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As Seen on TV Products – The Real Deal

November 3rd, 2009 Angela No comments

Watch enough TV and you’re sure to come across an infomercial or two. Pitch men promise to make our lives easier, better, and just plain happier for a bargain price. So which infomercial products got great reviews from users, and which As Seen on TV goods merit a healthy dose of skepticism?

As Seen on TV Products for the Kitchen

The Slap Chop

The claim: Chop, dice, and mince in seconds without switching blades.

The reviews: Nearly all of the customer reviews mention that the vegetables get stuck on the blade rather than actually getting chopped. With a 1.4 average rating, this product appears to be a dud. One Slap Chop review says, “my dull false teeth could do better“. Ouch.

Bottom line: You’re better off using a knife or putting your $20 towards a food processor.

Always Fresh Containers

The claim: They keep food fresh up to 50 days longer than other containers.

The reviews: The Always Fresh Containers get mixed reviews. While eleven people give it a five star rating, nearly as many give them only one star. Fans say they save money by keeping food fresh much longer. One reviewer says, “broccoli and celery rotted in record time in these containers. i had much better luck using a zip lock freezer bag.

Bottom line: Try at your own risk.

The Magic Bullet

The claim: This all purpose tool can do most kitchen jobs in 10 seconds or less.

The reviews: Most of the Magic Bullet reviews were positive. One reviewer makes everything from smoothies to scrambled eggs and says, “It takes the place of several larger appliances and really saves lots of space on the kitchen counter. ” However, many reviewers note problems with the durability.

Bottom line: Versatile tool, but don’t get too attached.

As Seen on TV Fitness Equipment

The Perfect Pushup

The claim: Supercharge your workout…maximizing strength and definition while minimizing the risks of joint strain and injury.

The reviews: The Perfect Pushup gets almost perfect marks in the product reviews for quality & results. Users also love that they can work their upper bodies without wrist pain, and some started to see results in as little as three weeks.

The bottom line: A quality home gym product for improving upper body strength without wrist pain.

The Ab Rocket

The claim: Ab Rocket gives you the abs you’ve always wanted in 5 minutes a day.

The reviews: With an average star rating of 3.7, the Emson Ab Rocket works for some, but not all. The main complaint is that the machine doesn’t provide enough resistance to produce results.  Ab Rocket enthusiasts give it good reviews as a great alternative to sit-ups.

The bottom line: If you hate sit-ups, this might be a good alternative, but don’t expect washboard abs.

The Iron Gym Pull Up Bar

The claim: Get strong. Get ripped. Quick! Attaches & removes from door frame in seconds!

The reviews: Most reviewers are very impressed with the easy installation process for Iron Gym. They find it “sturdy” and high quality. Some who try to use the bar for sit-ups find it less than stellar, but otherwise satisfactory.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for an easy to install pull-up bar, this one will do the job.

As Seen on TV Electronics

The Clapper

The claim: Turn your lights on and off automatically with a clap of your hands!

The reviews: Users says it’s good for lights that are hard to get to, and a fun novelty item. Most note that is also finicky & takes a bit of practice to get right.

Bottom line: Not quite perfect, but it has its uses.

The MagicJack

The claim: make and receive calls to anywhere in the United States and Canada for free using your high-speed Internet connection.

The reviews: Many find hassles with the product from poor sound quality to inadequate customer service and documentation. Though the device requires your computer to be running to work, lots of people are excited about the cost savings.

Bottom line: A good backup to your home phone, but stick with a real VoIP provider if you want quality.

Sonic Earz

The claim: Amplifies sound from 60 feet away.

The reviews: The average rating for this product is just 2.2. While some users write that it improved their hearing range, others complain about the poor sound quality, interference, and short battery life.

Bottom line: Set the volume high & your expectations low.

Winterizing Your Bike Commute

October 26th, 2009 Jean K No comments

The days are getting shorter and the air is getting downright chilly.  With all the rumors of this being an “El Niño” winter, now’s the time to prep your bike for the cold weather commute.  Here at the Buzzillions office in San Francisco, we don’t have to deal with any sleet or snow, but it’s starting to get dark by the time we leave the office and we’re already experiencing some epic rains.

