We’ve now got a Bibo water appliance of our very own and after several weeks have prepared the below review. The review includes installation, usage, comparison with the T6 water Dispenser and any other questions at the end.

Installation process

Bibo will come and do an installation anywhere in the UK for £72 (currently £36) or you can decide to install the system yourself. We opted for the install as we are not DIY minded.

Jonathan arrived with all the tools needed for the job in one neat kit. This included his own kitchen towel to mop up any spills or mess which is inevitable when installing a device of this kind. Talk about being well prepared!

Initially he took time to place the Bibo in different areas of our kitchen so we could decide the best place for our needs. The next stage involved drilling a small hole in our worktop in order to feed through the water pipe.

The pipework under our kitchen sink is maze like but this didn’t cause an issue and everything was up and running in about 50 minutes. Unlike other installers Bibo use a push fitting which comes complete with an isolator valve which allows you to switch the water off at source. This is particularly handy should you ever need to remove or move the Bibo in the future.

Once the installation process had finished Jonathan ran us through the various functions. He did not leave until we were happy with the operating instructions. He also left an instruction manual which would come in handy should you forget how anything works down the line.

Basically, the installation process was faultless. No bad points to mention.

Design

Bibo comes in eight different colours, ranging from standard tones to those which are much more whacky and vibrant. That said they aren’t as bright as what the T6 offers, so if you prefer psychedelic colours you may prefer their range instead.

Bibo has designed their machine to fit underneath cupboards and opted for a 30cmx35cm base. This ensures the footprint is reasonable for a machine which is capable of heating 15 liters of hot water and 7 liters of chilled water per hour. Granted it’s bigger than a kettle but does provide an awesome centre piece for any kitchen.

The most gadgety feature is the 2.8 inch touchscreen which allows you to select hot water, cold water or tepid water. These can all be set to your own personal preference, you can even tell the Bibo when to wake up and when to go to sleep which is particularly handy in an office environment (more on auto sleep later).

The interior includes a fan, CPU and the various tech to make the water taste great. The water is mechanically filtrated through a large carbon filter, which is like an industrial version of what you’d find in a filter jug. The water then passes under a UV light which kills any bacteria in the water. This filtration works out any impurities in the water to deliver water which tastes like the expensive bottled variety – basically how nature intended it to without the taste of chlorine, copper pipes or anything else picked up along the way.

Living with the Bibo

We have two main uses for our Bibo as I drink lots of tea/coffee and Kelly drinks lots of cold water. We have found to be indispensable since its installation as it has quickly become part of day to day life.

The void left by the removable drip tray is large enough for a teapot, water jug or even a saucepan due to the angular delivery of the water. This has sped up cooking time as boiling water can be instantly introduced to vegetables etc.

We’ve also been using the Bibo to fill our flasks and hot water bottles, granted you don’t need a UV and carbon filter for the latter but it saves a lot of hassle (see target market section).

A really neat inclusion is sleep mode which can be programmed to kick in after 1 to 4 hours depending on your preferences. You’ll know when this has happened because a cool graphic pops up saying ‘Your BIBO is sleeping’ – “Aw” Kelly said . This isn’t the only energy saving tech built in either as the Bibo operates at 100 watts less than the T6 – both are efficient at what they do.

From time to time Bibo will create a loud whirring sound, similar to that of a laptop computer(but louder). This could be troublesome if you live in a small apartment or open plan living area but we could only hear it when in the kitchen. When we inquired about the noise we discovered is was a fan cooling the CPU, necessary to stop burnout.

Maintenance and Service

Obviously we can only comment on the service so far which has been brilliant. We are confident that any future problems would be dealt with in the same professional manner.

Bibo give a 30 day money back guarantee and a 1 year warranty included in the price. You can opt to extend this warranty for £59 which includes telephone support and breakdown callouts.

The mechanical MAXI filter needs to be replaced every six months, it’ll even remind you with enough time to spare to order a filter pack – how geeky is that! The pack costs £66 (£54 for subscription) which includes two Maxi filters and one UV lamp which keeps you covered for another year.

