Caden K1 Triangle Shoulder Camera Bag (Khaki) by Mystery

This is a very good camera bag. It has four pockets on the outside and a cavernous interior. The interior can be rearranged as needed with three velcro panels or walls that stick to the interior and each other. There are also two pockets that could hold SD cards, two pockets that could hold batteries or a small notebook and a pencil holder.

Each pocket is protected by a big parachute clip so it would be pretty hard for enterprising pickpockets to get into your bag in an airport or amusement park line.

The padding is thick, the velcro pads are super sticky. I would not be afraid to stick my camera in this bag and toss it in the back of my car. I wouldn't throw it off a cliff, but this bag is more than enough for normal wear and tear on a camera.

There is a shoulder strap that adjusts easily and can go from hand bag length to full purse length. There is also a waist or chest strap. The waist/chest strap could also be used to slide over a luggage handle. 

Lastly, the bag has a little raincoat to cover the area that would be exposed if you were wearing the camera bag during a rainstorm. It is kept on with elastic and a little strap that clips around the shoulder strap so you don't lose the little raincoat.

This bag does not need to be restricted to cameras. On a long trip, this would be a great bag to put your phone, your passport and anything else you want to be kept near you.

I rate this camera bag 5 stars out of 5.

Note: I received a free camera bag so that I could write an honest review.

As of the time of this review this bag cost $22.85 on Amazon.com. Click here for current pricing: Caden K1 Triangle Shoulder Camera Bag by Mystery.

1/2 inch Ratchet Wrench with 5° Movement and Polished, Hardened Steel from Jaeger

So, what we have here is your standard, flat, ratchet box wrench. This tool is well-balanced and very attractive. There are no visible imperfections.

I was going to write some sort of review explaining why a ratcheting box wrench is better than a regular wrench but I decided that the customer for this product is a tool nut and tool nuts already know that.

The wrench works great. Some ratchet wrenches have a little lever to flip to change the direction. You need to flip this ratchet wrench over to do that. No big deal.

On the Amazon website, the manufacturer states that this wrench is a first step to a line of ratchet wrenches.

I rate this wrench 5 stars out of 5.

Note: I was offered a free sample of this wrench in order to create an honest review. I said, "Heck, yeah! Free tools!" But, seriously, this is a nice wrench.

At the time of this review, this wrench cost $9.99 on Amazon.com. Click here for current pricing: 1/2 inch ratchet wrench by Jaeger.

Micro USB Cable (6.6ft, 3.3ft, 1ft) - 5 Pack by Aukey

Micro USB cables. 5 years ago I had one just one cable - it charged my 2nd generation Kindle. Now, I am charging all sorts of stuff all over the place with them - fans, desk lamps, Bluetooth headsets and, of course, phones and tablets. They have gone from a curiosity to a necessity.

Sadly, the ones provided by the manufacturers to charge Bluetooth headsets or portable speakers are often very flimsy and in my household we have had a half dozen or more fail in the last two or three months. Plus, the cords provided by the manufacturers are not very long and sometimes they don't even allow you to transfer data to your phone or tablet - they just charge and then they die an early death.

Left to right: 1 two meter cord (6.6 feet), 2 one meter cords
(3.3 feet) and two 0.3 meter cords (1 foot)

There are five cords in this package: 1 two meter cord (6.6 feet), 2 one meter cords (3.3 feet) and two 0.3 meter cords (1 foot). They are an excellent choice to replace your dead cords. Not only do they charge, they transfer data.

This variety pack allows you to put different lengths of cord where they are needed. The longest ones allow a passenger to do thing like use a smart phone to consult Google maps in the car while it is charging (Try that on one of those little cords that came with a Bluetooth headset!).

I rate this product 5 stars out of 5.

Note: I received a free set of these cords so that I could evaluate them in order to write a review. 

As of the time of this review this multi-pack set cost $12.99 on Amazon. Click here to check current pricing: Micro USB Cable (6.6ft, 3.3ft, 1ft) - 5 Pack by Aukey

Multi Port 26W 5V/5.1A compact triple 3 Port USB Car Charger with smart multiple output by JAWEKE

It's a car charger! (Yawn)

Yeah, I know - car chargers are everywhere and everyone has one. Or two. Or three.

