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Hestan Cue Smart Induction Cooking System review

REVIEW – I’ve been curious about induction cooking ever since I saw a segment on a cooking show that lauded its benefits. I hadn’t really paid much attention to it but knew that it used magnets and electrical current to heat rather than using a traditional gas or electric burner as a heat source. The Hestan Cue Induction Cooking System has given me a great introduction to the process.

What is it?

The Hestan Cue is an induction “burner” with corresponding pots and pans with a wi-fi enabled cooking system that allows pre-loaded recipes to be made via step-by-step directions and video support on your connected smartphone.

What’s in the box?

  • Induction Burner
  • Instruction & Safety Manual
  • Induction Skillet
  • Instruction & Safety Manual

Design and features

The skillet and burner have a sleek modern design that fits perfectly into today’s kitchen, and especially ours with our stainless steel countertops. The skillet is stainless steel, while the burner has the plate surrounded by molded plastic. The skillet has a removable battery at the end of the handle, which also contains the wi-fi hub for communicating with the app on your smartphone. The burner connects via your standard electrical outlet and also communicates independently with the smart app.

Setup

Simply plug in the burner, download the Hestan Cue app and follow the instructions for connecting each piece to the app. Then select a recipe and start cooking.

Our first attempt was grilled chicken breasts. The app has you gather all ingredients first, then gives you step by step instructions for prepping the pan. Next, it preheats the pan to the required temperature and this doesn’t take more than 30 seconds to a minute.

As you hit “next step” it then starts cooking the dish at the required time and temperature.

It will tell you exactly when to flip the food, add more oil/seasoning/ingredients and then continue cooking.

Once complete, you remove the food and it gives you the option to make another batch and start the process all over. The chicken above came out moist and with a nice crust as well. Definitely an improvement on my grilled chicken attempts where I tend to dry it out, and without the strange texture I tend to get with my sous vide attempts. I definitely think this will be my new preferred chicken breast preparation method.

Performance

I was very happy with the overall performance of the Cue system on most everything we cooked outside of steak, where I just don’t think there’s much competition to how tender a sous vide system will get a steak. It came out overcooked and with too much of a crust for my taste. Another dish I tried and loved was their recipe for “Toad in the Hole”. Again it was a simple process of following the recipe and cooking instructions in the app, flipping once the app said to do so and then pulling from heat once done.

The eggs came out just a bit runny like we had selected and preferred and the crust on the bread was very tasty.

The only other thing I think needs to be mentioned in terms of performance is the clean-up phase of the meal. The skillet isn’t the easiest thing to get clean, as with any item where you leave food on it to cook for a fixed duration, you tend to get a lot of build-up on the pan during the cooking process even when you use oil and butter as indicated in the recipe. The manual says that it is dishwasher safe but recommends hand washing. it may be my paranoia about putting electronics in the dishwasher but I felt better about hand washing it with a soft bristle brush, so I have yet to put it in the dishwasher.

Finally, you are able to use the burner with other induction pans however you won’t be able to use the guided recipes and will need to manually adjust the temperature throughout the process to ensure proper cooking of your meal.

What I like

  • Guided cooking with great recipes
  • Fast heating, cooling, and precise temperature control
  • Ability to multi-task and not have to “watch” the pan as the app provides prompts
  • Speeds up cooking time, allowing for more family time.

What I’d change

  • More recipes in the app, it’s growing and has gotten better even in the month we’ve had it – but really want to explore more possibilities.
  • Clean-up of the skillet can be tough, but that may just come with the territory.

Final thoughts

The Hestan Cue system has opened up a new avenue for cooking quality and tasty meals in a quick time frame. Whether it’s chicken breasts, french toast, hashbrowns or bananas foster the pan was versatile and created near restaurant quality food safely and conveniently. It’s a great addition to the kitchen for anyone who wants to improve their culinary skills and make great food for their family. The price point for the skillet and burner combo is $399.99 and you can add an additional “Chef’s Pot” for $299.99 as well. It does fall on the higher end of kitchen products, but I feel the tradeoff is worth it considering the great food you’ll be able to make and the time it saves you in the kitchen overall.

Price: $399.99 for the Induction Burner and Skillet combo.
Where to buy: Hestan Cue’s Website or Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Hestan Cue.

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Hestan Cue Smart Induction Cooking System review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 6, 2019 at 8:27 am.

