My Product Reviews and Thoughts: March 2019

Friday, March 29, 2019

AILUKI 19 Piece Stainless Steel Knife Set

I am working with my knife set I got when I got married 35 years ago. Time for an upgrade. Found this stainless steel 19-piece block set from AILUKI and couldn’t be happier.

Comes with more knives and accessories then I know what to do with, but it is nice to have options when I need them.

These look great sitting in the block and even better when being used. They feel well balanced, are light and are way sharper than my other knives. They feel light, but well-made and not thin and cheap and feel like they should last. The grips fit perfect in my hand so it feels natural there and that makes it very easy to use and handle for as long as I need to use it.

These should not go in the dishwasher (Not recommended by AILUKI) and that is ok, I prefer to hand wash and dry my knives to help keep them sharp and in great shape. Maybe why the others have lasted this long?

This also comes with a cleaning cloth and a pair of shredding claws as an added bonus.

DISCLAIMER: This was offered at a discounted rate in exchange for an honest review. I rely on reviews from the community when making purchases, so I believe in giving honest and unbiased reviews to help others. I am not obligated to leave positive feedback and receive no compensation for doing so. I am not associated with the seller in any way.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Knife-AILUKI-Piece-Kitchen-Stainless/dp/B07P7YPD7B/ref=sr_1_100_sspa?keywords=chef+knife+set+with+block&qid=1553132883&s=gateway&sr=8-100-spons&psc=1

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com

Bagotte BG600 Robot Vacuum Cleaner

I have a 900 series Rumba (got as a gift) and decided I wanted another vacuum for the upstairs but didn’t want to spend the money they want for another Rumba, so after some research found the one from Bagotte and it is pretty much the same as my Rumba at half the price except this comes with a remote and the Rumba has an app you install on your phone.

With the remote, you can set up all the cleaning modes you need or desire. From scheduling when it cleans, edge cleaning, single room cleaning or spot cleaning. More than I need but nice to have the extra features if needed down the road.

This has 1500pa suction power but is also really quiet when running. It does take 5-6 hours to fully charge the 2600 mAh rechargeable battery and will sweep for about two hours (depending on the surface(s) it's used on) before it needs to find the charging stand and recharge itself.

At 2.7 inches tall, this one actually fits better under my furniture than the Rumba does. My Rumba sometimes gets stuck under the couch after it sinks in the carpet a little from being sat on. I am using this one upstairs and the cliff detector stops it from falling down the steps when it's cleaning but I may have to swap where they are being used.

I have allotted of cats and the rubber surface suction port and dual brushes really do seem to help pick up the cat hair better than the Rumba as well.

Overall, I am really liking this vacuum and think I made a good choice and think you would be happy with it as well.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Bagotte-Cleaner-Robotic-Suction-Self-Charging/dp/B07MVTFZS7/ref=sr_1_20?keywords=robot+vacuum+1500pa&qid=1553223371&s=gateway&sr=8-20

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com

SYMA X22W Mini Drone with Camera

I love these small pocket drones. They get better and better all the time and this one from Syma is no different. It has all the features and a couple of more than all the bigger toy grade drones have. With flips, altitude hold, headless mode, one-touch take off/land, flight plan mode, multiple speeds, and an FPV 720p camera when used with the Syma Fly or Syma Go app on your phone or tablet.

It comes with a controller, but you can also fly this just using the app on your device if desired. It also comes with two proprietary batteries and charger that will give you about 10-12 minutes of flight time between the two or longer if you don’t use the camera. Just let the motors rest a few minutes in between to let them cool off so they last longer.

You will need 4 AA batteries to use the control and they are not supplied. Flying via the app works but is the harder of the two ways to fly this. I prefer to use the controller and to feel the sticks under my thumbs. This drone is small and lightweight and flies great indoors once calibrated and trimmed but can be flown outdoors on a no wind to a very light wind day.

