Pyrex Liquid Measuring Cup: Cool Gear

What is the best liquid measuring cup in the kitchen? The right measuring cup has many attributes: easy to handle and to store, easy to read, easy to clean, precise, long lasting markings, can go to the microwave or the freezer without damage, hard to break... We are putting together a full length review to determine the answer - but, so far, the iconic Pyrex measuring cup does not disappoint, collecting excellent user ratings and very few pans. We collected more than 200 user reviews on Pyrex measuring cups. What do users say?


Durable and well made

Pyrex tempered soda-lime glass has excellent resistance to stress shattering and good resistance to thermal stress. Users are pleased with durability: "a great product that will last forever, some of my pieces are over 25-30 years old", "This thing is made to last", "durable", "it's durable", "well made product", "durable and hard wearing", "Made from a heavyweight glass, these are very sturdy. I would have gone as far as to say 'virtually indestructible', but my wife somehow dropped ours and shattered it a couple of weeks ago. As soon as it happened, I was here ordering a replacement","well constructed", "this thing is made to last", "made very, very well", "durable, long-lasting, thick-glassed measuring cup. I've had it for years", "they are very durable", " and has a high tolerance for temperature", "thick, sturdy glass [...] made in USA", "I've dropped it a few times in the sink without any damage. It's sturdy Pyrex you can expect to use for years", "measuring cup is made very well","very durable, won't crack when hot."

While tempered soda-lime glass is durable, it can break, and will break if exposed to strong temperature contrasts: "exploded in my microwave yesterday."


Easy to measure and read

The first duty of a measuring cup is to measure. Users report, in general, that Pyrex cups measure well, and that the measure is easy to read: "measures great", "easy to read while you are measuring liquids",   "thick walled with red letters that are easy to read","measures liquids accurately", "accurate","clear markings", "the markings are clear and haven't worn off","measurements are accurate", "easy to read markings", "well marked", "thick walled with red letters that are easy to read", "I have had one many years and I can still see the numbers"," red lines are rather easy to see", "measure quantities in either cups or milliliters; this is great for recipes that have measurements in either type of unit","I've had it for years, and the writing hasn't come off. The writing is easy to read", "lots of measurements (metric and imperial) on the side","accurate measurements, easy to read", "label is very clear","measurements are easy to read forwards, backwards, upside down (wait, what?) and in any other way you can think of","red measurement markings are well defined and easy to read. They also don't fade over time"

A small number of users complain of having the imperial measurements on the counterclockwise side of the handle, while the metric measurements are on the clockwise side: " made for lefties: the handle is positioned so that if you hold the handle by your left hand you get metric measurements instead of English", "I am a right-handed American who uses Cups as a measuring unit. When I am pouring something into the measuring cup, I hold the cup in my left hand and pour with my dominant right hand. That means that the scale I need is on the opposite side of the cup." Other users disagree.

Another few users complain of inexact measures, while others disagree:
- "this is a great cup, except for one little thing: the measurements are wrong! 1 cup, according to this measuring cup, is actually closer to 7/8 cup. I have compared it to older PYREX measuring cups (2 cup and 4 cup sizes), as well as to a variety of other measuring cups. The other measuring cups are all consistent, both Pyrex and non-Pyrex. But the measurements provided by this 1-cup Pyrex cup are consistently too low."
- "this Pyrex Prepware 1-Cup Measuring Cup is a joy to work with. The measurements are dead on. I cross checked each measurement with 6 other measuring cups and spoons from various other makers and rest assured the Pyrex Prepware 1-Cup Measuring Cup is very accurate. If you want to measure things whether to cook, bake, or if you just like to measure things as a hobby like I do, this is the product."


Microwave-safe

Users report that Pyrex measuring cups can be used in the microwave oven: "great to use in the microwave for melting butter, chocolate, etc", "Sometimes I will microwave in it, and it is fine for that as well","microwave safe", "[go] in the microwave", "can go from microwave to the fridge and everywhere in between", "microwavable."


Easy to clean and  dishwasher safe

Numerous users reviews report that Pyrex measuring cups are truly dishwasher safe, with not a single dishwashing issue reported (as opposed to older models of Pyrex cups, where there are reports of washed-out markings). Users rate the cups easy to clean: "dishwasher safe and very easy to clean", "will not stain", "easy to clean", "go in the dishwasher fine", "easy to wash", "dishwasher safe and very easy to clean. Will not stain", "glass is easy to clean","I had searched high and low for a microwaveable and dishwasher safe measuring cup. The only cups I found were only one or the other but not both. This cup is both. Very useful. We use it daily","does real well in the dishwasher."


Advantage of glass again plastic

Many user reviews focus on the advantage of Pyrex measuring cups against plastic measuring cups. They outline the advantages of using glass to measure oily substances, the easier clean-up, the ability to heat liquids inside the cup, and the fact that glass provides a neutral, clean surface while plastic can leach chemical substances: "[it] is GLASS and is definitely higher grade than most measuring cups", "measuring oil in a plastic measuring cup is not a good idea, most of the oil will stick to the sides, not with the Pyrex glass","Since it's glass it's extremely easy to clean","Because it's glass, I warm up liquids in it in the microwave", "Have you ever tried to measure a cup of oil in a plastic measuring cup? Sure, it works, but I hope you have half an hour or so to get the oil off the plastic. It's an annoying waste of time and gallons of running water", "the gold standard of measuring cups. All that other plastic stuff in my kitchen is junk compared to it", "The reason for the review is comparing with the plastic ones, glass ones are far better. #1 - It's easy to clean. Even if you use it to measure oil, glass cleans a lot better afterwards. #2 - The glass is very thick, you can call it heavy duty. Bumping it on the counter or against pans, it won't just break. #3 - The handle holds comfortably & the cup has a pouring mouth", "I like glass it is pure does not hold stains and it does not give off any gases", "Cleans up easier & quicker than the plastic ones. Nothing seems to stick to it","safe from chemical worries like plastics and odor and stain resistant","If I am measuring solids then I use a stainless steel or plastic set but if I am measuring liquids then glass is the only way to go, especially when I need to heat up in the microwave","I love how this measuring cup is made out of glass (unlike my other one, which was made out of plastic). Now I could put oil and other solutions without hesitation", "since it is not made of plastic, it will not disintegrate over time and leave microscopic particles of of plastic and chemicals in your food like plastic cups will."


Easy to hold and pour

Most reviewers are pleased with the handle and with the way the measuring cups pour: "pours great", "has a spout and a handle for easier pouring","lip works perfectly well in my applications.  ", "I like this measuring cup because of this comfortable handle and pouring mouth", "easy to hold","it pours very well, comfortable to handle", "spout and a handle for easier pouring", "handle is comfortable", "good handle and spout",""handle is quite comfortable"

Some users, however, are unhappy with the spout. There are some who suggest Anchor Hocking cups as having better spouts, while others suggest that both brands are equally poor: 
"I got this to replace a similar Anchor Hocking 1-quart measuring cup, because that one pours so poorly. Unfortunately this one is no better", "the pouring lip is too narrow and too shallow. You have to pour very slowly to prevent spilling liquids. Anchor Hocking makes one that has better markings, is easier to read, and has a wider and deeper pouring spout. It is also less expensive", "does not pour well", "this measuring cup doesn't pour well at all", "pouring anything more viscous than water out of the spout creates, at best, unpredictable results. Sometimes I can pour perfectly (if slowly) and sometimes the contents just run down the side and come off the bottom of the cup."

