ASOTVI Review of Zorbees

What is it? An absorbent towel for cleaning and absorbing liquids.

ASOTVI Rating: Conditionally Works

Major Claims:

• Will Pick Up and Hold Up to 20 oz. of liquid
• Over 27X more absorbent than cotton or paper towels

There are ten (10) Zorbeez in a box, six (6) smaller yellow square ones (approx. 15 in. x 15 in.), and four (4) larger orange ones (approx 27.5 in. x 19 in.). The larger orange ones are noticeably thicker than the smaller yellow ones. Please note that the instructions advise to wash them in a gentle cycle and not to dry them in the dryer to prevent shrinkage. They must air dry.

With respect to the first major claim, we used one of the larger Zorbeez to attempt to absorb twenty (20) ounces of water. The product successfully absorbed all of the water and held it. This claim is true and works as advertised.

However, the second claim is that Zorbeez can absorb OVER twenty-seven (27) times as much as a cotton or paper towel. We put that claim to the test with a simple paper towel. In our evaluation we used a shot glass of water, normally holding 1.5 oz. We didn’t fill it 100% full, but almost, ensuring for the benefit of the doubt that there was at least one ounce of water in it (see video). We then used a generic paper towel (actually the plain ones bought in bulk from a national shopping club), nothing fancy, to absorb the water. The paper towel held every drop of water just fine.

This, therefore, meant that for the Zorbeez to fulfill its second claim of being more than 27 times more absorbent than a paper towel, it would need to absorb at least 27 ounces of water, not just 20. We measured that much water, and with a fresh Zorbeez, evaluated whether it could do it or not. It failed.

So while Zorbeez are indeed very absorbent, noticeably so, they don’t hold more than 27 times the water as a common paper towel. We found the latter claim to be exaggerated.

ASOTVI Review of Hercules Hook

What is it? A wire hook for wall hangings.

ASOTVI Rating: Conditionally Works

Major Claims:

• Installs easy by hand
• No tools required
• Can hold up to 150 pounds

This product is a piece of strong, heavy-gauge wire, sharp on one end for piercing through drywall, curved in the middle, and shaped into a hook on the other end (see video for illustration). The idea behind this product is for its sharp end to be pierced through drywall into a hollow wall space behind it, then by virtue of its curve, tilting it up inside the wall until its tip is braced against the back side of the drywall, directly above the point of insertion, leaving the hook outside the wall for handing pictures or other wall hangings. In a hollow wall with several inches of space this is a straightforward process and, indeed, requires no special tools to accomplish. And in this scenario, the product can work as advertised. However, a user specifically needs to know in advance that they are, in fact, dealing with a hollow wall prior to use, or installation could be problematic, and possibly even dangerous.

This product will not work on wood walls or paneling, plaster or brick; it is intended to be used on drywall ONLY, which is soft enough to allow the sharp end of the wire to penetrate it with only manual effort by the user.

Please note that unless a user already knows where the studs are in a particular wall, or has used a stud-finder ahead of time to locate them, they have roughly a one out of ten chance of hitting a wooden or metal wall stud with this product, due to standard sixteen inch stud spacing of one-and a half inch studs, in which case the product will not work at all.

Heavy insulation inside a wall may also prevent the product from tipping upward into place and thus prevent it from working.

Drywall can also be installed onto thin furring strips attached to a brick, stone, or concrete wall, leaving only about an inch of hollow space behind the drywall, and therefore not enough space for this product to work. This is very common in the outside walls of homes made of concrete block.

CAUTION: There also exists the possibility of not only piercing through the drywall, but in doing so also possibly piercing through the shielding of a live home electrical wire, which could potentially result in injury to the user—who would be holding a bare metal wire (the product). Also, in the event of a short caused by the penetration of the product, should sparks or heat be produced, this scenario could represent a possible fire hazard. For this reason we do not recommend the use of this product without a prior wiring location check.