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Dyson Pure Cool TP04 purifying fan review

REVIEW – It’s clear by now Dyson is all about air movement, whether it’s sucking (vacuuming) or blowing (fans). Their vacuum cleaners—especially the newer Dyson cordless stick models—are practically legendary and the fans have also become quite popular. Now, Dyson has incorporated an air purifier into their floor-standing tower fan making air in a room more breathable—a good thing for allergy and asthma sufferers. 

The Dyson Pure Cool TP04 purifying fan replaces the original Dyson tower cooling fan. Its same look has not dated at all and still fits any decor.

What is it?

The Dyson Pure Cool TP04 purifying fan is a stylish 10-speed tower fan that purifies the surrounding air as it helps cool a room. It captures 99.97% of particle pollutants as small as 0.3 microns. According to Dyson, the TP04 will automatically detect and report air quality levels in real time on PM 2.5, PM 10, VOC and NO2. Dyson also claims that the TP04 is the only tower fan to clean a whole room properly. While I think that’s a bit of advertising hyperbole, using the fan will result in much cleaner air than not using one.

It comes in three color combinations: White/silver, black/nickel and iron/blue. It rotates an almost fully circular 350° and can be controlled by the free iOS/Android Dyson Link app. 

Hardware specs

  • Diameter: 8.8 in
  • Cord length: 6.05 ft
  • Height: 41.5 in
  • HEPA filter
  • Glass HEPA media
  • Weight: 10.98 lbs

In the box

  • Fan
  • Remote control
  • Inner carbon filter
  • HEPA filter

Design and features

The Dyson Pure Cool TP04 purifying fan Can be as invisible or intrusive as you want, depending on where it is placed in the room and how high the fan speed is set. Usually we have it where we’ve kept all our tower fans through the years—in the living room between the TV and fireplace. It’s probably not as effective as it would be sitting in the middle of the room, but you only see those scenarios in advertising photos that showcase the product. I’m talking real-world here.

Dyson is really good at design. They use the “form follows function” ethos, meaning that their products are functional and easy to use. That’s certainly true here. The TP04 is way better looking than most tower fans available today And I have yet to look at the manual—it’s that simple to operate. 

It was also easy to put together. The filters fit together only one way and snapped into place with no tools required. The filters are easy to replace when it’s time to do so. The on/off button is within easy reach. There’s a small, circular window that continually reports air/pollutant conditions as well as fan speed. Dyson includes a small remote with easy-to-understand pictograms illustrating functions, such as rotate, fan speed, etc. This remote magnetically attaches to the top of the fan to help prevent misplacing it. If the app is downloaded, then the circular info window and remote kinda become useless. The app will perform every function and give reports in real time.

The TP04 fan can be remotely controlled using the app by WiFi, bluetooth and is Alexa compatible (what isn’t Alexa friendly today?). The fan can be controlled from anywhere. I’ve been tempted to play with the fan while at the office to freak my wife out, but thought better of it. 🙂 

The TP04’s cooling fan is good, not great. Yes, it cools and can be either directional or stationary, but the power of the fan’s breeze isn’t as strong as other fans we’ve owned. That’s not to say that it doesn’t cool—it does that well. It’s just that some less expensive basic tower fans (albeit missing purifier functions or wifi or bluetooth or Alexa or … ) will cool quicker and better. Note that the TP04 is totally safe. There’s no way you can touch the fan blades.

There are 10 fan settings on the TP04. Once you get into the 7-10 setting, noise becomes much more pronounced. I usually have it set at 8-9 during the night to provide air movement and also white-noise, which helps me sleep. If you require complete silence while sleeping, the TP04 (or any other tower fan) may not be for you if used in the bedroom.

One cool feature (pun intended) is that during days with cooler temperatures, the TP04’s fan can be redirected to the side vents for air purification without the cooling effect. This is great for those winter months when you want to preserve heat, but still want cleaner indoor air.

The Dyson Pure Cool TP04 purifying fan traps these pollutants: PM 2.5/10, VOC and NO2. I suspect most customers won’t bother to look up what all that means, so I did. Here’s the CliffsNotes version … 

Particulate Matter (PM 2.5/10)
Airborne particulate matter (PM) varies in its composition and size. PM10 and PM2.5 particles are of major current concern. They are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and potentially pose significant health risks.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) causes detrimental effects to the bronchial system. NO2 is emitted when fuel is being burned e.g. in transport, industrial processes and power generation.

