording or Micro SD

One of the things I really appreciate about this feeder is the option of taking advantage of the Netvue cloud recording feature or simply installing a microSD card (not included) and recording your video there.

I think one of the great things about this product is that they are not trying to rope you into paying a monthly subscription fee after you buy the camera. The camera will store a limited amount of videos and photos; 10 second clips for 30 days at no cost to you. You can also add AI bird recognition but I’m not clear if this is at additional charge or is now included with the package, as I was able to access this feature.
Camera & video quality

The HD video camera in the feeder has motion detection built-in. That means anytime a bird approaches the feeder apron or perch, it will capture video automatically. The camera has a 135° wide viewing angle so you can really see from side to side across the feeder. Because the camera is well placed in the middle of the feeder you get a really full top to bottom view as well.

I found the quality was quite good. While I would love to see a 4K or ultra high resolution version of this feeder one day, the current quality is more than enough to easily see and identify any visitors to your feeder. While this camera can become a touch washed out in brighter light, for the most part it provides a great window onto your feathered friend visit.

Security camera too

The camera surprisingly also has the ability to give you a live view, plus it has full colour night vision, a siren, and two way audio, meaning you can also use this as a security camera to some extent.

With that said, trying to use this as a security camera was a little on the disappointing side. It wasn’t easy to capture or identify people unless they were right up close to the camera and I found the night vision not very clear. Now, of course, home security is not the primary purpose of this camera; it’s meant to capture birds. So it’s hard to deduct points for this. Perhaps just something to be aware of, and I would recommend that if you are in the market for more of a security surveillance device, to choose a camera that is purpose built for that.

Accessing your videos

To access your bird videos you’ll go to the app and look for your camera, then tap the notification bell. This will provide a list of all recent events by date. You can tap on each event to view it in more detail.

10-second video clips are stored in the app for up to 30 days (no subscription needed), or alternatively, you can set up that local storage using a microSD card.

AI Bird recognition

You also have the option of viewing Netvue’s AI photos, which takes a still from the video and analyzes it and will tell you exactly what type of birds are visiting your feeder.

I use this camera in my yard for about a month. I captured plenty of birds on the camera, those sadly they were mainly sparrows, finches, and doves. I didn’t see any exotic birds, but that’s not Netvue’s fault.

As far as my limited bird recognition knowledge goes, the camera seemed to identify the birds that visited accurately.

Overall review

Overall I have to say this is the best smart birdfeeder camera I have reviewed so far. It comes with all the accessories you need including the solar panel, has a lot of great features, and the minor downsides it does have don’t take away from its overall usefulness or enjoyment. Plus it’s a lot more affordable than some other options.

On the pro side, the assembly, set up an installation are super easy and quick and with many mounting options included it’s easy to place it anywhere.

I’m a huge fan of the solar panel being included since this means I never need to charge the camera. With free short-clip cloud recording or the option of using a microSD card, I never have to worry about paying monthly fees either. I think the design is super cute in the video quality is quite good and the AI bird recognition seems accurate. The videos are wide screen and clear and the fact you can use I security camera in a pinch is also a bit of a plus, even if that feature is somewhat lacking.

On the downside, I would love to see the open feeding tray redesigned a little bit so that it is not so easily accessible. During my testing birds flooded to the feeder and it needed refilling pretty much every day. That gets expensive and becomes a bit of a chore. I did later learn about the tray cover which restrict access to the seed and prevent spills, but at this moment that comes out an extra cost.

Also, I found that the camera was not good at picking up people or motion at any kind of distance from the camera. Not really a problem since this is primarily meant to capture birds perched right in front of it, but if you are hoping for some security camera use out of it you will be disappointed.

In short, I am a big fan of the Birdfy smart feeder cam and I think this is the only one to get if you’re hoping to add more birds to your life and your yard.

Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder Cam from Netvue sells for about $199USD or $205CAD and that is significantly less than some other competitors. You can get one from Netvue, Walmart or Amazon. You can also find the optional seed tray cover  or hummingbird feeder attachment separately 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: Birdfy smart bird feeder with camera appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Stand mixers are all made to do the same things – mix, knead, and whip. So why do prices range from a modest dinner out to something that resembles a car payment? The Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer is clearly made for those who need the right kitchen tool but with a more modest budget. In this review I’ll tackle the key question of whether or not cheap can still equal good. I’ll put this mixer through the test here in my home by taking it through a variety of mixing and baking tasks—you’ll see why I don’t think the bowl or accessories are properly sized and how the mixer will shake and shimmy like Bruno Mars. Are these major problems or just part of the show? I’ll lay out the pros and cons and let you know if I think I could recommend it for you.

What’s in the box?

In the box you’ll get the main mixer unit itself. Prepare yourself for the fact it is made mostly of plastic. While it has retro good looks, the lightweight of the body does have me wondering about its longevity. Since it doesn’t have the benefit of weight to hold it in place, four suction cups on the bottom will help anchor it during heavy mixing tasks. This model is a tilt head stand mixer and the tilt action is released using a button on the front. The only other control is a speed dial offering 7 speeds.

Another surprise is the mixing bowl. This 4 quart bowl is made of lightweight aluminum, and has a plastic base which locks into the mixer. This is another item of concern for me in terms of how long this mixed material will last in the long run.

Attachments

The Hamilton Beach mixer comes with a set of all the basic mixer attachments.

• Dough hook
• Whisk
• Flat beater
• 4 Quart bowl
• Splash guard
• Motor

The motor is where most stand mixers are made or broken. They must be powerful enough to hold up against even the thickest cookie dough without burning out or overheating.
The Hamilton Beach comes with a 7-speed 300W motor. You may be surprised to learn that that is the same power as you’d find in a KitchenAid classic mixer. While a KitchenAid classic will give you three more speeds for a total of 10, the overall power of the motor is largely the same.

Build Quality

So, how does the Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer undercut its competition with its price? Well, its plastic body screams budget-friendly.

The plastic body makes it lightweight and easy to handle so you can easily take it into and out of the cupboard. However, because it’s so lightweight, it does need a little help from the suction cup legs to keep it stable on your countertop.

What’s most concerning is that the plastic body tends to shake when kneading stiffer doughs. It’s a testament to how powerful the motor is but it doesn’t inspire confidence in its durability, especially if you plan to use this for long mixing sessions.