ASOTVI strongly recommends to all users of this product, prior to use, to use a good stud-finder, available at your local hardware or home improvement store, in order to avoid wall studs, and preferably a stud-finder that also has the ability to detect the presence and location of house wiring, so that particular potential hazard can be avoided as well. Finding out whether or not a wall is filled with insulation is likely to be more a process of trial and error. Most insulated walls can be expected to be found in outside walls, but insulation can also be found within inside walls in energy efficient homes.

To this product’s claim of being able to be installed by hand and not requiring any tools, that statement is only true in the specific conditions of a drywall wall that is hollow (by several inches) on the other side—i.e. no insulation, studs, or house wiring to interfere with its motion required for installation. Yet the only way to be truly sure that this is the case and not take a risk is to use a stud-finder, which is a tool. So while not using any tools is physically possible, it is not a recommended approach.

As to its claim of being able to support up 150 pounds, this feature was not evaluated by ASOTVI, but we have no reason to doubt the strength of the wire to do so. We do, however, have reservations about the strength of drywall to support extremely heavy loads on anything with such a thin surface area actually in contact with the drywall. The drywall itself, depending on its thickness and density, could potentially crumble or tear under very heavy loads. It is strongly recommended that any heavy objects be hung with secure wall anchors rated for the load needed—and for any item weighing 150 pounds, to use at least two anchors to distribute the weight (e.g. only 75 pounds at each point).

ASOTVI also wishes to highlight the poor cost-benefit aspect observed with respect to the use of this particular product. The vendor’s video asserts that the use of a common hammer and nail to hang a picture is somehow problematic, can make large, unsightly holes in walls, and furthermore, that somehow the use of any other tools in general is a problem that requires a remedy. We can find no basis for any of these contentions. Indeed, a clumsy person could surely damage drywall with a hammer and nail, just as surely as the same clumsy person could potentially dig an unsightly hole in a wall using this product if not careful. Fortunately, one of the specific benefits of using drywall for interior walls is its ability to be easily patched and painted.

To the assertions regarding the “problem” of using nails, we would note that nails come in a multitude of sizes, including many in approximately the same diameter as this product, which would leave the same size hole in a wall. Smaller nails are available, which would make even smaller holes than this product. But unlike this product, if a nail comes in contact with a wall stud, it isn’t problematic for the nail, but quite the opposite, it creates an opportunity for a much more secure wall hanging.

Depending on the length of the nail or screw used, and the angle of penetration, the likelihood of hitting live house wiring can be much less with a nail or screw than with using this product, which needs to penetrate and move several inches behind the wall in order to be installed properly.

Lastly, you can purchase a multitude of nails or screws for the price of ten (or even 20) of this product. The vendor of this product offers a “free” lifetime supply of these hooks, if the buyer pays for shipping and handling. But if you’re paying anything at all, then, by definition, it isn’t free.

ASOTVI Review of Dryer Balls

What is it? Two knobby rubber balls.

ASOTVI Rating: Does Not Work As Advertised



Major Claims:

• Softens Fabrics Naturally – no softening was observed whatsoever, rather quite the opposite, leaving fabric rough and coarse.
• Cuts Drying Time – no reduction was observed.
• Reduces Static – no reduction was observed.
• Hypoallergenic – Could be, unless you’re allergic to rubber.
• Reusable – True, they’re made of rubber.

This product consists of two hard rubber balls covered with small knobby spines. They are each smaller than a baseball, a little larger than a billiard ball, and virtually identical to a common pet toy, but with no squeaker. They are intended to be used just as many people have done with tennis balls for years—but with tennis balls their fabric cover actually helps absorb and dissipate moisture, genuinely reducing drying time, which isn’t applicable to hard rubber.

The product allegedly serves to help separate laundry in the drying cycle, allowing hot air to flow more efficiently. The vendor claims the tips of the knobs on the balls “massage” fabrics to naturally fluff up and soften them without the use of chemicals. Indeed, no chemicals are used in the drying process for the simple reason that they are just rubber balls bouncing around in your dryer, making a noise similar to that of drying a pair of tennis shoes.

