Stadler Form: William Ultrasonic Humidifier Review

Posted on April 4, 2013

We’re taking a look at the Stadler Form William ultrasonic humidifier. Along with a human name, Stadler Form gives their products “personalities” to impart a bit more style and class. William is said to be “extremely quiet and powerful” as well as a player “in the highest league of craftsmanship and beauty”. Read our along to see how well he lives up to his pedigree!

Stadler Form William Ultrasonic Humidifier

Stadler Form certainly has stacked the odds in William’s favor. Touring the unit, for performance it offers low power consumption but can cover up to 1,000 sq. ft. Most of us rely on nighttime use of our humidifiers so William comes equipped with features like a night mode that dims the display as well as a timer. When it comes to convenience, he automatically maintains the preset humidity level and has an automatic shut off.

Features

Stadler Form William Ultrasonic Humidifier

Ultrasonic humidifiers are different from “normal” humidifiers. Normal humidifiers boil water to create steam which is disbursed into the air. Ultrasonic humidifiers have a vibrating plate to create an extremely fine mist (one micrometer in diameter). A primary concern with the ultrasonic variety is that they don’t inherently prevent bacteria growth or prevent impurities in the water from entering the air. William however comes equipped with a filter to reduce the most common impurities and bacteria. More to the point, Stadler Form includes the Ionic Silver Cube with each unit. The Ionic Silver Cube inhibits germ and bacteria growth without negatively impacting water taste or quality.

Looks

Enough of the inside, what about the outside? Stadler Form has gone all out to convey that William is a premium product with quality to match. The front is a high-gloss black with a bright, high-contrast display. Buttons are satisfying to press and make the humidifier super easy to use.

The back of the unit features a smoked water tank so that you can visually check to see how full (or empty) the humidifier is. It’s a nice feature that saves time and eliminates trips to check water levels.

Stadler Form William Ultrasonic Humidifier

Testing

We took William down to our warehouse testing area and ran him through his paces. As far as humidifiers go, he kept up with the best. On the highest setting William can guzzle up to 3.5 gallons of water a day. This is great, except for the fact that his tank only holds 1.5 gallons at a time and therefore requires frequent refills. We chose to forgive this based on the fact that it can cover up to 1,000 sq. ft.

When it comes to smaller areas, William was very quiet when on lower settings and automatically maintained relative humidity thanks to the build-in hygrometer. William outputs a very fine mist due to it being an ultrasonic humidifier that was pleasant and not “heavy.”

All and all, Stadler Forms delivers a practical, functional and attractive humidifier packing in as much value as possible. It covers a large amount of space with a fine mist to help those with allergies or suffer from extra dry air.

Scratch and Dent Program FAQs

Posted on March 28, 2013

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From time to time we field questions relating to our “Scratch and Dent” program and what that exactly entails. Scratch and Dent units are listed on our site with “-BL” appended to their model number and are often very limited in supply. Here we’re going to outline some specific and concrete information for those inquiring minds!

Scratch and Dent FAQs

We interviewed Raul Juarez, our Repair Department Supervisor with some common questions.

“Where do Scratch and Dent products come from?”

RJ: For the most part we receive products as that are returns or exchanges that range from unused to lightly used. In either case they cannot be sold as new. We process the return or exchange and carefully expect the unit for cosmetic damage and figure out its level of operation. The first customer gets a new unit or exchange and we repair the old one in order to pass the savings on to a second customer.”

“What happens if a unit operates poorly or not at all?”

RJ: I personally diagnose each unit when it comes in to find out how well it works. Our dedicated work shop is over 250 sq. ft. with all of the tools and parts I need to disassemble, repair and restore most units.

Wall of parts.

“What are some of the most common issues you encounter?”

RJ: Common parts we replace are motherboards or displays, pumps and tubing. That sort of stuff. We use original manufacturer parts and schematics to repair units to “like new” quality. When we ship the Scratch and Dent unit out we include all new packaging and documentation.

“What kind of products do you get? How long is your turn around?”

RJ: Depending on the season we receive different units from heaters to ice makers to humidifiers. By and large once we receive a unit we test, repair, clean and ready it for shipping within a week. The unit receives a 90-day warranty to guarantee “like new” functionality with only light cosmetic issues.”

Most customers are curious as to what level of cosmetic damage to expect. For that we used our trusty camera to snap a few shots because pictures are worth a thousand words.

