wonderwhatif
Member Since: January 26, 2015Reviews
Habor Cooking Thermometer
This thermometer has a great design, as you can use the metal probe to test the temperature of various items, from meat to water, without getting your hand dangerously close to the heat source. Simple press the button to release the probe and then... +
This thermometer has a great design, as you can use the metal probe to test the temperature of various items, from meat to water, without getting your hand dangerously close to the heat source. Simple press the button to release the probe and then lock it in position by pushing it.
It's easy to operate and you can change it to Celcius or Fahrenheit via a button on the back. I really appreciated that the button wasn't in the way, so you won't find yourself tapping it accidentally. The design of the thermometer itself is easy to hold and comfortable in the hand.
I particularly like that it has a hanging loop, so you can hang it on the wall or near the grill if you choose, to free up drawer space. Overall, just a well-designed accurate thermometer. Would recommend.
Protip: Comes with batteries, make sure to peel off the plastic casing to start the batteries working.
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Pros
+ Comes with batteries.
+ Accurate.
+ Comfortable to hold.
+ Easy to use.
+ Farenheit or celcius.
+ Hanging loop.
Cons
- None.
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Note: I received this product at a discounted rate in exchange for an unbiased, honest review as provided here. As a consumer advocate, I believe in providing quality and honest feedback and receiving a product at a discounted rate will never affect my opinions.
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BAXIA TECHNOLOGY Waterproof Wireless Solar Motion Sensor Night Light
This light was a little smaller than I expected, but still does a great job lighting up your porch or back door when needed, so it's not a big issue. It's a security light, so after you turn it on (using the included pin), it will charge by solar... +
This light was a little smaller than I expected, but still does a great job lighting up your porch or back door when needed, so it's not a big issue. It's a security light, so after you turn it on (using the included pin), it will charge by solar power and turn on only in dim lighting and when there's movement.
This is pretty handy to avoid bugs being attracted to your door, by having the light only turn on briefly when you get home, as well as for security reasons.
My only negative about this is I wish it had a hook or some way to hand it without drilling into the wall, as not everybody has a masonry drill and if you have a rental apartment drilling into the wall isn't really an option.
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Pros
+ Good range of light.
+ Solar powered.
+ Turns on only in dim light.
+ Movement activated.
+ Easy to use.
Cons
- A little small.
- Doesn't come with an alternative way to hang.
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Note: I received this product at a discounted rate in exchange for an unbiased, honest review as provided here. As a consumer advocate, I believe in providing quality and honest feedback and receiving a product at a discounted rate will never affect my opinions.
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BROADCARE 12pcs Makeup Brush Set
Considering it's a budget brand, I was pretty impressed with this kit by Broadcare! I'm not sure it would stand up to a professional kit for makeup artists, but for anyone who wears makeup daily it does the job well. I tested each of the brushes... +
Considering it's a budget brand, I was pretty impressed with this kit by Broadcare! I'm not sure it would stand up to a professional kit for makeup artists, but for anyone who wears makeup daily it does the job well. I tested each of the brushes individually and they all pick up powder well and after washing I had no problems with shedding or hairs falling out. I did notice the thicker brushes took a little longer to dry than my old makeup set, but I honestly think that's because there are more hairs and they're pretty full compared to my older set.
I love that you get so many different types of brushes here, but one way they could be improved (though it's small) is by adding the type of brush on the stem of each of the brushes. That would help beginners to make-up remember the use of each brush and prevent confusion.
The bag they come in is similar to an artist brush bag, with each brush having its own little pocket. It's very cute and slightly padded, so it protects the brushes well and looks good doing so.
Happy with this brush set so far!
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Pros
+ Great range of tools.
+ Comes with a cute bag.
+ No shedding of hairs.
+ Brushes pick up and blend powder well.
+ No shedding or problems after washing brushes.
Cons
- Doesn't have the name of each type of brush on the stem.
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Note: I received this product at a discounted rate in exchange for an unbiased, honest review as provided here. As a consumer advocate, I believe in providing quality and honest feedback and receiving a product at a discounted rate will never affect my opinions.