In our evaluation, after using the product, we didn’t observe any increased fluffiness or softening. Actually, it was quite the opposite. We dried a bath towel and hand towel set with the dryer balls (see video), and then dried an identical set of towels using a standard dryer sheet, then compared both sets. The set dried with the dryer balls was noticeably less fluffy and less soft. In fact, with respect to softness, the towels dried with the dryer balls were very rough and coarse, as opposed to the dryer sheet set which came out more fluffy and very soft and smooth.

This product does not work as advertised – however, for the price, it’s a real bargain for your dog, especially smaller dogs with smaller mouths, making it easier to hold onto. Plus the knobs, when chewed on, are possibly good for a dog’s teeth. It’s a mystery why the vendor of this product is marketing it for something it doesn’t do well, when it makes a terrific pet toy that is very price competitive to other such products sold in pet stores.

ASOTVI Review of The Buxton Bag

What is it? An expandable purse/bag to conveniently organize personal items.

Rating: Works As Advertised

First of all Buxton has been making leather products for over 100 years, and have a good reputation. This particular Buxton Bag is a small genuine leather purse/bag with numerous compartments of various sizes. Its most useful feature, beyond all the utility of the many compartments, is its expandability when needed. Like some suitcases, it has zippers along the sides that when opened allow the bag more room to put larger items inside, and when not needed, the bag can be very trim and sleek.

In our video evaluation we took the entire contents of a much larger purse, and were able to fit everything inside the Buxton Bag with no trouble. We shot the video in one continuous take so the viewer can be assured that everything that came out of the big bag made it into the smaller one.

A very handy feature of the Buxton Bag is a pocket on the shoulder strap for a cell phone, so the user doesn’t have to go digging through a purse to answer a call, or fail to hear an incoming call ring due to a phone being buried inside a large purse. We used a Motorola Razor for our evaluation, and it fit with plenty of room to spare, so even a larger cell phone could be accommodated.

There are seven major compartment areas within the bag, including the cell phone pocket, of which several of the larger ones are lined with multiple sleeves for holding pens, credit cards, business cards, etc. Two of the large zippered pockets have mesh sections so you can easily see what’s inside them.

The adjustable-length canvas shoulder strap is approximately one and a half inches wide, which many users may really appreciate if the bag is full and heavy, i.e. not cutting into the shoulder as much as a thin strap would. The bag may be worn slung over one shoulder, like a traditional purse, or with the head through the strap, across the chest, sash-style, for greater security.

We found this product works as advertised.

ASOTVI Review of Closet Doubler

What is it? A space saving product for closets.

Rating: Works As Advertised

The closet doubler works by effectively taking advantage of “vertically” hanging your clothes in a crowded closet instead of hanging them “horizontally” across a closet rod.

The product is made of heavy plastic and two of the units come in a box, along with the associated mounting screws. Installation was extremely easy. In our case, attaching it to drywall, per the instructions, we used two of the mounting screws, which are self-tapping, and screwed down securely in just a couple of minutes.

The product’s hangers feature 18 slots each, with each slot large enough to accommodate those large plastic hangers. Presumably you could double up with thinner wire hangers, and store even more clothing on the product. The mounting screws are several inches long and pierce the wall at a very sharp angle, so it can bear quite a bit of weight.

Users will need to ensure that they put longer garments closest to the hinge and shorter garments on the end closest to the hook that hangs on the closet rod in order to ensure that clothes don’t drag the floor when the unit is hanging down.

Another functional item to note is that if the product is used to create more space, and if that freed up space is then used by other hanging garments, you won’t be able to raise and lower the product in the space now occupied by other clothes. Thankfully, the product’s hinge also swivels from side-to-side as well as up and down, so in that instance you could swing the unit forward before raising it to remove and use a garment.

