20 Best Things To Alch (2022 Updated)

The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 is an excellent sound bar- with one critical flaw. I have this hooked to a 65″ Sony TV via HDMI Arc. The sound quality is excellent! Dialogue is clear, and the speaker does an excellent job of creating a wide soundstage (HINT: this soundbar has speakers angled at each side, so make sure not to block the sides of the sound bar).

It also makes an outstanding “Alexa” speaker, and that function is easy to set up. I initially paired this with the Bose Bass Module 500 but ended up returning the bass module because I felt like it overpowered the speaker.

To my ears, the sound bar is perfectly smooth and balanced by itself. Here is the critical flaw – there is no support for DTS audio codecs. What does that mean? Well, most digital audio signals are “encoded” in one of two formats – Dolby Digital or DTS (there are many “versions” of these two – Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby 7.

1, Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD, DTS X, etc. ) – but those are the two main codecs. This soundbar can “decode” the Dolby formats (it appears to downmix them all to Dolby Digital 5. 1) – but NONE of the DTS formats.

If you send a DTS-encoded signal to this soundbar, you will get nothing – just SILENCE. The only solution I have found is to change the output on your source (Blu Ray player, TV, etc. ) to 2 channel stereo (sometimes called PCM).

Why is that a problem? Well, many Blu-Rays use DTS! Fortunately for me, I mostly use the soundbar for streaming (right now – most streaming services use some variant of Dolby). I have a small library of DVDs – and *most* DVDs also use Dolby.

BUT – if you plan to use this soundbar to enjoy your library of Blu Rays – you probably need to look elsewhere.

Great sound clarity, but that’s it, and is the only reason it gets 2 stars. Very little bass, you definitely want to purchase the bass module if you MUST have this Bose sound bar. But that’s way to expensive for me.

I also hate that I had to download the Bose music app and create an account to adjust the bass level, treble and the center channel speaker volume. No reason to spend $450 on the sound bar ONLY, when if you ever so slightly sacrifice sound clarity you can get something cheaper that comes with a subwoofer and gives you a better overall sound experience.

I ended up returning the Bose and buying the JBL Bar 5. 1 sound bar with sub, Best Buy sku# 6395190. It was $200 off so priced at $400. The JBL sound bar gets louder, the virtual surround is decent, and the subwoofer is excellent.

I can feel the floor vibrate and hear the pictures on the TV wall rattle. Everything about the Bose felt gimmicky, from it sounding better in store than at my house, to being forced to sign up for the Bose music app.

Waste of money and time.

Mine lasted 8 months. The unit became unresponsive and had a white light moving continuously from left to right. Supposedly this was caused by a failed update that the sound bar decided to do on its own.

The story seems unlikely since the last update pushed out by Bose for this product was over 2 months ago. Troubleshooting steps were useless including being asked to hook the unit up to the computer to try and manually update it.

Customer service is bad. It took several phone calls, hours on hold and multiple transfers to be helped. After waiting for several minutes on hold they give you the option to be called back. Their customer service eventually calls back, however, 3 of the 4 attempts I made to do this I was called back and then instantly hung up on and had to start over.

Some attempts to call Bose, the automated voice would go mute just before giving you the # options to be redirected. Is this a cruel game they are playing on customers to make them give up? Bose did agree to pay for shipping to have the item repaired under warranty, however, I was told it will take 4 weeks to get the item back.

You are on your own finding a box to ship it in. They will not provide one. I’m not excited to get this product back just so it can fail again when it decides to “update” itself. Next time it probably won’t be under warranty.

A quick google search shows this is a common problem with the unit. On the plus side, when it works, this unit sounds very good compared to other units of the same size. There are much better options for the price though.

This unit does not play nice with my Samsung frame TV. The ARC does not work properly. Not sure if this the fault of Bose or Samsung.

I bought this new 7000is generator instead of the EM6500s that I went in for. My 24 year old EB6500s was suddenly having an issue delivering the usual 120v that it had been delivering when I needed it to.

Due to the age of my older unit, I decided to buy a new one and repair the old one for spare. I looked at the 7000is when I went in and studied the features vs. the older, more seasoned 6500s. So, I bought it.

The reputable dealer said that it was set-up and load tested and ready to go. When I got it home, I started it up twice and checked the voltage output and was delighted that it delivered 126v/253v at no load! That was great.

A week later, we had another outage and I went to use the new 7000is, but was surprised and then frustrated that even though it started up right away, it suddenly stopped running while I was letting it warm up.

It re-started easily and did not repeat the stoppage. Then, to my surprise, after it warmed up and I checked the voltage output, it produce none! NONE! It did not matter which switch combination I selected either.

It produced no output from any receptacle. I tried once, twice and a third time, but no output. My son, with the manual in his hand, also tried every combination, just to ensure that I wasn’t missing something, but still no output.

So, with great frustration, I got the old 6500s out and as it warmed up, the voltage stabilized to 115 to 118v and I used it to power the house. After running the 6500s for through two tanks of fuel, I decided to just try the new one and to my surprise, it started, warmed up and produced the correct voltage from the appropriate outlet/switch positions.

I used it for the next twelve hours or so and it ran fine and continued to produce the correct voltage. The only thing wrong? It doesn’t register any load readings on the display, no matter how high or low they are.

The good news is that the 7000is “sips” fuel compared to the 6500s, just as Honda promised. So, can I trust the new 7000is to protect my home from freeze-up, or lost food, or no water from the well, or lights, during the next outage, of which we have many? I bought a set of replacement brushes for the 6500s and will have that back ready just-in-case.

The fact that this is a 5500 watt inverter generator that bumps up to 7000 watts for the larger startup draw on things like air conditioning and microwaves would be enough for most people. But people that do not know the difference, don’t realize, that the reason generators fail to start is because of the lack of use.

It may sit for years with gas in it before you ever try to use tin an emergency Well, gas that sits in any generator”s gas tank (and carb) for an extended period of time will gum up a carburetor leaving it disabled.

For a small engine motor that is almost never used, the introduction to fuel injection on a generator was a game changer. Let me state. I wouldn’t keep 3 gallons of gas in the tank for five years and expect it run the next time I needed it to, but I bet it would.

In short. If you can. Run the gas out empty as much as possible every season. The fuel injectors aren’t as susceptible to gumming from stale gas as carburetors are. Keep a battery tender on it though because the generator won’t charge the on board battery sufficiently.

It’s a known problem. Just deal with it like I have for years.

You will need two grown men to get this thing in and out of a truck. Its a beast. Very well packaged for shipping. It has to be. First impression is very well built, all heavy duty. Put the wheels and support legs on with ease.

This thing is just so heavy so I had it on some 6×6 blocks to get it off the floor to help with that task. Battery comes with it, bit of a pain to form cables in small area to land them on battery posts.

