BESTEK instant pot

I recently acquired one of the instant pots that have been big in the news lately and are very popular on the cooking blogs I've been reading. This basically can do it all, rice cooker, crock pot, steamer, and the really impressive feature, pressure cooker.  You can cook a pot roast or a pot of beans in under an hour. You do have to be careful not to overfill the pot and risk blocking the pressure valve.
The lid on the instant pot locks down with a seal. It's a bit tricky to open and close the first time but once I figured out how to line it up it became.very easy to do. The pot has a removable interior cooking pot which is easy to clean and holds quite a bit. I can make enough rice to feed an army in it.
With the pot you get a measuring cup, a ladle, a rice paddle and a steamer platform that fits in the bottom of the pot. The control panel on the pot is easy to use and has a protective plastic shield over it making it easy to keep clean.
This is extraordinarily well constructed, very solid with no flimsy parts, though the utensils that came with it are fairly basic and simple, the device itself seems built to last a long time.
Probably the best investment I've made this year, and I can now clear off some counter and storage space of all those extra appliances!

You can find the BESTEK instant pot here
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LZSF437/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Jar opener and bottle opener

product link

So through the years I've seldom had problems opening jars or bottles, but as am getting older and arthritis is settling in there are days where I find myself struggling. I decided to break down and give jar openers a try, large jar lids in particular have been giving me problems. I tried some of those rubber mat openers and didn't have a lot of luck, but saw this become available on a list and requested to try it. 

I'm fairly impressed with how easily it works! It's flexible so you can widen and pinch it to get it over the jar lid, and the back has a recessed section that the jar lids fit into. Squeeze the end a bit and a push and jars pop open fairly easily. The bottle opener is quite nice to, though I think I will be adding a magnet to it and stick it on my fridge so it does not get lost in the "drawer of kitchen do dads". 

I've tried a few of these Chef Remi products now and have been really happy with all of them. They are well crafted and perform great.

r Blue Lens Steampunk Sunglasses

These are high quality sunglasses made with solid construction.  They are very strong and made with quality materials, they are quite dark, and have panels at the side to shield your periphiary vision.  The sunglasses come with a very nice zippered hard case and a black soft microfibre cloth to clean them with, Then lens wipe easily wipe clean of smudges and fingerprints.  The case has a carbiner on it so that you can clip it to your bag or belt loop. These are probably the nicest sunglasses I've ever purchased, I'm really pleased with how well they are made and very glad to have gotten them!

product link

poweradd powerbank

PowerAdd Energy Bank

This is a very solid nicely sized powerbank that will recharge tablets, kindle, cell phone, mp3 or other devices. Most large power banks have a long flat thin shape, this one is a little more solid and chunky, I don't worry about it getting broken shifting around in my bag or while I'm carrying it. I was able to recharge my phone multiple times on this, and was able to charge my tablet fully and have power left over for other devices. It has a nice finish on the case and is a very sturdy device.  It charged quickly and competely. 

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bluetooth headset

bluetooth headset
This is perhaps the smallest most compact bluetooth headset I have ever seen. It comes with a charging cable and two different size adaptors for the ear piece besides the one that is on it at time of shipping. It's very compactly built, I don't have many worries about it getting broken while bouncing around in my bag or pocket, it's quite sturdy. Sound quality is decent and people I called said they could hear me quite clearly. Getting to to pair was a tad tricky at first but once I figured it out it works quite well.  Battery seems to last quite a while and charges quickly.


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zippered document bags

link to product

zippered document bags

These packets  come in a bundle of three. The material they are made of is very tough, they would not tear or cut easily. They expand quite a bit and will hold considerable number of documents, files, photos or other items you might wish to store.  There is a small pocket on the outside for an identification card. The packets wipe clean easily if something is spilled on them, and are quite waterproof. the design of the material its made of lets you get an idea of what is within but obscures seeing distinctive details. 

Seven in one solar vehicle toy

I requested this item for my two grand nephews who are bright young boys who like robots. There is quite a bit of complex assembly required with this product, younger children will need some help from an adult. I think this could be really good toy for a bonding experience with parents and to teach following directions and diagrams. The pieces  are attached to a frame so that they can easily be identified and used. A few simple tools (scissors and pliers) are needed to assemble. This makes several different vehicles, a solar car, a concept car, a bulldozer, a dump truck and a concept racer.  There are also two charging stations, one using the solar panel and the other an AA battery charging station. 