This product works as advertised.

ASOTVI Review of Aqua Globes

What is it? Hand-blown glass container used for automatic watering of plants.

Rating: Works As Advertised

This product is both simple and ingenious in its simplicity. It consists of a very attractive hand-blown and decorated glass bulb attached to a narrow glass tube that is open on the end, with the open end angled like a large hypodermic needle. Conceptually, think of it working like an inverted water bottle for a hamster; as the hamster drinks, the product provides water as needed.

To use the product you simply remove it from its packaging, which comes packed in thick Styrofoam to protect it. Fill it up with water, and you’re ready to go. But be careful, it is delicate glass. To “plant” it, the instructions recommend using a stick or other tool to make a hole in the plant’s soil first, and not to use the product itself to poke in the soil as the glass may break.

Once you’ve placed the product into the hole you’ve created, ensure that it’s in firmly at a decent depth and won’t tip over. And that’s about it. From that point the water in the globe is released as the soil needs it. When the soil is moist, it seals the end of the tube and no additional water escapes. When the soil dries it allows air to be released into the tube in exchange for more water, as you can observe in our video showing the little bubbles rise up into the main bulb.

When the water is gone, refill the product. It can be anticipated that depending on how dry the soil is, air temperature and humidity, as well as the water consumption needs of a particular plant or group of plants, the rate at which the water is depleted from the product will vary. The instructions note that in some cases, the use of more than one Aqua Globe may be appropriate.

The nice thing about this product is that instead of waiting to see a droopy plant as your queue that it needs water, you just have to see the product getting empty, without putting your plant through any droughts. And the attractive artistic design of the product can also enhance the presentation of your plants. This product works as advertised.

ASOTVI Review of The One Sweep

What is it? A broom and squeegee.

Rating: Must Have!

Major Claims:

• Polymer Bristles. True.
• Doesn’t Scratch Wood or Tile – we did not observe any damage from the product.
• Use Wet or Dry – be tried it in both scenarios successfully.
• “World’s Best Broom” – Having never observed one that worked better, we have no evidence to dispute that claim. Should a better one ever be invented that we evaluate, we’ll update our review here accordingly.

When you consider the cost of a simple straw broom from the grocery store or hardware store, this product is absolutely a Must Have for everyday use. A good broom is needed all the time for normal household cleaning and this is a very effective one.

This product came out of the box and assembled in seconds. It’s lightweight and well-made. The broom head screws onto the bottom section of the metal handle and the other metal handle sections snapped in place with two spring-loaded studs similar to a pool net connector. The handle grip with hanging loop simply slipped on the end and the product, secured by pressure, and was then ready for use. The handle being made of metal instead of wood or plastic provided noticeable lightweight strength and wasn’t flimsy in any way.

We evaluated the product in three separate environments, as illustrated in our video: first, on a wood floor littered with sand, hair and lint; secondly, on tile using the squeegee to remove water; and lastly, on a thick oriental carpet to remove pet hair. In all cases the product worked as advertised quickly and easily.

We were especially pleased to see it get sand out of the cracks between the planks of a hardwood floor without having to vacuum them up. The squeegee worked just fine on the tile. The polymer bristles were also tough enough to dig down in the heavy carpet to pull out pet hair (from a long-haired dachshund!).

As an anecdotal aside, we can also comment that we have observed this particular product in frequent use at a local hair salon, preferred by the establishment for its ability to clean up the high volume of hair clippings efficiently and quickly. So it’s applicable to say that when it comes to sweeping, this is a product “the pros” use.

ASOTVI Review of Get a Grip

What is it? A large suction-cup mounted handle.

Rating: Works As Advertised

Major Claims – a simple, secure handle for safety and convenience. It is, if applied to a clean, smooth surface.

