Geothermal systems are highly efficient, but they're normally custom-designed, which makes them extremely expensive. Google offshoot Dandelion is trying to change that with the Dandelion Air. By standardizing many parts, installation costs up to half of a traditional geothermal system, while reducing heating and cooling costs by up to 20% annually. Currently available to many homes in New York State.
Aesthetics aside, Ecobee's advantage over Nest has been its remote sensors, which let it monitor the temperature in multiple rooms to eliminate cold/hot spots. The Nest Temperature Sensor levels the playing field. It can be placed on the wall or on a shelf, and lets you set the temperature in specific rooms, as well as give priority to certain rooms at different times during the day. Compatible with both the latest-gen learning thermostat and the E, you can pair up to six sensors with each thermostat with a limit of 18 sensors per home.
Mining cryptocurrency takes a lot of processing power — the kind offered by powerful graphics cards. Those generate a lot of heat. Instead of fighting it with liquid cooling systems, the Qarnot QC-1 Crypto Heater uses it to heat your home. Housed in its handsome wood and aluminum wall-mounted case is a pair of Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 580 cards with enough power to mine at up to 60MH/s. Designed as a plug-and-play solution, it can be set up in as little as ten minutes and has an added heat-boosting mode that can be turned on via an app or on the unit itself.
It's certainly not the first connected gadget to tell you when your air quality is poor, but the Airmega Smart Air Purifier can also do something about it. It as a bright LED ring on the front to let you know the current air status, an app for when you want more information, a smart mode that automatically controls the fan speed, and a MAX2 Filter that removes up to 99.97% of allergen, molds, fine dust, VOCs, and odors. Available graphite or white and in multiple sizes to match different home decors and sizes.
Through three generations, the Nest Thermostat has kept largely the same design: a black circle surrounded by a ring of metal. The Nest Thermostat E is the company's first to move past it, with a white body and a frosted display that's compared to a watercolor painting. Otherwise, it's much the same as its predecessors, giving you remote control over your heating and cooling, the ability to turn your system off when you're away, the ability to learn your habits and custom-configure a schedule, and, for the first time, a pre-set schedule that can start saving you money right out of the box.
You might not know that Johnson Controls built the first electric room thermostat back in 1883, and now, that same company is partnering with Microsoft for the GLAS smart thermostat. GLAS features a translucent touchscreen display and monitors temperature, air quality, energy usage, and calendar information. It's also able to be used with voice control thanks to Cortana voice services and will run on Microsoft's Windows 10 IoT Core operating system.
As our summers get hotter, our air conditioners have to work harder. The Mistbox is here to help. It attaches to your outdoor unit and automatically knows when your A/C kicks on, spraying a fine mist that cools the incoming air, so your unit doesn't have to work as hard or run as long. It's simple to install, with just a few necessary pieces and connections, and it uses a wind turbine mounted on top to generate power and charge the battery — after all, there's no sense in lowering your A/C bill with another gadget that's eating up electricity itself. You can pay for the hardware with a monthly subscription that includes unlimited replacement water filters, or buy it up front and pay less per month.
When Casper entered the mattress market a few years ago, they changed the mattress industry. And now, after 30 engineering improvements and nearly half a million happy customers, the Casper mattress is more breathable and comfortable than ever. Each mattress is made of multiple layers of foam, including one for support and pressure relief, and one to make sure you sleep cool and comfortable. It's all wrapped up in a durable woven cover, and shipped right to your door in a box that's easy to maneuver into even the smallest homes or apartments. You get 100 nights to try it out and can return it for free if you're not satisfied.
Presented by Casper.
Timex honors their rich watchmaking history with the Marlin Automatic Watch. This modern release is an aesthetic refresh of the iconic 1960s Marlin, replacing the original hand-wound movement with a 21 jewel automatic. The design has been updated here and there, but maintains the same clean, mid-century feel, and incorporates the original's signature acrylic domed crystal. It's finished with a date window at 3 o'clock and a classic leather strap using material from the S.B. Foot Tanning Company.