What's so special about this one?

1) There are three plugs. I don't know about your family, but this charger is actually not enough to charge all of my kids' devices at one time. But, it's a good place to start.

2) It is a little known fact that iPhones and just about all tablets of every kind (even Android-based tablets) need a more powerful charge (2.4 Amp) than Android phones and devices like Bluetooth headphones do. I have a Kindle that charges pretty quickly when given the correct charge but it tops out at about 60% when placed on the lower level of charge. This charger has a port that is designed for those devices that need the 2.4 Amp charge. It is encircled with a label that states it is "2.4A" and, more importantly, it's internal parts are a different color (blue) than the other ports (white) so it is super easy to identify.

You have to provide your own cords, but you probably have a ton of those around the house.

I rate this charger 5 stars out of 5. 

Note: I received a free sample of this charger so that I would be able to write an honest review. My kids have been using it in the back of my mini-van and they like it a lot.

At the time of this review, this car charger cost $10.99 on Amazon.com. Click here to check current pricing: Multi Port 26W 5V/5.1A compact triple 3 Port USB Car Charger with smart multiple output by JAWEKE.

Bright Solar Power Outdoor LED Light No Tools Required Peel and Stick Motion Activated (8 LED) by JIAYIDA

The light and the box it came in.

In this package you get one light, one screw, one drywall anchor, two pieces of heavy duty two-sided tape (each is about 1 square inch) and a little key to turn on the unit. It came with some charge in it. I installed it late in the afternoon and it was working that same evening.

Installation was easy. I picked a spot beside my garage door and screwed it into place through my vinyl siding with my power drill. The hardest part was prepping the two sided tape I used to attach the lower part of the back of the device to the wayll.

Once it gets dark, the light turns on in low power mode. It looks like 2 LED light come on at that level (it's hard to tell without setting off the motion detector). If it detects motion, all of the LED lights come on (There are 8) and really brighten things up.

We park a car alongside the garage and this light lights up when a car pulls up and makes it a little easier to walk into the house.

I rate this solar light 5 stars out of 5.

This product cost $15.00 on Amazon.com at the time of this review. Check here for current pricing: Bright Solar Power Outdoor LED Light No Tools Required Peel and Stick Motion Activitated (8 LED)

Note: I was sent a free solar light so that I could write an honest review.

Atech PAE001 Sweatproof Bluetooth Stereo Headset (black) by PowerLead

The Altech PAE001 Sweatproof Bluetooth Stereo Headset by PowerLead comes with a USB cord to plug into a charger or a computer. It is sort of a hybrid headset - similar to the LG horseshoe shaped headsets but not really that bit or elaborate. When you are not using the headset, you can rest this set on the back of your neck fairly safely - not as well as the LG headset but still it sits there for a while.

The instruction book has no graphics and the text is pretty small so you have to squint a little to read it. The English is clearly written and easy to understand, although it is obvious that it was not written by a native speaker of English.

The Altech PAE001 Sweatproof Bluetooth Stereo Headset by PowerLead synced very easily with my Samsung Galaxy 6. When I have gone back and re-paired it with my phone it is surprisingly quick. 

The sound is very good. It is not the best stereo sound I have ever heard - but this is not a top end head set that can set you back hundreds of dollars, either. Considering the price and the convenience of Bluetooth it is a good deal.

This set of Bluetooth earphones has excellent range. I had no problem going 20-25 feet from my phone with no skipping out.

The device comes with a good built-in phone.  I did not use the headset's phone features (the buttons on the headset). When I use Bluetooth to talk on my phone I always use the phone itself rather than the headset features to interact (meaning I answer using the phone and hang up using the phone, etc.) because I just find it easier than blindly pushing buttons.

Note: the earbuds on this device are in the "conch" style - like iPhone and Samsung earphones. Normally, I have trouble with that style and I assume that I am not the only one. I was able to work these in pretty well, however.

Note: I received a free sample of this set of ear buds in exchange for an honest review.

I rate these earbuds 5 stars out of 5.