The attachments, on the other hand, are mostly metal except for the base of the whisk tool. While they’re a little lighter than the ones that come from more expensive stand mixers, they do feel somewhat durable.

Mixing tests

I put this mixer through a variety of tests in my kitchen. I started out making cake batter. Right away I found a significant frustration when trying to cream butter and sugar: The mixer seems to not adequately reach the bottom or sides of the bowl.

When using the whisk attachment to cream butter and sugar it succeeded more in compacting the mixture against the bottom and sides of the bowl instead of incorporating it. This meant I had to stop multiple times to scrape up the sides and bottom to try and get it to mix properly. This meant I ended up taking about three or four times as long to perform this simple creaming task.

Even when adding eggs and the mixture became looser and more malleable, the whisk attachment was still not able to properly incorporate the ingredients. In fact a large clump of batter stuck in the bottom of the whisk and had to be scraped out each time.

While my cake batter did finally come together, I left this task feeling like it would have just been easier to mix it by hand. Not very confidence-inspiring.

Next I used it to make the icing.

Beating egg whites

Making an Italian style buttercream it actually handled the task reasonably well. I was not convinced it would be able to whip the egg whites properly as part of the first step of this icing recipe, so I was surprised to find it was actually quite effective and whip them into stiff peaks relatively quickly. Once I added the sugar syrup it created a beautiful fluffy icing.

Cookie batter

Next I opted for a classic chocolate chip cookie dough. I find this type of stiffer cookie dough to be an excellent challenge for any stand mixer.

I opted to use the batter beater for this task and found like before it took a long time to cream the butter and the sugar. After a while it really just looked like the mixer was pummelling the ingredients not blending them.

The other thing that became extremely evident is that the plastic body of the mixer doesn’t allow it to hold itself steady. The entire body of the mixer shakes and shifts and it actually looks like it’s about to tear itself apart.

Adding the flower to the cookie dough presented a major challenge for the Hamilton Beach stand mixer but surprisingly it was able to complete the task. It did however leave me concerned that over the long term challenging the mixer like this might prove career ending for your mixer.

Overall review

Overall, If you’re a baking newbie looking to dip a toe into the world of cookies, cakes, and bread, the Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer might be a good starter appliance. But for experts who frequently work with stiffer doughs, or need longer kneading times, it may leave you wanting for more.

Let’s go over the pros and the cons.

On the pro side the design is cute and it comes in several colors. It is quite lightweight which does make it easier to move in and out of storage. The tilt head allows you to get into the bowl a little easier and the fact it comes with three mixing attachments does give it some versatility.

On the downside, the mixers plastic construction not only concerns me for its longevity, but it also allows the mixer to shake and sway to the point where it’s actually concerning whether or not it’s going to break itself. The plastic portions on both the mixing bowl and the whisk are also worrying. I found that while it has seven speeds, there’s not so much difference between them and even from lowest speed to the very highest speed it’s hard to see an extremely large difference.

Where it counts, on tougher mixing tasks, it was able to complete the job, but I am concerned about how many times the machine can strain itself like that before it calls it quits.

So is this machine for you? I think if you keep the use to lighter mixing and baking tasks like whipping and mixing cake batter, you’ll probably enjoy this mixer. If you’re hoping for a workhorse that will take on more challenging tasks for you, I would say skip this one and consider some other options instead. If you’re looking to stay on budget, I can definitely recommend the KitchenIn stand mixer—it’s got a cool design metal construction and it looks funky too. Of course you could always save up and invest in the gold standard; a metal KitchenAid classic stand mixer. I’ve reviewed both of these devices and you can check those out here.

The Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer sells for about $119USD or $159CAD and you can get yours as I got mine from Amazon.

Also Read:

1. I tried GE Profile 7-Quart Smart Mixer with Auto Sense in my home: is this smart mixer REALLY worth $1,000?!
2. Amazon’s $50 Dash stand mixer review: what you absolutely need to know before you buy

**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 Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer hands-on review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

In this article, I’ll walk you through how an AMZCHEF Slow Juicer operates, how it differs from traditional high-speed centrifugal juicers, and what you can expect from the juice it produces. We will also take a look at AMZCHEF’s top three options which do a lot more than just juicing.  I would like to say a big thank you to the company for sponsoring this post. Their support helps us keep the blog and the YouTube channel running so for that we are very grateful.

Understanding the Slow Juicer

Let’s start by delving into what exactly a slow juicer is and how it functions. Slow juicers, also known as masticating or cold press juicers, employ a gentle crushing or pressing mechanism, often utilizing an auger. Unlike high-speed juicers, which operate with rapid spinning blades, slow juicers work, not surprisingly, at a much lower speed, with minimal heat and friction during the extraction process. What does that mean? For starters, less air or foam being introduced into the juice, a common occurrence with centrifugal juicers.

In some cases slow or masticating juicers can offer different kitchen functions as well; some can be used as meat grinders, ice crushers, or even sno-cone and smoothie makers.

Choosing Between High Speed and Slow Juicers

The debate between high speed and slow juicers often boils down to personal preferences and priorities. While high-speed juicers offer quicker results, they may sacrifice certain juice qualities in the process.

Slow juicers typically produce juice with minimal foam and reduced separation, characteristics commonly associated with centrifugal juicers. Additionally, slow juicers operate quietly compared to their high-speed counterparts.

Closer look: Assembly

Let’s take a closer look at what comes with an AMZCHEF Juicer and how it’s assembled.

AMZCHEF Slow Juicers have several common components, including a feeder tube, pusher, main extraction auger, and pulp disposal unit.

How to use a masticating juicer

To use the juicer, simply feed small pieces of produce into the feeder tube and allow the auger to do its work, crushing the fruit and vegetables to pulp. The resulting juice flows out while pulp is expelled through a narrow tube at the end. The compact pulp pellets can be repurposed for any number of uses, like making a veggie broth, feeding to pets as part of a raw diet, or use it as compost.

Juicing Experience and Clean-up

While AMZCHEF Juicers generally deliver a quiet and efficient juicing experience, they do require patience due to the slower extraction process. However, the absence of foam and juice separation, coupled with the cool and fresh taste of the juice, seems to make it worth the wait.

Cleanup is relatively straightforward, with all components easily disassembled for washing. It’s worth noting that very hot water is not recommended for cleaning, and hand washing is preferable over dishwasher use.

