Consumer Info Archives

The tried and true Maclaren Techno has been a mainstay for many parents both in the US and abroad for over a decade. It had been about four years since I did my last review of the Techno and even though the stroller looks the same, there are numerous upgrades and improvements which make it easier to use and more functional. I am a big fan of umbrella strollers and find that many parents who purchase fancy heavy strollers at the outset usually end up relegating those strollers to the basement or attic in favor of a lighter more compact stroller by the time their child is one to 18 months. My advice is to just go with it from the beginning.

Thanks to the folks at Maclaren and Strollers.com for sending us the latest Techno to test and review!

See the updated Maclaren Techno Review.

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I am very excited when new service comes to Boston because the lack of competition here on direct routes leads to very high fares. Also, the traditional carriers have made flying so miserable that it does not take much to impress me anymore. I have always been a big JetBlue fan and Virgin America seems to be improving on their playbook (new planes, reasonable fares, good amenities and friendly service). On a recent business trip, I flew the new Boston to San Francisco direct route. The price of the ticket was about $350 and the new plane had Virgin America’s trademark mood lighting, interactive entertainment system (where you can order paid meals and have them delivered to your seat) and a noticeably friendly crew. However the really big news was the Wifi service, which worked flawlessly and for $10 let me work online for the entire flight, which was a reason to choose Virgin America alone. Instead of arriving to 100 e-mails, I was all caught up and ready to go when I landed. The only negative is that the basic coach seat is a little tight on legroom, but they do offer a variety of upgrade options. Virgin America, like JetBlue and Southwest before it is helping to bring civility back to air travel. Count me in as a fan and I am hoping for more Boston routes.

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Spray Foam insulation is something I have been reading and learning a lot about lately as a great way to conserve energy in homes. It can be a confusing topic and there aren’t many spray foam reviews, so I thought I would try to cover the basics. Heating and cooling account for as much as 70 percent of a typical American’s home energy bill. Yet often that energy is wasted, seeping out through drafty attics and basements and through cracks in ceilings, walls and windows. Fortunately, proper insulation can make heating and cooling your home much more affordable.

Spray-foam insulation, such as Icynene, is becoming increasingly popular in green building projects, replacing fiberglass in renovations and new construction. Safe and nontoxic, spray foam meets LEED specifications because it expands to fill cracks—even in hard-to-insulate areas around electrical outlets and pipe conduits. Unlike such traditional materials as fiberglass or cellulose, spray-foam insulation virtually eliminates energy-wasting air leaks, erecting a barrier to noise, pollution, allergens and drafts. By reducing air leakage, Icynene also helps to minimize condensation within the walls and ceilings, retarding the growth of mold.

Although spray foam is slightly more expensive to install, Icynene is typically more economical than fiberglass over the long term—homeowners can cut energy bills by 30 percent. Homes insulated with spray foam are quieter, more comfortable and healthier places to live.

There are two types of spray-foam insulation. Polyicynene is an open-cell polyurethane product that sprays on like paint, then expands to 100 times its volume, filling the cavities between studs to make your home airtight. Polyicynene remains spongy and flexible, adjusting to any settling of the building, and delivers an R-value of 3.6 per inch. (R-value is a measure of insulation efficiency. The “R” stands for resistance to heat flow, so the higher the number the more effective the insulation.) Closed-cell foam insulation is a similar product that expands to 30 times its volume and dries hard. Because it is rigid, it can actually strengthen the walls of your house (no more creaking!). It delivers an R-value of about 6 per inch. In general, polyurethane delivers higher R-values than any other kind of insulation.

Manufacturers
The leading producer of light-density foam insulation is Icynene, a company dedicated to the production of green insulation products for the construction industry. Icynene makes both an open-cell spray formula and a liquid fill formula, both under the Icynene brand name. LaPolla Industries, a company well-known for its acrylic roof coating, also produces Foam-Lok spray-foam wall insulation. Foam-Lok is available in both open-cell and closed-cell formulations. Another maker of spray-foam insulation is NCFI Polyurethanes, which is a major manufacturer of rigid and flexible polyurethanes for a wide range of applications, from taxidermy to bedding. NCFI manufactures spray-foam insulation for residential use under the brand names Sealite (open-cell) and InsulStar (closed-cell).

