This super long 16m set of fairy lights seem a step up from standard LED lights. Perhaps due to the semi-opaque ball covering each LED, the light is richer and more subtle than those I have tried before and distinctly more appealing. Also, the kit can be battery (3 AA) or USB powered, which is good.
In the box is the Light String, credit card sized remote, a set of 20 cable clips, and a short but well written User Guide. Build quality seems fine with noting looking likely to fail anytime soon with the LEDs using proper wires rather than the common fiddly and easy to break copper wire. The set is IP65 waterproof but be aware this applies to the string set only, so keep the battery box dry.
The set offers 8 lighting modes and four levels of brightness. There is also a useful timer mode preset to 18 hours off and 6 on. The remote control is needed for the more advanced setting but the single button on the battery box can turn the unit on and scroll through the lighting modes.
This is a well made and attractive fairy light set, offering attractive lighting and a good range of modes and control options. Not a bad buy for just £13.99. There shorter but otherwise identical versions available which are priced proportionately less.
This new 119 piece screwdriver set from YINSAN arrived nicely presented in a robust plastic box with transparent lids top and bottom to make finding the contents easier.
Normally at this point, I would list the contents of the box but in this case, that would take forever. Let me just say that this set contains just about any screwdriver bit and related implement or tool needed for work on small scale projects in the workshop. It includes 98 screwdriver bits, handle, anti-static tweezers, spudgers, SIM card extractor, magnetic screw mat, magnetizer/ demagnetizer.
The case is made from robust plastic – perhaps metal might have been better – but it does have a transparent lid so all the contents of the case can be located without needing to delve inside. Also included is a magnetic pad to prevent losing tiny screws but annoyingly this item will not fit in the case.
Using the kit is a pleasant experience compared to some cruder rivals I have tried. Everything feels smooth and well-engineered. I particularly liked the flexible bit extension which allows access to hard to get screws and in such cases the magnetic bits really do come in handy.
For the Amazon price of £15.99 (with an additional 8% checkout voucher at the time of writing) I doubt if you will find a more comprehensive or better-made alternative.
The Good
Great price
Great Build Quality
Rotating handle
Bit Extension
Magnetic Bits
Transparent Base and Lid
This super stylish new desklamp from ZIGLINT is part of a family of iOS-friendly devices which can be controlled using the iHaper iOS app and also by voice through Siri and Amazon Alexa.
In the stylish and elegant high-end box is the lamp itself, a USB-C charging cable, 3 extra silicon covers and a well written and easy to read User Guide.
This device is beautifully presented and really does look like it could have come from the Apple Store. Priced at £59.99 (with additional Amazon checkout discounts currently available) is not cheap but does not approach Apple prices.
The lamp is easy to assemble and once put together has one projecting branch containing an LED desk light with touch-sensitive 4-level switch and on another an easy to remove and separately powered torch. The main light, equivalent to an old-style 40W bulb, has no stroboscopic effect or blue light and is better for the eyes than normal LED lighting. The torch is rated at 7w and is fine for emergency use or just to find your way across a darkened room. The lamp and torch are both battery-powered and charged through the USB-C port built into the base of the lamp, the main light having an 800mAh battery good for up to 10 hours of use, the torch a 2600mAh battery that should give fours hours.
Voice control works well using the iOS app and Alexa. Android users take note that although the iHaper app is currently available at present it does not support this device, but hopefully will do soon. It features Human Body Induction which will turn the lamp on as you approach and turn off when you leave. It can also be assembled in a number ways according to how the mood strikes you.
If you appreciate stylish design and are an iOS user then this innovative and unusual lamp might be just what you need.
I make a lot of videos of this sort and getting the light balanced correctly can often be a problem. This budget-priced compact-sized LED light panel will come in very handy for me.
Inside the surprisingly small but heavy duty box, robust enough for long term storage, was the light panel itself, an NP-F550 Battery with charger and USB cable, camera cold shoe adapter with threaded 1/4 tripod mount, and a well written and easy to read User Guide. I include a scan of the User Guide on my unboxing video. All the items seem robust and well made and I would not expect anything to break or snap anytime soon.
Using the device is easy enough but first, it needs to be charged using the supplied charging unit which takes just a couple of hours and will give several hours of use depending on how the light levels are set. I was pleased to see the battery is a widely used SONY standard model which can be easily replaced with spares available for around £20 each.