Three options for high quality juicing

AMZCHEF has three models of masticating juicer to choose from.  Let’s look at them from simplest, to most complex.

Masticating Juicer Machines, AMZCHEF Slow Cold Press Juicer with Reverse Function

If you’re looking for a very quiet-running but still very effective juicer, you’ll want to look closer at this countertop model from AMZCHEF. With its 7 spiral masticating auger for maximum juice yield, it helps prevent oxidation and preserve all the wonderful nutrition, effectively pressing fruits and vegetables against a steel filter to extract juice while separating pulp.

It works like a dream on hard veggies ginger, celery, and other fibrous fruits or vegetables but it can also be used to press every drop from oranges and citrus fruits (and all the flavourful oils too!) as well as softer fruits and veg including kiwi, and strawberries. The AMZCHEF Juicer has just a single speed but two settings: forward and reverse. The reverse function proves useful for dislodging any produce lodged in the auger.

AMZCHEF says the noise is less than 60 decibels, while this slow juicer operates at a speed of 80-115 RPM, ensuring a quiet juicing experience. AMZCHEF also says this model juicer can extract up to 90% more juice while minimizing oxidation and preserving nutrients.

This model also brings versatility to your kitchen, since it can also be used as a meat grinder or slicer shredder by purchasing additional attachments.

Find out more here.

AMZCHEF SJ-036 Juicer 5.3-Inch Self-Feeding Masticating Juicer Fit Whole Fruits & Vegetables

The new generation of AMZCHEF juicer is different from traditional juicers. With a wider opening and larger juice capacity of nearly 2 liters, this version frees you from repeatedly feeding the juicer with ingredients.   AMZCHEF SJ-036 Juicer adopts cold-press masticating technology, paired with a strong 250W motor and auger, but at the same time it’s very quiet. This juicer uses a multi-stage cutting, crushing and squeezing process, so that you can get the most juice possible—and retain the original nutrients.

Plus with a triple filter you’ll find less foam and fewer bits in your juice. And with its “stop-on-opening” and anti-drip lid it’s safe and tidy to use too. It comes in many beautiful colors, and has over 8,000 5-star reviews., and it’s clear users love it.

Learn more here.

AMZCHEF 1517: 5 in 1 Slow Masticating Juicer with Slicer/Shredder Attachment, Meat Grinder, Snow Cone Maker

AMZCHEF has created the ultimate kitchen machine with this 5-in-1 multifunctional appliance. It starts with the juicer, which uses the now-familiar mastication mechanism and its 112 RPM slow screw motor to squeeze up to 85% of nutrient-rich juice from almost any fruit or vegetables. This slow, low-heat extraction method lets you maximize the nutritional value of   and reduce oxidation, which is what typically turns fresh juice an off-putting brown colour.

The juicer can handle typical fruits and leafy vegetables plus things like apples, oranges, watermelon or wheatgrass, which you just can’t use with a high speed extractor. With just a 60dB noise level, it’s not going to shake the house either.

But the utility doesn’t stop there; this juicer is also a meat grinder by swapping in a few parts. You can grind fresh meats like chicken, pork, turkey or beef easily. And since the machine disassembles quickly with dishwasher safe parts, the cleanup is ultra easy. It can even shred or slice vegetables for salads.

And since the machine disassembles quickly with dishwasher safe parts, the cleanup is ultra easy. This juicer also does myriad other kitchen tasks too; use it to crush ice, or feed frozen fruit through to make smoothies or sno-cones in an instant. This machine will even make baby food!

Get the details here.

Overall Impression

AMZCHEF Juicers can fullfill almost any kitchen task. With quiet operation, high juice yield, and minimal foam and almost no juice separation these appliances are standout choices for juicing enthusiasts—and those who need an appliance to do more.

Check out more about these AMZCHEF Juicers if you’re looking for a reliable and budget-friendly juicing solution.

You can get the AMZCHEF Masticating Cold Press Slow Juicer on Amazon or check out some of the company’s other products too.

Also Read:

1. Review: Ninja Professional Blender
2. Ninja Blast Portable Blender review

**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 Everything to know about slow juicers: and 3 to pick from AMZCHEF appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

From voice-activated lighting to a fridge that can update your grocery list, thanks to smart devices, we’re pretty much living in a futuristic world similar to that popular cartoon, The Jetsons.

Take Alexa, for example. She’s not just the voice that plays your favorite tunes anymore. With Alexa Routines, she’s become that Jetsons robot Rosie in a smart speaker—ready to make your daily grind smoother, your home more secure, and, let’s be honest, make you feel a bit like a tech wizard.

You can have Alexa crank up the thermostat as you wake up, brew coffee when you say “Good morning,” or dim the lights when it’s time to get your horror movie marathon started. Basically, it’s like having a personal assistant who doesn’t judge your coffee addiction or your movie choices.

What are Alexa Routines anyway?

In essence, Alexa Routines are customizable commands for your Alexa-enabled devices, designed to automatically do a series of tasks based on conditions you set. So, depending on the Alexa-equipped hardware you have, you’ll be able create more elaborate Routines.

Here are three examples of Alexa Routines that just might change your life:

Sleep and wake naturally: Who’d have thought lightbulbs such as Govee Floor Lamp could help you sleep better, but here we are. Instead of a jarring alarm, you can set up a bedtime Alexa Routine that slowly dims your lights, helping you wind down in sync with your sleep schedule.

Come home to clean floors: By setting up routines with your Yeedi Cube smart vacuum, you can customize and automate its operations based on specific triggers. For example, you could create a routine that instructs the vacuum to go for a cleaning cycle whenever you trigger your coming home routine.

Automate Storm Proofing: WeatherFlow Tempest can help Alexa Routines in triggering security measures under certain weather conditions. If the Tempest notices that a storm is approaching, it can prompt Alexa to close smart blinds, turn on indoor lights, and send you a notification to secure outdoor furniture, keeping your home safe from potentially damaging winds.

Getting Started: The Basics

Three basic concepts determine which Alexa Routines you can set up – Hardware, Event, and Actions.

Hardware

If you have a specific routine in mind, like say, a morning routine that includes opening your blinds and starting your favorite podcast, you’ll need the right hardware. In this scenario, you’ll need smart blinds and an Amazon Echo device.

Of course, you’ll also need to add these devices with your Alexa app to make sure they can communicate with your smart home hub.