The vehicles built charge rapidly (within a couple minutes) but run for only a very short time. Much of the fun in this toy will be in the assembly and switching it around to it's different variations.  The instructions are quite comprehensive with clear diagrams. The pieces themselves are a bright green and a soft grey color with a sheet of colorful stickers to apply

. product link to amazon

safety pin package

Safety Pins For Crafts and Quilting

link to product

This is a large package of very nice safety pins. These are the large size pins. The metal seems to be of good quality, no pitting or rust and the pins are very sturdy, they will be difficult to bend out of shape or spring. They clasp shut very securely, and the tips are quite sharp, they do not catch or drag when you insert them into fabric.  These will be excellent for quilting or crafting or for those clothing emergencies when a hem or button has given way.

meal prep containers

Meal prep containers

link to product

These are  great containers for pre prepping lunches or dinners. The plastic is light but hold up well in microwave and dishwasher, the containers are great for controlled portion sizes for those watching their weight or if you are putting together meals for kids lunches or the meals for the elderly. They stack neatly in the freezer or refrigerator. They are great for setting aside meals of leftovers to have for lunch the next day.Container depth is fairly optimal for uniform reheating of leftovers in the microwave

Poweradd 10000mAh Portable Charger Power Bank Battery Pack for iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy Note, and More - Blue Edition

Poweradd 10000mAh Portable Charger Power Bank Battery Pack for iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy Note, and More - Blue Edition
🌟🌟🌟🌟

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L6PKM8M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


This is a fast charging powerbank.  It takes very little time compared to other banks I've had to charge to full, and I'm amazed at how many devices I can charge off of it. I can get my phone to max, my mp3 player to max and a large tablet a little over halfway charged using this. It's possible it charges better than that, I was using the phone at the time it was charging so may have shaved off some of idea of it's refill ability.
It' fairly compact for a charger of this capacity, I can manage to stuff it in a pocket or corner of my purse.
The only drawback I possibly found is the casing is pretty sturdy if you are going to be just setting it down and letting it charge on a table or something, but if you are someone who is up and going and doing stuff and carrying it with you, I'm not sure how well it would handle being dropped. I play a lot of pokemon go and this was fantastic for that, but I had some worry that I might kill it if it got dropped. (solution was to just put a little bubble pack around it!)
All around best little charger I've picked up so far, I may be giving away some of my smaller chargers and get a second of these. I'm glad I got a special deal on this item and a chance to try it out.

sportlian defense flashlight

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M7PQ0ZM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

not sure if the video will load, it initally said the file was too big.

This flashlight is a great little defense flashlight. If you rotate the dial near the lens of the flashlight some seriously sharp little spikes come out around the lens. It would take very little effort to embed those spikes in someone and rake them with it causing some painful nasty damage.

As a lightsource it works really well too. with the defense spikes dialed out the light has a narrow high power beam that is good for lighting up detailed work, like if you are working on your car. with a tap of the power button you can also get a lower level beam and a strobing beam.  If you dial the spikes back you get a good wide spread strong light that also can be altered to strobing and a lower level beam.

The flashlight can take 3 AAA batteries or you can buy a single rechargable battery (if you look at the link it tells you what kind) and recharge it using a charger through a port in the body of the flashlight.

you can see the video at my facebook https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1536225386393749&id=100000189087667

leather notebook

leather notebook

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EYOYBO8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This is a very nice journal notebook. The leather cover is very neat and well stitched and sealed. A nice pen comes with the notebook and there is a place to store it along the inside spine. The pages are very smooth and even, and in the back is an address book section. It also has a nice ribbon and brass attached bookmark to help you keep track of where you left off. I will probably buy more of these in the future, they will be excellent for keeping track of some of the tea and crochet exchanges I participate in it.

thermometer

thermometer

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0152FCAQE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is a very simple one button device. It's lightweight but quite solid in construction, the end of the thermometer is not overly sharp and doesn't poke. It takes roughly 30 seconds from start until it signals temperature taken. It has automatic shut off feature so it doesn't run the battery down. It reads temperature in Celsius.

rechargable LED book Light

rechargeable LED hands free light

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L6OHWDQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I often find myself having to dig around in storage containers in the garage or look for things that have drifted somewhere in my car and I really need both hands free, I hate juggling a flashlight while trying to move things around. I picked up this light hoping it might help with this.
It's a quite adaptable light set. You can recharge it through a USB Port, and there is a lamp on each end. Each lamp has two lights in it. You can set it for one or the other of the two bulbs to be lit or for both bulbs to be lit on each end.  It projects quite a bit of light. I wouldn't try going out in the woods hunting with it, but it's completely adequate for digging through boxes in a dark garage or for sitting and reading in a dark car with the lights trained down so that they don't interfere with the drivers night vision. The battery lasts for a good long time between charges. You can also easily twist and wind it around a something nearby and angle the light to exactly where you want it, great for working on an auto.

