wonderwhatif
Member Since: January 26, 2015Reviews
Wasabi-O-Combo Set
The wasabi mayonnaise only contains about 2.5% real wasabi, but despite that it packs a surprising kick! I was very pleased to find that this mayonnaise has a distinct wasabi flavour to it and a decent amount of the spice as well. I feel the... +
The wasabi mayonnaise only contains about 2.5% real wasabi, but despite that it packs a surprising kick! I was very pleased to find that this mayonnaise has a distinct wasabi flavour to it and a decent amount of the spice as well. I feel the mayonnaise is still much less spicy than actual wasabi sauces, but the flavour carries through very clearly which is great news if you're a fan of wasabi. This mayonnaise was a bit too strong for me when I used it as a dip, but as a topping to use sparingly on a burger it's a fantastic condiment.
This sauce has 7% real Wasabi. Wasabi sauce with a much higher concentration of wasabi in it would be extremely expensive, so this is a convenient way to get the unique flavour into your kitchen without spending a fortune. Here’s the thing, I watched a very interesting video about Wasabi once and recommend you read up on it too.
Real wasabi is EXTREMELY difficult to get outside of Asia (indeed, this comes from Thailand!). Wasabi is very hard to grow and fresh wasabi loses its flavour if left uncovered for 15 minutes. So this brand is definitely right to advertise the ‘real wasabi’ in their product, as most wasabi is just flavouring with no genuine wasabi anywhere in it. Wasabi sells for such a high price that it’s somewhat of a status symbol and fancy restaurant dish, much like wagyu beef.
As someone who only enjoys wasabi with very specific foods I wasn’t sure what to expect with a wasabi sauce. Wasabi pastes are good in my experience, but this sauce surprised me by being quite good. It’s not quite as good as the paste in my opinion, but only because I find this sauce to be too runny and watery for my liking. I often found the sauce would run off my food and drip down, as opposed to a thicker sauce which would stay in place better. The watery consistency also allows this sauce to spread quite far and soak into everything, which is good if you enjoy a strong wasabi taste. I prefer to apply my wasabi more carefully to avoid overpowering every other taste, but with this bottle the sauce only comes out in large splashes, making precise measurements almost impossible. It is good for dipping though or mixing a small amount into a sauce (measure with a spoon)
Despite my complaints about the consistency and the bottle, I do find this sauce tastes very good and isn’t too spicy. It does have a very distinct wasabi taste and you can barely taste the other ingredients like the horseradish. If you’re looking for a wasabi option that you can splash onto your food, this should be perfect for you.
The mayonnaise is a nice complement to the sauce and buying both together makes for a great gift or just a fun way to spice up dinner time.
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Instachew 2 Smart Automatic Pet Feeder
Let me start by saying that the Instachew 2 Smart Pet Feeder is a brilliant device for automated feedings, but it has some shortcomings that you need to take into account to decide if it’s right for you. Firstly, the app needs massive improvement... +
Let me start by saying that the Instachew 2 Smart Pet Feeder is a brilliant device for automated feedings, but it has some shortcomings that you need to take into account to decide if it’s right for you. Firstly, the app needs massive improvement and secondly, there could be a lot more guidance. Even though I’ve used it A LOT I have a ton of questions that weren’t answered by the manual, website or literally anywhere. I’ve done my best to find those answers and I’m relatively tech-savvy and a very experienced tester/reviewer. If Instachew could fix those issues this would be the best product I’ve ever seen, but for now it’s simply ‘good’.
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Effectiveness
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The best thing the Instachew 2 Automatic Feeder does is...well, automatically feed. You can set it up portions of 10 grams up to 100 grams. Now here’s the kicker, while I did like the feeder, I’ll have to speak about those limitations now. 10 gram adjustments sounded great to me, until I calculated my three cats food exactly and it wasn’t a 10 gram ratio. So my option was to round it down by 8 grams or up by 2 grams, essentially choosing between over or underfeeding them their ideal. I think it’s worth it for the ease of feeding, but it did annoy me a little.
