Al-Felice 5m RGB SMD 5050 Waterproof LED Light Strip

As Christmas approaches, the season of fairy lights, it is maybe time to start looking around for easy ways to illuminate the house ready for the festive season. This kit from Al-Felice contains all you need to get going and allows for room for expansion later.

In the blister pack was a single 5M 300LED light strip complete with plugs either end, UK power supply, 44 key infrared remote control, control box, female to female 4-pin adapter and a small User Guide. The User Guide is small, hard to read and rather uninformative but for completion, I include a scan of it in my unboxing video.

All you need is included here. There is no need to buy anything more unless you plan to expand the unit with more LED strips which can be daisy-chained onto this one and powered from the same PSU and controller.

To use the kit with the single strip included then simply plug the output from the mains power adapter into the white control box, plug the tiny and delicate female to female adapter into the controller output plug and then connect that to either of the two plugs on the light strip. Remove the battery protector plastic strip from the remote control and connect the mains plug. If you wish to connect additional LED strips then these and other female to female adapters can be easily found online. You can cut the LED strip to length being careful to cut with scissors along the indicated points found every few inches on the strip. The strip is sticky backed and can easily be mounted in place.

The fitted LED strips if discreetly mounted can be left in place for future festive occasions, otherwise, they can be carefully removed and returned to the box for next year. As with all LED strips over time the sticky surface will come loose and so for long time use a more permanent mounting method should be found.

Everything you need from a simple lighting kit is included here and at a very attractive price too at £14.99. It is attractively presented and would make a great buy for the Christmas season.

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BesserGift Silica Gel Heated Facial Cleansing Brush and Eye Massager

This attractive new £29.99 device from BesserGift is a multipurpose health and cleansing tool designed to remove residual makeup traces from the face as well as tone up and refresh the skin and pores.

It arrived in a subtle and rather stylish product box with just the unit itself, USB charging cable and User Guide within. I attach a copy of the user guide to my unboxing video, go full screen and pause as needed to read it.

The device itself is has a soft and silky smooth silica gel skin with all the controls buttons recessed into it with a slightly banana like curved design. It has a stainless steel effect top which I thought was purely decorative but in fact is an ‘eye smoothing device’ and a set of six control buttons running upwards on the front face. At the top on the front is the large face cleaning pad and on the rear the heated eye pad compress pad. On the rear at the bottom is the grommet protected power in port which annoyingly is a non-standard one, so do not lose that USB cable!

Press and hold the power button for between one and two seconds to turn the device on and it will beep and all the LEDs will light. Scroll through the modes by selecting and pressing the power button. The modes are Cleaning, Massage, Hot Pack, Refresh, Relax. Double press the power button to change the vibration level and heat level from the silica to the metal end. The User Guide explains which levels contain heat, vibration or a mix of the two and how to make the best use of the available modes.

The effect of the device is very pleasant and soothing in all of the available modes. What if any long-term benefits it gives is open to debate but it feels relaxing and sometimes stimulating when in use.

This is a discreet and rather elegant device that will refresh the face, skin or indeed any other body area to which it is applied.

The Good
Stylish Design
Good Build Quality
Multiple Modes
Good User Guide

The Bad
No Storage Bag
Non-Standard USB cable
Simple Packaging

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ONIKUMA K8 Gaming Headset

 

Available from Amazon at just £20.69 this has to be viewed as a budget headset but in fact, you get rather a lot for your money here with the new gaming headset from ONIKUMA.

The headset arrived nicely presented in a mid-range display box. Inside the box was the headset itself, cable adapter, and a large and easy to read User Guide which I include on the end of my unboxing video.

The headset is nicely made, seems robust and strong, and quite attractively designed compared to some gamer headsets I have tried – which is not saying much. It is moderately well padded on both the earcups, which are of the over-ear type, and on the headband. It is comfortable and easy to wear even for long gaming sessions. The 2.2m braided audio cord has both 3.5mm jack and USB plugs. An adaptor is including which connects to the 3.5mm jack plug to allow the mic and headphone signals to be split to separate jack plugs to allow the headset to be used with computers, consoles, and other devices with separate microphone and audio sockets. The earcups illuminate with multicoloured LED’s when connected using the USB plug and in fact, this is the only purpose of the USB plug as USB audio is not supported and there is no built-in vibration engine. There is a large in-line control box with a thumbwheel to control the audio volume and a mute switch for the microphone.

