-
Camping & Hiking
This Rugged Camping Lantern Will Light Up Your Campsite
March 16th, 2016
Those of you who spend a lot of time camping know just how difficult it can be to find rugged, solid gear that is designed to last. We took the Coleman Rugged Battery Powered Lantern for a spin and checked in with others who have purchased it to see how this camping lantern holds up to the competition. This Coleman lantern isn’t the most expensive on the market, but it isn’t the cheapest, either. One of the important things to understand is that you are going to go through a lot of batteries if you use this on the high setting. As this can become problematic, you will be encouraged to buy the rechargeable battery at an additional cost.
The lantern really holds up and is tough to break. Several reviewers report that they dropped the Coleman on hard surfaces without any noticeable signs of damage. If you don’t camp frequently and can’t imagine needing to invest in a rugged light like the Coleman, you may want to consider the Trademark Emergency Lantern set, which includes three lights for half the cost of the Coleman. This lantern is solid. You can tell as soon as you pick it up that it is put together to last. There is little that you can imagine is going to break the lantern, unless it is intentionally damaged. Once you get used to having a solid piece of equipment like this you are going to have a hard time going back to the economical alternatives. If you weren’t a Coleman fan before owning this lantern, you will be.
read more » -
Cleaning Products
Hoover H3045 FloorMate Hard Floor Cleaner Delivers The Shine
March 15th, 2016
If your home has stone, marble or other hard-floor surfaces, you know the kind of job it takes to keep the floors looking nice. A floor cleaner is one way of avoiding the bending involved in scrubbing the floors. The Hoover H3045 Floor Mate SpinScrub Wide-Path Hard-Floor Cleaner is easy to use once you are familiar with it. It is fairly heavy, but provides an all-in-one cleaning system. It vacuums as well as washing and drying hard-floor surfaces. The powerful motor provides good suction, but some reviews for the product indicate it can be noisy. The SpinScrub has a 15 inch wide cleaning path and has interchangeable brushes.
It has a fold down handle, but it has a tendency to leak if laid down while water is in it. The quality of the hard floor cleaner is questionable with many who purchased it reporting the plastic housing breaks, it loses suction or just quits working. It does, however, deep clean and does not scratch floors. So if you are tired of the back breaking work of scrubbing your floors, look into a hard floor cleaner to make a tough job easier.
read more » -
Kitchen Gadgets & Appliances
This Compact Microwave Oven Is Small In Size But Not Features
March 5th, 2016
If you are making dinner for a small amount of people or cooking in a small amount of kitchen space, or both, you are probably in the search for compact appliances. However, many times size does matter when it comes to features and power. Not so with this compact microwave oven from Sharp! The Sharp R-230KK 800-Watt 4/5-Cubic-Foot Compact Microwave Oven is just the right size for singles, empty-nesters or those with tiny kitchens. However, what this compact microwave oven lacks in size , it makes up for in features. Comes with fifteen settings to time how long food cooks and at what power level you need in delivering good results.
So you’ll never be victim to an overcooked freezer dinner or an under thawed strip steak.Although, the features are truly what make this compact microwave oven shine, it should be noted that the buttons are on the small side. Not so small that you will need a magnifying glass, but if you find yourself bleary eyed and heating up some coffee in the morning you will need to memorize where the right button is. Other than those early morning trips,before the caffeine hits, most will not find this to be a significant problem. Overall, the Sharp Compact Microwave is a good choice for anyone looking for a compact microwave oven that doesn’t take up too much space or skimp on features.
read more » -
Pest Control
Electronic Pest Repellent Offers Pest Control Without Chemicals
March 4th, 2016
No one wants to hear the munching of little mice in the attic. Nor do they want to see them scamper across the floor. Turning on a kitchen light during the night and seeing a scurry of roaches run for cover is very disturbing. Bug sprays often contain chemicals you would not want to be exposed to. Cleaning traps is an unpleasant task and setting traps around your house is not an option if you have children or pets. An electronic pest repellent is a safe alternative to the less desirable means of ridding your home of mice, ants, or roaches. The Original Pest Offense Electronic Repeller is a safe, chemical free way to rid your home of unwelcome pests.
