OneClick IntelliPanel Desktop from Lakeland - Product Review

Standby To Save Money!

Review by Michael Smith

Desktop IntelliPanel Lakeland Ref 21306

We live in a digital age, but it’s still important to switch off from time to time – especially your electrical appliances. We’re told that leaving something on standby wastes a staggering £740 million a year, well waste no more!

These IntelliPanels are recommended by the Energy Saving Trust, and mean that you can say goodbye to standby on your desktop or home entertainment system. Simply plug all the equipment in and every time you turn the screen on or off, IntelliPanel will automatically take care of the rest.

The IntelliPanel Desktop for PCs, the one that I have reviewed here as I do not have a TV or any other appliance of that nature but enough computers, has one master socket – that is the one that controls the system – and 7 sockets for peripherals and power supplies to run peripherals on a PC. When the PC is shut down a relay, for lack of a better word, is triggered and the other 7 sockets are switched off, thus turning off all appliances with nothing draing any phantom power.

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Grass Edger from Lakeland – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith

Grass Edger – Lakeland Ref 50965 – 21.96 GBP

This Grass Edger sold by Lakeland comes as a 2-part tube steel construction that is assembled by means of a bolt with a wing nut. The assembly cause no problems whatsoever as it was all too obvious and the device appears to be quite sturdy.

The circular cutter of the Grass Edger is not over sharp – but is probably intended to be in is way – and the cutter assembly too looks fairly robust as well. Obviously, as will all things, the proof of the pudding, as they say, is in the eating, meaning here that only over a more prolonged use would one be able to gauge how it performs and holds up to the rigors that some may inflict it the tool.

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Typhoon Green Pan from Lakeland – Product Review

Go Green In Your Kitchen

Review by Michael Smith

If you’re keen to pick eco-friendly products then check out these beautifully designed pans – must-haves for a greener kitchen!

The pans are crafted from recycled aluminium and the manufacturing process uses less energy, making them the ideal choice for eco-conscious cooks, whatever is on the menu.

Using recycled aluminium also means that no new Bauxite needs to be mined in order to produce “virgin” aluminium. A great plus for sure, giving old aluminium a second life.

In fact, aluminium is a metal that can be nigh on indefinitely recycled, similar to stainless steel, though, I believe, the latter's properties for that are a little surperior to aluminium.

The Kyoto range is coated with Thermolon, a ceramic-based non-stick covering which contains fewer chemicals, gives easy-release for food, is easy to care for. Please note: Do not use metal utensils with this pan. The non-stick coating will get damaged if you do.
Thermolon non-stick coating is manufactured PFOA-free and in an environmentally friendly way, resulting in 60% less CO2 emission, according to a statement by the manufacturer. The coating also PTFE-free and therefore does not “off-gas”, that is to say, does release any toxic fumes during the heating process, unlike other coatings one could mention but better does not.

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Bulldog Ratchet Pruning Shears BD31303 – Product Review

20mm cutting diameter ratchet pruning shears

Review by Michael Smith

I have to say that this is the first of those kinds of pruning shears that I ever really have had an opportunity to use and review.

Other manufacturers and vendors for some reason have been more than reluctant, to say the least, to part with one of those for a proper and thorough product review and I leave the reader to draw his or her own conclusions as to the why and wherefore of this.

Bulldog's representatives on IOG Saltex 2008 were more than happy to supply me with one of those and so far I must say that I am quite impressed with this tool.

It took a little while for me to get the proper hang of it as to the best way of using it but once that had been mastered it is just a great piece of kit.

The maximum cutting size, in my opinion, should not be exceeded when cutting hardwoods, whether green or not, such as apply, plum, oak, etc. While it may work alright with slightly larger branch diameters, I must say that I would not recommend doing it.

Once the “trick” of properly using the ratchet is mastered this pair of pruners cuts through quite thick branches without any real effort. Small pruning is best done with the topmost tip of the pruners as it is then just the single snip. This is very good for dead heading of roses and also general small pruning rather than using the cutting jaws further down that then still employs the ratchet, making the cutting process a little slower.

On larger material the ratchet makes cutting virtually effortless and I recently used it to cut back a Willow (Salix) and in this instance cutting material with diameters of 35mm and such without any problems. It must be considered thought that green willow is a rather soft wood.

