juls404's Reviews

LG 500g - Not Bad for a Cheapie

Overall

Rated 3 out of 5

When my last mobile phone contract was up about 5 years ago, I decided to go with TracFone, a prepaid service. Because I still have a landline phone, I can get away with using a cheapie, prepaid cell phone. After my LG600g phone started to fizzle out, I went with the LG500g.

The only features that were important to me were a camera and Internet access. This has both, along with a QWERTY keyboard, touchscreen, video recorder, hands-free speaker, and alarm clock. It weighs under 3 ounces. The battery life gives you 5 hours of talk time, and the screen size is 2.2”.

The only downside is, they put the BROWSER button right next to the END button. Because of this, I often hit browser by...

Dependable ISP

Overall

Rated 4 out of 5

I switched to Road Runner broadband cable Internet after Cincinnati Bell (ZoomTown) failed to get my Internet service to work three years ago. In those three years, I have to say that I’ve had only a few instances when it didn’t work. The time it was out the longest turned out to be the fault of my router going bad. From the sounds of things, I may be in the minority, as I have heard of others not being so lucky.

Several months ago, after I noticed an increase in my charges, I called to see about getting my bill lowered. Apparently, I was getting the promotional rate from when I first signed up. I didn’t need the absolute fastest speed, since I no longer use it for my job, so I asked f...

Too Thin To Be Considered Pizza

Overall

Rated 3 out of 5

I received credits on my Kroger loyalty card for three of their Private Selection frozen food items, because I had been included in a BzzAgent campaign. It was an $18 value.

I had not been much of a fan of frozen food, until my work hours changed, which meant working until 7PM. I certainly do not feel like cooking from scratch at 7:30.

The first item I chose was the Pepperoni and Roasted Garlic Pizza. There are supposed to be 2 servings in the 11.60 oz. pizza. Each serving contains 410 calories and 15 grams of protein. The bad part is the whopping 1010mg of sodium. That is another reason why I tend to stay away from processed food. The pizza was about as thin as a cracker, though, s...

Color-Extending Shampoo & Conditioner

Overall

Rated 4 out of 5

Once again, BzzAgent has come through for me by sending me a product I had been wanting to try but never got around to buying. A couple of weeks ago, they sent me full-sized, 15 oz. bottles of TRESemme Color Revitalize Shampoo and Conditioner.

Because I am picky about scents, I immediately opened the shampoo to smell it. It was a fruity scent and reminded me of cherries. I then opened the conditioner to take a whiff. Naturally, it was similar, although not as strong.

As I was preparing to wash my hair, I noticed that the shampoo is a thinner consistency than most others. That was fine; I found that I had to use a bit more than usual to saturate my entire head. I took in the aroma whi...

A Good, Natural Source of Omega-3

Overall

Rated 4 out of 5

UPDATE: Well, since I wrote this review 16 days ago, the product has changed, unless I got a new box last time. Although the package size still reflects 11.2 oz. as before, the patty seemed smaller to me. Hmmm. Now the salmon burger has 80 calories, 13 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fat, 25mg of cholesterol, but now contains MORE sodium, at 280mg. The Omega-3 content remains the same but they no longer contain vitamins A or C. What in the world is going on here? I am hoping my current box is the old version, as I liked the ones in my original review better. This box also shows that the product can be microwaved.

Whenever I go to Aldi to get food items I buy on a regu...

Lightweight and Sheer Lip Balm

Overall

Rated 2 out of 5

I was happy to have received this CoverGirl NatureLuxe Gloss Balm after accepting an invitation from BzzAgent to be a part of their campaign. Along with the lip balm, I also received a full-size tube of their NatureLuxe foundation, which I reviewed in February.

The color of the lip balm I received is anemone, which is the color of cherry tomatoes. (It's the first one in the photo up there.) Because it is a balm, it leaves a very light coating on your lips and appears sheer. This is why I prefer lipstick over a balm or gloss; I like more coverage. It does seem like it is moisturizing, though.

As far as the scent of this balm, it reminds me of little kids' makeup or candles. It isn't he...

Fresh Tasting & Flaky

Overall

Rated 4 out of 5

I tried the Mediterranean Tomato & Basil variety of StarKist SeaSations, which I found in the frozen food section of my grocery store for $5.99. The package contains two Atlantic whole white fish fillets. Each piece is in its own steamer pouch.

Because I was dining alone, I microwaved one fillet for dinner. I just realized that I overcooked it, as I was looking at the directions for microwaving two at the same time. Good thing my microwave has a lower wattage than what the package showed. You only need to cook it for about five minutes.

The sauce on the white fish is just as described in the name. It is made up of tomatoes, basil, garlic and onion powder, and several other spices. T...

It Grinds A Mean Cup of Coffee Beans

Overall

Rated 5 out of 5

I know I have owned this Braun coffee grinder for at least fifteen years, and it has never failed. I bought it at a department store (now Macy's) for $20. I got it in black to match my other kitchen accessories.