Anyone who has ever worked in a computer data center is familiar with this type of a device, originally created to lift heavy floor tiles of a raised computer floor to gain access to the miles of cables running underneath. The idea has also been a staple of those working in the plate glass industry to carry large sheets of glass without having to worry about cutting one’s hands on the potentially sharp edges and providing a more comfortable and secure grip. It therefore seems logical to apply this portable handle concept to many household situations.

We found the product to be well-made and strong, the handle being comprised of thick plastic. Its two suction-cups are large, giving it a very secure and tight grip on smooth clean surfaces. Please note that if any suction-cup (not unique to this product) is applied to an uneven surface, whether that be from texture or dirt, air can leak in and break the seal, reducing the strength of the grip. For example, it would be inappropriate to use a product like this on porous brick or stone, or tiles with deep texture. The ideal surface to use is clean flat glass, plastic, fiberglass, or acrylic.

We observed that when the product was applied to a clean glass surface, the cups held fast and completely secure, as they did on smooth granite and marble. However, when applied to a tile with a slightly textured surface, the product held, but with some force applied it could be moved, and in some cases (like when it hit a grout line) popped off the surface. Again, this is just the physics of how suction cups work, not a deficiency of the product in any way. So make sure any surface on which this product is used is as smooth and clean as possible.

We also observed that this product could be used as both a handle and a step. Many shower stalls don’t come equipped with steps or benches, and many ladies know how difficult it then becomes to shave their legs with nothing to prop a foot on. As our video illustrates, this product worked quite well to address that need.

Of course, if you do need to pull up a heavy floor tile, or have a large piece of glass to transport, this is the exact tool you need (perhaps more than one)! This product works as advertised.

ASOTVI Review of The Go Duster

What is it? A battery-operated dusting device.

Rating: Works As Advertised

The Go Duster advertises that it automatically does the work for you. Its “miracle dusting spray” that grabs and holds dust like a magnet. It claims that regular dusters merely “push the dust around”.

We found the Go Duster to be very fun and easy to use. The duster heads were easy to snap on and off the handle. We used the Go Duster on a buffet that had not been dusted in some time so there was quite a build-up of dust and dirt. After the first try, dust could still be seen on the table, so we sprayed the head with the dusting spray included with the Go Duster. The Go Duster did do a better job after being sprayed. However, when we ran a finger over the top, it came away with a remnant of dust.

We then dusted an entire living room and found the product to work satisfactorily for bookshelves and small surfaces. The biggest plus was for statues, knickknacks, and stereo/AV equipment. It easily reaches into nooks and crannies that ordinary dust cloths can’t reach. It also cuts the time for dusting considerably and makes out of the way areas easier to reach.

The battery life of the unit was not evaluated (i.e. how many rooms can be dusted before the batteries have to be replaced). The website claims that the dusting spray will not harm wood; however the vendor has not listed the ingredients on the label. The vendor also promises to send replacement dusting spray for life, but there is a $4.99 shipping and handling charge for a 2 ounce bottle (please note that price as compared to $4.59 for a popular aerosol dusting spray for a 12.5 ounce can)

ASOTVI Review of The Ultimate Scrubber

What is it? A motorized rotating scrub brush.

Rating: Works As Advertised

Major Claims:

• Cleaning Made Easy
• Scrubs – Cleans – Polishes in ½ the Time

This product looks like the motor apparatus of an electric toothbrush, with a round rotating scrub brush on one end. It comes with two alternate brushes, a soft brush for more delicate surfaces, and a three tiered brush of smaller concentric rings to use on angles surfaces.

We used the product to clean food debris and stains from a table surface and also to clean grime from grout on a tiles surface.

Our first challenge with the product was in removing the lid on the battery compartment to insert the four AA batteries it requires (not included with the product). A large pair of pliers was required to accomplish the task, having failed to do it with bare hands.

The product claims to spin at 300 RPMs and we saw no significant issue with a fast rotation of the brush. Using a common household cleaner and water, the product appeared to work as advertised. Even applying pressure to more heavily soiled areas, the scrub brush continued to spin, though it was possible to put a strain on the internal motor with additional pressure.

