Vorally Motion Sensor 10W.LED Outdoor Flood Light

Discounted now to just £13.99 this new outdoor security light from Vorally is perfect for small outdoor areas or as part of a network of lights for a larger garden or outdoor area.

In the rather plain but robust product box was the lamp itself with about two feet of hardwired three core mains cable attached and a simple but well-written User Guide. I attach a scan of the User Guide to my unboxing video. Build quality seems first rate. The body of the unit is made entirely of what seems like an aluminium ally with aluminium again used for the rear heat sink fins. The forward facing motion/light sensor is of plastic and the window protecting the 20 LED light array is of tempered glass. There is a rear kickstand which folds into the body of the device or can be set to any angle up to about 90 degrees and secured by two stainless steel nuts. The whole unit is rated waterproof to IP66 which means it should be fine for anything the British weather can subject it to.

In use, it can be positioned flush to any external or internal wall and angled downward to allow the 120-degree sensor angle of view to detect intruders up to a range of about 26 feet. It has a light sensor and should only function at night and will illuminate for between thirty and sixty seconds when movement is detected. The 10w 1000lm 20 LED display panel is good and bright, about the same as a sixty-watt bulb, but is best suited to smaller gardens or as part of a security lighting network. The light is rated at 6000 Kelvin which means it is broadly equivalent to cool daylight.

Despite the low price, this is not a throwaway budget item. It is a well-made quality piece of equipment, well made and robust it should serve for years when properly installed. I would have preferred a longer cable as it may mean having to fit an external junction box but I suppose they have to cut costs somewhere. Otherwise, this is a fantastic buy.

The Good
Great Build Quality
Easy To Fit
Adjustable Wall Mount
Good User Guide
Bright Light

The Bad
No Mounting Screws
Short Cable
Cable Hard Wired

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SZROBOY Universal Travel Power Adaptor and USB/USB C charger

 

I have used plenty of travel plug adapters before but not one as well designed and thought out as this one. I have also used no end of USB adapters and this one is surely one of the best designed and most powerful. To have the two devices combined for the current Amazon discount price of £17.88 makes for a rather compelling buy.

The 5.1 x 6.6 x 5.1 cm, 154g device arrived in a plain white box – what a pity a more attractive branded package could not be used – inside of which was the adapter itself, a rigid zipped travel case and a short and well-written User Guide a scan of which I include in my unboxing video. Build quality seems excellent with nothing looking likely to break or fall off any time soon.

Looking at the adapter on one side are a row of sliders each marked for a particular plug type – EU, UK, Australia, and the USA. On the opposite side to the sliders is a large recessed button. On one side face are openings for the various plug prongs to protrude and on the opposite the slots for the plug in use to be inserted. On the lower side are three USB 3 together with one USB-C charging points. Above the USB ports is a single large status LED.

This is probably the easiest to use travel adapter I have tried so far. Just press the button and slide the switch to select the plug type you want and the correct prongs will emerge and lock in place. To retract them just press the button and pull the slider back. When retracted the prongs are locked and there is no danger of the coming out or partially protruding as with some rival devices I have used. Remember that this is a plug adapter and not a power converter but it will work with any power output between 100 and 240v at up to 6A. Take note that it may not work with high power devices such as hair dryers or immersion heaters.

Using the device as a USB charger is just as simple and exactly the same as with any normal charger. All the sockets are smart and will output only the power required by each connected device to a total of 3.4A. The three USB 3 ports are rated at up to 2.4A and the USB-C at 4A at 5w.

This is an excellent and very versatile device, works perfectly and is small and neat enough to take anywhere.

The Good
Great Build Quality
Versatile Functionality
Smart USB
Good User Guide
Great Price

The Bad
Travel Case Not Really Needed

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LC-dolida 16 Reusable Make up Removal Pads with Laundry Bag

 

This set of sixteen 3.15 inch make up removal pads arrived very nicely packaged in a waterproof zippered plastic carry bag inside of which was a rather high end and luxurious drawstring storage and washing bag. No paperwork was included other than a rather sweet review slip.

The pads are made from two layers of Organic Bamboo Fabric which is soft and yielding yet strong enough to withstand repeated machine washes after use and in fact, it is claimed each pad can be used up to one thousand times. The supplied laundry bag is not just a gimmick and is needed to prevent the pads from getting lost in the wash.

Using the pad is no ordeal as the fabric is soft and smooth and as the pads are reusable there is no need to wait until the pad is fully soiled before using a new one. Of course, the pads do not have to be just used for makeup removal. They can be used for any task that requires a gentle yet strong cleaning surface: lens cleaner, wiping a pet’s eyes, whiteboard eraser etc. Just pop the pad in the washing bag when done. The plastic carry bag is strong enough to keep the pads safe when in the suitcase when on vacation and the pads work well for a variety of uses when away from home.

If you need a well priced and eco-friendly alternative to disposable makeup pads and cotton balls then this £14.99 set might be just what you need.

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aperil Military Style Nylon Web Tactical Belt

This looks like a normal army style belt but in fact, it is more than that. It is made from a very tough and robust nylon and has a simple and easy to use eyelet free buckle. I wanted a tough heavy duty belt to use with my combat style work trousers and this one seems to answer my needs.

As a budget item and one designed for every day rather than fashion use, it seemed appropriate that it arrived very simply packaged in a reusable plastic bag. No paperwork was needed or included.

The 47″ is suitable for waist sizes up to 40″ belt at 1.5″wide is small enough to fit into the belt loops of most camo type trousers. It is robust and tough but surprisingly flexible and smooth to the touch. It has a loop to secure the excess strap and is very easily adjusted to suit waist sizes with no eyelet holes in the belt as it is adjusted using just the buckle and is secured by tension alone. Adjustment is simple and easy with no need for belt holes, complicated threading or multiple restrainers. The plastic buckle is well made and robust and will allow you to pass through airport security checks alert free.