Presented by Timex.
Window air units might keep you cool, but their design is the stuff of nightmares: heavy, awkward boxes that block your view, are a pain to install, and sound like a robot with pertussis. The Noria Air Conditioner is a reimagining of the window unit from the ground up, with the aim of alleviating all those problems. Easy to install, it has a low profile design that's less than 6" tall and lets you reclaim the view from your window. Quiet, efficient fans direct air upwards, creating a convective cycle that spreads the coolness throughout the room, and a fresh air mode lets in outside air on cool nights. You can set the temperature via the simple dial on the front, or open the app to access smart features like a scheduling system. And thanks to a special frame that lets you close the window before sliding the main unit into place, you don't have to worry about it tumbling through the open window onto unsuspecting objects/animals/people below.
You took time picking out the right fireplace. So don't go lighting it with tools that look like they belong in an 1800s saloon. The George & Willy Firestarter is as effective as it is aesthetically pleasing. The kit includes a simple retangular vessel that holds lamp oil and a matching firestone rod. You fill the vessel with the included oil, let the stone soak, roll it in the ashes, light it, set it underneath your wood for 15 minutes or so, and you're all set. The vessel also serves as a holder for the firestone, and both are finished in unassuming matte black.
Now on its third generation, the Nest Thermostat isn't the only smart thermostat around anymore — but it's still one of the best. The latest model has a screen that's higher-res and 40 percent larger than the 2nd-gen, a fact that's put to full advantage by Farsight, a feature that displays the target temperature or time in large, easily-readable type when you walk in the room. It's thinner, too, still integrates well with the company's smoke/CO2 detector and cameras, and can now sense problems with your furnace ahead of time, so you're not left with an outrageous maintenance bill, or worse, a non-functioning heater.
With warmer weather just around the corner, it's time to re-evaluate your ceiling fan situation. Haiku with SenseME from Big Ass Fans is the world's first smart fan, with on-board sensors and microprocessors that monitor room conditions and occupancy so the fan can adjust automatically as conditions change. Haiku can reduce utility bills on its own, but it also works with the Nest Learning Thermostat to make saving even easier--and just like Nest, the fan learns your preferences and adjusts on the fly. It can even connect with UP by Jawbone fitness trackers to make your bedroom more comfortable for a better night's sleep. The sleek, minimalist fan is controlled by something we all have--a smartphone--so you can say goodbye to clunky pull chains and wobbly, ugly ceiling fans and hello to the future.
Presented by Big Ass Fans.
It's not at all uncommon for traditional thermostats to keep the room that they're in comfortably at whatever temperature you've chosen, while leaving rooms farther away either too hot or too cold. After all, they can only tell the temperature in a single room. The Ecobee3 Smart Thermostat overcomes this limitation by working with remote sensors that give it the temperature it the areas that matter the most to you, ensuring that your whole home stays comfortable. It offers touchscreen controls, and thanks to built-in Wi-Fi, you can control it from your phone or tablet while it checks the weather outside to maximize your energy savings.
There are plenty of reasons why you might need a humidifier. But whatever the cause, you can pretty much guarantee that spreading bacteria around the room isn't a good idea. Which is why you need the Dyson Humidifier. Using Ultraviolet Cleanse technology, it kills 99.9% of bacteria in the water, which is more than you can say for most of its competitors. It also leverages the company's bladeless Air Multiplier technology to project its mist evenly throughout the room, using temperature and humidity sensors to keep you in your comfort zone, and doubles as a high-velocity fan when humidification isn't needed.
Innovative design notches another victory, and in an unlikely space, with the Zen Thermostat. Zen might remind you of certain "learning thermostat" but is aiming to find it's own niche for consumers who are ready to embrace technology and design. Zen is simple to install and easy to use, and is connected to your Wi-Fi with the ability to be controlled from your smartphone no matter where you might remember to make an adjustment. And Zen doesn't think it's smarter than you, as you have full and total control over the adjustments to the thermostat's behavior, which should make your next energy bill a bit more predictable as well. If simple design is better, maybe simple technology is too.
