Bionaire Mini Tower Air Purifier

Since the past summer I have been experiencing difficulty in breathing normally.   My doctor suspects that I might become asthmatic and I had to go pass a breathing test last month.  About two weeks down the line, the hospital called me and asked if I could come back for a second test.   Anyhow, I am still waiting for the results.  I had done a bit of research on asthma and how to ease it.   I learned about how air purifiers could help you.    I knew I could not justify purchasing it until I get the final results on the tests I had done but imagine my delight when I saw the Bionaire Mini Tower Air Purifier being offered on Vine Voices.

Last week, while at the pool during the kids’ swimming lessons, I slowly started having issues again.  Fortunately, I also knew that the Bionaire Air Purifier was on its way.  It was just a matter of days…

When I received it I immediately proceeded in unpacking it and plugging it in the living room.   The air purifier has been working all day and night since then.   As I write this it has been over 48 hours since I plugged it.

This mini tower air purifier possess an Allergy Plus Filter.   The tower operates quietly and we barely hear it while we are in the living room.   The goal of this air purifier is to help remove up to 99.99% of airborne allergens such as pollen, dust, mold spores, pet dander and smoke in order to provide relief from irritants in the air. This specific air purifier will trap particles as small as 0.3 microns so you can breathe comfortably.  The bionaire mini tower air purifier came with one filter (purple color).

This specific air purifier has 5 speed settings including turbo and quiet.   The turbo setting will quickly circulate and filter the air in the room while the quiet setting will be preferable for a bedroom during sleeping hours.   You will also find a filter check indicator will let you know when to change the filter which could be very useful if you do not check the filter regularly like suggested in the manual.   Also on the tower you will find an optional ionizer .  What are ions?  Ions are tiny particles that carry a positive or negative charge.  They exist naturally around us.  The negative ions bind themselves with airborne smoke, dust, and pollen to form larger particles that are easier to capture.   This feature will help the process of air purification. 

The mini tower can be positioned in two different ways – you can put it vertically or horizontally depending of where you decide to place it.   It is recommended for small rooms up to 93 sq. ft. 

Another interesting feature for the Bionaire mini tower air purifier would be the 12 hour timer for worry free operation.  This function will allow you to program the air purifier to work up to 12 hours.  I have tried the feature for a 4 hours period and the air purifier shut down by itself once the timer was complete.

Now concerning the filter, let me remind you that it is an allergen remover that can destroy viruses, moul spores and fungi and more.   The aer filters are all compatible with this device.    Personally, since we have plug this little device in our living room, I have smelled a difference in the air.  It is as though the air is more pure and I have a better facility to breathe.    Having experience this mini tower air purifier and seen the difference it has made for me for my breathing issues I was having lately, I am seriously considering moving this tower in my bedroom and getting a bigger tower for the living room.  And I would also consider bringing the mini tower at the RV during the summer time.

I am very satisfied with the Bionaire mini tower air purifier.  My breathing seem to have eased a bit with it.   I would recommend it to any allergy suffering person. 

 

Disclaimer: This product has been provided courtesy of Amazon.ca Vine Voices for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by Amazon.ca or the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

AVERY Easy Peel Clear Address Labels

The main reason while I decided to grab the AVERY Easy Peel Address Labels 7663 was not to print labels.  I will tell you the main reason why in a minute.   First let me tell you more about these clear address labels.  Yes you read it well – clear labels. 

These will give your envelopes a clean, print-on look.  They are permanent labels that will offer aa unique finish to your letters or cards that you send via snail mail.

These labels virtually disappear on colored or textures surfaces and give a professional look.   They would be perfect for special occasions like invitations for a wedding for example.

You can design and print your own personalize labels using the free design and print online software from AVERY.   For more details on the AVERY Easy Peel Address Labels 7663 and quickly print address labels with their online tool go directly on the Avery website .