Priced at just £8.38 on Amazon I doubt you will find better for less and for me it is certainly worth the money. If you need a good quality heavy duty belt for outdoor use then this would be a great buy.

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ZMINDCH Motion Sensor Closet Light

I have tried quite a few stick-on lights of this type but this 22 LED model is certainly the most stylishly designed and perhaps also the best.

In the plain product box, you receive the lamp unit, the magnetic mount, double-sided sticky pad, screw mount set, a short USB recharging cable and a single sheet User Guide.

Build quality seems excellent. Everything Seems robust and well made and nothing looks about to fail anytime soon. A longer charging lead would have been nice and I wish a standard micro-USB plug has been used other than the non-standard proprietary one supplied. The light looks great, with a silky matt white finish with stainless steel endpoints. The tubular light is held magnetically into the plastic mount and this allows it to be rotated and slid up and down the mount for easy positioning and removal. There is a long row of 22 cool white LED’s with the motion sensor in the centre. The only control is a soft touch button on one end: touch once to turn off or on, touch again to turn the motion sensor off or on with a red LED indicating the sensor is on and a blue that the device is now off. The red LED will also illuminate when the 600mAh internal battery is being charged and turn blue when charging is complete.

As with all these lights once set the 120-degree wide sensing range motion detection turns the LEDs on for about twenty seconds when triggered. The light is not too harsh and at 3000K is on the cool side of warm which means it is pleasant enough on the eye. Mounting could not be easier, just peel off the backing from the magnetic strip and place it in position. The bracket can also be screw-mounted and a kit for this is included. The light will then stick to the magnetic mount and can be easily removed for recharging.

At 30cm in length, this light is quite large and so care should be taken where to locate it. It may well be too large and bright for many cupboards but is fine medium-sized or larger areas. We have one positioned on the inside of our back door and it is a perfect size.

At just £15.97 it is very well priced and if you need a larger than average rechargeable light strip then you need to look no further.

The Good
Bright warm light
Easy to mount
Good build quality
Great price

The Bad
Touch switch overly sensitive
Short charging cable
Non-standard power socket

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Metecsmart 10000mAh Power Bank A-10K05

This new power bank from Metecsmart has to be one of the best looking and most elegant I have tried of this capacity. At the current Amazon price of £16.98, it is by not the cheapest on the market however, it has the style as well as the specs that many of the cheaper rivals lack.

In the simple eco-friendly product box was the power bank itself, a short USB to micro-USB charging cable, and a well designed and nicely printed User Guide albeit rather small in size. I enclose a scan of it on the end of my unboxing video.

The first thing that strikes you about this device is the elegant and upmarket appearance. It has a shiny silk finish to the body with high gloss steel look for the port bay. Coupled with the high build quality this really does give it the appearance of a high-end piece of kit. It would not look out of place on the desk of a CEO or on the table of a posh restaurant. At just 240g in weight and 138x72x16mm, this device is small and light enough to slip into a jacket pocket to keep it on hand when needed.

On the side is the only control, a soft touch multi-function button which powers the device off and on checks the battery status and controls the built-in flashlight. On the front are the three ports: micro-USB 2A power in, smart USB 2.1A, standard USB 1A. When both ports are in use the maximum output is 3.1A. The smart port will automatically deliver the maximum needed by the connected device, the other a standard 1A. Should there be an overload then the device will safely reset itself. The 10000mAh Lithium-Ion battery cell should be able to give three or more charges for most modern high-end phones and once for an iPad mini.

The main selling points for this device and the reason it is worth paying the extra are the compact size and high-end looks of the unit coupled with versatile high speed charging capabilities.

If style, as well as performance, is important to you then this would make an excellent buy.

The Good
Stylish Design
Good Build Quality
Standard and Smart Ports
Flashlight
Battery Status LEDs

The Bad
No Carry Pouch
No USB-C port

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Brainpower Nootropics L-Theanine PURE 400mg 60 capsules

 

In order to give them a proper test, I have been taking one of these daily for the last several weeks and to my surprise, I have actually noticed a difference in how I feel.

The product arrived attractively presented in a friendly looking non-clinical pack with labels that are clear and easy to read, although of necessity still rather small.

L-Theanine is an amino acid derived from tea leaves and is said to relieve stress by inducing a relaxing effect without drowsiness. It may also possess immunologic attributes. Theanine may also have effects on the cardiovascular system and play a preventative role in cancer and help reduce blood pressure. However, limited clinical study information is available to support these claims. Few adverse reactions have been reported. Side effects in a few cases include a headache, dizziness. L-Theanine is usually taken doses of 200-250mg daily, usually in conjunction with Caffeine. These tablets do not include caffeine and are at a higher but still perfectly safe dose of 400mg.

The main reason to try L-Theanine is that it helps with sleep, reduces stress and anxiety, enhances attention and helps the user to focus the mind, and is said to boost cognitive functions. Certainly, I have found myself able to concentrate better and keep on top of my workload. I am also sleeping better and although I still wake earlier than I would wish I do sleep more soundly now and wake fewer times during the night.

The current Amazon price of £16.49 for a one or two month supply (depending on your personal dosage) is not exorbitant. As a vegetarian, I was pleased to see that these Spansules are not derived from animal gelatin and are fully vegan. I am not a great one for dietary supplements or pills and potions but I have found enough benefit from these to keep on taking them.

The Good
Good price
Easy to swallow
No caffeine
They do seem to work
Attractive packaging
Easy to read labels

The Bad
Not Cheap

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