Applications
Like other forms of insulation, Icynene and other spray foams are best applied to new construction and renovations after plumbing and electrical work has been completed. Spray foam is difficult to add once buildings are complete and walls are sealed. However, attics and basements can be retrofitted with spray-foam insulation.

How To
This is not a do-it-yourself project, no matter how often you watch “This Old House.” Applying spray-foam is a messy and complicated business, so be sure to hire a skilled installer (get two or three bids before you commit). In major cities—New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Indianapolis—more and more contractors are familiar with this safe, energy-efficient insulation alternative. Consult a local contractor for specific recommendations.

Massachusetts Spray Foam Insulation Providers
If you are looking for a Massachusetts spray foam insulation installer, please visit our new Bobby’s Best Contractor Concierge Service and submit a request.

Please Note: Our spray foam insulation reviews and Icynene insulation reviews are not to be copied or republished with express permission.

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I don’t usually use this forum to bash products; however, my T-Touch Watch and Tissot have really frustrated me. About two years ago, my wife gave me a T-Touch watch for my birthday. I was wary about the high-tech aspect of it but was assured by the owner of the jewelry shop where we have shopped at for years that he was not aware of any problems (he owned a T-Touch watch as well).

My disappointment with this watch and Tissot’s customer service lead me to search out other reviews, and I found lots of cases where people had similar issues with the T-Touch functions not working properly. In my own case, the T-Touch features have failed on multiple occasions.

See Other Review Below:
http://www.amazon.com/review/product/B000FBTXV6/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt_sr_1?%5Fencoding=UTF8&filterBy=addOneStar
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/tissot-t-touch-watch-c10462.html

The watch has died on me twice and has also done weird things such as change the date out of nowhere. I just received my watch back from Tissot Repair after sending it in for a fifth time in two years, meaning I have not had that watch for about a six-month period in total. Each time I mail it in, I send a letter asking them to PLEASE replace the watch as I don’t think it’s fair for this kind of money to have to keep having to sending it back for the same issue over and over; there had to be a lemon law in here somewhere. However, after promising to look into this each time, they just send back the watch saying that they fixed it and it passed their test only to have it fail again after a few months. This last time, they pretty much admitted that they don’t replace watches as a policy, but they also told me this was the first time they actually replaced the movement (on the fifth repair). This is not the level of service I would expect from a company such as Tissot. I also had issues this last time with water getting under the crystal, and I was told that it’s only waterproof to 30m so I shouldn’t take it in the shower. Huh? How can a watch that is designed to go underwater not be taken in the shower? I would never have purchased a T-Touch in the first place if I thought I couldn’t shower with it. As for the crazy resetting of the date, I was told the watch can be affected by magnets and needs to be reset from time to time. I don’t think I spend an abnormal amount of time near magnets. This is not what I was looking for at all in a day-to day watch.

Bottom line is DO NOT BUY a T-TOUCH WATCH if you don’t want aggravation. I agree with many of the other comments about the Tissot T-Touch such as that it looks great and the promise of the functionality is great, but the reality is that the watch does not perform well. Its classic form over function. More importantly, the customer service is horrible; and Tissot refuses to address or deal with the performance issue of this watch head on and instead blames the consumer who is just using it as they believed it was intended. I mean really, a watch with a timer, divers’ features, altimeter, stop watch and meteorological pressure is not targeted towards someone with a non-active lifestyle. That’s a little disingenuous to me.

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Flying really isn’t much fun anymore and it’s made a lot worse when your luggage doesn’t make it to your destination. If you are traveling for a few days on business or for the weekend, do everything you can not to check your luggage. I recommended you pick a suitcase that you can carry on the plane with you.

Two great options are the TravelPro Crew 6 22 and the Eagle Creek Tarmac 22, both of which are the maximum size that you are allowed to carry on and place in the overhead bin. I have tested each bag and prefer the TravelPro for business travel because of the well designed suitor compartment, built in toiletry kit and the expandability. The Eagle Creek is a better choice for personal travel because it’s very lightweight and has clever pockets for all of your belongings and for separating your dirty clothes. Both bags are well priced and have excellent warranties.

Read the full reviews of the TravelPro Crew 6 and Eagle Creek Tarmac bags.

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