So if you haven’t winterized your bike commute yet, Buzzillions is here to help find the right cycling clothing & gear. We have product reviews on over 3000 cycling accessories from big retailers like Bike Nashbar and Performance bike as well as from your local cycle shop. If you’re not sure what to get, here are some user reviews of their favorite products for winter cycling…..

BIKE LIGHT REVIEWS

These are a must for riding in non-ideal conditions.  They aren’t always legally required and I’ll admit I’ve occasionally cycled home at night without any.  A lot of commuters use just small blinky lights, which may be fine on a clear night but in bad conditions you need real lights.  Our users (including me) love the duo of the Planet Bike Super Flash Taillight & the Planet Bike Blaze 1w Bicycle Light.  They’re small yet very bright.  The miracles they’ve wrought with LED lights these days!

Planet Bike Super Flash Taillight

Planet Bike Super Flash Taillight

The best tailight.  Period. Use It!

I was recommended this taillight by a friend and when I saw it on sale for [$] I was sold. All I can say is WOW. I would never trust my safety to any other light. This thing is bar-none the best and brightest tail flasher I have ever seen. I put all three of my red flashers on as a test and this one was by far the brightest …” Mr. Wizard of San Diego, CA

Read Full Review »

Planet Bike Blaze 1W One Watt LED Bicycle Light

Planet Bike Blaze 1W LED Bicycle Light

Fantastic light!!

this light was recommended to me by 2 rei sales people, and i’m not disappointed at all. in fact i’m absolutely geeked that i got such a great light without spending hundreds of dollars. this light has three settings and the highest is really bright, and i have not had to change the battery yet. ……” John Rambo of Earth

Read Full Product Review »

FENDER REVIEWS

You’ve already got enough to deal with with all the rain and snow, why make it worse by splashing up all that muck from the road? I know a lot of people don’t believe in fenders. But I have seen cycling clothes after a couple of months of no fender protection, and believe me, that black stain up the middle of the back from all the road grime is never going to wash out. So protect yourself and your clothes by getting some real fenders. Planet Bike makes some of the most popular fenders (and highest rated), and for good reason.

Planet Bike Freddy Fenders Hardcore (Hybrid/Touring)

Planet Bike Freddy Fenders (Hybrid/Touring)

pretty sexy.

i just had these installed on my new marin fairfax, and they look awesome. based on reviews of these fenders, i knew they would be great, but i looked at a few others just to make sure i wasn’t missing out. i’m glad i settled on the freddies because these shiny black fenders look so much more …” nannylu of Atlanta

Read Full Product Review »

GLOVE REVIEWS

Unless you live where it’s sunny and warm all year round, you’ll want to get a pair of cold weather gloves. If you live in a mild climate like we do here in San Francisco you can probably get away with some full length cycling gloves. If you live somewhere colder you’ll probably want something with more insulation. A member of the Buzzillions team from Eugene, OR recommends getting a pair of cross country ski gloves – they’re light, sporty and warm. Of course, if it gets really cold you should probably look for a pair of ski/snowboard gloves. Here’s what one reviewer had to say:

Outdoor Research Gripper Gloves

Outdoor Research Gripper Gloves

Nice Product

Purchased for winter cycling road and mountain down to 32 degrees. Nice glove, nice windblockking material. Although sizing is generous, will shrink very slightly first time in dryer so purchase size up if between sizes. Recommend glove down to freezing temps. Happy with purchase. …” Rugbydog of Pennsylvania

Read Full Product Review »

CYCLING JACKET REVIEWS

Ditto with the jackets. You don’t have to wear a cycling jacket. However, most cycling jackets are windproof and that goes a long way towards keeping you warm. They’re also breathable so you don’t show up all sweaty. Of course, if it gets really cold you might want to just wear a ski/snowboard jacket as long as you don’t get too warm while cycling.

