Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Mister Steamy Towel Fluff Test

Fluff!
Date of Purchase: 10 September, 2010
Price: $19.99/set of two


    Although we have already settled on the “failure” designation for this week’s widget, it may still be useful to highlight some test results. As you might recall from Monday’s post, we came to the conclusion that the Mister Steamy dryer ball may be useful for socks, towels, and sheets. For those of you who might have a strong desire to have fluffy towels in your life (apparently this is a big deal?), this post is for you.

    One of the claims made by the Mister Steamy camp is that it will make your towels oh-so-fluffy. They illustrate this claim by showing us a picture of 3 beautiful, fluffy towels beside 3 flat, boring towels – flat towels = dryer alone, fluffed towels = Mister Steamy. Let’s see if we can reproduce such results.

    We start with 4 standard brand-new-never-used towels....

    4 flat towels, fresh from a store
    Then, we throw two of them in the dryer, without the thundering dryer ball. After a 30 minute high-heat cycle, we carefully re-fold them and place them next to our un-dryered* towels.

    first two towels on left, dryer only
    The results of the dryer-only cycle are clear: more fluff.

    The next step is to see if the Mister Steamy produces even more fluff. We place the un-dryered* towels in the dryer with the Mister Steamy (as per instructions, filled with of water) for the same 30 minute high-heat cycle. After 30 minutes of dryer-drumming torment, we place these towels beside the other set for comparison.

    left: dryer only...   right:dryer with Mister Steamy
    The results are in… Mister Steamy produces virtually zero additional fluff.

    One question remains: how did the marketing team for the Mister Steamy achieve their results? Rather than tossing around accusations, we’ll just assume that our test must have been flawed in some way. Unfortunately, the Mister Steamy doesn’t come with a “fluffy towel comparison test – the Mister Steamy way” instruction sheet. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to let us know.




    *un-dryered is a word. We made it up. Don't use it, though. We'll probably get a patent soon. And maybe a copyright/trademark/registration/digital rights management/activation code/treasure map.

    Monday, September 27, 2010

    Mister Steamy

    Hot Air!
    Date of Purchase: 10 September, 2010
    Price: $19.99/set of two


      Flop

      What is it about TV infomercials that makes us feel as if all of our troubles will melt away as soon as we buy this new and wonderful product?  Whether it be the true usefulness of  "innovative" products or simply the clever pitches and gimmicks offered by the advertisers, a good many millions of us find ourselves picking up the phone to find out.  Before you pick up the phone for this nonsense, there are a few things that you should know...
      1. The Mister Steamy needs high heat dryer cycle to work properly.
      2. The Mister Steamy is made of hard plastic and produces thundering noise in your dryer.

        After hearing these two facts, many would decide that it probably isn't worth the $19.99 for the pack of two (don't try to buy just one, they give you one "free" when you buy the first).  If you're one of those in this group, we're with you.

        Perhaps the first fact by itself would be enough for the Mister Steamy to receive a failing grade.  The fact that this dryer ball requires a high heat cycle is a huge problem.  For most of us, the types of clothing most in need of de-wrinkling also happen to be the types of clothing that are the most sensitive to high heat wash/dry cycles.  Once we toss all of our most delicate clothing from the high heat cycle, (depending on our level of laundry strictness) we're left with basically three articles: socks, towels, and sheets.  This might explain why the Mister Steamy marketing team chose to feature something like the picture below (more on this little demonstration later in the week).


        The second unfortunate fact will mostly have a negative effect on your sanity and may cause some sort of harm to your dryer.  We're not sure if placing a hard plastic ball in your dryer will void the warranty, but it certainly feels like some form of abuse that may not be covered.  Even if your dryer can take the abuse, the thundering sound will drive you mad.  If you're having trouble imagining the sound of this widget tumbling around in your dryer, just toss some steel-toe work boots into your dryer and try to have a conversation.    