After examining pouring complains, we suspect that pouring issues, when they happen, occur primarily for viscous liquids other than water. Other users agree with us: "if you google teapot effect, or coanda pouring, this is actually a very old, well known problem, with a few known solutions, one of which is to pour your fluid against a stirring rod, or spoon."

Similarly, few users prefer a closed handle, but others prefer the modern open handle, which also allows stacking: "my only complaint is the 'open' handle. I have trouble holding on to the cup when it's soapy. A 'closed' handle (welded on both sides) would be easier to hold on to. A benefit of the 'open' handle is the ability to stack the cups",  "the way the handle is designed is awful. On the current design, you can't get a firm, solid grip because the handle only goes half way down. The old version's handle was like you would find on a coffee cup - the top and tip were attached to the cup part. You knew you had a good grip. Also, if your hand is not completely dry and clean, the cup can very easily slip out of your hand", "one reviewer writes that the handle isn't good enough but I have no complaints in this department. It's sturdy; but if you really want a closed handle that is welded on both sides you will have to look elsewhere."


Comparing old models with new

Few users complain that new models are somehow inferior to the old ones. Others, however, provide specific reasons why they prefer the new models to the old ones:
- "My original is tall and slender, with thick glass. The new version is short, wide and the glass is thinner. I don't know if this makes a difference, but my problem is thus: When pouring liquid, my new Measuring Cup DRIPS."
- "When my wife accidentally broke her old Pyrex 2-Cup measuring cup which she's had for at least ... 18 years [I replaced it for her] ... to my and especially her great surprise, this new exact replacement was better marked and thus easier to read and had an extremely cool light-green hue to it!!! It was truly better than the original it replaced!!!", "I replaced an older cup of this type with the new model. The measurements are much easier to read, and I like the handle better as it is open at the bottom, which, I think, makes it easier to use."
- "After 30 years of using the same Pyrex measuring cup, the markings were starting to wear and we had scratched the interior, so we decided to replace it with another Pyrex measuring cup [...] The design of the cup has changed little in 30 years. If anything, it is a little heavier. We are very pleased with it. "
- "I've had these Pyrex cups in three sizes (not the same ones, though they are very sturdy) for nearly forty years. I didn't check the other reviewer's comment about the handle, but -- in the old days the handle was closed on the bottom; when they redesigned the handle it allowed these cups to stack, as you mention, which was a very good thing. The other improvement made to these over time is the red markings; they were not dishwasher-hardy, back then, and everyone I knew had a Pyrex quart bowl with the markings entirely washed off. Still handy but not for measuring. "


Made in USA

Many users remark on the fact that Pyrex measuring cups are made in the USA.


Tips

Several users comment on the need for different measuring tools for dry and wet measures: "for measuring dry ingredients, you want a cup that fills to the top so you can scrape off the excess", "this is a liquid measuring cup. Why would you need this? Because using dry measuring cups to measure liquids (which are meant to be leveled off at the very top with a knife) almost guarantees spillage. This cup prevents that. Conversely, you can't level off dry ingredients in this, so only use it for liquids."

Multiple users comment upon the specific limitations of Pyrex glass, in particular upon the fact that it must not be used on the stove top: "this is both top and bottom dishwasher safe, microwave safe, and even oven safe, but not stove top safe."

The cups come in multiple sizes, and many users report that they own all, or many, sizes. Some indicate a preference for one size: "the 2-cup size is a nice balance; smaller and and easier to handle than the 4-cup, but more useful than the 1-cup size (especially when cooking for more than two)."


Statistics and user ratings

We gathered over 200 reviews from Amazon and Macy's on multiple sizes of Pyrex measuring cups. User ratings were an excellent 87%, giving us a 5% margin of error at 95% certainty.


Rumors and concerns

Internet rumors have circulated over the past several years, about Pyrex being manufactured in China, and about Pyrex having recently switched glass formulation from borosilicate glass to cheaper soda-lime glass. They have been largely, if not totally, debunked, although all US Pyrex products have indeed been made of tempered soda-lime glass since the 1980s.

More serious are recent allegations that Pyrex baking glass has been subject to sudden explosions. There are multiple reports over the net. Consumer Reports recently published some tests and showed that tempered soda-lime glass can shatter when used in contravention to the manufacturer's instructions, while some borosilicate dishes may not shatter, and requested consumer agencies to investigate these reports. To be clear, tempered glass products, in general, will shatter when subjected to violent temperature differences, such as when you take a baking dish out of a hot oven and put it in or on cold water. There still may be some issues affecting Pyrex baking dishes - although at this stage we are somewhat doubtful. In any case, these reports only minimally affect measuring cups, which are not, in general, subjected to wide temperature changes.


Conclusion: "recommended for use by ConsumerPla.net"

Pyrex measuring cups are a kitchen icon, with a high reputation for durability, and very strong advantages over plastic measuring implements. They are easy to wash, dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe, and use highly visible markings. Most people consider Pyrex cups to hold well and pour well. The Pyrex web site is abominable and does not give you any way to peruse the different models available, so following are a few links. Pyrex measuring cups come in 1-cup, 2-cup, 4-cup and 8-cup sizes. Other Pyrex measuring cup models allow you to view measuring numbers from above, or provide a cup with a silicone bottom ring and/or a plastic lid, although they do not meet with universal user approval. We have no hesitation endorsing standard Pyrex measuring cups as excellent liquid measuring tools for general use in the kitchen.

Some more user comments: "I have owned this measuring cup for quite a few years and it is my favorite", "pretty much a requirement for anyone who cooks or bakes","accurate and durable", "you can't ask much more from a measuring cup", "If you can only own one measuring cup set, then this would be the one to get", "We've had one of these Pyrex measuring cups for years and love it. Other measuring cups don't even compare!", "durable and practical, "I use this cup for everything [...] this is just a must-have for your kitchen","A real simple item, but this one gets everything right at the reasonable price. Good buy","really nothing that could be improved upon, just a great, solid product", "Fantastic measuring cup [...] worth every cent! "

Blu Ray Media: Best BD-R Discs Review

Blu Ray blank media guide : Best Blu Ray media
Best Blu Ray Media Part 2: Best BD-R Discs Review


Run of the mill Blu Ray BD-R discs represent the bulk of Blu Ray blank media purchases. While, for archival quality,  they are 75% more expensive (or more) than budget LTH discs, they enjoy broad -although not perfect- compatibility across players and burners. There is a big difference in price between non-archival quality and archival quality Blu Ray media, so differentiating between the two is critical. As we already selected our picks of the most reliable brands of Blu Ray media, by restricting our choices to them, we can produce a short list of trustworthy products ordered by price.

Table 2: Blu Ray BD-R media from recommended brands easily obtainable on the net

 

In previous articles, we discussed at length archival quality and reliability for the primary brands of generally available Blu Ray media. The results are summarized here. We eliminated many brands from the mix for poor quality, and summarized what remains in Table 2. What are the conclusions of our statistical analysis for run-of-the-mill, non-LTH BD-R Blu Ray media?

