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: 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: Etekcity 1x2 HDMI Splitter / 2 Port Audio Video Amplifier HDCP Ver 1.3 Support 3D 1080P PS3 Xbox DVD Blu-ray

This splitter works fine with one cable connected to the TV and another connected to a projector. My only concern is that the splitter does get very warm when in use which is a concern for its longevity.



Note that this is a splitter, i.e. it takes one input (say a cable broadcast) and displays the image on two displays. If your TV has one HDMI port (input) and you want the TV display to show either a cable broadcast or an output from another device such as ROKU you want a switch not a splitter.

This splitter works fine with one cable connected to the TV and another connected to a projector. My only concern is that the splitter does get very warm when in use which is a concern for its longevity.



Note that this is a splitter, i.e. it takes one input (say a cable broadcast) and displays the image on two displays. If your TV has one HDMI port (input) and you want the TV display to show either a cable broadcast or an output from another device such as ROKU you want a switch not a splitter.



Ali Julia review



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: AT&T CL4940 Corded Standard Phone with Answering System

I purchased AT&T phone with answering machine over a year ago. Overall the answering machine is working fine, but it has two annoying behaviors.



We have more than one phone in the house.  When a call is answered on another phone the answering machine shows these calls as "missed calls".  The second annoyance that it seems not be able to handle day light savings time. Even when I correct the time manually it resets itself to the wrong time.  So for half of the year the phone calls are shown as 1 hour off.  I read the manual trying to find how to change this and could not find it.  If someone who is reading this review knows how make it responsive to Day Light Savings time I would really appreciate a tip on how to do it.



On the positive side, the display is large and clear.  The screen has a back light (note that the dial buttons do not have back light). The back light is turned on when a phone call is coming in or when you press any button. The voice that comes in on the phone is loud and sounds good. This is also true when you use the speaker phone.  I am told that I sound crisp and clear even when I am using the speaker phone.  When there is a message waiting there is a button that blinks to indicate a waiting message. The manual states that you can also configure a beep to indicate a waiting message, but we do not use this option.  The answering machine is easy to turn on and off (a button that glows when answering machine is turned on).  I have caller id, so when a new phone call comes in I can see the phone number and name displayed on the screen (it is not announced by voice, just displayed).

I am using this phone as a wall phone. I like how the attachment bracket is designed - it is easy to hang and the phone is lifted a little away from the wall.  The handset has a special catch to make it work well as a wall phone.



The messages and greeting announcements are digitally recorded in the internal media.  Recording my own greeting was easy.



This phone comes with AC adapter but it is actually possible to make calls during power failure. The power comes from the phone line itself, so it is limited to making and receiving calls. Other functionality is not available unless you have power.  After the power outage I have to reset time, but my pre-programmed quick dial numbers are NOT lost.



Other than the two negatives I mentioned at the start of the review the phone has many good features that I like.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Folding Cane, BeGrit Dependable Ajustable Height Lightweight Folding Walking Stick Cane

I got this stick for my mother. She likes quad canes as it gives her more stability. She does not use the cane all the time, for example in the store when she has a cart the cane gets in her way and the fact that this cane folds up made it sound appearing.



She likes this cane:



1. This cane is fairly light. It weighs 13.7 oz.

2. This cane is stable. It has wide rubberized base which has a good grip.

3. This cane can stand on is own if you need to use your hands to do something else. Even if you bump it a little it balances back to the center.

4. This handle has a neoprene sleeve so when her hands sweat the handle absorbs it.

5. It folds up so she can put it in the shopping cart when she shops. When folded it is 11" (34" when unfolded)

6. It has a leash on the handle which helps her not to forget the cane when she is out. The same leash holds the cane legs together when the cane is folded.



I asked her if there is anything about the cane that she would like to be different. She told me that she would like it to be a little shorter. The cane adjusts from 33" to 49". My mother is short, just under 5' tall. If a cane could be another inch shorter she would find the arm position more comfortable.