Target market

During the installation I talked briefly with Jonathan about their target market. He explained that a wide range of people are buying their product for a variety of reasons. The obvious target consumer would be people wanting to banish bottled water from their lives or those living in areas where tap water has an unpleasant taste or is unsafe to drink (the Bibo is huge in Israel).

Elderly people or people with poor motor skills can also benefit because they would no longer have the need to lift a heavy kettle filled with boiling water. We found this particularly apparent when filling our hot water bottle, no longer need we fumble around with the bottle in one hand and kettle in the other!

The fact of the matter is that everyone could find a use for a device like this. Parents with small children would love it, tea drinkers would love it, people who like water would love it and people who love gadgets would adore it.

Main Differences to T6 

Conclusion

The Bibo is at home in our kitchen from now and forever forward. It’s killed the kettle and joined the fridge, freezer, washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher as the sixth major appliance in our household. It’s a similar device to the T6, much like an Apple iPhone is similar to an Android phone.

At the end of the day the simpler interface, cheaper consumables and extra toys tip our favor toward the Bibo but we think every consumer will buy based on personal preference as they are both great machines. What do you think?

P.S if you have any questions please ask.

Bibo Water Dispenser Review – Hot and Cold Water is now integrated is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Nostalgia Products Group is now introducing the Automatic Mini Donut Factory, an easy-to-use donut maker that magically transforms donut batter into freshly made donuts. Making a donut using the device is simple: just add the donut batter and the machine will do all the work, like dispensing the dough, forming, flipping and frying cute mini donuts. Once cooking is done, the donuts go down the donut slide into the bin where they’re ready to be served.

This Automatic Mini Donut Factory also sports safety windows that let you watch the action without accidentally burning your fingers.

The donut maker features a tray to cut off a little of the grease and makes 30 wonderful donuts per batch.

“People love donuts and this donut maker is unique in that it’s actually a tabletop donut factory and does all of the work for you, making perfectly shaped mini donuts with each batch.” said President of Nostalgia Electrics Gregg Bond.

The Automatic Mini Donut Factory from Nostalgia Electronics is the perfect way to make donuts for breakfast, dessert, sleepovers and parties. Visit the company’s website to learn more about this awesome product!

Have a treat with the Automatic Donut Factory is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Our love affair with kitchen gadgets goes way back – probably to the moment Stone Age man started using fire to cook his meat and realised he could really do with a set of ergonomic toasting forks. But it was at the turn of the last century when culinary gizmos really came into their own. In fact, in her 1908 Cook Book and Marketing Guide, Maria Parloa wrote that “the homemaker will find there is continually something new to be bought.”

That’s certainly true for today, too, as kitchen gadgets have never been more popular. But where once the humble peppermill was seen as the height of sophistication, now there’s a bewildering array of items to buy, from ice cream makers to salad spinners and many of them endorsed by celebrity chefs. So what’s the best gadget for you?

Best TV chef gadgets

Nigella Lawson swears by her two-handled mezzaluna knife and says she couldn’t “operate without one”. It’s a scary looking contraption, but is very useful for chopping herbs and great if you’re clumsy as both hands are off the chopping board.

And for pasta lovers, Jamie Oliver’s pasta maker, which allows you to change the shape of your homemade pasta, could be a real treat for those with an artistic streak. Jamie also does some handy gadgets in his range which could end up saving you a lot of time and space in the kitchen, such as his all-purpose three-in-one peeler with interchangeable blades.

Most expensive gadgets

From huge Agas to beautiful Smeg fridges in groovy colours, if money’s no object, the sky really is the limit. Top of your list could be a top-notch coffee machine. Not only do these look great in your kitchen, they could end up saving you money in the long run – as long as you never succumb to the lure of the coffee shop while you’re at work.

A modern day kitchen icon

If you have a seriously big kitchen, with a big budget to match, you could also invest in an ice cream maker – though with some costing more than £200, you’d better make sure you really like ice cream before you buy. Another option is an ultra expensive, but amazing Jura Coffee machine – they make the most exclusive home coffee machines around at the moment.