        Although we have two more posts dedicated to this failure, we'll give you the pleasure of a verdict now.  Rather than lead you on and let you think that we might be recommending this product, we would like to make it perfectly clear that we are not.  Our next two posts will be a brief exploration of towel fluffing techniques followed by a short brainstorm on alternative uses (just in case you're one of the millions who have already spent your money on this gimmick).  For now, though, here's the verdict...

        FAIL!



        Saturday, September 25, 2010

        MP3 Player Giveaway


        Mach Speed Raven 2GB MP3 Player( Black)

        Updated Rules!


        Due to the lack of interest on our first attempt to give away the Raven MP3 player (by lack of interest, we mean absolutely zero entries), we're changing the rules.  The giveaway will now be by a random drawing.

        The Prize:

        Here's what you have to do to enter:
        1. 'Like' us on facebook
          -and-
        2. Do at least one of the following:
          1. Comment on one of our product blog posts and tell us if you would buy the featured product and why or why not.
          2. Suggest a product for us to test by writing it on our wall (and why we should test it). BONUS: if we decide to use your idea, we'll enter your name twice.

        We'll hold the drawing as soon as we have 25 valid entries or 150 facebook 'likers,' so hurry and get your entries in before it's to late.  Once you enter to win, speed up the process by inviting your friends to enter.

        Good Luck!

        Friday, September 24, 2010

        Sevylor Inflatable Sit-On-Top Kayak (Friday)

        Unsinkable!
        Date of Purchase: 31 August, 2010
        Price: $89.62
        Tests/Topics:

        Paddle Power:

        One disappointing aspect of this kayak is the strength (or weakness) of the included paddles.  Although they held up during our 100M sprint time trials, at times it seemed as though they would snap on each aggressive paddle stroke.  Our advice: plan on buying new paddles if you ever decide to head to the races with this kayak.   


        Summarize:
        This kayak is a good choice for those of us who want a fun and relaxing recreational activity at a reasonable cost.  Due to it's relatively low cost and excellent stability on the water, we're convinced that this would be a good option for almost anyone who has the desire to launch themselves into the kayaking scene.  If you've been hesitant to try kayaking in the past, this comfy vessel just might change your mind.

        Speaking of cost, it is probably important to note that the cost of the kayak alone won't quite get you out on the water.  You'll need several key items before you set sail (rather, set paddle).  Here's a shopping list to get you started...
        • Kayak: around $100 (look for it on sale to get our price)
        • Pump:  anywhere from $12 to $30, depending on your needs
        • Life Jackets:  around $15 X 2 (check your local regulations on this)
        • Replacement Paddles:  optional - from $20 to $400 (we know, absurd)
        • Total Cost to get you in the water: between $142 and  $200


        VERDICT: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED




         





        Thursday, September 23, 2010

        Sevylor Inflatable Sit-On-Top Kayak (Thursday)

        Unsinkable!
        Date of Purchase: 31 August, 2010
        Price: $89.62
        Tests/Topics:

        Thursday: Tracking

        Tracking: the ease with which a canoe/kayak can be paddled along a straight line.

        As you may recall from Monday's post, our race times with this kayak weren't quite competition-ready.  One possible explanation for this may have been our inability to travel in a straight line (if you've forgotten why this is important, dust off that old geometry book and give yourself a refresher).  The ideal path from point A to point B is the following...


        Had our path of travel looked similar the depiction above, our times may have improved slightly.  Although it is impossible to guess what our path truly looked like, a rough estimate/memory puts it somewhere in this range...


        Not terrible, but not perfect either.  The shape of this line is based on several factors: our experience level (low), our utter lack of coordination between paddlers (honestly, wow), and the fact that we were paddling rigorously in an attempt to improve our times.

        While paddling at a more reasonable pace, we were able to come closer to the first image.  Although this kayak was clearly made for stability and not tracking, it performed better than expected in a typical recreational situation.  Just don't expect it to track like your great-grandpappy's Old Town.

        there are two skegs (fins) on the bottom of the kayak that aid in tracking

        Bonus Test: Overweight and Out of Control

        As clearly stated on the box, the maximum capacity of this kayak is 595 pounds.  In order to test the weight limitations of this vessel, we decided to take it for a spin with 3 people, totaling 525 pounds.  With 70 pounds to spare, it should do fine, right?  The following is a rough depiction of our 3-person, overloaded path...