The feature that she likes most is that it can stand on its own while she uses her hands to reach for something.



I received this cane for evaluation a special discount as part of a new product introduction.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: iNee 6 Fat Quarter Bundles, Cotton Fabric for Quilting Sewing

This listing combines several options, I got the 6 pack of greens. I am a quilter and have purchased thousands of fat quarters in my life. This is a decent fabric - the cotton is not thin and flimsy, it has good thickness. In attached photos I show it with back lighting and my hand behind the fabric so you can use transparency as your own judgment of thickness.



These are not quilt shop top notch fat quarters, but they are decent. They are properly sized for a fat quarter (22" x 21.5"). They are 100% cotton.



This fat quarters are provided to me at a special discount for evaluation and review. Getting a discounted product for evaluation does not prevent me from leaving critical reviews in the past when the product warrants it. I leave critical reviews on regular basis, however, this quarters were exactly what I expected in size, thickness, and quality - good but not outstanding fabric.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Car Window Shade Sun Shade To Protect Your Baby in Rear Seat

On long trips where I am the passanger in the cat I have been using a plastic sun shade held down by suction. These shades are typically used for babies but I have been using it on the passagenger side window.  Suction cups do come off every now and then and a fabric door sleeve sounded like a better idea in theory.



I have tried it on the doors of small size SUV and a small size sedan.  The sleeve I shaped to the car door shape, sloping on one side, taller on the other.  It fit on the rear door of both cars.  It was too small for the front door of wither car.  However, even though the shade is not larger enough to fit over the front door that actually works out fine because it leave the side mirror uncovered and it does not obscure the mirror from the driver's view. 



This sunshade is made out thin nylong fabric. The sun shade does not totally block out the sun, it dims it.  In attached video I show a few comparison with and without the sun shade so you can see the difference.  It does obscure the view through the window, you can see things but not clearly.



If you are using it for a baby in the back seat it works better as you don't need to worry about exposing the side mirror, shaded view out of the window.



The shade size is 20.5" x 31"





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★

Product review: EKEN H9, Ultra HD 4K Waterproof Action Camera

The colors are excellent during the day when not shooting directly in sun.  Shooting in the sun is a challeging situation for any camera and this camera like many other overexposed the video if the sun is shining directly into the les of the camera. In attached video you can video taken with the camera during the day and at night. Night time video does not have a lot details in total duckness but with a little bit of light you can see what is going on.



This is a 4K camera.  On a 1080p monitor you cannot tell a difference between 1080p and 4K video, but if you own a 4K TV/monitor then you can take full advantage of 4K video.



The colors in the video are bright and accurate. Keep in mind that I am posting compressed video due to size limitation for the video pots, so viewing it as a thumbprint gives you the best approximation of the real thing.



The camera has an intuitive menu-driven interface, it also has WI FI that allows me to see what the camera sees on phone.  The name of the app that is compatible with this camera is EZ iCam App which is available from GooglePlay. There is also an iPhone version of the app which I did not try. The name of the hot spot is "ICAM-Hg(R)". The camera is exactly the same size as GoPro camera and accessories designed for GoPro fit it.



The camera is comptable with 16G and 32G micro SD cards, and I am using 32G class 10 card.  The card is my own, micro SD is not included in the package.



To recharge the camera takes about 5 hours from empty, I am getting about 3 hours of video on one charge.  The camera can take video while charging if it is switched to the "auto" mode, so it can be used as a dash cam on a long drive.



The package includes a large number of clamps and holders as well as a waterproof case.  My video shows close up of all accessories.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: symGLASS 16-Ounce Unbreakable Pint Glass

Just like Plexiglass is not glass, symGLASS is not glass but a plastic material. Description says it is made with Tritan, which I was not familiar. I looked it up and found that it is a clear polymer developed by Eastman company and is safety tested for food products. Eastman web site has a lot information about this material and its safety tests for those who are interested. It is rated for food.