The video, photos, and FPV are not bad for a pocket drone and the flight is smooth and easy to control. These smaller drones normally are a little harder to control when you first fly them because the control is so darn touchy and quick. You just move the stick a little and the drone seems to take off too fast in that direction. Start in the low-speed mode until you get a hang of it, then move up in speed.

I think you or your kids will love flying this Syma X22W once you get the hang of it. Just remember, it’s small and will go 100-150 feet away with no problems, but at that distance, you pretty much can’t see it. So, keep it close and you should have no problems flying it or it is flying away on its own.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/SYMA-Beginners-Quadcopter-Altitude-Batteries/dp/B073SVTRQH

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Homdox Automatic Pet Food Feeder

Let I start with I have 12 cats currently and anything that can help keep up with them is a blessing.

This automated feeder by Homdox is great. The hopper holds about 13 pounds of food that really does last when you aren’t throwing it out after sitting out all day in a bowl and the cats won’t eat it.

This is easy to set up and program and you can schedule 4 feedings a day. The buttons are easy to push and the screen is easy to see and read. The manual is all in English and does cover how to program everything. They do have an electronic version of the manual if that is easier to use and read for you (you can enlarge the font more if needed). You just need to contact them to get it.

My cats weigh between 8 and 15 pounds, so would need between 30 and 120 grams of food a day. This will dispense between 10 and 390 grams a feeding, so putting this at full disbursement, I will be good to go (plus other bowls I have out). This can be operated on 3 D size batteries (not included) or plugged into the wall, so you do have options based on where you need to place this. It also comes apart very easily for cleaning if needed.

This does come with a voice recorder if you want it to play something you taped as a calling to your pet that their food is ready. I find this kind of funny, but it does work if you choose to use it. It just makes mine think a stranger walked in the house and makes them all run and hide.

We aren’t gone allot, but when we are, it’s nice to know now, they will have food while we are gone for an extended period of time during the day. I would recommend this to both my family and friends that have pets.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Homdox-Automatic-Feeder-Dispenser-Programmable/dp/B07D371LNQ/ref=sr_1_249_sspa?keywords=automatic+cat+feeder&qid=1552617761&s=gateway&sr=8-249-spons&psc=1

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com

WITHARMOUR Black Lynx Pocket Folding Knife Tactical Karambit Knife

I have always liked knives and have always had one and carried one all my life but never really started buying knives until this year for some reason.

I have bought a 3-inch knife, 3.5-inch knife, 3.75-inch diving knife, 4-inch straight blade knife, 11-inch garden knife, and 2 butterfly knives, but when I saw this Karambit knife from Withamour, I had to have it. I love the way it looked in the picture and now that I have it, I love it more.

This is a 5-inch closed 440c stainless steel 2.95-inch blade knife with a G-10 handle in black. The shape and look of this are awesome. Comes with a nice nylon carrying case to carry it in that fits on my belt great or you can use the adjustable clip and keep it in your pocket.

Love the button lock on it. Keeps the blade locked in when not needed and makes it very easy to open the blade with a flip of your wrist while pushing the button. Not quite automatic, but close enough with a little practice.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/WITHARMOUR-Stainless-Karambit-Tactical-Survival/dp/B07F66J6RY/ref=sr_1_59_sspa?keywords=karambit+knife&qid=1552619242&s=gateway&sr=8-59-spons&psc=1

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com

I think this may be my new best electronic device. It’s much smaller than I thought, a good thing, and that makes it so easy to use, carry and very portable.

I have been using my normal nebulizer 3 times a day with two different types of albuterol nd that means I am stuck sitting someplace for about 10 minutes each time attached to a plug in the wall. That and just having to pack and lug this machine around every day or on trips is just a pain. Now, with this mini nebulizer that can run on 2 AA batteries or plugin with a USB cable (I use a portable battery pack), I can go any place and use this at any time I want or need. This will be great on the golf course this summer instead of just using my rescue inhaler all day.