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OFKP Longest Lasting Battery Operated Flickering Flameless LED Tealight Candles (Pack of 24)
The glow on these isn't as perfect as a real candle, but it comes close! More importantly these are a solution to a very real problem. Firstly, I have cats so I can't keep lit candles lying around. Secondly, I worry about fires. If you're setting up... +
The glow on these isn't as perfect as a real candle, but it comes close! More importantly these are a solution to a very real problem. Firstly, I have cats so I can't keep lit candles lying around. Secondly, I worry about fires. If you're setting up a romantic, surprise evening the last thing you want is to leave candles unattended (or knock them over while smooching) and cause a fire that could seriously damage your property and endanger your loved ones.
We'll all seen those scenes in movies and tv shows with a hundred romantic burning candles. Well, with these I'm able to achieve that (with multiple packs, it's a set of 24!) without setting off my anxiety about open flames. These actually give off quite a nice glow and aren't too bright or 'fakey' looking.
I like that they come with the batteries included, so they're ready to go right out of the box. They don't look expensive or fancy with the lights on, but turn the lights off, the candles on and you almost can't tell the difference. It is a little annoying having to switch each tealight on individually when you're using a large amount, but the switches are very easy to flick over and there's really no way around it.
Great for a romantic night in, or anywhere wind would blow out real candles or cause a hazard!
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Pros
+ Safe (no chance of a fire).
+ Can't be extinguished by wind (great for windy areas)
+ Comes with batteries.
+ Light is not too bright and mimics firelight well.
+ Doesn't have a fake flicker (which usually gives me a headache as it's rarely done well)
+ Perfect for houses with pets.
+ 24 in pack.
Cons
- Takes a bit of time to switch them all on.
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Note: I received this product at a discounted rate in exchange for an unbiased, honest review as provided here. As a consumer advocate, I believe in providing quality and honest feedback and receiving a product at a discounted rate will never affect my opinions.
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Archeer Bluetooth Speakers, Pocket Size Shower Speaker, IPX7 Waterproof & Shockproof with Built-in Microphone
I was extremely taken aback when I first saw this speaker as I expected it to be much bigger. Seeing the small size, I thought it probably wouldn't give great sound (especially considering the price point), but I was totally and completely proven... +
I was extremely taken aback when I first saw this speaker as I expected it to be much bigger. Seeing the small size, I thought it probably wouldn't give great sound (especially considering the price point), but I was totally and completely proven wrong. This little speaker packs a punch!
I found it to be pretty quiet with my phone at full volume and was disappointed, that is UNTIL I read the manual and realised I could turn the speaker up by holding the 'Skip' key down. A tone will sound when you are at full volume to let you know you can't go any louder. Boy does this thing have good sound for the size and price. It has a lovely bass and no tinny or crackly audio quality.
Furthermore, the claims of 'waterproof' are not exaggerated, this thing even continues to play clearly underwater.
This easily blew all the other low cost speakers I've tested out of the water.
It's very easy to pair, with a clear, understandable voice that will guide you, has great sound quality, is waterproof and on top of all that you can answer calls through it. Would recommend again and again!
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Pros
+ Waterproof (tested)
+ Great audio quality, not crackly or off even at loudest volume.
+ Good bass and overall good volume.
+ Easy to pair and use.
+ Chargeable means you won't use up batteries.
+ Small size makes it very portable.
+ Comes with Carabiner.
+ Surprisingly powerful.
Cons
- None
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Note: I received this product at a discounted rate in exchange for an unbiased, honest review as provided here. As a consumer advocate, I believe in providing quality and honest feedback and receiving a product at a discounted rate will never affect my opinions.
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AK Stereo Sport Bluetooth Headphones
Bluetooth headphones are a great thing to have if you work out or like to exercise with your music. Not having the cord connected to your phone or other audio device is a big help, but it’s important that headphones used this way are sweatproof... +
Bluetooth headphones are a great thing to have if you work out or like to exercise with your music. Not having the cord connected to your phone or other audio device is a big help, but it’s important that headphones used this way are sweatproof and don’t fall out of your ear when you move around. These bluetooth headphones from AK do both of those things well, but unfortunately that’s pretty much the only positive things I can say about these headphones.
Right off the bat, the materials for these headphones and the overall design is big, bright, but not very sturdy. They feel cheap and breakable, though they apparently come with a lifetime guarantee. They sit well in my ears and didn’t come loose at any point, which was good. They also stood up to water and sweat well without any problems. But the audio quality on these headphones is just atrocious. They have a horrible echo-like quality, as if all the music if being played in a large empty room. None of the songs, audio books or podcasts I tried sounded good, and with the music the quality was so bad that I lost any desire to even listen to my music. For making calls, the microphone is equally poor, sounding very echoey and distant. I was very unimpressed with both of these aspects.