The most cost effective BD-R media in Table 2 is Optical Quantum's OQBDR04LT-25 BD-R, 4x write speed disc in 25 spindle packs, for $1.00 per disc, for any non-archival quality use. As we discussed in our review of Optical Quantum, the brand outsources media with a Philips MID (itself manufactured by Moser Baer of India), which have shown to have very high variability in quality. While, so far, Optical Quantum's Blu ray products have had excellent reviews and ratings, we are concerned that this could be at the mercy of a bad batch of new media, which, we believe, could happen any time given the variability of its outsourced media. For an extra $0.20, the same disc is available in white hub inkjet printable. Given the price of the non-printable base model, if you have an LTH compatible burner, and use Blu Ray for data archival, it is probably worth it to look at archival quality LTH Media,, available from Verbatim for $1.25 per disc.

When you need archival quality in standard BD-R media, the most cost effective choice is TDK 49024 BD-R 4x speed disc in 50 spindle packs, for $2.18 per disc. This is the main battle horse we use at ConsumerPla.net for Blu Ray archival. The same disc can be obtained in white hub inkjet printable for a hefty $3.79 per disc (TDK 49025). The next best choice for archival quality BD-R is the basically the same disc, but in 6x speed, for $2.36: TDK 61694 BD-R, 6x write speed in 50 spindle packs. If you want to switch brands, the first non-TDK choice is Sony BD-R 4x speed, white hub inkjet printable, for $4.00 per disc. As we mentioned earlier, if your needs are for data archival, and if your burner is compatible with LTH, another cost effective option might be Verbatim LTH media, for $1.25 per disc.


Conclusions

• Most cost effective non-archival quality BD-R media:  Optical Quantum OQBDR04LT-25 BD-R, 4x write speed disc in 25 spindle packs, for $1.00 per disc. While quality is excellent right now, we are concerned that future batches of this outsourced media could have a significantly lower quality rating.

• Most cost effective archival quality BD-R media: TDK 49024 BD-R 4x speed disc in 50 spindle packs, for $2.18 per disc at this time. 
• Most cost effective fast archival quality BD-R media: TDK 61694 BD-R 6x speed disc in 50 spindle packs, for $2.36 per disc at this time. 

Next we recommend Blu Ray dual layer high capacity (50GB) discs, or BD-R DL media... So come back soon!

The prices mentioned in this review are the best across the top ten Blu Ray media stores that we selected, which we will review shortly. It is in general possible to find a touch cheaper - but you will need to evaluate your supplier. One option, which is sometimes cost effective for high quality media, is to purchase Japanese imports directly in Japan - there are several specialized retailers for this purpose. This option comes with additional risks and longer shipping times.

To understand Blu Ray lingo, check our lexicon of Blu Ray vocabulary. Our Blu Ray brand predictive quality rating process is explained here. Our statistical analysis practices are described here, which is also where we discuss ConsumerPla.net's predictive quality rating.

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Blu Ray Media: Best BD-R LTH Discs Review

Blu Ray blank media guide : Best Blu Ray media
Best Blu Ray Media Part 1: Best BD-R LTH Discs Review

Table 1: Blu Ray LTH media from recommended brands easily obtainable on the net

We already rated Verbatim LTH and Taiyo Yuden/ JVC. In these posts, we concluded that:

• Vermatin LTH is archival quality
• Taiyo Yuden./ JVC does not have enough reviews at this time to be rated archival quality yet, but we recommend it for non-archival quality uses
• Make sure that your player/ burner is LTH compatible before purchasing LTH media

 When looking at the LTH products easily obtainable on the US market, it becomes clear that, at $1.25 per disc in 20 spindle packs, Verbatim 97090 BD-R LTH media is the best priced media in the category. It is, in fact, the best priced media among all of our recommended brands. It is a clear choice for the most cost effective recommended Blu Ray media. Its one drawback is that it is relatively slow at 2x. If you want a printable version of the same disc, the Verbatim 97331, for $1.72 per disc, provides white hub printable discs at a hefty premium.

If we want faster media, and your use does not require archival quality, the next best is Taiyo Yuden/ JVC, at 4x speed, for $1.72 per disc in 25 spindle packs. Since the JVC disc is also white printable (it is not clear if it is hub printable though), it might be a better choice than the Verbatim 97331, since it provides a printable alternative that is 6x for only $0.04 per disc more than the Verbatim, which is only 2x.

If, on the other hand, you need archival quality AND faster media, then your only choice in LTH media are the Verbatim BD-R LTH 4x discs in 25 spindle packs, for $3.33 per disc. Given the very high price per disc for this version, a better choice is to pick non-LTH media.

Conclusions

• Most cost effective archival quality LTH media: Verbatim 97090 BD-R LTH 2x, for roughly $1.25 per disc in 20 spindle packs - IF your burners are players are LTH compatible

• Most cost effective non archival quality, faster LTH media: Taiyo Yuden/ JVC BD-R LTH 4x, for roughly $1.72 per disc in 25 spindle packs.

• Most cost effective archival quality Blu Ray media overall: Verbatim 97090 BD-R LTH 2x, for roughly $1.25 per disc in 20 spindle packs - IF your burners are players are LTH compatible

Next we recommend discs for traditional BD-R media... So come back soon!

The prices mentioned in this review are the best across the top ten Blu Ray media stores that we selected, which we will review shortly. It is in general possible to find a touch cheaper - but you will need to evaluate your supplier. One option, which is sometimes cost effective for high quality media, is to purchase Japanese imports directly in Japan - there are several specialized retailers for this purpose. This option comes with additional risks and longer shipping times.

To understand Blu Ray lingo, check our lexicon of Blu Ray vocabulary. Our Blu Ray brand predictive quality rating process is explained here. Our statistical analysis practices are described here, which is also where we discuss ConsumerPla.net's predictive quality rating.

<<Previous                                                                                                                     Next>>

Zip-It Drain Cleaner: Cool Gear

Zip-It/ Cobra Drain Cleaner: a fast and simple way to clean a drain without the need for any other tool 

How do you fix a clogged sink or tub drain? Chemicals, Snake, Auger? Call a plumber? This problem must be the most common, and one of the most unpleasant, plumbing problems that we all encounter in our everyday life. In an upcoming guide, we will explore the different product options to clearing a sink drain. Without needing to go through all possible scenarios, however, we can already say that, to us, the first option after trying a plunger is the Zip-it Drain Cleaner, a simple, inexpensive, and easy to use device with very high user satisfaction ratings.




The Zip-It Drain Cleaner, also called the Cobra drain cleaner from its manufacturer's name Cobra Products Company, is available for $2 to $4 in most brick-and-mortar hardware stores, and in large numbers of online stores. It is a 17-inch plastic strip, with soft teeth on both sides, and a finger hold, which is rigid enough to be inserted into a sink drain hole, yet flexible enough to follow the tight curves of the P-trap below the sink.

Using a Zip-It Drain Cleaner

Because of its design, the Zip-It Drain Cleaner may only clear clogs if they are in the first 17 inches of piping:-) It turns out, however, that most drain clogs happen in the first foot and a half from the drain, based on the very high percentage of satisfied user reviews.What do users say about the Zip-It Drain Cleaner?