Event

The Event is the trigger of the routine. It can be as simple as saying, “Good morning, Alexa,” a specific time – say, 6 PM, just as you’re wrapping up that work-from-home grind. Or, it could also be something more complicated such as location, sound or motion detection, or even humidity, depending on the smart sensors you have available.

Action

Now, for the Actions—these are the fun bits that happen after you’ve set the wheels in motion. Want your smart bulbs to get the party started with a sultry hue? Done. Craving for your playlist to kick in with some smooth jazz as you don your apron for dinner prep? You got it. The possibilities are as vast as your streaming options on Amazon Prime.

Creating Your First Routine: Walkthrough

Here’s the nitty-gritty on how to create your first routine:

1. Fire up your Alexa app.
2. Tap on More and dive into Routines.
3. Hit that ‘+’ sign like it’s a snooze button on Monday morning.
4. Tap on Add an event, choose your trigger, and tap on Next.
5. Now, tap on Add and action and select which ones you want to execute.
6. Give your new routine a name that’s easy to remember. ‘Party Time’ or ‘Shhh, Baby’s Sleeping,’—you know, something descriptive.
7. Choose your trigger and tap on Save.

Also Read:

1. How to play Apple Music on an Amazon Alexa device
2. How to set up Alexa Home Monitoring, or use Amazon Echo Show devices as a security camera
3. How to add Alexa voice control to Samsung Sound Bar
4. How to customize the screen on Echo Show

**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 create Alexa routines – and 3 to use NOW! appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde Hands-on Review

In this review, I’ll take a look at the fan’s heating, cooling and purifying properties, how well it works, plus its special features.

What is Formaldehyde? And why do I need to remove it from my home?

Formaldehyde is a chemical that is used in building materials and household products. It can also be found in materials made of pressed wood, such as particleboard and plywood, as well as glues and adhesives. Formaldehyde is also used as a disinfectant and germicide and can be found in wallpapers, some fabrics, fireplaces and vehicle exhaust. Laboratories and mortuaries often use formaldehyde for its preservative qualities. Formaldehyde gets into our homes mainly through what’s called off-gassing, where construction or renovation materials, furniture, cabinets and household products slowly release formaldehyde over time.

Dyson’s special formaldehyde filter.

So what’s the problem? The Government of Canada calls formaldehyde an irritant, saying exposure to high concentrations can cause burning sensations in the eyes, nose and throat. Formaldehyde is also classified as “carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Long-term exposure to moderate concentrations may worsen asthma symptoms and may also be linked to other respiratory symptoms and allergic sensitivity.
Formaldehyde is classified as “carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

So… we’d probably rather not have formaldehyde accumulating in our homes. That’s where this special Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde comes in.

Formaldehyde Filter and Air Quality

The Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde uses a catalytic filter to detect then break down formaldehyde into water and carbon dioxide and Dyson claims it will never need to be replaced. The solid-state sensor is said to detect formaldehyde molecules 500 times smaller than 0.1 microns. You can actually see in detail the formaldehyde levels in your house; it’s listed as “HCHO” so you can keep tabs on it.

You can set the fan to kick into action automatically when particulate matter increases in the air and drop back down when the air is clearer.

Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde also has a HEPA H13 standard filter, which can be removed and replaced. Dyson says the entire fan also is sealed to HEPA H13.

Aesthetics

The Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde has a beautiful, sleek look that Dyson has become known for. The gold-coloured plating on the filter cover provides a nice contrast to the silver body, and the white fan housing is white with a black accent. The remote is also gold-coloured, and curved to match the contours of the fan; a small magnet inside the remote lets it stick to the top of the fan so you can store it somewhere you can always find it.

The unit is big; there’s no getting around that; it’s a bit big in my opinion to be placed on a table or surface; it’s kind of overpowering. The device stands about 30 inches in height, and is roughly 8 inches in diameter.

Info screen

The Hot+Cold Formaldehyde has a tiny digital screen to show you different information; you can set it to display the individual particulate levels in the room, the temperature, or humidity. The current speed is always displayed at the top of the screen.

Air Control: What you can do with Dyson

The fan provides ten levels of output in both heating and cooling mode.

Auto mode will speed up and slow down the fan as needed to clean the air, or to maintain a specific heat level if you’re using it for heating.

Depending whether you like air blasting directly at you, or you’re just trying to get some flow through, you can adjust the airflow of the Dyson purifier hot plus cool formaldehyde. With the diffuse mode, it circles the air around the blade less top to keep things moving, or you can adjust it for a more directional and powerful flow that will wash over you.

The airflow is naturally adjustable from 1-10 and I found level 5 got good flow going without being too loud. Speaking of loudness.. how loud is the fan? On it’s highest levels I’d say it’s about average-to-quieter.

How cool/hot does it feel?

I always get asked if a Dyson fan is like air conditioning… I think folks think if it’s this expensive it must also be able to cool the air, right? Not so. This fan straight up blows air around, it does not have any cooling properties, aside from those that come from airflow itself.

How hot does it get?

When it comes to heat, the Dyson Hot+ Cool really shines. You can choose a heat setting almost like using a thermostat, and the Dyson will maintain it for you by cycling the heater on and off. I like using this setting at night so it doesn’t get too hot in the room. The temperature on the Dyson will heat up to ??? degrees

Controls and Settings: Remote Control or use the app

The remote allows you to change the fan speed at ten different increments, turn the heat function on or off, and turn the fan itself on. It also allows you to set the night mode and turn on the timer function.

Identical controls exist in the Dyson Link app, so you can always have a remote handy. The app is super easy to use and navigate. In the app is where you can really get a detailed look at your pollutant levels too; you can see historical data, as well as current levels, and you can view overall air quality, or drill down and see which specific pollutants are being detected.

Other modes & settings

Night Mode
The Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde also features a night mode, which lowers the screen’s brightness, and puts the fan into a quieter operating mode.

Timer

You can also set a timer that will automatically turn the fan/heater off after 15 minutes up to 9 hours.

Oscillation

Want the fan to swing side to side? Not only can you set that inside the app, but you can control the size of the arc, from 45 degrees all the way up to a nearly full circle 350 degrees.

Smart Voice Control

You can use Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Apple’s Siri to gain voice control and hands-free automation. You’ll be able to access specific functions of the fan and use those as steps in more advanced routines. Siri and Alexa are accessed through the Dyson app while setting up your Dyson device for Google requires you to go into the Google Home app and set up a new products by searching for Dyson.