Volatile organic compounds (VOC)
Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are compounds of hydrogen, carbon and other elements. VOC displays a wide range of properties. Some—such as benzene—are carcinogenic, some are toxic and some are harmless.

Note that these are extremely simplified descriptions. The bottom line is that the Dyson TP04 will trap a lot of bad stuff before it gets into your lungs. My wife has asthma and the purifier function of the TP04 has helped her somewhat, but has not reduced her number of attacks. But as I said earlier, it’s better than not using one. The TP04 has been certified asthma and allergy friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

The TP04 keeps a record of air quality on board and in its app. The app shows  this info dating back to when it was first turned it on, so it’s easy to keep track of air quality progress through the weeks in use. It also shows the current humidity and temp of the room its in—good information in hot and humid Florida where I live. The TP04 also keeps track of filter life—yes the carbon and HEPA filters will eventually need to be replaced.

What I like

  • Design
  • Purifier works well
  • Wonderful app control
  • Easy filter replacement
  • Good build quality

What I’d change

  • Expensive
  • Increase fan speed

Final thoughts

This—or another well-made air purifier—can be a necessity for allergy and asthma sufferers. Dyson has managed to incorporate what’s important in improving indoor air quality and not over-complicate how to use it. Making something easy to use is itself not easy to do. That’s why so many products have convoluted manuals—not Dyson. 

It’s expensive (like most Dyson products), but few fans can do what the TP04 does and look this good doing it.

Price: $549.99
Where to buy: Dyson and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Dyson.

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Dyson Pure Cool TP04 purifying fan review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 5, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Logitech Zone wireless headset review

REVIEW – The trend towards open office spaces and other close-quarters work environments has made getting a little peace and quiet difficult. While I have an actual office with walls and everything, they are so thin it’s almost as if I was sitting in a cubicle. I also work with two folks who’ve got voices so loud that they could do crowd control without a bullhorn. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance to check out the Logitech Zone wireless headset to see if it could bring me a moment or two of peace.

What is it?

The Logitech Zone Wireless is a compact on-ear headset that combines active noise cancellation (ANC), wireless charging and a positionable microphone to give you a comfortable listening experience whether you are connected to your favorite music source or talking on the phone.

What’s in the box?

  • Logitech Zone Wireless headset
  • Charging cable
  • Travel sack
  • Wireless charger and cable
  • Documentation and instructions
  • USB-A dongle

Hardware specs

Headset
  • 6.88 in Height x 6.96 in Width x 2.78 in Depth
  • Ear pads: 2.78 in Height x 2.78 in Width x .65 in Depth
  • 6.4 oz
  • Microphone: Omni-directional dual MEMS mic array
  • Built in Lithium Ion battery with 14 (ANC on) or 15 (ANC off) hours of talk time and 14 (ANC on) or 16 (ANC off) hours of listening time.
  • Qi Wireless charging enabled
Audio
  • Music frequency response: 30~13kHz @ -10db
  • Talk mode frequency response: 100~8kHz per TIA920
  • Microphone frequency response: 85~20kHz @ -3db
Wireless
  • Zone Wireless Receiver: .85 in Height x .54 in Width X .24 in Depth
  •  Range up to 100 feet with open line of sight

Design and features

The Logitech Zone Wireless headset is designed to sit on your ears. While I didn’t find it as comfortable as some of the over-ear models I’ve used, I was able to wear them for several hours with little discomfort. The band is padded silicone and the ear pads are leatherette and replaceable. The microphone can be positioned either on the right or left ear. It can swivel it 270 degrees so you can set it where it’s most comfortable. The microphone will automatically mute when you swivel it up, say at the end of a conversation.

All of the controls are located on the ear cup with the microphone. Along the bottom are controls for Bluetooth pairing, a power button and an ANC on/off button. On the side of the ear cup is a multi-function button that allows for call (answer, end, reject) and medial control (Music play/pause, Skip forward/backward). You can adjust the volume from here as well. The only control on the mic itself is a mute button. There is a micro-usb charging port on this ear cup as well, should you decide not to take advantage of the Qi wireless charging ability. If you want to wirelessly charge the headset  the receiver is located in the other ear cup.

Setup

After connecting to your phone through bluetooth, the only other set up involved is connecting it to the Logi Tune app (available for IOS and Android). From there, you can work basic functions such as turning the ANC on and off, adjusting the equalizer curves and view the charge status.

