I am not entirely sure why a USB charger would be Christmas themed and surprised indeed that one would be sent to me for review after the festive season. In fact, it does not matter as this is an excellent USB charger, well made, robust and powerful.
We all probably now have plenty of similar wall chargers at home supplied with phones and other appliances but this new charger from Gvoo has more to offer than the basic rivals despite the budget price of £9.99.
Discarding the Christmas sleeve, in the rather plain inner product box was just the charger itself and a simple one-page User Guide, which has some useful information for those that need it. I enclose a scan of it at the end of my unboxing video.
This a four-port USB charger, what a pity there is no USB-C port, and according to the User Guide can output at up to 24W across three ports at 5V/2.4A per port maximum and to a combined maximum of 8. This exceeds the power output of most basic rivals and allows four phones to be charged together at full power. It will work with mains power of between 100 and 240V and will work with any UK socket. It has CE Certified Multi-protection and built-in overvoltage and overcharging protection. Build quality seems fine and nothing appears likely to break or fall off any time soon.
It should work with almost any Android or iOS device or USB powered electronic device. It should charge an iPad mini in about three hours and most larger capacity modern smartphones in two hours or less. It is small enough to fit into a pocket or travel bag and robust enough to survive life on the road.
If you need an inexpensive portable charger that will speedily charge a range of devices then this would be an excellent choice.
You get a good deal for your money with this new budget headset from WXY currently priced at £27.99. This has the upmarket looks and sound quality of a rather more costly device.
Inside the Amazon box was just the headset itself, a hard carry Case, USB Charging Cable, audio cable, carabiner clip and User Guide. The User Guide is well written but small and rather hard to read. I attach a scan of it to my unboxing video. Strangely, there was no product box for the headset, it arrived just as shown in the video. This is a real pity as it devalues the look of the item and makes it far less appealing as a gift.
The headphones feel lightweight and a bit plasticky but well made and are of the on-ear rather than over-ear type. The headset looks good with an attractive rose gold metallic finish to the body and what looks like white PU leather for the headband and earcups. The padding on the earcups and headband is good but by no means luxurious. The build quality seems fine to me with no sign of the padding on the band working loose, poor stitching, visible wires or weak joints – all elements that have failed on similar headsets I have owned in the past. There is nothing to make me suppose that the headset is not well made. Time will tell and if something fails in the future I will update the review accordingly.
As with most Bluetooth headphones of this type they can also be used as a normal headset and an audio cable is provided for this purpose. The simple control buttons are on one ear cup only and are easy to find and identify by touch and by sight. There are the usual track/volume and multifunction buttons to control audio and phone operations. The buttons are large, not recessed and this makes them easy to use by feel and for me, this is a big plus. Also, I was very pleased to see a separate On/Off turret switch, a feature too many budget headsets lack.
Bluetooth 4.2 Pairing is simple enough and achieved in the usual way by depressing the Multi-function/Power button for several seconds. Pairing is indicated by the blue flashing LED, select ‘Headphones 990’ on your phone to pair and the blue LED will stop flashing. Once paired I found the connection to be stable and strong.
Battery life seems fine to me and I have no reason to doubt the claimed twenty-five hours music time from a ninety-minute charge for the 430mAh. A red LED shows when the device is charging and turns blue when fully charged.
This headset is lacking a few features often found even on cheaper units these days. The is no FM radio, SD card slot, NFC pairing or Bluetooth 5. However, they have concentrated on the key features needed by a headset at passed over the often unused extras.
Considering that this is not an expensive headset I was more than satisfied with the audio quality. The bass is good, clear, smooth and undistorted. Mid tones are clear and detailed and very easy to listen to. The sound quality of this headset has to be one of the main selling points.
I like this headset. It is well made, comfortable, lightweight and easy to wear even for extended listening sessions and with decent sound quality too. It is a pity there was no SD card slot or radio but I wonder how many people would actually use them? Nevertheless, the excellent audio reproduction and good build quality make this a great buy for the relatively low price.
This deceptively simple budget priced Stud Finder from Ansbell arrived simply packed in a branded cardboard box. Inside was the Stud Finder itself and a single large format User Guide which append to my unboxing video. No battery is included but this is a standard 9v model of a type widely available.
The Stud Finder has a large monochrome LCD panel on the front with the Power/Mode button at thumb level below. On one side is the scanning button and on the rear the battery holder. On top as you face it is the indicator at which you can mark the centre point of the located stud. Build quality seems fine and the device is clearly robust enough for on-site use, although it is a pity no protective case was included.
The device has four operating modes, all selected using the main front panel button. The modes are Stud Mode (19mm maximum depth), Stud Deep Mode (38mm maximum depth), Metal Scan Mode ( up to 60mm deep), AC scan (unshielded wires up to 51mm deep).
Using the device is easy enough. After inserting the battery turn the unit on and select the desired operating mode using the front panel button. Hold the device against the wall to be scanned and press and hold the scanning button on the side of the unit to calibrate the unit. The Bars on the LCD display will diminish and the beeper will sound once indicate calibration is complete. Press and hold the scanning button again and gently move the unit flat against the wall. When a signal is found it will beep and a signal strength bar display shows together with an arrow indicating which way to push the unit, a verticle line will indicate the target edge and CENTER will display at the midpoint of the stud. You can then mark the wall at this point. The principle is the same for Metal and AC Wire modes.
In my limited test the device worked perfectly but with all such units, you need a basic level of common sense when using it. The studs which I knew to be in the wall were all located with a minimum number of false positives. For the very reasonable price of £16.99, this seems a worthwhile investment.
There are many very similar countertop dental flossers available but this one is perhaps the most nicely presented I have seen and is certainly one of the most inexpensive.