Now let’s get back to my number one reason why I chose to review these.  You see I have decided to do a special bible journaling for each of my kids.  This year I splurge a bit and bought four NIV Bible Journaling bibles and slowly I am filling their pages with personalized designs.  But when I saw these clear labels, my brain immediately jumped into creative mode.   I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them – I would print a picture of their ultrasound image on it and insert it on the page of Psalm 139 where you can read: “You knit me in my mother’s womb.”  And though I had a bit of issues in printing correctly on the clear label, I love the look that their ultrasound pictures are giving to it.  

Also we do not have an inkjet or a laser printer at home but  a Xerox ColorQube which uses wax instead of ink.  The labels are absolutely stunning!

Whether you desire to print labels on a clear sticker or do just like me in printing photos on them for a special project, the AVERY Easy Peel Clear Address Labels are fabulous!

 

Disclaimer: This product has been provided courtesy of Amazon.ca Vine Voices for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by Amazon.ca or the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Delonghi Full Room Radiant Heater

I recently received a Delonghi Full Room Radiant Heater to review from Amazon Vine Voices.   Right away, I knew this useful heater can have its advantages because it possess an easy wheel system that will allow you to move the radiator around the room or to another spot in your house.

We have decided to put it in our own bedroom which is the biggest room on the second floor.  But due to its location (facing north and above the garage) we thought that the radiator would help us not the get too cold at night.  And we were right!  Since we are using it we have slept better and do not wake up due to cold temperature in our room.   We have programmed it to stay at 20 degrees Celsius for our comfort.

While I was testing it, one afternoon the room was particularly cold, so I decided to bring the temperature higher at 25 degrees to see how it will start.  Immediately I could sense the heat coming out of the thermal slots which was nice.    After a certain period of time, I decided to touch it to see if it gets too hot for the touch.   I was please with the fact that I didn’t burn myself doing so.  It was indeed warmer but not burning hot.   So the thermal slots maximizes the heat flow but maintain the low surface temperature.   Apparently this unit contains 35% more steel than standard radiators which enhance the rapidity of the heat and allow it to be more even.

This specific unit also has an energy saving 24-hour programmable time and adjustable thermostat with 3 heat settings.  I have tested it and it works perfectly well.  When you put the heat at maximum the radiator will immediately kick in and start heating your area.     The digital panel and the easy to push buttons makes it easy to control the temperature.

There are two other interesting functions on the radiator.  The first one is the antifreeze function.  If you set the temperature to 5 degrees with the minus button, the appliance will activate to the antifreeze function and a snowflake symbol will appear.  This will program the appliance to turn on automatically at the max power if the room temperature falls below 5 degrees Celsius.   The ECO function can be selected in order to set the radiator to go to the most appropriate power level to guarantee optimum comfort while reducing energy consumption.   We have decided to select this function when using the radiator.

You will also see a working indicator when the unit is heating the room.  If it is red, the unit is working at the maximum power.  If it is orange, the unit is heating at medium power.  If it is green, the unit is heating at minimum power.  Finally, if the indicator is absent, it means that the unit is not heating the room at the moment. 

You will also have the possibility to program the unit for delayed start or delayed stop.   This could be useful if you have specific time period you would like to have the unit working. 

Finally, the Delonghi Full Room Radiant Heater possess a safe thermal cut off if the unit accidentally tips over.   Note that even though this unit contains oil in it, it is completely sealed and it does not leak.  You won’t have to refill the unit at any time while using it.

We also realized that compared to a smaller heating unit that we already have, the Delonghi Full Room Radiant Heater will take a bit longer to warm up the room.  However, once it has reached the temperature desired, the warmth will stay longer.  

The Delonghi Full Room Radiant Heater is available for purchase at a store near you.  It is also available on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

Disclaimer: This product has been provided courtesy of Amazon.ca Vine Voices for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by Amazon.ca or the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

DeLonghi Electric Milk Frother

My kids enjoy having a warm cup of cocoa every once in a while during the winter time.  However, I dislike the taste of hot chocolate made with water and much prefer making it with warm milk.  But putting mugs in the microwave sometimes cause spills when the milk bubbles too much.  A solution would be to have a milk frother and I am quite please with the opportunity to review the DeLonghi Electric Milk Frother.