Most customers who have purchased this item are well pleased with the results. The device plugs into a 110 volt, it has an indicator light to let you know its working, and also has a night light feature. One unit is all you need for the average size one level home. This device is also great for use in an office building. All you have to do is plug it in and it will handle the elimination process for you.
read more » -
Indoor Toys
The Leapfrog Imagination Desk Is A Kids Interactive Learning Tablet
March 4th, 2016
Preschoolers want to be just like big kids, writing letters and spelling their names, and they want to use books and materials made just for them. The LeapFrog Imagination Desk interactive learning system will give them the feeling like they’re older while teaching them the alphabet and how to write. LeapFrog has been a leader in educational toys for years, getting kids interested in letters and numbers through fun and interaction, and the Imagination Desk is full of things to do. It comes with the starter book “Let’s Learn Letters,” and when one of the pages is inserted into a special slot, the desk magically recognizes the page.
This let’s your child decide to hear about the letter, play a letter game, or listen to a letter song. As the child colors on the page, the Imagination Desk interacts with the child, letting kids learn as they play. LeapFrog also makes additional interactive coloring books for the desk, so as your child grows, you can introduce them to increasingly complex topics. Parents rave over how the desk has a compartment that holds the coloring books, keeping pages from getting lost, and the desk also makes a good companion for a long car rides. The Imagination Desk from LeapFrog builds preschoolers’ confidence as they master the alphabet and move on to other big kid stuff, making it a perfect choice for any 3 or 4 year old.
read more » -
Games & Puzzles
Apples To Apples Party Box Provides A Great Party Card Game
March 3rd, 2016
The Apples to Apples Party Box by Mattel is a game of sometimes surprising, usually hilarious and often outrageous comparisons of people, places, things and events. This award winning game combines quick thinking, humor and strategy. As an added educational bonus, this game will teach younger players to think outside of the box when comparing different things, inadvertently providing a lesson on analogies. When playing the game, players are dealt several cards that have a noun printed on them. For each turn, one player acts as judge, drawing a card with an adjective printed on it. Game cards include people, places, things and events.
The judge shows the adjective card to the other players, leaving the players to select their own noun card that most closely compares to the adjective card. The judge then selects the answer that they feel most closely describes the adjective card, declaring a winner for the round. Definitely a conversation starter, players may find themselves defending what are sometimes hilarious comparisons. Though the game is rated as being suitable for ages 12 and up, reviewers caution that some of the subject matter is more suitable for older teens. The Apples to Apples Party Box card game includes over 1,000 playing cards, a card tray and quick play rules.
read more » -
Exercise Machines
The Proform Elliptical Trainer Delivers A Gym Quality Workout
March 1st, 2016
Tired of the same old exercise routine? ProForm believes they have found the cure for monotonous workouts. The ProForm Elliptical Trainer offers all the features of traditional elliptical machines in addition to twelve different workouts, two interactive video games and iPod-ready speakers. Staying motivated, even entertained, during a workout can be the difference between having a fit six-pack or a couch-potato keg. ProForm’s new Trainer claims to “turn exercise time into play time!” The elliptical machine comes with two interactive games, “Fat Blocker” and “Calorie Destroyer” that can be played through the on-board screen.
Each game is based on a simple premise: the more you put into your workout, the better you will do in the game. Among users of the ProForm device, the only complaint has to do with the initial setup. “[The ProForm Elliptical Trainer] is smooth and sturdy,” a number of customers agreed. However, several said “[It] took two people three hours to put together. Almost everything is put together with an allen wrench.” Users describe ProForm workouts as “gym quality” which “you totally feel the next day.” Reviews of the on-board games were mixed, but almost every customer agrees the iPod connector is a “great feature” which provides personal energy and entertainment.
read more » -
Baby & Toddler Toys
Fisher Price Incrediblock Delivers Up Five Sides Of Pure Fun
February 25th, 2016
Fisher-Price has taken building blocks one notch higher with the Incrediblock toddler fun center. The Fisher Price Incrediblock offers five sides of fun for youngsters 9 months to 2 years old, responding with words, lights, and music when blocks are placed in certain areas. It comes with eight interactive Peek-a-Blocks, which are clear and tactile, each with its own fun contents. When the child places a block in a special spot on the top side of the Fisher Price Incrediblock, the block spins and the toy names the contents of the block and plays music. Each of the other Incrediblock sides offers a different way to interact with the blocks.
One side has Plinko-like pegs, so toddlers can watch their blocks bounce around before hitting the floor. Another side helps hold the blocks in place as the child creates towers that can come crashing to the ground with a pull of a lever, sure to keep kids laughing and entertained. Parents love how the Fisher Price Incrediblock can serve as storage for their child’s other Peek-a-Blocks, up to 30 in total, but are disappointed that the Incrediblock does not name the contents of their other blocks. Another benefit parents often mention is the longevity of the toy, keeping its usefulness up through potty training.
read more »