Light to moderate scratching, scuffing and dents will pass.

Minor cosmetic scratch and dent damage

Heavy damage fails to pass for Scratch and Dent.

Heavy scratch and dent damage.

Severe damage like this is out of the question and don't qualify for Scratch and Dent.

Fortunately, this doesn’t remotely qualify for Scratch and Dent

1st Annual Air&Water March Madness Event

Posted on March 20, 2013

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Air&Water's 1st Annual March Madness Bracket

Announcing Air & Water’s 1st Annual March Madness Bracket

We’ve been bitten by the March Madness bug! Our office has played internally for the past 5 seasons, but this time we wanted to play with some of our most dedicated customers. To sweeten the pot, in addition to bragging rights, we have put a NewAir AK-200BK beer dispenser on the line for the winner of our bracket.

We have detailed directions here on our site. The basic information is as follows:

Navigate to our friends at Runyourpool.com.

Our Pool ID is 22315
Our Pool Password is kegerator
Use the secure website and enter your information in the form provided
Choose your teams and cross your fingers!

Picks can be made no later than 12:15 ET on March 21 so be sure to have everything submitted and saved before then!

Grats to Our February Review Winner

Posted on March 15, 2013

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The customer review winner for February goes to…

“Big Bear Babe”

Congratulations! You receive a $100 cash prize!

Have you made a purchase from us? We want to hear what you have to say! Review your purchase our website and be sure to include your email address. You will be entered for a chance to be the once-a-month $100 cash prize review winner.

Big Bear Babe’s winning review can be found here Bunn is WUNN-derful!

Review Title: Bunn is WUNN-derful!

Attractive Design: 5 stars

Easy to Clean: 5 stars

Easy to Use: 5 stars

Product Construction: 5 stars

Product Performance: 5 stars

Would recommend to a friend: Yes

This Bunn High Altitude Coffee Brewer is incredible! I live 7,000 feet high in a mountain ski resort and was delighted to learn this coffee brewer was especially designed to brew coffee quickly at elevations above 5,000 feet. It makes a delicious 10-cup pot in 3-4 minutes! I can brew regular coffee, and if anyone prefers Decaf, I can pour the regular coffee into a carafe, and have the Decaf ready in 3 more minutes. My previous Bunn was not “high altitude,” but lasted for years, although brewing took several minutes longer as the years went by. Bunn coffee brewers are state-of-the-art construction with the double stainless steel reservoirs, warming plate that keeps coffee hot for hours, a “vacation” button, and a de-liming tool! Easy to clean,too. Air-N-Water had the best prices on the Internet with excellent service and prompt delivery!

Review for BUNN NHBX-BD Generation 10-Cup High Altitude Home Coffee Maker

Review Winner Information:

Nickname:	Big Bear Babe
Location:	Big Bear Lake, CA, USA

Enjoy your coffee! Our office will brew a pot in your honor!

Outdoor Furniture & Cinde Ingram Interview

Posted on March 8, 2013

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As Air-n-Water, Inc. grows we continue to look for other products to offer to our wonderful customers. We stay true to providing an exceptional selection of air related merchandise such as fans, air conditioners and heaters as well as water-centric items like water filters, dispensers and coolers.

But, we didn’t stop there. Our customers love the outdoors so we expanded to carry outdoor appliances like grills, fire tables and smokers. However, those were not enough to satisfy us. We are now happy to announce that we now offer outdoor and patio furniture!

To inaugurate our expansion into new territory, we reached out and interviewed Cinde Ingram of Casual Living Magazine, an expert in the field of outdoor and patio furniture. She generously offered the opinions and observations to which only an industry insider has access. Click here for the full interview.

Be sure to check back with us often as we are adding more outdoor and patio furniture every day. And if you are looking for something that we don’t yet carry, let us know!

Here is an excerpt:

Cinde Ingram of Casual Living Magazine

AnW: How are you seeing design reflective of the consumer market? For instance, a hotel would have a very clear identity and would want all of their products to be similar; their bedding, fixtures would offer a similar experience. How are the manufacturers trying to appeal to a customer that wants something a little more representative of themselves?

CI: Manufacturers are absolutely designing around a more individualistic feel. How we hear it more is that the consumer doesn’t want their outdoor living areas to look like their neighbors. They want their own style or personality to be apparent. Some of it is to carry over what they have inside their house: if they have a southwestern style inside the house they want that reflected outside.

