Bowflex Adjustable Bench Series for minimum Joint Pain
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I bought this 5.1 Series adjustable bench together with my SelecTech 552 Dumbells. I was told by my close friends these two goes perfectly well. I like free-weight lifting when at home because this kind of technique promotes quicker strength gains and works on a larger number of muscles compared to resistance machines. But when I saw how this bench works with Selectech Dumbells I was finally convinced to get one.
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Bowflex Adjustable Bench Series has specially-designed adjustable pads, grips and pads that help limit and guide movements to minimize possible damage on muscle and joint during weight-lifting. You can also perform a variety of exercise on a single utility bench. Such as exercises focusing on the abdomen, arms, chest or any muscle group; a utility bench that helps you maximize your strength training goals on a minimal risk of injury that might encounter.
This bench is a versatile workout bench that can be declined, inclined and flat pressed as well. It’s also durable like any other benches you could found in commercial gyms. For shoulder presses, you could adjust the bench from the decline position to a full upright 90 degrees which is perfect for doing shoulder presses. The seats can be adjusted to flat and decline and allows me to do any kind of exercise that requires a bench. I could say this bench has good design, functionality and a price worth paying for.
Go to Amazon product listing here: Bowflex SelectTech Adjsutable Bench Series 5.1
Sleep Innovations Memory Foam Mattress – No more Back Aches.
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For the past weeks, I had this back pain and I think it’s all because of my costly spring mattress. I’ve heard it from some of my colleagues and friends that memory foam mattress is a better replacement for spring type. So I decided to buy Sleep Innovations mattress after hearing it from reliable sources that this brand is better than the others.
When I got this innovative mattress, there’s a very strong smell that is similar to paint or thinner. But I easily got accustomed to it and the odor’s becoming unnoticeable.
It feels very much different when I slept on this mattress because coming from spring mattress, the bounce is’nt there anymore, which took me a lot of getting used to. It took me a lot of effort when I get out of the bed because there were no springs to push me up.
Sleep Innovation has a top three inch layer that allows air circulation so I don’t feel uncomfortably warm especially on summer nights. It has Sure Temp material that fights heat build-up and allows cool air to flow in the mattress. It is also hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites – good for me since I have this allergic rhinitis and a big thanks to my HEPA Air cleaner as well.
When I first lay on this mattress, it felt so firm but as you will sink gently as it cradles you with very soft foam. After a week of using it, I had no more back pain and I sleep soundly at night, no more toss and turn.
Go to Amazon product listing here: Sleep Innovations 10-inch Sure Temp Memory Foam Mattress
Garmin Forerunner 610 Watch – More efficient Training.
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I really love to stay in shape and have toned muscles. Aside from my P90X program that goes perfectly well with my Bowflex Dumbbells, I also like to run, do some biking and play golf.
I bought this Garmin 610 sport watch because I want a tool that can help me train more efficiently. My heart rate would say it’s “enough” for the day and I would need a gadget that could record it. Along with the Garmin watch and heart belt, I also bought a foot pod and bike sensor. I always use the Garmin watch whenever I’m on my recreational and exercise programs. I could download the information wirelessly into Garmin Connect and I could see how far I biked, walked and most of all, how many calories I’ve burned while I’m doing my P90X program. However, the only thing I’m a bit concern is when I do my P90X and I’m afraid that the screen would not hold up if I accidentally raked my Bowflex Dumbbells across it. Nevertheless, it’s just an observation that the screen is a little big huge and looking a bit fragile for an impact.
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Aside from its functionality, Garmin 610 is also pleasant to look and I could also wear it not only during my fitness program. The touch screens are very easy to read and tap especially when I’m running. There’s also the vibrating alert feature that can also be set to backlight. The backlight looks really nice and fades in and out when it’s activated/deactivated.
It usually picked up a GPS signal quite quick as I’ve observed. I charge the battery once a week. It also comes with a USB dongle that used to synchronize date from your watch versus the Garmin website. I connect the dongle to my Mac, open up the Garmin ANT software, and then it syncs to my online Garmin account. You can now edit the activity name, view numerous graphs, view a map of the path you went, generate reports and so much more. This is a free website and user-friendly.
This kind of watch is very much suitable for a person who wants his heart rate to be monitored and get data from it.
Go to Amazon product listing here: Garmin Forerunner 610 Touchscreen GPS Watch With Heart Rate Monitor
Yamaha EF2000iS 2KW – a Quiet Portable Inverter Generator
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My father and I likes to camp out and go fishing if time permits (due to my busy schedule we only do it once a year). I gave this genny, Yamaha EF2000iS unit last year on his 70th birthday and he was so enthusiastic about it and very excited to use. It weighs around 45 pounds and the old man still could carry this generator.
We went dry camping a year ago using my father’s 27-feet travel trailer. The generator did not even speed up past idle when plugged in the trailer with nothing except the built-in power system and a couple of lights. It did speed up when I run the 1000watts microwave as expected and it ran as if it was plugged to a normal outlet.