Successful at cleaning sink and tub drains

We found more than 150 user reviews for the Zip-It drain cleaner. Of the lot, 88% of the reviews indicated success at unclogging drains, and were very positive, not to say raving: "these work great!", "such an easy way to clean out clogged drains without expensive and harmful chemicals","after about 20 minutes of work all three drains were perfectly free flowing again. I was so pleased I quickly bought more to have a stock on hand just in case!", "one of those things that looks like it would never work [...] it worked very well on my bathroom drains, even those that have the stopper pretty much permanently attached. With some creativity you can get it down the drain and back out again without breaking any of the plastic tines", "so simple it's amazing! [...] In only 5 minutes I [...] completely pulled EVERYTHING out using only a quarter of it length. I ran the water and to my bath tub drain answered with the whirl wind I thought I would never see again.Just to be sure I plunged the Zip-It tool in it's entirety (the way you check your oil) and it was clean as a whistle. GET THIS PEOPLE. I wished I had found it sooner", " cheap, easy and it works!I have used these for years (sink drains only) and they've worked every time", "especially in showers used by girls with long hair, this is SO helpful in clearing drains--no more standing in ankle deep water in your shower!", "best 1.99$ I ever spent! Seriously, this thing is amazing. I ended up having to take the plug out of the sink to get the enormous glob of hair out of the drain (easy), but it worked very well", "this one is the best! Since we started using this, the drains were clear and no more slow clearing of water!!!!  I completely recommend this product", "works like a champ! Zipped three drains this morning. As said just insert down the drain, jiggle twist, turn and pull. Wear the rubber gloves. Drains running smooth",  "worked great for my sink clog! [...]  It was easy to use, just took some pulling and jiggling to pull it out at times, but nothing difficult. I inserted it down about 5 times at different entry points around the drain to make sure I had everything and it pulled up a decent amount of hair (yuk) [...] After about 5 minutes of work the sink drained perfectly with no chemicals or big to-do", "awesome little gadget! Easy and effective for unclogging a slow-running bathroom sink drain! It took me longer to open the package than it did to unclog the drain. Highly recommended", "my drains work again:   Excellent tool! [...] the teeth that pull out the hair/gunk haven't broken or bent, and it definitely cleaned out my drain", "does the job! : I purchased this hoping it would fix the drain clog in my bathtub. [...] I pushed the Zip It into the drain and pulled out a ton of hair!It only took two or three minutes to clean the drain and then clean the tool. I'm very pleased with the results. Highly recommended!", "pretty useful! This worked great in one my tubs, and nothing on my other tub. It's great how you can just throw it away and you're done. My plumber's snake is so gross after using it, I want to throw up. If you have a clog and want a cheap way of cleaning it with out calling a plumber give this a try", "great for hair clogs! These are the best, most eco-friend hair clog removers around. Before you dump those chemicals down your drain, give one of these a go. They work like a charm", "awesome! This product is awesome...I was impressed by how easy it was to use this. It gets the job done",  "clever and effective",  "it works ... cheaper than a plumber and safer than chemicals."

Some of the user reviews tell us entertaining stories:
- "you just push it down the drain and pull it back up. My bathroom sink was really slow at draining, I stuck this down there and pulled up quite a bit of hair. I figured while I was at it and I wish I would have took video of it was my bathtub drain. I never thought I had any drain flow problems with it until I used this nifty tool. I put it down the drain and I swear I pulled up what looked about as long as a full grown cats tail and as big around as one too. I did it about three more times and got so much hair out. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone that is looking to clear out their drain."
- "it fixed the hair clog problem on my wife's sink in less than 5 minutes. I was so happy with the result that I proceeded to use the Zip it on the other sink in the master bath, in addition to the sink in my daughter's bathroom and the bathtub drain in our spare bathroom. What a difference Zip it made, with no chemicals used in the process. I would definitely recommend using this product"
- "more than pleased! [...] I removed a huge amount of material from my tub (my boyflame and I both have long, long hair), and a less impressive haul from the bathroom sink[...] .  The sink and tub ran a lot smoother afterwards. Try this before more expensive options. It is safer for the environment and effective for many types of clogs. I would pay at least $20 for this even though it's just a cut plastic strip. The design is pretty damn good."
- "neat drain cleaning tool! Our shower drain never drained properly ever since we moved in our new house. The builder did not look into this and after 4 years(!) After we ordered this simple drain tool, my husband went to work right away. He inserted the long plastic tool and twisted it several times. What he pulled out was a ball of hair which was stuck to a plumber's putty! Now the shower drains perfectly! Even if there wasn't a plumbers putty in the drain, this gadget really pulls up hair (remember to twist it)."

We even have a building contractor giving us his thoughts: "great little product! I'm not just some handyman, not that there is anything wrong with being a handyman. I'm a full on contractor and yes, I often let things go in my own home because I can't be satisfied with little fixes. I always want to tear out the whole thing and do it right. I want to remodel our bathroom and one little nagging thing about it is the poorly draining sink. And yes, constantly pouring caustic drain cleaner down pipes is bad for them, but I've been doing it. So I got one of these (despite the fact that I could probably make something similar - but heck time is money) and it worked like a charm. Pulled out the expected slimy wad of hair, and also part of a chop stick and some broken glass. Second run came up with nothing and the sink drains perfectly. I haven't tried it on the shower yet - which might be trickier - but that doesn't actually have any drain problems. Totally worth it. Buy it!"

 On the other hand, 12% of the user reviews are negative and describe unsuccessful outcomes. Several of them indicate that the clog was too low for the Zip-It to be effective: "did not work for me. I think if they make this item longer in size it might have helped","useless. The drain in my bathtub is clogged and remains so after using this product. I did nothing for me. It is too short, does not reach the clog down the tube", "does not work in every case. Zip It may not work for bathtub drains.
Zip It does not work for deep clogs (even in a sink).[...] Zip It will not work if the clog is something the little spikes cannot catch (like something too soapy or greasy, "the reality is, it doesn't go all the way in my bath tub drain, only 1/3 of it got in. And it didn't remove a thing", "Zip-it probably is only good when U-tube is near the bottom of the wash basin. If it's located further down, Zipit can't reach it."

Some negative reviews mention that the clog is worse after using Zip-It. We imagine that this might be due to a clog being right around the end of the Zip-It length: "does not work. This was the first drain cleaning tool I tried,and I can tell you for sure...it does not work at all! It made the clog 10 times worse. Couldn't use the sink at all!! It went form a slow draining sink to a completely NON-DRAINING, unusable sink. Now its stuck in there and no clog removed", "this actually made my drain problem even worse. Instead of just a slowly draining sink,I think the Cobra jammed the clog down the pipe and completely stopped up the drain so it didn't drain at all."


Reusable

While the product is sold as a use-once, throw-away item, several users report success at reusing it multiple times: "you don't have to throw them away after one use either. Just wipe them clean. We use these 3-5 times each and they work like a charm. Great value...", "so cheap and can be used several times", "I reused one of these on my two bathroom sinks and the master bathroom tub drain", "I don't dispose of them after each use, I use them several times before they get bent and need to be disposed of", " it says on the package to throw the tool away after you use it but I just took toilet tissue and cleaned it off pulling in the direction of the spikes, not against them. It cleaned off nicely and I can use it again and again, "my live-in plumber! AMAZING.....I bought this item because all of a sudden, the water in my tub would not go down. I purchased the Zip-IT, brought it home, stuck it down the drain, pulled it out, and there was a rag attached to the zip it!!! Yes a rag had gone down my drain (without my knowledge), and the Zip-It cleared my drain!! Amazing!!!!", "


Usage Tips

What is pulled out by the Zip-It tool is not appetizing to say the least, and many users mention the need for gloves:  "before you begin folks, you should probably wear some goggles and dish washing gloves. Also enlist some needle nose pliers to pull out the hell that this tool surfaces", "make sure you have gloves or paper towels handy to grab the nasty gunk that will come out of the drain",  "I put on some rubber gloves thanks to another reviewer's advice and got after it... Glad I had the gloves on to help pull stuff off the tool and away from the drain as I worked."