The control in the middle of the wire works well for pausing, skipping tracks, and so on. It’s light, but it also has an extremely short battery life of a few hours. If you want to use these during the day, for your commute, or for more than an hour or two a day, you will need to charge them partway through the day.
One possible good thing about these headphones is the fact that their maximum volume is VERY high, higher than any headphones I’ve ever seen, but that isn’t something I was thankful for. When I first synced them to my phone, the audio-cue telling me they were paired was so loud that it hurt my ears. If you have extremely poor hearing the high volume levels might be useful, but for everyone else they’re just damaging to your hearing.
These headphones are not very good, and while they are cheap, I don’t even consider them a good purchase at the current price. I’ve seen many headphones with much better quality and features at similar prices, so I can’t think of any reason to recommend these.
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Pros
+ Stays in your ear when moving and jumping around
+ Sweatproof
+ Can reach extremely loud volume levels
Cons
- Audio quality is very poor
- Microphone is not great
- Battery life is shorter than I would like
- Materials feel cheap and easily breakable
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Note: I received this product at a discounted rate in exchange for an unbiased, honest review as provided here. As a consumer advocate, I believe in providing quality and honest feedback and receiving a product at a discounted rate will never affect my opinions.
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Spigen Phone Kickstand
This phone kickstand from Spigen is a small metal device, barely 10 cm long, which you can attach to the back of your smartphone in order to allow you to prop it up anywhere, anytime. The idea behind the device is interesting, as I often use things... +
This phone kickstand from Spigen is a small metal device, barely 10 cm long, which you can attach to the back of your smartphone in order to allow you to prop it up anywhere, anytime. The idea behind the device is interesting, as I often use things to prop up my phone or my tablet when watching videos, making video calls, or trying to read something while working (while cooking, for example).
Unfortunately, the actual implementation of this device is not great. It's easy to apply, just stick it to the back of your phone, but it wouldn't stick to my phone's case because of the plastic material, so I had to remove it, and would be forced to keep my case off permanently. The kickstand cannot be easily removed and replaced, as it would quickly lose its gripping power, so you need to keep it attached to your phone at all times. Not only is this aesthetically unpleasant, but it also makes it more frustrating to hold, and to fit into my pocket.
If you do need a kickstand, this one is very strong, it pops open with one touch and can be closed easily as well. The actual stand worked very well and I was happy with its performance, but the idea of keeping it on my phone permanently is just not something I could ever see myself doing, and removing it only to reattach it later is not a long-term solution.
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Pros
+ Easy to apply
+ Works well for smartphones
+ Strong and provides good support
Cons
- Does not stick to some materials
- Uncomfortable to keep attached to back of phone long-term
- Not aesthetically appealing
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Note: I received this product at a discounted rate in exchange for an unbiased, honest review as provided here. As a consumer advocate, I believe in providing quality and honest feedback and receiving a product at a discounted rate will never affect my opinions.
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Wastar Portable Toiletry Bag
This is a great travel bag! I'm a big fan of the 'hanging hook' included, because it's really hand for hotels to just hang it somewhere and grab what you need as you need it, instead of emptying the whole bag. It's waterproof, the material is... +
This is a great travel bag! I'm a big fan of the 'hanging hook' included, because it's really hand for hotels to just hang it somewhere and grab what you need as you need it, instead of emptying the whole bag. It's waterproof, the material is durable and it has a lot of little compartments to store your goods. Perfect for lotions and smaller items like contact lenses cases.
Where this bag has one up on some of the others I've tested is the design! I'd like to say looks don't matter, but when it comes to what you buy, they most definitely do. I absolutely adore the design I got in this bag. It's a lovely blue with little pink and white flowers, very feminine and cute. I also love how the logo is displayed, overall the bag just looks very cute and that definitely appeals to me.
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Pros
+ Extremely cute floral design (other designs available)
+ Bag just looks good.
+ Reasonable storage space.
+ Lots of compartments.
+ Hanging loop.
+ Easy to open and close.
+ Waterproof.