I also used it to prune some apple trees and in that case I restricted myself to about the maximum given diameter for this pair of pruners and there as well very little effort and strength was needed for the cutting.

From what I have seen so far as to the performance and reliability I can, I think, very much recommend this model of Bulldog's pruners without any hesitation.

Once again another piece of kit that is of fine quality at a very reasonable price.

© M Smith (Veshengro), October 2008
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Bulldog Mini Bypass Pruning Shears BD3150 – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith

The Bulldog BD3150 mini bypass pruning shears are a very nice and handy little pair of pruners for the cutting back of live or 'green' foliage and also capable of basically all small pruning tasks. In my opinion those pruners are also great for children who wish to help in the garden. Yes, I do know that they are cutting tools and sharp but they will never learn how to do things if they are not permitted to learn when young.

The cutting capacity is 6mm which is just under 1/2 inch in old money. However, it is probably possible to cut a little thicker pieces like that. It all depends on what material they are. While I would not suggest to cut a 3/4 inch apple twig or one of other hard wood with this pair of pruning shears it it, however, possible to cut bramble runners of that size and even bigger, especially if they are “green”.

While an ideal little pair of pruning shears for the home and also the allotment gardener they are also suitable for the professional when about generally in case there is something to be that needs dead heading, whether roses or flowering plants in general. In addition it is also an ideal small pair of secateurs for the Park and Countryside Ranger on patrol should the need arise to cut some bramble runners or such clear from a path to protect the public from injury. It is the small size here that comes in at the forefront, allowing it to just be slipped into a pocket or a notebook belt pouch or such.

Those mini bypass pruners are also brilliant for harvesting produce in your veggie garden or plot, whether those be beans or other vegetables, and do a much better job than garden scissors, for instance.

The grip is a soft elastomer kind of material than makes using them a pleasure.

Priced at an RRP of £8.44 they hardly break the bank and as with all Bulldog tools we are talking quality at an affordable price. I know that you can get secateurs for less than £3 or even for as low as 99pence but what are you getting there?

The only one thing that I am not too sure about, I must say, as to reliability and durability, is the yellow – in the case of the green handles version of the BD3150 mini bypass pruning shears that I was given for review – plastic sliding lock. I would have rather seen something like the lock on the BD3152 bypass pruning shears. In use I find that at times that lock slides forward and, in fact, locks the shears. This is, though, not the only kind of lock on secateurs that I have a problem with. The old style, as on the afore mentioned BD3152 – the clasp on the bottom of the handles – still takes a lot of beating. The spring too, maybe, just maybe, could do with, in my opinion, being just a little bit stronger.

However, this small pair of mini pruners is something that many people will have been waiting for, and also those gardeners that want to be able to allow their youngsters a go in the garden with dead heading and such but the secateurs on the market in general are too large to really be able to do that. These mini pruning shears will, certainly, bridge that gap.

© M Smith (Veshengro), September 2008
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Bulldog Bypass Pruning Shears BD3152 – Product Review

Rollins Bulldog have been making quality tools for gardening and agriculture for well over 200 years by now and most of those tools are still forged at Bulldog's Clarington Forge in Wigan.

The pair of bypass pruning shears, that I have the pleasure in reviewing here, are from the Premier Range, and came to me via a press pack from the 2008 Garden Press Event that was held at the Royal Horticultural Halls in Westminster at the end of January 2008, are no exception here. They are a quality tool at a very reasonable price. At around GBP 13 these quality pruners certainly are not expensive.

The blades are forget from high carbon SK-5 Japaneses steel and the handles are sold aluminium into which the blades are securely bolted. The handles have green “elastomer” grips, preventing the tool slipping out of your hands.

Locking together of the handles is achieved by an old method though with modern materials, that is to say that an ABS plastic hook acts as the lock at the bottom of the handles, locking the pruners safely and secure.

The spring is of the common “caterpillar” kind which is, unfortunately, often prone to jumping out and getting lost. This problem is overcome, as it would appear, on the BD3152 pruners in that the ends of the spring has been recessed rather deep into the handles and I should think that it is nigh on impossible for the spring to jump out on its own without help.

The BD3152 pruners appear very well made and well thought out, as are all Bulldog tools, and should give years of faithful service at a great value price. The length of service obviously depends greatly on how they are used or abused and treated or mistreated during and especially also after work. This often makes or breaks a tool.

