Monday, May 30, 2016

Product review: Toch 4-way Garden Hose to Hose Connector, Watering Splitter



This four way hose splitter combines the two best features of metal and non-metal garden shut-off valves. All fittings are metal and this gives me a no leak tight seal. The outer shell of the hose splitter is made of rubber. Each shut off valve has a relatively long handle and because it is covered with rubber it feel softer. I like these valves better than the short metal handles on the brass hose splitters I normally use. I find these longer handles give me a better leverage and because they are softer I can put more pressure with my bare hands.

There is one thing you need to be aware of if you are using timers. A timer on this splitter covers up two outlets. Some splitters have connectors that angled and they allow an outlet next to the timer to be accessible. I am using one timer on this splitter which means I had to give up one of the outlets as it is blocked. This was not a problem where I am using it but it felt as a significant thing to mention in a review.

I received this hose splitter for evaluation and review. I like it a lot.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Product review: Fantime® Bluetooth Smart Watch Sports/Sleep Tracker Smartwatch Finger Gestures Voice Control Wirst Watch for IOS Apple iPhone and Android Smartphone Roll over image to zoom in Fantime® Bluetooth Smart Watch Sports/Sleep Tracker Smartwatch


There are a lot of things I like about this watch, but as it stands now there is one huge problem. The app for this watch is not available from Google Play (or Amazon store). I also believe it is not available in iTunes, because the documentation says to down the app from a Chinese web site for all operating systems. This is not secure! In order for the app to be accepted in GooglePlay it undergoes security scans and must pass some basic set of rules. If the app is not available in Google it maybe because it failed those checks. I am software engineer with a lot of experience in security: do not load apps from random manufacture sites, it is not safe. I notified the manufacture of the problem and they said they will work on correcting it.

The good news that the watch is usable without the app. If you turn off watch sync with the phone you can set the time manually. The smartwatch has many apps that work find without communicating with the phone. Pedometer shows the step count, sedentary reminder alerts you if you sit for too long, calculator works well with a touch screen, you also have a calendar and a voice memo recorder.

This watch has a great display. It is bright and easy to see. The watch has a responsive touch screen. The size of the watch is not too large (1 5/8" wide) to be worn on a woman's hand. The leather band is comfortable and looks nice.

The pedometer appears to be reasonably accurate. It has an issue that it uses metric units (it shows the distance in meters) and I have not found any way to change the units. However, I mostly care about the step count so this is not a huge problem for me. I notified the manufacture about this issue as well and hopefully this can be addressed in the future versions as they fix the app to be downloadable from GooglePlay.

The charging port has a proprietary connector. If you lose it you will not be able to recharge the watch.

I received this watch for evaluation and review. I initially thought of giving it a rating of 3 (okay) due to the app issue because it is a big one. But after using it for a couple of weeks I found that I really like it and wear it all the time despite not having an app. I own several smart watches and I prefer this watch to others because of how bright and clear the display is and because the user interface is so easy to use. I would have rated it 5 stars if the app was available in the GooglePlay.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Product review: Mcoplus 130 LED Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel Digital Camera


I own several light panels and Mcoplus has several features that made it my favorite light panel.
The most useful feature to me is the ability to change the amount of light that the panel generates with a simple turn of the knob. This allows me to have perfect lighting in different situations. In the attached video you can see how easy it is to find perfect lighting.

The second thing that I find very useful is the two filters that are included with the panel. The one I use most is the yellow filter that give me warm light. I really like that the filters fit snugly and stay in even if you turn the light upside down. In my other light panel the filter can slide out of I tilt the light and I had to tape the filter so I don't drop it as I move the lights.

The light panel can run using several different types of batteries: six AA batteries, NP-550,LP-E6,EN-EL15. Batteries are not included in the package. I like the battery test button on the back - I can tell how much live the batteries have. I can recharge the batteries in advance of a long photo session if I see that the indicator is low.

The light panel generates continuous light. Once you turn it on the light panel stays on. This panel does not communicate with the camera like a flash. It can be mounted it on the camera shoe, but I use it mounted on tripod so I have more control of where the lighting goes and my camera is lighter for a steadier shot. In my video you see how I use this light on a small tripod for the table top photography.