We didn’t measure the actual foot-pounds of torque the product provides, but it is apparent that from a four AA battery electric motor, this product is best suited for common household cleaning, polishing, and lighter scrubbing tasks – it’s not intended to be a disk-sander, pressure sprayer, or high-torque industrial cleaning product. So one’s expectations need to be appropriate to the task to appreciate this product’s effectiveness.

In terms of its ability to provide motorized cleaning, scrubbing and polishing capabilities within the power of its battery powered motor, we observed the product to work as advertised. However, for really nasty jobs, it’s still going to take some serious elbow grease and/or professional caliber cleaning tools.

ASOTVI Review of Over the Door Hooks

What is it? A coat rack that hangs from a door.

Rating: Doesn't Work As Advertised

We evaluated two versions of the 5-hook coat rack, a nickel finish version that wasn’t adjustable with respect to the door hooks, and a chrome version that was adjustable.

From a basic conceptual design point, this is a very simple product, with both versions consisting of a strong metal rack, attractively styled, that hangs from the top of a common door. When we placed both versions of the product on a door, it was indeed able to support the weight of a heavy coat, and multiple coats, which is its primary function. So far, so good.

The show-stopping issue we ran into with this product in both versions was its practicality in terms of actually using it. That is, in our evaluation as illustrated in our video, both versions of the product encountered issues with allowing the door to close with the product on it. With the non-adjustable version, the hook’s thickness at the very top came into contact with the door’s lintel (upper door jam) preventing the door from closing. Also, since the spacing of the hook was wider than the thickness of the door, even if it were able close on a door with a larger gap between the door and its jam, it could also be allowed to move when placing items on it and taking them off. Side to side movement might scratch or mar the door, whereas pulling a coat off and thereby also pulling the product forward from its coat hooks, has the potential to allow the hooks at the top to dig into the wood of the door on the other side and thereby damage it.

With the adjustable version of the product, it was possible to tighten the screw tabs such that the product was more secure. It’s top piece of metal was also thinner, allowing it to move into the door jam much better than the non-adjustable version. However, the adjustment tabs themselves, in our evaluation, came into contact with the door jam, thus preventing the door from closing.

Conclusion: If anyone were to use this product, we would highly recommend placing some kind of padding between the metal of this product and the painted surface of any door to prevent scratching or damage. Unfortunately, unless the jam of the door being used has a fairly significant gap (at least a quarter of an inch by our measurement of the product), as we discovered with the non-adjustable version of the product, the door may be prevented from closing by this product. So while it is indeed made well enough to support the weight of coats with its coat hooks, it isn’t reasonable to expect any user of this product to risk damage to a door, nor to give up the ability to close the door.

ASOTVI Review of Doggy Steps

What is it? A carpeted set of stairs to allow a pet to get on and off of furniture. See the product video:



Rating: Works As Advertised

If you have a pet that you don’t wish to be injured jumping on and off of a couch or a bed (assuming you allow your pet(s) on your furniture), or if the pet isn’t physically able to make the jump unassisted, then this product provides a small carpeted staircase to make the task easier.

We found the product to be well-made, and assembled very easily, snapping together without the need of any tools. The product comes with detailed and well-illustrated assembly instructions, but the pictures on the box were sufficient to figure it out with no trouble.

Once assembled, it is then a matter of locating the steps in place where they won’t be in the way of normal foot traffic. Assuming that’s possible, then it’s a task of teaching your dog or cat how to use them. Some dogs would presumably figure it out very quickly. In our evaluation our test subject was a very stubborn dachshund, who is used to coming and going as she pleases (i.e. not one to perform on cue), but with a little coaxing (and several pieces of cheese), she was able to demonstrate use of the product.

The product claims to be able to support up to 70 pounds – although a dog that big probably doesn’t need stairs to get on and off the couch. And if you have a cat that big, it needs to go on a diet!