        Unfortunately, handling and control was seriously reduced when a 3rd person was added to the load.  In defense of the manufacturer, it does state that the maximum load is "595 pounds or two people."  Is this to say that if two people have a combined weight of 595 pounds, they shouldn't encounter the same problems that we did?  Our lack of control may have simply been due to a lack of balanced weight and not necessarily due to us being overweight, but it is hard to believe that the total weight of the load didn't partially contribute to the failure of our pathetic test run.

        Taking a different perspective on the matter, we could have simply found one person who weighs 295 pounds and another who weighs 300 pounds to conduct our test for us.   Because we don't know two people that fit this description (or don't feel like conducting a "what is your weight?" poll among our friends and family), the world may never know the results of such test.  One can only imagine.

        An irritating side effect of our overweight excursion is illustrated in the photo below.  Look closely and you'll notice that the leg-rests are filled with water.  Apparently, 525 pounds is enough to bring the kayak one step closer to sinking.    






        Wednesday, September 22, 2010

        Sevylor Inflatable Sit-On-Top Kayak (Wednesday)

        Unsinkable!
        Date of Purchase: 31 August, 2010
        Price: $89.62
        Tests/Topics:



        Wednesday: Inflate/Deflate


        This kayak has 8 chambers: 6 for the seats/leg-rests and 2 for the main hull.  This is beneficial for safety reasons, but presents an extra challenge when you’re involved in “inflating for time” competitions.  They don’t have these?  Somewhere, this sort of thing has to be happening, right?  If you're not convinced, just picture yourself on an airplane that just ran out of gas and you have no parachutes - the next best thing is to grab your rubber raft/kayak and take the plunge.  Just in case you find yourself in either these situations, here’s how it did on a timed inflate...

            Inflation: 4:13
            Paddles Assembly: 4:08
            Total: 8:21

        Below you will find some photos of the entire process. To accomplish the times above, we used a Coleman 120V Electric Quick Pump, readily available... almost anywhere that you might buy stuff.  




        For those of you who really get into your “time trials for ordinary tasks” competitions, here are some good numbers for deflation…

            Deflation: 6:03
            Paddle disassembly: 1:56
            Total: 7:59


        To judge the true utility of this kayak, these times should probably be compared to the overall set-up/take-down times of other kayak models – specifically, those with hard shells. 

        What is there to set up with a hard-shell kayak?  Assuming that you only wish to spend your money on the kayak itself and not on a high-tech rack system (which could cost you more than the inflatable kayak) for your car, you’ll probably spend some time figuring out how to strap a kayak on the top of your car.  You may even spend a little more time getting to your destination to minimize the possibility of a tragic highway boating accident.  The point here is that you will have to spend some time both before and after you hit the water, either inflating/deflating an inflatable or strapping/securing a more traditional model.

        This inflatable kayak easily fits in a standard car trunk (with room to spare for some luggage) and sets up quickly enough to be a convenient option.  For portability and ease of inflation/deflation, it gets a passing grade and we'll even throw in some flying colors.  

        On a related note, it gets a sub-par grade for minimalistic packaging techniques (or should we say, redundant packaging techniques).  That's right, it shipped to us... in a bag... in a box... in a box... in a box.




        Tuesday, September 21, 2010

        Sevylor Inflatable Sit-On-Top Kayak (Tuesday)

        Unsinkable!
        Date of Purchase: 31 August, 2010
        Price: $89.62
        Tests/Topics:
        • K2 200M
        • Panic in the Water
        • Inflate/Deflate
        • Tracking
        • Paddle Power


        Tuesday: Panic in the Water

        photo credit: http://www.inflatablekayakworld.com/

        Stability is a major concern of anyone interested in a kayak in this price range.  Remember, everyone has to start somewhere – if that somewhere happens to be in the water instead of on the water, you may never return.  A valid fear for any beginner is to end up in a situation like the one pictured above.

