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: Fast, fun, easy to learn to drive, pairing remote was tricky at first. You'll receive the boat, remote control, three-piece stand, battery wall charger, spare propeller, two bow guards, and instruction manual. The RC boat is made of a thin lightweight plastic. It measures 19" from bow to end of the propeller, 6" wide and 4" tall. The stand is easily assembled by inserting the two side pieces into the base bar. The battery can be found inside the boat and charges in 3-4 hours. The boat can run for about 15 minutes on a full charge depending on throttle speed.
The remote requires 6 AA batteries which are not included. At first I was having trouble pairing the boat to the remote control. I was setting the boat in water to turn it on and you can hear the rudder self-calibrate as soon as you put it in water. Then I would flip the switch on the remote and wait for the light to turn green but I wasn't able to control the boat. I found that the time window for pairing is very very short. You basically have to place the boat in water and immediately turn on the remote, while the rudder is calibrating, to get it to pair. Under the plastic door on top of the controller, there is a dial for throttle trimming. The dial below that controls the sensitivity of the rudder for a tighter running radius.
The controls are pretty easy to learn and this boat is a lot of fun. It can go really fast at full throttle (which also drains the battery faster), so I recommend starting out slow to get a feel for the controls and handling of the boat and to extend use time, if not racing. If the boat capsizes, you can flip it over using the remote control and keep going. The turn radius is super tight at the fastest speed, about 2 ft. The boat is also pretty durable despite being made of plastic and the bow guard helps protect it from damage from bumps and crashes. Due to its size and speed, it's not suited well for the pool but works great on lakes, bays, and slow moving streams/rivers. Overall it's a well-made toy that's fast enough for racing and a lot of fun to drive around an large body of water..
Takeaway: Fast, durable, and fun! No assembly required, easy to get the hang of the controls. You'll receive the boat, remote control, instruction manual, three-piece stand, USB charging cable, a small wrench, tiny tube of grease paste, a spare propeller nut, and spare propeller. The RC boat is made of a thin, lightweight plastic. It measures 14" from bow to stern (rudder), 4.5" wide and 2.5" tall. The stand is easily assembled and not only nicely displays the boat when not in use, it protects the propeller from getting damaged. The battery can be found inside the boat, but needs to be connected and disconnected between uses.
The remote requires 4 AA batteries and a mini screwdriver to open the battery bay door, neither of which are included. After connecting the battery inside the boat, place the boat in water to turn it on. Then just flip the switch up in the middle of the remote, and it'll beep when paired. On the remote, the left joystick controls the throttle to move the boat forward and put it in reverse while the right joystick controls the rudder for turning. There are also keys for trimming if the boat drifts. The LCD screen shows you the signal strength between the controller and the boat and the remaining battery life of the boat.
Getting a hang of the controls is pretty easy. The boat can go really fast at full throttle (supposedly up to ~13 mph) and was a bit too much speed for a small swimming pool; it'll perform much more impressively on a lake or river. The turning radius is ok, but wide at about 6-7 ft depending on your speed. While I haven't had the boat capsize (in the pool), if it does, you can flip it over easily with the controls. The boat is also pretty durable despite being made of plastic. It bumped and banged around the cement pool quite a bit quite without sustaining any damage that I could see. Overall, it's a fun, easy to learn toy that's definitely suitable for racing if you've got more than one. Great for kids and adults!
Takeaway: Easy to install, leak-free, gentle but effective spray for washing up. I used to be one of those folks a bit turned off by the idea of a bidet, but after installing one in the guest bathroom last year and using it regularly, I knew I wanted another one for the master bath. My first one was a cold water only one and while that was okay, the addition of hot water with a temperature mixer is multitudes of times better. In this self-install kit, you receive the bidet, 6.5' of hot water tubing, two seat couplers, a 25" flexible metal braided hose, 7/8" T-adapter with rubber gasket, a 3/8" T-adapter with rubber o-ring, and a set of illustrated installation instructions. The instructions are pretty basic and only show installation and not operation. A few quick observations: If you will hooking up the hot water, it's more convenient to have a sink within a few feet of the toilet with an exposed hot water line. If you have a sink over a cabinet, you may need to drill a hole in the cabinet/wall in order for the hot water to reach the inlet of the bidet. Also if you need longer tubing, you may need to reach out to the vendor for it. Like with the sink, it may take a minute for the water to warm up so if you want warm or hot water for immediate use with the sprayer, it helps to run the hot water in the sink first and also run the bidet cleaning mode to clear the cold water from the line so you'll get a warm spray from the get go. The hot water line installation is optional, and you can keep the cap on that inlet line if you'll be using cold water only.
The other tricky thing is that to activate the water stream you have to lift the temperature control handle up, which isn't described in the instructions. Turning it left and right only sets the temperature and pressure. The smaller dial changes the mode from bidet spraying mode to nozzle cleaning. Nozzle cleaning mode basically runs water out of the nozzle tip in case it gets soiled. In bidet spraying mode, make sure you're sitting on the toilet when you turn it on, otherwise water will shoot out of the toilet.
I recommend you turn the dial in the desired direction very slowly until you reach the temperature and pressure that's most comfortable for you. I found that even at the highest pressure the spray felt comfortable and gentle (unlike my other one which feels like you're being blasted with a fire hose at anything over the lowest flow setting), although this will depend on the pressure in the lines in your home. Overall, the installation of the bidet was pretty simple and straightforward and I haven't experience any problem with leaks. The bidet works well for its intended purpose and I think it does a great job of refreshing and cleaning your bottom versus using toilet paper alone.