One cool feature is the ability to adjust the sidetone volume. This is essential when talking on the phone as it allows you to hear yourself and avoid the embarrassment of unnecessary shouting.

Performance

I went into this review with the perception that I was evaluating a pair of headphones. However, as the name implies, this is a headset, designed to be equally adept at listening to music as handling phone calls. With that in mind, I gave it a run through with several types of music (from jazz to metal to classical) and some of my favorite podcasts, all stored on my phone. I also connected the wireless dongle to my computer and sat through an hour long webinar. Finally, I made several calls on my iPhone.

Overall, I’d say that for listening to music, the Zone Wireless headset provided a satisfactory experience. While there wasn’t too much in the way of dynamics, and the sound felt slightly compressed at times, my overall impression was that it was decent for a headset designed for listening and communications. When I listened to a webinar from my computer, I found the sound much less fatiguing than any other headset I’d used for that purpose. Another bonus was that it was quite a bit more comfortable. Using the headset to make a few phone calls, I found the audio clear and echo-free. Callers on the other end said that I was easy to hear and neither of us experienced any audio drop outs.

What I like

  • Comfortable to wear for long hours at the office
  • Good call quality on both ends
  • Quick and stable wireless connection through Bluetooth and wireless dongle

What I’d change

  • Active noise cancellation is not very strong
  • Music was somewhat flat, with little in the way of dynamics

Final thoughts

I’d say that the Logitech Zone Wireless headset is a great choice if you are looking for a do-it-all headset for the office. It doesn’t excel for critical music listening like dedicated headphones, nor does its active noise cancellation come close to industry leaders in blocking unwanted noise. However, it provides you with a decent listening experience, good call quality and the ability to tune out most distractions in your office environment.

Price: $199.99
Where to buy: Logitech and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Logitech.

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Logitech Zone wireless headset review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 5, 2019 at 8:07 am.

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WordPress.com Business Plan Review – What Do You Get And Is It Worth It? (2019)

If you’re an experienced WordPress user, you’ve probably disregarded hosting your website with WordPress.com. However, thanks to the launch of the WordPress.com ‘Business’ plan, many of the reasons why WordPress.com has been overlooked as a serious web host have been overcome. Not only that but in addition to overcoming the drawbacks of hosting your website… View Article

The post WordPress.com Business Plan Review – What Do You Get And Is It Worth It? (2019) appeared first on WinningWP.

MacCase Premium Leather iPad Folio Case & Accessories review

REVIEW – Modular design makes me happy. MacCase makes my Apple products happy. Put them together, and you’re looking the MacCase iPad Premium Folio Case collection! We’re checking out the iPad 12.9″ keyboard-compatible case along with a bunch of accessories that make for some supreme office stylin’. To the review!

What is it?

It’s a folio case for your iPad. The model I am testing is designed to work with the Apple Keyboard and the first generation 12.9″ iPad Pro. I’ve also got a set of accessories that include the paper holder, cable pouch, card holder, and pencil case that build out a whole traveling office solution.

What’s in the box?

The case comes as a stand-alone item, and you can add whatever accessories you wish.

Hardware specs

  • Made from premium vegetable-dyed unfinished leather
  • Suede interior
  • Polymer iPad tray
  • Magnetic pads for attachments
  • Size and weight vary by size (depending on which iPad you have)

Design and features

MacCase has been a long-standing provider of accessories for Apple products, continually designing new cases for hauling your iPads and MacBooks. The iPad folio lineup embodies a lot of the trademarks that make MacCase special: premium leathers, superb construction, and innovative design details that work seamlessly with your hardware. The iPad Folio lineup is made up of vegetable-dyed premium leather with a soft finish, backed by a padded suede liner to protect from scratching. Stitching and assembly throughout are impeccable, with some nice little design accents that go along with the premium quality of the design. Check out the goods:

Your iPad tucks into a collar made from a clear gray polymer that almost gives it a frameless mounting look. All of the ports and buttons are precisely machined to give access to all of the iPad’s functions. It also pops out easily if you need to remove it, but stays locked in place when used with the case:

If you want to go without any accessories, the case works perfectly on it’s own. You can open it like a book, or take advantage of the hinged backplate to use the case as a stand:

The version I am testing is designed to also work seamlessly with the Apple keyboard. The keyboard slot is exposed in the collar, so you can snap it into place:

It then follows the folds of the case when you use the stand, with the keyboard stand neatly folding into place.