How does it sound?
The audio quality is actually not bad at all and worthy of a higher priced device. There is plenty of bass, not so much as to be overpowering, with the mid and higher frequencies being clear and well defined without being too sharp or abrasive. When both gaming and listening to music it is becomes a very immersive and enjoyable experience. From a pure gaming viewpoint the lack of direct talkback through the console is a drawback but the fine sound quality and ease of use for general music playing more than makes up for it.

Unlike with some gaming headsets, the LED lighting is quite subtle and not unattractive with the earcup logo scrolling through a range of colours. Colours cannot be preset and the lighting can only be switched off by unplugging the USB plug. It is worth saying again that the USB connection is to power the LED lights and not to allow for system-level interaction with a gaming console. The large microphone stalk is very flexible and can be easily folded out of the way but cannot be unplugged. The mic is sometimes muffled in use and the best I have tried for talkback use.

This is a large and well-made set of headphones described as being for gamers but really they are fine for general purpose listening with a full and rich sound not often found at this price. If you are a serious gamer, particularly a console user then my advice would be to walk away. If you are looking for a budget headset for music, PC Gaming and general use then this would be a decent buy.

The Good
Good sound
Great price
Good build quality
Comfortable to wear
LED Illumination
Audio/Mic adaptor
Adjustable mic position
Long 2.2m braided cable
Passive noise reduction

The Bad
Microphone muffles audio
Not suitable for some gaming consoles

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bedee Alcohol Breathalyser Kit

 

 

I remember when I was a boy, many years ago, that drink driving was not really perceived as a bad thing. It was almost comical and people would laugh about near runs with the police and at worst it was a bit naughty, like walking on the grass when the sign said not to. Not so now and it is seen as a dangerous and stupid crime that no one would own up to doing. That is why a simple and easy to use breathalyser such as this might allow the user to stay both safe and legal. Of course, the best way is simply not to drink at all when driving but carrying this device might be a way of convincing fellow drinkers not to drive.

The device arrived well presented in a mid-market product box containing just the breathalyser itself and a well written if rather a small User Guide. I include a scan of the User Guide in my unboxing video. The unit is small but well made and can fit easily into an inside pocket or into a bag or purse. It is powered by two AAA sized batteries which slot into the compartment on the underside. No batteries are included, which is a pity.

The unit can perform four functions
1. Alcohol level testing
2. Clock
3. Timer
4 Display current temperature

The clock, timer and temperature readings are displayed on the upper LCD panel with the alcohol test results on the lower colour panel. Configuring the time and scrolling through the four functions is done by pressing the Mode button.

Operating the main feature, the alcohol level testing, is easy enough. Turn the device on by pressing and holding the Power button for one second and the device will beep to confirm it is working and the colour screen will show a ‘warm-up’ status message and an on-screen ten-second countdown will display. The unit will beep again and you need to blow into the aperture on top of the device for between three and five seconds. The result will be shown in the colour screen window in the form of both a BAC % reading and a g/L level.

What do the readings mean?
A caution message will display with readings between 0.02% BAC and 0.05% BAC, a danger level message (with beep sound) between 0.05% and 0.08%. The legal driving limit in England and Wales is 0.08% BAC (80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood) and 0.05% in Scotland.

For best results, it is best to take the test more than once and of course if in doubt do not drive.

This is a small and easy to use device and the current Amazon price of £10.99 is a small price to pay to keep your licence.

The Good
Great price
Easy to Use
Good Build Quality
Small Size
Well Written User Guide

The Bad
No batteries included
User Guide Small and hard to Read
LCD screen small and hard to read

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Qoosea Night Light LED Projector Lamp

 

This light, which is really three lights in one can be used as a mood projector lamp, coloured night light, or as a normal reading or bedroom light. For the £19.99 Amazon price, it is really rather a good deal.

In the simple but attractive branded product box were the light itself, four stencils, tripod mount, USB to micro-USB power cable and User Guide. I include a scan of the User Guide in my unboxing video, switch to full screen and pause to read it. The device made entirely of plastic but seems robust and well made enough to cope with life in the average child’s bedroom.