Several users mention that pulling out the tool must be done with care so as not to damage the plastic teeth. Users suggest twisting as you pull for an easier time: "the teeth get hung up a bit on the drain plug rigging as you try to take it out but I found that if you twist it as you remove it retains the hair and clears the metal bit by bit", "it does have very sharp edges, so be aware [...] Just be patient and don't freak out if it gets stuck", "they are fragile, but only when used carelessly. I broke some of the teeth off when I became too enthusiastic."


User's manual

A user review gives an improved manual for use:
"PREPARATION:
1) Put on some gloves
2) Get a bag, such as a left-over plastic bag from the market
3) Have some paper towels handy
USAGE:
1) If you are like me and don't know how to remove the adjustable sink plug (not sure what they are called), this tool fits fine along the side
2) Stick it all the way down the drain and SLOWLY work it up. If you pull too fast it will fling "stuff" all over
3) Repeat several times going around all sides of the adjustable sink plug
4) Use the paper towels to wipe off excess grim from the Zip-It and your sink
5) Put the water on full-blast and if it doesn't flow down the drain easily, then do it a few more times
This was easy.
This was quick.
I rinsed the Zip-it off and stored in the garage for next time. One Zip-It = multiple uses.
Worth it!"


Videos

They show excellent success, but they can be quite gross...


Statistics

We collected 169 user reviews from multiple sources: Amazon Zip-It Drain Cleaning Tool
, Amazon Zip-It Drain Cleaning Tool 12-Pack,  Sears Zip-It Drain Cleaner,  Zip-It Drain Cleaning Tool - Reviews | RateItAll,  Cobra Zip-It Reviews | Buzzillions.com, COBRA Zip-it Drain Cleaner #2 Reviews | Buzzillions.com, Cool Tools: Zip-It Drain Cleaner, Cobra Products 400 Zip-It Drain Cleaning Tool Review - InfoBarrel, Family Handyman Unclog Drains with the Cobra Zip-It Drain Cleaning Tool.  We found an excellent 88% user approval rating, with a 5% margin of error at 95% certainty. This is a particularly good result, given the fact that, from the tool's design, we know, before using it that it will only work with clogs that are close the the drain.


Conclusion: "Recommended by ConsumerPla.net"

The Zip-It drain cleaner is a very simple, inexpensive drain cleaning cool that has a high likelihood of resolving drain clogs when the clog is within a foot and a half of the drain, and that enjoys excellent user reviews. It is usable even by those with absolutely no affinities with tools. While it is advertised as a throw-away tool, many users report being able to use it multiple times. Given its very low $2-$4 unit price, ordering it online often results in proportionally high shipping costs. We recommend you purchase it in a local brick-and-mortar store, or online in a multiple-unit pack such as this one. We have no reservation in endorsing the Zip-It drain cleaner.

Find out more about ConsumerPla.net's reviews, rating system, and  statistical analysis here.

Best Blu Ray Media Brands: Review

Blu Ray blank media guide : Best Blu Ray media brands
Best Blu Ray Media Brands Part 19: Best Brands Review


 We can collate most of the information we gathered in our brand-by-brand analysis in a single easy-to-read chart.

Figure 1: Blu Ray Blank Media Brands Ordered By Increasing Predicted Quality

All brands are ordered by increasing predictive quality rating, although we used our corrected rating for Verbatim LTH (we took out negative reviews caused to non-LTH readers or burners). The line above shows statistical significance, which indicates if the review sample size is enough to give statistically valid results. We can clearly see a two-tiered quality structure. Below 80% predictive quality rating are all the brands which we believe should not be considered today. All of our recommended brands have a predictive quality rating over 80%.Those brands on the right with low statistical significance have the potential to see their predictive quality rating go up, and may be considered archival quality when enough additional user reviews are published.


Brands to avoid:

• Memorex: data loss
• Ritek:  data loss
• Panasonic: rewritable discs do not rewrite more than 20-30 cycles, may improve with time and become archival quality
• Kodak: poor overall quality
• Merax: poor overall quality
• Maxell: poor overall quality
• VinPower: poor overall quality

Recommended at this time: non archival quality brands with other uses

• #7 Verbatim non-premium: a small percentage of data loss, media and rating may improve with time
• #6 Verbatim DataLifePlus: likely archival quality, not enough reviews, rating may improve in time
• #5: Taiyo Yuden/ JVC: likely archival quality, not enough reviews, rating may improve in time
• #4: Optical Quantum: excellent reviews, poor DVD media record, outsourced media of high variability, rating may get worse with time - watch user reviews carefully

Recommended at this time: archival quality brands

• #3 Sony: all formats except BD-RE DL, sometimes outsourced to Panasonic
• #2 Verbatim LTH: excellent media ONLY IF your players and burners are LTH compatible
• #1 TDK: all formats, excellent coatings, no reservations

Best overall Blu Ray media brand: TDK

Next, we enter our Blu Ray Media Guide section on the recommended media themselves, and discuss recommended models for BD-R LTH media... So come back soon!

To understand Blu Ray lingo, check our lexicon of Blu Ray vocabulary. Our Blu Ray brand predictive quality rating process is explained here. Our statistical analysis practices are described here, which is also where we discuss ConsumerPla.net's predictive quality rating.

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Blu Ray Media: VinPower Review

Blu Ray blank media guide : Best Blu Ray media brands
Best Blu Ray Media Brands Part 18: VinPower Media/ Discs Review


Taiwanese manufacturer VinPower carries two product lines, a higher end line under the Optical Quantum brand (already reviewed), and a lower-end line under its own corporate name, Vinpower.  Both Optical Quantum and VinPower have poor quality ratings in the DVD media market. In fact, Optical Quantum scores slightly lower than VinPower for DVD products, although the difference is not statistically significant given the comparatively low number of user reviews for both product lines in the DVD blank media market. Both Optical Quantum and VinPower factor Philips Blu Ray media, which has an 83% overall rating, but a very high variability in quality, going from a low of 67% to a high of 93%. We reviewed this outsourced Philips media, and concluded that it was not archival quality, and that we could not recommend it independently of the brand that outsources it. We had a big surprise when we reviewed Optical Quantum, as it scored a very high uncorrected 93% approval rating, despite the much lower rating of the media it outsources. We were expecting VinPower to score at the same level, but were disappointed in that regard.

We found VinPower Blu Ray media in quantity in BD-R formats, with a total of 45 reviews, scoring an uncorrected approval level of 78%, very low for the Blu Ray media market. As VinPower outsources the same media as Optical Quantum, and as both brands had a statistically significant number of user reviews, we expected the approval rating to be equivalent. In fact, they are widely different. While some of the difference may be due to a statistical fluke, some of it must be due to very high media variability by batch, putting in doubt the future ratings for Optical Quantum.

To create our predictive quality rating for VinPower Blu Ray media, following our standard process, we compounded the uncorrected satisfaction rating with the brand's DVD rating of 79% (independently of Optical Quantum).  Because of the number of reviews was not high enough to give us a margin of error of 5% or less, we downgraded the resulting rating by  6% for statistical sample size correction, to ensure that the final number would be within 5% of the lowest limit of the statistical margin of error. The final predictive quality rating for VinPower Blu Ray media was 70%, a very low number. We expect this rating to trend up by up to 5%, as the number of user reviews increases.  The predictive quality rating is simply too low for us to be able to recommend VinPower for any data storage use, despite the very good score for VinPower's sister brand, Optical Quantum.