This kitchen appliance resembles to a miniature kettle.   I would say it is about half the size of a kettle.  It could be store easily in your armoire or left on the counter top.   Using this particular milk frother is very easy – even a child could do it.

You pour milk in it, put back the top over it and the little spinning tool will do it’s magic while frothing the milk.   You can decide to make hot chocolate or simply pour the milk in your coffee if you desire.   

This is how the milk looks like when the frothing is finished.

And it makes a fabulous hot chocolate that is completely divine!

What is particularly interesting with this specific milk frother is that you will have the possibility to froth cold milk as well so that you can have ice cappuccinos.  

As I mentioned, the milk frother is easy to use and even a child could use it.  However, the jug cannot go into the water so it would be preferable that an adult or a responsible child clean it up after use.    You can only wipe a damp sponge or cloth in it in order to remove the residues of the milk you have used.   Apart from that making frothed milk was a breeze.   The appliance is very quiet and it will take about 1 minute or 2 before you get your frothed milk.  

This would make a great gift for someone who desire to have frothed milk in their coffee without spending a fortune on a machine.    It makes delicious hot chocolate that my kids have enjoyed to the last drop.    Quick and easy frothed milk at your disposition anytime you desire.

The Delonghi Electric Milk Frother is available for purchase at your favorite store, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

Disclaimer: This product has been provided courtesy of Amazon.ca Vine Voices for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by Amazon.ca or the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Philips Avance Masticating Juicer

I recently received the Philips Avance Masticating Juicer from Amazon Vine Voices in order to review it.   I was curious about it and was looking forward to try it out.   I received the box earlier this week.  The box was somewhat banged a bit and I hoped the product inside would be in perfect condition.  After opening it, I realized that it looked like ok.   What I didn’t know it that the tray which is located under the machine and serves to receive the pulp of the fruit had sustained some damaged.   You see on the tray itself there is a little part that seems to pop out of it.  I had found this pointy part to be detached from the tray itself.  I decided to keep the plastic part for unknown reasons and proceeded to unpack the machine in order to try it out.

The machine is quite somewhat small and will fit beautifully on a counter top.   I would suggest to wash all the parts before making any juice with it.   After washing all the parts and installing them on the machine, I started cutting my apples.  I was making a juice with apples, cranberries and pineapple.  Once I was ready to use the Philips Avance Masticating Juicer, it wouldn’t work.  It was plugged in but the machine would not start.  I was confused at first but then I started checking the area behind the container that was broken and there is was …  a small little black dot on the base of the juicer.   Could it be that this small plastic dot that was broken on the container would make the machine start?  So I slid the plastic piece pushing the black dot and the machine came to life.   OK now I needed to find a way to making this work.   My good old scotch tape did the trick.  After asking my son’s help to hold the container while I tape the piece in place, the juicer was ready to use.

Using the juicer is quite easy, simply cut your fruits or vegetable, insert them in the top area and push with the tool that came with it.   And voilà, juice is being made.   The micro masticating of the juicer will guarantee that up to 90% of the fruit is used for making juice.   You can even include all the leaves, the greens and nuts in your drinks.   The recipe book that comes with with juicer has about 15 recipes from which you can choose.  I wish the recipe book would be a bit bigger but this gives you a great launching pad into juicing.    You can even make your own almond milk or soy milk with it or frozen yogourt.  The juice was delicious and packed with all the goodness of the fruits I have used.   Everyone in the family found it delicious – four kids and two adults. 

The juicer also comes with an innovative drip stop which would keep your counter top clean.   It is perfect for when you desire to make juice directly in glasses.  However, the juicer also comes with a special container in which you can make the juice in and store in the refrigerator.  

Cleaning the part is as easy as saying your ABCs.   You can detach all the parts and rinsed clean without any other kitchen tool.  The part where the juice comes out it the trickiest one of all the parts of clean.  But it was easy to remove the little bit of pulp that has ventured in that area. 

Now let’s go back to my broken pulp container – I was a bit disappointing that it was damaged.   So I decided to call Philips and see if I could receive a brand new one.  The customer service person was very nice and will be sending me a new pulp container for the juicer.   I am quite pleased with the service obviously.

