5 comments about Black & Decker PI100SB 100 Watt Plug-In Power To Go MicroSlim AC/USB Power Inverter.

1. Need to plug in a laptop on a long road trip. This is the product for you. It worked well.



2. AC Outlet works fine, but the USB port blew out my Sansa mp3 player. I'm not happy about that. I bought another mp3 player and will use my old USB charger instead of the Micro Slim AC/USB inverter.



3. I purchased this power inverter seven months ago for its size and the brand name. I also did not want something so powerful it blows out the fuse on my DC outlets in my car. It works ok, a little weak on power to operate a laptop or other large item, but good for charging cellphone, playing mpd3, etc. The fan is a little loud and annoying due to its small size. My unit blew out today, seven months after I bought it. The two fuses inside are easily accessible, however my fuses did not blow out so I must look for another unit.
   
   Mike G.



4. Nice Product - Ideal to charge/power devices like Mobile/IPOD phone charging, running laptops continously for watching movies, etc -
   Used upto 9 Hrs continously for powering laptop. No issues.
   
   Just the internal fan noise bit annoying, but no impact.



5. Small...nice looking... fits well in car's DC adaptor...doesnt occupy much space like other converter..i havent used the USB port however there is no reason it shudnt work...very much happy with it & wud suggest buying this product...

5 comments about RIDDEX PRO PEST REPELLER.

1. Riddex is great for killing insects and roaches, but only if you don't plug it in. Instead, just throw it at them. Much more effective that way



2. I purchased the first units that was put on the market approx. 20 years ago. They were black boxes with long cords. I placed one unit on each level of the house. I have a phobia when it comes to insects, especially spiders,so I keep an Immaculate home. Those first units WORKED. I purchased 2 Riddex's one for each level, and I still see spiders, ants and outside bugs that get in the house. Those old units worked great for ten years + I would love to have the old boxes back.



3. What a rip off!!! Who can I see about stopping these crocks from making money on a product that don't work!!!???



4. Within a couple of days after plugging one of these units into the wall where our major kitchen appliances were plugged in, our 2-year old dishwasher stopped working - just wouldn't turn on all of a sudden. The very next day our washing machine stopped draining. We replaced both appliances and with the Riddex still plugged in, they both cycled unusually long. The dishwasher ran about 4 hours and the washing machine was stuck pumping water in and draining it out for an hour. I changed it to a different cycle and the mechanism clicked rapidly about 10 times and finally finished the cycle. We removed the Riddex and the dishwasher worked perfectly - the washing machine is still not operating correctly. We started a load of clothes before going to work and the machine was still running when we got home 10 hours later. I'm really hesitant to believe the pest control unit is to blame for all this but it certainly is coincidental, isn't it? I'd be very interested to know if anyone else has had any similar experiences with this product.



5. I watched a roach walk right by one of these stupid things. Waste of money.

5 comments about Black & Decker 13-Inch 4.4-AMP Automatic Feed String Trimmer and Edger #ST7700.

1. Okay, I've only had a chance to use it once, but I was very pleased. The automatic string feed worked well and it was extremely easy to go back and forth between the edger and trimmer function.



2. When buying an electric weed eater...I always buy toros...but I looked and saw that the black and decker was only 19.95....my income is very low so 20.00 was a lot better than maybe over 30 or 40...so altogether I got the weed eater...3 extra spools of line n with s&h was only 51.00 n change....would have been closer to 100.00 or more doing the same with the toro...to me the toro is a dependable product...others I have bought ...after a few uses the motor would cease up...so I was hesitant buying the b&d....but as soon as I took it out of the package...I cut my whole front yard inside and all the way down to my back yard...was a breeze...handles so nice and the 1st time out the thing has proved to me it's well worth what I paid for it and more...I would recommend it to any one...I am more than satified with it...



3. I bought the first ST7700-type trimmer some years ago and l loved it for its ease of use, ease of refilling, and perfect results. I used it incorrectly, trimming weeds and grass growing between bricks. The hubcap was destroyed and the line got caught up in the mechanism. I immediately bought a new one and am much more careful and use it only in the proper way. I have untangled the line in the older trimmer and will buy a new hubcap the next time I get near to the repair station, which is too far to drive for something that is not necessary.