Cons
- Perhaps a little small if you pack heavy!
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Note: I received this product at a discounted rate in exchange for an unbiased, honest review as provided here. As a consumer advocate, I believe in providing quality and honest feedback and receiving a product at a discounted rate will never affect my opinions.
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Crucial 8GB Kit (4GBx2) DDR3 1600 MT/s (PC3 - 12800) RAM
I needed some RAM for an old laptop I was given, to bring it up to a point where it could handle all the work I needed to do on it. This set of two 4GB sticks of RAM was just what the doctor ordered. They’re extremely well-priced, far below any of... +
I needed some RAM for an old laptop I was given, to bring it up to a point where it could handle all the work I needed to do on it. This set of two 4GB sticks of RAM was just what the doctor ordered. They’re extremely well-priced, far below any of the similar RAM I found online, and they work in my much older laptop, unlike some RAM I tried. When I had trouble with another product I bought from this seller, they were super helpful and walked me through what I was doing wrong, and how to figure out what RAM my laptop could use, which I consider the kind of customer service that goes above and beyond, and earns them huge points in my opinion. When the RAM arrived the packaging was minimal, they were very well-secured, and installing them was a breeze.
I would definitely recommend this seller again, and I’m very happy with the huge boost this RAM has given my aging laptop.
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Pros
+ Easy to install
+ Extremely well-priced
+ Great performance upgrade for my old laptop
Cons
- None
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VR SHINECON FOV90 IPD Adjustable 3D VR Virtual Reality Headset for 4.7-6 inches Smartphones
VR headsets like this one are becoming a very popular way for anyone to experience all the cool VR content that is out there. 360 degree videos are great to watch, VR-based games are a lot of fun, and these cheaper headsets allow you to try those... +
VR headsets like this one are becoming a very popular way for anyone to experience all the cool VR content that is out there. 360 degree videos are great to watch, VR-based games are a lot of fun, and these cheaper headsets allow you to try those out without spending hundreds on a top of the line VR headset. This particular headset from Shinecon is unfortunately hampered by a design choice that is becoming popular, the slide-in design.
There are usually two kinds of budget VR headsets. The ones with a compartment that you open, put your phone in, and then close, and the slide-in design which is always open, and you simply slide your phone into plastic grips that hold it in place. I assume the slide-in design is cheaper to make, as it’s quickly become the standard for cheap VR headsets. Sadly this headset is a great example of why that design is so flawed.
When you slide your phone in, the screen is then totally covered by the headset. This means you cannot reach your screen, so if you want to watch a video, for example, you have to start that video before you put the phone into the headset. This leads to a bunch of problems: you miss the start of every single video, as sliding the phone in takes a few seconds, plus 80% of the time sliding the phone in will cause the screen to press against the headset in some way, pausing your video, or minimizing it, or even turning the screen off. If this happens, you have to take it out again and start the process all over again. I used this headset a few dozen times over a few days, and the vast majority of the time the slide-in process caused a problem and forced me to try again. By the end, I had no interest in ever using the headset again.
If you can get the headset going, you’ll find that it works fine. The cushioning around the eyes is very good, the straps can be adjusted, and there’s a small slider to adjust how close together the two eye-sections of the headset are. It’s nothing special, but once you actually get started the headset does the job without any problems. It’s comfy, not too heavy, and can be easily adjusted. I did find, however, that the grips on the slide-in section were starting to come loose after just a few days of use. They grip the phone very tightly, so I imagine the strain from having my phone put in and then taken out over and over again was starting to loosen them. Still, they worked fine the last time I had the patience to actually try it out.
All in all, this is a product that works well once you get past its absurd design decision that forces you to perform the same action five times before you can finally watch a neat video or play a novel game. The experience is fine, but getting there is a chore.
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Pros
+ Works with various sizes of phones
+ Low-budget way to experience VR
+ Phone is well-secured and straps are adjustable
Cons
- Slide-in design is poorly thought out
- Cannot start video or app once phone is already in the headset
- 80% of the time the slide-in process caused video to pause, minimize, etc.
- Slide-in grips began to come loose within a few days of use
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Note: I received this product at a discounted rate in exchange for an unbiased, honest review as provided here. As a consumer advocate, I believe in providing quality and honest feedback and receiving a product at a discounted rate will never affect my opinions.
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