Conclusions

• VinPower's Blu Ray media predictive quality rating is 70%, a poor rating in the Blu Ray media industry.
• VinPower's outsourced media (Philips) is not of archival quality, its average reliability across all brands that factor it is significantly higher than Vinpower's, and its variability is high.
• For these reasons, we cannot recommend Vinpower for archival purposes, or for any other data storage use. We believe that there are significantly better choices at relatively similar price points.

Next we compare all major brands of Blu Ray media... So come back soon!

To understand Blu Ray lingo, check our lexicon of Blu Ray vocabulary. Our Blu Ray brand predictive quality rating process is explained here. Our statistical analysis practices are described here, which is also where we discuss ConsumerPla.net's predictive quality rating.

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Blu Ray Media: Verbatim DataLifePlus Review

Blu Ray blank media guide : Best Blu Ray media brands
Best Blu Ray Media Brands Part 17: Verbatim DataLifePlus Media/ Discs Review

 Verbatim carries three different product lines in the Blu Ray market. The low-priced Verbatim LTH line scored high but did not find good compatibility in the audio/video world, while the non-premium Verbatim line suffered from some degree of archival failure. In this review, we look at the Verbatim DataLifePlus product line, focused on professional use, which is priced higher than either of the other two. Verbatim, a Mitsubishi brand, has always carried an outstanding reputation in the US for quality optical media in the past 10 years, but cut some corners in 2010 by outsourcing some of its blank DVD media value offerings to CMC Magnetics, a low cost, typically low quality manufacturer. CMC Magnetics is widely considered inferior for optical storage. The Verbatim DataLifePLus DVD line, however, kept its high quality and remained manufactured by the home team.

We had no difficulty finding 4 products under the Verbatim DataLifePlus label, well represented on the market, all in BD-R or BD-R DL formats. Because of their higher price, however, we only found 3 reviews on them. To create our predictive quality rating for Verbatim Blu Ray DataLifePlus media, following our standard process, we compounded the uncorrected satisfaction rating with the product line's DVD rating of 91% ( specifically for Verbatim DataLifePlus DVD rating).  Because of the low number of reviews, we had to downgrade the resulting rating by 9% for statistical sample size correction, to ensure that the final number would be within 5% of the lowest limit of the statistical margin of error. The final predictive quality rating for Verbatim non-premium Blu Ray media was 84%. We expect this rating to trend up by up to 10%, as the number of user reviews increases.  Because of the low number of user reviews so far, we cannot endorse the use of Verbatim DataLifePlus Blu Ray media yet. Although we believe them to be archival quality, we can't prove it yet. Based on the performance of the brand in other Blu Ray product lines, and in the DVD market, we consider them satisfactory for any use that does not require archival quality.

Conclusions

• Verbatim non-premium Blu Ray media predictive quality rating is 84%, due to a low number of existing user reviews.
• We expect this rating to go up by up to 10% as user reviews increase.
• Because of the low number of existing user reviews, we cannot yet recommend Verbatim non-premium Blu Ray media for archival quality uses, although we believe the product line to be archival quality - we just can't prove it yet.
• We consider Verbatim non-premium Blu Ray media well qualified for any use that does not carry archival quality as a requirement.

Next we review VinPower blank Blu Ray  media... So come back soon!

To understand Blu Ray lingo, check our lexicon of Blu Ray vocabulary. Our Blu Ray brand predictive quality rating process is explained here. Our statistical analysis practices are described here, which is also where we discuss ConsumerPla.net's predictive quality rating.

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Blu Ray Media: Verbatim Non Premium Review

Blu Ray blank media guide : Best Blu Ray media brands
Best Blu Ray Media Brands Part 16: Verbatim Non-Premium Discs Review


Verbatim carries three different product lines in the Blu Ray market. Verbatim LTH technology scores high and benefits from Verbatim's DVD manufacturing experience, but does not have as much compatibility with all players and burners - we already discussed it here. Verbatim DataLifePlus product line, focused on professional use, is priced higher, and, at least in the DVD space, offers higher quality according to our DVD stats. This review focuses on Verbatim's standard offering. While Verbatim, a Mitsubishi brand, has had an outstanding reputation in the US for quality optical media in the past 10 years, this reputation took a hit in 2010 when regular Verbatim DVD discs appeared with the dreaded CMC MID. CMC Magnetics is a low cost, typically low quality manufacturer, widely considered inferior for optical storage. As a result, optical media storage experts started recommending using AZO-branded Verbatim products only (AZO is the high quality dye used by Verbatim itself in its own DVD manufacturing operations).

As a consequence of this radical shift in Verbatim's quality practices in 2010, we were not sure of what to expect when we started researching Verbatim non-premium Blu Ray lines. We found a dozen non-premium products from Verbatim, well distributed across the US, with an high average rating of 92%, and a large overall number of reviews, for a total of 153. Getting that many user reviews for a single product line was excellent, as it allowed us to get very good statistical information. The uncorrected rating itself was also excellent. We were however dismayed to find, in the lot, 3 reviews (2%) mentioning archival failure and data loss. Archival failure is the worst possible failure mode, since it cannot be seen at burn time, and results in possible data loss, which is potentially much more costly than the cost of the discs themselves. We found early archival failure in only three brands: Memorex, Ritek, and Verbatim. Both Memorex and Ritek's archival failures were linked to the Ritek media fiasco of late 2009-2010. Verbatim's data losses are unexpected, because of the company;'s high reputation, and rightfully worrisome, even in small amounts. When potential data loss is at stake, it does not really matter if the likelihood is 2%, 5% or 10%, as the downside is too great: what if it hits you?

To create our predictive quality rating for Verbatim non-premium Blu Ray media, following our standard process,we compounded the satisfaction rating with the brand's DVD rating of 87% (a worst case, since non-AZO branded DVD media from Verbatim actually scores 89%). We subtracted 4x the incidence of archival failures. There was a -1% statistical sample size correction, to ensure that the final number would be within 5% of the lowest limit of the statistical margin of error. The final predictive quality rating for Verbatim non-premium Blu Ray media was 83%. While not outstanding, it is nonetheless respectable. Unfortunately, it includes a small percentage of archival failures. At this time, and until the percentage of archival failures becomes so small that it is practically impossible to see it happen to you, we cannot recommend Verbatim non-premium Blu Ray media for archival quality. This is truly unfortunate, as Verbatim non-premium line is also reasonably priced, and would have been our recommendation for cost effective non-LTH storage. 

Conclusions

• Verbatim non-premium Blu Ray media predictive quality rating is 83%, good, but a bit disappointing for Verbatim. 
• There are some isolated reports of archival failure on Verbatim Blu Ray non-premium media, for 2% incidence of data loss. While the likelihood is small, the downside is enormous, and we cannot recommend Verbatim non-premium Blu Ray media for archival quality uses.
• We consider Verbatim non-premium Blu Ray media adequate for non-archival quality uses, as long as data loss is not an issue.

Next we review Verbatim blank Blu Ray DataLifePlus premium media... So come back soon!

To understand Blu Ray lingo, check our lexicon of Blu Ray vocabulary. Our Blu Ray brand predictive quality rating process is explained here. Our statistical analysis practices are described here, which is also where we discuss ConsumerPla.net's predictive quality rating.

