Do Infomercial Products Work?
March 20, 2007 — -- Late-night infomercials often hawk "life-changing" products guaranteed to make our lives easier, but do they really work?
"Good Morning America" technology contributor Becky Worley is back with tests on three more infomercial products.
Price: $14.99 for eight pieces
The Claim: Putting on your jewelry is easier with Clever Clasp, a magnetic jewelry clasp that attaches to any necklace.
Grade: B+
The Clever Clasp is great for people who have dexterity issues or arthritis, and it makes the process of putting on a necklace much easier. The only problem: It can catch hair in the turning mechanism.
A PR representative for Idea Village, the company that makes the Clever Clasp, said that he thought the evaluation was fair.
Click here to visit the Web site.
Price: $9.99
The Claim: A keychain-size digital recording device that you can speak into to remember appointments, phone numbers, lists, directions and the like. It also has a built-in LED flashlight.
Grade: C You have to read the directions to figure out how to listen to multiple messages. Audio quality is very poor, and there is no volume control.
When recording sound with ambient noises present (like in cars or parking lots) the audio quality is even worse. Given that the advertised use of the product is in parking lots or loud public spaces like grocery stores, My Lil' Reminder is not delivering what it promises.
Calls for comment to My Lil' Reminder were not returned.
Click here to visit the Web site.
Price: $19.95
The Claim: Have a light anywhere with the Stick-Up Bulb. Just stick it on a wall, ceiling or wherever without any complicated installation or wiring.
Grade: B
This is a cheaper solution than wiring, but the holder is a little shoddy and the light is dim. It would be good if it came with an AC adapter, but that's $9 extra.
The company says the Stick-Up Bulb is a great value at $10, and it believes the grade should be higher to reflect the value being offered.
