Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Monday, April 25, 2016
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Monday, April 18, 2016
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Saturday, April 16, 2016
Q's Inn Stainless Steel Accented Salt and Pepper Grinders
I learned about the amazing flavor differences from fresh ground pepper a long, long time ago, and the various flavor intricacies of fresh ground artisinal salts not too long after. Since then, I haven't used pre-ground pepper or granular salt since. One of the inevitabilities of grinders are that they wear out, so when I got a chance to try a new set from Q's Inn, I was incredibly thankful.
I'm glad I got to try them, because they are some of the smoothest grinding salt and pepper dispensers I've ever used. To start, the base, made of crystal-clear glass instead of the industry standard plastic, is a welcome change and makes keeping an eye on the amount left a breeze, unlike my old set which were wood and made knowing how much was left a guessing game. Glass is easy to clean, both inside and out. The bases hold twice as much as my old grinders, and that's a huge benefit, because one of the things that really gets under my skin is an empty grinder while I'm cooking. The grinding top has a brushed stainless steel, with a snap on top, and adjustable ceramic burr with an infinitely adjustable setting for fine or extra chunky grinds. And like I said, the grinding action started smooth and stayed that way over a few weeks of use. Usually, with the disposable grinders I bought from Trader Joe's would gunk up and bind after a couple weeks. No such issue with the Q's Inn set.
This Q's Inn set of grinders is a little pricier than the usual sets at $19.99, but the quality of materials really sets this pair of grinders apart. The ceramic burrs should last a very, very long time. The stainless steel tops are smooth and look stunning. The glass bases are large, hold a good amount of pepper or salt, and make for an easy, sure grip for grinding. Top top it off, there's a LIFETIME 100% Satisfaction guarantee, and that's almost worth the price for peace of mind alone! This might be the last grinder set you need to buy! There's a lot to like and nothing I don't about this Q's Inn set and recommend them highly.
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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Q's Inn. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Ozeri's Green Earth Frying Pan 3-Piece Set
I always have my cookware radar tuned for a decent set of non-stick pans because let's face it, they just don't last anymore and eating the non-stick coating is bad for your health. And I don't care what anyone says, there's always a place in my kitchen for a good non-stick pan because there are times you just want the ease, simplicity and convenience of warm, cook, wash and go. I was so looking forward to Ozeri's Green Earth frying pan set, especially since I recently tested and loved their other Green Earth pan so much.
But while there are definitely some areas where this set will shine, it fell pretty short of the mark I set for a must-buy pan set. For starters, the Greblon ceramic non-stick coating is slick and probably the most non-stick of any pan I've had, ever. But that is a double edged sword, in that while nothing stuck at all ever, it also would not brown or even remotely sear anything to save it's life. And I know what you're saying, you don't buy non-stick to sear anything, but every non-stick pan I've had since the mid-90's has allowed me to get a decent bit of browning on the meats I cooked in them, even the prior Ozeri Green Earth ceramic non-stick pan, but not any pan in this set. Even the Asian-inspired Fried Rice from Trader Joe's would get a crispy crust on the bottom, but not in these pans. If I had to hazard a guess, the waffle-like texture on the pan's surface might create air pockets while cooking that does enhance the non stick properties but also won't allow any decent browning. So, things like scrambled eggs and pancakes might be dynamite in this pan, but browning meats will just not happen. The pan washed up like a dream and the heat-resistant silicone handles on these pans are oven safe to 350 degrees and make handling even the hottest pan no problem. The slippery non-stick coating is 100% PTFE, PFOA and APEO free, which means no heavy metals or chemicals were used to manufacture it, which means it's a healthier alternative to older generations of non-stick pans. The pan is light thanks to cast aluminum construction, and while it heats quickly and evenly, the heat does quickly dissipate. You get a 12", 10", and 8" size pan in this set,so there's a size there to accommodate any size household.
There are some real nice features to these pans and I can totally see them being indispensable for certain cooking styles and certain kitchens, but unfortunately mine just isn't one of them. It's pretty rare when an Ozeri product is a miss like this for me, but I'll grade them on the curve and say that while it doesn't work for me, it might work better for others, and as always, you just can't beat Ozeri's dedication to customer service. They stand behind their products 100% and customer satisfaction is their number 1 priority, so I encourage you to give these pans a try and see if they work for you!Let's not forget the included "value added" green felt pan cozies, which make storage simple and easy allowing you to "nest" you pans without any feat of damaging the ceramic non-stick surface!
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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Ozeri. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.
Friday, April 8, 2016
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
OxyLED Dimmable LED Copper Wire String Lights
LED lighting has come a long way, and one of my favorite companies that's making the latest and greatest is OxyLED. They always find a way to innovate, taking a product we all thought we knew and changing things up just enough to make the common product shiny and new. The latest is their LED string lights. I've reviewed a few before, and a one was, up until now, my favorite. Let me share why this new offering from OxyLED supplanted them so handily.