As of the time of this review, the Altech PAE001 Sweatproof Bluetooth Stereo Headset by PowerLead cost $29.99. Check for current pricing on Amazon.com here: Atech PAE001 Sweatproof Bluetooth Stereo Headset by PowerLead

Handheld Portable Battery Powered Fan (Black) by Yesorno

So, this product is absolutely brilliant in its simplicity. 

This is a little fan, the type that are plugged into the USB port of a computer so that you can keep cool while are in your cubicle plugging away at your TPS reports.

But, wouldn't it be cool to take that fan anywhere? Sure it would. So, replace the USB plug on the computer with the a hardwired portable charger battery and you've got it. I literally have this same-sized lightweight battery in my little collection. The beauty of it is that the battery becomes the handle to hold the fan.

The fan has a dial to set the fan speed. It will work 2 hours at full speed and 6 hours at the slowest speed. It charges in about 4 or 5 hours. The fan can run while it is charging.

The device comes with a USB cord and a wire clip that I sort of can figure out how to use.  

The fan comes in four different colors: black, blue, green and pink.

I rate this fan 5 stars out of 5.

Note: I was sent a free fan in exchange for an honest review.

As of the time of this review this fan cost $13.99 on Amazon.com. Click here for current pricing: Handheld portable fan by Yesorno.
******EDIT********* July 7, 2016


After about a week of using this fan the on/off dial quit working so the device was left on all of the time. No problem, I thought. I will plug it in when I need it and let it die. Great. But now I notice that the battery dies minutes after I unplug it, which means even if the on/off dial worked correctly, this fan would only work when it was plugged in, making this "portable" fan definitely not portable.

I now rate this fan 2 stars out of 5. It is still usable as a fan but not nearly as useful as it was promised to be.

D-shaped Aluminum Screw Carabiner with Key Ring -- Assorted Colors (Set of 6) by AGPtek

The green one is screwed into the "locked" position.
The black one is "unlocked".

Typically, my wife and i put our keys on a carabiner. She likes to hook hers over a loop on her purse, I sometimes like to put mine on a belt loop.

Well, I'd like to hook them on a belt loop but I am afraid that I am going to lose them by bumping into something and popping open the carabiner for just a second. These carabiners directly address that issue by including a little screw to lock the carabiner shut. This is pretty similar to the system that some of the real carabiners that mountain climbers use to safely lock themselves in.

By the way, just to make it clear, there is a warning on these carabiners to never use these to climb with. They are completely made out of an aluminium alloy but they are clearly not to be used that way. I don't know who would try that, but you are warned - so be careful!

Each carabiner comes with a key ring as well. The product description says that it comes in assorted colors. My set's colors were: orange, green, electric blue, black, pink and red.

These would be great on a hike to securely attach a water bottle or a light to a backpack. Or, if you're just going to hang out with some friends you could still use one of these to attach a Bluetooth speaker to that backpack.

I rate these carabiners 5 stars out of 5.

As of the time of this review, this set of 6 carbiners cost $8.99 on Amazon.com. Click here to check for current pricing: D-shaped Aluminum Screw Carabiner with Key Ring -- Assorted Colors (Set of 6) by AGPtek

Refresh Windshield Wiper Blade-20" and 21" (Pack of 1)

My car, a PT Cruiser, is one of those weird ones that can take two different sizes of windshield wiper at the same time - a 20 inch and a 21 inch wiper.

Installation was very easy. In less than 5 minutes I installed both blades.

This windshield wiper is different than the ones I took off. The new wipers don't have a visible metal superstructure that holds the wiper blades in place. Instead, the blades themselves have a natural bend that molds itself to the windshield when they are lowered into place.

How do they work? Excellent. I've had mine on my car for about 5 months and they've seen snow, ice, rain, heat and they are fantastic. I am absolutely pleased with them.

These wipers only work on "J hook" wiper arms. Please use Amazon's search feature to determine what will work on your vehicle.
I rate these wipers 5 stars out of 5. 

Note: I received a free set of wipers in exchange for an honest review.

At the time of this review these wipers cost $11.00 and $12.60. Click here to check for current pricing: 20 inch and 21 inch.