It comes with two masks (child/adult) and a mouthpiece, so you can use it any way you want as well and also has an auto shutoff if it runs out of medicine to save the batteries and the wear and tear on the machine.

I have read other devices reviews that say they don’t create a very good mist and spits out some of the medicine and I have not seen that at all on this nebulizer. I think it atomizes the medicine very well and doesn’t waste any as others seem to do. One other nice feature is how quiet it is. At 25 dB, that is the sound of someone whispering, you can use this anyplace without the worry of bothering someone or them hearing you use it in case you don’t want anyone to know you are. I know someone at work that uses their nebulizer in their office and you know when they are. I need to give them the link to this one.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Vaporizers-Machine-Handheld-Inhaler/dp/B07NNB79TH/ref=sr_1_26?keywords=portable+Nebulizer&qid=1552613048&s=gateway&sr=8-26

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com

XUHAN High Visibility Reflective Waterproof Rain Jacket

I bought this thinking I could use it for golf? It’s really pretty bright and reflective so we will see. The size does run on the small side, but the description and some of the reviews, did say to buy one size bigger, so I did. Yea, the size fits the weight but maybe a little long now, but it does come with elastic cuffs, so it does stay on when I wear it.

The material and build seem to be pretty good and feels like it should last for the few times I plan to wear it each year. Hopefully lasts a long time.

The two front pockets on the jacket work and are a nice tough and do snap shut if needed. I do get a little hot wearing this, but not overly hot that I can’t wear it.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Visibility-Reflective-Waterproof-Motorcycle-SMALLSIZE/dp/B07P3XF79F/ref=sr_1_256?keywords=rain%2Bsuit%2Bjacket&qid=1552585277&s=gateway&sr=8-256&th=1#customerReviews

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com

NASUM UHF Dual Channel Professional Handheld Wireless Microphone System

Not bad for a wireless microphone system that comes with two channels and two microphones. You do need some type of an amplifier to get good quality and load sound from this system. If you have a receiver, surround sound, mixer or other systems that can amplify (at least 50w), then you can use this and have no problems.

Hooked this up to my Sony STR-DN850 receiver turned up the volume and sing away. It’s nice I can turn on Youtube, some other show or software on my TV and play songs or display the words for a song and have people sing along using these two microphones. Makes parties or get-togethers so much more fun, even when most of us can’t sing or carry a tune.

For my setup, this came with everything I needed. I see if I want to hook this up to just a speaker, you may need a male to male plug if the speaker has a ¼” jack or you need a 1/4’’ to 3.5mm adapter if it’s 3.5mm. So make sure to get those as well if you think you will need them.

The microphones need 2 AA batteries each and do not come with the microphones. I use rechargeable batteries in everything, so no problem there. The batteries seem to last pretty long so far and lasted thru the entire time we used them.

Overall, a nice system that adds some fun to our times together with family and friends. Think this will work well for other occasions as well. Have a speech, ceremony or something else planned?

My Rating: 5 Stars

Found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JJSGNM7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Yaheetech Outdoor 10'x20' Pop Up Canopy

Bought this for my daughter’s one-year anniversary we are having on Fripp Island and I set it up in the backyard to test it and see how long it took.

Wasn’t disappointed at all. Took two of us less than 15 minutes to set it up (should take less now that I have done it once). It was very easy to set up and get ready.

The storage bag is a little heavy (when full) and awkward and could use some wheels on one side to make it easier for one person, but with two, it is no problem at all. The bag itself is ok, maybe a little thin and may rip easily if I must drag this on the ground by myself but is ok so far. It does have two handles in the middle, one on each side, but could use a small one on each end to make it easier to carry by two people.

The framing on this seems to be pretty good in size and build. The ropes and stakes are ok but could use to be a bit bigger/longer to maybe help combat heavier wind but work as is, but like any tent, with too much wind, this might get blown away or torn up, so use your best judgment. It is heavy overall, and I would think will stand up well in a medium wind or storm.