        How might we eliminate this fear?  By attempting to sink/capsize/swamp/flood our inflatable kayak, of course.  Lacking the availability Class 6 whitewater rapids, the alternative is to simulate the most extreme kayaking conditions in a calm and serene mountain lake (while imagining ourselves engulfed in the last gripping scenes of The River Wild).   

        In several “panic” tests, we tried a variety of sudden movements in all directions in an attempt to cause the kayak to tip completely.  After all other attempts failed, we were finally successful when both of us leaned in the same direction until the kayak dumped us.


        As this photo illustrates, even during a full lean to the right, the kayak remained generally level on the water.  Shortly after this point in the lean, we were able to push our weight far enough to one side to cause the kayak to tip completely on its side, leaving us treading water and gasping for air. 


        After coming to grips with our dire situation and reciting several quotes from Titanic and Jaws, we formulated a plan to re-board our stable craft.  For this event, we decided to use the stopwatch in an attempt to put some sort of metric on our efforts.  Our time: approximately 10 seconds (from kayak overturned to back on and paddling again).  Although this time is hardly a good metric of anything, especially when compared to all of the other kayak re-boarding data readily available in the public domain (none), it should be an indication of how relatively easy it is to get going again after falling out of this flat-bottom inflatable kayak.   

        The good news here is that this kayak is extremely sturdy and very panic-proof.  Once you’re seated in this surprisingly comfortable vessel, it’s going to take the force of some fairly large waves or one extremely panicked paddle-partner to cause capsization (this word may or may not be in any dictionary).

        Stay tuned! More paddling adventures to come.




        Monday, September 20, 2010

        Sevylor Inflatable Sit-On-Top Kayak (Monday)

        Unsinkable!
        Date of Purchase: 31 August, 2010
        Price: $89.62
        Tests/Topics:
        • K2 200M
        • Panic in the Water
        • Inflate/Deflate
        • Tracking
        • Paddle Power

        Monday: K2 200M

        For those who may not be canoe and kayak competition super-fans, the K2 200M looks a little bit like this…



        What does this have to do with a ninety-dollar inflatable kayak, you ask?  Well, if you want to someday rise to kayaking fame and fortune, you have to start somewhere.  Racecar drivers don’t start by racing $150,000 ultra-performance race-cars.  Tour de France bikers may not have access to a $10,000 Trek to start their careers.  Before they reached fame in their respective sports, Jeff Gordon probably raced a go-cart and Lance Armstrong probably cruised a Huffy.  The point is this: believe in yourself throughout your trials and challenges, and someday you may be a world class paddler, complete with your highly sophisticated Super Kayak, reasonably priced around $3100.


        For comparison purposes, a recent national championship had the following results (in seconds)…

        K2 200M Men’s 1st: 32.229
        2nd: 32.231
        3rd: 32.653
        K2 200M Women’s 1st: 37.508
        2nd: 37.682
        3rd: 37.774

        With our goal being to come somewhere close to these times with the Sevylor inflatable, we headed to the water.  Knowing that the combination of a flat-bottom boat and absolutely zero kayaking skills would probably have an adverse effect on our times, we decided that we would reduce the distance by 50%.  That seems fair enough, right?  Here are the times for our 3 time trials…
        • Run 1: 0:58
        • Run 2: 0:54
        • Run 3: 1:00
        As evident in this photo, our times may partially be a reflection of our overall kayaking skill level.  The experts in the video (above) seem to be paddling in unison whereas we seem to be fighting against one another.

        In order to avoid leading you to conclusions, we will simply state the facts: championship kayaking 200M time (experts in a fancy boat): roughly 30 seconds; beginner kayaking 100M time (clueless in a $90 inflatable): roughly 1 minute.