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Blu Ray Media: Verbatim LTH Review

Blu Ray blank media guide : Best Blu Ray media brands
Best Blu Ray Media Brands Part 15: Verbatim LTH Discs Review


 Verbatim, a Mitsubishi brand, has an outstanding reputation in the US for quality optical media. It is widely distributed, and provides a very broad inventory of products. Mitsubishi media are reputed for their high quality, and it was with great surprise that DVD aficionados saw the appearance early last year of some CMC MIDs under the Verbatim brand. It appears that, in the DVD arena, AZO branded or logoed products are still Mitsubishi-manufactured, as are the DataLifePlus products which constitute the high end of the Verbatim optical products. Surprisingly, we found the same customer satisfaction rating for AZO and non-AZO branded products in the DVD market.

Verbatim came out swinging as a manufacturer of Blu Ray media from the moment the standard was published. Last month we found, in quantity, more than 20 different Verbatim Blu ray media products on the US market, almost all of which review very well. In particular, Verbatim is one of two companies (the other one is Taiyo Yuden/ JVC) which invested in cost-effective LTH technology (we discussed it here). We found 4 different products widely distributed on the market with Verbatim LTH technology, all in BD-R or BD-R DL formats. We were able to aggregate 129 reviews with a low uncorrected customer satisfaction rating of 78%.

We were eager to see how well LTH would do, so we were disappointed by the result. We looked further at the negative user reviews. Out of 29 negative reviews, 27 were complaining about their Blu Ray burner's incompatibility to play or record LTH. It is no secret that many audio and video players cannot play LTH discs, and that, even in the data storage arena, there is not 100% compatibility with LTH. Clearly, LTH is not as broadly adopted as we would like it to be.  However, LTH is clearly specified on LTH discs, and it is fairly easy to figure out if a player is LTH compatible - so we do not believe that LTH discs should get bad reviews because players that are not LTH-compatible cannot play them... If we remove the negative 27 reviews that focus on LTH incompatibility, then the uncorrected satisfaction rating for Verbatim LTH becomes an outstanding 98%.

We corrected the Verbatim LTH reviews by removing negative reviews for LTH compatibility. We were left with 99 reviews, and a 98% corrected customer satisfaction rating. To create our predictive quality rating for Verbatim LTH Blu Ray media, following our standard process,we compounded the satisfaction rating with the brand's DVD rating of 87% (using AZO-branded Verbatim DVD reviews, since Verbatim LTH uses the same AZO dies). There was no statistical sample size correction, and the final predictive quality rating for Verbatim LTH was a remarkable 97%.We are all the more comfortable with this rating because LTH technology involves the same dye and process as traditional DVD media.

We believe that Verbatim LTH technology is archival quality, and have no hesitation endorsing it for any data storage use, as long as the user has ascertained that players and burners are LTH compatible. On the other hand, LTH does not appear to be a good candidate for audio or video recording. Many audio/video players are not LTH compatible (such as Oppo players for instance), and it might not be a good idea to use a media that is incompatible with large numbers of players to store music or video.

Conclusions

• Verbatim Blu Ray LTH media predictive quality rating is 97%, the highest score in the category. 
• LTH media is not compatible with all players and burners, and it is essential that potential purchasers carefully check their players and burners' compatibility to LTH.
• We consider Verbatim Blu Ray LTH media to be of archival quality.
• At this time we recommend Verbatim Blu Ray LTH media for any data storage use, including data archival. As many audio/video players are not compatible with LTH, we believe that LTH is not a good vehicle for audio/ video recording at this time.

Next we review Verbatim blank Blu Ray non-LTH, non-DLP media... So come back soon!

To understand Blu Ray lingo, check our lexicon of Blu Ray vocabulary. Our Blu Ray brand predictive quality rating process is explained here. Our statistical analysis practices are described here, which is also where we discuss ConsumerPla.net's predictive quality rating.

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Blu Ray Media: TDK Review

Blu Ray blank media guide : Best Blu Ray media brands
Best Blu Ray Media Brands Part 14: TDK Media/ Discs Review


TDK was once, in the 1980s, the pinnacle of audio-grade magnetic media. In the past few years it has not been a manufacturer of optical media, and had factored miscellaneous mediocre media products under its brand, resulting in a poor DVD media quality rating of 75%. This sad state of affairs has changed since the introduction of Blu Ray, and TDK is now manufacturing optical media itself, with what appears to be very high quality. In fact, TDK's Blu Ray Coating, Durabis 2, has been the most impressive to web reviewers (maybe thanks to some good PR:-), and TDK claims that its BD-RE discs are rewritable for over 10,000 cycles, about 10x more than what the Blu Ray standard calls for -is it marketing hype, though? We found TDK fairly well distributed (probably thanks to a distribution/ licensing agreement with Imation), and were able to find BD-R, BD-R DL, BD-RE and BD-RE DL formats online in quantity.

We gathered 39 user reviews for TDK Blu Ray media, well distributed across its different formats, with an outstanding uncorrected rating of 97%. Since TDK is a manufacturer of Blu Ray media, while it was not manufacturing but factoring DVD media, we did not use its DVD brand rating. To create our predictive quality rating for TDK Blu Ray media, following our standard process, since 39 reviews did not give us a margin of error of 5% or below, we lowered the resulting rating by 1% to allow for a negative statistical margin of error (with 95% certainty) of exactly 5%. TDK's Blu Ray media predictive quality rating gathers a outstanding score of 96%, which could still trend upwards by 1% as more user reviews are published. TDK's predictive rating is the second highest score in the category, and we have no hesitation in endorsing it for archival purposes.

Conclusions

• TDK's Blu Ray media predictive quality rating is 96%, the second highest score in the category. 
• We consider TDK Blu Ray media to be of archival quality.
• At this time we recommend TDK Blu Ray media for any use, including data archival.

Next we review Verbatim blank Blu Ray LTH media... So come back soon!

To understand Blu Ray lingo, check our lexicon of Blu Ray vocabulary. Our Blu Ray brand predictive quality rating process is explained here. Our statistical analysis practices are described here, which is also where we discuss ConsumerPla.net's predictive quality rating.

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Blu Ray Media: Taiyo Yuden/ JVC Review

Blu Ray blank media guide : Best Blu Ray media brands
Best Blu Ray Media Brands Part 13: Taiyo Yuden/ JVC Media/ Discs Review


Taiyo Yuden is considered by many the nec plus ultra of DVD blank media. It acquired in 2008 the right to distribute its media products under the JVC brand, and has announced that all of its media products will transition to the JVC brand umbrella. When we analyzed Taiyo Yuden's user reviews in the DVD market, we found an outstanding 94% rating over a very large, highly statistically significant sample of reviews. When looking at Taiyo Yuden/ JVC Blu Ray media, we found BD-R LTH (low-to-high), BD-R, BD-RE, and BD-RE DL, but only one user review at this time.


 To create our predictive quality rating for Taiyo Yuden/ JVC Blu Ray media,  according to our standard Blu Ray media process, we added an equivalent of 10 user reviews with the brand's DVD media rating of 94%. Because the single user review, even added to our fictitious 10 DVD reviews, is a low sample, we lowered the resulting rating by 7% to allow for a negative statistical margin of error (with 95% certainty) of exactly 5%. Taiyo Yuden/ JVC's Blu Ray media predictive quality rating gathers a score of 84%, which should trend upwards by 5 to 10% as more user reviews are published.