Now when I was making my juice, I found that there was a lot of pulp falling in the container.   I mean a lot of pulp…  more than I would have wished to come out of it.  The person at the customer service said that it is great for compost.   But we do not have a garden yet – though it is something that I wish I can have in the future.   What could I do with all the pulp I got from the juicer???  Then I had an idea.  Why not incorporating them into muffins.   And I did just that this morning.  The muffins turned out great and are packed with delicious pulp from apples, cranberries and pineapple.  Couldn’t ask for a better muffin than that!

Having said this, if you do not own a kitchen appliance that can make juice (whether a juicer or a high quality blender), I think you would be quite satisfied with the Philips Avance Masticating Juicer.  Knowing how important it is to consume fruits and vegetables for your health makes it a decision that is easy to take when you are debating about getting this kind of small appliance.

The Philips Avance Masticating Juicer would make a great Christmas gift to anyone desiring to make their own juice.  There are plenty of fun recipes to discover on the internet and it has been proven that it could help you in having a better health too.  

The Philips Avance Masticating Juicer is available for purchase at your favorite small appliances store, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

Disclaimer: This product has been provided courtesy of Amazon.ca Vine Voices for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by Amazon.ca or the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Sony BDPS1700 Wired Streaming Blu-Ray Disc Player (2016 Model)

Recently I have received a new Blu-Ray Sony Disc Player from Amazon Canada Vine Voices.   This dvd player is smaller than the one we had at home.  The dvd player is also quite light compare to the one we had. 

In the back of the player you will see the following inputs/outputs: 1 HDMI, 1 Coaxial, and 1 Ethernet.   The player also allow you to watch regular DVD as well as Blu-Ray DVD. 

This specific device will allow you to streams from over 300 apps and entertainments services like Netflix, Crackle, huluplus, YouTube, and more via an easy access through the customizable user-friendly interface.   You will also possess the capability to stream and enjoy Play Station Now 3 games instantly on your television.   Finally, the player possess an USB slot on the front which will permit your family to enjoy music or watch photos and videos.

From what we have experience with this player, we find that the loading time was a bit faster than the previous DVD we had.    

We are not gamers like most people might be. So for us the PlayStation Now was not a major bonus.   As for the entertainment services and apps available through the DVD, again it is not something we will be using a lot since our television is directly plugged to the internet via the personal desktop my husband has setup for us.   We access Netflix directly from our desktop instead of going through the DVD player or the television (since many television offers this as well).     We are also very wise with our finances and when you need to pay extra to access other services or apps and even games, we are not the kind of people who would do it.   We are quite satisfied with Netflix Canada at this point in time since we are not binging on television shows much. 

What is neat through is that there is a button on the remote control that will allow you to jump to Netflix quickly without going through the interface of the DVD player.  

You will need an HDMI cable to be able to use it.  Also you will require a Wired Ethernet Cable to allow you to stream the apps/services and PlayStation Now.

The Sony BDPS1799 Wired Streaming Blu-Ray Disc Player (2016 model) is available for purchase at your favorite electronic store, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

Disclaimer: This product has been provided courtesy of Amazon.ca Vine Voices for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by Amazon.ca or the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Sennheiser HD 4.30i White Around Ear Headphones

I recently received a new headphone to test out from Amazon Vine Voices.   This headphone is made by Sennheiser and it is specifically made for iPod, iPhone, and iPad.  

This lightweight headphone feature an around the ear design with extreme padding which will bring exceptional comfort while wearing it.  

The padded  headband is comfortable enough that it will sit on the top of your head without bugging you.   Also, the ear sections are also padded which heighten the comfort while wearing the headset.  However, I have compared the size of the ear sections to another headset I own at home and they are a bit smaller than the ones I have.   The main reason why I have decided to compare them is because while I tried out the Sennheiser HD 4.3-i white around the ear headphones, one side was somewhat annoying because it kept pressing on my earing.  I guess my ears are not asymmetric and one is slightly bigger than the other – well the lobe part anyway.   Consequently, when were these headphones one side was pressing on my lobe where my earring is and the back of the earring was hurting me.   However, if you take your time to perfectly place the ear inside the headphones then it isn’t an issue.