4. This weedeater is great for my very small area. Light and easy to use.



5. This trimmer replaces a B&D ST1000 that died after 7 years. The new trimmer makes short work of our small yard, unlike the old trimmer this one never booges down in heavy grass or anything else for that matters. It does seem to go through string faster, but that may be do to the fact that it is more powerful and faster than our old trimmer. One more thing this trimmer will throw rocks and dirt into the air at very high speed when rotated in edger position, that may be true of any powerful trimmer or this trimmers guard design.

5 comments about Black & Decker 18-Volt Cordless Electric Pole Hedge Trimmer #NPT318.

1. My mom and I love this, now hedging the front bushes only takes a couple of minutes instead of hours, it's awesome!



2. I have 2 drills, a blower, the hand held hedge trimmer and the trimmer on a pole. These are all wonderful. OK, maybe the drill isn't as good as my DeWalt but it isn't bad for light duty. The trimmers are MUCH better than any other cordless ones that I have tried and with 6 batteries!! I'm always good to go. NEXT UP~ saw on a pole.



3. I purchased this product in September 2008 based on my positivie experience with the B&D cordless weed trimmer. I have used it to trim a 20 foot Bottle Brush and a 10 foot bush. I was able to trim both of these bushes, cut down weeds and blackberry brairs, and then use the battery in my B&D weed trimmer before it died. B&D claims the pole hedge trimmer will cut up to 7/16 inch branches. That is was I got and found the cutting action good. You can lock the head into different positions to the pole: 180, 90 degree, etc. You can use it for clearing ground growth, which is great. The rubber covering on the pole in front of the hand guard is very comfortable and makes handling the hedge trimmer easier. The disadvanges to this product are: 1. It is heavy and the weight is at the end of the pole (the cutting head). When you swing the pole to cut a bush the head it is going to want to keep moving. If you are on a ladder, you could lose your balance trying to stop it. My wife can not use it because of the weight. 2. The pole does not telescope. It is about 6 feet from the handle to the end of the cutting bar, but if you need more reach than that, you have to have the arm length and strength to supply it. 3. It only comes with one battery. Final thoughts, check the tension were the handle and the cutting head join. I notice mine did loosen during the job. Make sure your getting the best price. Prices vary across the internet and the various bricks and morter stores. Happy trimming.



4. This a good product that works well. Due to it's increased length it's heavier than a normal hedge trimmer. Additionally it only came with one battery. Overall I am very satisfied with the product.



5. Probably a little heavy for many to handle, but does the job. Reach capability is misleading, as others have mentioned.

5 comments about Rat Zapper.

1. If you have a chipmunk infestation this thing will take care of those critters as well; just put in some sunflower seeds and you'll get one every day. Batteries only last for about 10 kills, however.



2. I am very glad I purchased the Rat Zapper. Before I did, I let my pesticide company try to clean out my basement of rats. They set snap traps with peanut butter. They got 2 or 3, but then the rats stayed clear of the traps. I continued to set the traps myself, but rarely got any more rats, even though I knew they were there! And when I did, the clean up was not pretty, and in one case, the rat wasn't dead yet (it reminded me of the Black Knight from Monty Python's "The Search for the Holy Grail", but this wasn't funny - it was sad). So I purchased the rat zapper. It didn't work at first - because I lacked patience. I learned quickly to let the rats take the bait for at least 2 or 3 nights before energizing it. After that, every night the zapper caught and killed a rat, for seven straight nights. Unfortunately, several months later, I have a new rat family in my basement. Guess I still have work to do making sure there are no rat entrances to the basement. But the rat zapper, with the same batteries I used the first time around (the type recommended in the instructions), has caught 4 more rats in 2 days. So that's 11 kills and counting so far with one set of batteries (Energizer E2 Lithium batteries). The killed rats are easy to dispose of also - no mess - just dump the contents of the zapper into a plastic bag, tie it off, and throw it out. Excellent product.



3. I highly recommend this tool. I wasn't even sure I had mice in my apartment, since my traditional trap caught just one. I caught another one a few days after having bought this rat zapper, and before I had any evidence of its presence (like mouse poop).



