Most important of all in my opinion, is that these comforters are cruelty free and the down is not “hand harvested” but is collected naturally as part of the molting process. Hand harvesting is banned in some countries and for good reason- how shall I put it bluntly? Live birds are strung up and plucked till they are bare and bleeding and shrieking as the down and feathers drop into collector bins below. Hypodown is collected in a way that is cruelty free, so animal lovers need not feel guilty when they buy one.

Then let’s get down to basics! The most important part of a down comforter is the quality of its fill which should be 700 or 800 fill weight for the lightest, fluffiest, and best insulating down. The next important feature is the quality of manufacture and we recommend box baffling to make sure the down has enough room to remain lofted but does not shift around. For allergy sufferers, the cleanliness and hypoallergenic properties of the down is paramount, and the Hypodown Collection does it better than most because it introduces a tiny amount of Syriaca into the down, which in turn enhances its hypoallergenic properties. You do not need the most expensive covering; this comforter will last more than a lifetime if given proper care and that means putting it into a duvet cover so it is protected. For most people the Monarch covering is the most effective choice since it is soft and supple.
 

I confess that I have been wrestling with loving my full spectrum lights which I have all over my home and replacing them dutifully with compact fluorescents which save energy. When I originally had switched to full spectrum I said at the time that there was no turning back since they give off a cleaner, brighter, and more natural light. But now wanting to be a good green citizen, I have been replacing them slowly with regular spiral Verilux compact fluorescents. Now I am thrilled that I can have my cake and eat it too. With full spectrum compact fluorescents available, I am going to buy them by the case and go around the house replacing them. The best thing is that besides saving energy, these last longer too and come in all the shapes such as floods and traditional light bulb shapes that you are used to around the home.
 

I was asked today to recommend a mattress pad to soften up a child’s bunk bed mattress. We have two new mattress pads which I know will fix this problem without costing too much money. Both mattress pads come with deep pocket elasticized sides so you can avoid straps - which can slip off your mattress. These are what I would buy if I did not have mattress pads already. I think the Dream Essentials Pillow Top Pad, which is really puffy, is a really nice pad and moderately priced at $199.95.

The open faced Wool Fleece from Home Essentials is quite sumptuous and definitely is our best value for the money
 

So here is the ugly truth, at the end of last summer, my husband was complaining about cat odor and a musty smell when he graces our residence in Newton with his presence one day a week (the rest of the time he spends at our summer home). He pontificated that the odor was coming from our lower level and that I must need a dehumidifier. Now usually he would be right, and I advise people to use a dehumidifier as the first line of attack when getting rid of musty smells. However in this case the relative humidity was 42% which I measured with my hygrometer so I knew that he was wrong. I had to admit that he was right about the smell. I had got behind in replacing filters for my beloved IQair HealthPro Plus which is seven years old and going strong and I needed a quick solution. So like any company president, I went into the samples room and rifled an Allerair 5000 Vocarb air purifier and took it home. Here is the miracle…24 hours later my husband was exclaiming that he did not know what I had done, but the odor was completely GONE! I told him smugly that I had used an air purifier with a ton of carbon in it. So if you have that kind of problem, the AllerAir 5000 could be your answer. After a few days I was able to lower the fan speed so now I can hardly hear it. Starting at $499.98
 

I purchased the Electrolux Harmony vacuum cleaner from AllergyBuyersClub.com a few years ago since they gave it a very good rating for best value Hepa vacuum.  It has done everything they said it would: ideal for removing dust, pet hair, and allergens from bare floors and medium carpets, lightweight and easy to use, retractable cord – love this and it never smells like you have vacuumed after using it – so it certainly must be sealed so nothing gets back out.  I recommend this vacuum for anyone who wants a great value on a Hepa sealed vacuum for under $300. By the way - shipping is free for orders $150 or more.

While our photo of these wool sheepskin slippers is not that thrilling, I can tell you that when our staff first saw these, everyone wanted a pair for themselves- me included! Why are they so special? They are manufactured in the same factory as Ugg boots and have a really rugged sole so that you can quite happily step out onto your deck or your front doorstep to collect the paper in winter. For all of us who can slip on our bathroom or hardwood floors- the soles on these slippers give you a firmer grip than your sneakers! Let’s not forget that the uppers are lovely soft sheepskin suede, and have a really plush inner sheepskin lining. Mens and Womens sizes. $59.95

My mouth literally dropped open when I first saw this air purifier. It is a first class, quiet, powerful air purifier that only uses 10 watts on its HIGHEST fan speed – a fraction of a low wattage light bulb. This is an air purifier that you can afford to keep going, day and night, without running up your electric bill - and for people like me that is important. I regard this as an astonishing feat of ecological engineering. No air purifier, let alone one with a fan is so energy miserly. It would not be worth a hill of beans if it wasn’t the highest performing air purifier that Blueair has ever manufactured. What’s more, its filters can be vacuumed to prolong its life. The entire Blueair ECO10 unit is recyclable; including the polypropylene HEPASilent filters which can be vacuumed to prolong their life. Can’t say enough good things about this machine, and I firmly believe it is worth the extra price. It got a 5-star rating from me and I do not give that out often. $899.95

If you or your family are in need of a surprisingly good, little desk top air purifier at a bargain price, then this new Hepa grade filter is virtually maintenance free as it can be cleaned by vacuuming it. It is small enough to put in your suitcase for travel. I think the Allergen Reducer is one of our best and easily overlooked items. $59.95

I am now in to my fourth winter season of using our Air-O-Swiss 7133 humidifier. The Air-O-Swiss 7133 and 7135 models get my favorite vote as a humidifier because they are reliable, silent, can be warm or cool mist, and disperse water vapor into a room at a fast clip. The price on the 7133 model has now been reduced and we are the only company that is offering this humidifier at the new low price with a bonus ionic stick included. With the heating now turned on my husband’s snoring is keeping me awake so I am dusting off our Air-O-Swiss, putting in a replacement demineralization cartridge and I will be all set for another winter season. Sale price of the 7133 model (manual dials) is now $119.99. The best selling 7135 model with digital controls is $159.95.

Tired of waking up with aching sinuses and dry nose in hotel rooms, or wish the air at work was not so dry? This tiny travel ultrasonic humidifier blasts out cool mist at a rate which will surprise you. Makes a great stocking stuffer. $39.95