The fact that the cover is removable means you can take it off and wash it, if need be. So other than your pet’s desire, and/or your effective training, to get them to make use of the product or not, if they do, this product works as advertised.

ASOTVI Review of The Hollywood Purse Hook

What is it? A portable hook to keep a purse or other bag off the floor.

Rating: Works As Advertised

The Hollywood Purse Hook is a very simple device. The product comes in a velvet pouch containing two Purse Hooks, a silver colored one and a gold colored one. Presumably this pouch can be kept in a purse, and the user, having two available, could share another with a companion.

It works due to the fact that the hook is configured directly below the base stand, allowing gravity to pull the weight of a purse straight down, and thus it doesn’t slide horizontally off of a table.

We evaluated the product on a number of table and bar top surfaces (see video) and found it to work in all cases. This was even inclusive of a ninety-degree ledge, with no lip. Even though, in that instance, the base wasn’t flat against the top surface, its edge held surely and the purse leaned against the horizontal surface below.

The vendor claims the hook will support up to 30 pounds, and we observed it to be quite strong and didn’t bend under that degree of load.

So if you frequent establishments where you wouldn’t wish to set a purse or similar item (camera bag, laptop case, backpack, etc.) on the floor for fear of soiling it, having it kicked, or even possibly stolen, this is a convenient solution that works as advertised.

Updated - ASOTVI Review of The Swivel Sweeper

What is it? - A cordless floor sweeper.

Rating: Downgraded to Conditionally Works

Major Claims:

• Lightweight
• Cordless/Rechargeable - Works well for first 60 – 90 days, then noticeably loses power and the time of its effective charge drops to only a few minutes
• Swivels 360 degrees
• Quiet
• “Picks Up Everything from Dust to the Big Stuff”

Updated Review: (5/9/2008)

Well, all good things don’t last forever, but we thought it should be reasonable to expect that a product would give its user more than just three months of good service before it started to die. Such was not the case for this product. Please see original review below for our initial observations. Three months ago, this product worked fine. But after a couple of months of use, we observed that the product was not holding its charge for as long, nor was its motor operating at the level it did when new. See the video and listen to the contrast.

After 90 days of use we observed perhaps five to seven minutes of diminished performance before the unit practically came to a complete halt.

According to the instructions, we had cleaned the unit and ensured that the rotating bristles were not clogged with hair or other debris. We suspect that either the rechargeable battery is suffering from a common issue with many rechargeable batteries, known as “battery memory” which doesn’t allow it to fully recharge properly, and over time the amount of power it holds is dramatically reduced. Or the electric motor itself could simply be wearing out. Or both. Either condition is a performance killer.

We attempted to contact the vendor, OnTel, via their Customer Service to find out if these were known issues, and if there were any remedies for them, or even if, perhaps, we just had a bad unit. Unfortunately, they didn’t see fit to respond to our inquiries in any way whatsoever.

A survey of other users’ experiences with this product quickly revealed that our experience with this product wasn’t an isolated incident, but rather a common experience of many people who have purchased this product.

This product CONDITIONALLY works, with that condition being for a relatively short period of time of useful service. The fact that it comes with only a 60 day warranty is actually very telling.


Original Review: (02/09/08)

The Swivel Sweeper assembled easily and after a few hours of allowing its battery to charge with the included charger, it was ready for use. Our evaluation involved using the unit on an area of tile floor in a kitchen which we had deposited an array of pet hair, cookie crumbs, crushed dog food, and dust.

The unit picked up all the material quickly and easily, as our video review demonstrates.

As to the product’s major claims, all were verified as accurate with the exception of “quiet,” which is claimed in the vendor’s commercial video. As you can hear in our video, the operation of the product is, in fact, somewhat noisy, on par with a typical vacuum cleaner.

We observed the cleaning ability of the unit to be on par with that of the many “cloth-based” sweeping products, but without the need for purchasing and constantly changing cleaning cloths with each use.