Overall review: Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde

Overall, this is a pretty great and versatile device. I’ve had great experiences with Dyson products; they work very well, require almost no maintenance and they look good in my space.

The price tag on this device may seem steep, but consider that you’re getting a powerful fan for summer, a heater for winter, and a powerful air purifier that also cleans formaldehyde from your air for year-round comfort and clean air. Downsides? Aside from the price some folks will point out… I suppose it is rather large and you will really need a dedicated spot for it.

In short, the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde delivers solid heating, cooling, and air purifying in an attractive package. I can recommend it for your home too.

It sells for about $899CAD from many major electronics retailers and 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 Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde Hands-on Review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

How much attention do you pay to what’s happening in your yard? There’s a whole world happening out there, and you probably don’t see most of it. But you could… that’s where something like a camera-enabled, app-connected bird feeder comes in. If this sounds like expensive overkill, well, yeah, it is. But it also has the potential to be really fun. I recently got the Bird Buddy feeder from husband Roger as a gift, so in this review, I’ll put it to the test; we’ll look at what it’s like to set up and install, how well the camera works, and how long the battery lasts. Maybe most importantly, I’ll show you what kind of wildlife I saw during my 4 weeks with it and if the supposed AI bird identification works or not. A bit of a heads-up; while this feeder seems fun and educational, it is very expensive for what you get, and I found it has a lot of shortcomings… but are they enough to make it feel cheep… I’ll peck away at the pros and cons to get you a final decision.

The Internet of Things has its digital claws on virtually everything these days! On one corner you have all the big and small electronics you use in your household ranging from smart speakers to smart faucets. Then you also have various Internet-connected gadgets for outside your home like smart sprinklers and even bird feeders. Yup, folks thought it was a good idea to add some smarts to a bird feeder! In fact, searching for one on Amazon yields tons of results from all sorts of brands you have probably never heard of. The problem? Smart bird feeders cost at least $100 or roughly six times the price of an ordinary bird feeder so you really need to make sure you invest on a trustworthy product. The Bird Buddy Smart Feeder + Camera looks to play that part earning awards from CES, SXSW, and Kickstarter. Let’s see how it performs and if it is worth shelling out at least $239 USD over.

What is a “Smart” Bird Feeder?

What are you getting with a ‘smart’ bird feeder?

In essence the Bird Buddy is a device to spot and identify birds that come to the feeder, using everyone’s favourite buzzwords; Artificial Intelligence or AI.

Watch my full review & see the video

Smart bird feeders are basically bird feeders equipped with a camera module and a wireless connection chip allowing you to get an intimate look at birds chowing down on your birdseed buffet. Bird Buddy, like some other more expensive bird feeders also have companion apps which use AI to try to identify the bird for you. These feeders are battery-powered and have some type of motion detection too, which will activate the camera whenever it detects a bird. Finally, smart bird feeders must be weather-resistant to protect the electronics from rain and other conditions.

When you factor in the camera, battery, sensors, plus app development and do a bit of math, you can realize there’s a lot that goes into a smart feeder, but it also gives you a lot more too.

Bird Buddy: Unboxing and Setup

The Bird Buddy comes in a nice package, but there’s not much inside; you get the removable camera unit on top which is actually quite large and fat. Underneath there is the feeder unit itself and a small cup to fill it with.

The construction is all plastic but the design is nice and modern with a narrow feed container behind clear plastic. There’s a divot in there to slip in the camera which stays in place thanks to the housing’s built-in magnet.

The Bird Buddy’s recyclable plastic housing is supposed to be weatherproof and feels both light and pretty solid but how well the housing will hold up after a few years could depend on your environment.

Also included in the package is a universal mount with screws, and a metal hanger hook and rope. If you want to wall mount you must purchase a wall mount separately ($39 USD, unless you go for the Pro package which comes with other accessories like a solar roof for recharging, and suet ball holder.)
What you don’t get

I was surprised however at what you don’t get: birdseed is not included. While I wasn’t expecting a 5 pound bag of sunflower seeds, I was actually hoping for a small sample bag so that we could get started luring birds right away, but as it was, we had to wait until we could get to a store to buy some. For the price of Bird Buddy, I’d love to see a very small sample of birdseed included in the package so people can fill it right away while they source out more birdseed.

Speaking of value for price, I’m also quite surprised at how small the seed-holding capacity of this birdfeeder is. The bin can store around 3.8 cups or 0.9 liters worth of bird seed which should last several weeks depending on the season.

Which means you will want to place it somewhere where it is easily accessible to you, because you are going to be filling it up all the time. This was a small con for me right out of the gate.

To get started, you should fully charge the camera with the included USB-C cable which connects to the top of the camera module. For waterproofing it is covered with a small silicone stopper. The stopper does not have any type of anchor so don’t misplace it. I will say I think this is a cheap design choice: Most silicone stoppers when placed in the top of a unit that will be outdoors have a lanyard that permanently connect them so you can always ensure the cover will stay protected. Another small corner cut.

Next, download the Bird Buddy app from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store so you can immediately connect the module to your Wi-Fi. Connecting your Bird Buddy to your Wi-Fi early can help you figure out where to place your Bird Buddy as the feeder cannot function without an Internet connection. The app will help you stay within Wi-Fi range.

You also need to create a Bird Buddy account through the app as the photos and videos the camera takes go directly to the cloud, with an option to download too.

Once you have mounted the Bird Buddy within range of your router on the 2.4 GHz band, you can then add the bird seed by opening the latch on the back of the feeder.

Specs and Features Using Bird Buddy Feeder

With the feeder set up and connected I was ready to go. The first order of business is to fill the seed container, and again I was frustrated. There is a small door in the top of the back of the feeder which opens up. There is absolutely no way to get anything in there without making a mess. I suppose this is why there is a cup with a spout included, and in truth this did help the process, but there are still several problems. One is that the back plate of the feeder slides up and down, and if you’re not careful, you’ll spill seed out the back. The other way you’re going to spill this is that in order for you to use the cup to fill the feeder, you have to tilt it forward a bit, which then allows all the seed that’s fallen into the tray at the bottom of the feeder so spill over the front.

I am actually really frustrated with how poorly designed this is. This feeder has one job and that is to hold birdseed to feed the birds. But there’s no good efficient way to fill it and not waste a whole bunch of seed in the process. Major thumbs down.