The photo panel is 6" by 3.75" and 2" deep. The light weighs 1 pound 0.3 oz (with six AA batteries installed).

Overall, I like this light very much. It is easy to set up and easy to change the amount of light I get to fit any situation.

This light panel provided by Mcoplus for evaluation and review. I have been using it every day for doing videos for my reviews for several weeks - no problems. It is a winner!

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Product review: BasicWu Power Strip Multi Outlet Smart 6-Outlet with 4-USB Output Surge Protection Tower Power Strip



My review is for the 2 level power strip.

This tower power strips work very well in tight spaces. It has a very small foot print yet accepts large plugs next to each other. The AC outlets are well spaced out. This is a very clever design.

The strip has a 111.5" cord and a regular size grounded plug. The outlets on the tower itself accept plugs with not only the plugs we use in USA but international plugs as well. Until recently this was as "I don't care" feature. However, recently I purchased a photo light stands which had a power plug which is common in Europe and Asia instead of the one we use in USA. Instead of purchasing a converter I am able to use this tower power strip to plug them in.

In addition to 6 AC outlets this tower also has 4 USB outlets - two 2A ports and two 1A ports. I tested each USB port with a current monitor an Android device and an Apple device. It charged each of them at an optimal rate on two of the outlets, and a slower USB rate on the other two. Ipad Mini worked best on 2A port and Android on the 1A port. The ports are not labeled. You can see which ports perform better for each device in my photos which show the current meter. Use the position of the power cord to help you map the ports: the USB ports closer to the cord are the 2A ports.

To see how well different chargers and external batteries charge my mobile devices I use a Nexus phone and an iPadMini to test each of them. I do my tests with the devices charged to the same level, running the same applications and using the same cables to keep everything the same. This allows me to compare them to each other in a fair way. I use the current monitor to see what current is delivered to each device which tells me how well each external battery is working.

I love the shape of this power strip, it gave me more than enough outlets in the area which barely has any space.

This power strip is provided by BasicWu for testing and review. Getting a free product to test does not prevent me from leaving critical reviews when the product warrant it. However, this is not one of them.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★



Sunday, May 22, 2016

Product review: AUKEY 37MM Professional Cell Phone Camera Circular Polarizer Lens Kit for Smartphones



This polarizer lens works very well. It rotates smoothly and easily on its holder, it does not block my camera lens (no vignetting).

In attached video you can see the polarization effect using a polarizer test card - you can see the full effect from no image, to black image, and then to white image.

Beside the filter and the filter holder the package also include two lens covers (for both ends of the lens), a cloth pouch, and a cleaning cloth.

I received this lens kit for testing and review. I like it! Good polarization, good fit for for my phone, smooth rotation.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Friday, May 20, 2016

Product review: Maxchange32GB Class 10 Micro SDHC Memory Card with SD Adapter




The definition of class 10 micro sd card is minimum write rate of10MB/s. I run benchmarks on this micro-sd card a number of times and I am getting average write rate of 7.8 MB/s. This meets the requirements for class 6 micro sd card. The read rates are reasonable, but the average access time is also slow. I want to see access times below 1 msec. I repeated the benchmark tests several time and I getting very consistent results. I ran these tests on the same 3.0 USB port using the same adapter that gives me class 10 performance on other micro USB cards.

Here are two sample results of the set I ran for Maxchange card:

Using USB 3.0 port (sample test 1)
' Average read rate 78.7 MB/s
' Average write rate 7.8 MB/s
' Average access time 3.88 msec

Using USB 3.0 port (sample test 2)
' Average read rate 76.2 MB/s
' Average write rate 7.1 MB/s
' Average access time 4.01 msec

Using the sd adapter included in the package did not introduce additional delays.

If you are looking for class 10 micro sd card you should look elsewhere.

This SD card is provided by Maxchange for evaluation and review. Getting an evaluation product does not prevent me from writing critical reviews when my tests show that the product falls short of the performance of class 10 memory card, which is how it is described currently in the Amazon description.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★☆☆☆

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Product review: Yogurt Starter Cultures - Pack of 10 Freeze-dried Culture Sachets for BIO Yogurt


I have been making my own yogurt for over a year. This is my first experience with bio yogurt culture. I thought the yogurt made from it tasted sweeter (without adding anything sweet) than the yogurt made from acidophilus culture.