Conclusions

• Taiyo Yuden/ JVC's Blu Ray media predictive quality rating is 87%, a low rating for Taiyo Yuden which is solely due to the dearth of existing user reviews for the brand in the Blu Ray media market. 
• While we cannot recommend the brand at this time for archival quality Blu Ray media since 3 user reviews is simply not enough, because of its outstanding record in the DVD arena, we consider Taiyo Yudejn/ JVC appropriate for non-archival uses where long term data loss is not a concern. We believe that is it highly probable that the brand will prove of high quality for Blu ray media - but we cannot prove it yet.

Next we review TDK blank Blu Ray media... So come back soon!

To understand Blu Ray lingo, check our lexicon of Blu Ray vocabulary. Our Blu Ray brand predictive quality rating process is explained here. Our statistical analysis practices are described here, which is also where we discuss ConsumerPla.net's predictive quality rating.

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Blu Ray Media: Sony Review

Blu Ray blank media guide : Best Blu Ray media brands
Best Blu Ray Media Brands Part 12: Sony Media/ Discs Review


Sony has had, in the past, very good reputation as a DVD media brand, both as a manufacturer (through Daxon) and as an outsourcer (mostly to Taiyo Yuden) through Q1 2010, when it discontinued its own DVD media manufacturing and switched to outsourced providers of lower standing, such as Ritek. When we screened Sony's DVD media user reviews accumulated over the past 5 years, we found that Sony, primarily as a manufacturer, scored at over 91% though 2009, but went to 88% and below when compounding all of its brand reviews history through today - meaning that 2010 reviews were reflecting a much lower assessment of the brand. We see this recent change in manufacturing strategy with real regret - it reflects badly on the brand.

When looking at Sony Blu Ray media, we found BD-R, BD-R DL, BD-RE and BD-RE DL formats, where all formats where manufactured by Sony except for the BD-RE DLs, which were outsourced to Panasonic. Given the low volume of BD-RE DL discs across the whole range of products, in this review we will treat Sony as a manufacturer of its own Blu Ray Media.

We found 50 reviews of Sony Blu Ray media, scoring an excellent uncorrected rating of 94%. To create our predictive quality rating for Sony Blu Ray media, according to our standard Blu Ray media process, we added an equivalent of 10 user reviews with the brand's DVD media rating (as its own manufacturer of media, up to 2009) of 91%. Because the number of user reviews is not quite high enough to give us a margin of error of 5% with 95% certainty, we lowered the resulting rating by 1% to allow maximum downwards statistical margin of error to be exactly 5%. Sony's Blu Ray media predictive quality rating is a very good score of 93%.

Conclusions

• Sony's Blu Ray media predictive quality rating is 93%, a very good rating for the Blu Ray media industry.
• At this time we believe that Sony manufactures its own Blu Ray media, except for some or all of its BD-RE DLs, which it outsources to Panasonic.
• Sony's record as a manufacturer of DVD blank media is very good, scoring 91%. Sony stopped manufacturing DVD media in 2010, and stared outsourcing to lower quality suppliers.
• We rate archival quality all Sony Blu Ray media that the company manufactures itself, i.e., at this date, BD-R, BD-R DL, and BD-RE.
• Because Sony has started outsourcing its DVD media to lower quality suppliers, we advise buyers of Sony Blu Ray media to verify the MID for purchased Sony Blu Ray discs (and make sure it still is Sony's), and to carefully monitor upcoming user reviews as well.

Next we review Taiyo Yuden/ JVC blank Blu Ray media... So come back soon!

To understand Blu Ray lingo, check our lexicon of Blu Ray vocabulary. Our Blu Ray brand predictive quality rating process is explained here. Our statistical analysis practices are described here, which is also where we discuss ConsumerPla.net's predictive quality rating.

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Blu Ray Media: Ritek/ Ridata Review

Blu Ray blank media guide : Best Blu Ray media brands
Best Blu Ray Media Brands Part 11: Ritek/Ridata Media/ Discs Review


Ritek/ Ridata, a Taiwanese company, is the most prominent provider of outsourced DVD media in the US, before its Taiwanese competitor CMC Magnetics. Ritek's recent reputation in the DVD market is improving (while CMC Magnetics's reputation has remained low), although it went through a major production hiccup several years ago when all of its DVD media started failing archival after short periods of time. We found Ritek/ Ridata Blu Ray media in quantity in BD-R formats only. To our surprise, Ritek factors Philips Blu Ray media, which has an 83% overall rating, but a very high variability in quality, going from a low of 67% to a high of 93%. We reviewed it here, and concluded that it was not archival quality, and that we could not recommend it independently of the brand that outsources it.

Why does Ritek factor Philips-labeled Blu Ray media, when it is the company to whom large brands go when outsourcing DVD media manufacturing? While going through hundreds of user reviews, we found that Ritek has just gone through another major production problem, where Ritek-manufactured BD-R discs sold approximately until the second quarter of 2010 experienced archival failures in large quantities, turning unreadable in a few months to a year, and resulting in data loss. Memorex was at the time factoring Ritek media, and both brands accumulated large quantities of scathing user reviews from the resulting data loss, some of these user reviews still being written as we speak. It appears that, sometime around the late second quarter of 2010, both companies switched to a Philips MID, indicating a change of manufacturer. We believe the manufacturer of this media to be CMC Magnetics under license from Philips. We expect Ritek to start producing its own media in the near future, once it has ironed out its production problems.

We found over 120 user reviews for Ritek/ Ridata Blu Ray media, averaging an uncorrected approval rating of 82%. Because there was 10% reported archival failure and data loss, we lowered the rating by 4x the archival failure rate (as it is the worst possible failure mode to encounter), according to our standard Blu Ray media process. We compounded the brand's rating to its 83% media manufacturer rating, with a 75%-25% ratio. To create our predictive quality rating for Ritek Blu Ray media, we added an equivalent of 10 user reviews with the brand's DVD media rating of 69%. Because the number of user reviews is not quite high enough to give us a margin of error of 5% with 95% certainty, we lowered the resulting rating by 4% to allow maximum downwards statistical margin of error to be exactly 5%.  Ritek/ Ridata's Blu Ray media predictive quality rating is 46%, very low, in great part due to the massive data loss resulting from media sold until mid 2010. As the old Ritek media disappears from the distribution channel, and as more user reviews accumulate, this rating should go up by 25% to 40%.

Conclusions

• Ritek/ Ridata's Blu Ray media predictive quality rating is 46%, very low for the Blu Ray media industry.
• Much of this low rating is due to catastrophic data loss from its own failing media sold until Q2, 2010.
• Ritek's quality rating should trend up as the old stock of failing Ritek media disappears from the sales channel, and as more user reviews appear.
• Ritek's DVD media has a low rating in DVD market. There is no reason to believe that its Blue Ray media will be significantly better.
• Ritek is now factoring Philips-labeled media.
• Ritek's outsourced media is not of archival quality, and we feel that there are better choices for the same cost.
• we do not recommend Ritek Blu Ray media for any use at this time.  Beyond its low approval rating, it carries a risk of archival failure and data loss from old stock.

Next we review Sony blank Blu Ray media... So come back soon!

To understand Blu Ray lingo, check our lexicon of Blu Ray vocabulary. Our Blu Ray brand predictive quality rating process is explained here. Our statistical analysis practices are described here, which is also where we discuss ConsumerPla.net's predictive quality rating.

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