Added my oil and good gas and it fired right up. It is so quiet. I could not be more happy with how quiet it is. Please do the right thing and break this generator in correctly. Plenty of information on line to get this done.

This generator has everything you need to get through a power outage. Yes they are very expensive, but piece of mind is priceless. It is so well built it should last for years if properly cared for. It is by far the baddest somewhat portable generator on the planet.

You will not regret the purchase. Again. Its a beast.

I received this as a free promotional item when I purchased a Fire TV. This is my second introduction to Amazon’s Alexa integration products. It’s great for controlling the new TV by voice (although the included remote with the TV also allowed this feature) Easy setup and took some reading of the manual with the Fire TV to figure out the integration.

I can’t say I would put this in every room of the house but an interesting addition to the TV. I was disappointed that the Fire TV I purchased would not integrate the sound very effectively. There is a WiFi option but the TV or the Dot would not support the connection regarding audio setup with the TV.

My only audio connection with the Fire TV was via Bluetooth and for some reason the audio on the Dot was very low. So low that it was not usable for that purpose and I removed the Bluetooth pairing. Not sure what would need to take place to ensure WiFi audio pairing with a Fire TV but otherwise OK.

Let me start by saying that I was completely anti-listening technology in my home. After a long discussion with the wife, we compromised and she bought one. Since I lost that battle, I have installed 3 others in the house.

I haven’t regretted it. I bought some wall plug mounts that make install super easy and I can hide them behind furniture for a less cluttered look in the house. The Amazon echo is actually a great tool for your smart home.

Yes, they are listening. But so is your phone. I like that I can play my music on multiple devices so I go from room to room if I’m cleaning or putting away folded laundry. I don’t use my stovetop timer anymore, I just tell Alexa to set a timer for me.

If I’m working in the garage and my wife needs something she can drop in and we can talk completely hands free. Which is great when my hands are too dirty to mess with my phone. I use the Alexa app for home automation.

It’s nice because I can shut off the whole house while we’re away. if we’re gone for extended periods of time I can have random lights turn on and off around the house so it looks like someone is home.

I also have routines for waking up, getting ready for work, going to bed, and even for when I’m in different parts of the house. I have tried home automation with the Google apps, the Apple smart home app, and all the various ones that come with each device I have installed.

The Alexa app is the most comprehensive. There is still work they can do to make it better, but it works far better than the others for our home setup. The bad: the app doesn’t allow for multiple users with different Amazon accounts within the home.

You have to have every device setup on the same account. My wife and I have separate EVERYTHING. So, sharing an Amazon account is less than ideal. We listen o different styles of music. We shop for different types of items.

She reads mystery novels and fiction, I don’t read. Plus, getting gifts for each other is a lot harder when you can see the same Amazon purchases. With that said, Amazon support is amazing!! I have given feedback multiple times and each time they have responded quickly and ensured they understand my issues.

I’m sure there is plenty I didn’t cover because there are features I simply haven’t used yet, but overall I give the echo dot 4 stars.

This is way more fun than I expected. I dont use a lot of smarthome features, but now that I’m getting used to Alexa, things are about to change. Really convenient way to listen to tunes while I’m working on the computer or playing on my phone.

I use it a lot for simple questions and information too. Im going to order some smart light bulbs soon so I can make her do even more for me. Haha My major complaint is that I can’t use it to call or text someone unless they sign up with the Alexa app too.

That’s a loss of a whole star there, because Google smart devices do that just fine with my Samsung Galaxy devices. This was free with the purchase of a TV, but I’ve mulled around the idea of getting one for a few years.

Ive got other speakers that are better sounding, but as far as convenience goes, this little Echo is great for me. It sits right beside my recliner on a table where I embarrassingly spend most of my time.

There has never been a problem of hearing it or not hearing me. The reminders arw handy too. Hve been dabbling with the shopping lists feature too. I espect to use this more and more but really wish I could call and text my peeps with her.

I’ve been using Bar Keepers Friend cleanser powder in the gold can several years ago after a random purchase. What’s interesting is the great story behind the product which was accidentally discovered by a chemist, tweaked and put into production since the year 1882.

I like the fact that it’s non-abrasive with proper use and always using water with the powder. Be sure to read and follow instructions and visit the manufacturer’s website. The main component of the product is Oxalic Acid that naturally occurs in the ever humble Rhubarb plant.

I have used this powdered cleanser, always with a damp or wet cloth, on my smooth top stove at least 1-2 times a week for almost 7-8 years and the black smooth top looks as good as new, no razor blades required.

Glass shower doors and metal tracks (no more soap scum), sinks-kitchen and bath gleam, BBQ grill, mistakenly scorched or burned pots, pans and casserole dishes, rust, soap scum on acrylic tub and tub surround (safe), toilets – bowl and outside, scuff marks on walls and hard surface floors, running shoe soles and so many more life happening things that we all face.

This product is definitely multi-use. I’m so glad Canadian Tire carries this product. The Bar Keeper’s Friend website also offers many tips and ideas. Depending on the severity of the task, heavy duty grime, scum, neglected stovetops, etc.

may need a little elbow grease and a small window of sitting time (a few minutes). Nothing is ever instant, but it’s one of the safest and best cleaners out there for surfaces you never thought possible to revive.

Go get this stuff and give it a whirl. You’ll be happy you did.

This stuff is the best!! I swear by it and I’ve recommended it to different friends and family members. All I use is a soft wash cloth and some warm to hot water with it maybe some dish soap depending on what I’m cleaning.

I don’t even use scrubbers in my kitchen anymore unless I am using a scrapper for my cast iron skillets. Things I have used this for with great success is for removing rainbow colors out of my stainless steel pots and pans.

They look like new! To Remove old grease on outside of pans. Build up and discolorations on shower tile. Even some stains on walls. I have used the liquid version to remove build up residue and scum on my master bath shower glass and it works better than anything I’ve tried to use! When other cleaning products fail in my home on stains that are stubborn this is my go to.

I moved into an apartment in June. The bathtub drain wash disgusting and I tried all the hacks to get it clean. I use Bar keepers friend for other cleaning and figured I’d give it a try as a last resort.

I’ve got 3 kids and one of which is an infant. Needless to say I didn’t like the thought of them bathing with that filth. Got the drain wet and covered it with bar keepers friend let it sit for 3 minutes and I WAS SHOCKED! The grime and layers of scum literally peeled off! The stains that were left were easy to scrub off.

The rest of the apartment is silver so I laughed seeing the copper Come through. But I am happy to say I have more faith in bar keepers friend than ever before! Thanks for the ability to wash my kids in a completely clean bathtub!.

I bought this Echo Dot with clock to use as a bedroom alarm clock. I love that it kept accurate time, and that the brightness of the display adjusts to the ambient light in the room. It’s also good for playing music or white noise when going to sleep.