4. I bought a Rat Zapper Ultra and have found it to be highly effective in ridding my house of rodents. One issue that I have had and from reading the various posts, others have had as well, is when the unit gets "stuck" in zap mode. Basically what happens is that you turn the unit on and as soon as the green light goes off there is faint buzzing sound and the red light flashes, indicating that the trap has been triggered. I cleaned and cleaned per the directions and still had the issue. Not one to give up easily I looked at it a little more carefully and found that the electrical current had found a "trace" or a point of least resistance along the bottom plastic seam, between the "island plate" inside the unit and the surrounding metal plate. I found it by taking it into a dark room and looking for the blue arc, which I found was traveling along the middle seam of the plastic case between the two metal plates. I cleaned some more and STILL had the issue, and finally realized what was happening was that some times when a rodent was dispatched, some of the bodily fluids (read urine) were released and traveled into the plastic seam that runs along the bottom of the unit. The urine dries but acts as a conductor and shorts the unit out. I found that by running some stiff paper along the seam in the area of the short I was able to clean the residue and the unit functioned again as designed. Hope this helps others that have shelled out $50 on this solution.
   
   Finally, I have read that several people were having trouble actually catching a specific rodent. I found that the bait that is included did not work well in all instances. Sunflower seeds worked well for chipmunks in the attack and bird seed word well for mice. Hope this is helpful.



5. After reading numberous reviews on a variety of products, I purchased the rat zapper for my son living in new york city. Boy did I pick the right product! My son turns it on whenever he will be out for a while, and always returns to find a mouse in the zapper. Anyone familiar with NYC knows about the problems with rats and mice. I highly recommend this product! You will not regret it!

3 comments about Duracell DC to AC Pocket Power Source Inverter 175 Watt #813-0291-07.

1. I bought this item a few months ago and I love it. Provides enough power to run my laptop and GPS at the same time (I have my GPS hooked up to the USB port and laptop hooked up to the AC port). I Have had no problem with it whatsoever. I would highly recommend it.



2. I bought the 175 W invertor thinking it would be sufficient for laptops but it did not work at all. after checking the specs on several laptops it appears that 175 Watts continous is a common standard, and this inverter only provides 130 watts continuous. Seems like misleading advertising. Check your laptop requirements before purchasing if that's your intended use.



3. I just completed a 4500 mile road trip, and we used this invertor many hours each day to power a laptop running DVD movies for the kids (and their parents!). Operation was flawless: The unit doesn't get too hot, it's quiet, and supplied plenty of power.
   
   My only negative comment would be about the power button and power indicator light. The button could be more prominently marked and the light could be brighter; after all, this is made to be used in a car, where lighting is never ideal. Overall, though, the quality is excellent, especially compared to some other units that I looked at which appeared to have been made in someone's garage.

5 comments about PowerLine 0900-27 Global Power Travel Kit.

1. I would not recommend this product at all. We bought it new for a trip to New Zealand just to have an extra for my husband's laptop. The 3rd time he plugged it in, we went out for a bite to eat and came back to find our hotel room smoky and smelling like an electrical fire. The converter literally melted; we had to use the ice tongs to pick it up. Imagine if we'd stayed out with friends! I'm buying another Franz. Had mine for years and never had a problem.



2. I have had this on 1 trip to Switzerland and Germany. I did not use the voltage converter, only the plugs. The adapters worked great, although trying to figure which ones you need so you only pack the correct ones is not easy, the "manual" in the package is no help. The plastic case is cheap and broke while in my suitcase during the flight over.
   
   If you are looking for just the adapters this is a good value. I can't comment however if the voltage converter works.



3. This item worked well. It was bulky and a little heavier than I would have liked it to be; but still, it has survived several layovers in O'Hare and that's more than I can say for my suitcase!



4. We used this on our recent trip to the UK. We visited England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and Wales. We used this at every stop. Hooked a 1600 watt blow dryer, a 1200 watt curling iron and even used it to recharge my camcorded battery. This little unit never gave me the first problem.



5. This item offered here (PowerLine 0900-27 Global Power Travel Kit) is actually two different converters built into one package. At LOW setting (up to 50W), it uses a small AC transformer to convert 220V sinusoidal waveform into a 110V sinusoidal waveform. This is the preferred approach which works well for any low power appliance.
   