It is so easy and convenient to use, and grinds enough beans for twelve cups of coffee. Just remove the lid, add the beans, plug the cord into an outlet, then press down on the safety on/off switch. Because the lid is see-through, you can see the beans being grinded, and therefore, you can control the fineness of the grounds.

Clean-up is easy. Just gently wipe or brush out around the blades. You can wash the lid. The cord wraps around the bottom of the unit.

The unit also c...

Makes Fresh-Baked, Flavorful Breads

Overall

Rated 4 out of 5

I was very fortunate to receive this Regal BreadMaker three years ago from someone on Freecycle.org. I know many people who have bought bread machines, and many get tired of them once the newness wears off. It is great to be able to make quick, homemade bread, but I can see where some would think it is more trouble than it is worth. Most people would be happy to just pick up a loaf of bread at the store, especially since there are so many options these days.

My galley kitchen is about as small as it gets. Once I think of how great it would be to have another kitchen appliance, I begin to wonder where I would put it. But when someone offered up a bread machine on Freecycle, I could not...

It'll Blow You Away

Overall

Rated 3 out of 5

I bought this fan while I still lived in an apartment. I did not really run a fan for the breeze, but because I needed something to drown out the traffic noise from my busy street. It served its purpose because it is quite loud for such a small fan, even at the lowest setting.

I like the retro look of the fan. It weighs just under three pounds, and the dimensions are 12x11x7. It has three settings: low, medium, and high. The 90-degree tilt allows it to distribute the air evenly, and it does put out a nice breeze. I have used it most recently while painting in my basement. It is always a good idea to have air circulating when you are painting in an enclosed space.

It was purchased at...

No Need To Go Outdoors To Grill

Overall

Rated 3 out of 5

I don't know why I always forget that I even own one of these, probably because I store it in the bottom of one of my cabinets. I know I have had it for at least a dozen years. It would make a lot more sense to use this than turning on my gas stove. I have never considered it as a replacement for an outdoor grill. It just occurred to me that it could also be used to make paninis.

My George Foreman grill came with a drip tray and an instruction booklet. There really is nothing to it. It is a 36 square inch, personal-size, countertop grill, with two grilling plates that are affixed to the inside of the unit. The plates have nonstick surfaces for no-fuss cooking. You plug it in, then w...

Let's All Excavate Our Pores

Overall

Rated 4 out of 5

I remember when these first came out they were all the rage. What an ingenious concept. They are like pieces of tape with a solution that lifts the grime from the pores on your nose, and leaves them blackhead-free, unclogged, and clean.

Before I bought a box of these on Amazon ($6.74/box of 6) last month, it had been several years since I had used them. To use, you wash your face, then you thoroughly wet your nose. If you don't, the strip will not stick to it. You then peel the strip off the plastic and apply it to your nose, smooth side down, and press down so it sticks. Leave it on for 20 minutes, until it is completely dry and stiff. Starting at the edges, you then slowly pull the...

Experience Freshness From Wash to Wear

Overall

Rated 4 out of 5

When I am not using Purex 3-in-1, I will use this for a change of pace. I only do about four loads of laundry per week, so laundry isn't a big deal to me. I don't need much more than basic laundry detergent. It is not like I get stains all over my clothing. I could see if I worked on cars, or if I used my clothing as a napkin, I'd be more serious about it.

This particular 32 oz. bottle of laundry detergent contains enough 3x concentrated liquid for 32 loads of laundry in a high-efficiency washer. It is highly recommended that you use the cap for measuring, as high efficiency machines are very finicky, when it comes to detergent. If you have an HE, you know what I am talking about. If...

Not Even Worth The $3

Overall

Rated 1 out of 5

I never seem to be bothered much by clogged drains. I pour boiling water down my drains on a regular basis, which helps to melt any soap residue. I also think by using liquid soap, instead of bar soap, is a big help. The fact that I have long hair does not seem to be an issue, either, as the drain catchers do a good job of trapping it before it flows down the drain.

I was in Home Depot when I happened to notice a plastic dipstick-like instrument that was supposed to assist in unclogging drains. It was only $2.74, so I picked one up for the next time I had a problem. It was just a thin, flexible stick with tiny notches on each side.

After I noticed that my bathtub was a little sluggish...

Wrinkle-Reducing Serum

Overall

Rated 3 out of 5

I received a sample packet of Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Serum. Although I was able to squeeze about three days' use out of it, it is difficult to assess by using it for such a short period of time.

The first thing I do with just about any product I am about to use is to smell it. To me, this serum smelled a bit like furniture polish. At least you do not really smell it once you apply it to your face. I did like the light consistency of the serum and the fact that it spreads easily. I applied it gently under my eyes. It did not appear greasy after it dried.

According to Origins, this can be used on all skin types. The serum's main ingredient is Anogeissus, a plant with natura...