Don’t dread hot, sticky summer nights — use the Bfan to stay cool in bed

By Lulu Chang April 17, 2017

The bFan

We’ve been awaiting its return for months, but now that summer is nearly here, we could probably do without nights sweating into our sheets. But fret not — you can still enjoy all the perks of summer without its nocturnal drawbacks thanks to the Bfan, a bed-cooling system that will help you stay dry and sweat-free without wasting tons of energy (not to mention money). The clever solution for hot sleepers has already fared remarkably well on both Kickstarter and Indiegogo, where it raised a total of nearly $800,000, and you can pre-order one for yourself for $126, with an estimated delivery date of June — just in time for sweltering heat.

The standing fan can be placed just about anywhere around your bed. The top of the Bfan is slightly curved to rest on the edge of your bed, and blow a gentle breeze all night long. Regardless of how tall your bed is, the Bfan will probably be a fit, as the body extends from anywhere between 19 and 37 inches tall.

But this is more than just your standard fan — rather, the design of this device promises to remove heat generated by your body (that is subsequently trapped in your sheets, comforter, and mattress), enabling you to sleep in cool, constantly circulated air. The air duct of the fan measures 12 inches wide and three-quarters-of-an-inch deep, so cool air will be dispersed over a relatively large area of your bed. The base of the fan can be set in any direction, and you can set the system up at the top of the bed, at its foot, or around the side, depending on where you overheat most. That said, the Bfan is meant to deliver air between the top and bottom sheets of your bed so that it is constantly in direct contact with your body.

And beyond your comfort, Bfan users have also seen impressive cuts on their electric bills — in fact, the company notes, some customers have reported savings of up to 50 percent on their monthly payments.

So if you’re already dreading the hot summer months and what it will mean for your sleeping habits, you may want to loop into the Bfan.

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Smart Home

Don't bet on your dishwasher saving your valuables during a storm

Dishwasher

With hurricane season underway, those in the path of the storms are seeking ways to keep their valuable safe. Could a dishwasher be the answer?
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, a new "hurricane" hack surged (no pun intended) on social media: Using your dishwasher to protect your valuables from potential flooding.
One Facebook user posted the advice on September 6, claiming that dishwashers are waterproof and secure, ultimately saving your valuables from the ravages of monster hurricanes like Harvey.
"Florida Peeps! Good advice! Empty your dishwasher and put anything you want to preserve in there!" he wrote. "It's waterproof and secured to cabinets so it's more likely to survive a storm. TELL YOUR FRIENDS."
The concept gained steam and many were soon placing their items in a dishwasher; even CBS News picked up the tip and named the move one of seven “hurricane hacks.” Pictures emerged of people putting important documents, family photos, and bottles of wine inside their dishwashers in preparation for Hurricane Irma. CBS and the Miami Herald told people to store items in plastic bags and place them in your dishwasher. Turning off the water supply to the unit adds further insurance.
However, plumbing experts soon disparaged the idea.
Ralph Feldkamp, owner of Ralph’s Appliance and Air Conditioning Repair in St. Petersburg, Florida, said that putting valuables in a dishwasher is a bad idea, as the appliance could flood along with your home once a storm hits.
“If your dishwasher gets ripped, then your valuables are going to be floating around the neighborhood,” he told Snopes, which debunked the idea in a recent post.
Additionally, Kim Freedman, a representative for GE Appliances, told Business Insider that "appliances are not waterproof, nor would we endorse such a tip."
New Orleans-based newspaper The Times-Picayune addressed the subject during Hurricane Katrina. A reporter tested out the idea by placing dishes inside her dishwasher that she wanted to save during the storm. The result? The dishes and glasses did not break, but mud and water got inside the dishwasher. Even some of items she put in Ziploc bags were wet, while others were dry.
Experts say that your best bet is to scan important documents and put them on an external hard drive. As for that heirloom china? Probably best to take it with you if you really want it to survive.

Smart Home

Don’t just follow your Drop recipe, use it to control your connected GE oven

ge appliances drop smart oven recipes ces 2017 recipe ipad air

Why just use a tablet to read a recipe when you can also use it to control the oven from within the recipe? GE Appliances' newest way to control the company's connected wall ovens is from within Drop ($80) recipes displayed on a tablet. More than 500 interactive Drop recipes empower home cooks with GE connected ovens to preheat ovens and set timers and temperatures -- all from a tablet screen.

Preheating is a popular function, according to GE. "We know from our own connected oven app that preheating the oven is one of the most frequently used functions, so we expect the Drop integration to provide real value to the home cook," said Paul Bristow, product manager for built-in cooking at GE Appliances.

Smart Home

Don’t suds it up: How much laundry detergent should you use?

how much laundry detergent should you use 38735149 dirty clothes in the basket and a bottle of

A modern washing machine takes nearly all of the work out of cleaning your clothes. All you really have to do is load your laundry, add some detergent, and hit a button or two. Sounds simple, right? While washing machines make cleaning our clothes nearly foolproof, many people use too much laundry detergent, resulting in wasted money and detergent and clothes that are actually less clean.

So how much laundry detergent do you need to use for a load of laundry? The answer depends on a wide-range of factors. How many clothes are you washing? How dirty are your clothes? What type of detergent are you using? How big is your washing machine? Do you have hard or soft water? Here are a few things you'll want to keep in mind while doing your next wash.
What does detergent do?
You dump it in and assume it does its job, but how does detergent actually get rid of stains? Here's a quick-and-dirty (sorry) explanation: Detergents are made of long molecules called surfactants. The hydrophilic head is attracted to water, while the hydrophobic tail goes for the grease on your clothes. The molecule's head is still pulling toward the water and as the machine tumbles the clothes, that force lifts the tail and grease along with it. The grease is now off your clothes and in the water, so it gets washed down the drain. There's a longer explanation of how detergents work here.
A little goes a long way
It's surprisingly easy to use too much laundry detergent. If you're in the habit of just eyeballing your dose, there's a good chance that you're using more detergent than you need. Energy Star washing machines use far less water than standard or older appliances, so if you're just putting a capful of detergent regardless of the type of cycle you're using, you may find your clothes feel gunky when you pull them out.