You could put this up with one person, but two seems to be the way and it just makes it easier and faster. The sides go up if needed easily and without much effort.

Overall, I like it and it works for what I need it to. I hope it lasts for a long time and I get lots of use out of it in the future.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Found on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Yaheetech-Outdoor-Commercial-Activity-Pavilion/dp/B07N6RRMN8/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=10%27x20%27+Pop+Up+Canopy+Gazebo+Party+Wedding+Tent&qid=1552009395&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

CofunKool 4K Vlogging Camcorder

I have two older 1080P camcorders like this one from CofunKool, but this one shoots in 4K, comes with a macro wide-angle lens, external microphone, and two batteries and is just overall better than the others I have.

This camcorder is very easy to setup and use. There aren’t that many buttons or menu options to flip thru, so anyone should be able to do it. That and you can use the buttons or the touch screen, which is so much nicer and fast to change things on the fly when needed.

This does have night vision that also works very well and without issue so far. If you had any IP camera with night vision, it works the same and has about the same quality of a video and photo.

Batteries take a couple of hours to charge (or longer on a slow charger) and last around 2.5 hours each depending on what you are using (light, microphone, video, photos, zooming in/out allot).

This does have a TF slot (TF or micro SD card) and an SD slot (normal SD card), so you can have two cards at once in this and use both and they can both hold up to a 64GB card. Make sure to format the card(s) once in the camera using the setting to make sure the camera recognizes the cards and they are in the correct format for the camera.

There doesn’t seem to be any image stabilization built in and I did find I don’t hold this as steady as I should, so a tripod would work best for this when appropriate. Videos and photos do come out pretty good when handheld but you can see the shaking in my test videos, so I am sure a tripod would have given me excellent videos and photos.

Photo Resolution: 48M(9212*5184 Interpolation), 36M(7936*4480 Interpolation), 24M(6340*3600 Interpolation)

Video Resolution:4K 2880X2160(24FPS), 2K 2560X1440(30FPS), FHD 1920X1080(60FPS), FHD 1920X1080(30FPS)

Overall, a very nice camcorder for the professional or amateur vlogger, video buff or average joe that justs need something for vacation or to document their kids growing up.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Camcorder-CofunKool-Vlogging-External-Microphone/dp/B07F7RXFSW/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=4k+camcorder&qid=1552007927&s=gateway&sr=8-5

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com

FOXWELL BT100 Pro Battery Analyzer

Always hated not knowing if it was my battery, starter or alternator and having to takeout and lug my battery to parts store or garage to get it tested. Now, with the Foxwell BT100 Pro battery analyst, I don’t have to and can test it at home or anyplace I may be without removing it from my car (works if the battery is outside the vehicle as well).

This couldn’t be any easier to use. Attached the red clip to the red post (positive) side of the battery and the black clip to the black post (negative) side of the battery and follow the instructions on the screen and it will tell you everything you need to know about your battery.

This can be used on both 6 and 12-volt batteries. Can be used on regular batteries, AM flat, AGM spiral, and GEL batteries. Can test cold cranking amps (which we all care about) from 100 – 1100 CCA. You do have to enter the CCA of the battery you are testing by pushing the up/down arrow keys.

The LED screen on this makes it very easy to see and read and the testing literally took a few seconds to give me a result back and seems pretty accurate. It also shows the current voltage of the battery when you first start it up, so if that is all you care about, you are done at that point.

Overall, a very nice battery tester that will come in handy for both my cars as well as my riding lawn mower.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/FOXWELL-FBA_BT100-Analyzer-Automotive-Directly/dp/B01ANF1BRW/ref=sr_1_17?keywords=car+battery+tester&qid=1552102311&s=gateway&sr=8-17

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com

Thursday, March 7, 2019

Cirago Garment Fabric Steamer

This is a really nice and well-built piece of equipment and comes with a 3-year warranty. Easy to set up and operate and works very well for what I need.