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The unit, even at full engine speed, is very quite. You can have a normal conversation without raising your voice if you stand around 7-feet from the generator. It has an “eco” setting which tapers down the engine throttle and noise when full load is not required. We also walked around the nearby campsites and we could not even hear our generator making a noise.
My father also uses this generator if they have power outages at home. He uses this unit just to keep the refrigerator running overnight and it stays in “eco mode” so it only makes a little noise. The fuel burn rate is very low that is uses only a fraction of what the larger would use.
This unit is expensive compared to any products manufactured in China but as a type of person who wants durability, quality and reliability, price is not a question.
Go to Amazon product listing here: Yamaha EF2000iS 2,000 Watt Portable Inverter Generator (CARB Compliant)
Whirlpool HEPA Air Cleaner – goodbye to allergic rhinitis
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I have severe allergic rhinitis and when exposed to dust and allergens I would sneeze unstoppably for five minutes and had this watery nose and eyes. I live in NYC apartment where I struggle with dust and allergens. I finally decided to buy Whispure 51030 after making a lot of research and upon the recommendation of major consumer testing and reporting magazine, saying that Whispure was a top-rated air purifier for home use in 2010.
When I first saw the unit I thought it’s too big and will consume lots of space within my small apartment. Because it has a larger HEPA filter which means, according to Consumer Reports, the larger the HEPA filter, the better it works. Whirlpool’s Whispure 51030 entire front surface, where you see a grate, is a HEPA filter. However, to save some space, I was able to push the purifier up against the wall because the air is pulled in through the front grill and discharged from the top of the unit.
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There are options for fan speed or noise control and these controls are user-friendly. There’s also an indicator that tells you when it’s time to replace the filters. There’s also a sleep mode that you can set for the purifier to set itself to the lowest fan settings for that time period, allowing the unit to run continuously during sleeping hours. After this mode, sleep hours, it would flip itself back to the standard setting. But of course if you want the purifier to effectively clean the room it should run in Turbo mode which I always do whenever I’m not in the room and leave it that way most of the time.
There is a big difference in the quality of air inside my apartment after using this purifier for almost three months. The air smells cleaner and feels fresher. I can see no more dust floating in the air and my allergic rhinitis has not occurred since then.
Go to Amazon product listing here: Whirlpool Whispure HEPA Air Cleaner AP51030K
Brother SE400 Computerized Embroidery and Sewing Machine for my loving Mother
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This computerized embroidery machine, Brother SE400 is the best gift my mom has ever received from me (based from her). Sewing is one of her major hobby, do-it-yourself curtains, pillowcases, pajamas etc. She had this 30-year old sewing machine (I remembered he bought it for her when I was just a 7-year old kid), a gift from my dad that’s needed to be upgraded. Since she just took a short course in Sewing, I just thought this machine would be a perfect gift for her birthday.
Aside from doing some basic sewing, this machine also do some amazing embroideries. My mom has never got into embroidery and was very delighted to try some of the designs. The machine’s has a built-in USB port so you could connect it to your laptop and gives you an advantage to download designs from the internet to your SE-400. Whenever there’s an update from Brother, you could also do it in your machine’s operational software.
Brother SE400 is also portable like my mom’s old sewing machine. It comes with a handle at top but the difference is its weight is light. But still, according to my mom, the SE-400 is stable enough while sewing and easy to operate. I helped her how this machine operates by just relying on the manuals that came with the machine. The manuals are very much easy to follow because it was well-written and the diagrams were comprehensive that it just took me a matter of minutes to know how this machine operates.
The built-in thread cutter, bobbin sensors, drop-in lower bobbin and self-threading features of the machine are also the things she loved about SE400. She was also happy to find out that the embroidery features of the machine can rotate the design to 1 degree, 10 degrees or 90 degrees at a time and can reflect the embroidery design as well.
She also appreciated all the accessories that came with SE400 and suggests that the company should put an additional large embroidery hoop on top of the medium hoop.
Go to Amazon product listing here: Brother SE400 Computerized Embroidery and Sewing Machine
Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells: Perfect Combination with P90X program
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Maintaining my weight and having six-pack-abs is not an easy task. Aside from taking in Standard Process Purification Product Kit every six months, I also do my P90X workout.
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I ordered Bowflex SelectTech 552 over a year ago because I heard it from a reliable friend it goes perfect if combined with my P90X program. SelectTech 552 dumbbell is very advantageous to my program because it has smaller weight increment and to make weight changes quickly. P90X program only gives you 15-30 seconds to set up for the next exercise and it would take me around 5-10 seconds only to change the four dials on SelectTech and get a new weight.
It has a sturdy construction and it felt so easy handling them. I did not encounter any locking mechanism of the dumbbells when lifted quickly and brought back down. Though I find the overall length which is 16” long, very awkward on 2-3 exercises of the program (there about 7-8 exercise during the program). The part where I do concentration curls with both arms at the same time and then ended up having to alternate to get around the length of the dumbbell. However, I would not consider it a major issue.