The glasses look nice, but I could immediately tell they are plastic by look, feel, weight and the noise they made when they clanked. So the marketing description is a little overstated. However, if you are looking for non-breaking high quality plastic drinking glasses these glasses are what you are looking for. In my video I dropped them onto a tile floor from the height of the kitchen counter with no ill effects - the glass did not break and had no scratches. Each glass weighs 8.9 oz.

They work well not only with cold drinks but hot drinks as well. Because plastic is less conductive than glass these glasses do not feel hot when they are filled with hot water for hot tea or coffee.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: lethmik Infinity Scarf Rex Rabbit Hair Knit Scarves Winter Warm Neck Scarfs Multicolor

This scarf is woven out if rabbit hair.  Rabbit hair is combined with wool to form "hairy" wool.  This is not a skin of the animal, just like a scarf woven out of plain wool it is not solid and has small holes in the weave.  The hair is pretty dense so unless you look at it through the light you do not see the holes. I wondered if such construction would shed, but it does not shed. It looks pretty full, until you touch it you can't tell is woven. It feels very soft on top, and knobby from the knitting if you press down.

The scarf is an infinity scarf and is 56" long. This length allows me either wear it long as is or wrap it around twice, which then puts it right against my chin. The soft and silky fur feels very nice against my neck and it looks good. The only negative I can say that it has a bit of a scent. It is not a moldy smell, probably some sort of anti-moth scent used for storage. After airing it out for 2 weeks the scent is gone. I looked up tips for scent removal for fur and used this method: use a vinyl garment bag and fresh coffee grounds. Hang the fur scarf in the vinyl garment bag, put a container with fresh coffee grounds in the bottom of the bag. Zip the garment bag closed, and leave the scarf in the bag until the scent goes away. Every now and then the coffee grounds should be stirred. In about a week the scent was gone. The scarf did smell like coffee but after airing out in a well-ventilated area the coffee smell dissipated and the other scent did not return.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Comfort Zone Personal Heater

On the positive side this heater works fairly fast, I measured that it
raises the temperature in a 12' x 16' feet room by 2 degrees in 15
minutes (low heat settings). It is reasonably quiet especially on the
low setting. On the negative side it draws quite a bit of power so it
is fairly expensive to use.



My power meter shows:

High heat setting: 931.3 watts

Low heat setting 522.5 watts

Fan setting 12.5 watts



Because
this battery draws a lot of power it has to be plugged in. The
instructions say to plug the unit directly into AC outlet (not using an
extension cord). Certainly do NOT use an extension cord used for lamps
which is 16 AWG which is not heavy gauge, if you use an extension hard
you need to buy a heavy duty cord (12 AWG).



It has a dial thermostat to control the desired temperature. It is not temperature base just high to low.



Because
of its high power consumption I use it in a bathroom (small room for a
short time). We keep the house pretty cool in the winter so I use this
heater to warm up the bathroom when I take showers so I don't freeze
when I get out of the shower.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Maverick ET-733 Long Range Wireless Dual Probe Meat Thermometer

I have been using Maverick thermometer for a week, including cooking the Thanksgivings feast.  The highlights for me were its accuracy and the fact that the receiver worked well at a long distance. I could would how my turkey was progressing in a room 40 feet away from the oven.



Despite key great features it is not perfect.  In this review I will highlight its strengths and weaknesses.



The first thing I did is to measure the accuracy of the thermometer.  My video shows this test.  Checking accuracy of the thermometer is very easy because we know the temperature at which the water boils at sea level is 212°F degrees.  The video shows the reading of both the transmitter and the receiver.  The thermometer final reading is 214, which is 2 degrees higher than boiling water.  This test shows that the thermometer is accurate within 2 degrees, which is acceptable. It shows this measurement consistently during several tests.

I like that the thermometer comes with two units: the transmitter which has the probes attached, and the receiver a unit which you can place where it is convenient so you can see and hear what is going with the temperature of the probe.  It will communicate with the transmitter up to 300 feet away.