The cable is detachable and possess an inline 3-button remote control and microphone allowing the person to call and control their music for apple iOS devices.  However, I was curious to see if the headphone would work with my regular computer (PC) and turns out that it does indeed work.   So I am a bit at lost to the reasons why the product is specifically highlighted to be especially made for iPod, iPhone and iPad when in truth is works perfectly well for a PC computer as well. 

Also the first time I inserted the cable into the headset and started listening to my iPad, I thought it was odd that the sound would only come out in one ear.  Turns out that after inserting the cable in the headphone, you need to twist it in order to “anchor” it.  Then and only then will the sound come out in both ears.  I have learned my lesson.

Now concerning the sound of this headphone I must admit that I am extremely pleased with it.  When listening to music, the sound is exceptionally great since the bass will come out rich and dynamic at the same time.   

Finally, let me highlight the fact that the headband can be folded in three so that it is easier to store it when you do not use it.  Also the headset comes with a nice black storage bag which can be put in a purse or a backpack while travelling.  

The Sennheiser HD 4.30i White Around the Ear Headphones would made a great gift for a youth in your life this Christmas season.  

The Sennheiser HD 4.30i White Around the Ear Headphones is available for purchase at a store near you.  It is also available on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

Disclaimer: This product has been provided courtesy of Amazon.ca Vine Voices for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by Amazon.ca or the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

NERF Rival Khaos Mxvi-4000 Blaster Red

Here’s another beautiful blaster from NERF that will allow you to take the lead in your battles with friends.   My boys have a special night with their youth group at the church – a NERF night event.   It consist of separating the participant into teams and using props, NERF blasters and skills, shoot your opponent in order to make more points.   So when I get the opportunity to review a new NERF blaster it means my boys will have more fun during their special evening.  

This specific blaster is unique in itself because it will allow the user to have a better precision when in battle.   What is different with the Rival Khaos MxVI-4000 blaster is that it do not hold darts like most NERF blasters do but instead it will shoot little balls.

The magazine can hold 40 rounds (the balls) and it is easy to load it.  Simply slide the levers all the way down until they lock in place, slide the magazine release button to open the cover and insert the rounds.   Mind you shooting all these in a rapid sequence also means that you will have to run after your rounds after.  But hey it is fun and that’s what it matters.   The magazine release is ambidextrous which me that you can use it whether you are left-handed or right-handed.  

This blaster is entirely motorized which means you need to insert batteries in it – 6 D batteries to be more specific.   These can be purchased at any store. I know some people like to purchase batteries at a dollar store but often I find these to be less reliable as time goes by.

The Nerf Rival blaster will fire 40 high-impact rounds at a velocity of 30mps.   It also possess flip-up sights, tactical rails, a jam clearing door and indicator. It is definitely perfect for NERF night at our church.  

This special blaster could make a great gift to someone like my sons who participate to a great evening a fun with friends in a safe environment.

Here’s another beautiful blaster from NERF that will allow you to take the lead in your battles with friends.   My boys have a special night with their youth group at the church – a NERF night event.   It consist of separating the participant into teams and using props, NERF blasters and skills, shoot your opponent in order to make more points.   So when I get the opportunity to review a new NERF blaster it means my boys will have more fun during their special evening.  

This specific blaster is unique in itself because it will allow the user to have a better precision when in battle.   What is different with the Rival Khaos MxVI-4000 blaster is that it do not hold darts like most NERF blasters do but instead it will shoot little balls.

The magazine can hold 40 rounds (the balls) and it is easy to load it.  Simply slide the levers all the way down until they lock in place, slide the magazine release button to open the cover and insert the rounds.   Mind you shooting all these in a rapid sequence also means that you will have to run after your rounds after.  But hey it is fun and that’s what it matters.   The magazine release is ambidextrous which me that you can use it whether you are left-handed or right-handed.  

