Stainless Steel Cordless Electric Tea Kettle

I recently upgraded my electric tea kettle.  I've had a couple of them over the years and I find them very helpful as they boil water quickly without using the stove.  My major complaint is usually how scaly and built up with minerals the kettle and heating element become over time. It's easy to clean but also easy to forget to clean.

I decided on the Asani Stainless Steel Cordless Electric Kettle.  It has a large nearly 2 quart capacity, is cordless from the base, is available in a handful of colors and is very quiet.  Two things made my purchase decision easy.  First, that there is no plastic that comes into contact with the water.  My other kettles have had small plastic components in the spout and in the base.  Second, the heating element is not exposed to water.  The element is in the bottom of the pot but in its own sealed spot on the base of the kettle.  Cleaning will be so much easier now that I don't have to scrub some of the tight spots around the heating element.  Even after soaking in vinegar to remove scale, there have always been areas that needed a scrub in my old kettles. 

Operation was simple.  Fill with water over the Min but under the Max line, put kettle on base and push the little lever under the handle down. You can see it is lit orange in the picture below.  When the water is boiling lever quietly pops up. The kettle is cool to touch even when the water is boiling. It is competitively priced with other electric kettles with similar features.

I haven't noticed any plastic smells, aftertastes or chipping.  Counter top space is limited in my kitchen but I am happy to make room for this electric kettle. 

You can find this kettle in black, grey and pink in addition to red by clicking here.  

Although I received this item using a discount, all opinions are my own.

Crenova VS100S Vacuum Sealer Review

I love vacuum sealers.  It’s kind of a weird thing to like, I know.  I like vacuum sealing food, small household items, when packing for travel, etc.  I currently own a large model from the major US brand but the Crenova VS1000S intrigued me.

Why, you ask?  First because of its small footprint and weight.  It weighs in at just over 3 lbs and is much smaller than most vacuum sealers I have seen. It can tuck away quickly or be left out without looking like a behemoth in your kitchen.  The Crenova VS1000S is 14.2 inches x 3.9 inches x 7.5 inches.  It is made of plastic and stainless steel and looks very sleek. It also has convenient cord storage underneath.

It comes ready to use with all of the essential features you need with none of the bulk and it’s super easy to use.  It also arrives packed with 10 vacuum bags in two sizes to get you started.  

Using the Crenova VS1000S:

I tested the vacuum sealer with a half of a bagel.  It was easy enough.  I put the bagel in a vacuum bag, placed the open end of the bag under the hood of the Crenova VS1000S.  I pushed the hood closed and made sure I heard a click.  From the function buttons I selected Vacuum and the machine did its job.  The vacuum got rid of most of the air and when the Crenova was about to seal the bag, it vacuumed out a bit more air which is a nice feature as sometimes air can get back into the bag right before sealing.  The Crenova was smart enough to avoid this.  

Since I was testing, I noticed that the bagel I was sealing was a bit crushed.  I cut the bag open and tested again this time using the Pulse feature.  You start vacuum sealing the same as normal, but after the vacuum begins, you push the Pulse button to start and stop the vacuum as you need.  This is particularly helpful for foods that you don’t want crushed like bread, chips or crackers.  It also comes in very handy when sealing foods with any liquids.  The vacuum is strong enough to pull the juices out of meat and using the Pulse feature can help to make sure you don’t pull liquid up to the seal or even worse out of the bag and into your vacuum sealer.  

To remove your sealed bag, just press the black release buttons on either side of the sealer.

Another feature of the Crenova VS1000S is the Seal function. This will seal only; without running the vacuum. Hitting Seal is how you close up your bag after Pulse vacuuming.  I find it most useful when I want to seal bags of chips and crackers so they don’t get stale.  No more chip clips!

Lastly, I really enjoy that the Crenova VS1000S has an accessory port.  I am able to purchase and use accessories from most major vacuum sealer brands to vacuum seal open bottles of wine, mason jars and even to quick marinate meats.  I’ve begun a complete overhaul of my pantry with the Crenova VS1000S.

I have two small issues with this vacuum sealer.  Because it is so small and lightweight, it can vibrate and move around a bit when the vacuum pump is running.  Also mine arrived with a small ding in the stainless steel, which is no big deal I guess, as I think about how much I will use it, I am sure I will bang it up a bit myself.  

I am so glad that I purchased this vacuum sealer and will be happily vacuum sealing away!  

Check out the Crenova VS1000S Vacuum Sealer here!

Alure Three Barrel Curling Iron Wand

I have really long hair that takes a long time to style so I was very excited to test this curling iron. It arrived in a sturdy box that would keep well if you planned on storing it. None of that drugstore plastic packaging that is impossible to open.