Waiting period

With the feeder finally full and settled out in the yard I was hoping to be flooded with bird sightings. For me it took almost a full week before I got my first notification. I can’t blame this on Bird Buddy since there’s probably a waiting period before the birds figure out what’s on the menu in your yard. But you might want to scale back your expectations.

App is clunky, cluttered and confusing

The Bird Buddy app should begin sending you notifications. The app will record any sightings and store both video and photos buy you’ll get push notifications also.

Unfortunately the easy account setup is where the fun with the app ended. The app is extremely cluttered and busy, and it’s very hard to figure out how to access your feeder.

There are six tabs along the bottom of the app and the icons don’t make much sense. There’s a Mailbox or Inbox (also known as History) which allows you to connect to other feeders around the world until you start seeing birds of your own. Once you have some sightings, you will see your snapshots here, but be warned, you only get them for 7 days.

Next to that is two squares which stands for “Collection” which is actually where your own photos that you SAVE should show up. Then there is a TV icon which apparently allows you to also connect to other feeders around the world. Next stop is a person symbol which is supposed to represent “Community. The last tab on the bottom is the traditional Settings gear.

I will say there is a lot of overlap here among these tabs, and understanding the intricacies and subtle differences of what you get between each tab is not made clear.

How to view the stream from your Bird Buddy feeder

For the most part you’re going to want to access the Settings gear which is where you will find your own personal feeder.

Under the Settings tab you should see your own feeder at the top of the screen. It will display whether it is connected and ready for birds, as well as its existing battery life. You basically have one option; ‘Start Livestream’. It takes at least a minute in most cases to connect to the livestream, which is another frustration; if you spot a bird on the feeder and want a closer look, there’s a good chance it’s flown the coop by the time the connection is made.

When the Bird Buddy first released to Kickstarter backers and early customers, many complained about the buggy app experience. Fortunately, Bird Buddy continues to make rapid apps to their mobile apps resolving those issues. The app is pretty reliable in sending out push notifications whenever a bird is detected. AI recognition is hit or miss and it’s a cool thing to see when the app correctly identifies the bird species. But of course, even the most advanced AI is prone to errors so you can’t expect any smart bird feeder product to get the bird species right each and every time.

Camera & image quality

What separates the Bird Buddy from most of the other cheaper smart bird feeders is its 5-megapixel camera module with a 120-degree field of view. Even so, you’re only getting an HD camera here; nothing high-resolution.

Megapixels alone don’t measure camera quality but at first glance, the Bird Buddy camera takes clear and vivid photos. Videos record at 720p and unfortunately, you need to go for a Pro subscription which costs about $15 a year to unlock 1080p recording.

This is another example of Bird Buddy cutting a corner, hoping to get more money from you. Most video doorbells or wireless home security cameras are 1080p, so it feels like a bit of a gouge to pay more for better resolution.

But let’s get to the goods about overall photo and video quality: It’s actually really good. The photos are clear and sharp and while they do lack some finer definition, it’s quite easy to see and identify the birds.

You’ll get both still photos and videos of any interactions, which lets you get a bit more detail and see different angles.

Yet another corner cut: videos and photos ‘expire’

As I was going through some of my footage I was kind of surprised to see several had flags that they would be expiring in one day. Just 7 days after I had installed the feeder I was already losing access to what limited footage I had. It is possible to save these to your own personal collection, but even so I’m pretty annoyed that that’s all the runway I get.

AI identification: excellent accuracy

If you’re not ornithologist (a person who studies birds and I am definitely not) you never have to wonder what’s landing at your feeder. Bird Buddy uses artificial intelligence to identify the birds for you and it seems quite accurate, at least from my limited knowledge.

In my 4 weeks with Bird Buddy I am disappointed I didn’t see any exotic birds, but I did get a lot of sparrows and mourning doves, so beyond those I can’t speak to how well it identifies a bigger array of species.

Bird Buddy Community

The other thing you can do with your feeder is share your photos or videos with the wider Bird Buddy Community. Not only can you enable access to your snaps, but you can view other people’s captures or live feeds too. If you’re truly into birding, this is a great way to connect with your people.

Lots of Sharing options

With both the photos and videos you capture from your bird buddy you can save them to your phone, save them to your collection, as well as share them with a wider audience using text, email or more.

New species alerts on repeat and more features you can’t use

Many times in my inbox feed I would see that photos have been tagged with “new species” since more often than not the “new species” that showed up in my feed was either a sparrow or a dove, I was confused at why it was constantly being tagged as a new species. I think this “new species” designation actually means, “new bird-mail”, since it seemed to apply to photos and videos I hadn’t seen yet.

You can choose to ‘ignore’ certain common species if you want, so you only get alerts for something truly new or exotic. Of course, as is becoming common, this is a feature you can only use with the Pro plan.

Optional Features

Bird Buddy sells two other variants of its smart bird feeder for those willing to pay a bit more for convenience. The most popular variant is the one that comes with a solar roof which is a handy accessory to have if you don’t have a nearby power outlet and don’t want to recharge the camera module every 1 to 2 weeks. This bundle costs $299 USD so you save about $20 compared to buying the solar roof separately. But since the bird feeder relies on USB-C power, you could set up your own solar panel arrangement or use backup power to keep the feeder charged.

Finally, you can buy the Bird Buddy Pro Bundle up front, which also includes the solar roof along with a 3-in-1 nutrition set, suet ball holder, and perch extender.

Cloud recording only: no SD card option

Smart bird feeders are a fun but niche category to explore which makes Bird Buddy a potential risk for those who might be on the fence with its high asking price. My main concern with the product is its complete reliance on the cloud. The company behind the product isn’t a major brand and they had to rely on Kickstarter backers to get the product off the ground and it had a rocky launch. On top of that, Bird Buddy restricts several features to a Pro subscription including 1080p video and a high-performance mode that uses more battery to take more photos along with guest invites. This is understandable considering the high costs of maintaining servers, but it does open up the possibility of the Bird Buddy turning into an ordinary bird feeder if the company shuts down due to shifting sales or reduced paid subscriber count. Company shutdowns have happened before with smart home companies like Insteon and iHome.

Not all smart bird feeders have this issue because some have built-in storage or an SD card slot for local video storage. On the official Bird Buddy FAQ page, the company may explore local storage in the future so a lot of what you are paying for is on trust that the product and service will improve.