Make up and complexion sponges

makeup blender and konjac sponge

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ET6G7WK/ref=cfb_at_prodpg

I am not a daily makeup wearer and have only recently started using brushes and sponges in application. This set is a pink sponge that is used for makeup application, and a white sponge like (konjac) material that you use during your skin care routine.
The Konjac sponge is really nice. It's hard when dry, but you can put some of your toner or cleanser on it and it softens. It works as an exfoliating agent as you sweep it across your face. Due to some health issues I have what I call "sand acne" tiny little grains in my pores that while not particularly visible, are there nevertheless and sometimes can be itchy. Using the konjac sponge has done a great deal to eliminate this condition.
The pink sponge is a great applicator for primer and base and for some blending. Its very soft and it cleans up quite easily with a drop or two of cleanser and rolled back and forth between my palms under running water. I've heard of these type of sponges shredding easily, this one seems to be fairly sturdy.
I'm glad I added these to my skin care and make up kit.

spot rearview mirror

spot rearview mirrors

https://www.amazon.com/CarBoss-Rearview-Engineered-Motorcycle-Adjustabe/dp/B01J164JYG/ref=sr_1_39?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1477905738&sr=1-39&keywords=blind+spot+mirror

I get very nervous driving highways because of how much and how fast traffic is and trying to see into your blind spot going at high speeds in heavy traffic can be tricky. 

These mirrors help a great deal. They come with a small black pedestal type thing that mounts on your mirror, then the actual small round mirror is mounted on a ball socket on the pedestal. You can swivel and adjust these to meet your need for the field of vision. The adhesive is very strong, they stick on really well. The only problem I had installing them was the instructions are in I believe chinese but honestly? It's very simple and quite easy to figure out.  I can easily see across the next lane if need be as well as well into my blind spot. I'm very glad I got these, well worth it. 

Iphone screen shield protector

 Iphone7 screen protector shield

I was given this as a gift, however I don't have an Iphone. I do have a friend that would get good use of it and will be passing it on. I compared this to the shield I had bought for my own phone and am going to look into if this company designs shields for my phone. This shield is fairly thick yet when I held it against my tablet there did not seem to be any problems with the screen detecting my directions. It seems somewhat resistant to skin oils and fingerprints and it cleaned up very easily with a microfiber cloth. it comes with special wipes to clean your phone before applying.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LNEC9LY

Bath Mat

bath mat
🌟🌟🌟🌟
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1E1SF3

I received this bath mat as a sample to try. It has excellent non slip backing that holds very well to my floor. The top part of the mat is a very absorbent foam fabric that conforms so comfortably to your feet. actually i wouldn't mind having one of these to stand on at the sink while doing dishes. it would catch any slosh from the sink or drips and be comfy to stand on. Its a very good sized mat also, you can move around a bit while drying off and dressing. It takes a while to dry,  I found it dries faster if I drape it over my towel rack in the tub. my cat has also developed a fondness for lounging on it because its cushy.
It's well constructed with good solid stitching I have no worries about it fraying. I suspect it can be washed in the machine on gentle cycle and hung to dry quite safely.

Bicycle Lights

bicycle lights
🌟🌟🌟🌟
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MA3AWAV

I received these bicycle lights as a gift and have a friend for whom they will be perfect for. They are very lightweight and come with hardware for mounting the battery box on your bicycle. they are amazingly bright for such tiny lights. They run on two AA batteries and are designed to light up when vibration is detected, so if your bike is sitting still they shut down after  minute but as soon as you start moving again they flash.  the wire is quite flexible so you can weave it very tightly around spokes in whatever pattern you like. I sprinkled a little water over a section and they still work even when wet. I will worry much less for my friend riding after dark with these on her bicycle.

bicycle lights

bicycle light

https://www.amazon.com/GLISTENY-Flexible-Colorful-Waterproof-Headlight/dp/B01K4IYQZC/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1476961966&sr=1-1&keywords=GLISTENY+Flexible+Led+Bicycle+Frame+Lights+Strip



I picked these up for a friend who rides quite a bit. These are light weight and very colorful and bright. With some trial and error we got them affixed to the bike quite securely, my friend was very visible even on a dark somewhat rainy night. Puddles did not seem to affect these lights at all, they continued to glow even though they got drenched. We haven't timed the battery life with them, but so far they've run for about 14 hours without dimming. These are fun little safety feature I'm glad I could pass on to my friend.