My home is so cluttered with products I thought I just had to have. What can I say? I am a sucker for anything that claims it can make my life easier. I am an easy target for company’s who air commercials illustrating how their product can help me cut down on my cooking or cleaning time. I’m sure that I am not alone (right?). If you are anything like me then you may have already experienced buyer’s remorse on several “As Seen On TV” products that found their way into your shopping cart and subsequently into a hall closet. I’ve bought some real winners… but for the most part, I have been stuck with some real losers.
Here’s a sampling on some of my recent purchases:
The Pasta Express
It’s touted as the “next big thing in cooking pasta.” It is by no means revolutionary. It is simply a clear plastic container (about 15 inches tall) that looks exactly like a Sterlite container you would store pasta in. It’s sturdy, user friendly, and the best part- it comes with a built in strainer, thus eliminating the need for a colander.
The directions read: “Just boil water, pour it into the pasta express machine with your pasta, let it sit and cook.” (The suggested cook time is seven minutes.) I tried it with angel hair pasta (which in a pot, normally cooks in about 5 minutes), but I kept it in the Pasta Express for 10 minutes because I was busy cutting up vegetables. After the 10 minutes I rejoiced about not having to dig around for a colander; dumped the water out and found… the noodles weren’t cooked all the way through. Frankly, that’s an understatement. The pasta was hard and had clumped into one solid noodle (think licorice prior to pulling each piece apart.)
The pasta express also claims to cook hotdogs… in 15 minutes (my microwave cooks them in 45 seconds) and it also says it does a great job on vegetables. I wouldn’t know because after my angel hair experience I stuck in the closet with the rest of my “As Seen On TV” rejects.
Space Bag Vacuum Seal Pack
Can you say needle in a haystack? That’s what I consider this wonderful product. Of all the products I have seen on TV this is one of the few that has lived up to its claims. The Space Bag does just that… it helps save space… in closets, suitcases and drawers. The value pack includes four large bags (sizes range from small to extra-large) and one travel bag (designed for suitcases).
Choose a large item (for example a comforter) or a bunch of bulky sweaters; place them in a Space Bag; seal it up; then connect your vacuum cleaner hose to a specially designed hole on the top of the bag. Once the vacuum is turned on, it sucks all of the air from the bag. The end result: the bag and its contents collapse into a tightly sealed packet, which slides perfectly under a bed, in a drawer, or into a closet. I also love the travel bags and use them in both my duffel bag and suitcase, especially on trips that require packing a week’s (or more) worth of clothes.
If your home lacks storage space—these bags will come to your rescue.
All-Star Griller Hot Dog Rotisserie
This is a product that I saw on TV and suggested to my firefighter brother that he should purchase it for the firehouse. He did and it got mixed reviews.
The box says, “Now you can have the taste of the quick mart right in your own home.”
The hotdogs roll around and around (just like the ones at the ballpark) and grill up in about 8 minutes. The attached bun warmer does its job in just under half that time. The end result: the dogs rotate until they are perfectly glazed with a greasy shimmer and the buns are lightly toasted. The guys say that for the most part the hotdog griller scores well. However, for $50 it doesn’t score very well in the “I really need this” category.
Guess you just can’t beat the microwave.