I provide honest ratings and reviews on tech, toys, and consumer home goods that I've purchased and used. Reviews are based on hands-on testing and personal observations. All opinions and comments are my own.
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Takeaway: Low, invisible sock line when wearing shoes, thin, lightweight, and breathable. The seven pairs of socks are made of a thin, breathable cotton-poly blend and have a stretchy center arch support band just behind the ball of the foot. The material is a lightweight and soft consisting of 85/15% cotton and polyester. At the heel, there are three silicone wavy strips to help the sock grip your skin and not slide down while you are wearing them, which work pretty well. The elastic at the top is minimal and stretchy though not too tight. When wearing the socks they come only just up to the ankle and do not fully cover the tops of your feet.
This material is comfortable enough for every day wear and while the thin material does not provide a lot of cushion or heat retention this makes them suitable for warm weather and active sports. With shoes, the socks won't be visible and the quality is decent overall.
Takeaway: Lightweight and breathable, a thin lining for toe shoes, keeps feet dry/clean. The assorted pack from artfasion comes with four pairs of socks, two in each color/pattern. Toe socks are kind of like gloves for your feet. They have individual sections for each of your toes and work well for those that wear toe shoes like the Vibrams or Skeletoes athletic runners. Normal socks won't fit in those, so usually folks go barefoot in them, but others prefer to have an extra layer that you can remove and wash, and these socks fit the bill. They're also very low profile, rising just up to the ankle and leave most of the top of your foot exposed. The material is cotton but pretty thin and light which makes it breathable. In regular shoes, they are pretty much invisible but the tops of your foot may rub on the inside of the tongue of the shoe. At the back of the sock, inside the heel are three silicone stripes that helps the sock cling to your skin so that it doesn't slide down. While having separated toes in socks feels a bit odd at first these are so lightweight that it nearly feels like you're barefoot. They add a bit of warmth and keep your feet dry and off dirty floors. It does take some extra time to put them on since you have to get your toes into each section one at a time, but it's not too difficult. Like gloves, these socks have a distinct left and right (non-chiral), and you can't swap sides or use two of the same side socks. While they may wear out quickly due to the thiness of the mateiral, it's the best way to use your toe shoes with socks without adding a lot of unecessary padding. I like these socks for what they are and would recommend them for folks who don't want to go barefoot in their toe shoes.
Takeaway: Works on most jars and bottles, improves grip/leverage/strength, reduces effort. The jar opener measures 9"L x 3.75"W and it's made hard plastic with a removable silicone lining. The jar opener does expand a little bit, but you should not try to fit any jars or lids in this that have a larger than 3.25" diameter because it could snap. There are four size jars this can open, 3.25", 2.5", 2", 1.5" diameter give or take ¼" or so for each size. The outside of the handles have ergonomic finger grooves so you can keep your grip on the handle; which provides leverage and grip so you can more easily open and tighten jar lids with less effort. The silicone section can be removed for washing/cleaning. The jar opener works great on regular mouth mason jars, but note that it cannot accommodate wide mouth mason jars (too big). For soda bottle tops, the smallest ring works perfectly. This jar opener worked on just about every jar we tried it on and makes it easier for folks with arthritis or reduced dexterity to open jars and bottles with less effort. For really stubborn jars, rinse the lid in hot water to expand it, or smack the bottom of the jar dead center with the flat of your palm to loosen a vacuum seal.
Takeaway: Works indoor/outdoor, tight wrinkle-free screen, durable frame, lightweight, packs compactly. You'll receive the projector screen in a nylon padded duffel bag on which the handles can be Velcro'd together for easier carrying. Inside are the instructions for assembly, PVC screen, rectangular frame, two legs, four ground stakes, two rigging cords, and two hanging rings. Setting up the frame for the screen takes about 5-10 mins for one person to complete on their own. The entire metal steel frame is collapsible which is how it fits into a relatively small bag. It weighs about 25 lbs. Assembly is tool-less and everything snaps or screws together easily. The hardest part the first time I set this up was getting the screen stretched out enough to reach all the button clasps. It may be because I was assembling it in the cold outdoors (~40° F), so I expect that in warmer weather or indoors the screen material might be a tad more flexible. Even so, with lots of pulling I was able to get the screen buttoned down all the way and after leaving it up for a few days, the wrinkles from being folded up relaxed and faded and the screen stretched out a bit so subsequent setups have been much easier. The screen has nylon pull straps at each corner to help you with stretching it out, but it's always going to be a tight fit, which you want to ensure the screen is completely flat. I was impressed that the screen didn't rip or tear from all the tension and pulling. The outside black border around the visible white portion of the screen appears to be synthetic leather for added durability.