I own an electric yogurt incubator (Epica) which holds the temperature at the right temperature while the culture is incubating. The electric yogurt maker is not a requirement for making your own yogurt but it makes it easier to keep the temperature at the right level. The entire process is very simple. All I have to do is mix the yogurt culture into milk brought to the right temperature and pour it into jars. Then the jars have to be kept at the right temperature for 12 or so hours. The key is to keep the yogurt culture at a steady temperature and a steady position (no moving or shaking) during the incubation period.

While experimenting with yogurt making I have tried 2% milk with and without pre-boiling, whole milk with and without pre-boiling, and goat milk with pre-boiling. I also made a couple of batches just changing the length of incubation to get an idea of what difference that makes. Sometimes I add a straining step at the end to make Greek-style yogurt (2 hours of straining is all I do). There were two things that made a big difference in the results: whether I pre-boil milk or not and whether I am using whole milk. Both pre-boiling and using whole milk creates significantly thicker yogurt.

After the incubation the yogurt needs to refrigerated. Refrigeration stops the incubation process. Home-made yogurst taste great by itself, but sometime for variety I add fruit, maple syrup, or honey. I add very little just for a light flavoring. My yogurt tastes better than store bought! Note that yogurt should be consumed within 1 week.

This yogurt starter is provided for evaluation and review by Natural Probiotic Selection.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Monday, May 16, 2016

Product review: SmartyPants Women's Complete Gummy Vitamins



I like the taste of these vitamins so much that it takes self-control to stop with a daily dose of 6 gummies. They are not as chewy like a typical gummy bear, they are softer more like a fruit candy. I like both the flavor and the texture. On the negative side, the daily dose 6 gummies means that the bottle of 180 vitamins will last 30 days. With the current price of slightly of $30 dollars this is a dollar a day. Pretty pricey!

The flavor is fruity, there is no fishy flavor even though the vitamins contain Omega-3. I have tried other vitamins that included Omega-3 in non capsule form and I could always detect (and not like) the fishy flavor. In these vitamins I do not detect any fishy flavor.

For those who are vegetarians or keep kosher I should note that the gelatin used in these vitamins is made from pork.

These vitamins contain all natural ingredients. I noticed that the list of ingredients is hard to read in the stock photo, so I copied it from the bottle to make it easier to read:

Size: 6 GummiesServings Per Container 30
Calories 50
Cholesterol <5mg < 1%
Total Carbohydrate 11 g 4%
Sugars 7 g
Vitamin A (as retinyl palmitate) 1500 IU 30%
Vitamin C (as ascoraic acid) 60 mg 100%
Vitamin D (Vitamin D-3 as cholecalciferol) 1000 IU 250%
Vitamin E (as d-alpha-tocopherol from sunflower ) 30 IU 100%
Vitamin K (Vitamin K-2 as menaquinone) 32 meg 40%
Thiamin (Vitamin B-1 as thiamme mononitrate) 0.08 mg 5%
Riboflauin 0.26 mg 15%
Niacin (Vitamin B-3 as niacinamide) 4 mg 20%
Vitamin B-6 (as pyridoxme HCI) 2 mg 1 00%
Folate (as L-methylfolate, calcium salt) 400 meg 1 00%
Vitamin B-12 (as methylcobalamin) 100 meg 1 667%
Biotm 300 meg 1 00%
Pantothenic acid (as calcium D-pantothenate) 10 mg 100%
Iodine (as potassium iodide) 150 meg 100%
Zinc (as zinc citrate) 4.5 mg 30%
Sodium 25 mg <1%
Fish Oil (from anchovy and sardine) 510mg
EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) 83 mg
DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) 67 mg
Total Omega-3 Fatty Acids 183 mg
CoQ10 (as Coenzyme Q10, ubiquinone] 100 mg
Choline (as choline citrate) 18 mg
Inositol 30 meg
Percent Daily Value (DV) based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Other ingredients:
Organic cane sugar, organic tapioca syrup, gelatin, lectin, ctric acid
Natural Flavors (Orange, Lemon Creme, Blueberry)
Colors added (Organic black caroot juice, annatto, organic turmeric)
Fractionated Coconut Oil Carnauba Wax
Contains Anchovy, Sardine, Essential Omega 3 Oils from sustainable fisheries

I received this vitamins for evaluation and review. I like the flavor!