Of far more concern is the fact that it can only be set for 4 feed times per day. Given the price point of the Instachew 2, I don’t see any reason not to allow 6 feedings minimum. This is especially a concern for cats as vets often recommend small feeds of 4-6 meals per day. I have an Obese (Yes, he chonky) cat who is currently on a diet and he forces himself to throw up if he doesn’t get food. When feeding six times a day this is much reduced and more comfortable for him. So I was really annoyed to find you can only feed up to four times a day.
It’s an incredibly effective feeder because once it’s setup, it does it’s thing. It also holds a really good amount of food (for cats) and dispenses it easily and without issues.
However a lot of the features aren’t explained. Like the SD card addition. If I put an SD Card in, what does that do? Does it mean that it will take videos and pics everytime a cat eats. With the app you get a photo at each feeding time, but no videos. What does the SD card change? It’s frustrating that there’s little to no guidance for that.
I also believe you can’t set it up without using an app/smartphone, which makes me concerned about support over time.
It might sound like I’m complaining a lot and these are all very valid points, but it’s to ensure that you are aware of these issues before you buy. The reality is that the Instachew 2 Smart Pet Feeder dwarves my previous auto-feeder in terms of usefulness. It’s made my life a lot easier and with three cats to feed, being able to measure food more accurately and take the burden off me has helped a lot.
Since I’m no longer the ‘feeder’ they don’t annoy me for food and because of the camera, I can make sure each cat is eating. It’s also important not to downplay how useful the smart features would be for someone who is away a lot. You can communicate, view and check in on your pets. Of course, I have no idea how secure this is or if someone else could view through the device, which is always a concern in this day and age.
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Quality
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The quality of the packaging and device is very high. Right out of the box, everything looks professional and well-packaged. The Instachew 2 itself is a simple yet effective pet feeder that has great quality. There’s nothing shoddy or cheap looking. I love how the bowl attaches via a simple ‘press and push’ mechanism. It doesn’t click in or become impossible to remove. It’s easy to attach and detach for cleaning.
The body of the Instachew 2 Smart Pet Feeder is simple, clean and well-made. A really well-thought out part is the lid for the food section. You have to press a relatively small button to open that top section, so clever cats won’t be able to knock it over or open to get at the food inside. It’s a smarter design than I’ve seen on other pet feeders.
Unfortunately the app and manual quality are so far below the quality of the rest of the feeder, it’s almost tragic. The manual is clearly explained, but lacking in a lot of detail, it only really explains how to connect the feeder to the app (something that’s relatively self-explanatory if you follow the app directions). If they could be brought up to the level of the device, quality would be top-notch. Keep reading to hear about the issues with the app itself.
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App
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Note:I use the Android app.
Considering how helpful the Instachew 2 is and how professional the device and packaging looks, the shoddiness of the app is upsetting. The QR codes in the manual lead to an older app which doesn’t exist and by searching I was able to find the updated app. It’s...pretty bad. One of the biggest issues is explanation, as detailed above. There’s a motion sensitivity setting that is never explained. Can you set it to feed when it detects motion, not as far as I can tell. What does the motion sensitivity do? I have no idea. I was left with so many questions.
The app is not super user friendly either. A lot of controls require holding down with your finger, but since there’s no help of explanation on the app, you’re on your own. The basics are relatively easy to do, but the app is also a little buggy. For no reason I can find, it stopped using my audio sample when feeding. I had it set to call Dinnertime twice a day (at reasonable hours) and it did it once and never again. Rechoosing it didn’t seem to work and I was forced to record a new audio sample.
I also had no idea it was saving pics of the feeding times until I found the randomly named ‘Event Management’. I still don’t know what prompts the snapshots found inside that section (I think feeding though). You can’t multi-delete, but must do it individually and when I tried to delete individually it didn’t work.
It also only allows programming for one pet in the profile section, but many households are multi-pet.
The app needs a ton of finessing and fixing and it makes me want to shake the Instachew makers and ask WHAT ARE YOU DOING. The Instachew is awesome and it deserves an awesome app, please pay some app developers.
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Value
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At $199.99 (at time of review) the Instachew 2 Smart Automatic Pet Feeder is at the upper end for a pet feeder. Considering the sleek design and how it will make feeding so much easier, there’s a lot of value there.
However, it must be said that the restrictions and pitiful app reduce the value a ton. I’d recommend it, but not if you’re on a tight budget. If they fix the issues detailed above, it would easily be worth the cost.