18 LED Desk Lamp by BlueFire

One Issue Prevents this Otherwise Excellent Lamp from Getting 5 Stars

You might question the need for a little desk lamp like this one. After all, you probably already have lighting at your desk and you can see just fine. I know I did, but I don't any more.

This lamp would be completely inadequate for a home desk. It is too small, it isn't tall enough, it would have to sit in the middle of your work space to be of any use.

But, I have found this kind of lamp to be a must for my desk anyway. There are times when you just need a whole lot of light in a little area and that's when I grab this light to show me what I have been missing, especially now that I am getting a little older and I have to use reading glasses to look at the tiny print that come with those little "How to..." guides that come with so many products nowadays.

If you live in a dorm room (or something like that) this lamp would be fantastic. You can light a small space and not bother your roommate when he or she is trying to sleep.

Pros:

-This lamp is not wired. It is rechargeable and each charge lasts up to 10 hours. You can leave it plugged in and use it like a regular lamp or you can take it right where you need the light.

-The strength of the light is adjustable - just slide your finger along the slider to make it brighter or darker. Or, just tap where you think you might want it.

-The base is heavy enough to keep the lamp upright no matter how far you stretch out the gooseneck lamp.

Cons:

The only con is the charging cord. It is a fairly long USB cord (which is cool - it makes it much easier to charge when you can just plug it into your computer) with a non-standard end. A lot of electronics use the Android micro-USB to re-charge their batteries and that is great because then you don't have to keep track of a special cord. You can re-charge your phone, your Kindle, your Bluetooth headset, your wireless speaker and your desk lamp with the exact same cord. But this lamp requires you to keep this extra cord around just for this lamp.

Because of the cord issue, I rate this otherwise excellent lamp 4 stars out of 5.

When this review was written this desk lamp cost $18.99 on Amazon.com. Check here for current pricing: 18 LED Desk Lamp by BlueFire.

Note: I received a complimentary lamp in exchange for an honest review.

AUKEY Wired In-Ear Headphones Moving-Coil Headset

As a general rule, I like wired headphones better than Bluetooth headphones. They sound a little better and they are much easier to set up (they don't have to be paired, etc.).

These AUKEY wired headphones have a different type of cord. They are a type of braided plastic and pretty much stay tangle free as well as have a unique, eye-catching look. The cord is very long - long enough that I could put my phone in the pocket of my shorts and not have the cord tug the earphones out of my ear.

They also have a unique style of earpiece. You have to run the wire up and over your ear to get the earpiece in your ear. Once you screw it in your ear just right it sounds pretty good. I found that I have to spend entirely too long to get it to fit for my tastes. You remember what I said about it taking too long to pair Bluetooth headphones? I feel the same way about headphones that have to go into my ear in a certain special way.

The headphones come with two extra sets of ear tips so you can adjust them to fit your particular ears, an instruction book, a two year warranty. It also comes with a case which I think is important for the long term health of your earphones. The case will stop them from getting tangled around stuff in your pocket or your backpack and getting torn up. 

So, how do they sound? Quite good. I have no absolutely no complaints about the sound. I have used them to listen to music and to audiobooks and they make quality sound.

I rate these headphones 4 stars out of 5.

At the time of this review these headphones cost $19.99. Click here for current pricing: AUKEY Wired In-Ear Headphones Moving-Coil Headset.

Note: I received a free set of headphones in order to make an honest review. I will be keeping these for my teenage daughter who has a way of wearing out headphones.

12 Inch Silent Non-ticking Wall Clock- Metal Frame Glass Cover by Hippih

I love this clock. We have a number of different styles of clocks in our houses, most non-digital. I guess it's become sort of a thing for us. I picked up this one for my classroom but it did hand in my dining room for a couple of months after we had a clock quit on us and we were looking for a permanent replacement.

It did not match the style of our dining room at all but I did love the clock for two simple reasons:

1) It kept perfect time;

2) It was extremely easy to read (we have two clocks that are truly beautiful but not terribly easy to read at a glance).

It will be a great addition to my classroom and would be wonderful for an office.

The thermometer is accurate, within a degree or two of the other thermometer in the house, anyway. I have no idea if the hygrometer that measures the moisture is accurate but I can tell you that it dropped when I turned my air conditioning unit on for the summer, which is something that it should do.