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Product review: Sametop Jaws Flex Clamp Mount with Adjustable Gooseneck for GoPro



This is a useful camera holder, it can be clipped anywhere and the neck is flexible and stiff. The only problem is that it that extremely stiff, I cannot open it with one hand, I need to push with two hands to open. I hope it loosens up with use but right it it is a chore to use it.

All my selfie sticks and small tripods have a double duty holding up photo light panels. These jaws are no exception. It is very useful to be able to clip lights in any place I am doing a video.

Overall, great idea, but the fact that it is so stiff right out of the box makes me rate it ok rather than great.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★☆☆☆

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Product review: LEFON Mutifunctional Dual Channel Digital FM Radio Media Speaker MP3 Music Player Support TF Card / USB Disk with LED Screen Display and Clock Function (Black) LEFON Mutifunctional Dual Channel Digital FM Radio Media Speaker MP3 Music Player Support TF Card



This listing combines a large number of different radios. My review is for the one with Speaker MP3 Music Player that supports TF Card and USB stick.

This radio / mp3 player is 7" x 2.5" x 1". It has an FM tuner and can also double as an MP3 player with external speaker either from USB memory stick or micro SD card.

It has a long antenna so FM reception is pretty decent. However, my main interest in it is as an MP3 player with an external speaker. I use it to listen to audio books while doing chores listening to the external speakers. This MP3 player works very well: decent sound and portable.

It runs on 800 mAh lithium battery or from USB power. I typically have it plugged into a large external battery so the internal battery is constantly recharged and is never is out of juice.

In attached video I show all three functions. Overall, I am quite pleased with it. The only thing I do not like is the scan function for FM radio - it scans really fast you can't hear enough of the station to determine if you like it and it also does not give enough enough time to stop the scan. How to stop the scan is not documented and not intuitive. I found that I can stop it if I press any number key on the key pad. So scanning function is not good. If you know your favorite stations you can just enter its frequency on the keypad - that works very well.

I received this radio for testing and review. I covered the pluses and minuses and I hope the video gives you a view beyond what the words can describe.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Product review: BSTPOWER Activity Fitness Tracker Smart Wristband Bracelet Bluethooth


There are many things about this wrist tracker than I like, however it is not perfect. I like having the information it shows right on the wrist, I much prefer it to the trackers that only collect and require you to look at the smart watch to show the collected information. However, the display show so many things on one screen that they are hard to read. There are some things in the display that I don't need to see all the time, it would have nice if I could remove them and what is left could be displayed in a larger font.

The app shows the same info as the watch, but also provides historical information for the day, week, and month. It also has social features that allow you to share the stats for those who are interested in doing so.

The watch displays 11 different stats :
The display shows:
~ time
~ steps
~ calories
~ heart rate
~ wrist humidity
~ barometric pressure
~ millage
~ sleep time
~ wrist temperature
~ wrist skin temperature
~ period date reminder

The pedometer appears to be reasonably accurate. The band is comfortable. It is 7/8" wide. The size of the display is 3/4" x 7/8". The font size is slightly smaller than 1/8". The screen has a back light activated by a button below the display.

Another strong point of the watch is the battery life. The display is black and white and is very efficient. I recharge the watch once a week. It take 2 hours to fully charge the battery. I have been using the watch for 3 weeks. The first time I fully charged it and let it run until the battery was exhausted and that took 9+ day.

The charging port is on the side of the watch, and the first time it is a little difficult to open. The port cover swings open to the side (shown in my video).

The default measurements are metric (the watch is made in China and they use metric measures). Even though there is an options under Settings to switch to British measure units the information is displayed in kilometers anyway. I also could not find a way to change the temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit.

I am using the watch with Android OS. I had no problems connecting via Bluetooth or synching the information.

