Last week, I was sent a Ceramic Mortar & Pestle from KwikKitchen to test out and review. The porcelain is food grade and is microwave & dishwasher safe. It comes with non-slip silicone base and grip, and has an 8oz capacity. It can be used to safely grind up pills, food, herbs, and more. I’ve never had a mortar and pestle before, so it was interesting trying it out for the first time. I mashed up some garlic with it to add into some spaghetti. I was hesitant at first to really put some pressure down on it because I was afraid it would crack or something. However, once I got a feel for it there weren’t any issues. Once I was finished, it washed out easily and left no odor of garlic behind. The entire set is only a little over a pound, so it’s very light. I’ve seen stone ones in the past that were around the same size & they were ridiculously heavy. With this one, I don’t have to worry about it being too heavy for the cabinet or pulverizing my foot in the off ...
home/garden
Product Review – Monkey Mat
A few weeks ago, I was sent a Monkey Mat to try out and review. Featured on Shark Tank, the Monkey Mat is a portable mat that you can use anywhere. It’s perfect for the beach, picnics, and anywhere you might want a little something to sit on. The mat has weighted corners with loops to be able to stake it down if needed (stakes sold separately), an attached bag to fold it up into, and loops in the middle to attach keys or toys. I have several ground blankets that I use, but they are pretty bulky and tend to take up a lot of room if I’m carrying stuff down to the beach. The Monkey Mat is lightweight and folds up small. I was able to drop it in my purse to take to the pool, and it took up almost no room. It’s also soft and silky feeling, but still durable at the same time. I received a set of the stakes with it and they were fairly sturdy. They are perfect for the beach and any type of soft soil. I think that my favorite feature is the loops in the middle for the keys/toys. ...
Product Review – eReading LED Desk Lamp from BenQ
Last week, I was sent an eReading LED Desk Lamp from BenQ to try out and review. The lamp is curved, offing 90cm of coverage, giving 150% more light coverage than other lamps. It has a touch sensitive control ring, adjustable brightness, ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness, and is flexible so you can adjust it as needed. We recently moved, and the area where I now have my desk & computer at doesn’t get much light. I no longer have my big pole light or a regular desk light, so it makes it really hard to see any detail when working on my design commissions. I wasn’t sure how well this desk lamp would work. I was primarily worried about the light giving me migraines and if it would glare off the screen or affect how the screen looked. I also didn’t pay much attention to the size, so I was expecting something small. I was shocked when the UPS guy showed up with a giant box. The lamp itself is a pretty good size & it has a very heavy base. It ...
Product Review – Himalayan Salt Lamp
A few weeks back, I was sent a Himalayan Salt Lamp from Himalayan Salt Shop to test out and review. Essentially, the lamp is a large chunk of Himalayan salt that is hollowed so that you can place a light bulb in it. As the salt warms up from the heat of the bulb, it releases negative ions which helps remove pollen, dust, bacteria, and more from the air. It also offsets any positive ions from electronic equipment as well. I have always wanted one of these since the first time I saw some in a shop. They look really neat and give off a relaxing soft glow. When it first arrived, I was surprised at how heavy it was. It’s between 5 to 7 lbs, which is perfect to cover the room I have it in (covers 10ft x 10ft). I primarily turn it on in the evening a few hours before I get into bed, and then turn it off once I’m in bed and have read for a while. I placed it on the night stand next to my bed. I noticed a difference in the air quality after the first two days of using it. It ...
Product Review – Wonder Soil Super Grass Seed
Last week, I was asked to try out and review Wonder Soil Super Grass Seed from Wonder Soil. The dry seed mix expands when wet to easily cover the area. The 1lb bag with cover 30sq feet, and the 100lb bag will cover 300sq feet. The seed has a faster germination and is organically & mineral enriched. I was sent a half pound bag of fescue seed. There are many bare patches in our yard, especially under the pear trees in the front. I opted to try out the seed on a small patch in the courtyard. That way I could ensure that it was getting enough water and keep a better eye on it. The major issue I ran into was the dirt. Here at my new house we have what is called black dirt. When it gets wet, it’s worse than clay & and it’s difficult to dig in. When it’s dry, it’s like concrete and its impossible dig in it. To get the seed started, you need to be able to loosen the top layer of soil so that the seed can take root. As you can imagine, that left me stuck between a rock ...
Product Review – Camping Travel Fitness and Gym Towel
Last week, I was asked to try out the Camping Travel Fitness and Gym Towel by j2 Line. It comes in a set of two: one large towel (27"х51") (70cm x 130cm) good for your whole body and a small one (12"х27") (30cm х 70cm) for your face & hands. They are designed to absorb large amounts of water and dry fast. I was very interested in trying these out, especially for use at the gym. When they first arrived, I noticed right away how light both towels felt. I figured that the larger one would be the heavier one, but they were both about the same. Both came folded up in a mesh drawstring bag, which is very handy. I tested the large towel out at the pool with some friends. I was able to dry off almost completely in a few minutes. Surprisingly, the weight of the towel didn’t increase that much and was still fairly light. I hung it over the back of the chair and it dried in about 10 minutes or so. I then used it to dry off my daughter, and then wrapped her Puddle Jumper up to ...