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Summary
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The Instachew 2 Smart Pet Feeder is a brilliant high-end automatic feeder, but due to a poorly designed app and lack of communication about features it doesn’t take the title of Ultimate Pet Feeder. There’s more room for improvement than I’d like to see, especially considering it’s the second iteration of the Instachew.
Pros:
+ Works well.
+ Makes Feeding super easy and fully automated while still maintaining the ability to manually feed.
+ Quality design and parts.
+ Professional looking packaging and product.
+ Ability to add audio cue to each feeding.
+ Ability to take snapshots and videos, as well as listen and talk to your pet.
+ Instachew takes snapshots at feeding time (I think).
+ Holds a good amount of food (for cats).
+ Bowl is easy to remove and clean.
+ Secure, difficult for pets to break into.
+ Measures food from 10G - 100G.
Cons:
- App is not user friendly.
- Many features not explained (motion sensitivity, snapshots).
- Expensive.
- Audio Cue and other app features are buggy.
- Feels unfinished in terms of app and manual.
- Limited to four feed times per day.
Recommended: Yes, unless you are on a tight budget. It’s good, but not perfect.
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Bright Day Calendars Academic Planner
This is a wonderful planner. If, like me, you still prefer physical paper to technology, this will really help keep you organiser. The first thing I noticed, and loved, is how cute the design is. Bright Day Calendars have a great range of designs to... +
This is a wonderful planner. If, like me, you still prefer physical paper to technology, this will really help keep you organiser. The first thing I noticed, and loved, is how cute the design is. Bright Day Calendars have a great range of designs to suit all tastes, they are modern and cute at the same time.
One caveat is to be careful when opening your package. This is NOT Bright Day’s fault or a negative on the product at all, but mine was packaged right at the top and I sliced through the cover a little when opening the parcel. I wanted to explain the line you see on the front cover in my pictures, it’s not a flaw or a problem with the product. In fact, I’m really impressed it didn’t cut deeper.
As the other review mentions, if you’re looking for special dates, the Canadian ones aren’t there. These are US made planners. I don’t actually use a planner for the holidays and dates, so it didn’t bother me, but it might be something to include in the future for this brand. Especially as the map has US and Canada.
I use my planner moreso for keeping organised and on task and have other calendars with the holidays, so it’s not a big problem for me. I’m super happy with the other elements of this planner and it has everything I need. Most importantly for me is the ability to have a month view and a week view, with enough space to write multiple things.
The quality is also fantastic. While if you write with sharpie, it can be faintly seen on the other side, it does NOT bleed through. Regular pen and pencil work great. The cover is a thick, plasticised card that resists damage. I love that the ‘holding pouch’ at the back isn’t open on one side like some are, so stuff won’t tip out.
Overall, this is a fantastic planner with the only flaw being missing Canadian holidays!
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CHAMPS 'Horizon Collection' Luggage Set
I love Champs luggage. Every one I try is fantastic quality and has brilliant looks and this one is no exception! I adore the shimmery purple exterior, checkered interior and numerous features. It expands, it locks (TSA locks mean they won’t bust... +
I love Champs luggage. Every one I try is fantastic quality and has brilliant looks and this one is no exception! I adore the shimmery purple exterior, checkered interior and numerous features. It expands, it locks (TSA locks mean they won’t bust your case opening it to check for smuggling) and it looks fantastic doing it.
Like other Champs suitcases I’ve tried, the wheels are smooth like butter and the handle extends easily and simply. The zips are super smooth, never catch and open and close like a dream. Every part of it I examine is the quality I’d expect at this price point and every time I use it, I’m shocked by how effective and brilliant it is.
If it sounds like I’m gushing, it’s because I am. Champs is hands down the best luggage I’ve ever used.
The only downside with the hard case like this, is that you don’t get any ‘easy access’ storage on the front and back. They have fabric suitcases if you prefer, but I like the added protection of these hardside suitcases.
The small ‘carry-on’ size doesn’t expand, but does come with a see-through toiletries or ‘essentials’ bag.
If you have a tight budget and travel a lot, try and get these on sale because they are truly fantastic. They have a luxury feel and quality that I’ve never seen in cheaper suitcases and I’m really happy with them (as you can probably tell!)
