Product review: Rainbow Reusable Flexible Gel Ice Pack & Wrap with Elastic Velcro Strap (Hot and Cold)

I use cold packs for headaches and back pain. This pack comes with a sleeve with a strap that holds the pack in place.  The strap is 23" long (end to end), which is just enough to wrap around my head. It also works for me around my arms and legs if I ever would need that. It is not long enough to strap around my waste for back pain, I have to use other methods for holding it up there (press against the back of the seat, use the pant's belt and so forth).

Before using Rainbow packs my most commonly used cold pack was "Ace Reusable Cold Compress".  I like it for two reasons - it remains flexible when cold so I can shape it as needed. Ace cold pack does not sweat as it warms up.



Rainbow pack also remains flexible after it is frozen, it does not sweatas it cools.  The sleeve and strap works exceptionally well.  This is now my preferred ice pack for headaches.



The pack stays cold for about 20 minutes, and then needs to be kept in the freezer for 2 hours to provide the next 20 minute treatment.  This is by design and also true of for ACE packs.  My refrigerator has a large assortment of ice pack, so I can swap out the new ones while the recently used ones chill.



This pack also works as hot pack by heating it in the microwave between 60 and 40 seconds depending on the power of your microwave.



I keep the pack in the sleeve when it is the freezer.  I have two reasons for this.  First, it is easier to manipulate into the sleeve when it is not cold.  Second, the plastic material feels a little less durable than the material used in Ace Cold pack and I keep it in the sleeve in the refrigerator to minimize the stress of taking it our and putting into the sleeve.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: EasyAcc 6 Inch USB Mini Desktop Metal Blades Cooling Fan

I like the air flow that this fan creates.  It can be rotated up and down easily (full range of motion). To move the airflow side to side you need to move the fan itself. It has two settings on/off (there is no low and high air flow).

 

My favorite feature of this fan is that it runs from USB power and  I can run it from an external battery which makes it totally portable. It also can work when the power is out. I live an area with a lot of trees and during storms we lose power at least a few times each year. When power is out the fans that can run on external batteries provide some much needed ventilation. The USB cord is 42" long.



The fan is small but generate a pretty good air flow for its size. The fan is quiet but not totally silent I can hear a slight hum of the motor. The sound it generate is white noise and is easy to ignore, so far it makes no no creaking or clanking sounds.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product: iMate TP-06 Indoor Digital Thermometer and Humidity Meter

This thermometer is 2 3/8" wide in size. It has back light for when it is dark.  I compared it with my other calibrated thermometer and the temperature and humidity matches.  It runs on one CR2032 3V cell battery (which is included in the package) 



Initially I had trouble changing the temperature display from Celsius to Fahrenheit.  The thermometer comes without documentation, but the package states that it shows temperature in both Celsius and Fahrenheit so I knew there was a way.  The back of the thermometer has one button, however pressing it did not change the temperature display.  Eventually, I decided not to just press, but press and hold counting to 10 and then then the temperature display changed to Fahrenheit!



I like the mounting system of this thermometer.  The back of the unit is magnetic and so you can mount it directly to something metal.  If you need to mount it on something that is not metal, then you can use the disk that is included in the package.  The disk has sticky tape on one side and metal plate on the other.  So you can create a match of metal anywhere you want to post this thermometer.



Overall, I am quite pleased with it. It is small, it has a nice clear display, and it is accurate.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Outdoor Solar Powered Motion Sensor Lights MOKOQI

Garden light with this style in two flavors: one flavor is a two mode light and the second flavor is a three mode light. In the two mode flavor the lights are "on" when motion is detected (in the dark) and "off" otherwise. In the three mode flavor the lights are dimly "on" all the time when it is dark, and get brighter when motion is detected and "off"  during day light.



I have a strong preference for on/off two mode flavor because they last longer. When the light is dimly on all the time it totally exhausts the battery before the night is over.  Mokoqi is this type of light - it has two modes which means it uses the battery very efficiently.