This blaster is entirely motorized which means you need to insert batteries in it – 6 D batteries to be more specific.   These can be purchased at any store. I know some people like to purchase batteries at a dollar store but often I find these to be less reliable as time goes by.

The Nerf Rival blaster will fire 40 high-impact rounds at a velocity of 30mps.   It also possess flip-up sights, tactical rails, a jam clearing door and indicator. It is definitely perfect for NERF night at our church.  

This special blaster could make a great gift to someone like my sons who participate to a great evening a fun with friends in a safe environment.  

The NERF Rival Khaos Mxvi-4000 blasters is available in two colors – red or blue.  You will find it at your favorite toy store even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

 

Disclaimer: This product has been provided courtesy of Amazon.ca Vine Voices for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by Amazon.ca or the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Kadori Professional Travel Blow Dryer

The Kadori Professional Travel Blow Dryer is an easy quick to use dryer that could be brought anywhere you go whether to the gym, the pool or on vacation.   This dryer will quickly perform and dry your hair in a few minutes.   It size is a big bigger than other smaller travel dryer but the weight is about 200g which makes it very light to hold.    The dryer is somewhat quiet when you use it which is nice when you are near your ears.    You will find two heat setting on this specific blow dryer which you can control by simply pushing on the button upward or downward.  The lowest level of heat will bring a gentle warm feeling but it will take longer to dry your hair.  

What is particularly interesting for this travel blow dryer is the fact that you can select which voltage you use.   It is definitively perfect for travels especially when you go in Europe where the voltage is 240V.   However, you still need a plug adapter to convert the plug on the dryer to other type of electrical plugs abroad.

The blow dryer fold in nicely on itself when you decide to store it.  However, like I mentioned above it will take more place than smaller blow dryers that would be easier to carry in a luggage.

Nevertheless, this is a nice travel blow dryer that could make a great gift to someone in your life.

  

Disclaimer: This product has been provided courtesy of Amazon.ca Vine Voices for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by Amazon.ca or the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

TRANSFORMERS Generations Fortress Maximus Figure

Ever since the Transformers have appeared on the big screen in theaters, you can sense the popularity of the characters going on a rise with a new generation of children everywhere.   This Christmas season you will see more toys based on Transformers. 

This time around, I think Hasbro has come up with the biggest Transformers toy ever!  With a height of almost 2 feet tall, the Fortress Maximus figure is definitely the biggest one on the market.  This particular toy is part of the Titans Return line.  This particular line of toys highlight the battle that exist between the Titans – an ancient race of giant, city-sized warriors – and the Autobots and Decepticons who have to team up with Titan Masters who are smaller bots that give our familiar bots increased abilities.

The Fortress Maximus is a city in itself offering a base of operation to the Autobots.   This huge figure comes with a Titan Master Emissary figure and a Cerebrox figure. 

What is impressive is the size of the toy – it is big.   Proportion wise it goes about half way to my thigh (above the knee).   It is also very versatile as it can transform into three mode – robot, battle station and Autobot city.  

This figure also connect with the Titans Return Leader Class Figures (which are not included in the package by the way) in order to form Cybertron City.  

When looking at the figure itself when it is in a robot mode, you can’t help but to be amaze at the detail involved in making it.  It’s hands and fingers are moving with ease to the point it could do a fist.   All moveable parts are easy to manipulate in order to create the battle station of the city.

I could see a child playing with this huge figure as well as other Transformers figures/vehicles or even mini figures in a more of city.  Hours of fun time can be spent playing with this gigantic figure.   I could also see a huge fan of Transformers spending a bit of money in order to get this Maximus figure in their hands for decoration. 

Note that this specific figure requires 2 1.5 V AAA batteries which are not included in the package either.

My only disappointment would be the price tag on this figure.  But I guess that having something bigger than usual also means to spend a bit more of money on it.  Personally I cannot justify spending so much on a Christmas gift.  But I also know that there are fans out there who would be very interested in having this amazing figure in their collection.

