Infomercial Products Put to the Test

May 21, 2010— -- We all want to believe what the informericals advertise on television -- but do they really work that well? I put five products to test so that you don't have to, and here are my reviews:

Product: 'My Solemate'
Grade: A-
Cost: $9.99

"My Solemate" is a white pumice stone connected to a bar of soap. At first, I thought it was gimmicky. Who needs to combine soap and a pumice stone. But when I put it in the shower I actually used it. And by doing this every day my feet are a little less scaly. The soap smells nice, but isn't too flowery or strong. You can snap in replacement soap when the bar wears down, but I've been using it for two months and haven't needed a soap replacement yet. What "My Solemate" made me realize is that I haven't paid attention to cleaning the bottoms of my feet (I figured they are down there getting soaked in the water from the shower, who needs to soap and scrub?). But when I used "My Solemate" I saw after each scrub with the white pumice stone how much dirt came off my feet even after I'd been in the shower for a few minutes. My feet are cleaner and my socks smell a little better. The only reason this product is not getting an "A" is that I reserve "A" grades for infomercial products that end world hunger and will help Brangelina stay together. This is good, but the problem of dirty feet is not "A" worthy.

Product: 'Emery Cat Board'
Grade: D (But cats are fickle so your cat might give it an A-)
Cost: $19.95

I gave the "Emery Cat" to some friends who have two cats. One cat wouldn't go anywhere near it. We put catnip in it and the other cat smelled it and rubbed it, but very little scratching ever occurred.

In the month that the cats tested it, there was no change in how sharp their nails were. Her owners still had to trim her nails. Another issue: We couldn't figure out how this would file the cat's back nails because they only scratch with their front paws. I will concede that cats are fickle and while one cat may avoid the "Emery Cat," another may love it. But for our test cats, "Emery Cat" only dulled our wallet.

In response to my review, Allstar Products Group released a statement that said, "We have heard from many happy cat owners that Emery Cat Board helps satisfy cat's natural need to scratch. It often takes pets some time to get acclimated to new products, so we recommend using the cat toy and catnip that are included with Emery Cat Board to provide a feline-friendly experience."

A special thanks to Grace, Princess and Mina Olive-Venafra for helping with this segment.

For more information on the Humane Society of New York CLICK HERE. Cost: $19.95

The "EZ Cracker" is an egg cracker that does just what it promises; it cracks eggs with ease. It also has a handy separator attachment that lets the white drain off the yolk. Now the issue here: Do I need another gadget to take up space in my kitchen just so I can easily crack eggs? Hmmm. ... Maybe! I could see this would be fantastic if you had any type of finger dexterity problems or arthritis. And if you make a lot of Hollandaise sauce it's much easier to separate the yolks with the "EZ Cracker" than by hand. I cracked a half dozen eggs with the separator and not a single piece of shell got in my yolks or whites. The only reason it's not getting an "A" is that for a product that's not a game-changer in the kitchen, it's bulky and takes up space in the drawer and it's not dishwasher safe.

Product: Paris Hilton 'Celebrity Styler'

Grade: C+

Cost: $111

This round curling iron has a rotating barrel and adjustable temperature controls for straightening your hair without making it look unnaturally straight. The bristles are a hard plastic with rounded beads at the ends. This device works. It's HOT! (literally and in Paris's vernacular). It's great for adding body to the roots of second-day, limp hair. It's good for straightening without creating board-straight sheets of hair. The brush bristles seemed to grab better than other round irons that rotate, like the InStyler. But the "Celebrity Styler" cost me $111 ($80 + $30 for shipping and handling). $111 is crazy expensive for a curling iron. If you could get it cheaper in a retail store, then it seems like it'd be worth it. But to me it was too expensive.

Hairtech, Inc., said that it stands "by the Celebrity Styler. As a high end three in one styling product, it has a lot to offer and it delivers on its promise of beautiful celebrity styled hair."

Product: '30 Second Smile'

Grade: B

Cost: $59.90, plus shipping and handling

Imagine an electric venus flytrap brushing your teeth. Now imagine two --one for the top row and one for the bottom. That's the "30 Second Smile" toothbrush. When I first used it, I had to get used to the fact that you can't push it all the way back into your mouth because it hurt the gums above my molars. Then I got used to it and it worked fine -- no pain. I used it for a month and one complaint is that the toothpaste gets gunked up in the bristles if you aren't careful about thoroughly rinsing and using your fingers to clean the crevasses. If someone can barely endure brushing their teeth, this might be good for them as it does expedite brushing. "30 Second Smile" is better than a standard toothbrush, but I ended up going back to my electric toothbrush after using "30 Second Smile" for a month. My Sonicare was just more comfortable and easier to use. Plus, my electric toothbrush brushes my tongue and the "30 Second Smile" can't. I asked my dentist if he saw anything about the "30 Second Smile" that concerned him and he just thought it was funny, but nothing problematic or unhealthy about it.

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