        After returning from the lake (in a state of utter defeat), a quick search produced another set of competition-grade times worthy of comparison.  In another national kayaking championship, the 250M race resulted in a first place of 2:10 and second place of 2:19.  Based on our 100M times, this is something we could certainly compete with.  Of course, we would have to be in the appropriate age group.  These times happened to be listed under the 5-7 juniors division.  Sorry kids, but we could totally beat those lousy times of yours - we'll see you out on the lake.  

        Do these results tell us that you can't use this kayak to launch your lucrative career into professional kayaking stardom?  We'll just have to let you know after several years of dedicated training (that is, if you haven't already seen us on ESPN8 by then).  The one conclusion that can be made here is that you certainly could race this kayak and you would probably lose, depending on the age group of your competitors.       


        Stay tuned!  More to come throughout the week.




        Monday, September 13, 2010

        Eon Ice Everlasting LED Card Flashlight

        Go Anywhere
        Date of Purchase: 18 August, 2010
        Price: $14.99
        Tests/Topics:
        • Costanza Wallet
        • Family Sedan
        • 3 Story Drop
        • Family Sedan, take 2.
        • DIY Electrician
        • Trout Pond Float Test
        • Heat Wave 
        •  
           
          Claim: "FITS IN WALLET OR PURSE"
          Test: Costanza Wallet Lite or Costanza Lighted Wallet?
            This widget is an LED flashlight that is packaged in a credit-card-like body. The obvious benefit of a credit card flashlight is that it is small enough to store almost anywhere.  The keyword here is almost.  Although this flashlight is the shape of a credit card, it is not quite the thickness of a credit card.  When it comes to putting this thing in your wallet and carrying it everywhere you go (while desperately waiting for that moment of ultimate heroism), it depends greatly in the style of wallet that you carry.
            If you've modeled your life after George Costanza and think of your wallet as "...an organizer, a secretary, and a friend," then you may not even notice a little extra bulk in that over-plump billfold.


            On the other hand, squeezing this flashlight into a typical male wallet without being irritated by the extra girth would be a challenge (especially if you plan leaving it in your back pocket for long periods of time).

            

            Does this mean that the claim is false?  Not necessarily.  A generously-sized ladies wallet/clutch would probably be the best bet for storing a credit card flashlight.  So maybe the claim should read, "Fits in large non-pants-pocket-style ladies wallet..."  




          Claim: "CRUSH PROOF -WILL NOT GET DAMAGED"
          Test: Family Sedan
            Imagine that you are using your ultra-portable, incredibly hip, credit card flashlight to shuffle through your purse in pursuit of your lost car keys.  You're so excited when you finally locate that ridiculously over-embellished key chain, you overlook the fact that you've tragically dropped your light source on the pavement under your car.  Let's also imagine that at some point you remember exactly where you were when you lost this invaluable device (you won't).  Will it survive the extreme weight of cars, trucks, mopeds, and roller skates that will inevitably roll over it until you have the chance to come to its rescue?
            There's a simple test for that, assuming that one has access to a modern family sedan.  (By the way, the author of this blog lives in the U.S.  Doesn't everyone have a car? )  Credit card flashlight family sedan crush test, take one...

          Before
          After
             This is the part where the reader sits back and says, "how boring."  Not only is this a valid response to the photos above, it would have been a likely response from anyone passing by during this uneventful test.  The short and simple result: roll over this flashlight as many times as you want- nothing will happen.  However boring this test may have been, here was one unexpected outcome - we'll get to that later.   
           

          Test: 3-story drop
            To further test the durability of this weeks product, it only seems natural to toss it from a 3-story window. You can probably use your imagination for a real-world situation where this might occur (for the unimaginative types, here's some help: reflect on of some of your finest sibling feuds).  Although slightly more fun than rolling over a flashlight in a car, this proved to have mostly the same effect on the flashlight:  no significant damage.

          After several drops, the only noticeable damages were cosmetic.  When the point of impact happened to be on a corner of the flashlight, it received a new battle scar.  Take that, little sister.   