After using the device reliably for a year I almost missed a flight when the alarm didn’t go off to wake me up one morning. The Echo had hung and wasn’t responding to voice commands. The clock still displayed the accurate time.

Since then, the unit has continued to hang a couple of times a day. The problem usually happens right after giving the Echo a command. The LEDS at the bottom come on and then stay on. At this point the only way to restore it is to unplug it for a few seconds.

I have searched the web for a solution and see that others are having the same issue. I have tried reloading the software from scratch to no avail. I can only assume that it’s a hardware design issue.

There has been no response from Amazon on the issue that I can see other than suggesting trying another power supply which I tried and it didn’t solve the issue. I have 15 other versions of Echo’s and none of them have this problem.

This experience has caused me to lose confidence in the reliability of Echo’s in general for anything important and now I use my phone for wake-up alarms.

My name is Pam and I am an Echo Dot addict. I last used my Echo Dot just moments ago. I have the Glacier White version. Seriously, Alexa has spoiled me and every one else in my home absolutely rotten.

It’s so nice not to have to bother thinking after a long day at work or when I’m just waking up in the morning. Anything I need to know, I ask the pro and she always has a pleasant attitude in addition to answering my questions.

Unfortunately, I have not only created Echo Dot addicts out of everyone in my home, but because I purchased one for my sister for Christmas,I have also created addicts out of everyone in her home as well.

There are so many of us now that we could start our own support group. Alexa is so handy to have on hand. She wakes us up every morning with the alarm I’ve set, gives us the day’s forecast, answers silly questions that pop in our heads randomly like who sang a certain song or who appeared in a certain movie, you name it.

This product is so easy to set up and I love having the ability to connect smart devices. I purchased the bundle with a smart light bulb and since my sister lives alone this allows her to have Alexa turn the lights on before she enters her home for safety.

So many uses!! I highly recommend!.

These don’t go on sale all the time like the non-clock versions do, but I think they are worth waiting for. I have these in each of my kids rooms. I never to worry about setting the time when the power goes out, or for daylight saving time, or when batteries die.

They have a clock that is always right, and the kids can set alarms and timers, all without a another screen competing for their attention. I already had 3rd gen echo dots in each of the bedrooms, and was considering getting a clock for each room too.

WiFi clocks meant 2 devices instead of 1 clogging the WiFi, and decent atomic clocks that I felt confident would be set once and forget were just as expensive. Switching to these and repurposing the old dots just ended up being the best option and has worked out well.

The sound quality is good enough for our uses, and they have better mics / pickup than the big expensive rotating Echo Show 10 we have in the kitchen. And telling Alexa to play obnoxious, annoying songs on all of them simultaneously works great for getting kids up in the morning.

High concentration IPA is great to have around the house. It has tons of uses! Before covid made this stuff hard to find, I used it to clean all kinds of stuff. Metal objects (especially aluminum) anything with fine details or small parts, it has lower viscosity than water and dries very quickly with no residue.

It sanitizes, it can be used as fuel in an alcohol stove. If you have an ultrasonic cleaner, it does a great job seeping into, and quickly evaporating out of, teeny tiny crevices and compartments, where water would remain trapped and potentially grow mold or bacteria.

It’s great for cleaning things that you might hesitate to clean with water, like electronics. It works to sanitize things that you wouldn’t want to boil, like an oral thermometer or a phone that may have fallen into the toilet.

We’ve ordered this Equate 70% Isopropyl Alcohol 2-pack for delivery through Walmart. com a few times since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The product appears to be as advertised, and the bottles are well packed and have arrived intact with no spillage.

We haven’t run out of disinfecting wipes yet (knock on wood), but with the short supply predicted to continue, we have a plan to make our own disinfecting wipes with Isopropyl, paper towels, some lovely essential oils, and a couple other ingredients if the need should arise.

If you’re going to order Isopropyl Alcohol for delivery, you can’t beat the Walmart. com price – I have checked. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we have been avoiding public spaces such as brick-and-mortar stores as much as we can.

So far it seems to work well for us if we add a two-pack of 70% Isopropyl to the cart whenever we make a Walmart. com order – this way we know that we always have some on hand when we need it. :-).

I work for a machining shop. The alcohol we need to use to clean our parts has to be over 90%. They used to get this alcohol somewhere else for almost double the price and for half of the size bottle.

I found this at Walmart. and the shop has NO complaints. They were happy to get the larger bottles. Plus. you get 2 bottles for less than the price of one on some other sites. I would recommend – this is just as good as any other brand.

I got this soundbar to hook up to my 65″ LG 65SM8100. Note that my TV only has an ARC HDMI port and NOT an eARC HDMI port. I was looking between this soundbar and the Sonos Arc soundbar. They are both very similar soundbars.

I recommend anybody considering this soundbar to compare it to the Sonos Arc to see which is better suited for their setup. The great thing about this soundbar is that for those not using eARC HDMI, the soundbar will still simulate the experience with the Bose adapt IQ.

This is done using the Bose music app, and the provided headset you use during product setup. The other great feature about this soundbar is the use of Bluetooth. I did not think I would bother with this feature, however, playing music just sounds so good on this bar that I find myself casting music from my phone via Spotify a lot more often than I thought.

Even though my TV and PS5 have Spotify, I prefer using my phone via bluetooth because it means I can leave the TV off and just have Spotify as a background ambience. Probably the best thing above all with this soundbar is the fact that when I watch movies, shows, and play video games, I no longer have the need to ride the volume.

My old soundbar would have music and explosions in movies extremely loud while characters talking would be whisper quiet. Bose seems to do something where volume levels are more even. Dialogue is fed through the centre speaker, while sounds appear to be delivered in different channels.

Now I can keep the volume at the same setting from beginning to end. There is even a setting in the app for a dialogue mode where it makes the dialogue louder. I have not yet tried this setting as I simply haven’t had the need to.

One thing to note is this soundbar has a glass top. When placed in front of the TV, it will cause a reflection of the TV screen onto the glass. It may bother some people, though I don’t mind at all. Looking at both the black and white version, I went with white simply because dust and fingerprints are practically invisible.

On the black version, fingerprints and dust are a lot more visible. Something to keep in mind with the fact that the buttons are a touch panel on the glass surface. The reason I gave this soundbar a 4/5 and not 5/5 is for 2 reasons: 1.

) Opening the Bose app, it very often says the Bose 900 is ‘not available’. Even though it is playing music on Bluetooth or playing sound while streaming shows. The problem seems to go away after a few moments.

This is a big deal because if I need to change an audio setting at the beginning of a show or movie, I have to wait for a wireless quirk to resolve itself first. An issue I shouldn’t have to fight with after dropping a grand on a soundbar.

2. ) I wish Bose would add a ‘Night mode’ to the soundbar. The competitor Sonos Arc has a night mode where highs and lows are toned down, and a more even volume range is projected to lessen the chance of disturbing other people while using the soundbar late at night.