   To handle higher power, however, the AC transformer must be made bulkier and heavier (around 20 pounds just for 1000W). This makes it impractical as a travel voltage converter for large-wattage appliance. Therefore at HIGH setting (50-1600W), this convert simply uses a solid-state switch inside to chop off part of the input 220V sinusoidal waveform. This is exactly how an incandescent lamp dimmer works. However, its output waveform is highly distorted and is far from an 110V sinusoidal AC voltage.
   
   A purely resistive appliance (such as travel iron or water heater) will work just fine regardless of different voltage waveform. But if you ever try to power an electronic appliance (such as TV, computer or battery charger) with this distorted 220V waveform, it will probably be fried in an instant! My advice is to stay away from this potentially destructive product - unless you are really, REALLY careful about what to plug in.
   
   If you have to bring electronic appliances with your oversea trips, make sure they are rated for universal voltage of 100-240V AC. Power supplies for most portable electronics (laptop, camcorder, cell-phone, electric shavers, etc.) are already designed to accept universal voltage, although some of them may require you to physically flip a voltage selection switch - check the user manual or the AC input plug of your appliance to make sure. If that is the case, all you need is a set of plug adapters, which you can purchase separately without a converter.

5 comments about Black & Decker Side Bag Assembly #BA-075.

1. The bag attaches simply and quickly. Holds enough for my small lawn. Double zippers are durable and open up wide to dump clippings.



2. It works. It's "ok". The design allows you to hold/carry/unzip the bag and empty it into a bin with ease. However,
   
   1) It's sort of small.
   2) The metal rod that is supposed to NOT turn is held in place by a small nub of plastic in the lawnmower body that immediately gets rounded out and starts turning freely (not a big deal)
   3) Occasionally, when mowing on a curve, if nearly full, it detaches from the mower on its own. It might be nice to have a slightly better locking mechanism.
   
   Meh. You gotta get one unless you have some other solution for the debris on your lawn. And if you do, let me know.



3. it is the normal sidebag for your clippings. Get it if you have a landscaped yard so you don't have to clean them up!



4. The bag is okay. Don't have too big a problem with the size and all but one major problem is the lousy zipper. Read lots of problems about them and I had one too the first month or so. The other worked but now I have problems with that one as well. I cannot zipper it all the way or the one functioning zipper comes off so I have to keep it open slightly and get pelted with cut grass till the whole plugs up.
   
   The other problem is that it does not hook on so well so if you lightly bump into something the bag falls off...not major but a pain in the neck.



5. Although I haven't had a chance to use this product, it fit easily and seemlessly into the intended slot. It looks solid enough and appears durable.

5 comments about SENORET CHEMICAL 300 "TERRO" LIQUID ANT BAITS BX6.

1. Within the 1st day of placing the baits, the ants were all over them. There were two kinds of ants in my house: the huge black ants and small brown ants. The black ants stopped almost the 2nd day. The small brown ants seem to be tougher but the number decreased drastically after the 3rd day. I anticipate they'll be gone soon.
   
   The product really works.
   
   BTW, I have Raid Baits right next to Terro and none of the ants touched the Raid.



2. I initially used Raid ant traps, but those things are totally worthless!
   
   After seeing the reviews for Terro here, I thought I'd give them a try.
   
   This product over-delivers! I mean, I was expecting some time to pass before I saw a reduction in ants, but within 12 hours they were almost 100% GONE!
   
   If you have ants, you'll be amazed at how well it works.
   
   Not only that, but according to the Terro site, the product is completely safe for people and pets.
   
   WOW!!!



3. The ants ignored two other brands. Bought this stuff, next day the ants went nuts over it. Two days later, no more ants. Really good product.



4. I have never used anything that works as quickly or cheaper. I will never buy anything else. The ants were gone in 2 days. Now I see a few that climb in and that's it! No more ANTS



5. This is the best ant killer I've ever bought. The ant's come running to this stuff. If you need an ant killer this is it. Don't bother looking anywhere else, buy this. In 1 to 2 hours you will see a trail of ant's that can't wait to take the poison to their queen.