The package includes a clip stand which attaches to the back of the unit, so it is easy to see.



The sensors are heat resistant for up to 716°F and come with wires that are 3 feet long. Enough to put the transmitted on top of the oven when the probes piece the meat. 



The transmitter unit is water tight, to open the battery compartment you need a small screw driver.  The receiver unit is not water tight, so the battery compartment has just a sliding cover.  The unit comes with batteries, but they were carbon batteries that we decided not to use and used our own alkaline batteries.



On the negative side, the initial sync function did not work smoothly.  The documentation says it should have happened automatically, but it did not. It took multiple manual attempts until it finally worked.  This is the steps:

1) Turn off both units. Then turn on the receiver by holding the on button for 2 seconds.

2) The turn on the transmitter by holding the on button for 2 seconds.

3) Then hit the sync button on the back of the transmitter for 2 seconds until the receiver shows the same temperature.  This function did not work when I had only one probe inserted. When I inserted both probes it worked.  Initially I was only planning to use one probe, but with two probes I was able to get the temperature from two different parts of the turkey.



"Taste" button controls the wellness of the meat.  For turkey there are no options, the only available temperature is 170°F.  I expected the thermometer to beep when it reached 170°F, but it did not.  The temperature just went past 170°F. I would have preferred an alarm to let me know that it is time to stop cooking.



I also wanted to use the temperature probe to measure the temperature of scallops which was I was defrosting.  The probe was not able to measure the temperature when it was below freezing. It displayed "LLL". It did work properly when it reached the 32°F.



Overall, pretty good, I wish it would beep when the goal temperature was reached and this is why I rate it good (4 stars) rather than great (5 stars).





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Akila Anti Oxidant Eye Cream

I have been using this cream around my eyes.  I can't say it performed major miracles, but after two weeks of use I see slight improvement especially under my eyes.

This cream feels rich and smooth and it is absorbed quickly.  It is a good moisturizer that seem  feel the fine lines around on my skin.  To see how it works I treated the back of one hand and then compared the two hands. The skin on the treated hand looked smoother. It does not feel greasy.



This cream is not unscented.  The scent it has is very interesting, after I applied it smelled a bit like coffee and a little bit as lemon to me.  Since I like both of those scents I liked how it smelled.  I never had a cream with type of a smell before, I am enjoying it.



Recommendations for use from the label: apply twice  a day.

Ingredients

Purified Water, Organic Barbadensis Aloe Leaf Juice, Organic Sunflower Oil, botanical hyaluronic acid, Witch Hazel, Glycolic Acid, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Glyceryl Stearate, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Squalane, Lactic Acid, Palm Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Octyl Palmitate, Organic Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Stearyl Alcohol, Potassium Stearate, Vitamin C, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Crithmum Maritimum Extract (Sea Fennel Wax), Matrixyl 3000, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Cucumber Hydrosol, Carbomer, (2s)-2-Amino-5-guanidinopentanoic Acid, Organic Beeswax, Organic Jojoba Oil, Tamanu Oil, Wildcrafted Green Tea, R Lipoic Acid, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract (Bearberry Extract), Blueberry Extract, Organic Cranberry, Raspberry Seed Oil, Wildcrafted Oregon Grape, Organic Licorice, Wildcrafted Eyebright, Helichrysum Essential Oil, Camellia Oil, Avocado Oil, Geranium Essential Oil, Organic Borage Oil, Organic Flax Seed Oil, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Organic Rose Hip Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Coenzyme Q10, Vitamin E Acetate, Phytic Acid, Phospholipids, Tocopheryl (Antioxidant), Lecithin, Pyrus Malus (Apple), Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon), Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane), Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate (peptides), Cymbopogon Schoenanthus (Lemongrass), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C Palmitate), Acetyl



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Akila Anti Aging Cream for Face

This cream feels rich and smooth and it is absorbed quickly.  It is a good moisturizer that seem  feel the fine lines in  my skin.  To see how it works I treated the back of one hand and then compared the two hands. The skin on the treated hand looked smoother.