This is strictly a software feature that Bose SHOULD be able to add via a firmware update, but we won’t get it unless we ask for it. So Bose, please add a night mode setting to the Bose 900. Note, I did add the Bass module 700 to this soundbar.

Though I will only speak of the bass experience in my written review on Amazon as that is where I bought it from. I definitely recommend adding the bass module 700 to this soundbar as it drastically improves the overall audio experience.

Hi everyone, Having owned the soundbar 900 now for 3 weeks I thought it would be good to share my thoughts to those considering upgrading from the 300/700, or jumping right in as a newbie to the 900.

Prior to the upgrade to the 900, I already had the full 700 setup which included the 700 Soundbar, 300 bass module and 300 rears. Prior to the soundbar 700, I had the 300. If I were to summarise, the 700 setup was solid for music and reasonable for movies, but the 900 is a solid performer across both areas.

Summary of the 900 performance: • The power of 900 Soundbar is markedly improved over the 700. • Voice dialog on the 900 is markedly improved over the 700. • Stereo separation on the 900 is excellent, and the reflection of sound left and right of the Soundbar is greatly improved, actually it’s amazing.

• The sound stage of the 700 is narrow compared to the 900. • Atmos adds a level of depth to the sound which must be heard to fully appreciate. You are now enveloped in sound and the placement of sound within the room is much more accurate.

You no longer feel the sound is coming from the Soundbar beneath the TV, but it is elevated and is more in-line with the activity on the screen. • The simulated Atmos for non-Atmos movies by the Soundbar, which I believe Bose call TrueSpace is excellent and makes standard Dolby 2.

0 or 5. 1 movies a pleasure to watch, rather quite immersive. • Significant difference was the clarity of audio and how it made the 700 rears and base module come alive, the rears now actually perform as they should.

• The Bose Music app now shows the audio format the soundbar is receiving. • The 300/700 bass module and 300/700 rears have come alive using them with the soundbar 900. The handoff of audio between the Soundbar and the bass/rears is more seamless and I don’t hear gaps in sound for the left and right areas of the room.

One firmware bug however and it’s worth noting. The very first 2 seconds of audio isn’t heard, the soundbar is fine then after; no audio dropouts or sync issues at all. It’s like the soundbar is sorting out what signal it’s receiving.

I have reported to Bose support who have advised it will be resolved in a future firmware update. No timeframe given on this from Bose support. Soundbar out of the box updated to firmware 3. 0. 18 and is now currently running firmware 3.

0. 22. The Soundbar 900 is well worth it. I hope this helps someone who is considering upgrading or purchasing for the first time.

About 4 months ago, I purchased the Soundbar 900 and combined it with newly purchased Base Module 700 and Surround Speakers 700. I primarily use the system connected to an Xbox Series X with Dolby Atmos enabled.

Initially, setup and tuning via ADAPTiQ in the app was fairly painless, and the sound initially was pretty great. That didn’t last long – the speaker often gets out of sync with the tv/app, requiring a power cycle via the app to have it reconnect and pick back up.

A month or two after purchase, the speaker would sometimes become flat-out unresponsive and require a hard unplug/replug power cycle to bring it back online. Besides this, audio at times is completely out of sync with video – there are settings in the app to fix latency, but they take it in the wrong direction and only make things worse.

A month or so ago, the speakers started making a distortion-sounding noise during key frequencies. I unhooked the Bass and Surround modules to confirm it was just the primary speaker. A factory reset did fix this particular issue (tried after an hour or two following other suggestions online) and I continued on.

Finally, starting just this week, the audio will randomly cut out for about 3 seconds every 10 minutes or so. I swapped back to TV speakers only to confirm this is the Bose system and not somehow the Xbox – everything works great from the TV itself (except, of course, it sounds like TV speaker quality sound).

I thought the Bose sound bar would be an easy way to get a decent-sounding atmos setup without too much effort, and for the price of the combined system, I expected everything to “just work”. This experience has tarnished what was otherwise a stellar reputation for Bose in my mind, and I will avoid their products like the plague moving forward.

Highly recommend avoiding this – either go for a cheaper soundbar or bite the bullet and do a proper high end receiver + speaker atmos setup. This one isn’t worth the headache or cost.

Yeti touts how durable and tough these coolers are but I will say my experience was the exact opposite. We got it to go car camping & after having a $30 Coleman cooler the last 8 years where your ice is gone by day 2 we decided it was time to spend an obscene amount of money on a Tundra, because it would last forever.

Well… we brought it car camping ONCE and it was ruined. Turns out, putting your Yeti cooler on a hitch rack on a Subaru Forester is not something I encourage unless it’s on the opposite side of the exhaust.

Yes, exhaust is hot, we know, but we’ve had our Coleman in the same spot for years and never had a problem so we didn’t think twice with a cooler that can stand up to a bear. Boy, were we wrong. The exhaust melted the side off down to the foam.

We had it a foot back and a foot offset and it still ruined this cooler. Also it got pretty scratched up and we’re the type that’s pretty good to our gear so if you have a darker cooler, keep that in mind.

I have an additional star because despite it melting, we still had ice. I was also really disappointed both Yeti and REI said “that really sucks but there’s nothing we can do. ” Not even a way to fix it.

So we’re out $400 (more w. accessories) and I now have negative feelings towards two brands I used to be incredibly proud to support. All in all, I used to be a huge Yeti fan. I own about 22 of their products but after this, I likely will look elsewhere.

First and only use. Preloaded cooler full of ice 3 hours prior to unloading all ice. Then transferred half the ice into three gallon and 1 one gallon zip lock bags and then loaded the cooler with food and the zip lock bags of ice.

After 24 hours with one night camping and multiple lid openings the ice was still 95 % intact. Day time high was 82F and night time low was 49F. Cooler was kept outside in the shade. We were happy with the cooler performance though the conditions were not too demanding (Phoenix winter).

The cooler performance comes at a cost – both $$ & lbs. At 27lbs empty and large in nature, this cooler is quite heavy and awkward when loaded. Recommend two person lift and carry. One person will struggle lifting and carrying through doors etc.

Be careful, a tweaked back will ruin the adventure you’re hoping to embark on.

I wanted to up my cooler game, and chose the Yeti Tundra. I like the design, the handles, and all, but I’m underwhelmed with its performance. I followed their recommendations and pre-chilled, added lots of ice and frozen foods, and it made it about 3 days.

I talked to a friend of mine, who loves her Yeti — she said in order to keep it cold longer, take a second cooler along for the first couple days and don’t open the Yeti until the third day, bring towels to fill it as the food and ice dissolve (though she never is out long enough to replenish food and ice, so didn’t have a strategy for managing the soggy towels) — point being, this cooler seems to need a LOT of support! I sure don’t have room in my van to bring along a second cooler and towels to help the Tundra perform! Is this an accurate description of what people are doing? It seems to me that if I did all those things to boost the cooler, I could increase the performance of a much cheaper cooler?.