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Spa Luxetique hand cream Gift Set
I’ve used Spa Luxetique Soaps in the past and what always stands out is the beauty of their gift packaging. Spa Luxetique’s Hand Cream Gift Set, in the same vein, has lovely packaging. You can send this directly to someone or buy it and gift it... +
I’ve used Spa Luxetique Soaps in the past and what always stands out is the beauty of their gift packaging. Spa Luxetique’s Hand Cream Gift Set, in the same vein, has lovely packaging. You can send this directly to someone or buy it and gift it as is. It looks nice enough to be a sweet and thoughtful gift.
If you want to get more bang for your buck, you can divide up the soaps and hand creams for a bunch of individual gifts to people who you normally wouldn’t get big gifts for. They are also great stocking stuffers or extra pressies. Put one with a pair of socks or gloves and you have a cute gift!
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Effectiveness
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When it comes to effectiveness, both the hand lotions and the bar soaps do a good job, but it depends on what you want in a lotion or soap. The Spa Luxetique hand creams come in six different scents, with two bottles of each. The bottles are 30ml each, they are not tiny, but not large sized either; on the upper side of small.
The texture of the lotion really appealed to me. It’s a medium consistency, not too runny or thick, but it absorbs very quickly and easily and spreads well. It doesn’t feel sticky, but quite velvety. It’s good for regular skin, but might not be strong enough to tackle extremely dry skin. I have normal skin and found my hands were softer and more moisturised when using the Spa Luxetique hand creams.
The scent of these hand creams don’t wallop you about the face, they have a subtle yet pleasant scent. If you prefer a punchy, strong scent, you won’t love these. For fans of gentle scent, it’s a great lotion. I believe it is an artificial scent. Here’s what each one smells like:
Rose: Smells a lot like Turkish Delight (Rose flavoured sweets), with a more realistic Rose scent that isn’t overly perfumed.
Lavender: This has a nice Lavender scent. While Lavender is not my favourite, this smells more like real lavender (though I’m sure there’s added perfume, just like big brands) and isn’t overly sweet.
Almond: My least favourite in the pack. It wasn’t unpleasant, just quite faint and didn’t have an identifiable smell like the others.
Cherry Blossom: A lovely sweet, floral scent. Perfect for those who like a girly scent, but also very calming for some reason.
Green Tea: A little dull for my tastes. I expected zesty and zingy, but it’s a bit leafy and light.
Ocean: Always my favourite. Smells like ‘ocean’ scent usually does. Fresh and watery smelling, if that makes sense.
Vanilla: A subtle vanilla smell. Vanilla sometimes gives me a headache, but this one doesn’t.
The Spa Luxetique 3-in-1 Bar soaps can be used as a soap, shampoo bar or bubble bath. I find they are too drying on my hair to use them as a shampoo bar full time (a problem with shampoo bars that aren’t extremely hydrating), but I enjoy using them in the bath, so I don’t have to bring multiple bottles with me. The soaps come in nice little boxes and are always vacuum sealed.
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Quality
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The quality is great here. They have a mid-end feel, but they definitely feel pricier than they are. That’s another thing that makes them great gift options. The box and design of the bottles are all very cute, while still looking professional. There wasn’t any spillage or leaking.
The only part that feels a little low quality is the sticky stuff holding the bottles into the packaging. You can take those off if you desire, before gifting it, it’s not a big issue.
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Value
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At $26.99 (at time of review) the Spa Luxetique Hand Cream Gift Set is an absolute bargain! Whether you plan to use it yourself, or give it to someone else you get a great looking set of effective hand creams with a range of scents and two soaps. The hand creams are perfect for travel and can even be used individually as small gifts.
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Summary
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The Hand Cream set is exactly the quality I expected from my past experiences with Spa Luxetique. It’s a great gift and there’s some fantastic smells in there.
Pros:
+ Range of scents.
+ Highly suitable for gifting.
+ Pretty Packaging.
+ Lovely scents.
+ Great consistency, spreadability and feel on the hand creams.
+ Great value.
Cons:
- Might not like all scents.
- Bar soap can be drying on hair or skin for some people.
Recommended: Absolutely! I would be thrilled to receive this as a present!