This cream is not unscented.  The scent it has is very interesting, after I applied it smelled a bit like coffee to me.  Since I like coffee I liked how it smelled.  I never had a cream with type of a smell before, I am enjoying it.



I have a dry patch of skin on my forehead and this cream really helps from making it look dry and flaky.

Ingredients



Organic Herbal Infusion, Organic Barbadensis Aloe Leaf Juice Aloe, Organic Sunflower Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Octyl Palmitate, Glycolic Acid, Organic Coconut Oil, Squalane, Lactic Acid, Palm Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, MSM, Cocoa Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Stearate, Cucumber Distillate, Botanical Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C, Organic Beeswax, Organic Jojoba Oil, Coenzyme Q10, Phytic Acid, Phospholipids, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Grapeseed Oil, Wildcrafted Mahonia Aquifolium (Oregon Grape), Wildcrafted Green Tea, Camellia Oil, Avocado Oil, Wildcrafted Euphrasia Officinalis (Eyebright), Helichrysum Gymnocephalum (Helichrysum Essential Oil), Organic Glycyrrhiza Glabra, Lemongrass, Vitamin C Palmitate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-3, Tamanu Oil, Organic Borage Oil, Organic Flax Seed Oil, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Organic Rose Hip Oil, Vitamin B5, Wildcrafted Arnica, Organic Lavender, Organic Calendula, Organic Chamomile, Macadamia Nut Oil, Sodium Carbomer, Sclerotium Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopheryl (Antioxidant), Lecithin, Pyrus Malus (Apple), Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon), Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane), Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Akila Hyaluronic Acid Firming Serum

The eye serum is a milky preparation which is fairly thin (it is not a cream). It goes on slightly wet and is absorbed quickly. It does not feel greasy.



I have been using it for a few weeks and overall I see a slight improvement especially on a patchy skin on my forehead.



The serum is not unscented.  The scent is light smells like grass or some other vegetation to me. It is not unpleasant smell.



It is recommended to morning and evening application to eyes, eyelids, cheeks and forehead. I have a dry patch of skin on my forehead and this cream really helps from making it look dry and flaky.

Ingredients



Purified Water, Organic Barbadensis Aloe Leaf Juice, Organic Sunflower Oil, botanical hyaluronic acid, Witch Hazel, Glycolic Acid, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Glyceryl Stearate, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Squalane, Lactic Acid, Palm Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Octyl Palmitate, Organic Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Stearyl Alcohol, Potassium Stearate, Vitamin C, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Crithmum Maritimum Extract (Sea Fennel Wax), Matrixyl 3000, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Cucumber Hydrosol, Carbomer, (2s)-2-Amino-5-guanidinopentanoic Acid, Organic Beeswax, Organic Jojoba Oil, Tamanu Oil, Wildcrafted Green Tea, R Lipoic Acid, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract (Bearberry Extract), Blueberry Extract, Organic Cranberry, Raspberry Seed Oil, Wildcrafted Oregon Grape, Organic Licorice, Wildcrafted Eyebright, Helichrysum Essential Oil, Camellia Oil, Avocado Oil, Geranium Essential Oil, Organic Borage Oil, Organic Flax Seed Oil, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Organic Rose Hip Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Coenzyme Q10, Vitamin E Acetate, Phytic Acid, Phospholipids, Tocopheryl (Antioxidant), Lecithin, Pyrus Malus (Apple), Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon), Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane), Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate (peptides), Cymbopogon Schoenanthus (Lemongrass), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C Palmitate), Acetyl





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: HeatTrak HCM24-3 Carpeted Snow-Melting Door Mat, 24 Inch by 36 Inch, 120 Volt

I purchased HeatTrak in the fall of 2015 and used it all last winter. It did not work as fast as I expected but it did work. So I just pulled it out to get ready for this winter.