Your schedule likely changes day-to-day along with your busy life. So instead of having to program your thermostat ahead of time, why not let it adapt to you? The Honeywell Lyric Thermostat does exactly that, relying on a companion app that keeps track of your location, sensing when you're away to save energy and sensing when you're coming home to get things back to your preferred temperature. It also takes into account the outdoor temperature and weather when making its cooling decisions, lets you control it from the app or the thermostat, and can even send you an alert when it's time to change the air filter or get your system checked out. It doesn't look too shabby, either.
Even though we spend a third of our lives sleeping, finding a great pillow isn't a priority for most. If you really want to say goodbye to tossing and turning, the Parachute Down Alternative Pillow promises to is a great place to start. The soft yet supportive pillows are made of 100% hypoallergenic microfiber fill with a smooth, 100% Sateen cotton shell. You can purchase one in soft, medium, and firm, so you'll be supported no matter how you sleep. So unlock a secret to better sleep with the five-star feel of a Parachute Down Alternative Pillow.
Presented by Parachute.
The right everyday carry knife is both compact and useful at a moment's notice. Designed to be small enough for a keyring but strong enough to use everyday, the minimal Elko from James Brand fits that description. It packs plenty into its small aluminum frame — which weighs only 1.3 ounces and is just 2.6-inches closed — including a Sandvik 12C27 black stainless steel blade and a stainless steel pry tool that also acts as a bottle opener and flathead screwdriver. The Elko has a serviceable assembly for DIY maintenance. Available completely blacked out or with titanium scales, and arrives in a waterproof pouch that just so happens to be the right size for a smartphone.
While knocking down entire trees can be a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon, not everyone likes to occupy their day chopping up fireplace-sized chunks of wood. For the lazy woodsman with a strong back and plenty of space in their living room, there's this Spruce Stove ($TBA). Built to accommodate an entire tree trunk (so long as it's straight and has been pruned of all its branches), this stove features a camera-aperture-like opening that allows you to slowly feed in a log as it burns. All you need to do is find an appropriately-sized log, set it up on a couple of saw horses, and watch as the stove consumes anything you feed into it.
If you've got a really large space that needs a more efficient way to stay cool in summer and warm in winter, then Big Ass Fans ($TBD) are for you. These high volume, low speed ceiling fans are truly ginormous, ranging in size from 6 to 24 feet in diameter (now you know where their name comes from). One 24' fan can cool a 20,000 sq. ft. space on its own, using in-line helical gear reducers for nearly frictionless power transmission. These giants are engineered to move air without noise or wasted energy, providing over 25 times the airflow of a standard industrial ceiling fan. Since we first wrote about the company, they've added the award-winning Haiku fan (shown above), which is a slightly smaller fan with an integrated LED option that's perfect for rooms for lower ceilings.
It's got a deadly-sounding name, and for airborne nastiness, it's certainly lethal. Airocide ($800) uses NASA-developed photo-catalytic process to destroy Volatile Organic Compounds — harmful gasses emitted by products like paint, cleaning supplies, and even dry-cleaned clothing — that other cleaners miss. It's also FDA approved, and gets rid of all mold, fungi, viruses, and bacteria that enters its cleaning chamber. Of course, none of that means a whole lot if you don't want to put the thing in your house, but luckily it sports a clean design that will blend in with nearly any decor.
Ensure that you're getting just the right amount of heat for your living space with one of these Stack Stoves ($TBA). Designed by Adriano Design and built in Italy by Castellamonte, these ceramic stoves come in round and rectangular styles, with a variety of bases and finishes available. Need more heat? They're also modular, letting you add heating modules for power and height variations. If you want one, prepare to travel — they're not available stateside just yet.