For windy outdoor conditions, you can add the retention rings to the top of the frame and utilize the rigging cords and ground spikes to anchor the frame and provide additional stability. However, you best solution is to simply sandbag the feet if you're worried about the wind. The back of the screen is covered in black PVC for an impenetrable light barrier that prevent light bleed from the back. This also means, however, that you won't be able to do rear projection onto this screen. The fully assembled screen measures about 79" or about 6.5' high. The width is 92" and the clearance for the legs is 35". The viewable area screen is 99.5", just under the advertised 100" diagonal. To fill the screen, I need to set my projector about 15 feet away.
The smooth white background of the screen provides an excellent surface to project onto. It doesn't distort or discolor the image like the offwhite paint on my walls/ceiling, and it reproduces the contrast of the images well. The screen performs best in very dark conditions, and the small wrinkles in the screen from creases were not visible in the projected image. There was little if any shadowing as the full-frame prevents the screen from developing waves from uneven tension. It works great indoors and outdoors. The construction is sturdy and lightweight making it easy to move fully assembled or packed away. It works great for family movie night, projecting live TV, and could also be used for work presentations.
Takeaway: Firm pressure, lots of warmth, motor is loud so speakers could be louder. You'll receive the eye massager, a micro USB charging cable, and an instruction manual. The eyemask is made using an ABS plastic shell, a soft microfiber eye cushion with embedded air bladder, and has a soft 1" wide elastic adjustable headband. The unit measures 8"W x 3"H. It weighs 9.5 oz and folds in half for storage. When folded, you'll have access to the microUSB charging port concealed in the middle joint and on a full charge it lasts for about a half dozen uses.
On the front of the right side is the control panel. There are two functions: heat and massaging. They can either be used together or separately and each setting has a high and low option for more heat and/or heavier pressure during the massage for a total of six modes. Pressing and holding the power button turns the unit on and it always starts up in low heat mode. To change between low and high, single click the power button. The blue icons indicate low and the red icons high. To change function, double click the power button to switch to massage mode and then into massage and heat mode. When using both heat and massage you cannot mix low massage with high heat nor high massage with low heat; its either both high or both low.
When operating I keep my eyes closed and just relax. The air bladder inflates in different areas and at different rates to simulate a variety of pressure patterns and movements. The heat gives a nice warming sensation like a hot compress though I found the high heat settings to be a bit too hot for me. The motor for the air pump however can be loud and distracting. However, there are integrated Bluetooth speakers right into the eyepiece on the outer edge near your ears. Bluetooth pairing was fast and easy and playback is controlled on your mobile device. The Bluetooth does not let you control the modes of the massager. Music played from the speakers won't be as loud or isolating as if you were wearing headphones but it does help to drown out some of the motor noise. The unit turns off automatically after 15 minutes of use.
While I didn't find that it helped me any with reducing the appearance of dark circles and puffiness under your eyes, the massager provided a refreshing and relaxing eye massage with heat compress that can help relieve stress, tension, or sinus pressure. I like that it's rechargeable and folds up compactly for storage. The only improvements I might suggest are that it come with a protective carrying case and removable eye pads or washable sleeves that could be changed for multiple users since the fabric could be tricky to clean if it gets soiled.