I chose the pink option. The handle and the thumb plate are comfortable to use. Despite the width of the curling iron, it isn’t too heavy. I appreciate the digital display and the buttons for + or – heat work with no issue. The curling iron heats up quickly and you place a section of hair in it. My hair is long enough that I need to use it a few times to style the entire of hair. Unfortunately I think the barrel size is too small for my hair making the waves too small. I would love to see this with 1.5″ barrels or larger. I’d also love it if they made a flat iron that is the width of this curling iron.  I’d use one or the other every day because it would make doing my hair so much faster. 

I wanted to love this curling iron but I don’t think it’s for me; however it might be with a few tweaks. I feel it is well made and may be perfect for someone looking for smaller waves than I am. You can find it here (NOT an affiliate link).

I was purchased this item with a discount but these are my honest opinions.

Asani Hair Dryer with Ionic Conditioning

 I really love this hair dryer and I am surprised. I have really long hair and I usually buy a Conair or Revlon hair dryer every few years, it gets gross or starts to smell like burning and I throw it out and buy a new one. I was a bit hesitant to purchase a brand that I am unfamiliar with but this hair dryer is great. It usually takes me about 35 minutes to fully dry my hair. With this hair dryer the time is cut in half. It is not as loud or high pitched as other hair dryers I have used and it has features like Hi and Low, Hot and Cool and a Cool Blast button. It also has a smooth round cord and a hook for storage. It also comes with 2 concentrators that actually stay on the hair dryer. It seems like every hair dryer I have has a loose concentrator. The filter on the back of the hair dryer is very easy to remove and clean when necessary. The hair dryer is made of smooth plastic. A few of my older hair dryers have a rubber grip and after a year or so they almost get greasy or start to deteriorate. I don't anticipate that happening with this hair dryer. I'm a huge fan and would not hesitate to purchase this again. Oh and the hair dryer arrives beautifully packaged too!
I purchased this product and am sharing my unbiased opinions.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0788D8JMM

Pink Changing Pad Cover 2-pack

I had a chance to try and review a 2-pack of Pink Changing Pad Covers by Ziggy Baby. They were sent to me free of charge for my unbiased opinion.

These changing pad covers are available at Amazon.com at this link

I like that the covers come in a 2-pack and that they are contemporary designs.  The fabric is a soft cotton jersey.  I washed them before use according to the package instructions.  

Once I put them on my changing pad I wished they were a bit more generous in size.  They seemed a bit tight and really just fit my standard size changing pad.  Also I feel that the fabric is a bit too thin as it looks a little sheer once on the changing pad.  I was really looking forward to using these covers because I like to have a changing pad cover for summer months that is not minky fabric but I think the sizing and fabric are just a bit off for what I was looking for.

Jammy Jams Pop Goes Lullaby 6

I love the Jammy Jams CDs.  As a parent bedtime can be very rewarding as well as very frustrating if your baby won't go to sleep.  There's a lot of repeating stories and lullabies and it really helps to have Jammy Jams music on hand because they are the lullaby/children's instrumental versions of your favorite songs.

Jammy Jams recently sent me the download of their Pop Goes Lullaby 6 for free for my honest feedback.  They already have their version of Adele's Hello out in this collection.  I wasn't necessarily familiar with all of the pop song in this collection but enjoyed listening to the Jammy Jams version. 

I have a few other Jammy Jams CDs and have to say that U2 is my hands down favorite.  I also enjoy their Aerosmith, Journey and Hip Hop Goes Lullaby collections.  

Check out Jammy Jams for yourself.  You can buy direct from them here or find them on Amazon.com and iTunes.

I received this digital download to review for my honest opinions.

Mommy TLC Toilet and Cabinet Lock

I have been experimenting with safety products to child proof my home for my 15 month old son who is getting into everything.  He really wants in our kitchen trash cabinet so I tried the Mommy TLC Toilet and Cabinet Lock on it to see how it would perform.  The Mommy TLC lock is the first strap of this kind that I have used in my home although I did purchase another popular brand to decide which one I like better.

Unfortunately I don't love it.  The two round pieces have 3M adhesive on the back and stick to the cabinets.  The idea is that the round parts flip open to allow you to open your cabinet. Both of them are able to be opened.  Based on my experience they flip open too easily. If you forget that you have installed them and try to open the cabinet by pulling on its handle the round part of the safety strap easily pops open. This happened every time to me, my husband and for my son.  Additionally although my cabinet faces were clean and dry when I installed them, the adhesive also wore off.  A few times when my son pulled the cabinet door the entire strap popped off because it was no longer sticky enough to hold.

Once it stopped working after less than a week I tried the other safety strap I bought and what a difference.  This one has one sticky piece that does not ever open; it is permanently locked.  The other piece will only release if you squeeze a button on each side.  I think this functions much better and provides me with peace of mind and the safety that I am looking for out of a product like this.

I received this product in exchange for an honest review however all opinions are my own.