Poorly designed feeder

As someone who’s had a few bird feeders out in the yard, I’m no expert, but there are a few things in the design of this one that make me believe it’s poorly designed, just as a basic feeder.
For one, the hanging hook is awkward to place, and it moves around a lot, making the feeder quite unstable. On the flip side, the bottom isn’t flat, so you can’t really place it on a table or a pedestal and have it stay put. While you could use the included post adapter for a more stable placement, of course you would have to go and find the right size pole or an old broom handle.

Other design flaws; the base tray is massive, allowing copious amounts of seed to fill it, so the greedier birds have a field day feasting on what is essentially an open buffet. In a future re-design, I’d like to see some kind of a grid over it that can limit access to the already small amount of seed here. The roof also appears in every shot in the top corners.

You could possibly say this is for branding so that it’s easy to know which feeder the videos are from, but it’s the kind of thing that takes the focus away from the birds.

Battery life

At this point it feels like I’m kicking the birds while they’re down, but the battery life on this feeder is also extremely lackluster. On a full charge I was only able to get about 10 days used before I needed to recharge it. Doing that is easy enough since you can pop the camera module out and take it indoors, but 10 days is a pretty paltry amount of battery and I can absolutely see folks growing weary of the constant recharging and just giving up. Naturally, Bird Buddy wants you to pay for its solar recharger of course but if you’re already frustrated about having spent so much on the feeder this is not an ideal solution.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Bird Buddy as a concept is a great idea. The execution is where it falls flat for me and there are enough downsides and cut corners that I can’t recommend it. Let’s go over the pros and cons, and when you see the list all lined up here, you’ll understand why I think you should probably wait for a Generation 2 version of Bird Buddy.

Let’s start with the pros… I absolutely love the design, and I think it’s truly beautiful. The modern look is definitely what drew me to this feeder. I was also rather surprised and impressed with the quality of the photos and videos. Birds can be notoriously hard to capture with their flirting and zooming in and out, but the camera module seems to do a really good job at only sending the best images to my phone.

On the downside, there’s so much to talk about; how small the seed container is, how open and accessible the base tray is and how poorly designed the feeder itself seems, how absolutely awkward it is to refill the seed container, the short battery life, or perhaps the lack of a 1080p high definition option you don’t have to pay extra for. The live connection takes a long time even when the feeder is closest to my router, and of course the entire system is reliant on Bird Buddy’s proprietary cloud system with no option for local recording with a memory card. The mounting options are very limited, again unless you want to pay more, and the feeder won’t sit on flat surfaces. Plus I’m not sure the all-plastic build could withstand falling from its swingy hook in a windstorm.

For the very high price tag a sample bag of seed should be part of the package to keep the excitement of unboxing going. Overall, I don’t think you’re getting your money’s worth, so if this is something you are eyeing, I would recommend you wait for a future generation and what I hope would be some significant improvements. I also saw some competition at CES 2024 and I’m looking forward to checking out the other options that are out there so be sure to watch for some of those reviews later this year.

Bird Buddy sells for about 4249 US and you can find it 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 Hands-on Review: Bird Buddy smart bird feeder with camera appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Slapping the “Barista” term on your espresso machine may make sense for the marketing department since it conjures up your local cafe. But is it a guarantee of a good quality, semi-pr at-home espresso machine? The new L’Or Barista Coffee & Espresso system from Philips seems to be marketing itself that way, but while it’s got good looks going for it, it’s the coffee that counts, so let’s put it to the test in this hands-on review.

What is the L’OR BARISTA Coffee & Espresso System?

In a nutshell, this is an automated espresso machine that uses Nespresso original pods to make both espresso and coffee.

L’OR is a French coffee capsule manufacturer that makes espresso capsules which are compatible with Nespresso Original machines.

Watch my hands-on review of L’OR coffee & espresso machine

But, L’OR’s grander goal is to carve its own ecosystem of coffee capsules to better compete with Nespresso. For this you need a dedicated espresso machine you can slap your name on, so L’OR partnered with Philips to develop the L’OR Barista Coffee and Espresso Machine.

Philips is no stranger to building espresso machines as it created what I referred to as the “Cadillac of automatic espresso machines” – the Philips 4300 Automatic Espresso. That machine gives you the convenience of full automation without compromising on the espresso quality. However, the high price and space-hogging design isn’t for everyone.

Think of the L’OR Barista Coffee and Espresso Machine as a machine positioned somewhere in the middle… a bigger and slightly more versatile espresso machine than something like a Nespresso Essenza or Inissia (read our comparison here), but not nearly as elaborate as a Philips 4300.
Let’s dig into what it will do.

Key Specifications

Measuring 11 inches tall, 7 inches wide, and 16 inches deep, the L’OR Barista Coffee and Espresso Machine will take up a bit more space on your countertop than a Breville Nespresso Inissia or a Nespresso Lattissima One. It is a counter pig, but the L’OR Philips machine comes with a significantly larger 40-ounce water tank capacity. You can easily detach the water tank whenever you need to refill it. The entire machine with the water tank attached weighs about 7 pounds or 5 kilograms.

When placing it on your counter, be sure to have at least a 6-inch height allowance as the long top lid opens vertically for installing a capsule. It barely clears my cupboards.

Pressure extraction

This machine uses 19 bars of pressure to extract espresso, which seems higher than necessary, since espresso’s sweet spot is between about 7-9 bars, but since many machines lose a lot of pressure between the pump and group head, it usually ends up coming out around 7-9 anyway.

L’OR’s official website bundles every machine with 30 capsule samples so you can try out their coffee right away. But not for me. I ordered mine from Amazon, and I discovered some online retailers don’t include the sample bundle, so make sure you’ve got pods of your own.

I actually tried calling L’OR’s customer service number to see if I could get a few pods to try, but after keeping me on hold for about 5 minutes I was told to leave a message and then disconnected. The only other option is an email form, which I also filled out. I was impressed that I got an email back in under an hour offering the free samples. Nice!

Setting Up the Machine

Unlike many larger espresso machines, setting up the L’OR Barista Coffee machine is a breeze – just fill up the water tank, securely attach it, and add the drip tray. L’OR recommends that you run water through the machine without a coffee pod on first use to rinse the insides.

The drip tray is removable and can be used as a riser for smaller espresso cups, or removed to fill a mug.