In the attractive mid-market product box was the flosser itself, aUK Power Supply Unit, a set of three colour coded standard heads, Tongue Scraper, Orthodontic Tip, Pocket Tip, Bush Head tip, and a User Guide. The User Guide is large, well printed and easy to read and I enclose a scan of it in my unboxing video.
Build quality seems fine for the price and this is one of the nicest and most comprehensive countertop flossers I have tested. Take note that this device is not designed for UK bathroom use as it does not come with the two pin plug needed for UK use. It can be used in the kitchen, bedroom or other rooms without issue.
The main unit consists of a 600ml water tank with water level indicators on the front and which is replenished by filling through the removable lid. On the front is the large three position rotary control dial with above the storage location for the handheld nozzle unit with feed tube from the integral pump situated in the lower part of the device. The handheld nozzle has two controls, one where the head is inserted to select water pressure and the large Pause switch on the handle itself to turn the water flow off and on. On the base is the socket for the power supply input and a water tank valve.
Using the device is easy enough. After filling the tank with water, connecting the power supply lock the head unit of choice in place by inserting firmly to the nozzle handing whilst pressing the securing ring. Press the button in the centre of the control dial to turn the device on and select the mode required by rotating the dial. Push the switch on the nozzle handle to select the water pressure and then press the pause switch on the nozzle handle to start the water flow. There are three modes available selected using the rotary dial on the main unit of the device: Clean (thirty-second jet followed by a short pause for up to three minutes), Massage (pulsing water flow), and Fresh (for use with a 5% saline solution only). The device will shut down after three minutes or by pressing the rotary dial button. Use of the specialised heads is explained in full in the excellent User Guide.
As a long-term user of these devices I was pleased with the power of the device, often flossers can only manage a rather feeble flow, not so here. I usually use it in Clean mode and switch to Massage modes for the gums. The 600ml water tank is more than enough for a cleaning session and can be quickly refilled from the tap.
This is an excellent device, works well, and compares well to similar units from high-end rivals. The current price of just £23.90 on Amazon makes it an attractive buy even with the bathroom use limitations.
This attractive little rucksack from SAMSHOWME arrived simply packaged in a plastic bag with tissue but with no tags or paperwork.
The 13.78″(H) x 12.6″(L) x 5.9″(W) dual-purpose bag is made from light-weight grey Oxford cloth with Stylish beige coloured PU leather inserts. The zips and buckles are all of stainless steel. Inside the lined single double zipped pocket are two small pouches with two additional ticket pouches on the outside and a zipped pocket on the inside of the flap. There is a padded grab handle on the top of the bag. Build quality seems fine for the budget price, the bag itself seems strong and robust although I might worry a little about the longevity of zipper although it is made of metal rather than the cheaper nylon.
The bag can be used as a fashionable rucksack or using the supplied detachable strap can be used as a shoulder bag. Inside the bag was a small clip on furry accessory which serves no purpose other than adding a quirky bit of fun to the setup. The bag is surprisingly capacious can hold an iPad, purse, phone and the other essentials needed when on the move with ease. The bag I received is grey/beige but various other colours and design variants are available.
If you need a budget price but stylish bag for general use then this £13.99 offering from SAMSHOWME might be just what you need.
I was pleased to receive these new design gym sweatpants from BROKIG as they are not just the usual jogging/sweatpants you see everywhere else. They are better made, more stylishly designed and feel more upmarket than the ones you get on the high street.
The pants arrived simply packaged in a branded ziplock bag containing just the pants themselves together with sizing and care labels. Manufacturing quality looks and feels excellent and this garment does have an upmarket appearance that you do not find on cheaply made rivals.
The pants are made from a soft 65%Cotton/35% Polyester mix and can be machine washed at around 86F. They have two side pockets, one is normal with the other extra deep with a second inner pocket, a single wallet pocket is on the rear. The pants are slim fit to the leg with hidden ankle zips. The double seamed waist is elasticated with addition drawstrings for security.
The pants are designed to be slim fit and so if you prefer a looser feel then select a size up from your usual fitting.
I use them for general leisure wear although I have been running in them and found them perfect for winter and autumn runs although perhaps a little too warm for summer use.
Currently priced on Amazon at £19.99 I have to say that like other garments from BROKIG they are well made with a quality feel to them not reflected in the budget price. The slim-fit design may not be for everyone but selecting a size up will make them a better fit for those of us not so well proportioned as we would like.
When my last pair of Hi-Tec Silver Shadow running shoes finally gave up the ghost I looked around for a replacement for these rather large and old fashioned shoes which gave me the support and comfort I needed for middle distance road runs. The Get Fit Air Bubble Trainer looked OK and had decent reviews and for the budget price of £13.99, I thought I would give them a try.
The shoes arrived nicely packaged and presented at a level above their budget price. Just the shoes were in the box with no paperwork or information about them. Build quality looked fine, the shoes certainly appeared well made and fit for purpose.
I had read from other reviews that these shoes are something of a snug fit and that is certainly the case. I got them on OK after a brief struggle and they seemed comfortable enough and so lightweight I hardly knew I had them on. I took them for a 10K road run and throughout they felt OK although on one foot they did pinch a bit. When I got back I discovered one shoe was soaked in blood caused by the pinching effect. As with many similar running injuries the actual wound was very small and looked far worse due to the blood seeping across the front of the shoe. One trouble with running I have found is that I tend to ignore and just run through what feels like a minor discomfort only to pay the price upon my return.
I should have paid more attention to the other reviews and just sent the shoes back rather than assuming I could just break them in. I am going to hang on to the shoes and will use them for lightweight exercise at home. I still feel the shoes are fundamentally a good buy but I would advise getting a pair at least one size larger than normal and ensuring there is plenty of wiggle room within them before taking them on a run.
