How Do As Seen on TV Products Really Rate? The 2003 List
Two new infomercials are broadcast each day. Some will run just once; others may linger for years. If we buy, the ad stays on. If we don't, it disappears. And boy are we buying. The Electronic Retailing Association says that 29 percent of us have at some point succumbed to the siren call and bought an infomercial product. Industry experts estimate that we spent $5 billion on "As Seen" merchandise last year, up from $1.2 billion in 1996. Why the boom? Not only are there more ads than ever, but more cable channels to watch them on and more viewers with access to the channels. About 25 percent of the programming on cable and local broadcast TV is an infomercial, says the Infomercial Monitoring Service. Even mainstream companies like Bose stereos and Sears Craftsman tools now run infomercials. "There have been a lot of scam artists in our industry, and there are still some," says veteran infomercial maker Tim Hawthorne, whose company has had clients like the Aero Bed and Time-life music. "But if a show looks high quality, there's a greater chance that it's coming from a reputable company." Infomercial icon Ron Popeil, who has brought us gems such as the Veg-O-Matic, GLH Formula #9 (the spray that hides bald spots) and the Showtime Rotisserie Oven, says that the secret to an effective ad is explaining, not deceiving. "There are no miracles in my projects," he says. "If you give the consumer a quality product, they'll pay a fair price." Buyers stand a much better chance of getting their money's worth if they avoid things that promise improved health, weight loss, pain relief, hair growth or making money. Of the 72 infomercial lawsuits brought by the Federal Trade Commission since 1989, 55 deal with alleged deceptive claims in these areas. "Last year, we sued the top three selling ab stimulators," says Elaine Kolish of the FTC consumer protection bureau. "One claimed it was the equivalent of doing 600 crunches in ten minutes." Those cases are pending. Beyond that, a ripoff is in the eye of the beholder. Virtually every "As Seen" product comes with a money-back guarantee if you're not completely satisfied. The big question is: What products will satisfy? After a few late nights and rainy weekends in front of the tube, it was too much for us to resist. Reader's Digest purchased top sellers (skipping pain potions and ab gizmos) and had staff members test them to find out once and for all. The first thing we learned is that the hard sell doesn't stop with the commercial. To complete most phone orders, we endured a laundry list of additional offers from breathless salespeople who rebuffed attempts to decline mid-pitch. (One offered us a second product, which cost $19.95, for $1. We bit, until learning that the bonus carried an additional $7.95 shipping charge.) Generally, shipping and handling costs were astonishingly high. Our testing wasn't scientific. Rather, we had people try products in real-life situations. Each item was used according to the instructions by at least 4 and as many as 12 staffers. Some valiantly tried to replicate demonstrations in the ads. Our ratings range from no stars (don't bother) to 5 stars (will change your life). And here are the results: Revo Styler 
$79.98 + $19.94 (S&H) = $99.92 (for 2) Promise: "Go from wild to styled in minutes" with the hairbrush that "rotates nearly 100 times a minute, and it will not tangle. It's a miracle." Salon stylist Bruno says it "works for everybody, and it works the first time." Results: Testers who mastered it really did get straight, smooth, shiny hair. Several who didn't despite watching the instruction video complained of frequent tangling, which feels "like you're getting a noogie." Even the satisfied said the Revo was "clunky" and they'd pay "no more than $25" for one. Showtime Rotisserie Oven
$99.95 + $29.90 = $129.85 Promise: "Set it and forget it!" The compact version we tried has essentially the same features as other sizes. Ron Popeil says it cooks "the best-tasting food you've ever had," and "you save time -- it's only 12 minutes a pound." Results: The instructions make it abundantly clear that you can't just "forget it" and leave the oven unattended. But it does everything else Popeil says. One day we roasted a six-pound pork loin in a conference room. It was speedy, simple, and cooked a "very moist and delicious" staff lunch. Miracle Blade III Knives
$39.95 + $14.95 = $54.90 Promise: This set of 11 knives that never need sharpening will "get you out of the kitchen fast and easy." Chef Tony loans the slicer to a carpenter, who uses it to cut Sheetrock before cutting paper-thin tomato slices. Results: Testers said they're "much sharper than my current knife set," have handles with "a nice ergonomic shape," and "performed well cutting up vegetables and cheese." But a few weren't impressed. Reported one: "I couldn't rock with the Rock 'N Chop, since the heel of the blade is very dull." Turbo Cooker Plus
$59.90 + $19.95 = $79.85 Promise: Cook complete meals in just one pan "faster, and with little or no oil." Comes with a timer, racks to stack food and recipe cards. The woman demonstrating says that it "replaced an entire set of cookware." Results: Don't toss the pots and pans yet. Those turbo times don't include preparation steps: One dish was "great, but it took 21 minutes, and the recipe card said ' ready in 12 minutes.' " Some loved being able to make a whole meal in one pot, but others complained of "way too many parts." FoodSaver Vac 550
