JVC Wireless Earbud Soft Gumy Wireless Earbud, Violet (HAFX9BTV) by JVC

I've been using these Bluetooth earbuds for 2 months. Generally speaking, I use them to listen to audiobooks, but I have used them to listen to music as well.

These earbuds connect very easily. In my house I was able to get more than 20 feet away from my phone and still be connected. Outside, the range was less - but that has been my experience with every set of Bluetooth headphones. 

They are perfect for spoken voice. They are not bad for music, just not great. They are what you would expect for a set of Bluetooth earbuds.

The manufacturer claims that they take 2.5 hours to fully charge and will work for 5 hours. In my experience that seems about right.

They are very comfortable in the ears and do come with different sized tips for different sized ears. That is pretty standard for ear buds. 

They do not come with any sort of case. I re-used an old case and carried them in it. I would recommend a case rather than just sticking them in your pocket and fishing them back out.

The set comes with a microphone so you can answer the phone without having to shut down the Bluetooth. The microphone is okay, but not great. Good for a short conversation but that's about it.

I rate this Bluetooth earbuds 4 stars out of 5 and they can be found on Amazon.com here: JVC Wireless Earbud Soft Gumy Wireless Earbud, Violet (HAFX9BTV).

Note: I was sent a free set of these earbuds as a part of the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review.

POLY and BARK EVA TASK CHAIR in VEGAN LEATHER, GREY by Poly and Bark

When assembled, this entry level office chair is really much nicer than the typical entry level office chair. The "vegan leather" is very soft and smooth. The padding in the chair is very comfortable and the chair travels up and down very smoothly and easily. However, the chair does not tilt back at all - it is at a 90 degree angle and not going anywhere. So, if you like a tilt to the back of your chair you will not want this chair. 

On the whole, this chair was very easy to put together until I got to the last step. After I spread out the parts I timed how long it would take to actually build the chair. After 20 minutes I was all done except for attaching the back of the chair. 

Same bolt - different view

The cross threaded bolt

But, finishing the job took another 25 minutes because of the size of the base plate that attaches the seat to the post. The plate is simply too large because it looks like it was designed to fit on more than one chair. It doesn't really fit this chair because it partially blocks the arm that holds the chair back so that 2 of the screws don't align properly. 

All secured

I have included two pictures of the problem.
To fix the problem, I took off the base plate and slid it as far from the where the arm that holds the chair back attaches and reattached it. Both chair back screws did fit - but both are certainly cross-threaded because I couldn't get them into the holes at the correct perpendicular angle. I had a very hard time getting the last screw in. It is most certainly not coming back out again. Having to re-attach the base plate and then fighting with the screws added an extra 20 minutes to what should have been a 25 minute build time.

I rate this chair 4 stars out of 5. I am taking off a star because of the unnecessarily difficult build. 

This chair can be found on Amazon.com here: POLY and BARK EVA TASK CHAIR in VEGAN LEATHER, GREY.

Note: I received a sample chair through the Amazon Vine program so that I could write an honest review.

Hisense RS09DR1SS 2.7 cu. ft. Single Door Compact Refrigerator, Silver by Hisense

This is the type of refrigerator that I would call a "dorm" refrigerator because it's they type I had in college nearly 30 years ago. Actually, it's nicer than the one I had 30 years ago because I had one of the 1.7 cubic foot cube freezer. This fridge is 2.7 cubic feet.

This fridge is really designed for holding drinks and leftovers. There is a freezer that I have never tried out because, in my experience, the freezers in these types of refrigerators don't really freeze things - they just keep them colder. I have used this refrigerator for more than 6 months in my garage and it has maintained a steady temperature in the heat of summer and the cold of winter.

The door is reversible, meaning you can change it so it opens to the left rather than the default of opening to the right. It is not very heavy so it can easily move into a dorm or an office.

The only complaint that I have with the fridge is the shelving on the door. I am not fond of the can holding contraption because I keep the fridge on the floor and it is really hard to work when you have to bend over. If it were on a table it might be easy to use, I suppose. and there is a lot of wasted space next to it.

I rate this fridge 4 stars out of 5.

This refrigerator can be found on Amazon.com here: Hisense RS09DR1SS 2.7 cu. ft. Single Door Compact Refrigerator, Silver.

Note: I received one of these refrigerators as part of the Amazon Vine Program so that I could write an honest review.

Magnavox DSP 360 Degree Sound Effect Portable Speaker with NFC and Bluetooth Wireless Technology (MMA3630) by Magnavox

I have been using this speaker for 4 months - I put it on a shelf next to my shower and stream music while getting ready in the morning.