With the 74-ounce water tank, I have never run out of water and if it did, it shuts off automatically. This is almost full proof to use. Fill with water, place the clothes on the hanger, turn the setting knob to high or low to turn it on, wait a minute to heat up and steam away (up to about 80 minutes if needed). With 266 degrees steam, it doesn’t take long to get any wrinkles out.

The glove, pant clips, brush and pant press also come in handy to help hold and stretch your clothes out during steaming to help get the wrinkles out without burning your hands. Remember, this is just water and your item will be a little damp once done and will need to dry a few minutes. That is a good time to spray it with a fabric refresher or scent if you want to step it up a bit and get a little fancy.

This works great to kill 99% of bacteria, cleaning or steaming about anything in your household. Works on clothes, coats, furniture, drapes and anything else that can take the steam and water.

I recommend using distilled water to not get that white film you see on things that use actual tap water, as tap water has chemicals and metals in it that cause that white film and you don’t want that on your clothes. I think it also helps keep the streamer clean and last longer.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Garment-Professional-Continuous-Adjustment-Anti-scalding/dp/B07MFD73GW/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=Full+size+heavy+duty+garment+steamer&qid=1550841354&s=gateway&sr=8-16

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Pro Stream Webcam by Supertemblor

My all-in-one PC died and I replaced it with a desktop PC and lost my webcam, so no more Skype, pictures, videos or anything you would/could do with your webcam. Looked around, researched and found this webcam from Pro Stream with all the great reviews and had to give it a try.

I am very pleased and happy I bought this webcam. It was easy to install and set up in Windows 10 (plug n play), the video and pictures are 1080p HD and awesome and since it comes with a microphone built-in, I could ditch the separate mic I was using and save space. Since this clips on and just the way it is built, there is very little tilt up and down and maybe a little hard to adjust to the right position if your screen or where this webcam is placed is not level and at the right height of your head and face.

This will work with multiple devices, so if I ever need it for something else in the future, I already have it and just swap it over to that device. I love that you also have multiple ways to attach or set this up and be able to use it in multiple locations and in different ways. This might even replace my action camera I have been using for my Youtube channel videos.

I have an i7 processor with 10 GB of ram on this PC and I have seen no lag or delay in the video so far when using it and that is with multiple programs or apps running at the same time. The autofocus works great and keeps you in focus when you are moving around in the frame and with H.264, the video is smooth, not choppy at all like some others I have seen and works great in low light.

Very happy with this purchase and hope it works well into the coming years ahead.

Found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Streaming-Recording-Conferencing-Widescreen-YouTube/dp/B07HFQ3PCG/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1550803564&sr=8-17&keywords=webcam

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com

Sunday, March 3, 2019

Vavofo Outdoor Smart Plug WiFi Outlet – Model SOP04-US

If you have anything outside you need to control and turn on and off and don’t want to go outside to do it all the time, especially in bad weather, you need this smart plug.

Control it with any of the home automation systems (Alexa, Google or whatever) or thru the Smart Life App (that I already use for other devices) on your phone or tablet and turn your outside devices on or off from inside or remotely from the other side of the world, it all works and is possible with this smart plug. The app also has a scheduler, so you can preprogram things to turn on and off at specific times, so you don’t have to do anything once you get it set up. Great for making people think someone is home when you aren’t.

The plug itself is made very well and has two plugs, LED lights on it so you always know the status of it just by looking at it and is water and dust proof. Plug it in, hold the button for 5 seconds, open the app, add the device and put in your WIFI password and you are up in running in a few minutes. I did have to change to a WIFI that didn’t have 5G setup on to get it to pair and connect, so you may need to turn 5G off on your router before adding this plug to the app. Not that big a deal, but I tried adding it a few times before changing that piece and wasted 15 minutes doing it.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Syma-Helicopter-GYRO-2-4G-3Channel/dp/B01FZ4YJLG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492568289&sr=8-1&keywords=asin+B01FZ4YJLG

Music Credits: https:/www.bensound.com