TraduciMostra in lingua originaleI have had the machine for 4 months. It has been trouble since the first day. It frequently fails to read capsules, the touchscreen is non-responsive, and sometimes the machine won’t even turn on unless it’s first unplugged then plugged back in.

I’ve tried meticulous cleaning, opening and closing the lid, and cleaning the bar code reader, but it still fails to read capsules. However, if I turn the power off and on without opening the lid, it instantly reads the capsule.

So it’s not related to cleaning or how I closed the lid. I contacted customer support who at first of course tried to blame me, but finally gave me return authorization for repair. They received unit at close of business Friday.

Monday was Memorial Day holiday so machine wasn’t looked at until Tuesday. On Tuesday, they decided nothing was wrong with machine and sent the same defective unit back to me along with a gaslighting email saying if I was having issues with the machine, it must be my fault.

They totally refuse to acknowledge the issues I’m having or that there could be anything wrong with their machine. They even went so far as to suggest something us wrong with the electrical outlets in my 10yr old house and that’s why the machine doesn’t work correctly.

If you’re lucky enough to get a fully functional unit, everything should be great for you. But if you’re as unlucky as I was and receive a defective unit, be aware that customer service is non-existent with this company, and be prepared for the gaslighting and being blamed for whatever is wrong with the machine.

This company does not care about the quality of the product, nor do they care about the customer.

TraduciMostra in lingua originaleWhy aren’t you drinking as many cocktails during the pandemic? If that question doesn’t apply to you then you probably don’t need or even want this machine. However, if the answer is because you tend to rely on bartenders/events for your cocktail drinking and keep home life to only the basic beverages, this machine is here to add more variety into your choices.

Of course all the recipes for the drinks it makes can be made without the machine, but at least for me I was not making them. Managing all the juices, syrups, herbs, etc. on top of everything else in 2020, no, I was not doing those things.

This is the barrier the machine takes away. You still need to purchase the spirits; sometimes you still need to shake the shaker (Cosmopolitan, for example) – the machine solves for having to have the more esoteric ingredients and then it also speeds up the prep – no muddling, squeezing, etc.

So, by and large they have left in the “easy effort” steps like buying a bottle of your favorite tequila and taken out the “harder effort” steps like measuring out four kinds of juices. Now there is also the competing Drinkworks.

Drinkworks is by Keurig which is a big publicly traded company; this product is a startup – so, advantage to Keurig there. Drinkworks is also the only machine that can pop out a Moscow Mule or Mojito since Bartesian has no CO2.

If those are your two favorite drinks and you want them in this type of convenient fashion then Drinkworks is probably the choice for you. Otherwise the Bartesian is more than likely your better option unless you’re swayed by the vendor viability argument mentioned above.

Sure, Drinkworks can make a Vodka Soda, a Gin and Tonic, a “Whiskey Cola” — but do you really need a machine for those very basic combos? Once you get past those five drinks then the Bartesian does all the other things the Drinkworks does, except that: 1) You control the spirits on the Bartesian – which, in the Drinkworks sometimes you don’t even know what brand of spirit is in there 2) You control the portion of spirits on the Bartesian – for many customers that’s the difference in a drink hitting or missing the mark 3) The Bartesian doesn’t have refrigeration – but – kind of like the ‘Gin and Tonic’ issue, this is easy to solve – just put some ice cubes in the water reservoir, or have all your drinks go into the shaker with ice, or both.

Having now had the machine for a couple of weeks the proof is in how it has affected our drink choices – by taking away the ‘ingredients’ (oh, no, no white grape juice around) and ‘time to prep’ barriers we have diversified and brought cocktails back to the table more often.

If that sounds good to you, the machine is definitely worth a try.

TraduciMostra in lingua originaleI love the Bartesian. I first saw it advertised on a social media platform and decided I would do some research before I make my purchase. I read reviews as well watched several YouTube videos.

I couldn’t find any negative reviews or any cons. All the benefits of the cocktail maker were pros. I have owned the Bartesian for a few weeks. We have used it several times. There are 3 adults in my home and we all have made our favorite drinks.

We have all used the strong setting (comparable to a drink made at a bar). I purchased the sample pack of capsules for the experience of tasting flavors I wouldn’t ordinarily order. I haven’t found any I don’t like.

Here are my reasons for liking the Bartesian: 1. I can purchase the capsules I like most. 2. I can use the spirit I prefer most. 3. I can have unlimited drinks if I desire. 4. I don’t have to worry about drinking and driving because I’m home when I’m using it.

5. I can try new flavors by ordering different capsules. 6. I can subscribe to receive the capsules if I desire. 7. If I have a gathering at my home, my guest can make their own drink without anyone having to make drinks missing out on all the fun.

8. COVID can’t shut down my home. So if and when the bars are closed, I can always safely have a drink at home. Overall, it’s a great investment and well worth the cost. The machine pays for itself in a quick amount of time by saving me on buying expensive drinks in a club or at a restaurant.

I have been preparing meals at home more since I made my purchase.

My little ones loved this toy so much. Adult supervision is definitely recommended. I would also definitely recommend this for kids at least 5 years old or older. This toy comes with so many pieces. My little ones love all the sounds and effects that the cauldron made.

The instruction booklet was a little confusing at first but once we figured it out, it was so much fun and very entertaining. This toy definitely takes time and patience but seeing my little ones light up and have so much fun makes this all worth it.

The little stuffed animal is so cute and mixing all the potions was really a great activity for my kids and they loved every minute of it. I really like that there are refill packs for this so this isn’t a one and done toy.

This is such a cute toy and will definitely be a great gift for any kid. I highly recommend this product.

My daughter was so happy to receive this toy! The directions were easy to read and follow. It even includes pictures to follow along with. There are several different steps that you must perform to get your Magic Mixie Crystal Ball to create a Magic Mixie.

The wand was one of her favorite parts. It lights up in several different colours and fits comfortably in her hand. It has different buttons to press, such as a power button, a Mixie button, and a spell button.

Once you finish the 6 magic steps, you will find an adorable Mixie inside the crystal ball. The Mixie itself has movable arms and legs. You can even position its tail. Perfect gift for my 7. 5 year old.

Let me start by saying, I am not much of a drinker. I dislike most beers, like ciders, and love whiskey. When I became of age, I would try different things – vodka tonic, gin and tonic, etc, but none really clicked.

Cut to two decades later, and I am careful about my caloric intake, want to get the best value for my dollar, and want a taste beverage! So over the summer, we had a loss in the family, and had to travel for a funeral.