I live in New England where not every day is sunny, and even sunny days often not sunny continuously, so the light does not get fully recharged every day. The two mode garden lights work better.



A pet peeve I have about these solar lights that they have a logo on the front rather than on the back.  I like combinig the lights along our long fence, and when each one has a different logo they look mis-matched. I hope the manufacture will consider moving the logo to the back as the logo detracts from the overall appearance of the light.



So how bright is this light? To give a numeric measurement of brightness I use a lux meter which measures light intensity. For comparison I take a measurement of 60 watt bulb (since we all have a good feel for how bright those bulbs are) and measurement of this light from the same distance.



~~ At 19" a 60 watt fluorescent bulb registers 613 lux

~~ This light in bright mode registers 277 lux



The light generated by this light is not as bright as a 60 watt bulb, but it is within the range of other similar sized solar lights. It gives enough light to light the area a few feet away.



The light has a hole at the top and comes with mounting hardware. I mounting it on the fence using the hole and this is the second reason why I like this design, it allows a mounting without having to use a screw, I can use tie wraps.



To activate the light for the very first time you need to push a button on the front. The package include a pin that makes this activation very easy.  The light detected me approaching from any direction (135 degrees) from about 6 feet away. After the movement stopped it turns off.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Aicok 8-Inch Chef Kitchen Knife

Don't let the low price scare you away (it was under $10 when I got it). This is a nice knife!  The handle has a nice shape I am finding it very comfortable to hold.  It is sharp, cuts well and is easy to handle. It has a nice feel overall, and it is light weight (7.15 oz), relatively light for its size.

 This knife had been used for every day cooking for almost two weeks. It remained sharp, I do not see any imperfections or dents.  I am quite pleased with it.  In attached video you can see the knife in action.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: EugeneGreen Brand LED Plant Grow Light 12W

I have tested a number of grow lights in a controlled experiment - planting the cucumber seeds to grow in a pot placed in a sunny window vs under the same size pot placed under a grow lamp.



To test the effectiveness of this grow light we planted several identical pots with cucumber sprouts. The first set of pots was left to to grow near a sunny window inside and another pot was left in an area which does not get direct sunlight and was left under a grow light. The grow light was on a timer for 14 hours a day (off at night).



The attached video is a video diary of the two plants with photos taken every day for 11 days. As you see at the end of 11 days the plants under the grow light is shorter and and has more leaves, the plant in the window is taller (stretching towards the light) and has a couple less leaves. Shorter leafier plants are generally better then the taller skinnier ones.



EugeneGreen 12W Grow light fits into a regular bulb fixture. It has 3 blue and 9 red LED lights to simulate sunlight. The light weight 9.15 oz and is 5.5" long, and 4.75" wide. The light feels well made. The finish of the bulb looks neat, and when I shake it nothing rattles.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Halovie Bathtub Pillow with Strong Large Suction Cups

I have a bad back and hot baths are really helpful for my condition. Prior to this pillow I used inflatable pillows. Unlike my other pillows this is not an inflatable pillow, this is foam pillow.  The foam is pretty firm and it is not a memory foam.  It is generously sized 11.5" x 15" x 2". The back of the pillow has 7 suctions cups, they hold well. I find it quite comfortable. 

The only down side of the foam pillow compared to inflatable pillow that foam pillow cannot be folded away for storage.  However, for me this is not an issue. I always keep inflatable pillow inflated so I don't have to re-inflate them every time I need them.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: OsoCozyUnbleached Prefold Cloth Diapers

I originally purchased these diapers for their original intention, but found them to be too thin for that purpose.  I also did not like that they ball up after washing rather than lay flat like microfiber diaper inserts.  To make they lay flat I need to iron them. When flat they are sized 2" x 6" x 2".