Best time saving gadgets

For many of us, the sign of a good kitchen gadget is something that saves us from those mundane tasks, and becomes something we can’t imagine living without. If you love cooking, but really hate the prep work then a food processor could be a great investment. As well as taking on the task of chopping and slicing, it can also be used to puree baby food or make homemade soups.

Craziest kitchen gadgets

Thought you’d seen it all? What about a pop-up hot dog cooker that cooks bangers just like toast? Or, for the chocolate lover in your life, the height of decadence could be a chocolate fountain.

Whatever you reckon is a must for your kitchen, one way to purchase your new gizmo is by using a credit card. Also, it may be useful to bear in mind that some credit cards offer an interest-free introductory period – which could help you manage the cost.

Issued by Sainsbury’s Finance

Kitchen gadgets: not just for serious chefs is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The Omnia Cooking System, designed by Curve Creative, is made up of the cooking surface, a pod that protects and houses the surface, and the docks. The docks come in two kinds: the lighter Portable Dock, which only enables basic cooking tasks, and the heavier Kitchen dock, which can do more more comprehensive cooking tasks.

The Portable Dock features a grill and a hot plate, which are used for light cooking. The Kitchen Dock is used to perform heavier kitchen functions. It comes fitted with four bays, which will enable users to perform different cooking tasks. Options that performs tasks like boil, grille, steam, fry and induction are also included.

What’s good about this is that you can position it anywhere you want. Whenever you feel like cooking something, just press the button and cook away. The device uses induction and ceramics for heating.

The Omnia Cooking System will let you save lots of resources. Its portability and impressive design is just what people are looking for in a kitchen product. Unfortunately, there are no other details about this revolutionary cooking device so we’ll have to wait for more updates.

via: Curve Creative

Tron Styled Omnia Cooking System: the future of cooking is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

It comes with an 8 inch screen, bigger than most modern tablets and with similar features to boot. It includes the modern day equivalent of a post it note in electronic form – users can access their own interactive calendars, notes, weather data, access Twitter and even listen to Pandora radio.

This is yet another connected appliance, we have seen smart fridges but this one seems to be the one that can bring entertainment and functionality to the kitchen. No doubt LG and the likes will be rolling out similar products in the near future.

If you like the look of the Samsung LCD refrigerator then you better start saving your pennies, this beast will cost $2,699 for the two door model and a whopping $3,499 for the four door pictured here.

Source: Crunch gear via Geeky Gadgets

Samsung LCD Fridge Rocks Pandora and Twitter via Wi-Fi is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The Bio Fridge has no door and no noisy motor making it ideal for a small home and eco-friendly at the same time. The gel like substance inside the fridge holds food items in place and keeps them cool at the same time, we’re unsure if the food comes out unscathed but we’d guess this goo isn’t sticky or it could put some people off.

The designer says that it has a much smaller carbon footprint than a traditional fridge but what we can’t fathom out is how often the gel inside the fridge needs to be changed or if it keeps its form when items are removed.

Another interesting feature is that the Bio Fridge can be installed on a wall in either landscape or portrait orientation and can even be mounted on the ceiling, ideal for places with zero gravity or extremely small spaces.

Source

Bio Robot Fridge Concept Stores Your Food in Green Goo is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

There are 18 magnets in total, each of which has its own familiar icon on the front. These  includeemail, weather, calculator and even a stocks symbol. They would brighten up the dullest of fridges and provide an ‘appy’ talking point when friends and family come over (just be prepared for the sniggering and just know it’s because they are jealous).

Some might say that these cool little icons can create an iFridge although we doubt you could make a phone call with it. They will however help you safely store shopping lists, photographs and of course the mandatory doodles from friends or offspring.

The app magnets are available for £9.99 in the UK or $16 in the US with free delivery from Firebox.

