How Do As Seen on TV Products Really Rate? The 2005 List
Maybe it's the hypnotic power of late-night TV (most ads air during the wee hours), but 72 percent of all infomercial purchases are made impulsively, according to a new study by the Electronic Retailing Association, which tracks such things. When we do call, three times out of four, that cheerfully convincing salesperson on the other end of the line tries to get us to buy something else too. More than half of the time, we bite. So, for the third year in a row, Reader's Digest road-tested 13 hot products. Eager staffers -- as few as 6 and as many as 14 -- took the stuff Home and put it to use in the real world. Our ratings range from no stars (Junk! Don't waste your money) to four stars (Genius! This product might just change your life). Here's what we found out: Magic Bullet  $99.99 + $39.98 (S&H) = $139.97 (for 2) Promise: This compact countertop "magician" does "any job in the kitchen in ten seconds or less." Chop onions so fast there's "no time to cry." Pull out "the ultimate party machine" to make individual frozen drinks and "instant guacamole." Results: Aside from some disputes about the ten-second rule (pesto took about a minute), our testers were impressed with this "fast and powerful" personal blender. So simple to operate, you "could make it work by looking at it." "Great smoothies," said one tester, whose 21-year-old son wanted to keep the test model. Maybe we should let him. The small size makes it "best for singles." Even for "a non-cook, it was cool." Chillow [Best Name]$29.95 + $6.87 = $36.82 Promise: "An oasis for your pillow," this insert keeps you cool while you sleep and offers relief for headaches, hot flashes, sunburn and more. Like "falling asleep in the shade with a gentle breeze." Results: An Arctic breeze is more like it. Okay, maybe winter wasn't the ideal time to test the Chillow, but every one of our testers said it made their pillows too cool. And too hard. One likened the experience to "sleeping on a cold cement floor." Another said it felt like "an ice pack." Gets points for ingenious technology, though. To activate, you fill it with water, then let it chill for two hours before bedtime. But, suggested one tired tester, the two-hour cooling period "should be No. 1 in the directions. If I'd known that, I would've started earlier." Hair Made $19.95 + $9.99 = $29.94 Promise: "Is drying your hair a giant pain?" Strap your blow-dryer into this telescopic stand, which makes it "so easy, it's like having a third hand" and will "cut styling time in half." The beaming women on TV, sporting their shiny hair, certainly look pleased. Results: While one tester reported that "my hair actually looked better," another was annoyed by the "windblown" effect when the dryer continued to blow on sections she'd already styled. A woman with long hair appreciated that she had her hands free to "do other things." But another tester who used to work in a salon says, "I know the tricks for straight, smooth Jennifer Aniston hair, and this won't do it." Still, all agreed that the Hair Made could be "helpful for busy people who like to multitask." Micro Touch  $14.99 + $5.99 = $20.98 Promise: Men, keep yourselves "barbershop perfect" between visits, clipping sideburns, goatees and neck hair with "just a touch." This pen-sized grooming tool "replaces expensive trimmers" and is "designed to go where razors and scissors shouldn't," including nose, ears and that pesky unibrow. Results: Our male testers, admittedly not exactly a bunch of metrosexuals, found this a nifty addition to their grooming repertoires. "Easier than my electric razor," said one. Although you "have to go over a spot several times to trim it really well," most found that in just a few minutes, they were less hairy. Be warned: it's "not entirely painless." And bearded guys found it "only useful as an edger," not a full-on trimmer. Laser Straight [Best New Tool]$19.99 + $7.99 = $27.98 Promise: Hang shelves or a row of pictures evenly, following a bright red beam of light. This featherweight, battery-operated tool attaches to the wall with stickum, which "leaves no marks." Straight line extends "up to 50 feet" and "even goes around corners." Results: Because just about everyone turns into a spaz when juggling artwork, a pencil and an old-fashioned level, our testers agreed this is a great invention -- especially for the price. "I loved it," raved one. "My pencil marks always show," said another, "so this made me feel quite the expert." Suddenly, picture hanging is fun: "I enjoyed the light show." One do-it-yourselfer had a suggested improvement: "I wish it projected horizontally and vertically, but I'm not willing to pay double for the name-brand model with that feature." Eggstractor $9.95 + $4.95 = $14.90 Promise: Love hard-boiled eggs, but hate "peeling until your fingers are raw"? This accordion-pleated gadget "peels eggs ten times faster." Follow the "eggstructions," and "eggs pop out perfectly de-shelled every time." Results: Funky design "looks like something out of Austin Powers," but felt both "flimsy" and "cheap." Testers boiled dozens of eggs, but only one came out cleanly peeled. Instead, one "exploded," bursting apart, even shooting fragments onto the floor. "What's wrong with rolling a hard-boiled egg on the counter?" asked one pragmatist. Another tester rated the Eggstractor "eggxactly the kind of kitchen device you don't need." Someone else put it more bluntly: "This sucks eggs!" RoboMaid [Most Fun to Watch]$20 + $7.99 = $27.99 Promise: Keeps hard-surface floors clean between visits from your real live maid. Self-propelled and rechargeable, it