If you’re using the P90X program or any kind of routine that requires you quick change of weights, SelectTech 552 is by so far the most suitable dumbbell for you to use. You also have to determine if the 552 version will cover the weight needed for every exercise on P90X program.
Go to Amazon product listing here: Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells
Panasonic ES-LA93-K Men’s Shaver – No more nicks and cuts!
I gave up electric shaving way back in 2005 because of Norelco. Well, at that time I bought the best of Norelco has to offer. It worked well on my cheeks but unfortunately it made a terrible job on my neck and stopped using electric razors after two months of using it. Since I have sensitive skin, after Norelco, I was using the best of Gilette Blade Razors. Last year, 2010, after numerous cuts, nicks, bumps and all kinds of unpleasantness, I finally decided to give electric razors another chance.
Going through a lot of bad experiences on electric razors, I made a lot of intensive research to find the best product out in the market. I narrowed it down to the best product Panasonic and Braun has to offer. Frankly speaking I chose the Panasonic ES-LA93-K design because it was the latest model released last year that had been out for a couple of months compared to Braun’s model that was not updated.
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The shaver is a lot smaller from what I expected because it looks a lot bigger in pictures and it’s natural to handle. I used Hydroplane gel as a shaving cream and I experienced no irritation. Shaving is a lot easier and faster with no missed spots. Beard on my face is difficult to shave because it grows in different direction but Panasonic can handle the challenge with much ease.
The Razor works good as well as the cleaning feature though it’s a bit noisy. Every month, I change the cleaning filter to keep the razor as if it’s brand new. It does not cause me any cuts and the shave is as close as a blade. The only problem I encountered was that it took me seven weeks for my skin to get fully adjusted which is very much opposite of what the product indicated of suggested 30-days adjustment period to electric shaving.
Panasonic ES-LA93-K is quite expensive but very worth it.
Go to Amazon product listing here: Panasonic ES-LA93-K Men’s Shaver
CatGenie 120 – Automatically Cleans and Flushes
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I only have one cat and two dogs. Aside from Rumba who helps me clean their carpet of furs, I also have this Catgenie 120 for almost a month now. Before the Catgenie120 I had this littermaid that electronically rake the waste into a sealed container that was ready for easy disposal. Unfortunately it just made my cat’s litter worst. The waste got clogged to the rake. Some waste were left on the pan and making it more stinky than ever.
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So I had this friend of mine who owns a Catgenie 120. I was having second thoughts about it and might end up having regrets again (spending over a hundred bucks again). But after seeing it do some actions I decided to give it a try and was glad I did. All the waste was liquefied and flushed out of the unit. The granules were washed in certain number of cycles and eventually dried out for the next use. There is an option where you can set a time for this process or run it manually. You are only required to buy a cleaning solution once in two or three months depending on the usage and the amount of waste it cleans. So I think it’s way a lot cheaper than buying a litter. I’d say this machine is almost close to perfection.
Go to Amazon product listing here: CatGenie 120
Thule Crossover Rolling Duffel -Thin and Light
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I’m using this bag for five months now and carry with me either on business and leisure trips and I could say this Thule Crossover Duffel Bag can withstand everything . Either it was exposed to snow, rain and it traveled with me on my diving and skiing trip etc. Overall, the materials used were durable.
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The bag has a dual compartment which is very useful to me. I put my MBT shoes, boots, gloves, ski boots etc on the bottom compartment (a bit shallow around 5 inches) whereas, on the top compartment, I put all my clothes. The divider between the top and bottom compartment is mesh so if you put your shoes or boots make sure it’s not soiled or you have to wrap it to avoid soiling all the stuffs located on the top compartment. But the good thing about this mesh divider is that there’s a good breathability for damp stuff you put in the bottom compartment. There’s also this goggle compartment that’s taking up some internal space in the bag that you to learn to pack around though I think it’s good.
Aside from its inner functionality, the bag is pleasant to look at. The huge wheels are sturdy enough to roll over tarmac, on boats, up stairs etc. The pull handle as well is durable and solid that is snaps and locks on the bag so there is no danger of the pull handle slipping out while in a cargo hold and snapping. There are also handles located on the side, top and bottom of the bag which is convenient in pulling the bag out of train overhead compartments, trunk spaces etc. which a lot of duffel bag does not provide.
The other design such as the adjustable straps, I think has no function at all. All the zippers have locks holes so you can put a combination lock on it which is ideal for check-in luggage.
Whereas the outer fabric used looks good and durable but not as heavy-duty as the ballistic nylon that Tumi or Victorinox use, but Crossover duffel bag is very much lighter compared to these brands. I happen to expose the bag under the rain and the clothes inside are still dry. But still, the fabric does absorb quite a bit of water compared to Tumi or Victorinox because of it is much thinner and lighter.
Go to Amazon product listing HERE