Overall, I am pleased and I hope the issue with the metric units gets fixed on the future app update.
You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Product review: SJCAM SJ5000X Elite Action Camera 4K 1080P WiFi Waterproof 170°Wide Angle



The colors and clarity is excellent during the day and during the night. In attached video you can video taken with the camera during the day, dusk, and night. The 170° lens provides a wide view, but as any lens with such wide angle causes barrel distortion.

SJCAM is a 4K camera. On a 1080p monitor you cannot tell a difference between 1080p and 4K video, but if you need to blow up an image (say to get a license place after an accident) then 4K gives you more pixels to work with. If you own a 4K TV/monitor then you can take full advantage of 4K video.

The colors in the video are bright and accurate. Keep in mind that Amazon compresses video, and I had to compress my video in order to meet Amazon video size limits as well, so viewing it as a thumbprint gives you the best approximation of the real thing.

The camera has an intuitive menu-driven interface, it also has WI FI that allows me to see what the camera sees on phone. The camera is exactly the same size as GoPro camera and accessories designed for GoPro fit it.

Live video via WI FI works very well: it was easy to connect the phone to the camera and the delay between action and live video is minimal. The app for live product is called "CJCAM" and the icon looks exactly like the icon on the packaging so it is easy to identify.

The camera produces video in the following resolutions using degree HD 170 degree wide angle lens: 4K @ 24fps, 2K @ 30fps, 1080p @ 60fps. Some action cameras produce 4K at 10 fps and it is more jumpy, this camera does 4K video at 24 fps and it is smooth.

To recharge the camera takes about 3 hours from empty, I am getting about 2 hours of video on one charge. The camera can take video while charging if it is switched to the "auto" mode, so it can be used as a dash cam on a long drive.

The package includes a large number of clamps and holders as well as a waterproof case.

I received this camera from CJCAM for testing and review. If you are skeptical of my review because of this, please take a moment to look at my other reviews and see that I leave many critical review when the product deserves it. Getting a free product does not guarantee a glowing review and I always state this before accepting a product for review. I had a chance to review a number of small action cameras and this is one of the best in video quality and color.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★



Product review: Adams Manufacturing 9304-01-3700 36-Inch Garden Planter


I bought this planter last spring and waited to write this review until I saw how it aged through the summer and winter (I left it outside in the snow and rain). It held its shape and color well.

The planter is sturdy, it is roomy, it drains well, it looks pretty decent, and it is priced reasonably. The planter is 36" long, 15.5" wide, and 24" high. It can support 150 pounds. Then empty it weights about 10 pounds.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★


Friday, May 6, 2016

Product review: PriorityChef Potato Ricer With 3 Interchangeable Discs, Premium 18/10 Stainless Steel


There are guzzilion ways to make mashed potatoes. I like my mashed potatoes even-textured but not as creamy as what I get with whipped mashed potatoes. This ricer gives me rich mouth texture without being "over processed" into gooey paste. I like my mashed potatoes with a bit of texture and with the skins. So even though you can peel potatoes before ricing them I do not. I boil them and then quarters or cut them in 8th put 3-4 chunks into the ricer and squeeze the handles. The skin remain in the ricer and I just dump them in the mashed potatoes after each squeezing session.

I often don't even add milk or cream to the potatoes it comes out so smooth that it does not need anything else. If you are watching calories that might be a bonus.

The ricer is made out of stainless steel and comes with three different disks. My video shows the results with each. The one with small circles is my favorite, as it works best with potato skins and is the easiest to clean.

I received this ricer for evaluation and review. If you are skeptical of my review because of this, please take a moment to look at my other reviews and see that I leave many critical review (1 star, 2 star, 3 star) when the product deserves it. Getting a free product does not guarantee a glowing review and I always state this before accepting a product for review.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★



Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Product review: Window Bird Feeder by Kanaryware


We have a large number of bird feeders including four different window bird feeders. This style is our favorite for several reasons:

(1) The birds love the little perch. In my video you can see how they use it to crack the seeds. We have another window bird feeder with a different style which does not have a perch and it was less popular until we glued a perch made out of a twig. As soon as we added this twig the bird feeder became more popular.

(2) The size is perfect for one bird and too small for squirrels. The other window bird feeder (the one that we improved by adding a twig perch) is bigger and was just big enough for a squirrel to squeeze herself into it. The squirrels leave these little bird feeders alone.

This bird feeder is 6.5" wide, 7.5" tall, and 3.5" front to back. The bird feeder is held by two suction cups. They provide sufficient suction power to hold the feeder, the seeds, and the birds. The installation instruction recommend cleaning the window and rubbing the suction cups with your fingers to deposit some oil on the cups for a better hold. Our old bird feeders of similar style have not fallen off once (in more than one year) even when a squirrel got into the bigger one.

Does the rain get into it? Yes. But the birds do not seem to mind. They are used to wet seeds on the trees.

What fun to see the birds so up close! If this is your first feeder it will likely that the birds will take a week to find it. In fact for the first window bird feeder in about a week my husband spread some seeds under the bird feeder and that seemed to help the birds find it. Now that we have a couple of window bird feeders it did not take them long to find the new one. The bird's favorite seeds are sunflower seeds. We spoiled the local bird population with sunflower seeds and if we put out the mixed seeds it barely gets touched where as the sunflower seeds disappear very quickly.

I was provided this bird feeder by KanaryWare for testing and review. This style of window bird feeder is our favorite because of the size and the perch.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★


Monday, May 2, 2016

Product review: JunJun Aviator Polarized Square Sunglasses


I use each product I review for 2 weeks before writing a review to make sure the products works well during a reasonable period of time. In the case of these sunglasses it really made a difference in my rating. My initial impression was great. These are good looking sunglasses. They are a good fit for my face and my husbanded commented how well they look on me. The nose pads are made out of gel and they feel comfortable. The sunglasses are very lightweight. They weight 0.09 oz.

However this weekend one of the arms broke off as I was putting them in my case. This happened because the arm joint jammed and no longer folds and that caused the the arm to separate. Looking at how it broke I believe the arm was glued to the joint.

The lenses are polarized. At the end of my video I include a test that shows that lenses are polarized. The lenses change color when rotated against a stationary computer monitor screen (which is also polarized). If you rotate lenses that are not polarized the color does not change.

It comes in attractive gold box, which looks attractive as a gift box. However the gold box which houses the sunglasses is not a case I can see using as a regular case. It color, size and shape are not well suited for general use to carry around. I only mention this because the Amazon product description describes the packaging as a "case".

I received these sunglasses for evaluation and review as part of the new product introduction. My initial impression was great, however because it broke so quickly I am not able to rate it as high as I wanted when I saw its good looks.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★☆☆☆

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Product review: W Led Plant Grow light with Clip and Flexible Neck Desk Lamp



In attached video you can see a 10 day dairy of four cucumber seedlings - one was growing in a sunny window, one under a 15W grow bulb, one under 12W grow bulb, and finally one using the 5W grow lamp offered in this listing. The plant growing in a sunny window in April in New England does not have ideal conditions, this is why we have been using grow lamps for our seedlings for several years. You can that the plant in the window is the smallest at the end of 10 days. All grow lamps were turned on for 14 hours a day using a timer (off at night). I expected the plant under 5W plant to be smaller than a the plants under the stronger lamps but as you see in the photos that is not the case. The plant under the 5W plant is bigger and has larger more robust looking leaves.

In attempt to satisfy my curiosity why the plant under this grow lamp did so well I used the lux meter (which measures light intensity) to compare the three grow bulbs. Turns that that 5W registered the highest lux reading, 12W lamp generated the next highest reading and 15w lamp had the lowest reading. The area that 5W lamp lights up is small, it is good for one plant. 12W and 15W bulbs are larger, we can fit 6 seedlings under each. But the Watts reading does not tell the whole story, turns out that our 15W bulb is just less efficient - it uses more electricity to generate less light.

As a final thought I want to share a tip I learned from several years of experience of using grow bulbs: having a fixture with a goose neck is very important. If the plant gets too close to the bulb it can be burned, so I adjust the neck as the plant grows. This grow lamp has an excellent neck. The neck is 18" long and is very flexible and stays exactly where I put it. The clip opens easily and the jaws open 2.5" wide. The cord has in-line on/off switch and a regular plug.

This grow lamp is provided by Nanu Nanu. As you see in the photo diary, the plant under this lamp did really well.

http://amzn.to/1SUSMZc

Ali Julia review