Fellowes Quiet Air Purifier with True HEPA Filter (AP-300PH) - PlasmaTRUE Ionizer Noise

Fellowes Quiet Air Purifier with True HEPA Filter ( model AP-300PH) is a rebranded Winix 9500 made by a Korean manufacturer and is generally highly rated.  Some features (remote) was removed when this product was ported over to the American market and priced around an average of $190.  If you have the patience and wait for a "hot deal", then you can strive to get it at around $130 before tax and probably need to use an online coupon.

Here is the historical data of the price on CamelCamelCamel

I highly recommend this purifier. It works noticeably well in both performance and sound.  The filters are reasonably priced (not cheap for how long they last but i deem it acceptable especially if you periodically clean it before replacing it).  If someone farts in the same room, the auto sensor will detect it and ramp up the speed to clean out the impurity. Seriously.

Fellowes customer service and warranty is pretty solid.

There is only one fault with this product and it's the PlasmaTRUE ionizer that's built in without a way to disable it.  The topic of whether an ionizer is dangerous to your health is debatable, but the reason that it is such a fault in this product is that it emits a high pitch rapid chirping sound that is highly irritating and makes this product least desirable.

The good news is that while this model doesn't provide the option to turn off the ionizer like the Winix model, with a 5 inch Philips head driver, you can simply unplug it like this:


1) Remove the peripherals

2) Unscrew the top 2 screws to open the console

3) Be mindful of the wire thats still attached and just rest it like this:

3) That black wire in the right side of the below picture is what you will unplug.  Unscrew the 2 screws on the side of the black casing to loosen it

4) Maneuver the wires and gently undo the tape so you can open it

5) Squeeze out the red/black power wire

6) Voila.  Quiet purifier without the optional ionizer.  Just secure it and put the tape over the wire when you reverse your steps to secure and close the unit up.

Toilet tablets will destroy your inner toilets

Little did i know that if you use those toilet tablets with bleach (2000 Flushes/Corox etc), that unless you flush often (have big active family), the water will accumulate and eat away at your flapper mechanism and parts.

After 1 day of having the bleach tablet in my toilet, my brand new flapper already lost most of its color and is well on it's way to needing to be replaced.

Damn.

Finding that long term cookware

So when i first moved to my own place with my spouse, we were given a set (pots and pans) of nonstick cookware that I still have to this day.  Needless to say, i abused the hell out of them, using them all incorrectly for nonstick (I calphalon which is supposedly healthier than Teflon).  I was scouring it hard to clean stubborn gunk, blasting it with high heat, scraping with metal utensils and this went on for years.  I should probably have cancer now.

I recently started becoming more health conscious because i have an expanding family. So after much online searching, I boiled down my choices to cast iron, glassware, ceramic and stainless steel.  All 4 are fine and have pro's and cons but here are just the cons because now we need process of elimination.

• Cast Iron - It's for the avid cook.  You have to season the cookware and if there are multiple chefs in kitchen everyone has to get on board with the extra special maintenance of how to clean cast iron.  It's a niche market for a reason and will continue to be, since im also looking for a quick fix of something that can take abuse/mistreatment, gets thrown in the dish washer if im in a pinch, etc
• Glassware - expensive.  Hard to fine.  More fragile than metal.
• Ceramic - it's impossible to tell what company uses a lead/chemical/crap free glaze.  Even if you stick to a corporate brand you trust, a report just came out that in India, there may be a scandal where all the colored ceramic knives might be leeching into the food.  If I didnt go for stainless steel this would be my next choice.

I chose stainless steel.  It's priced okay and hits all the checkmarks of being usable, durable and will kill me the slowest.  Speaking of which, there are different grades of stainless steel (build quality and composition).

The recommended is the surgical steel grade stainless steel.  In reality the best you will find with little difficulty is 18/10 stainless steel cookware. (18% chromium, 10% nickel)  It's durable, will withstand beyond the "perfect condition" that all cookware wants you to be in and is the way to go.  If you are allergic to nickel, then buy the less durable 18/0 stainless steel cookware.  

This article really hits the nail on the head because you want a set that well built in addition to using the right grade metal.  http://www.allcookwarefind.com/Stainless-Steel/

My favorite was the 7 Piece because I'm only partially replacing my existing cookware Cuisinart 77-7 Chef's Classic Stainless 7-Piece Cookware Set

Free Electric Double Breast Pump kit via Health Insurance

Thanks to the new healthcare law starting this year, many people with health insurance are eligible for free breast pumps.  It varies among insurance companies, and also within the same company due to the policy that you are in and those that are grandfathered in from a previous policy with specific clauses will not qualify.  However, it's easy to find out and you dont need to call your insurance company. All you need is:

• Your health insurance info
• Your doctor (OB) info

Most people use the wildly popular medela electric double pump kit that comes in some fancy tote or bag.  Some use other brands.  Everyone wants to avoid using manual pumps unless you are on a real budget crunch.

The pump you get really boils down to where you apply for your pump.  You want a place that has a limited and desirable inventory so that you get what you want or close to it.

Now, you can uselessly search through medela's out of date website to try to find a store that participates (willing to do the actual footwork and jump through hoops to squeeze money from the insurance company) or you can just keep reading.  Byram Health is pretty much the best possible store to buy from:

website: www.byramhealthcare.com
Breast Pump Customer Service Team
Phone  1-877-773-1972
Fax       1-800-521-6291
Email: breast-pumps@byramhealthcare.com

They only sell Medela (MY57038) which is a model that is only offered through DMEs working with insurance companies that has the Pump In Style motor but not the one touch let down button that you find on some of their other models as well as the Ameda Purely Yours (No Tote) incase for some reason you dont like Medela.   

This MY57038 is almost exactly the same as the Pump in Style portable tote but without the fancy tote and extras.  Go to your nearest Target if you want to see it in person but this (and the backpack version) is a very popular model.

Reach out to the company, get the form, fill it out and submit it.  They will contact your doctor on your behalf from no earlier than 30 days prior to your baby’s due date and not after 365 days from the actual date.

If your insurance provider quotes less than 100% coverage they would contact you via email to let you know.  Also provide time for shipping, processing and restocking.   They say it takes weeks or months, but they are fast.  Especially for a company that acts after the insurance company pays out.