Pros:
High carbon steel blades, forged
Bladed bolted into handles
Solid aluminium handles with rubberized grips
Safe and secure locking mechanism
Value for money price

Cons:
Still trying to find any.

The BD3152 Bypass Pruning Shears from Bulldog are equally well suited, in my opinion, for the professional gardener as well as the allotment gardener or the amateur at home.

© Michael Smith (Veshengro), March 2008

Gorilla Tubs – Product Review

Is there really anyone out there who does not know the Gorilla Tubs by Faulks & Co. at Barwell, Leicestershire? If so, then let me tell you a little about those tubs and their uses.

Tubtrugs are the slightly more “domestic” relations of the Gorilla Tubs. The latter are intended for the more industrial use and are equally at home with the professional gardener as a “basket” in which to deposit weeds from weeding flowerbeds or Rose cuttings or what-have-you, as they are on a building site for mixing cement or plaster or for removing rubble from confined spaces. Anything you can do with a bucket you can do with a Tubtrug and a Gorilla Tub.

In our time now where we all need to think “green” and recycled Faulks & Co have been leading the way for years with the timeless range of recycled tyre rubber products, and the rage of those is just way too large to list here. You can see them at http://www.tyrerubber.com.

With all the ranges of tubs from Faulks & Co. anyone will be able to find one that is just right for his or her job.

The ordinary gardener at home or the allotment will be served well enough with just the standard flexible Tubtrugs, and it has many more uses around the home too, while the professional gardener, whether landscape or parks, would be better served, no doubt, with either the various sizes of the Gorilla Tubs ot by the “baskets” of the “Tyre Rubber” range of recycled products.

For further information see the websites at:

Tubtrugs

Gorilla Tubs

Recycled Tyre Rubber Products

© Michael Smith (Veshengro), January 2008

Cable Buddi – Product Review

Cable Buddi is a unique safety cable clip on device from the Stadium Group plc.

We all know the trouble with the trailing cables of electric lawn mowers, hedge cutters, and other such tools. How easy it is to cut through through the power lead we also, I am sure, have found out to our peril. Now Cable Buddi can eliminate all those problems to a great degree; operator error excluded.

Cable Buddi is ideal for all kinds of electrical tools, whether lawn mowers, hedge cutters, strimmers, rotavators, garden vacs, chain saws, woodworking tools, drills, and much more.

Cable Buddi helps reduce the risk of cutting through electrical cables and reduces the risk of tripping over same. Both rather a health and safety issue.

Cable Buddi allows the equipment to be used with two fully operational hands, thereby reducing the risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI) and increasing efficiency.

Cable Buddi allows full concentration on the job in hand without the need to worry about the cable, as the cable is safely towed by the side of the user.

At a retail price of GBP 1.99 is it well worth getting a couple of them for sure.

Cable Buddi should be available from most Hardware Stores or Tool Shops and large DIY outlets, I should think, like Homebase and B&Q. If not ask the store to get Cable Buddi for you.

Cable Buddi is brought to you by:

Stadium Group plc
Jubilee Avenue
Highams Park
Chingford
London E4 9UD
Tel: 020-8531-6767
www.stadium-ventilation.co.uk

Safe Can - Product Review

Store your valuables where thieves won't find them.

SafeCan is a ground-breaking product which makes it easy for people to hide their valuables in ‘dummies’ of everyday objects, like cans of beans or books. Branded products from household names, like Heinz or Collins Dictionaries, mean the dummy containers can be concealed with other household objects for maximum safety. The brands are fully licensed from their parent companies, so they look exactly the same! In other words, a very subtle low cost safe.

SafeCan is a exciting product that could help people protect their property, whether in their homes, their garage, in a caravan or a boat.

Recognised by Police Forces, Neighbourhood Watch Groups and Insurance Companies Worldwide as an excellent deterrent to theft. The SafeCan is the ideal place to hide money and jewellery.

Upon attending DIY & Garden and Totally Tools every visitor, including us media guys, were handed a goody bag at the door sponsored by Henkel which had a Can Safe in the form of a spray can of a Henkel product in it.

This is, I most say, the first time that I had a chance to get a closer look at one of those little low cost safe solutions and I can only say, “ingenious”.

More information on SafeCan, now part of the Sterling range of security solutions, can be found at www.sterlinglocks.com.