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St. Ives® Watermelon Glowing Oil-Free Face Moisturizer
Listen, the fact is that this cream is FAR too strongly fragranced. I do have a strong nose, but I don't have scent aversion. It's rare that there's a cream I can't use. However I couldn't use this past one time because it was just too strongly... +
Listen, the fact is that this cream is FAR too strongly fragranced. I do have a strong nose, but I don't have scent aversion. It's rare that there's a cream I can't use. However I couldn't use this past one time because it was just too strongly scented. It has an awful saccharine, fake watermelon smell that had me gagging.
It's a shame, as the product seems good. It doesn't feel sticky, dries quickly and has a comfortable gel-cream format. My skin immediately felt softer. If they released a scent-free option I'd be all over it, but I just feel like the scent is way overdone here.
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Earth's Own - Oat Milk Barista Edition
Plant-based milk alternatives have exploded in popularity in the last few years, with things like rice milk and almond milk being much easier to find than before. Recently oat milk has become very popular in my house, replacing cow’s milk in... +
Plant-based milk alternatives have exploded in popularity in the last few years, with things like rice milk and almond milk being much easier to find than before. Recently oat milk has become very popular in my house, replacing cow’s milk in almost all situations for my partner. This 12 pack of oat milk is great value for your money and comes with the added “Barista Edition” as a bonus as well.
The Barista Edition refers to the fact that this milk will not split when you steam it to create a foam for coffee. I also found that simply shaking the carton vigorously caused it to foam up nicely in a pinch. Adding hot oat milk foam is a great addition to your morning coffee, but even without foaming oat milk is a great compliment to things like coffee or cereal. Oat milk has a slightly thicker, richer flavour and texture compared to cow’s milk which really enhances the flavour of foods. Some people are also happy to drink it out of a glass, but my partner finds that it’s best used to add it to other foods and drinks.
If you’re curious about the taste of oat milk, it’s hard to describe because it’s a very neutral flavour but it has a distinct taste or feel to it compared to cow’s milk. It’s not thick like cream, but it does seem thicker than 3% milk. Unlike some milk alternatives (coconut milk for example) there’s no risk of oat milk overwhelming the flavour of what you’re eating, so it adds to the food or drink rather than changing the taste of it.
The benefits to the environment are another good reason to try oat milk, as growing the oats necessary to make the same amount of milk produces MUCH less greenhouse gases, uses less land, and consumes much less water.
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KFISI Moon Lamp
The KFISI Magnetic Levitation Moon Lamp looks like it would be stunning and while it had the same coolness factor as the other KFISI lamp I tried, it had some really disappointing parts. In the end, quality and functionality really let this moon... +
The KFISI Magnetic Levitation Moon Lamp looks like it would be stunning and while it had the same coolness factor as the other KFISI lamp I tried, it had some really disappointing parts. In the end, quality and functionality really let this moon light down.
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Effectiveness
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One of the biggest flaws this lamp has it it’s functionality. This Levitating Moon Lamp is a nightmare to levitate! While I was able to get it to levitate in less than ten tries the first time, later times I tried upwards of 40 times without success. I think most people who bought it wouldn’t try that hard and would simply send it back. The rounded bottom makes it near impossible to balance it. If you do manage to balance it, touching it to try and make it rotate, or sometimes even pressing the power switch, is enough to make it come crashing down!
I also really struggled to get the lamp to do any of its ‘alternate’ modes. I tried tapping, pressing and holding the power button, to no avail. The included instruction manual has imperfect english that doesn’t make it clear how to dim or change the light and as a result, I was unable to do that. Frequently the light would go out for no reason.
It’s not a particularly effective light either. The KFISI magnetic moon lamp is more of a show piece and would only really work as a nightlight. Since it’s not suitable for kids, that means it’s not a functional light piece.
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Quality
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The quality of the moon lamp is abysmal. Like...I was shocked. Comparing it to the sale listing, the photoshopped moon pictures are not in anyway what you’ll receive. First of all, the moon lamp is quite small. The levitation height is also much lower than the other KFISI lamp. More importantly, it’s 3D printed and has visible ridges, frankly looking quite ugly in the light.
When lit, in the dark, the lamp does look much better, but it’s still not anything close to what is advertised. In the darkness you can see the ridges and shadows of the moon, but they don’t have a high contrast. There is also a very visible line around the moon where the panel has been taken off (presumably to insert the magnets) and then re-attached.