This speaker can connect to a cell phone with by way of a wire with plugs on both ends (included) or Blue Tooth. It takes about 15 seconds for the Blue Tooth to completely connect to a previously paired phone. That is little longer than normal for most speakers or headphones, in my experience. 

The speaker claims a 10 hour battery life. While I have never measured it, I can tell you that I go a long time between recharges.

The speaker sounds great with music - it has a nice deep sound with a lot of bass for such a little speaker. The size is compact enough that you can put it on a desk or on a shelf (like me) and have room for other things. 

I rate this speaker 5 stars out of 5.

This speaker cost $77.95 on Amazon.com at the time of this review. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Magnavox DSP 360 Degree Sound Effect Portable Speaker. 

Note: I received one of these speakers as part of the Amazon Vine Program so that I could write an honest review.

Sunex 30080 3/8-Inch Drive 80-Tooth Low Profile Chrome Ratchet with Teardrop Handle by Sunex

Confession time. I am not really a tool guy. This doesn't mean that I don't have just all of the tools that most guys have, it just means that I don't go in for the top-of-the-line tools. 

Priced at $32.77, this is by far the most expensive ratchet that I own. It probably costs more than both of the very basic metric and standard sets that I own - put together.

So, I took this ratchet to my father for his opinion. He worked in appliance repair for more than 30 years and knows his hand tools.

Here are his comments:

-Nice ratcheting action (the manufacturer is very proud of this - the ratchet has 80 teeth which means you don't have to move the ratchet handle much to get a new angle on things).

-He liked the fact that the handle has a fat part for you to hold in your hand - it's a simple touch but it makes it easier to use over the long haul (my cheap ratchets do not have a "fat" handle).

-He also liked the fact that the handle does not have grips in the handle. Over the long haul those grips start to hurt your hand. 

No eject button

-He did not like the fact that it does not have an eject button in the head to kick off the socket. If you use the finest sockets on the market, this might not be an issue, but...see my comments in the 2nd paragraph.

So, I rate this ratchet 4 stars out of 5 because of the eject button.

This ratchet can be found on Amazon.com here: Sunex 30080 3/8-Inch Drive 80-Tooth Low Profile Chrome Ratchet with Teardrop Handle.

Note: I received one of these ratchets as part of the Amazon Vine Program so that I could write an honest review.

Scotch-Brite Scrub Dots Non-Scratch Scrub Sponge, 6 Count by Scotch-Brite

So-So

This is a variation on the sponge with the scrubbing side glued to the sponge. The scrubbing side on these sponges is not nearly as harsh as the typical scrubbing sponge. Scotch-Brite does make a variation on this model that is a little tougher.

The sponge itself was excellent, but I found the "scrub dots" side to be a bit of a disappointment in a couple of ways. It was just okay - I found it to be less effective than the traditional scrub sponge and tended to collect grease from what I was washing rather than removing it. Even worse, the scrub side came loose after about 10 minutes of use.

So, I am giving this 2 stars out of 5. The sponge itself is excellent, the "scrub dots" are a disappointment.

Note: I received a free 6 count package of this product for review purposes as a part of the Amazon Vine Program.

The Scotch-Brite Scrub Dots Non-Scratch Scrub Sponge, 6 Count by Scotch-Brite can be found on Amazon.com here

ECR4Kids GelWriter Premium Multicolor Gel Pens in Coloring Box (36-Count)

Unlike many people who buy gel pens, I did not get these gel pens to color in one of those adult coloring books.

I got them to grade papers. Everyone thinks you have to use a red pen to grade but what you really need is a pen that is not black or blue. Gel pens are wonderful to grade with because they glide like a marker but write much more precisely. Plus, I like grading in non-traditional grading colors like orange and pink and with glitter.

So, how do they work? They are excellent. They flow smoothly and practically glide across the page.

Note: these are not fine tip pens so if you are getting them to color very tiny areas, these may not be your best choice.

The pens come in a cardboard box with an attached lid that you flip open. The box is about 50% bigger than a boutique tissue cube. Inside, the pens are all arranged by color so that you can see the lids and pick out your color. The lids match the actual color of the gel ink very well.

I rate this collection of gel pens 4 stars out of 5.

As of the time of this review this set of gel pens cost $14.95. It is available on Amazon.com here: ECR4Kids GelWriter Premium Multicolor Gel Pens in Coloring Box (36-Count).

Note: I received a free sample of these gel pens as a part of the Amazon Vine program.