The lamp is spherical in shape and has a removable clear top into which the four supplied stencils are placed and which reveals the four LED lights – red, blue, green and white. Around the base is a translucent night light panel showing the currently selected colour and above it the three control buttons: Projection On/Off, Rotation On/Off, Snooze On/Off. On the rear is the micro-USB power in slot and on the underside the battery port for three AA batteries.

Operating the device is easy enough. After selecting the power source – do not use the USB port if batteries are inserted – remove the clear top half of the device and insert the stencil design of your choice – Ocean World, Birthday Greetings, Romantic Love, or Spaced theme. Pressing the left button switches between white, yellow, blue scrolling lights. The centre button turns the rotation of the dome top on or off. The right button turns the night light Blue, green or off. The lamp can be used as a rather bright desk or table lamp by removing the stencil. When in rotation mode the entire top of the unit revolves, not just the stencil inside, so do not touch the top when it is working as it may damage the motor. It is almost entirely silent when in rotation mode and so it is easy to forget. It will work off batteries but I am not sure what the battery life would be but in any case, in most situations USB power would be easiest.

The lamp works well in any mode and gives atmosphere to a bedroom or children’s party at a price that will not break the bank.

The Good
Good Price
Good Build Quality
Easy to Operate
Gives atmosphere to Child’s bedroom or party

The Bad
No power adapter supplied
No Batteries supplied
Reading Light mode rather harsh.

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BROKIG Vertex Mens Gym Jogger/Sweatpants

I am usually a bit nervous when buying Chinese clothes due to sizing issues but in fact, these new sweatpants from BROKIG were OK and if anything were slightly larger than I was expecting.

The garment arrived simply packaged in a resealable zip lock bag with the usual tags in place. No documentation or other items were included.

The pants themselves are clearly well made from a thick cotton/polyester mix that feels warm and absorbent. The design is rather unusual and different from other sweatpants I have worn. There is what seems to be a protective strip along the inside of each thigh and also a V-shaped visible seam – clearly a design feature – across the thighs also. The waist and ankles are elasticated and there is an additional drawstring waist cord. The only pockets are shallow zipped handwarmers on each side. There are no visible issues in the tailoring with no hanging threads, scuffing or weak seams.

As regards sizing, the size I selected I would have expected to be rather tight across the waist but in fact, it was OK with the leg length being fine and perhaps even a little on the short side. The legs are a tapered fit and better for exercise where flapping legs and a wide ankle fit can be an impendence rather for than daily use where a less extreme look is preferable.

On balance I would say these are a well made and robust pair of sweatpants better suited for the gym than the street with an unusual design that may appeal more to the athlete than the general user. For the current Amazon price of £20.99 these are not a bad buy for the quality although thinner and less well-made rivals are available for less.

STNTUS INNOVATIONS 12 Handmade Bath Bombs Gift Set

 

 

This delightful set of twelve Bath Bombs comes exquisitely presented in a robust pink box which looks like it might contain fancy chocolates. The box is far too nice to throw away and it can easily be repurposed to store trinkets or small cosmetics items.

The twelve 2.2″ 3oz Bath Bombs are each differently scented in traditional aromas that put me in mind of the Yardley perfumes of yesteryear. The scents are listed as ‘Smooth’, ‘Sky’, ‘Love’, ‘Rose’, ‘Sunrise’, ‘Nature’, ‘Starry Night’, ‘Heal’, ‘Caramek’, ‘Ocean’, ‘Sakura’, and ‘Lavender’. The scents are subtle but pervasive and lift and enhance the atmosphere of the bathroom.

Using the bombs is easy enough and the same as with any other. After removing the outer wrapper and plastic seal just pop the bomb into the bath. It will rise to the surface bubbling and agitating the water and move around the bath colouring the water and diffuse the scent. It takes several minutes to fully dissolve. One bomb is more than enough for a normal sized bath and I suspect that just a half a bomb would do if you wished to economise. The bomb will make the bath an even more pleasant experience than usual and leave the skin feeling cleansed and refreshed.

Currently priced at £14.98 on Amazon these bombs are not ultra cheap but the price is at least equal to if not better than that of most high street rivals. In any case, who would not like to pay out for an indulgence such as this.

 

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