I decided to relax and have a drink. My in-laws preferred vodka is Tito’s, so I had a Tito’s on the rocks. AMAZING. It tasted great, helped calm down my anxiety about traveling during a pandemic, and let me focus on our family.

Over the summer, it became my weekly ritual – one decent shot of Tito’s on the rocks or straight, sipped and savored. Things change on Thanksgiving of this year. My brother-in-law made me a Tito’s with seltzer and lime with a little splash of sprite, and I was over the moon! He also makes a tremendous Bloody Mary (with Old Bay) that I now realize is Tito’s based.

I have been moved to keep a bottle in my house now, and will continue to experiment and enjoy.

I liked how smooth it is. It works very well with the #tropicaldrinks that we love to #indulge in now and again. It also works well in our #summertime #cocktails or our regulars like Vodka and juice.

And the bonus is the price can’t be beat. A real #favorite when we go shopping to stock up, because it’s a big enough bottle it lasts awhile. I can recommend it for all your #vodka desires. Don’t take my word on it alone ,try it for yourself you will be convinced.

#TitosVodka #happyhour #mixeddrinks #tailgate #cocktailhour #Hostess #homebody #cozycup #entertaining #bartending #influenster #voxbox #company #tasty #reviewer.

Love Titos! I have a select few vodkas I will drink. usually the cheaper vodkas give me a headache. so I usually always opt for the pricier brands. However, I’ve found Titos to be affordable and headache free!!! So many of my favorite drinks include vodka, so this is a win for me! Titos is smooth, and allows me to make my favorite drinks more often, and is kinder on my wallet!!! Pictured- Specialty Summer Drink- “The Beach Ball”! (Titos, Blue Curacao, Grenadine, Pineapple and Orange Juices).

Obligatory I am not reviewing Skrewball but a similar product Influenster doesn’t have. But to be fair, Skrewball is pretty good. It’s not got a sweet taste of peanut butter, more of the bitter taste of a raw peanut.

I like it. But I’m reviewing a beverage from Bogue Sound Distillery, which is located on the middle east coast of North Carolina. Their peanut butter whiskey is so tasty! It even comes with a bottle of “Jelli” drops to enhance your PBJ liquid dream.

(I can’t really taste it tbh) Comparing to Skrewball, Bogue’s is a bit smoother, with a sweet PB aftertaste. I like this on its own, or as part of a mixed drink (peanut butter Russians! 🤤). This is not so sweet or creamy that it gets tiresome.

I’ve been enjoying this Christmas gift all week and would definitely recommend it to the more adventurous alcohol/whiskey drinkers, that like to step off the road into different neighborhoods to taste what’s new.

Since this is not a mass-market whiskey it might be hard to find for some, and it costs more than Skrewball, but I am definitely looking forward to visiting and trying other spirits from Bogue Sound.

(For ppl in NC you can find it at the ABC store).

I always buy “premium” whiskey and very rarely did I buy flavored whiskey but this was recommended to me and I instantly went out and bought it. At first glance, the bottle is simple which is very appealing to me.

It smells great! On its own it’s pretty good however when used as a mixer magical things happen. First I put it in hot chocolate and it was so delicious. The delicious peanut butter flavor with the mild and gentle whiskey flavor was absolutely perfect in the hot chocolate.

Then I decided to make a “peanut buster parfait” style milk shake using this whiskey and oh my goodness, it was incredible! I don’t think this has an intense after burn like some whiskey and I think it has the perfect peanut butter flavor.

I haven’t tried any other peanut butter flavored alcohol but I don’t think I would find one that is as good or better than this one. I purchased it at the PA State Store so I paid more than average for it but I think it was worth every penny.

If you love peanut butter and are willing to drink whiskey, I definitely recommend trying this if you get the opportunity!!!!!.

‘Did an ‘A-B’ test with Screwball versus Sheep Dog last night. There was really no contest. Screwball has a nice distinct fresh peanut aroma. Upon first taste, you get a slightly sweet balance of flavors of peanut butter and high-quality whiskey.

On the finish, you get an incredibly clean and smooth mouthfeel with a little heat from the whiskey, but with a luxurious peanut aftertaste that lingers so beautifully. Sheep Dog has a somewhat weird indistinct aroma, with a hint of butterscotch, but nothing else.

The initial taste is rather pleasant, with a blending of butterscotch and mild peanut flavor. But upon the finish, the peanut flavor quickly fades away to a burning heat of a musty seemingly low-quality whiskey.

So unfortunately, Sheep Dog is not a good budget alternative for Screwball. Screwball is so good, it’s ridiculous.

Hennessy is an amazing Brandy (cognac) that is made in Cognac France. It was first made in 1765 by Richard Hennessy. By 1840 he was selling Brandy all over the world and was the biggest distributor in the world.

To this day Hennessy is still the biggest distributor selling 70 million bottles a year. I’m glad they made such and amazing Brandy because I love the way it taste. Hennessy is good in cola, ginger ale,orange juice pineapple juice and cranberry juice.

You can use Hennessy to make a Henny Margarita a San Fran sour, or Henny with Red Bull. Just be careful how much you drink. It is very strong. I would definitely recommend Henny any day.

My favorite drink of all time! Very Bold, Strong and Love the hard, raging, burning alcoholic taste that most liquors can’t replicate! This is the Budweiser of all liquors! For experienced drinkers only, I highly recommend drinking straight, or a mix over ice with a strong high performance energy drink such as NOS or Red Bull! However, if you’re not an experienced drinker, someone that doesn’t drink regularly, or moderately.

then, this is not the drink for you because, it’s very strong and burns like hell!.

This drink right here tastes horrible and will make you know or become acquainted with what heartburn feels like in my opinion. When I drink this, I literally feel it falling down my esophagus and it’s dropping into my stomach.

I know that can sound dramatic, but Hennessy is really strong. In college this was my go to drink because it got the job done. If you read my comments you know I like things I get the job done, and Hennessey is one of them.

If you trying to have a good time this is a drink for you. ** Although, based off of observation Hennessey brings out different sides of people. I know some will say that’s alcohol in general, but i do believe different drinks alter your moods differently.

Some people can be more  aggressive, lovey dovey, sleepy etc. Try this at home before drinking It when your out.

Nose: There’s some scorched oak dashing out when it’s poured into the glass. A little alcoholic. After a few minutes, some sweet note like brown sugar starts to show. Then caramel. Palate: Smooth and mellow, almost no bite.

Very weak char in the front and it’s soon gone. The oak is around all the time, making the palate quite woody, but not overwhelming. The body is light and tastes very sweet almost like licorice. Finish: Still woody but no astringency at all.

A little nutty in the beginning. There’s malty sweetness lingers long, then turns into pear and apple zest. Cool and dry. Comment: I believe this is one of the mellowest bourbons. But to my surprise, it’s quite wood-focused, not just some plain sweet drink.