I was about to write a negative review when I read a review by another reviewer who re-purposed them to work as a re-usable wet cleaning pads for a Swiffer mop.  Indeed, they fits well.  The width of each diaper is just right to be tucked into the back of the mop, the thin sides fit as well as the disposable pads, and the middle section which is slightly thicker hold water or cleaning solution without making the floors too wet.  I re-wet it with a spray bottle when it dries out so I don't have to remove it after it is already dirty. 

Well, so it least I did not waste my money on it.  Thanks to those who shared these cleaning tip  - this is reviews at their best! Sharing "work arounds" as well as problems and kudos.



You can find these diapers on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: MEIKAN Mens Merino Thin Wool Socks

Meikan socks are a very nice quality thin wool socks.  The seams are flat and comfortable.  The socks are shipped held together by a clip, they are not pierced through the sock. I hate when manufacturers use a plastic staple as it often snags a thread it causes holes. I was very happy to see that Meikan does not use the plastic staples.



The sizing of the socks is a little tricky.  I got a pair of socks in Medium and Large. The medium size is equivalent to lady US regular 9-11 size, which fits US shoe size 7 to 9.  If you have a small foot size and wear shoe size 5 or 6, the heel will be a bit too large. I wear shoe size 7 and the medium size is acceptable. I think after several washings the fit will be perfect as wool socks tend to shrink a little.



The large size fits my husband foot, he wears size 8.5D shoe.  He has a comfortable fit, and it looks like it accommodate a larger foot as well.



Here are the sock measurements from toe to heel (unstretched):

Medium toe to heel: 8" long

Medium cuff: 4 3/4"

Large toe to heel: 9.5" long

Large cuff: 4 7/8"



Overall, excellent quality, good fit.



   



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Book review: The Hidden Pope: The Untold Story of a Lifelong Friendship That Is Changing the Relationship Between Catholics and Jews

This is a touching and interesting story about a close friendship between the Jurek Kluger and John Paul II.  How close?  Close enough that he was the first person to whom that newly minted Pope granted the first Papal audience, baptized his daughter as married her 16 years later.  We follow the story from their childhood to 1997 (this book was published in 1998).   Jurek happens to be Jewish. Having a close friend who is Jewish had a tremendous influence on John Paul II, and he used his friends as sounding board as well as a secret negotiator for helping him establish the formal relationship between Vatican and Israel.  The book helped me understand the complexities of this lengthy process known only to the insiders. It made me love and respect John Paul II even more. 



There are two things about the book that I did not like (but not enough to change my overall opinion).  The photos in the Kindle edition of the book are terrible (the faces are often just black blobs).  I also did not think the title described the book well, I would have called it "True Friends".  This is an interesting and important book.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Manual Lemon & Lime Squeezer Juicer

This lemon juicer has a heavy duty build. It feels well made. It has a large cup which means a lemon has a lot of room to spread as you squeeze and that makes squeezing easier. We have another manual juicer which has a smaller cup and it is harder to squeeze because the lemon does not have the room to get squashed.



In the video you see my husband doing the squeezing. As you can see he was able to get all the juice out and he said it was easy to use especially compared to using the juicer with a small cup.



The lemon squeezer weights 14.15 oz and is 8.5" long.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: MEIKAN Womens Thin Merino Wool Socks

Meikan socks are a very nice quality thin wool socks.  The seams are flat and comfortable.  The socks are shipped held together by a clip, they are not pierced through the sock. I hate when manufacturers use a plastic staple as it often snags a thread it causes holes. I was very happy to see that Meikan does not use the plastic staples.



The sizing of the socks is a little tricky.  I got a pair of socks in Medium and Large. The medium size is equivalent to lady US regular 9-11 size, which fits US shoe size 7 to 9.  If you have a small foot size and wear shoe size 5 or 6, the heel will be a bit too large. I wear shoe size 7 and the medium size is acceptable. I think after several washings the fit will be perfect as wool socks tend to shrink a little.



The large size fits my husband foot, he wears size 8.5D shoe.  He has a comfortable fit, and it looks like it accommodate a larger foot as well.