Making Coffee With the Philips L’OR Barista

The L’OR Barista Coffee machine features the Dual Capsule Recognition technology allowing the machine to automatically recognize the capsule you put in whether it is an exclusive L’OR aluminum capsule or your standard Nespresso capsule. L’OR offers a wide range of coffee flavors for a full mug of brewed coffee or in single-shot and double-shot capsule variants.

The machine has three settings, which will be different depending on whether you are using Nespresso capsules or L’Or capsules: The “Small” setting allows you to make 5-ounce L’Or coffee or 1.4-ounce Nespresso while the “Medium” setting makes 8-ounce coffee or 2.7-ounce espresso. Finally, the “Large” setting makes 12-ounce Lungo coffee or 3.7-ounce espresso.

Making espresso

The espresso-making process is quite simple; lift the tall lid until the pod drawer opens. Drop your pod in round side down and close the lid until you hear a click. Hit the power button and let the machine warm up; this takes about? Seconds. Then once the power button stays lit you can choose your size of drink. Press the drink size button once and your beverage will start to flow.

The machine will use both spouts to create a double shot Ristretto, Espresso, or Lungo coffee depending on your setting. Alternatively, you can add two smaller cups under each spout for a quick dual coffee cup preparation. Once you finished preparing the coffee, the emptied capsule dispenses to a bin which you can pull above the drip tray. This drawer can store several used capsules before you need to empty it.

Initially the first handful of times I used the machine I felt like the espresso was quite watery. I don’t know whether this was due to the pods or just part of a break-in. But I was pretty disappointed with what I got. After a couple of days though the espresso seemed to get a little creamier.

Espresso quality

After my initial break-in. I found the coffee brewed quickly and seemed much more espresso like. I would definitely say the quality is absolutely comparable to a standard Nespresso machine. I’m a fan of Nespresso coffees—I know the issues around recycling so I always send mine back to Nespresso. I find though that this is a quick easy and high-quality way to get my morning double shot of espresso; without having to drive to my local café and without having to fuss with a manual machine.

I tried both Nespresso Pods and L’Or pods, and found the machine worked perfectly with both. I also enjoyed my trial of L’Or pods too. The coffee was rich and flavorful, and the pods are identical in size and shape to Nespresso version.

Cost difference?

Behind the coffee spout is a good-sized pod discard bin which holds about ?? Capsules.

Can sizes be adjusted?

If you’re wondering if it’s possible to adjust each automatic drink size to a different amount the answer is yes. It’s actually a fairly quick and easy process which I have detailed at TechGadgetsCanada.com .

1. Press and hold the button of the coffee whose quantity you want to
   adjust for 3 seconds until the button flashes quickly. Then release the
   button. The machine starts brewing coffee.
2. Press the same button again when the cup contains the desired quantity
   of coffee.

Resetting the coffee quantities

To reset the coffee quantities to their factory settings:

1. Press the on/off button to switch on the machine.
2. Wait until the machine has heated up and all buttons light up.
3. Press and hold the ristretto, espresso and lungo buttons simultaneously
   until all buttons flash quickly to show that the machine has been reset to
   factory settings

Making L’Or Coffee

I was actually kind of excited to try making coffee with this machine since I was interested in the coffee quality and what the brewing experience would be like.

I received two types of sample pods from Phillips L’Or:

The brewed coffee pods go in exactly the same place and then exactly the same way as the espresso pods. They just use more water and more coffee. It was super easy to brew up a single cup with just the press of a button. Making individual cups of coffee does eat into the water reservoir quite significantly, but that’s also probably why it’s larger than most. I found the coffee was actually quite tasty and suited my snooty coffee just fine.

Versatile

I actually think this machine is super versatile; one of the only other machines I’ve tried that can do single serve coffees is a Keurig machine, and they don’t tend to do espresso. The fact that this machine, well it does have a larger footprint, makes two different kinds of coffee and espresso quite well is a huge plus in my opinion.

Speed

The brewing speed on this machine is actually quite impressive. You can make a shot of espresso in less than 30 seconds, and a regular size mug of coffee takes about one minute.

Water temperature

There have been volumes written about the ideal temperature for espresso, and of course personal preference can play into it a lot as well. While the water temperature is not disclosed either online or in the manual as far as I could see, when I took measurements during the extraction process, the temperature peaked at about 175-180F, or about 80 celsius.
The water temperature is not adjustable, which is standard for machines like this.

L’OR Maintenance

Like all coffee machines, I recommend you descale the machine every 3 to 6 months to maximize the machine’s lifespan. The L’OR Barista machine will flash the ristretto and lungo buttons a few times after you brew indicating the need for descaling. You can descale the L’OR by pouring a half-bottle citric-acid based descaler in the water tank and filling the rest with tap water. Then place a 1.5-liter bowl on the drip tray and press both the ristretto and lungo buttons simultaneously to start the 40-minute descaling process.

Overall review: Philips L’OR espresso machine

Overall, this is a pretty good machine. One of the biggest selling points is going to be its versatility; it will make both single-serve cups of brewed coffee as well as quality espresso under one roof. The quality of the coffee was extremely impressive and the fact I can use Nespresso pods or Philips L’Or pods gives me a lot of options. The larger-than-average water tank is a boon for espresso making but also means you don’t have to refill if you’re making a couple full mugs of coffee. Similarly, the large pod discard bin holds a lot and won’t require constant emptying. I also found the noise level to be extremely moderate; some Nespresso machines I have tried make a loud buzzing noise that can be annoying first thing in the morning. But this machine seems a lot more muted.

When it comes to the downsides probably the worst thing I can pick on is that the machine itself is on the larger size; even though it’s bigger than the average Nespresso espresso machine, it is significantly smaller than most other coffee makers. How much this will factor into your decision will depend on how much counter space you have. The tall height of the lever on top may also affect your placement.

In short, I’ve become a huge fan of this machine and I can absolutely recommend it to coffee aficionados who are looking for a little more versatility than the average Nespresso machine can provide.

The Philips L’Or Coffee & Espresso System sells for about $189USD. Canadian availability seems limited at the moment with only the occasional listing on Amazon at an exorbitant price.

You can check out other options if you like milk with your espresso like this machine from Phillips, or see what a much smaller and simpler Nespresso machine is like, right here.

Consider checking out my recent buying guide for Nespresso machines for my top picks.

**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 L’OR Barista Coffee machine review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.