The thermometer has measurements in Celsius and Fahrenheit. The Celsius numbers are much bigger than the Fahrenheit numbers. That is understandable, considering how much of the world uses Celsius, but it is still a bit annoying for this American. 

The clock comes with a hanger that looks very simple to use. I did not use it because I used a picture hanger that was already hanging on the wall from the clock we had before this one.

It uses 1 AA battery and it comes with a battery.

I rate this clock 5 stars out of 5.

At the time of this review, this clock cost $24.99 on Amazon.com. Click here for current pricing: 12 Inch Silent Non-ticking Wall Clock- Metal Frame Glass Cover.

Note: I received a clock at a a substantial discount so that I could write an honest review. This one's a keeper and will be heading off to my new classroom once I set it up this summer.

Bluetooth 4.1 Super Bass Magnetic Headphones(Red) by TechStick

These Bluetooth headphones from TechStick come with a USB cord to plug into a charger or a computer, two sets of earbud tips, two winged anchors in case you want to wear them while working out, and a clip to tie up the excess cord, if you desire. There is also a little storage case you can put in a purse or a backpack.

But, the biggest thing that they have is a different approach to how you store them when you are not using them but don't want to put them in the case. 

Usually people sort of gently wad up their Bluetooth headsets and stick them in a pocket even though it makes no sense to do that if you think about it. The wires get bent too much, the earbuds get pulled on too much when you pull them out of the pocket and can come lose. And those earbud tips! They get pulled off and then you can't even listen to your headset until you get them replaced. 

LG came up with a giant plastic U-shaped device that sits around the neck that is fairly popular. I have tried that type of headset twice and I just wasn't impressed either time. After a while it gets on your nerves hanging there. 

Shown with the two magnetic ends put together.

This device features the best of both worlds. You can take it off, wad it up and stick it in your pocket. Or, you can take the two ear pieces and stick them together with their magnetic tips and leave it around your neck. The entire device weighs next to nothing so, likely as not, you'll forget that they are around your neck and wander around the house wondering where you left them. 

The sound is very good and very rich. Quite good considering that this is an entry level Bluetooth headset.

The device comes with an built-in phone that sounded just so-so. I was perfectly understandable, but a little worse than if I were using the speaker phone setting on my phone. I did not use the headset's phone features (the buttons on the headset). When I use Bluetooth to talk on my phone I always use the phone itself rather than the headset features to interact (meaning I answer using the phone and hang up using the phone, etc.) because I just find it easier than blindly pushing buttons.

They come in two colors schemes: red or black.

Note: I received a discounted sample of this set of ear buds in exchange for an honest review.

I rate these earbuds 5 stars out of 5.

As of the time of this review, these Bluetooth earbuds cost $22.99. Check for current pricing here: Bluetooth Magnetic Headphones by TechStick.

Outdoor/Garden Waterproof Solar Motion Light - Wireless Security LED Light by Vont

Easy to install.

During the day

In this package you get one light, two screws, two drywall anchors and a little key to turn on the unit. It came with some charge in it. I installed it late in the afternoon and it was working that same evening.

Installation is easy. I picked a post in my backyard and within a minute of starting to screw in the first screw I was already starting to pack up my stuff. It literally took me more time to gather everything than it took to install it.

Once it gets dark, the light turns on in low power mode. Everything is enclosed, but it looks like 1 LED light comes on at that level. If it detects motion, all of the LED lights come on (I think there are 4) and really brighten things up. 
Now, keep in mind that one of these will not light up your backyard like a professional baseball stadium unless you have a really tiny backyard. But, it does provide a bit of light where you might need it. This would be especially good on decks, stairs, along sidewalks and places like that.

At night.

I rate this Solar light 5 stars out of 5.

This product cost $13.99 on Amazon.com at the time of this review. Check here for current pricing: Outdoor/Garden Waterproof Solar Motion Light - Wireless Security LED Light.

Note: I was sent a free solar light so that I could write an honest review. I am very pleased. 