Here’s a comparison shot of the stand setup with and without the keyboard. I really like this aspect of the design, because I can work with the stand either way:

Now here’s where the customization comes into play. There are a set of magnetic pads on the front cover of case, designed to work with a range of accessories. These accessories are all made to match the case with respect to leather quality and finishing, and each has matching magnetic pads to connect to the case.

Three magnetic pads run up the side of the basic case, which allows for attaching accessories. They snap into place with enough grip that they won’t get knocked loose without some significant force (they can be removed easily by prying them loose):

If you add the paper holder you get to additional magnetic pads on its front faces which allow you to load up all the accessories at once:

Speaking of accessories, let’s run through the collection. The paper holder not only provides additional accessory attachment points, but it allows you to sandwich up to 8 sheets of paper between the paper holder and the case. It uses all three magnetic pads on the base case to secure it. Peel the holder off and your papers are ready to go.

The card holder attaches with one magnetic pad, and will hold up to a dozen standard business cards.

The pencil holder has a magnetic closure, and is sized for the Apple Pencil or a similar sized stylus. It requires two magnetic pad attachment points to secure.

The cable pouch has a zipper closure and measures 7″ by 3.5″ by 0.5″ deep. This will wrangle all of your cables, headphones and charger brick. I can also get my iPhone XS Max in there if I want to. This pouch also requires two magnetic pad attachment points to secure.

The case on its own weighs 1.25 pounds, while the whole package with accessories weighs in at about 7 ounces more. Note that this is before you add the iPad Pro 12.9″ and keyboard (mine is a first generation). The case with the keyboard measures in at just under an inch in total depth, with the whole kit measuring in at just under 2 inches deep with all accessories.

Performance

The MacCase iPad Premium Leather Folio Case is a beautifully crafted, durable piece of gear that functions really well if you’re an iPad nomad. It looks great in business environments and provides excellent protection for your gear. Add the accessories and you have everything you need for meetings (or sales calls, or interviews) in one complete, streamlined package. And if you run with your keyboard all the time using the iPad as a laptop replacement, you’ll find the keyboard-compatible model fits that use case perfectly.

There are some drawbacks to the bulky design, however, that may not be ideal depending on your intended use. If I am just using my iPad to surf the web, for example, I find the case to be a bit bulky and awkward to use in the “open book” format. The front cover does flip all the way around the back, but it is still clunky if you’re resting it on your lap or sitting on the couch. It really works best as a stand in my opinion, but the stand doesn’t support rotation for vertical/horizontal iPad positioning. This is a pretty common issue with heftier iPad cases, so you may or may not find this to be an issue.

I quite like the assortment of accessories, especially the Pencil case and cable pouch. Unfortunately, the base case configuration won’t support both of those accessories at once (you need 4 attachment points). You’ll need to add the paper holder for that. This does not add much bulk to the case, but it does restrict your options unless you go all in on the accessories. I’d like to see four attachment points on the base case more maximum flexibility.

One final note on the accessories: if you’re using the case as a stand, you’ll find those accessories are now under the base. You’ll need to pull them off if you’re using the case in stand mode. If you’ve got the paper holder, you can just pull the whole thing off with the accessories attached and set it aside while you work.

What I like

  • Premium quality craftsmanship
  • Professional look and feel for business applications
  • Excellent protection for your iPad
  • Accessories allow you to run bag-free

What I’d change

  • Accessories get in the way when used as a stand for your iPad and/or keyboard
  • Base configuration doesn’t support all accessory pouches
  • Bulky case may not appeal to all users

Final thoughts

The MacCase iPad Premium Leather Folio is a great piece of business gear, especially if you use your iPad and keyboard as a laptop replacement. There are some little design issues that you may or may not like, depending on your intended use. Overall, however, it’s a high-quality set of gear that provides the customization and durability that will last through years of use.

The Folio is available in the vintage brown (tested here) or black, in multiple configurations to fit different iPad sizes and versions. Keyboard-compatible models are available, as are bundle packs that include a briefcase or messenger bag designed to work with the case. Check out the MacCase site at the link below for more info.

Price: iPad cases start at $149, depending on size. Accessories are priced from $20 to $40 each.
Where to buy: Go to the product page for the iPad folios on the MacCase web site.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by MacCase.

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MacCase Premium Leather iPad Folio Case & Accessories review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 4, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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