iRestore Laser Hair Restoration Helmet 1 Year 8 Month Update
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Takeaway: It's been 20 months since I started using the iRestore Laser Hair Restoration Helmet and over a year since my last update so let's chat about the state of my hair today. For those of you curious about whether or not my hair has improved a lot more since my previous update at the 6 month mark, the current consensus is that while I haven't seen further improvement, I have also not seen tremendous regression of results and in fact I seem to be maintaining my hair (and improvements gained during the first 6 months) which is really comforting. Keeping what hair I have in good healthy condition is my primary goal and I think the helmet helps do that and for the last year I haven't struggled as much with shedding or further recession of my hair line, except perhaps slightly at the temples. I also noticed that my hair feel thicker and stronger overall and less like the baby fine/thin hairs I had prior to using the helmet. I plan on using the device indefinitely for maintenance and hopefully by the time the machine wears out, there will be a new and improved device on the market.
Thanks to everyone who has been supportive and asked questions. I hope I've helped you with your research and wish you well on your own hair journey.
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Takeaway: Budget grade, expands fast, springy, top layer not substantial, a bit noisy. There's also currently a sale on their website - you can use promo code SALE15% for 15% off your purchase: http://www.inofia.com/?aff=4 [Affiliate Link] Or sign up for their mailing list for a 10% off coupon. The mattress comes flat packed and rolled inside a box, but still weighs over 50 lbs. The product label on the mattress states that it has a 100 night trial period and 2 year guarantee. Just above the label you'll find a letter opener that will help you unwrap the mattress. Once you cut the plastic wrap off, it will pop open and expand very quickly. The full height of the mattress is 7" with 2" for the foam top layer and 5" on the bottom. You'll notice that this mattress compresses really easily if you apply pressure in one spot, and sitting on the edge causes it to compress nearly fully. The mattress also has a ton of bounce to it. On the bottom of the mattress are rubber nubs to help it grip your box spring, but that also means the mattress isn't reversible so you can't flip it over if it starts to sag. On top, the pillow layer is soft to the touch and cushy. But it's also thin enough to feel each spring if you push down on it. The foam used in the pillow top isn't memory foam as no imprint is left after pressing into it. The springs tend to compress easily under pressure if it's concentrated in one spot for example from standing on the bed.
Since I weigh 125 lbs, when I lay down on the mattress and spread out, I don't tend to sink in that much because my weight is distributed. I can still sense the springs through the topper so the pressure is uneven on different parts of my body. I assume for folks that weigh more than me, the sense of the springs would be even more noticeable. After sleeping on it a bunch of times, I can say that I didn't wake up sore, which sometimes happens on overly soft mattresses. But I'm a back sleeper, and I don't tend to move around a lot once I fall asleep. I could see where the mattress might make a lot of noise or be too springy if you roll around a lot at night. While it's not my favorite mattress, it's certainly serviceable, maybe good for a guest room or for kids. It all depends on your sleep habits and personal preference, for example, whether or not you like a squishy mattress.
Takeaway: A basic pull up screen, easy to setup, clear images, construction is lightweight. This projector screen is large and measures 94" long and consists of a tripod and the self-retracting screen. It weighs 25 lbs and has a handle with which you can carry it. The unit I received may have been a refurbished/returned unit as the cosmetic condition wasn't pristine. There were a couple of spots of black spray paint meant to hide some scratches and a few dents on the metal housing that didn't impact the functionality but perhaps speaks to the overall durability of the construction, which is not super heavy-duty.
The tripod can be removed from the screen for setup and opening the tripod and screen only takes a few minutes. The feet of the tripod do not locked in the closed position, but I didn't find that this was a problem as long as the tripod was locked to the screen during storage. The screen takes a little effort to pull initially to unroll it, but it slides smoothly in and out of the metal housing. The tallest height for the screen is 92" from the floor to the top, although it can be lowered about 1-2 feet if necessary. The screen itself isn't super flat when fully open and mine appeared to have slightly more tension in the lower corners results in some mild waves from the center of the top down to each corner. The very sides of the screen also tend to roll inward a little, but this affects mostly the outer black border which helps eliminate slight over-projection of the viewing area. The screen is a fairly fragile element. The material can pick up stain, scratches, and indentations you you have to be very careful if it gets dirty and that nothing gets on the screen before you roll it up and put it away. You want to keep the white portion of the screen as clean as possible without using any harsh chemicals. The paint used for the screen smells strongly of spray paint when you first open it so you may want to air it out when you first receive the screen.