The oak is nicely done, pleasantly running through the palate and lasting long in the finish. The nutty note in the finish is a little highlight to me, which could be attributed to the wheat and barley in their mash bill.

The whole experience could be even better if that scorched oak on the nose is fixed.

I’m just a little hesitant, I’ve never tried any of your drinks, but excited to try. I’m expecting an interesting experience to usual alternative of alcoholic alternatives, that unfortunately no longer suit’s me and my son has suggested your product as a special gift for Christmas.

I’m just about to purchase the set of choice and intend to give my full opinion to a sober Christmas gifted to maintain and pleasantly up to the challenge to comply. Let’s wait for my true review of the hopeful experience that has been sold to me by the promise to be told.

The drinks ordered will be shared with all my guests for a plant based vegan non alcoholic Christmas. #bepresent.

I love the livener great fior before you go out drinks, social elixir great to keep you going while out, then come home and unwind with a nightcao! I liove all the different flavours and sharp gin like taste so you feel as though you have had a drink.

The affect is similar, you feel relaxed and calm whilst you’re in control, and no hangover is a big bonus. No lost weekends recovering from Friday night. Having been an insomniac for the last 20 odd years, I am pleased to say, after a nightcap I have had a full night’s sleep without nightmares every time I have had my nightcap.

I won’t do without it now.

My wife enjoyed the Nightcap one. The Livener and Social Elixir are loaded with caffeine, which wasn’t stated on the website. I suppose this is what is supposed to give you the lift, but I don’t want the post-caffeine headaches.

I found the predominant flavour in the ones I tasted to be ginger, I would guess this is intended to give the ‘burn’ of a spirit. While I do like ginger, I thought it quite a harsh burn without the smoothness of a good whiskey.

I could do as well with a bottle of ginger beer from the corner shop. My wife may buy again, but for me it didn’t pass the basic test of ‘better than water’.

I will say hands down anything that comes out of Frankfort, Kentucky and Buffalo Trace Distillery is going to be good. This bottle is super rare to find in stores. I happened to pick this bottle up around the time I found out I was going to be a father to my first born.

I sat on this bottle for 9 months without opening. The day my daughter was born I popped it open and had a neat glass of this amazing whiskey. The first smell of this whiskey was great. I don’t drink a lot of RYE whiskeys but the first taste of this whiskey was so smooth and a great finish at the end.

I will say if you ever get your hands on this it is definitely a bottle worth waiting to open for that special occasion.

Col. EH Taylor Bourbon is a coveted solid 5 STAR expression from the Buffalo Trace Distillery. I prefer it neat. Smooth as any dram I have tasted. I will reserve the balance of it for special occasions because it is impossible to find here in NC.

Nestors came through for me at an obviously acceptable secondary market price delivered quickly and in tack. They do not skimp on the packaging. I suggest purchasing the low cost shipping insurance +/- $3.

00 / bottle on these hard to find libations. I recommend Col. EH Taylor Bourbon and have used Nestors on many occasions w/o reservation.

I jus got 2 of these locally for 300 without shipping. This is worse than price gouging, this is down right criminal. Immoral, unethical, and repulsive. Its 100 msrp. You going 3x price is ********. You are pricing a large majority of whiskey drinkers and collectors out of buying from you.

Not a good business model, especially with disposable income at an all time low and basic food, heat, and rent at all time highs. Get your **** together and charge fair prices or go broke.

I read and watched so many reviews on this washer and every washer in its class. So glad I went with this one – cleans wonderfully and it’s so nice to have the agitator for large or soiled loads and the impeller for gentle cycles.

No matter the laid side I use 1 persil or tide pods and the laundry comes out clean and fresh. High efficiency machines need 1 pod max! Any more and you will have too much soap and get less than desirable results.

Soap works with the water to lift the dirt up and out but if you have more soap than the water can handle you upset the balance and the soap will basically form a barrier on top of the water and hold the dirt down so it settles back on your clothes.

So if your clothes aren’t getting clean – use less soap not more! Even your biggest loads don’t need more than 2 Tablespoons (1/8 cup) or about 1 pod. I promise-google ‘how many tablespoons of soap should I use’ and you’ll see this written about over and over.

The recommendations on the laundry packaging brands are pure marketing to get to you use more and spend more money! They are based on old washers that use a lot of hot soapy water. When pods first came out Tide advertised it as ‘1 is all you need’ because it is extremely concentrated and it’s still true to this day! The same with liquid detergent labeled HE – don’t use more than 1/8 cup for your largest loads.

Yes I know what Tide and Gain and Persil put on the package but that is based on increasing their sells! Trust me 1 pod (or 1/8 liquid cup equivalent) is all you need -cut your detergent bill in 1/2 and get cleaner clothes.

Also put the pod in first on the bottom and when using this machine in impeller load – pretend there is still an agitator in the center and add clothes around it – leave center of impeller disk open.

Follow this (all of which is in the manual if you read it) and you will be so happy with this washer!.

I bought a washer at Home Depot in August and had it shipped to my house on Martha’s Vineyard. I paid to have the old washer removed. The delivery company dropped it off and said they wouldn’t bring the washer into the basement, so I had to lug it downstairs myself and they wouldn’t take the old washer away saying “that’s not our responsibility”.

After they left and I opened the cardboard box, I found out the front of the washer had a dent in it (but it worked fine). I contacted Home Depot and they said they’d ship another. A few weeks later the new washer arrived and the delivery company tried to charge me $120 for delivery and said they wouldn’t take away the first (dented and new) washer away even though it was a replacement.

I had to contact Home Depot at least 10 times (and that’s not including the number of times I was transferred from one person to another) to finally get them to waive the delivery fee and take away the first washer.

I had to bring the new washer downstairs also – and it’s very heavy and the stairs are steely. When I unboxed it and set it up, it didn’t work. It appears the lid locking mechanism is defective and therefore won’t go into spin cycle.

I contacted Home Depot several days later and they told me I didn’t report that it didn’t work within 48 hours, so I had to deal with Whirlpool. I called Whirlpool. Whirlpool told me they wouldn’t ship me a new one (even though it’s under warranty) and my brand new, right out of the box washer needed to be repaired instead.

But, when they tried to find a repair person, they struggled to find one on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. I finally found one for them, but the repair person can’t come until mid-November. So I still don’t have a washer, all my clothes are dirty, I’ve lugged several washing machines up and down my basement stairs repeatedly, I can’t get Whirlpool to replace the defective washer and I’m generally not happy at all.

Whirlpool is a well know and respected brand and there’s a simple solution to this problem – ship me a new washer that isn’t damaged and actually works!!!!.

Extremely noisy machine. The water fill valve sounds like a jet airplane. Surely there are water fill valves that will operate silently. The beginning spin cycle has a metallic grinding noise. The machine lacks adequate userr selectable water level options.