Here are the sock measurements from toe to heel (unstretched):

Medium toe to heel: 8" long

Medium cuff: 4 3/4"

Large toe to heel: 9.5" long

Large cuff: 4 7/8"



Overall, excellent quality, good fit.   



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Clpp'li Mens Slip On Slippers

These slippers are made out of all men made materials - both the top and the bottom are synthetic. The top is pseudo suede and faux fur, the bottom is synthetic rubber. The sole has some shape and thickness to it (it is NOT one of those totally flat thin soles). The slippers are fairly comfortable, although arch support is very slight.



Instructions say that these slippers can be washed in a washing machine and dried flat (not in a dryer).



These slippers were made in China for Chinese Market place and I received a free pair to test the fit for American market. Getting a free product does not influence what I say, if you are skeptical about that examine my record to see a long history of critical reviews. My husbands likes the slippers and finds them comfortable. He wears them in the morning while getting ready for the day and they work quite well for that.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: LIFE EASIER Wall Calendar 2017 Erasable Yearly Appointment Planner Size 40" x 24" 12

This calendar is one shiny piece of paper. It is 40" wide and 24" tall.  Each row represents a month.  Each day of the week is is marked by one letter, the top and the bottom of the page has numbers from 1 to 31 for each day of the month.  Each of 52 weeks is numbered in light blue color.



Each day is 1" x 1.5".  Even though the square is small I can make two or three notations in each square.



The pen is not included in the package. So I tried a couple of pen I had at home. I started writing on it with a permanent ink pen and that ink cannot be erased.  However, I found another non-permanent ink pen (black in the video) that can be erased by using a paper towel.



The calendar is shipped rolled so it took a little work to make it lay flat.  I am using scotch tape to attach it to the wall of my office.



This calendar is available on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: AT&T 210M Trimline Corded Phone

I owned my Trimline phone for 20+ plus years. It sounds great and is built like a tank, surviving many drops and other accidents. These days we mostly use cordless phones but the old Trimline is still in service in one of the bathrooms and when the power goes out it the only one that works.  Sure, cordless phones are nice because of the convenience of not having a cord, but the Trimline phone sounds better!  When I needed a simple phone for my elderly mother - something that sounds  clear, works without batteries and is easy to use - I immediately knew that I had to get her a Trimline phone!



The new Trimline phone sounds just as good as my old Trimline, but it is much lighter, especially the base.  Will this new lighter version last as long? Not sure... but it sounds very good and it is simple to use.



Weight comparisons:



Old Trimline weight (overall) 1 pound 4.6oz

New Trimline weight (overall) 13 oz



Old Trimline weight (base) 12.8 oz

New Trimline weight (base) 5.4 oz



Old Trimline weight (handset) 8.3 oz

New Trimline weight (handset) 7.9 oz



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Rainbow Colorful Stainless Steel Nail and Cuticle Nipper and Nail Scissors Set by HIGH'S

This set consists of a manicure cuticle nipper and nail scissors set.  The set is made of nice quality stainless steel.  Both the nippers and the scissor feel heavy duty and very sharp.  The stainless steel has a pretty rainbow finish, this is is achieved by heating the metal with high heat which causes stainless to oxidize.



Cuticle nipper works well on finger tails and cuticles.  The small scissors are pretty  universal, work well on nails or sewing. In attached video I show how this scissors cut both my nail and thread.  If the scissors are not sharp they take more than one cut, these do not.



The set has a nice weight to them and they open and close well. They have some resistance not too loose and not too tight.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Book review: Backyard Bird Guide: Attracting Wild Birds to Your Yard

This book is aimed at novice bird watchers that live in Northeast. The book does not have as many photos as I was hoping for but the ones that were included are very nice.  It also did not cover all the birds we see in our back yard (we do live in Massachusetts). I found information about how to attract some species of birds we do not see most interesting. None of the information is unique, you can find everything by searching the web.  I was glad that I got the book during a free promo period.



