Your Roomba Is Choking On Dirt. Here s How To Fix It.

The journey begins
I left Inverness underneath a vivid blue sky. It made for a tremendous backdrop and when I pulled up later at nearby Rogie waterfalls, the morning's golden light gave a beautiful glow to the autumnal colors. The waterfalls were in shadow and didn't make for a good photo, but a short walk to nearby footpaths held more suitable subject matter. 

Tyler Lizenby/CNET 5. Spruce up the contacts
Does your vacuum often fail to charge when it's in its dock? If that's the case, dirty electrical contacts could be the problem. Avoid this situation by cleaning these metal surfaces, both on the robot and its dock. Again, a slightly damp magic eraser or microfiber cloth will do the trick.

The best espresso machine for under $100: Mr. Coffee ECMP50
This is by far the best espresso machine for less than $100 that I tried. Despite its modest $90 price, the Mr. Coffee ECMP50 surprised me by belting out satisfying espresso shots. They were nice and strong, with good crema and balanced coffee flavour. I still prefer shots brewed by the Breville Barista Express and Cuisinart EM-100, which tasted more intense. Frothing and steaming milk to the proper temperature on this machine was difficult compared to those products due to its short frother arm. Mr. Coffee doesn't bundle a milk pitcher either, so you'll have to supply one yourself. That said, if $100 is your price limit, this budget espresso machine should fit the bill.  

Breville precision brewer
Amazon If you're really in the mood to treat yourself, this automatic pour-over coffee maker will do the trick. Take all the guesswork out of a perfectly crafted hot cup of delicious coffee -- this machine heats, times and pours the water for you so that you get the pour over flavor complexity without risking a case of barista elbow.

Whether you prefer specialty coffee, iced coffee, dark roast coffee or even anything a step above instant coffee, any of the above will help you explore new ways to enjoy great coffee. And for coffee enthusiasts, that's really what life is all about. As Johann Sebastian Bach said, "Without my morning coffee I'm just like a dried up piece of roast goat." Don't be a dried up piece of roast goat -- make a good cup of coffee.

Best filtered water bottle for backpacking
Grayl Geopress Purifier
Grayl The natural water I tested the bottles in already looked relatively clean, but when I poured a bit from the Geopress, I was shocked at how crystal-clear it looked. Although I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, as Grayl's heavy-duty filtering system is designed to filter out bacteria, protozoa, viruses, chemicals, particulates (like dirt and sand) and heavy metals.

Bodum French press
Amazon A French press might be familiar to you, and you may already own one (or three -- seems like it's an easy gift!). But, if you regularly brew with an auto-drip coffee machine, you might want to bust out or buy a French press and enjoy an extra-flavorful beverage on the mornings when you've got a few more minutes to yourself. Grind your coffee extra coarse and bring out the French press to add a little romance to your usual coffee routine.

Are there toxic metals in your household water?
I hope I haven't scared you into never touching your household water again. Many countries, including the United States, have a comprehensive set of guidelines to make sure that the harmful chemicals in your water are being examined and regulated. 

Andrew Hoyle/CNET When I reached the top, the wind was so strong that I had difficulty standing up and I couldn't get too near any of the steep edges. Still, the movement of the clouds meant the landscape would be dappled with rays of sunlight that I was keen to capture. 

Lead and chlorine in drinking water
Even if your water smells and tastes fine, harmful chemicals could be lurking inside. Water pollutants fall into different categories, but the main ones of concern in your shower water are toxic metals, chlorine (used as a disinfectant) and the byproducts that chlorine creates with other chemicals in the water.

Tyler Lizenby/CNET 1. Empty and clean the dustbin often
Most robot vacuum makers say you should empty their robots' dustbins after each cleaning session. Both iRobot and Neato suggest this for If you loved this post and you would want to receive more information about click to find out more please visit our web-page. their Roomba and Botvac models. iRobot even tells you to rinse robot bins with warm water, then to let it air dry.

The water I scooped from a natural water hole seemed to magically turn into bottled spring water inside the Astrea bottle. If the Astrea One bottle didn't have its filter in place, it would just be a normal wide-mouth stainless steel water bottle, making it super easy to clean: The bottle opening is wide enough to fit a standard dish scrubber inside, and the cap has an extra opening where the filter attaches to make sure you hit all the nooks and crannies. 

Tyler Lizenby/CNET 3. Clear the brushes and wheels
On any robot vacuum, the first surfaces to come into contact with floor-borne dirt are its wheels and brushes. Dust and debris builds up around them as they rotate. Items such as string and hair are particularly challenging to these spinning parts. Remove them regularly to check if any of the troublesome objects have become wrapped around your robot's brushes and wheels.