Create your own iFridge with App Magnets is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The T6 offers filtered  boiling hot, hot, ambient, and chilled water so that you can apparently get the temperature of your favoured beverage just right every time. It is also connected to the mains water supply and the water can be kept at your preferred temperature so that you don’t have to idly wait around in the kitchen. Just imagine how many minutes a day you could save in the coffee making process.

The digital display and easy press buttons enable you to choose setting which not only lets you choose how you want your water dispensed this time but also lets you choose whether to keep water chilled or hot ready for next time. This is a great, time saving element if you always have the same drink or at least drinks of the same temperature though you may have to wait if you change your mind last minute and swerve away from a cup of PG and instead opt for a chilled blackcurrant cordial.

Three filter strips ensure that the water is properly filtered once its delivered and this means that you can enjoy healthy and great tasting water no matter what the temperature you opt for and no matter how you intend to use it.

The design of the T6 is stylish and sophisticated. The drip tray can be chucked in the dishwasher and the occasional once over with a non-abrasive dish cloth is enough to ensure it stays clean and good looking.

Obviously, not everybody is going to have the desire or the need for a water dispenser but the T6 is a good looking and very useful kitchen addition for home or the office.

T6 Water Dispenser – The 6th Most Indispensable Kitchen Appliance? is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The J7 is the least expensive of the bunch although you will need to pay around £1,300 for the privilege. It comes in a sleek black design and is an upgraded version of the J5. It has a touch screen display and an intuitive but option rich coffee selection process. Three new coffee strengths and two new coffee aroma settings have also been added so that you can make your coffee exactly how you want it.

The J9 is even more intelligent. Costing only a little extra at £1,400 it offers one touch coffee making. This brand new concept for Jura enables you to create your perfect brew first time and then the one touch coffee making option allows you to make it just right every time. The platinum shell and chrome front make it a stunning piece of kitchen equipment too.

The Z7 is the coffee making daddy. It costs from £2,000 to £2,200 depending on whether you want an aluminium or chrome finish. Both finishes offer the same functions including an intelligent heating system that offers espresso at exactly the right temperature every cup. The adjustable coffee spout is a new addition to the Jura line and it means that you can use any latte or cappuccino cup because you can simply adjust the spout to ensure that it fits.

All of the new models include an innovative Zero-Energy Switch which means that you can do your bit for energy conservation while still enjoying the perfect cup of coffee.

Jura coffee machines are available from Harrods, Selfridges, Curry’s Mega Stores, Brown Thomas, Dublin, and independent cook shops. If you love nothing more than a proper cup of decent coffee made exactly how you like to enjoy it then one of these is the ultimate in home coffee makers and will bring your kitchen to life too.

The Ultimate Coffee Making Machines From Jura is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Giant HD telly? Check.

Top movie ready to slot into the entertainment device of your choosing? Check.

Popcorn? Eh, no.

What is an evening watching a Hollywood blockbuster without popcorn? Why, it is akin to a game of footer without the ruddy ball old chap. Better get yourself a Premier Popcorn Maker then.

Design

This is actually rather stylish. It is made of stainless steel and the dimensions measure in at 201 x 142 x 272mm. It weighs 1.2kg and might look quite good in your kitchen, as well as feeding your insane popcorn habit.

What does it do?

You put up to 100g of corn into the chamber and it churns out piping hot popcorn. A good feature on the Premier Popcorn Maker is the fact that it has butter melting dish, for when you are feeling partuicularly rakish. It also uses hot air instead of oil, so it is  healthy popcorn you are making after all.

The one thing we found is that some of the kernals do sometimes escape with the popped corn. All you need to do is pour them back in for a second go, this is great if you have kids as if supervised is a great warm up to a movie.

Value

How many bags of cinema popcorn would you get for £29.95? Not a lot at these days prices. Once you have the machine the only thing you will need is corn kernals which can be cheaply purchased at any supermarket.

Summary

A fun gadget which makes good, additive free popcorn on demand.

Get it from: Gadgets.co.uk | Play.com or Amazon

Premier Popcorn Maker Review is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos