4 comments about PowerMax XP8500P 8,500 Watt 16 HP OHV Gas Powered Generator With Wheel Kit And Electric Start (CARB Compliant).

1. The 8500 has identical spec's to the PowerMax XP8500E, but buying this one saves a C-note.
   
   As a test the elderly recipient of this generator feebly pulled the cord to start the motor. At first it looked pointless as the effort failed to build up any momentum. The motor turned about one and a half strokes, but incredibly, the motor fired up on the second tug. The electric start worked fine, but if the battery happens to lose too much charge, starting the motor by hand proves easy enough. It's also possible to jump start it just like a car.
   
   Delivery requires coördinating with a shipping company that only hands over the product to a warm body. For the customer accustomed to finding items dropped off at the stoop, that sucks. It also conflicts with having the item sent to a site other than home. The driver had no qualms, though, about loading the generator onto the back of a pick-up which was nice. Still, instead of waiting for a delivery which I had to transfer to another location,I could have just as easily bought a generator at the hardware store. Amazon used to conveniently leave items for me where ever I needed them delivered (Kansas, Michigan, Virginia). Now, I have to take time off from work to meet a trucker and complete the delivery myself. Gifts don't arrive as a welcome surprise anymore because the recipients have to go through the same rigamarole.
   
   It has ample 120 volt receptacles to plug portable GFCI's into for running heavy duty extension cords through the house. This'll provide some immediate comfort while the electrician installs a transfer switch, a 30 amp inlet and sub-panel. He or she will also piece together a 10-4 SO extension cord to connect between the generator's 220 volt outlet and the sub-panel's inlet.
   
   Don't scrimp on the budget for the set up with the transfer switch. It makes plugging in a generator convenient and safe. You can hook up the generator yourself any time you want to later.
   
   --tick-tock--October 2008, it still runs. It has only a few hours running time, though. A generator mechanic pointed out that these cheap products have short lives without regular attention, so change that oil! $700 genny, good deal, would buy from same again.



2. Not as quiet as I would have hoped but none-the-less is a great product. Will tap it into my main household line to run everything when the power goes off for 36 hours again.



3. I bought my XP8500E generator from MAXTOOLS on ebay. I also had to have a warm body at the house to direct the driver to unload, but he did have a lift gate ($50.00 extra charge, no problem). I unwrapped the unit, oiled and gassed it up and hit the key ONCE and it started right up. Hey, its probably made in China, but the fit and finish and overall quality was excellent. I connected it to my water pump and fridge and it barely slowed down. Its easy to move with the wheel kit,too. I looked at generators of this rating that cost a LOT more, then bought this one for $799.00 plus the $50.00 for the lift gate. Shipping was INCLUDED in the price! No problems, no hassles. No more losing all my food in the fridge when the power goes out for 24 hours!
   MAXTOOL charges $999.00 for this on their website...$799.00 on ebay!
   
   [...]



4. I live in Louisiana. Our electricity goes out quite often; because of bad weather. I bought this generator because it looked like it would best fit my need. I have not had to use it so far since it was delivered, however, I did put gas and oil in it and it runs quiter than the one I now have. The older one is a smaller generator and I could only run a few things at a time; the freezer at night, leaving me with no fans to sleep under.

4 comments about Picnic Time 5 Piece Garden Tool Set With Tote And Folding Seat #542-93-121.

1. It's an excellent product for gardening and it's very handy, all you need is in one kit !



2. I purchased this garden kit for my mom for her birthday. Unfortunately, it was not at all what I expected it to be! The photo shows a darling tote bag, but you can even can't get into bag portion! It is very awkward to put the tools into their compartments. Great idea, but it has a poor design and is not a quality product.



3. I was looking for a gardening toolkit. Initially, I thought to only get a tote knowing I would also need a bench or something. When I came across this product it was the perfect fit. Most of the tools that I needed, plus a tote and a bench. I've used it already and used my tote to temporarily store leftover soil. Best thing, I can fold it and hang all of it on the garage wall.



4. Thank you for the fast delivery of this very NEEDED item! Those who love to garden will love this!

5 comments about Gardena Product End Adapter #36001.

1. You never pay much attention to stuff like hose connectors - until you notice that the cheap ones leak all over you when you water.
   
   Glad I spent a bit more money to get higher quality connectors that work well and last a long time and DON'T LEAK!



2. Remember how they said technology would improve our lives? We all know how that goes..... This product line rivals only the Omega Paw self-cleaning litterbox as my joyous find of the decade. Using the quick connect system on ALL of our hoses and attachments (even the leaf blower that goes in the pool!!!) makes me wonder how I ever lived without it.
   
   The only improvement I would want would be something to regulate the pressure, for example when I attach it to soaker hoses.



3. It is very durable compared to other ones i've used. The price though, is unreasonable.



4. I've been using Gardena products for more than 10 years. Throughout those years, several competitors have attempted to develop identical fittings and fixtures to the Gardena product line. However, no one has been able to match the quality, durability, and versatility of the Gardena products. These fittings last a long time, are able to withstand abuse from heat, cold, and even the occasional drop to concrete. Every other competitor either breaks, does not engage/disengage easily, nor seals as well. If you are looking for an easy to use hose product and improved versatility of your outdoor hoses, Gardena is well worth the investment.



5. The price of this set is about the same as it cost for a couple fittings locally. I have purchased this item twice and will probably do it again.

1 comments about Terro Outdoor Liquid Ant Bait 3-pack #1800.

1. I have lots of land and lots of ants, and I have tried home remedies (Borax and Corn Syrup), other companies and other products--spent allot of time and money. By far, this is the best product for indoor and outdoor use! The result time is between 24 to 72 hours depending in ant colony size. Also, spill out some of the deadly nectar to attract the ants! I hope this helps!
   --Paul San Diego, CA

5 comments about Combat Ant Kill Gel 97306 27grams.

1. I have bought this from home depot, since i was there trying to find terro but i can't. i think it was selling for about 4.30, but i thought might as well give it a go.
   
   i had previously tried the raid III baits but the ants have absolutely no interest in those.
   
   the ants absolutely love this combat stuff, i swear. i think it's for sweet black ants (which are the ants i had problem with) and they are attracted to this in drones.
   
   I can't quite compare this with terro, since I've yet to try that. but give this one a go definitely, it works pretty well for me tonight.



2. Last year we had a real bad ant problem. I put out different bait and traps, all to no avail! So I called a professional exterminator, he came out and I watched carefully as he applied some stuff with what looked like a syringe. I got a glimpse of the product name and as soon as he left I jumped on the net to look it up the product and ordered some. Now the Combat product that ths review is about has the exact same active ingredient, in the exact same strength. I paid $30.00 plus shipping. I got a lot more than comes in the Combat package, but if I had it to do again I'd buy the smaller amount - it just doesn't take a lot.
   
   It works GREAT. It calls itself a gel, but it is very thin almost the consistency of a syrup. It will drip when you are applying it if you aren`t careful. I opened my applicator by taking a very small nail (the small one that came with a picture hanging thingy) holding it with a pair of pliers and heating it up over a stove. Then taking the hot nail a giving it a quick spray of Pam and push it into the tip of the applicator. This gave me a much smaller hole in the tip than cutting of the tip. Save the nail and use it to stop up the tip up when you are done applying the gel.
   
   When you have ants follow the line of ants to find the entry point, this is where you apply the gel. I push the tip up to the crevice or small hole where they are coming from and push in some gel carefully. DO NOT SPRAY ANT KILLER AROUND IT!!! Now it takes a little patience, just walk away. The ants that are inside the wall stop at the gel and feed, the ants on the inside the house will work their way back to the crevice and start to feed too. I'd check back the next day, if I found ants again I'd give it another small shot of gel. We had several more infestations in different parts of the house over the next few days (it seemed that they had gotten into the attic and found different entry points). But in a week or so all traces of ants were gone. This year (as I still have plenty of gel left) whenever we see a line of ants anywhere outside the house I give it a blob of gel and check back in a day or two and we haven't had any get into the house yet - Yeaaa!!!
   
   We haven't had a problem with our cats. In the house you end up pushing the gel in out of the way spaces where the cats can't get to, outside it's a bit more tricky, but with a little creativity I can find a crack or spot that the ants are by but the cats can't get to.
   
   Hope this helps.
   
   I highly recommend this product.



3. This stuff worked beautifully last year, but I haven't been able to find it in any stores at all this year. I glopped it around where the ants were getting in, and next thing I knew they were all over it. In about 3 days, there wasn't a sign of a living ant anywhere. This year they're back, and I've bought a variety of bait traps and even some some gel from another company, and the ants avoid them. I even put the other brand gel in a line across behind the kitchen sink, but they go all the way down to the end of the line to go around. Combat's ant gel is by far THE BEST on the market.



4. I placed the gel in the same place I always see ants. This day I only saw about ten marching up the house where they always come in. Within ten minutes of placing the gel the whole wall became covered in ants, hundreds more of them came for the feast. It was like thanksgiving for them, feasting on the gel. I watched with joy knowing it was thier "last supper".
   Next day I saw about 20, most dead or acting "drunk". The few that were OK were busy running toward thier "feast" (the gel). Day after that, 36 hours later, nothing but dead ants. Two weeks later, not one dam ant in my house and none seen climbing the wall.
   Yes, I was a bit tired of the ants, the smelly sprays, and those boring bate stations (which I have used in past with some results).
   Why WAIT for results? I am amazed that this stuff was so irresistable for them. This stuff is like ant candy, and we all know how ants swarm around a piece of candy. 24-36 hours wipes out the entire colony. I am sure one day they will return, I bought another tube just to keep as a spare. I hate to admit, I enjoyed the "show", and look forward to the next one.
   No odor, no mess, easy & way more effective then any other product I have ever bought.



5. I've used this product twice in the past year for major ant infestations in my apartment. Each time I simply applied a few drops of the gel along trails and entry points. The ants started eating it within minutes. Six hours later they were completely gone and didn't come back for months. I'm amazed at how cheap this stuff is considering how well it works. Less than half of one tube wiped out two major infestations 6 months apart. Using this gel, I figure it will cost me about $2 a year to maintain an ant free home. I can't ask for much better than that.
   
   One minor caveat:
   
   When I first opened the tube, some internal air pressure caused a small amount of gel to burst out. So to avoid any potential messes, I recommend wrapping the cap in a tissue or paper towel before opening.

5 comments about Apex NeverKink 2000 5/8-Inch-by-25-Foot Heavy Duty Ultra Flexible Hose #8605-25.

1. This hose will NEVER kink for sure (it is very stiff though, I suggest putting it in the sun to start with just to get it to straighten out!) Perfect for a short hose and what I wanted it for. "Might" be hard to handle in longer lengths but for 25 ft it works perfectly.



2. This hose is a 25 foot non kinking hose which is perfect for a smaller house. I bought it for my mother who owns a small 1 bdrm/1den/1bthrm home with a small backyard. She used to have a 50 foot hose & found it tobe exhausting to wind back up. Not to mention, difficult on her back. We checked all the major hardware stores in the southern california area where we live & only found the 25 ft hoses made of inferior material that always ended up with kinks after a couple months use. Thanks to Amazon.com, She got a 25 ft non-kink hose for as cheap as I would have paid for the lower quality 25 ft hoses availble in the major hardware stores here. Not to mention the super fast shipping that Amazon.com offers. Needless to say, Im a very satified buyer an my mother is a very satisfied owner. With a rubber hose........ Robert Schultz



3. We just love our Apex NeverKink 2000 hose. What a joy it is to water the garden now, no more stopping to undo a kink. The hose lives up to its product description and thensome. We are going to buy another longer one next season, can't say enough about this product. High quality, reels in and out easily on our hose cart, the fittings are excellent, it is a product well worth the price, we've paid twice as much for a hose that can't hold a candle to this hose.



4. This is great to extend your garden hose. I was finally able to reach out to the street to wash my car.



5. This hose has fairly good couplings and works just fine.
   
   One reviewer mentioned lead. The paperwork does NOT mention lead. It does state this is for use other than drinking and should you want to drink from it use another product they sell. Aside from this, so what? We all drank from hoses as kids.
   
   One reviewer mentioned it was a bit heavy but manageable at 25'. I wish I'd bought a 50' since it's actually a fairly light hose.
   
   The hose is fine.

5 comments about Black & Decker 7.2-Volt Interchangeable Cordless Electric Shear/Shrubber #SSC1000.

1. Like any other rechargeable product, you need to give it an initial charge of over 24 hours before the first use. I was not able to run down the battery during regular use. The grass cutter attachment is poor, but I use a weed wacker for grass anyway. It's well balanced and fairly light in weight. My wife uses it, and she likes it.
   
   This replaced a Sears/OSH product which cut grass better, but had shorter battery life and the batteries could not be replaced (I was willing to make a new battery pack, but they were 2/3 C size which were impossible to find). This unit also uses 2/3 C size NiCd. So it may also be a throw-away once the batteries die. I wish they made a unit that used the VersaPak batteries.



2. I'm only rating this product for cutting grass since I never used the hedger yet. I get frustrated when cutting grass because I have to make about three or four passes over the grass before it cuts all of it. I used to have the Craftman brand cordless shears but the sears I've been to don't sell that one anymore. Another thing is that the motor is slow compared to the Craftsman model. It takes me about three times as long to do the same area as the Craftsman. The only thing better is that the battery lasts longer with the black & decker. I hope another company comes out with a comparable one to the Craftsman. FYI: I've cut St. Augustine grass and Zoysia with both of these models.



3. it doesn't go with the handle, even though that is the way it is advertised
   
   
   Buy this item with Black & Decker Shear/Shrubber Extension Handle #GSH1000 Black & Decker today!
   
   
   Total List Price: $106.98
   Buy Together Today: $67.95



4. This item is easy to handle and lightweight. This is helpful when having to cut grass or shrubbery in an awkward position. I had no trouble with the battery life or the cutting power of the blades. I have feeling that some of the other hedger/shearers that the other reviewers had trouble with were defective. I have used the shearer and hedger many times. The only slight problem I have had is that branches get stuck in the hedger and you must stop trimming so that you can remove the branches. If the blades moved a bit faster, I think this problem would have been allieviated. This is a nice hedger, grass shearer for the price. You can use one machine to do two functions. You can get replacement blades, as well. You might consider buying the extension handle, as I did, if you purchase this item. The extension handle is quite helpful when doing most trimming and shearing yard work..



5. Unless you are dealing with minimal to no weeds I would not suggest buying this product. I bought this thinking I could save myself time and money using this rather than the traditional weed eaters- no such luck. It wont cut (I ended up using big household scissors with better results)In the end I will still have to buy the traditional weed eater. Black and Decker dropped the ball on this one- def. NOT worth the money!

5 comments about Plastair SpringHose 50-Foot Coiled Water Hose, Ocean Blue #PUW650B93OT.

1. Granted, this is a $20 hose, but I thought it would be ok for what I wanted. I only have a small group of shrubs and plants which I wanted to water with this hose and I thought it would be great to pull it out, do my watering, and presto, let it spring back. I was very wrong. First of all, I had a horrible time with the faucet fitting. I tried multiple times to get it to work without leaking but it only ended in me getting drenched when I went to turn the water on or off. The water pressure was not great, but with the smaller hose, I had already assumed that would be the case. If you want to use this for something other than minor watering, don't bother. The spring recoil did not work. I basically had to pick the hose up and place it where I wanted it and "help" the recoil process along.
   
   I really liked the idea of a quick, cool hose. That's exactly what it was though..just an idea. I would NOT recommend this to anyone.



2. The hose in the picture shows metal conectors the one I got was plastic. I have high water presure and it blew off and soaked my bathroom.



3. My in-laws purchased us one of these and it was annoying! It would get tangled in between coils. You had to pull really hard to get it extended.



4. I thought the concept of this hose was great, unfortunately in a real life garden it is not.
   Don't think because this hose is coiled it will not kink, in fact it kinks more than any hose I have ever had.
   As long as you keep tension on the hose from the faucet it works good, however loosen the tension or walk back toward the faucet and you have a tangled mess. A mess that is a real bugger to undo.
   The coiled hose tense to be a real hazard to your small plants, delicates & pots it reeks havoc on them.
   All in all, I salute the idea and the only real good I am getting out of this hose now is for tying up my trees.
   Yes, I cut the hose up into pieces and I am using this for tying trees to stakes for this I give it 5 stars for
   watering my plants it gets 2 stars.



5. You have to store it carefully for it to keep it's shape, but it works great and is very convenient.

5 comments about Gerber Gator Axe II Saw Combo.

1. this is a great product the edge was a little dull when it came but i sharped it and now it is sharp as a knife. The saw in handle is tough and has cut easily through every so far. good combo if you go hunting or camping.



2. this axe is awesome! needs to be sharpened out of the package, but not much. very handy.



3. This is a very good product, it's well made and sharp. The knife actually goes into the bottom of the axe's handle, and is held there by a pretty strong magnet, you need some force to pull it out. But when you do, you won't regret it, because this is one good and sharp knife.



4. I bought this to use when camping/hiking/hunting. I has proven useful and much more durable than the standard wooden handle model. My kids haven't broken it yet and it shows no rust! The saw is good for small camping/woods tasks like removing small limbs that are in the way.
   My only small complaint is that is hard to find when you drop it in the dark and the texture of the handle somehow keeps reflective tape (my solution to finding it in the dark) from sticking very well. I ended up putting on a bright colored lanyard.
   Overall, a good practical addition. I will probably buy another one to keep in my truck.



5. This is a tough little axe for the size. I've been very happy with Gerber products although they don't come cheap. The only disadvantage to this axe is that it pretty light weight so it is difficult to split wood. But for chopping up wood for a campfire it is fine.
   The saw that comes in the handle cuts very well but it so too short to be very effective.

3 comments about Mini Pestchaser Electronic Rodent Repellers 4-Pak.

1. I knew I had a mouse problem in my kitchen for several months. I placed traps all over the place and for several months I didn't catch anything. Thinking that all the mice had somehow vanished, I bought this repeller just to make sure they didn't come back. It turns out that the day afer I plugged this unit into an outlet in my kitchen, I caught three mice! I think this product may actually attract mice rather than repel them!



2. Its easy to misunderstand the application of ultrasound. Trapping ratios actually go up when you put these units in. This is because the sound creates a great deal of auditory stress on the rodents. So they get confused and cannot fool the traps, etc.

   I too had mice which I thought were gone. But they were only out of sight. Acutally they had nested below. I lived in a trailer. When I put the units in, I was able to trap out the existing population. Having the units in place prevented new rodents coming in and taking up residency. So plugging in the units and seeing mice in the traps MEANS IT IS WORKING!!!!! Read the complete directions as the company throughly explains it.




3. My observation regarding the first 2 reviews is that the 2nd confirms the claims of the first reviewer.
   I've had these repellers in every room of my house and garage.
   Result: no mice.
   
   I've twice sat in my kitchen and seen mice poke their noses around the corner from a hole under my pantry cupboard, turn around and leave. There is no mouse scat or damage in my pantry.
   
   However, I've continued to have a problem with chipmunks in my gardens and stone walls which neighborhood dogs tear apart trying to reach them. I recently put one near the wall and strawberry bed. The chipmunks have moved out.
   
   I find them very effective.