Edifier P220 In-Ear Headset with Microphone - Black

I teach high school and all day long I see students wad up their ear buds and shove them in their pocket. Later, they reach into their pocket and fish out some part of the earbuds and then yank them out. They also let the ear buds bounce along the ground behind them while they are walking around staring at their text messages. Knowing that this is fairly typical behavior and this behavior is not very good for the long-term well-being of a set of ear buds, the Edifier P220 is an affordable alternative to most name brand sets.

Most importantly, these ear buds produce quality music. No matter how affordable, I would have to count down if the performance was not there. This is not a case of "These headphones produce good music considering how affordable they are." No, they produce good music. Period.

I have been using them for the last month or so to listen to a variety of sound such as music, streaming video, and audiobooks. They have a rich sound. The bass is strong, but not overwhelming. The highs are strong, but the music does not sound tinny. They can easily get loud enough to completely drown out the outside world if you choose to do so. Entry level personal headsets have gotten so much better in the last few years and this set demonstrates that well.

These are extremely light weight and very comfortable.

The earphones feature a microphone option so listeners who are streaming over their phones can answer the phone and use the headset as a "hands free" option. My experience with the microphone was a mixed bag. I could hear the people I was talking to perfectly but my voice was muffled. Understandable, but not comfortable for the person I was talking to, no matter how I maneuvered the microphone.

The package comes with one plug and play set of ear buds and three different sizes of ear tips.

I rate these headphones 4 out of 5 stars. I took off a point for the poor quality of the phone unit.

At the time of this review this headset cost $22.90 on Amazon.com. Check here for current pricing: Edifier P220.

Note: I received a free set of these ear buds in order to make a fair and honest review after testing them out. In this case I used them for a month and will gladly save them back for one of my own children to use after they destroy a set of ear buds with the behaviors I described above in the first paragraph.

1lb/5kg Stainless Steel Digital Kitchen Food Scale with Bowl Design with Alarm Timer & Temperature Sensor by VONT

This item is packed tightly and smartly. It should travel well to the purchaser and every bit of the packing is recyclable. 

The stainless steel bowl is an interesting addition to the normal digital kitchen scale set.

Two extra features that I have never seen on a digital scare a thermometer for the room temperature and a kitchen timer. The timer is easy to set and easy to hear. Not super loud but loud enough if you are in the kitchen. You can use the scale while the timer is running.

In the instructions, the commentary about the batteries is confusing. On the whole, though, the directions are fairly easy to understand even though the instructions tell you how to "tare weight" the scale incorrectly in the section called "To Operate Scale". However, if you have any experience using a digital scale you will know how to do it properly and to ignore the directions as they are given.

Everything is very sturdy and attractive. This is a scale that you can leave out on the counter and not worry that it makes the place looks trashy.

Note: I was sent a scale in exchange for an honest review. 

I rate this scale 5 stars out of 5.

As of the time of this review this scale cost $19.99 on Amazon.com. Check here for current pricing: Stainless Steel Digital Kitchen Scale by Vont.

Floating Pencil Cup Desk Organizer (black) by TLTrading

Normally, I review consumer tech on this blog. I also state that I review gadgets and gizmos. This pencil cup is none of that. It is just a cute and clever pencil cup. A novelty item but I like it and since a lot of the stuff that I review ends up on a desk I decided to include this doodad.

It comes in two pieces in a box. Assembly takes about 1 second. If it is not immediately obvious to you how to assemble it, there are picture directions on the side of the box.

It will hold about 20 pencils but I don't think that this pencil holder will last long if you jam it full. It is a novelty item. Put 3 or 4 pencils in it. If you go to recruitment fairs or the like it would be a great place to put giveaway pencils. 

Note: I was given a free pencil cup in exchange for an honest review.

I rate this pencil cup 4 stars out of 5. It could be sturdier, but that is not it's main purpose. It's designed to be a cute gag that is sort of useful and it fulfills that brilliantly.

At the time of this review this pencil cup cost $6.99. Click here for current pricing: Floating Pencil Cup Desk Organizer.

LED Ultra Bright Camping Lantern - AAA Battery Powered by Litelife

Some things about camping have gotten so much easier. I started going camping back in the 70's when I was a kid and you had four choices for lighting:

1) The heavy flashlight with the C or D batteries that barely lit up anything and would run out of power on the second night out.