AnW: Regarding do-it-yourselfers, are they purchasing manufactured products to bring home to work on it? Are they mixing the prefabricated with their own creations?

CI: I’m sure there’s some of the DIY influence but what we’re seeing is that homeowners want less maintenance. They want to buy the product that is going to be more-or-less set up for them and not have to worry about doing any kind of refinishing or maintenance. Take grills for example. You may go to a country club and their grills are shiny stainless steel. That’s because someone has to do the work to keep it that way.

On the other hand, the homeowner is more likely to use it in their off time but is less likely to want to maintain it. Even with the teak, a high-end and expensive product, it requires a certain amount of maintenance to prevent it from degrading over time, but others may like that aesthetic and won’t want to maintain it. With prefabricated products such as woven seating, to keep cushions clean usually you can just brush off leaves and take a hose to them but some consumers are reluctant to go that far.

Congratulations to Our January Review Winner

Posted on February 5, 2013

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The customer review winner for January goes to…

“Ken”

Congratulations! You receive a $100 cash prize!

The winning review can be found here: Great cooler and great customer service

Review Title: Great cooler and great customer service

Accurate Temperature Control: 5 stars

Attractive Design: 5 stars

Noise Level: 5 stars

Product Construction: 4 stars

Product Performance: 5 stars

Would recommend to a friend: Yes

When my previous wine cooler (also another NewAir) died, I opted to purchase a New Air wine cooler again, and this time the AW-322ED. The first shipment was delivered within 5 days but unfortunately was dented on top. No sooner than I had called it in the next day to file my complaint, the company sent out a replacement even before Fedex arrived to pick up the damaged unit, and the new cooler arrived within 5 days again. The cooler is beautiful and I was able to place all my wine but one in it (it was too long a neck). The cooling was efficient and took 2 hours to bring it to both 54 and 48 degrees, and it is a very quiet machine. I love the reflective surface of the door, and the low violet light to showcase the wine bottles. All in all, an excellent price for a nice nifty cooler, and an excellent and response customer service, as usual!

Review for NewAir AW-322ED Collector’s 32 Bottle Dual Zone Cooler with Mirrored Door

Review Winner Information:

Nickname:	Ken
Location:	Ottawa, ON, Canada

Thanks for shopping, Ken! Drink well and don’t forget to share!

NewAir AH-600 Review

Posted on January 31, 2013

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Winter storms still rage on so we’re reviewing the NewAir AH-600 Electric Baseboard Space Heater. Read on for our take.

The NewAir AH-600 space heater is an ultra low profile baseboard-style unit. It’s designed to be close to the floor and as inconspicuous as possible. Normally, baseboard heaters need to be hard-wired by a professional, but this unit is portable and plugs in to any regular grounded outlet. The benefit of it being portable is so that it can be moved from room to room to go wherever it is needed.

Constructed from black plastic and steel, durability was not a primary concern. Guarding the heating element from coming into contact with fingers and most objects is a steel grill. Each end has a plastic housing bracket which stayed relatively cool to the touch during operation, but the guard heated up beyond what was comfortable. Sitting on the floor, pets and children should be supervised as an extra precaution. The AH-600 has an automatic overheat precaution that shuts off the heater if either it or the room begins to get too hot. However, it is worth noting that there is no tip-over switch. But, because of its low center of gravity and intended location near walls, we were not overly worried about it being knocked over.

In our 200 sq. ft. test space, we didn’t immediately notice any heat. Even though the power indicator light was illuminated, we went to check to see if it was running early on in the test. We found the air directly above the unit to be warm. Because this space heater has no moving parts, it heats the air directly above it in a straight column and relies on circulation to warm the rest of a given area. After about an hour we began to notice the room’s temperature start to rise and was made a comfortable mid 60′s from mid 40′s. Unlike a radiant dish heater that can direct heat, this unit shouldn’t be used as a personal heater. Don’t count on this to “spot-heat”; just plug it in and let it work away.

Another benefit of not having any moving parts and the AH-600 created almost no noise while the it operated. A hum was present as electricity moved through the heating element but even quiet activities in the room were enough to drown it out.

NewAir AH-600

The only aspect of the AH-600 that needed any real improvement was the control dial. This cryptic set of numbers and buttons is not very intuitive and can act as a small obstacle for new owners. Two modes of operation, LOW and HIGH share a set of 5 temperatures offering appropriately increasing amounts of heat. Timer functionality is built-in, requiring a different set of button presses to activate. A quick read-through of the manual was enough to straighten out most confusion, but we are sure that a better way exists to control this unit.

For those who are interested in keeping one room warm at a time, the AH-600 is a solid choice. It does a good job of staying out of the way and providing heat while remaining unobtrusive. We would have liked a more intuitive control mechanism, but reading the manual was enough to get us on the road to comfort during this chilly winter.

Koolatron CVF-18 Coca-Cola Mini Fridge Review

Posted on January 25, 2013

The Koolatron CVF-18 Coca-Cola Compact Refrigerator lives up to its pedigree. Evoking decades past, this mini fridge brings back whimsy and nostalgia while actually being useful. Lets take a quick tour of its features and abilities.

Koolatron CVF-18 mini fridge front

Going with the polished buttons and handle aesthetic is the pronounced Coca-Cola cursive script known the world over. The chrome-like finishes are a nice addition that never got tired. Dressed fully in red with a rounded top, the cabinet is a slightly glossy plastic that feels nice to the touch and shines brightly. Center stage is a transparent piece of heavy duty plastic to allow thirsty guests a view of their potential prizes. The sides of the cabinet, on the other hand, are nothing special and are not adorned. We were forgiving, though, as most owners will be placing this against walls or other objects that might obscure the view from the side. The back of the unit has a recessed on/off rocker switch and a simple two-prong plug for universal power use.

This mini fridge has a 10 can capacity for stocking any combination of drinks you desire. The dropping mechanism is a vending machine style flap system where each button corresponds to a flap at the back of the unit. The “landing zone” has a pull-out drawer for easy cleaning and another pane of transparent plastic. We half expected this second pane to actually be a door and, without naming names, we had one employee attempt to reach through to grab a beverage. Once word got out, we all had a good laugh together as it was an easy mistake to make. We noticed that cans on higher shelves had further to drop and were shaken-up more on landing.

Instead of using the common compressor configuration for cooling, the Koolatron CVF-18 uses thermoelectric technology to reduce noise and power use. Aside from that classic, satisfying sound of a can dropping, the mini fridge was pleasantly quiet while operating. We tested this in our offices that were a comfortable high 60′s so the cooling of this machine wasn’t taxed. Even though we didn’t have a thermometer, our drinks got refreshingly cold. The inside of the door has thin foam rubber weather stripping to help maintain temperature which we appreciated.

As far as mini fridges go, this unit is quite compact. Not apparent in the photos, it’s not very deep at 17″ and can be kept in a “man cave”, on a desk at home or in the office. It is rather tall (almost 26″) so under-desk situations may be a bit harder to achieve. But, who would want to stash this under a desk? The whole goal is to show it off!

Collectors (you know who you are) scour far and wide trying to find units like this that offer that vintage appliance appeal but also want something functional. This mini fridge is just one of Koolatron’s branded product line. Largely, the CVF-18 Coca-Cola mini fridge achieves by walking the line between functionality and maintaining its Americana roots. Without compromising the compact quality of this unit, 10 cans is somewhat small. When more than one person frequents the mini fridge, even one more can per shelf might change worlds. But, depending on drinking habits and if you are willing to share sodas or beer, this might be a non-issue.

NewAir G56 5600 Watt Garage Heater Review and Video

Posted on January 23, 2013

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We’re in the heart of the winter season and here is the NewAir G56 5600 Watt Garage Heater review to see how well it performs against some seriously cold weather.

To be clear, the NewAir G56 is not your run-of-the-mill heater. It is designed for the garage and workshop where every feature caters to that setting. That said, the G56 has an all steel construction making it durable and sturdy, a necessity when heavy tools and work boots are around. There are no wall mounts such as a bracket or hooks so it has to be located solely on the floor. Four dimples to protrude from the bottom steel sheet metal to serve as feet, but are not rubberized or have plastic caps. The top handle is rock solid and pulls double duty as a cord wrap when not in use or while transporting.

Sporting a NEMA #6-30R grounded plug, it will not fit a regular socket, nor should it. This unit draws above standard 120 voltage (240/208 VAC to be exact). If your garage is not already equipped with such a socket you will need to call an electrician and have one installed.

Safety features are one of the first things we check with any heater. We are happy to report that we found the NewAir G56 to be well equipped in order to keep everyone and thing as safe as possible. Both front and back have a steel safety grill to keep out most debris and any wayward fingers or clothing. It also comes equipped with overheat protection in the event that the unit becomes too hot to protect the home and its occupants. While not equipped with a tip-over switch, it’s almost square base makes it rather sturdy and less likely to tip in the first place. The outer cabinet remained relatively cool when the fan was running, but once the fan was turned off, the still-warm heating element made the cabinet too hot to touch.

The NewAir G56 has a few controls so that it can be dialed in to get the right heat out of it. It includes a temperature knob, power indicator light and a rocker switch for the fan speed. It can operate in either high or low settings for appropriately more or less heating. The rocker switch enables an on or automatic mode where it will run continuously or cycle on and off to maintain temperature.

We tested this unit in a small section of our rather large warehouse (several thousand square feet) to see how well it performs. Obviously, it was unable to heat such a large area but we threw up some partitions to see what it could do in a smaller enclosed space. After about an hour in roughly 200 sq. ft. of space we saw the temperature raise from roughly 60 degrees to slightly over 70 when just on the low setting! We used the automatic mode to see how well it could maintain and it did an admirable job. Noise was minimal, but we were definitely able to tell when it was running.

We understood the decision to not include wall mounting out of the box. Heat rises, so heating at ground level circulates the hot air better. Workshops often have a lot going on, especially on the floor. Depending on how clean or cluttered your garage is you might get varying degrees of heating efficiency. The good news is that with proper clearance, the NewAir G56 can be used on a fireproof surface like a crafting table or workbench. But, for small and medium sized garages and workshops, 5600-watts of heating is more than adequate.

Deco Breeze DBF0187 Snow Owl & DBF0373 Elephant Fan Review

Posted on January 16, 2013

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Finding a desk fan that sports functionality as well as style is a tough task. Fortunately, Deco Breeze has us covered and sent over some units to review. We have the Deco Breeze DBF0187 14″ Snow Owl and DBF0373 Elephant Figurine Decorative Electric Fans.

Straightforward in utility, these have a lot of character and are perfect for personalizing a desk or office. Each has a two speed motor, with a three position rocker switch for off, low and high. For such small units we weren’t expecting a ton of power but they do the job providing a little breeze or a larger amount of airflow that was able to cool us down. However, there aren’t any fancy features like oscillation or misting, these two are just pure fans whose only other job is to be cute.

Deco Breeze’s DBF0187 Snow Owl is clearly a darling. The front grill is banded by a series of wavy, feather accents providing an extra level of depth and character. Gold-flecked eyes stare outward, reflecting light and providing a generally warm demeanor. Brown and white brows project upwards and, after some handling and admiration by the whole office, we found that they were prone to bending. However, they were easily returned to their former authoritative glory without any tools just by using our hands.

Both right and left sides are flanked by an embossed wing with an elaborate pattern for extra detail. These however don’t articulate but we wanted to pretend that they could flap and therefore cool us down. Although very firmly planted, two small feet offer a touch of extra stability.

A Deco Breeze DBF0373 Elephant never forgets to look handsome. This unit was not very photogenic, but in person its personality really shines. A flowery, wind-gust design accents the front grill to give a light-as-air impression. Two small tusks protrude from the elephant’s face which may give a small concern to parents with children even though they point downward and not outward. However, the trunk is a coiled spring which is cute but could attract inquisitive and playful kids.

The paint is quite dark which, if tucked away from a light source, causes this fellow to look a bit sad and lonely. However, because it is dark the thin grill visually disappears and only the wispy billowing pattern is immediately apparent making it look friendly and less dense.

Each Deco Breeze unit is designed to be viewed from the front. The back bears no paint or accent save for a black plastic grill. This is a little disappointing but understandable as these are desk and table fans. But, not every desk or office has a wall or partition to keep the rear out of view. While not an eyesore, it would definitely take away from the adorable factor if they are regularly viewed from behind.

When all is said and done, these hand-made decorative fans live up to our expectations. We have a way to keep ourselves cool when it’s hot or if the office gets too stuffy. And, when we aren’t in need of cooling, we have something that looks good and expresses our personality that we don’t mind having on the desk year round. It’s nice to know that we don’t have to hide an investment for several months at a time and get a little more life out of it.

Deco Breeze has loads of other decorative fans as well as some more traditional standing models. Feel free to take a look!