$129.99 + $24.95 = $154.94 Promise: Vacuum-seals leftovers, fresh veggies, or anything you'd like to keep fresh longer, in special bags and canisters. Saves time and money by reducing spoilage and allowing you to buy in bulk and on sale. Results: So pricey it would take an awful lot of 10-pound cheese blocks to actually save money, especially since you need to buy more sealer bags when you run out. It does work, though, and is "very cool" to use. Said one tester: "It made me feel frugal and prepared, like a squirrel packing away nuts for the winter." Bowflex Power Pro
$999.00 + $129.00 = $1128.00 Promise: Weight machine with tension rods guarantees results after six weeks of training, 20 minutes a day, three days a week. "That's all it takes." The machine is "ready for a quick workout whenever you are. Nothing could be easier." Results: They had us until the last line. We don't doubt that time and sweat will yield results, yet it's anything but easy to use, especially for beginners. One spent "as much time adjusting the rods as actually lifting," and another wondered, "Why not buy a secondhand weight bench and a few dumbbells?" Roll-A-Hose $19.99 + $6.99 = $26.98 Promise: The flat garden hose rolls up on its own reel. It's "so lightweight anyone can do it in minutes" and so tough that it's "guaranteed not to split or break for a full ten years." Results: It is "easier to maneuver and put away" than a regular hose, but also "kinks easily" and seems "cheaply made." By our fourth tester, one section of the hose we bought was "leaking like a sieve." Perfect Pancake
$19.95 + $6.95 = $26.90 Promise: Two-sided pan makes "picture perfect pancakes every time." So easy to flip that "if you can turn a doorknob," you can use it. Makes a stack of pancakes "in an instant." Results: No instant here. It makes just one at a time, and the instructions say each one takes seven minutes to cook, "too slow for a hungry family." It was easy to use and generally made fluffy cakes, but testers said they'd stick with their griddles. Gazelle Freestyle Elite
$414.75 + FREE = $414.75 Promise: Hyperactive Tony Little, self-proclaimed "America's Personal Trainer," shouts that his fitness machine provides "whole body calorie burning" (as opposed to all those other kinds), "whole body muscle toning" and "more features, more results and more fun than ever before!" Results: The Gazelle is "simple to adjust" and "gets your heart rate up quickly." One tester said, "It's mindless. Just turn on ' Wheel of Fortune' and go. When Pat says good night, you're done." The construction seemed sturdier than a treadmill of equal value, but "be careful you don't fall off." Better Pasta Pot
$19.99 + $7.99 = $27.98 Promise: "The lid is actually a built-in colander -- the best new idea since spaghetti and meatballs!" It allows you to drain pasta and numerous other things "without all that splashing and scalding." Results: It works like they say, but a tester wondered, "Who has so much trouble draining pasta that they need this?" Pot makers must think everyone does: There are at least three other pasta-pot ads on TV, and you can find this type of pot in stores. Ultimate Chopper
$59.90 + $14.95 = $74.85 Promise: Food processor is conveniently small, so Chef Tony says "you'll never put it away and use it every day." It has 750 watts of "MegaPower" (ooh, what's next, GigaPower?) and can chop bits of brick, glass, even concrete. Results: "My onions minced very quickly," said one tester. Another reported, "It did work its way through smaller brick chips, but not medium ones, though it tried its damndest." Others said it's too small to be useful, and that the directions say to chop everything into one-inch pieces first. "So why bother?" FlipFold
$19.99 + $13.90 = $33.89 (for 2) Promise: "Fold an entire basket of laundry in under two minutes" with this folding tool. "It folds any size clothes," can "transform an entire closet," and "little ones love FlipFold." Results: True, it's a "cheap plastic thing" that's harder to use on long sleeves. But "it gives a nice, flat fold" and is astounding in cluttered closets and dressers. "I couldn't believe how many more T-shirts I could fit," said one tester. A grateful mom said, "My three- and four-year-olds could fold the laundry very neatly. They're excited that I'm going to buy them one." Kids folding willingly? A bargain at any price. Kaboom Cleaner
$19.99 + $7.50 = $27.49 Promise: Porcelain, tile and grout restorer from the OxyClean folks that'll "put the shine back in your shower." You get two 32-ounce bottles. Results: Worked "very well" on mineral deposits, stainless steel and tiles, though it disappointed on grout. One tester said, "I tried it side-by-side against Fantastik on grout, and they worked about the same -- except Fantastik costs less than three bucks for a 22-ounce bottle." Handy Stitch
$14.99 + $5.99 = $20.98 Promise: Handheld gadget will "sew anything, anywhere, at any time," and is so easy that experienced and beginner sewers alike can use it to "get a secure, strong and even stitch." Results: The small size was a plus, and it was "very easy to move across the fabric." But two of our testers complained that it was hard to sew in a straight line, "since you're holding it in your hand, as opposed to using a traditional machine." And two beginners failed to master it. Ding King
$29.95 + $5.95 = $35.90 Promise: "The do-it-yourself dent and ding remover with professional results" can save you from costly repairs, or from driving a junky-looking car. "Just turn the wing nut and watch that awful dent disappear." Results: "It pulled the dent right out," though sometimes it "takes a few tries." To affix the Ding King, you glue it directly to your car, so "be careful of the paint job." Biggest quibble? "It's hard to get the glue off," so you'll need your own solvent. |
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