           

           







          Claim: "CANNOT GO OFF ACCIDENTALLY"
          Test: Car-crush, take 2
            How do you prove whether or not a flashlight can go off accidentally?  Technically, you only need to make it go off accidentally one time to prove that it can in fact go off accidentally.  Rather than formulate some sort of test (something involving a group of people with various body-types and several folding chairs?) for this, why not just wait and see if it ever goes off unexpectedly?
            Initially, the family sedan crush test was meant to prove the durability of the Eon Ice flashlight.  Then it became apparent that it was also a test to dispute the accidental discharge claim.  As the car rolled backward and forward, a small flash of light revealed a flaw: if you roll over this flashlight with a car and expect it to stay off the entire time, you will be disappointed.
            One possible argument could explain this unfortunate flaw.  If your flashlight is under your tire, then it is probably lost and needs to be found.  If it needs to be found, then it probably needs to call for help in some way.  Was the flashlight simply screaming "find me!" via tiny flashes of light?  If that is the case, it is the most intelligent flashlight in the world and it may have been in the news lately.  Did you miss that report as well?  



          Claim: "TWIN LIGHTS... MORE RELIABLE AND BRIGHTER"
          Test: DIY Electrician
             Installing a light fixture can be a pain...
            "If I have to turn off the power, then how will I see."
            "With your Eon Ice Everlasting flashlight, of course."
            No two people ever actually had this extremely cheesy conversation, but you get the idea.  If you're going to be working in the dark, you will need a light source.  Unfortunately, the Eon Ice failed this simple test - not because it wasn't bright enough, though.  It failed because it only stays on when you keep the button pressed.  If you've already dedicated your right hand to a light fixture and your left to a screwdriver, you'll probably lack the coordination and flexibility required to somehow press a flashlight button with your forehead and point the light in the right direction with your elbow.  Although that sounds like a decent game-show-style stunt, a typical do-it-yourself-er may not be interested in participating.  Therefore, the Eon Ice may be better utilized as an emergency light than a work light. 



          Claim: "WATERPROOF"
          Test: Trout Pond Float Test
            Yes, this flashlight is waterproof.  Any questions?  Yes. How do you test such a claim?  1. Dunk in water  2. Dry  3. Does it still work?  Yes.  That was easy.  Any more questions?  Yes.  Does it float?  That's a different story...
            Because this claim is actually not that interesting or challenging, we'll just have to make it interesting.  The float test seems fair - what good is a waterproof flashlight if it ends up at the bottom of the lake?  This test involves transforming this small credit card light into a small credit card light/raft, complete with center console and Lego®-man captain....    


          With the console securely fastened (using extra-strength glue, of course), the vessel is ready for its maiden voyage on the high seas pond.


           The captain prepares for launch...


          ...and takes the plunge.


          All the way to the bottom.


           Luckily, he survives the tragic maritime disaster and washes ashore with the wreckage.


            The trout pond test results are as follows... Waterproof: YES.  Sinkproof: NO.  And our brave young captain scores a 9 out of 10 for maintaining his positive attitude (and that ridiculous grin) throughout the course of his ordeal.     



          Bonus Test: Heat Wave
            One potential use of this flashlight could be to have a convenient light source in your car at all times.  For this plan to work, it would have to withstand the extreme heat that typically occurs in vehicles during the summer months.  Although some informal studies have been done on this topic, it is hard to predict how hot a car will get while it roasts in the sun.  Most test results seem to put the upper limit somewhere around 150 F.  With this in mind, we baked the Eon Ice in a household oven for 30 minutes at 200 F (just to be on the safe side).  The result: with no cosmetic or functional effects, the Eon Ice posts a clear victory in this area.



          Summarize:
          This convenient and portable flashlight performed quite well under various forms of abuse and stress.  Although it can take all the hits and keep on shining, it didn't perform as well when faced with practical, regular use.  It's small size and slim shape are simply trade-offs for usability.  This is definitely an item that you can toss in your purse and forget - it can just roam around at the bottom along with your pepper-spray, lost lipstick, and month-old granola bar until that one moment when you might need it.  It would also fit nicely in a glove compartment for emergency use.  




          VERDICT: RECOMMENDED