Its portability and flexibility to get into tight spaces is probably its most appealing feature. No evaluation was made with respect to the rechargeable battery life. We did observe that the tray on the bottom which catches all the debris swept up wasn’t terribly large (two chambers of 3.25 inches by 2 inches) and would need to be emptied often, presumably after each use – which is an easy process.

So, for quick spills or light sweeping, where you don’t want to get out your big vacuum cleaner and plug it in, this product would be ideal.

ASOTVI Review of The Amazing Handheld Bug Zapper

To see a hilarious video of this product, click here:

What is it? A bug zapper shaped like a small tennis racquet.

Major Claims – It kills mosquitoes, flies, gnats and other flying insects on contact.

This is a predominately plastic product shaped like a small tennis racquet, with a series of metal wires horizontally comprising the “strings” of the racquet. Two buttons are located on either side of the handle, that when pressed together, illuminate a small red LED to indicate the product is ON, and energizes the strings.

We used a small voltmeter to measure the voltage on the strings when ON, and at the highest sensitivity setting on our meter of 500 volts DC, the product was able to peg the meter out and generate a substantial electrical “spark.” The two AA batteries are able to deliver an instantaneous shock of over 500 volts DC, and with similar products claiming to provide 1,500 volts on the same battery arrangement, we suspect this product to be in a similar range.

As to its effectiveness in killing flying insects, that’s a good-news/bad-news proposition, based upon one’s own eye-hand coordination, skill and marksmanship. Indeed, the product has enough electrical power to deliver a lethal jolt to an insect. We were able to observe this in the case of a bee, a spider, a fly, and several white flies. Unfortunately, capturing that on our video proved to be a most elusive task. Volunteer insects were few and far between, especially on windy days. And therein lies the main issue with this type of product and others like it.

A traditional bug zapper, of the lantern variety that you find at your local hardware store, normally has at its core a florescent light bulb that attracts flying insects to a stationary point. As insects approach the light, they come in contact with the energized screen and meet their demise, also providing hours of amusing “redneck entertainment,” especially in the context of fat June bugs that tend to pop and sizzle for several seconds. This product has no such light to attract insects to it, and therefore the user must “hunt” the bugs. This is not as easy as it sound, especially due to the fact that flying insects in particular, by definition, are a moving target, and many of them quite quick and agile.

Unlike a simple household fly-swatter, whereupon the user typically waits for the insect to alight on a stationary surface, and then take careful aim, this product would likely become damaged if used to swat solid objects with any hard force. Thus, the kill must be ideally made in mid air.

Of course, a mid-air hit is certainly physically possible to do, and presumably with practice, one could conceivably develop a talent for it. But bear in mind, a tennis ball is significantly larger by many orders of magnitude than a housefly or mosquito – and not everyone can hit a tennis ball even with a much larger racquet with far more surface area. Furthermore, bugs do have the ability to “flee” for their lives when being swatted. And remember, when it comes to more aggressive insects like wasps or hornets, if you miss, you can make them mad and may be facing a counterattack.

Our most significant observation of concern about this product is that it very much looks like a child’s toy. Despite the warning sticker featured on the product to the contrary, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility to picture a toddler (who can’t read the sticker) picking it up, grasping it sufficiently to depress both buttons, energizing the strings, and then touching its strings to their body, tongue, face, a sibling, a pet, a sleeping parent, etc. And unlike the traditional florescent light bug zapper, there is no plastic screen to prevent skin contact with the energized wires. That’s potentially a dangerous possibility, all humor value notwithstanding.

Conclusion: The product is an amusing novelty and does work as advertised in terms of its potential to kill an insect. Whether the user has the talent to successfully do so is an open question. We observed that watching someone futilely try to kill bugs with it can be rather entertaining as well. But above all, because it can indeed deliver a high voltage electrical shock, we would strongly recommend that it needs to be kept secure from children (or drunken adults).