The Transformers Generations Fortress Maximus Figure is available for purchase at your favorite toy store, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

Disclaimer: This product has been provided courtesy of Amazon.ca Vine Voices for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by Amazon.ca or the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus

I recently received the new Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus.  This new machine will be available on the market in October.  Right after I selected this item from Vine Voices I debated about where I would put it due to the fact we already had another coffee machine from another company.   We thought that this specific Nespresso Creatista Plus would take a lot of counter space in our kitchen.   The product was quickly shipped to me and when I received the box I was surprised – not only it isn’t that big but it naturally fit next to our other machine.   In a way both machines are different – one being more specialized than the other…

The Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus is the first Nespresso machine able to create a barista-calibre latte art.  The partnership of Breville’s customizable Oracle microfoam milk frothing technology with Nespresso’s convenient portioned coffee system makes it possible.   Now I do not have any experience in doing art in latte but I am willing to try for sure.   Before I venture to this new “art” I will check on Pinterest for how-to lessons and ideas.

The first night we got the Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus, my husband and I decided to make a Latte Macchiato and share it.   The instructions in the manual were very clear and numerous images will guide you to do it properly.   We selected the capsule we wanted and our coffee was quickly made before our eyes.  The next day, my 15 year old son came to me and asked if I could make him one to which I said I will make one and we can share it together.   He really enjoyed drinking this and he also learned how to use the machine at the same time.

Now it is specified in the user manual that for best texturing results, it is recommended to use 3.25% milk – even the 2% milk would deliver results..   Well we usually buy skim milk and I knew that I could easily request skim milk when ordering a latte at McDonald’s.  Since we didn’t had any whole milk in the house, we decided to try it with our skim milk.  Result – it frothed pretty well.  The beauty of this machine is that I can adjust the milk temperature and the texture to create a wonderful café experience from the comfort on our home.  I am debating to try it with soy milk to see if the frothing will work with this as well.  

The machine itselt is very stylish.   The water tank is located in the back of the machine which could be an issue for certain people who would prefer not to move the machine all the time to fill it up.  However, the tank is quite large and numerous coffee cups can be made out of that water.   There are various things that I am quite impressed with the Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus; 1) the removable drip tray, 2) the pop out cup support , 3) the capsule container, and finally 4) the display.

The removable drip tray is very useful as it will receive the steam produce from the milk wand when it is cleaned.  The machine cleans the wand every time you use the milk frother by using steam.   The steam turns to water and is collected in the removable drip tray.  You have two choices when this happen, you can decide to clean the drip tray every time you use it or you can decide to let the water there until the indicator let you know that the drip tray is full.   Yes the drip tray possess an indicator which will lit up if the tray is full.    Personally, since I am not using the machine on a daily basis, I prefer to clean it right away.

The machine also has a pop out cup support allows you to use smaller kind of cups (if you possess any of them).  For example, if you have espresso cup, you could use the pop out cup support in order to bring you espresso cup close to the coffee spout and avoid spills to be made. 

The capsule container is a nice bonus on this machine.  You can see that the engineers behind this specific machine has thought of all the little things that would be nice to have in a specialized coffee machine.  The container is nicely hidden above the pop out cup support and can be accessible by a simple push on it.  The capsule container receives the coffee capsules once the coffee is made.  Simple yet so useful when you come to think about it.   I was first introduce to this kind of idea when I took a coffee cup at the orthodontist when my son was having an appointment.  their coffee machine was a bit more sophisticated than mine as it was a business one but I liked the idea very much.  Now my Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus is doing it too!

The display is very easy to use.  Before you even start using the machine, you will go through a little training with the display in order to show you how/when to press the buttons.   There are two buttons – the start/cancel button and the select dial which navigate left or right to allow you to select your drink.   If you press the select dial, you will be able to adjust the espresso volume, the milk temperature or the milk froth.   The display itself is very clear and also display images during the steps of making the coffee.   Depending of the type of drink you have selected, you might have to press the start/cancel button a couple of times.  