Takeaway: Small tank, runs out quick, moderate pressure and cleaning, a bit noisy and messy. You'll receive the main body of the water pik, two blue and two pink flosser tips, a power adapter, a microUSB charging cable, and an instruction manual. The tips are color coded so you can have two users. They simply snap into the top of the pump unit by pushing it into the hole on top. When attached, the tip can rotate 360 degrees. The unit's water tank reservoir is attached to the back of the unit and removable. It's clear so you can see the water level and has a small door near the bottom for filling. On the front, there's a small rubber plug that covers the charging port. This unit uses a custom USB cable so be sure not to lose it. After charging, remember to reinstall the rubber plug to protect the unit from water damage. There are three modes on this machine: normal, soft and pulse. I didn't find too much of a performance different between the modes though 'normal' has a bit higher pressure than 'soft' and 'pulse' appears to use the pressure of 'soft' in intervals. Filling the unit with water is pretty simple, but you have to tilt the unit to get the tank filled all the way. When you turn it on, it starts in the last mode it was in. It's not very loud when using it, but does make noise and it is very messy. The first time I used it water got everywhere. You'll want to keep your mouth nearly closed, but open enough for water to run out. I found it makes less of a mess when you're hunched over the sink or when used in the shower as the unit is fully waterproof (with the charge port cover installed). The tank only holds enough water for about 40-50 seconds of use regardless of what mode it's in, so it runs out pretty quickly. It works okay, but not as thoroughly as thread floss and you may need to refill the tank a few times in one session to clean all your teeth. While I like that it's wireless and portable, I would have preferred a bit higher pressure and a bigger tank. Unplugging the unit after charging will help preserve its battery life. When you're done with the unit you have to shake all the water out of the tank, run the nozzle dry, and store it with the door open so it won't get moldy/mildew inside.
Takeaway: Travels well, lightweight/compact, tastes plasticky at first, outside attracts dust/lint but easy to clean. When the water bottle when is collapsed, it measures about 3" tall and 4" across. Empty it weighs 3 oz. On the side is a small carabiner clip for tethering to a bag or belt loop and a silicone elastic band keeps the bottle rolled up. The bottle is semi-transparent and measures 7" tall when expanded. Inside the drink spout there is an integrated mesh filter. The drinking cap is made entirely of plastic and is watertight when the lid is closed. The bottle is somewhat squishy with a soft rubbery feel and impressively doesn't leak any air or liquid when squeezed.
This water bottle can hold 11 oz of liquid and is pretty easy to fill. At first the water does have a bit of a plasticky taste to it, and I find this to be true of most silicone bottles and water bladders. It does take a few uses to dissipate so you may want to fill up, leave overnight, and discard the water in the bottle several days in a row before first use. Other than that the bottle is easy to carry around and drink from and is great for travel since it rolls up compactly.
Takeaway: Nice gentle spray, good flow with light pressure, easy to install, no leaks. The 10" shower head actually measures out to 9.75" square. It is made entirely of metal and has a shiny chrome finish. There are 196 rubber nozzles spaced every 3/4" in a 14 x 14 grid. On the back, the rain head is flat and attached to a ball joint and there is a plastic cap protecting the connector when you first receive it. The cap is threaded, so simply unscrew it to open it up. Inside there is a rubber washer with a debris filter/screen already included.
Installation was quick and easy with a little bit of plumber's teflon tape (not included) and simple hand tightening. The water comes out of the jets with medium pressure and there were no leaks at the connection. For the most part, the jets are pointed straight down and not off to the sides at all, so the spray doesn't spread a whole lot. The 10" square area, however, is an adequate size for showering. The flow rate is somewhat faster than my previous shower head, so the water heats up faster which is nice. The water is also quite gentle, feeling like the water is being poured over you rather than stiff streams of water hitting you like pins and needles. Overall, this showerhead works well, was easy to install, and looks great in my bathroom.
Takeaway: A powerful pump for large aqua-features and aquariums. This pump is heavy duty in terms of output. It'll move 11 gallons/minute or 660 Gal/h. It comes with two output nozzles for hookin gup to tubes and one input nozzle. The unit is made of a hardshell plastic and measures 5.5" W x 3.5" H x 2.5" D and weighs 2 lbs. The power cable is about 6 ft long which is a little short, but still usable. This pump is suitable for large aquarium, pond and landscaping uses and is tolerant to salt water application. The only slight problem I had was with the rubber feet, whose quality is poor and one foot ripped along the edge and the attachment nub tore off due to the softness of the rubber.
While the unit's instructions didn't explain how to access the inlet hole to attach the hose nozzle, it was fairly easy to pop off the filter cage that covers it. Just make sure you have water in your tube and that the tube is submerged before you plug it in, if you are using an inlet hose.
The unit is basically plug and play after assembly, and the water pressure is quite high. The water moves fast so this pump is good for large scale aquatics but not so great for small aquariums. NOte also that this unit doesn't have a filter and its purpose is to move and aerate water. I use this pump to quickly empty out my rain barrel at the end of the fall season for winter storage, but occasionally I find other uses for it too.