The light falls when unplugged, so you’ll need to re-levitate it if you don’t want it plugged in all the time. After a gazillion attempts to levitate it after unplugging, I actually gave up. At this point I noticed the metal plate in the base was lifting up. The quality just isn’t here, especially given the high price point.
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Value
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At $99.98 (at current time of review) the KFISI Magnetic Levitation Moon Lamp is insanity personified. Paying a premium price for a shoddy product is bad enough, but the fact that the pictures and description on the sale listing mislead you about it’s quality, is especially bitter.
I would pay $20 for someone to erase this experience from my memory, but I certainly wouldn’t pay $100 to repeat it.
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Summary
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The KFISI Magnetic Levitation Moon Lamp has terrible quality, awful functionality and a questionable marketing strategy. While it looks cool in the dark when you’re able to get it to work, those times are few and far between.
Pros:
+ Cool idea.
Cons:
- Near Impossible to levitate. Seems to happen at random with no rhyme or reason.
- Bad quality. Metal plate starting to separate after a handful of uses. Light goes on and off for no reason.
- Poor functionality. Not very bright, only looks good in the dark.
- Advertising is misleading and not accurate to what you receive.
- Couldn’t figure out the other lighting modes. Made worse by poor english in instructions.
Recommended: NO, step away from the light. STEP AWAY FROM THE LIGHT! Do yourself a favour and just don’t buy it.
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Signstek Lighting LED 5X Dimmable Magnifying Lamp
I’ve been a crafter for a long time and I recently got into felting in a BIG WAY, so I was thrilled to get the chance to try one of these. Since I wear glasses and am only getting older and more mole-like with each passing day, I often struggle... +
I’ve been a crafter for a long time and I recently got into felting in a BIG WAY, so I was thrilled to get the chance to try one of these. Since I wear glasses and am only getting older and more mole-like with each passing day, I often struggle with the detailed tasks associated with crafting or even DIY repair jobs on small, fiddly items.
This Magnifying lamp makes that so much easier, I couldn’t be more thrilled! The quality is great and it delivers on exactly what it promises.
There are two things that potential buyers should consider. It has a relatively short cord that ends in a USB plug. This might be confusing for less tech-savvy older folks (for example if Grandma wants it for her embroidery!). For me, I just plug it into a power bank, which makes it more portable, but not everyone has one of those.
Something that did affect me is the clamp mechanism. While it’s a fairly basic one it doesn’t work well on sloped or angle table edges. On top of that any table which has a square frame close to the edge will likely not be a candidate as well. For example, I have several desks which have the metal frame attached close to the ‘lip’ of the desk and it can’t go in far enough to grip steadily on those.
I was still able to find a table to attach it to and most people will be fine, but it did reduce my options a bit and was worth mentioning.
Though I still think it’s fantastic the one thing that bothered me was the lack of a bag. Most items these days have useless bags, but this one actually needs one and doesn’t have it! The glass could easily get scratched in storage. Since I have cats, I can’t leave it out, so I ended up putting it in my closet with a pillowcase over it until I can sew a cover. It’s really strange that it doesn’t
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MUZITY Porcelain Salt Bowl with Lid
I've never used a salt bowl before as I usually use a shaker, but this is actually incredibly handy for salting food whilst cooking. A shaker is so tricky to measure whereas here I can take a spoon (or less) and it's easier to add. It can also be... +
I've never used a salt bowl before as I usually use a shaker, but this is actually incredibly handy for salting food whilst cooking. A shaker is so tricky to measure whereas here I can take a spoon (or less) and it's easier to add. It can also be used as a sugar bowl for those who drink a lot of coffee or tea with sugar.
It has a simple, clean design that is quite classic and wouldn't look out of place at a hotel breakfast buffet. The size is pretty large (not comically so!) so it doesn't need to be refilled as often, which is nice. Both the spoon and the bowl are thick, good quality porcelain that doesn't have any flaws. There are no scratchy edges, sharp sections or flaws on mine. The glaze is even and nice.
Considering the low price ($16.99 at time of review) I'm actually super impressed. This is a well-made piece that's really functional, even if it's a bit simple looking for my personal tastes.
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