We have a large number of bird feeders and I agree with the author that the commercial bird seed is not the bird's favorite food. If we fill one bird feeder with commercial bird seed and another with sunflowers, the bird feeder with commercial birdseed will hardly be touched where as sunflower seed will be gone very quickly.  I also can confirm that cracked corn attracts a lot of larger birds including wild turkeys and blue jays.



We have not seen Orioles and Waxwings in our backyard, and I will try adding their favorite foods to see if they appear.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: Round Rich Hand painted High Gloss Lacquer Jewelry Box

This is a super nice jewelry box. First of all it looks beautiful and elegant. Inside it has 4 compartment. There is built-in holder for rings or earrings, a pillow for watches, and velvet bag for anything. I needed a box for keeping my earrings so I can see them at a glace. I was keeping them in their individual boxes and the boxes were taking up a lot of room. Even though this box is not specifically designed for displaying a lot of earrings, I was able to adapt it for this purpose with foam strips. To keep earrings in place i piece the foam with the posts. I am attaching a photo with my adaptation I am very pleased. They are easy to see, securely in place, and take up a lot less room than individual boxes.



I really like this box, it is beautiful, well made and made me more organized.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: KQRNS Clip on Bed Reading Light

This a nice clip lamp.  Its clip open 2" wide and holds secure.  It is also can be used a stand for the lamp.  The neck of clip lamp is flexible and it can be bent as needed and it holds its shape well.



The lamp has a built in battery and is rechargeable. It uses a round connector rather than a micro usb, so you need to hang on to the cord, if you misplace it you will not be able to recharge the lamp.



If you touch the base quickly you can turn on an off the lamp with one touch. If you touch and hold the light dims or brightens slowly.  The spot light the lamp generates is not larger, but enough to light a book. Overall, pretty nice book light.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Copper Dual USB Car Charger 3.6A/18W by GONGNIU

This a compact charger which feels heavy and well mae.  It is metal and weighs 2.1 oz. This charger makes good tight contact with the car port and stays well seated even on bumpy roads.  I like that it has a clear LED indicator that is is plugged in (a blue ring around the edge).  It has two ports with a maxiumum output of 2.4A (if both ports are used total max is 3.6A).  Of coruse, what each device draws depends on that specific device, not all phones are cable of drawing 2.4A.  For example, my  Nexus 5 draws a maximum of 1A, however Nexus 6 was able to draw the max.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: La Crosse Technology BC-700 Alpha Power Battery Charger

I purchased this La Cross battery charger in January 2014. It has been in daily use since the day I bought it. It is holding up well and continues to work well after this constant long term use. I like that it can charge an odd number of batteries, charging different types of batteries at the same time (e.g. AA and AAA).



The display for each battery shows the mAh of each battery so you can see when the battery is aging. It has a "refresh" feature that will bring dead rechargeable batteries back to life. Batteries without this feature just no longer charge them. This feature alone made the charger pay for itself as I was able to bring rejuvenate batteries back to life rather replace them. Refresh is a fairy long process (as needs to fully discharge the batteries and then re-charge them multiple times).



Summary: reliable over many years, clear display for each battery, very useful refresh function.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Pawtec Retractable Micro USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B Cable Extends to 3 Feet

This charging cable works well charging my Android phone at an optimal rate (based on current monitor measurements).  The retractable mechanism works well - I have been using the two cables I have since 2015 and both still retract and expand reliably.  Both cables are in daily use for this entire period.



The retractability of the cord is handy especially for my MP3 player with external speaker which I have permanently plugged into a power bank. This cord helped me got rid of the dangling wire. When the cord is extended to its back it is 36" long. To retract it from that position you need to yank on both end to trigger the retracting mechanism.



Current monitor results:

black cord: 1.02A / 5.05V (excellent)

white cord: 1.02A / 5.09V (excellent)

(for comparison this is on par with the best charging monitor result for this phone 1.00A/5V)





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★★