The standard water level is inadequate to even cover the clothes and the deep water selection adds nearly a full tub, considerably more water than is needed. There is no owner’s manual provided with the machine nor anything on-line.

Even a new ceiling fan comes with an owner’s manual. This is the 4th Whirlpool washer I have owned since 1976 and the performance and quality of the previous machines was a prime factor in my selection of Whirlpool.

With the noises coming from this machine I seriously doubt that it will last the average 15 years of the previous machines. And I doubt I would ever purchase another Whirlpool washer. The sloped top on these machines is a STUPID idea.

I poured the fabric softener into the measuring cup and sat the bottle down on the dryer to lift the lid on the washer to pour the softener and the softener bottle slid off the dryer and spilled on the floor.

Whoever approved this sloped top design obviously never actually washed clothes. Form over Function, akin to putting the brake pedal on a car on the passenger side because it looks better with one pedal on each side.

Sadly, after using the machine for nearly a month I cannot find one thing I like better than my previous top-load Whirlpool machine.

After having tried both Glenlivet 12, Glenfiddich 12 and Highland Park 12, I bought this MacAllan 12 Yr double cask expecting something better and was let down. Sherry barrel aging in Speysides typically impart the almost prune-like sweet character from the Pedro Ximenez grapes’ influence, but this is lacking in the MacAllan.

Bourbon barrel aging usually produces vanilla, baking spice and caramel notes, but these are also lacking in the MacAllan. The peat element of the MacAllan manifests as an unpleasant bitterness, and the alcoholic burn is stronger than competitors.

The qualities don’t play nicely in the MacAllan, like a band that has rehearsed their parts well but the instruments are poorly mixed by the soundman during their live performance, creating a less than stellar experience for the audience who paid top dollar for their tickets.

The sweet, prune-like, cigar tobacco-like aromas and the vanilla and baking spice elements present in Glenfiddich 12, paired with its comparable smoothness going down, makes it a far more desirable Speyside than this MacAllan, which is much harsher and less pleasant on the tongue in comparison.

Odd because their production processes are very similar.

If your a curious cat like me then you know you want to find something delicious and enjoyable as well as affordable. Wow a triple threat idea. Impossible? Well hold ya horses. A little back ground on me.

I have tried b n j. The generic canadian blended whiskey at the grocery store. To the johnny walker 18 year platinum. And thru out my journey. Of trying out 10$ whiskey to 300$ whiskey. I found that this macallan is the sweet spot.

Its single malt so get ready for a refined taste. Rather than the blended taste which makes it hard to tell if its actually good or not because you are getting hit with multiple sensation at once. You know.

Its like blended is good but it feels like when you eat a hamburger and fries at the same time. Its all good generally. But it also makes it hard to pinpoint what exactly you like. Sure. The hamburger is good either way.

And macallan is like picking out the hamburger and eating the pickles and lettuce and tomato separately. Its enjoyable and you can really feel the flavors without being overwhelmed or masked by other flavors.

And if you get cheap whiskey. Its like getting a hamburger and putting alot of ketchup. Its generally good but you really only taste the sweet ketchup or mustard. Or (chaser) since we are drinking. Now for this price range.

I love the perfect balance of overall enjoying it. It use to be about 40 to 60 bucks but now its about 80 bucks and its still awesome. The numbers are really a reflection or rising prices but the quality stays the same.

This is a great drink that is comfortable like a good pair of shoes. And i consider it a sweet spot of affordability and price. Sure. You can splurge or if your rich. You can buy better quality but you would be paying double the price to improve slightly.

I would say. This is like 90 out of 100. A a-class drink. If you want that near perfect drink. Then you can always pay 100 or 200 dollars more for that slight velvety or smoother buzz. But it also depends on the circumstance because this is a great drink to have during dinner or talking and socializing with others.

It gets you feeling good and smooth yet. Its not so refined that you want to sit down. In silence. With the lights dimmed. Playing your favorite music. With your belly full of food. And you are at peace and sensitive to the slightest sensory of life.

But those drink cost more. Anyway. Buy it if you can afford it. Enjoy it. I do.

Ever since the Edrington group purchased Macallan in 1999, there has been a clear shift to profit over quality, and Macallan 18 sherry oak (the most iconic Macallan) suffers from this. We are seeing the first caskings of the Edrington era starting in 2018 (18 years after the takeover) with a clear drop in quality of this iconic scotch.

I last bought two bottles of Macallan 18 in around 2015 (the 1996 bottlings) and finally needed more of my favorite. The 2022 release is very smooth and drinkable without any unpleasant aromas or taste is a solid step down from the tremendous bottlings of yesteryear (the last amazing bottling was the 1995 casting which was sold in 2013-2014).

In my cupboard are Yamazaki 18, Hibiki 21, Glendronach 18, Aberlour 18, Glengoyne 25, and I always preferred the Macallan. With the drop in quality of the Macallan, I think I prefer the Aberlour 18 (I purchased six bottles in 2015 for 65 bucks each) regardless of the price.

Macallan 18 is still a quality scotch but I suspect Macallan’s reputation will decline as it no longer amazing scotch.

While I have never bought a bottle, I was gifted 2 bottles from 2 separate friends on my 40th birthday. I’ll start with saying it is very unique, and because of this, may not be for everyone. That being said, it has become one of my favorite ryes, and a favorite of multiple friends and family.

The nose reminds me of Indian spices. Heavy gingerbread and Christmas baking spices. Bold flavors on the palate – a perfect marriage of high rye covered in sweetness from the rum casks. I am not a fan of high ryes myself – I typically stick to barely legal ryes.

But the sweetness imparted by the rum casks makes it so enjoyable. Good mouthfeel. As a high proof hound, I wonder if this would be better at 107, but I’m really splitting hairs. I understand it may be too sweet for some; this is not an everyday drinker.

Think of it as a sweet dessert whiskey, good for a pour once a week. Tried against Doc Swinson’s Alter Ego which also has rye finished in rum casks, and it’s a no-contest – Angel’s Envy for the win.

If you want a starter bourbon, here you go. This is literally like drinking pure sugar. If you drink Fireball, this is for you. If you want to make Old Fashions, bingo. If you’re just getting into bourbon.

Bingo. Having friends over that aren’t into bourbon. This. I watch the Total Wine guys try to push people toward things like Bib and Tucker 5 year for a “starter bourbon” and shake my head. Yeah, they’ll love all that oak and nuttiness.

Angel’s Envy Bourbon Barrel Select is an average bourbon with a rush of ethanol on the nose and a simple flavor profile (mild notes of vanilla, toast and brown sugar). It has the bite of a higher proof; I describe it as “sharp.

” It is drinkable. but in its price point, there are lot of better options. If you want high proof with the delicious benefits of age and complexity, I recommend MM Cask (better pricing as well); the AE really does not compare.