2) The camping lantern with the big lantern battery in it. It weighed a ton but and you could never find a good place to put it in a tent because there was no way it was hanging from the center - it could pull the whole tent down!

3) Kerosene lantern. Did I mention that I was a kid in the 70's? Well, you don't send a little kid off with something that could burn the whole campground down.

4) Build a really big campfire and hope for the the best.

Thanks to much better batteries and LED lights the lighting problem while camping has been resolved and this tiny Litelife camping lantern is a great example of that.

This easily fits in the palm of your hand and just one would easily light up a tent. If you are not into camping, these lights would be great in case of a power outage.

They are equipped with a carabiner-type clip so that the light can be attached to the top of a tent. Or, pop open the clip and use it as a stand to aim the light across a table. Or, clip the light to the back of a backpack if you are hiking or biking along a road at night and want to be noticed.

The light has 5 settings. There is high, medium and low brightness, a strobe setting and an SOS setting - it flashes SOS in morse code. I guess you could stick it in a ziploc bag and take it boating as an emergency light.

On top of all that - they are magnetic on the bottom! Note: these are not super-strong magnets, but they stick to the side of my refrigerator without a problem and would be helpful to put inside of a car hood to see what's going on in case of a middle of the night breakdown.

The lights are powered by 3 AAA batteries. The battery compartment is very easy to access.

These lights are sold by the pair by Litelife and I rate them 5 out of 5 stars.

Note: I was offered a set of these lights for free in exchange for an honest review. Trust me, these lights are pretty nifty and would be welcome in almost any home.

At the time of this review, these lights cost $10.35 on Amazon.com. Check here for current pricing: Litelife LED Ultra Bright Camping Lantern.

Bluetooth Sport Headset with FM Radio, Microphone (Orange) by AIKONSOUND

As a rule, I am not a fan of the bigger over the head type of headphones. Although the sound is always awesome, eventually the weight of the headphones themselves becomes an issue or they phones themselves start to hurt my ears and the top of my head.. Not the inside of my ears - the outside part, where the headphones are sitting and rubbing. I don't know if it's because they pinch too tight (I have a large head) or what - but they start to hurt.

This set of headphones by AIKONSOUND solves all three of these problems. It is very lightweight and it does not hurt my ears or the top of my head.

But, do they work well?

Absolutely. This is a fine set of headphones.

The Bluetooth pairs easily with my Samsung Galaxy 3 and my wife's Galaxy 4. Very easy - we didn't even bother to check the instructions.

Pros:

-Comfortable fit;

-Easily pairs with Bluetooth;

-The buttons are all easy to operate;

-Comes with an optional wired feature. If you have a wire with two male ends you can plug the headphones into a non-Bluetooth device. The headphones DO NOT come with a wire;

-The headphones also come with a mini-USB cord that you can plug into your computer to charge the device;

-The headphones come with an FM radio that sounds very good.

-Most importantly, the music sounds great, even when turned up very loud! Voice also sounds great (I listen to audiobooks).

Cons:

The set includes a telephone feature so you can answer the phone while wearing them without having to undo all of the Bluetooth connections. The phone feature sounds horrible;

-When you turn on the earphones there is a heavily accented voice that is speaking English. I don't know how many times I have heard her voice and I simply cannot make out the entire sentence she is saying. I guess it doesn't really matter since I pair it just fine without the device coaching me but still...

-The instruction manual is written in broken English. Read it with a sense of humor and always remember that the "blue dictator light" is the "blue indicator light"! 

Note: I received a set of these headphones for review purposes in exchange for an honest review.

I rate this set of headphones 4 stars out of 5.

This set of headphones cost $26.99 at the time of this review. Click here for current pricing: Bluetooth Sport Headset with FM Radio, Microphone (Orange) by AIKONSOUND.

Micro USB 2.0 Cable (Android Cell Phone) Cable - 6Ft Yellow by Deego

An extra micro-USB cord is almost a necessity if you use Android devices (this cord is useless if you are wanting to charge Apple-based devices). A lot of devices come with a cord, but those cords can get damaged, wear out or simply get lost. Plus, a lot of cords that come with devices like Bluetooth headsets are very, very short and flimsy.