The light can be powered directly from the mains using a 13-17V DC power source but annoyingly no such adaptor is supplied. However, the socket looks to be a standard one and so it would be easy enough to find a suitable model.
Once the battery is fitted and the device turned on using the rear-mounted controls it is simple enough to operate. Up and Down buttons control the colour temperature which ranges from a warm 3200K – to an almost daylight 5600K. The same buttons control the light output which at full power at 5000 LM is very bright indeed for the size of the panel. The user switches between the Colour Temperature and Brightness settings using the Mode button. There is also a Power On/Off button
The supplied mounts allow the light to be positioned on the standard Hot Shoe mount found on most professional semi-pro cameras with the option to mount on a standard tripod mount or a small self-supporting base. Being made from aluminium unit is not too heavy but will need a secure mount or tripod to hold it firmly. The aluminium construction also helps heat dissipation from the 18×8 LED panel.
This is an excellent little unit and would be perfect for those making home studio videos or as a fill light when shooting outdoors. The direct light can be a bit harsh and so a reflector or diffuser would be needed for best results. For the current price of just £34.99, this should be in any gadget bag of any photographer or videographer.
The Good
Compact Size
Good price
Good build quality
Non-proprietory battery
Batteries widely available
LCD Status Panel
For just £17.99 from Amazon, 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 YINSAN.
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 at 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 nicely padded with PU leather 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 braided audio cord has both 3.5mm jack and USB plugs. An adaptor is included for the 3.5mm jack plug to split the mic and audio signals to separate plugs. 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 microphone mute switch on one earcup along with a large thumbwheel to control the audio volume, the LED lights are controlled by simply unplugging the USB cable.
What about the sound?
The audio quality is actually rather good 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 but fine 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
7 Colour LED Lights
Audio/Mic Splitter
Adjustable mic position
Braided cable
Passive noise reduction
The Bad
Microphone slightly muffled
Hard Wired Microphone
Not suitable for some gaming consoles
This is a simple and inexpensive way to protect your wine when travelling and is well priced at £6.79 for a kit containing 15 bags and a pump.
The bags are cleverly designed, totally flat when deflated but when pumped up are super strong, very well cushioned and will protect your precious bottles perfectly. Each air pocket is separate and should one be punctured the others are not affected. Each inflated bag will fit a standard sized wine bottle or other bottles up 13″ x3″ in diameter.
The pump is simple and lightweight and needs careful handling to avoid coming apart when used too vigorously. It takes about 5 minutes of moderate pumping to inflate each bag. Don’t be tempted to go at it too hard, the pump is quite flimsy and although it gets the job done it is liable to come to pieces if used too hard. It will just snap back together again if this does happen but it is best to take care with it. Also, it can be hard to open the air intake port on the bag, I found a bent paperclip may the task easier. The port itself is indicated by an arrow pointing inwards at the top of the main part of the bag below the flap.
This is a simple enough product but one that may prove incredibly useful to those in the wine trade or connoisseurs needing to transport their precious collection. More Info and Purchase
This is essentially an electric under blanket for pets. Available in three sizes, mine is largest at 64 x 40cm. The pad is waterproof, has a metal shielded anti-pull power cable and uses a 12v circuit, all designed to keep your pet safe. The cover is machine washable, should the worst happen.
In the box is the pad itself, UK power supply, and an A4 sized User Guide. Build quality all seems excellent with noting looking likely to fail anytime soon.
Much emphasis has been laid on safety and the pad comes with a host of safety features, we are told, built-in. The internal PVC heating strip is IP 67 waterproof, which means that even if the pad is wet it will continue to work safely. The 125cm cable between the LED display and the pad is protected by an armoured insulated bite-proof metal shell – although the cable between the adapter and the LED display control unit is not. However, there are only 12 volts of electricity coming from the transformer to the control unit, which should be safe for all but the smallest pets. The shielded cable is also tug proof to up to 30Kgs of torque tension, so few pets will be able to pull the cable from the socket.
Ther pad is not particularly well padded and so needs to be used in conjunction with your pet’s normal bed and bedding. There is a LED display with a choice of 7 temperatures between 25 °C to 55 °C and the pad turns off when the desired temperature is reached. Inside the machine-washable fleece cover, the Pecute Heated mat is protected by a tough PVC skin with fire-retardant cotton surrounding the heating element.
This is basically the same as a normal electric under blanket but with additional safety features designed to protect your pet. The three sizes vary in price between £24.99 and £29.99 and seem just the thing to keep your pet warm this winter.