There are a few other things that impressed me quite a bit with the Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus.  First, you can empty the system if you will have a period of non-use or for frost protection.   This is definitely not an option on the machine we have at our RV.  Consequently, we need to bring the machine back home to make sure the water do not freeze in it during the winter.   And when spring time come, I need to proceed with a huge clean up before bringing it back to the RV because the water had sat in it for a long period of time.   Anyhow, having this option on the Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus is great for people who would prefer to leave it in their RV or cottage during the winter.  Second, the machine minimizes power use when not making a drink.  The display itself will dims after 2 minutes of no use and will turn itself off after 10 minutes.   However, it would be nice to have a shut off button of some sort for families where only one person drink coffee.  Third, the system also has a milk system cleaning procedure that is recommended to perform on a monthly basis in order to prevent steam tip blockages.

A descaling process is also recommended and you will have to use the Nespresso descaling kit to do so.   At this point in time, I am unsure how much this kit cost.

Needless to say our first hesitation was totally wrong.  This machine is a beauty in itself, will provide you with delicious coffee not made by a regular coffee machine and could be a wonderful addition on your counter top.  

The Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus would be a wonderful gift for someone in your life who really enjoy coffee whether for a birthday, Christmas, or a wedding gift.

UPDATE:   One day I wanted to make a hot chocolate.   However, I totally dislike hot chocolate made out of water.  I usually warm up the milk in the microwave but as I looked at the Breville Nespresso Creatista I wondered if I could froth the milk only.   It turns out that you can choose the option of dealing with only milk and doing so I frothed the milk and then poured it in a cup containing my hot chocolate powder.  The result was impressive.  It was the most delicious hot chocolate I ever had!

The Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus is available for purchase on Amazon Canada.

Disclaimer: This product has been provided courtesy of Amazon.ca Vine Voices for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by Amazon.ca or the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Amazon Canada Vine Voices and a blogger’s journey

Yesterday I received an email from amazon.ca and trust me it caught me by complete surprise.

First of all let me tell you a bit more about my journey as a blogger.  It all started when my oldest son was still in Kindergarten.  That year he was going to school and we slowly explored the possibilities of homeschooling him the following year.  We were giving ourselves until after the homeschool conference in town before making a final decision but several things happened that made us decide before the conference.   When we attended the conference we decided to purchase the math curriculum we desired to use.   Our son continued the remaining couple of months at school.  There are times I wish I had simply removed him from the classroom then but since the school year was almost finished we let him complete the year.   However, in the mean time he also jumped into the math curriculum we had purchased (which was the Kindergarten and grade 1 levels).   He completed the Kindergarten level quite rapidly.  He was excited about it.  

However, I was wondering what other curriculum we would use.   I had a friend in the US who encouraged me to blog and be part of a new blogging group who would review homeschool curriculum for a homeschool magazine.  I applied and was accepted.   I was part of this group for three years but I started to feel a bit discouraged about the fact that Canadian homeschoolers would not get the cool products available out these because of shipping fees.    So as I was completing my third year of blogging with this viral blogging group, I started to stretch my own wings and approached various Christian publishers in order to review books.   And because of my experience, I was able to review numerous books.   Then it dawned on me. What if I could approach other kind of companies and offer to blog about their products?  Would it be possible?

And so started my journey in the blogosphere as I call it.  I have been blessed beyond my own imagination with products that are helpful for us at home, at the RV, for leisure or for homeschool.   And each time I have the possibility, I also review the products on third party websites.

I had heard about the Vine Voices program on Amazon.com but I also knew that it was only for people living in the US.   Imagine my surprise when I received an invite to be part of the brand new launch of the Amazon.ca Vine Voices program yesterday.   I just couldn’t believe my own eyes.

What is Amazon Vine?

Amazon Vince is a program by invitation only where the most trusted reviewers on Amazon post opinions about new and pre-release items to help customers make an informed purchase decision.   The invitation is based on the reviewer rank, which is a reflection of the quality and helpfulness of their reviews as judged by other Amazon customers.   

So  guess my truthfulness and my dedication in posting my reviews have been fruitful as I am not part of the Vine Voices program.

So as I am waiting for two products to arrive in order for me to review, I am in awe of how blessed I am to be able to provide my thoughts on Amazon.ca.  

And I am quite excited about this opportunity.