5 comments about 1500 Live LadyBugs - GOOD BUGS!.

1. I SENT FIVE EMAILS BEFORE I RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM THIS COMPANY, THEN
   IT WAS A VERY HATEFUL REPLY. I BOUGHT THESE LADYBUGS FOR MY ETERNAL FRIENDS GRAVE, AND THE COMPANY NEVER SENT THEM TO THE CORRECT ADDRESS.
   I SENT THE CORRECT EMAIL ADDY THE DAY I ORDERED THEM WHICH WAS OVER A MONTH AGO, THEY FINALLY EMAILED ME BACK LAST WEEK. I NEVER RECEIVED A REFUND, OR A I'M SORRY RESPONSE. HOW SAD IS THIS?



2. Received the Lady-Bugs very quickly, two days after ordering.
   
   The bugs all seemed alive in the bag they arrived in which included a small square of something looking like foam & also a small wad of straw-type material.
   
   The instructions were pretty clear but I was dis-appointed that there was no mention of "lady bug attractant" and/or how to use it. I expected information about this "attractant" because of a response that someone from Hirt's had written to another reviewer. Hirt's had asked the reviewer...... "did you use the lady-bug attractant?" when that reviewer had complained none of the bugs were in their garden the next day after putting the bugs out in garden.
   
   The instructions did say to put the bugs out into a well watered, pesticide free (for at least 14 days) garden and only to put them out at dusk, as they do not fly at night.
   
   I followed these instructions (I never use any pesticides so that was no worry) and I would say that the bugs were around my garden for about a week. I also put the straw material & the little square of foam into a couple of the pots I placed lady bugs in just in case either of these items were "the lady bug attractant".
   
   I have a lush garden with lots of "food" that the lady-bugs could eat so I was a little sad they were all gone so quickly. I found about a dozen shells of dead lady bugs in one or two potted plants but the others were, presumably, off to a different garden.
   
   A couple weeks after not seeing any lady bugs I tossed the foam square & the (by then) soggy straw into the trash.
   
   Also, as another reviewer stated "her husband wondered how they counted the lady bugs"....(lol) well, my husband asked the same thing! We both studied the bag they came in (still full of bugs) and neither of us could imagine that there were anywhere close to 1500 in this bag.... I guessed 200, my hubby said possibly 200 but he doubted it.
   
   For the price paid I am not upset about this experience but I doubt I'd purchase this bag "1500" of lady-bugs again.



3. We had aphids and a variety of other little plant pests in the potted plants on our porch. I tried spraying them with water, then with neem oil, then pinching them off, and they kept coming back (the bigger aphids seemed to LIKE the neem oil, of all things). Finally I ordered these ladybugs from Hirts. They arrived in great shape, almost all still alive, in just two days (from OH to CA) even with standard shipping. I rinsed them under cool water and placed them in the fridge, as the instructions say, and then released about a hundred of them at dusk at the base of the plants (and helped a few start crawling up toward the aphids). This morning, I can't see a single aphid on any plant, and quite a few of the ladybugs are still there. I read online that releasing them in small batches maximizes the chances that they'll find food and decide to stay, so I'm waiting a few days before releasing the next platoon. Highly recommended -- this was way more effective than spraying, and much more fun to watch!



4. The shipment arrived as expected. Almost all of the Ladybugs were alive when they arrived on a warm Southern California summer day. I refrigerated and revived them as recommended.



5. I have seen several articles in some of my gardening magazines about buying ladybugs but never have. I just couldn't see getting live bugs in the mail. All the articles I have read say they are good for your garden but don't remember reading anything about time of year to put them out. So if anyone knows much about this process, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHEN OR IF THERE IS A BEST TIME TO RELEASE LADYBUGS..
   
   This was First time I've seen them on Amazon; I notice sale on gardening tools & supplies and happen upon them. Would like to try them but it will be October before I would get them. We still have some 70-80 degree temps in West Tennessee. So should I? or Shouldn't I?? That is the question. LOL Thanks for any responses..
   
   Note to reviewer on Color of Ladybugs: From what I've heard; Orange are females & Red are males.. 1500 Live LadyBugs - GOOD BUGS!