Here is what I learned based on my last year experience.  The mat works slowly, so it is best to turn it on before the storm prior to any snow fall.  I normally keep the mat unplugged and plug in only when the storm is predicted.  I am using it on a wood deck. The mat did not cause discoloration under the mat. I see no signs that the wood stain under the mat has aged faster compared to other parts of the deck. The mat never felt hot to touch, only somewhat warm.  Note that it only gets warm when the temperature is cold, keep that in mind if you are trying to test in the fall when it is not cold enough.  The mat is less than 1/2" thick but has a thicker bump where the cord is connected to the mat.



The size of the map is 24" x 36" and feels quite heavy.  It does not get lifted even by heavy winds.  The "carpeted" side should face up, the smooth side should face down.

I also used the mat to melt icy patches on the deck. It took a long time to do the entire deck by moving the mat from spot to spot, but it was easier and caused less damage to the deck compared to trying to chip the ice off. I am using a 30 foot cord outdoor power cord and water-tight cord lock from Farm Innovators to protect the connection between the extension cord and the mat cord. Follow this link to find the cord lock I purchased. I like the green version because its size can be adjusted for different size plugs.



I wish it was a bit larger and a bit cheaper, but overall satisfied with how it worked last winter.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Lumsing Grand Series A1 Mini Portable Battery Charger 6700mah External Power Bank

♦ size: 7/8" x 3 7/8" x 13/16"

♦ weight: 5.1 oz

♦ capacity 6700mah

♦ number of ports: 1

♦ flashlight: yes

♦ pass through charging: No (i.e. the battery can charge while being charged itself)

♦ cable included: Yes, 1 micro USB cable



This is a compact external battery with one port and small flash light.  I am using this battery with my Android phone.  It chargers the phone slightly below optimum, but I like that is fairly small for its capacity.  The flashlight is small and not very bright, it is bright enough for emergencies like to light the key hole or something that fell on the floor of my car.



I also tested to see if the battery supports pass-through charging (i.e. whether the battery can charge mobile devices while it is being charged). This battery does NOT supports charge through charging. It can not charge while being charged.



Overall, compact for its capacity and charges my Android phone at AC level.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: BESTEK 30W 4-Port USB Charger Charging Station Wall Charger with USB C Port and 3 Type-A Ports

Side by side comparison with Google wall charger that came with Nexus 6p

This wall charger has 4 ports: one type-C port and three USB ports. I am using this wall charger with Nexus 6p (type-C USB connection) and Nexus 5 (type-A USB connection).



To judge how well this wall charger works I compared its performance with the type-C charger provided by Google that came in the package with Nexus 6p.  You see the results in attached photos, they show that Google charger charged the phone somewhat faster but Bestek is only slightly under performs.



For Nexus 5 both mini USB ports worked in line with other wall chargers.



This wall charger is shaped as a semicircle and comes with a breaded cord that has a regular size power plug. The regular size plug takes up only one slot on the power strip.



Even though it gives up some charging speed to Google charger it is convenient that it has both mini USB and Type-C ports especially when I travel.  For comparison Google charger is a dedicated one c-port charger.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Oittm USB-C Charger with Type-C Port & 2 USB Ports

This wall charger has 3 ports: one type-C port and two USB ports. I am using this wall charger with Nexus 6p (type-C USB connection) and Nexus 5 (mini USB connection).



To judge how well this wall charger works I compared its performance with the type-C charger provided by Google that came in the package with Nexus 6p.  You see the resuls in attached photos, they show that Google charger charged the phone faster.



For Nexus 5 both mini USB ports worked in line with other wall chargers.



This wall charger is 3.75" x 275" x 1" thick. It has a long cord with a regular size plug which takes up only one slot on the power strip.  Even though it gives up some charging speed to Google charger it is convenient that it has both mini USB and Type-C ports especially when I travel.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