Gore Men's Tool Jacket

Gore Men

Worth EVERY penny, Incredible, versatile

I *love* this jacket. Body temp doesn’t change going into the wind or with the wind. Windproof AND breathes. Tonight (starting temp was 65 and ended at 55) I wore silkweight capilene base and this jacket and was very nice and warm, but NOT overheated. Thank you for gr8 vents. In the Minnesota winter …” SunMan of Wells, MN

Read Full Product Review »

Most For Your Money Awards

October 22nd, 2009 Jean K No comments

and the Most For Your Money winners are…


It’s been a tough year economically and everyone is watching their spending.  With the holidays right around the corner, it’s going to be even harder than ever.  That’s why Buzzillions has found the best deals in each category to help you with your holiday shopping.  These aren’t just the cheapest products, because what’s the point of getting a cheap product if it doesn’t do what you want?  These are products where you feel like you are getting far more value than what you paid.  These are products that are highly ranked yet won’t break the bank.  These are the Buzzillions Most For Your Money winners.

The Most For Your Money winners are determined based on user reviews.  To ensure the winners are relevant and not discontinued or out of stock, we only use reviews from January to September 2009.  Products in each category are then ranked with a special algorithm that incorporates star ratings, number of reviews and the reliability of the reviewers (reviews by “Verified Buyers” are given more weight).  A price comparison is performed on the highest ranked products to determine the Most For Your Money winners for each category.

***Note that these awards are NOT influenced by any sponsorship or payments. They are based solely on the product reviews of real consumers and price reported to us by retailers.

You can see all Most For Your Money Award winners here.

MFYM_snap

When browsing for products, look for the distinctive blue Buzzillions Most For Your Money badge, and you’ll know you’ve found a standout within a category.
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Some Award Highlights


Toys, Baby and Kids:

Sports & Outdoor:

Electronics:

Home & Garden

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Congratulations to all the winners. You can see all Most For Your Money winners here.

Sink Monster

October 21st, 2009 Buzzillions Team No comments

It was a quiet Monday afternoon at the Buzzillions headquarters in San Francisco. Everyone was focused on their daily tasks and no one could have predicted what was about to happen. Yes, we knew it was supposed to rain that day but this downpour was quite dramatic. We quickly realized this was a big one when the excessive water woke The Sink Monster that lives in our bathroom. And he wasn’t happy about the disturbance…



To get an idea of just how much it rained in a couple of hours, check out this video of what happened to one of the San Francisco subway stations….

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Buzzillions Welcomes Pehr Luedtke

October 19th, 2009 Angela No comments

We’re extremely excited to introduce you to the newest member of the Buzzillions team, Pehr Luedtke. Pehr joins Buzzillions as our new CEO. Most recently, Pehr was General Manager at Epinions, and prior to that, held senior strategy and sales roles at Levi Strauss and Company. When he’s away from the Buzzillions headquarters, Pehr enjoys running, taking pictures, and finding new sushi joints. He’s looking forward to putting everyone to shame on the ping pong table. Here are a few words from Pehr:

“October has been a month of milestones for Buzzillions. This weekend, the site hit the mark of 1 million products on the site. With 6.9 million product reviews,  that’s almost 7 reviews per product. At the same time, Buzzillions has seen a record number of users on the site & consumer demand for customer reviews has never been higher. Given this remarkable growth & the strength of our small team, I am very confident that Buzzillions can become the leading destination for consumers who are looking both for product inspiration as well as affirmation.”

In the coming months and years, we’ll continue to expand the depth and breadth of customer reviews on the site. We’ll stay focused on our goal of saving you time, money, and energy in your shopping experience by helping you make the right decision the first time. At the same time, you can expect to see some changes on Buzzillions as we experiment with features to make our site more intuitive & our content more accessible. As always, we’ll count on you to give us feedback on what you like & what we can do better. After all, your voices, stories and ideas are what make Buzzillions the number one destination for smart shoppers online.”

Welcome Pehr, and please be sure to come to Buzzillions for all of your holiday shopping!

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