uses a special "electrostatic pad" to "attract lint, dust and hair like a magnet." Small, so it scoots under tables and into corners. Results: Testers were amused by this "cheerful" and "industrious" sweeper (cats, dogs and one tester's toddler twins were particularly enthralled), but its cleaning powers got mixed reviews. The unimpressed said it "just pushed the dirt around" and "got trapped easily." Those who liked the little guy found it "obsessive-compulsive about cleaning" and "smart about getting unstuck." Best of all, said one, "I liked that it was sweeping while I was doing something else." Note: Replacement pads are expensive (24 for $9.99, plus $3.99 shipping and handling) and hard to order. When we called three days in a row, the Customer Service phone rang and rang. And when we used the 800 number, the system automatically ordered another RoboMaid. Ronco Deluxe Solid Flavor Injector [Worst Name]$29.95 + $6.95 = $36.90 Promise: Ron Popeil, the pro-lific entrepreneur who put the Ron in Ronco, offers "the first solid flavor injector for Home use." Now you can shoot marinade deep into thick cuts of meat, or "impregnate" food with herbs, jelly, nuts, even "whole cloves of garlic." Results: One tester tried shooting garlic into a leg of lamb, and it worked. Another budding chef had less success stuffing a pork loin with apples and raisins. It took two rounds in the food processor to get the pieces small enough to fit through the Flavor Injector's biggest tip. And then, the stuff "squirted everywhere -- what a mess!" Injecting cupcakes with whipped cream created a "mini-geyser." Liquid marinaters fared better. "It flavored the meat deep down," one said of the enclosed honey-lime mixture. But another found the directions "too complicated." With a hungry family to feed, she gave up. Medicus $119.80 + free S&H Promise: Play golf "like a pro" once you master the smooth swing needed to keep this club from bending at the hinge in the shaft. Hit "longer, straighter shots." And, the ultimate reward, "lower your golf scores!" Results: golf pros call this "the No. 1 swing trainer," and converts agree. "It absolutely improved my game," said one devoted duffer, who spent hours practicing with the Medicus. Another said it "exceeded my expectations" and especially appreciated the "instant feedback" -- if the swing isn't smooth, you know it right away. He told two buddies about the Medicus and "probably will" buy it. Air-O-Space 5-in-1 Sofa Bed [Most Versatile]$128.85 + $29.95 = $158.80 Promise: Expecting a houseful? This, "the future of relaxation," is "the answer to all your seating problems." It's "a sophisticated sofa," a lounger, recliner, queen-sized bed (full size also available) and children's "high-rise sleeper." Inflates and deflates quickly with the turbo power pump, then "fits into its own compact travel bag." Results: Testers vied to take this Home during the Christmas holidays. Overnight guests found it "comfortable," if a bit "lumpy." While the single bed struck some as too high to safely sleep a small child, one mom said it was a big hit at her 9-year-old's sleepover. Three boys sat on the sofa and played video games, then flipped it into a bed all by themselves. More critical adult testers were less impressed with the "luxurious leather finish effect," which "smelled like rubber." Bottom line: best for a basement rec room or college dorm. Natural Bra [Biggest Bust]$19.99 + $7.99 = $27.98 Promise: Put on "the perfect bra," and you'll have "strap-free support" that is "comfortable" and "can add a full cup size instantly." It's "made from two silicone forms that look and feel real" and "gives you a sexy shape that'll get you noticed." Results: Amazing cleavage control? What a bust! After following the "zillion" steps, including marking skin with a special pencil and applying double-stick adhesive strips, testers found this contraption "heavy," "uncomfortable" and "irritating." Taking it off was especially unpleasant, "like removing a very large, very stuck-on Band-Aid from terribly sensitive skin," leaving behind a "hickey-like mark." Total Trolley $79.90 + $19.95 = $99.85 Promise: Four tools in one: a hand truck, four-wheel dolly, flat-bed cart and "the best stepladder you'll ever own." Carries 800 pounds, goes up and down steps and "turns on a dime." Results: Testers gave this light use (changing a light bulb) and more challenging tasks, like hauling bulky boxes from garage to house. Consensus: It's a "sturdy" contraption that "wheels around easily" and "folds up flat for easy storage." But "you'll need muscles to handle it." "It's a bit expensive," said one Homeowner, "but purchasing four individual products to fulfill its uses would add up to much more." Smartware $39.95 + $14.95 = $54.90 Promise: Funky blue bakeware made from Temperflex, "a unique non-stick material" that bends like "rubber" and helps you "cook in less time, with less fat," with "perfect results every time or your money back." Must be why "the best pastry chefs in Europe have relied on it for years." Results: Zucchini loaf, from their recipe, was "great and contained less oil than my usual recipe." Chocolate Bundt cake was also delicious, if a bit "lopsided." But the boxed mix overflowed the pan. Although testers were impressed that Smartware "makes cooking, freezing and reheating easy," few were ready to run out and purchase a set. But "I might consider one dish." Besides, each of these pans, even the cookie sheet, has to be placed on a metal sheet (or wire rack, included). So you can't throw out your old bakeware. Consensus: "an unnecessary gimmick." |
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