The length of this cord is its primary strength. It is 6 feet long. This means you can plug it in to a wall charger and not be stuck right next to that charger. In a car, this cord means that you can plug it in to a charger in the front of the car and anyone can use their device while it is charging.

Some USB cords do not allow for data transfer. This cord does.

This company sells not only this single cord, but multi-pack cords in lengths from 3-10 feet.

At the time of this review, this cord costs $1.69 plus a $4.50 shipping and handling charge. Check here for current pricing: Micro USB cable by Deego.

Wireless Motion Sensing Light with 10 LED Lights - Battery Powered by Albrillo

It Simply Does Not Get Any Easier.

We have a shower that was installed without enough lighting by the previous owners of the home. There has been nearly 18 years of complaints about that shower and the lack of light but no one wanted to get an electrician in and install an overhead light due to the expense.

In the meantime, compact fluorescent bulbs came in to vogue but they still had the same problem - An electrician would still be required.

But, LEDs use so little power that a battery-powered light is actually a realistic alternative. So, when I was offered this light in exchange for an honest review, I knew that I had an immediate use for it.

There are 10 LED lights with a motion sensor in the middle. They are powered by 4 AAA batteries. Installation was a breeze. The entire back of the light is magnetic and comes with a long magnet attached. On the back of the magnet there is a sticker. Stick the sticker to the wall and then attach the light to the magnet side of the sticker.

When the batteries fail, grab the light, change the batteries and then stick it back to the magnet side of the sticker. It simply does not get any easier. 

This product cost $13.89 at the time of this review. Click here for current pricing: Wireless Motion Sensing Light by Albrillo.

Outdoor Folding Knife Stainless Steel Handle by Ambec

Sharp, easy to use and priced so that if you lose it you won't lose your mind.

The knife with a pen for size comparison.

Take this knife for what it is. This is not a lifelong hunting knife that you are going to use and then pass it on to your kid who will pass it on to his kid.

But, this is what it is. It is very sharp, easy to use and at $14.99 if you lose it or it breaks it is no big loss. 

The blade is 3.75 inches long. The whole knife is 7.5 inches long when it is opened.

Pros:

1. Very sharp

2. Easy to lock open.

3. Easy to unlock and close. I was able to easily do this with a pair of work gloves on - I was spreading bags of mulch and I was using this knife to cut open the bags.

4. The vent holes in the handle make it easy to fish this knife out of a pocket. 

This folding knife can be found at Amazon.com here: Ambec Knife.

Note: I received a free knife in order to make an honest review.

Vomach Headphone with In-Line Microphone, Noise-Isolating Anti-Tangle Flat Wire, 47.25 Inch (1.2M) long cord (Sleek Black)

A great set of headphones. 

I bet your kids are bugging you about headphones on a pretty regular basis. They listen to them non-stop and they pretty much treat them like garbage. They drag them on the ground, they wad them up and shove them in their pockets. They jerk them back out of their pockets by the first piece they grab. It's not pretty.

Photo by DWD.

But it gets a lot prettier when those headphones cost you only $9.99.

For $9.99 you get a pretty good deal:

#1) Non-tangling cord. Seriously, this cord doesn't get tangled.

#2) Turn your phone into a hands-free device. The phone setting on these headphones is excellent.

#3) Dependability. Take care of these headphones and they'll take care of you. My daughter has been using these headphones for nearly two months after I used them off and on for nearly another month. She stores them in an old protective case when they are not being used, which is pretty rare. She almost always has at least one earbud in an ear.

But, it is not all perfect.

The reason that my daughter even has the headphones is the fact that I cannot get the "conch" design earbuds in my ear no matter how I try. It's not just these particular earbuds - it's the style - they just don't fit into my ears. I figure I am not the only one with this problem so I deducted a point.

I rate these earbuds 4 stars out of 5.

As of the time of this review, these earbuds cost $9.99 on Amazon. Check here for current pricing: Vomach headphones.

Note: I received a set of these earbuds at a substantial discount so that I could write an unbiased review.