To start, we've all been there. The best laid out plans to decorate and light a fixture in the house come undone because try as you might, you'll see the wire. OxyLED realized this and decided if you're going to see it anyway, you might as well make it sparkle with gorgeous, bright shiny copper. And I'm loving it. Gone also are the harsh, bright blue-white lights of LED's from the past and in their place are soft, warm white lights (2700-2900K warm white range) that aren't hard on your eyes int he least. But what took it up to 11 for me was the remote control. Not just a simple "on" or "off", but you can dim them, and they can flash, strobe and fade too. That's just too cool. Not just for holidays or parties, but I can use these lights for my year round decorating, I can use them for mood light, I can even leave them up for parties and social gatherings. There's nothing they're not good for, and at 120 lights on a 40 foot string, the possibilities are endless! And with over 12" from the first light to the control box, and almost 60" from the box to the plug, your lights will have plenty of length to hide the cord and keep it hidden. I did notice that at a certain distance (about 20 feet and through a wall) the remote didn't always get the signal through. Careful placement of the antennae should remedy that, however.
All this and you get OxyLED's stellar service and support, for the life of the product. 10 brightness levels, 3 modes, a remote control, a beautiful light set with an equally beautiful wire, perfect lighting colors and lifetime support? And for only $14.99? That's a steal. I'm planning on picking up a few sets, because they have so many uses, I'm making plans right now to light a few projects. I love these lights, and I think you will too.
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I received the above product(s) free of charge from HisGadget and OxyLED. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.
Last Man Survival Gear's LED "Opti-Flood" Flashlight Set
So, It's been a while since I last reviewed a LED flashlight, mostly because after the OxyLED MD50 I reviewed here set the bar pretty high for overall quality and value, I was pretty well set. But the offer from Last Man Survival Gear was one I couldn't refuse, and seemed tailor-made for mine and Hubby's needs. And while there are some shortcomings, I can say with confidence that this set seems to be a decent value for the money!
Let's just get this out of the way right here, though: Last Man brazenly claims their Opti-Flood lamp puts out 1200 lumens. Unless they somehow hooked it up to a car battery, I don't see how it's possible, because the included 18650 lithium ion cell ran the lamp just a shade brighter than the OxyLED M50 that claimed 500 lumens, and just slightly dimmer than Hubby's Coast HP7 rated for 360 lumens. So, as long as you understand and accept that this Opti-Flood lamp will run at just under 360 lumens, you'll be okay. The run time on a single charge is decent, and takes some time to notice any real dimming of the output. The color of the light is not the harsh, blue/purple color of the cheaper CREE knockoff LED's, and is almost going into the "soft white" color range, even more so than the MD50. The focus is smooth and quick, but still goes into the square shape of the diode like so many of the budget lamps out there. Not a dealbreaker by any means. The throw is pretty good, with very minimal haloing or spill from the reflector. The Last Man Opti-Flood does tend to get a little warm fairly quickly, so I wouldn't run it for very long periods of time. It will tail-stand easily, but lacks any deep knurling that would make the surface super grippy, and I would have liked something to keep the lamp from rolling when placed on it's side, because it rolls quickly and easily. Lastly, there's just off and on with the tail cap clicker, and while some might see that as a negative, I prefer it to the 3, 4, or 5 function lamps that require you to cycle through each setting every time.
As for the value, Last Man Survival Gear included a bonus lamp, the LT30, which is small and light, suitable for a purse, pocket, or key ring, and has a similar output to a single AA flashlight, only in a much larger, heavier package. It's a nice addition, but I feel the 3.7v 18650 lithium ion battery is wasted here, not allowing either piece to shine (no pun intended) to it's full potential. The included charger is also a nice bonus, but if you're going to start investing in quality lithium ion rechargeable cells, you might want to consider a more, shall we say, robust, charger. This one is fine to get you started, and the LED indicator light on it changes from red, to yellow to green to let you know a charge cycle is complete. Last Man Survival Gear includes two of the aforementioned 3.7V 1800 mAh protected circuit batteries, as well as a AAA battery adapter, and a pretty decent hard plastic carry/storage case. Both lamps have water-resistant O-rings, which should provide some measure of light water resistance, as well as carry lanyards (but I'd expect to replace those shortly). All in all you get a fair amount of value for around the $35 they were charging when I ordered my set, although at the current $45.99, I'd say it's a bit overpriced. It's not quite the value of the venerable OxyLED MD50, but uses the same emitter setup, reflector and LED. So it's up to you if this Last Man Survival Gear's value added set is truly the LED flashlight for you.
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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Last Man Survival Gear. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.
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