Tired of getting up and crossing the room just to change the settings on your AC unit? The Kuhl Air Conditioner ($TBA) causes no such problems. Thanks to a built-in Wi-Fi connection, you can control any new Kuhl — or, if you're a slum lord, a whole friggin' bank of them — directly from your phone, significantly cutting down the time you need to spend away from your beloved Barkalounger.
Short of starting a fire where ever you happen to be, heat isn't the most portable of commodities — as a matter of fact, you normally need to seek out the great indoors to keep yourself comfy on cold winter days. Unless, of course, you have a Mr. Heater Hero ($170). Powered by a standard propane tank and an integrated battery that runs for eight hours without the need to recharge, the Hero provides 35,000 BTUs of heating power, while its QBT burner system makes sure you retain your sanity with 50% less total noise than traditional forced air heaters. Great for the garage, tailgating, or remote man caves/camps.
It's (almost) that time of year again: the time for jeans, hoodies, fires, and, if you work in a drafty office, space heaters. Instead of relying on some eyesore to keep you warm this year, upgrade to the Dyson Hot ($400). Built using the same technology as the company's Air Multiplier fans, the Hot uses bladeless technology — see, the old guy* still has his finger! — a heating element built safely into the base, a thermostat control, and an oscillating motor to push hot air across any space, keeping you warm and your area free of fire-hazards.
*Sir James Dyson
Looking for a way to cool off this summer that won't spoil your carefully curated early 20th century vibe? The Arden Fan ($335) is a fine choice, thanks to its walnut finish, tripod-style legs, and oil-rubbed bronze construction, while its three-speed 74 x 18 motor and 50 degree oscillation remind you that you're not really living in the past.
Let's be frank: most of the time, you don't care what a fan looks like — you just need it to blow some air to cool you down. But for those times when you care, there a few fans cooler than the Stadler Form Q Fan ($200). Crafted from stainless steel and aluminum and designed by Carlo Borer, the Q has legs on only side, allowing its round form to join brilliantly with them to create that most inquisitive of letters. U.S. purchasers, get your 220V adapters ready — no 110V version is available.
When it comes to heating a room or house in the dead of winter, who are we to argue with Canadian lumberjacks? The Bullerjan Furnace ($TBA) employs a crazy engine-like design to move air from the bottom to the top vents, heating it on the way by. Meanwhile, the unique design also allows for even burn up and lengthy heat retention, getting the most out of the wood it burns.
Keep dry winter air from harming your skin, furniture, and overall health with the Stadler Form William Ultrasonic Humidifier ($230). This stylish ultrasonic humidifier can cover up to 1,000 square feet, and features an on/off time, a sleep mode, a turntable mist diffuser, an Ionic Silver Cube to ward off bacteria, an integrated hygrostat, and a maximum output of 3.5 gallons per day, meaning you might be filling up the 1.5 gallon tank more often than you think.
Feed your inner pyromaniac without putting yourself, family, or closest neighbors in danger of bodily harm with Dynamite Fire Starters ($40). Despite the name, these fire-starter sticks aren't actually made of dynamite, but do resemble cartoon-style TNT with their elongated cylindrical bodies. Made from paraffin and sawdust, 20 sticks come in each pack, encased in a finger-jointed cedar box that resembles the real dynamite boxes of old.
Leave it to the air maestros at Dyson to create a fan with no blades. The Dyson Air Multiplier ($300-$330) uses a fairly ingenious design to suck air into the base, accelerating it through an small aperture in the device's ring and then over a ramp to channel its direction. As it happens, this also causes the air behind and around the machine to be drawn into the airflow, creating a smooth stream of air amplified 15 times, without the unpleasant buffeting caused by the blades of a traditional fan chopping the air. The only downside? It's a $300 fan.
Typically, when the weather turns warm, electric bills go up. You can avoid spending that extra cash by just cooling the room you're in. And now you can do it in style. Check out the Otto Wooden Fan ($200), a wood-framed fan that looks vintage but features modern touches like three speeds and height-adjustable feet. The wood-ring frame has been oiled twice to create matte finish that will make you want to keep it on display all year long.
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