Fortunately, the cosmetic defects to the outer housing and the wrinkles on the screen didn't show up when projecting an image on the screen. Even the waves in the screen only created a slight darkened band that you wouldn't know was there unless you were looking for it. Once I got the projector image up on the screen in a darkened room, you couldn't really see these issues. To fill the screen I have my 720p projector about 14-15 feet from it at shoulder level. The screen itself provides a nice clean white background for the projection image which doesn't distort the image colors and has no light bleed from the back which is painted black. Functionally, the screen worked pretty well. One thing to consider is that the screen just hangs from a single point on top, and it is easily distorted or sways if it's bumped or moved around. Even though it is advertised for "outdoor use," I would say it performs best indoors where the wind won't blow the screen around. I also don't think the tripod would be able to stand up to a big gust of wind catching the screen like a sail and that it could potentially fall over in windy conditions. Other than that it works for its intended purpose and would be great for a movie night, party slideshow, or office presentation.
Takeaway: Compact, lightweight, accurate, and simple to use. The tire inflator comes in a zippered nylon padded case. Inside you'll find the air compressor, instruction manual, and nozzle accessories for inflating sports balls and other inflatable items like pool toys and air mattresses. The tire inflator housing is made from a lightweight plastic and it measures 7.5"H x 11"L x 5"W. On the back is the dual power selector switch which lets you choose between A/C power or DC power. If using DC power, you'll find a built-in cigarette lighter power adapter cable neatly stowed in the bottom of the unit along with the nylon braided air hose. For A/C power, use the included 6' cable which can be found in the narrow pouch on the right-hand-side of the carrying case.
On the front of the unit, is an LED light which can be set to a bright flashlight mode or flashing red emergency SOS signal. On the top of the unit is an LCD display that is backlit with a bright blue LED for clear viewing even in dark conditions. The number to the left on the display is the pre-set shutoff pressure and the number to the right is the current pressure of the tire. The '+' and '-' keys allow you to select a pre-set pressure for inflation. Just press and hold either key until the display starts flashing and press up and down to increase or decrease the value in half PSI increments. The ‘M' key allows you to change the units from PSI to BAR or kPa.
The unit is easy to attach to your tires and use and pumps air quickly. Using the sports pin, you can inflate balls quickly too. When the pressure of the tire exceeds the pre-set shutoff value, the unit automatically stops pumping air. In practice, you will always end up 1 PSI higher than your shutoff value. When checked with a tire gauge, the pressure reading of the unit appears to be accurate. If your tires are over inflated, you can let the air out of your tire easily by pressing and holding the bleeder button next to the air hose nozzle.
Overall, the tire inflator was able to quickly and accurately fill my tires. It's compact, portable, and simple to use.
Takeaway: Easy to use and take measurements, clear scale but lines are close together. I got this unit to measure the sugar content and estimate the ABV of my homemade rice wine since when making rice wine you cannot take a "before" hydrometer reading since the sugars and liquid are locked up in the cooked rice grains. It can also be used when making beer or fruit wine, and I plan on using it on my next batch to compare it to the ABV results I get from hydrometer readings. This will also help me determine how accurate the tool is. I got this "high" scale one as opposed to the ones that only measure to the 30s and 40s because I wasn't sure how high the Brix in sweet rice wine would be; turns out I could have gone with a lower scale but perhaps this larger scale will come in handy if I decide to take up beekeeping for measuring the Brix of honey. I also can't wait to try it out on my orchard's fruit crop this coming harvest season.
I like that the refractometer needs only a few drops of sample to take the reading versus the large amount of liquid I need to extract from my brew to take measurements with the hydrometer. I found the scale bright and clear enough when holding the prism up to the light but the lines are quite close together, so it takes a bit of patience to get the right focus and position to take a reading. The unit is easy to use and clean and the protective carrying case is nice to have for storage.
