Food review: Gourmet 555 Organic Roasted Seaweed

Gourmet 555 Organic Roasted Seaweed contains 16 individual packages, each package contains a tub with 9 sheets of seaweed. Each piece is about 1.75" x 2.75" in size.

Each piece is a very thin and crispy wafers of seaweed. They have a slightly salty seaweed flavor. They crunch and then dissolve in your mouth. I liked them! And with each new piece I want more. Each package is about the right amount for a nice little snack.

This snack has no sugar or additives, while fairly low on calories, and not too bad on salt. At the same time it is rich in iodine, iron, and protein. So this is pretty healthy snack overall.

Ingredients: seaweed, olive oil, sea salt
Serving Size: 1 pack (4.5g)
Calories 14.5 Calories

I found them very addicting!


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Multifunction Stainless Steel Scissors, 7 Inch by linback

These are general purposes stainless steel scissors. The total length of the scissors is 7" and the blade is 3". The blades are sharp - it is easy to cut thin cardboard and plastic (the type of plastic that is used in  packaging).

The openings in the handles are fairly large, I found them comfortable. Overall, a decent set of general purpose scissors.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Leadtimes Women's Vintage Style Woolen Socks

This is a set of blend wool socks: 70% wool, 20% rabbit hair, 10% polyester fiber.  I would describe them as thin wool socks.  I have small feet (7.5 shoe size) and these socks fit me very well - the heel is in the right place. The socks extend 4.5" above my ankle with the cuff up, and 2" above my ankle with the cuff rolled down.

Looking at any garment inside out really tells you about the quality of the constructions. These socks look very neat, the sock has a double cuff, and no large bulges at the toes. They very comfortable and slightly coarse from the wool fibers.

I was happy to see that the socks were not stapled together for shipping. They are kept together just by a paper label. Perfect!

Nice subtle colors, good fit - I like these socks!


You can find these socks on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: HN Woman Open Toe Leather Slippers Indoor Outdoor

My shoe size is 7.5.  When ordering on-line I normally order size 8.  These slippers did not have size 8, only size 8-9.  They turned out to be a bit too large.  In attached photos you can see how they fit.  The slippers are very comfortable, so despite the extra length I am still wearing as home slippers.

The top is made from simulated leather, the bottom is synthetic rubber.

You can find them on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: BetterBack - Correct Back Posture While Sitting

I spend most of the day sitting in the chair as both my work and hobbies involve sitting in front of a computer.  After two back surgeries any help I can get to improve my posture is a good thing.  The BetterBack is a fabric belt that you put around your back and knees which forces your back to be at the recommended angle to the seat.

I was worried that this belt would force my knees together.  When I sit in front the computer I do not keep my knees together and before I tried it on this was a concern.  However this belt has two straps each  one loops around each knee separately, so the belt does not force your knees together.

Is it comfortable? I was able to make it quite comfortable.  Each strap does pull on the knees, but the straps have knee pads and the tension on the belts that go around the knee can be adjusted.  I relaxed the straps until the straps stopped digging into my leg in an uncomfortable way.

With the belt in place I did feel that my sitting position was different: it pulled me up more and made me sit closer to the edge of the chair so I could keep my heels on the floor.

The belt straps are fairly long, is someone is very tall they can make them longer by doing a bit of sewing and extend the strap with additional strapping material.

Can it be used while driving? This belt constricts the movement of your legs so it feels unsafe to use by a driver because the driver wants complete freedom to move his or her legs to break or clutch.

I should mention that the belt has a zipper and can turn into its own bag.  This make it easy to transport it from home to work or where else you might want to spend time using it.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Evermarker Silver Colored Teardrop Shape Drop Earrings

I like fashion earrings that look like they could be real gem stones.  This tear drop loop looks like it could be covered with small diamonds. It is just the right size, not too big and not too small. Each earring is 1.4" long and 0.6" across. The earrings have an attractive design and the workmanship is nice. Often fashion earrings do not look as nice from the back as the front.  These earrings look neat from the front and the back.  The back of the earrings is not a give away that these earrings are inexpensive.

The earrings have a hook and a silicone tip to keep it sliding out of your ear.  The metal is silver in color. It is a copper-based alloy. I can tell that it has no nickel because my ears start itching quickly if a earrings have nickel in the alloy.  I wore these earrings all day - no problems.

Overall, great earrings! They look more expensive than the price tag.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: 48" Blue/Gray Adjustable Bungee Cord with extra wide opening steel Hooks

What I like about this bungee cord that I can adjust its length.  The adjustment locks in in the hook mechanism.  The hooks are made out of heavy duty plastic.  The length of the cord is 48" end to end.  Its maximum relaxed length is someone less because you lose a minimum of 1 inch in the lock mechanism.  It stretches well, I can double it length with a strong stretch.

Pretty good cord and same me from having to buy multiple cords of different lengths.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: HomyWolf Unisex Cotton House Slippers

These slippers are comfortable and warm.  The slippers are made out cotton, faux fur, and foam.  The soul is artificial rubber.  On the inside they soft.  They are flat and have no arch support. The faux fur cuff reaches up to my ankles.  In attached photo you see size 7.5 foot in 8-9 D(M) size slippers.

The slippers are true to size and feel comfortable.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: KINGSO E27 12w LED Infrared Motion Detection Light Sensor PIR Warm White Bulb

This is bright LED bulb (on par with a 60 watt CFL bulb). Its unique feature is that it is motion activation, but unfortunately motion activation does not work reliably in my bulb. I did see it come on a few times but most of the time I can wave my hand in front of it and nothing happens. When it turns on it does not stay on for a long time (less than a minute) even if I am constantly moving under the light. So the motion detector does not work if the light is on, and most of the time does not detect motion when the light is off. Flipping the switch seems to help sometimes but not all the time.

I liked its brightness, but since motion detection does not work reliably I did not find this bulb performance acceptable.

Update October 30, 2016.

I received a replacement bulb which works reliably when plugged into the desk lamp.  The desk lamp is 8 to 10 inches away from the motion. However, when I moved the bulb to the tall floor lamp that lights the living room where I wanted it to light up when someone entered the room it did not work.  This lamp is tall so the motion is always several feet away from it.  I am upgrading the rating from 1 star to 2 stars from "I hate it" to "I don't like it".

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★☆☆☆

Product review: ELUNLANY Beach Leather Slippers Sandal Flipflops

These flip flops are very comfortable. They are made from imitation leather.  The material is soft and feel comfortable.  The sole has soft cushioning which is the main reason why these flip flops feel so comfortable.

These flip flops are unisex, I ordered the small size and they are a pretty good fit for a woman's foot.  In attached photos you see how it fits my foot which is normally is 7.5 shoe size.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Velice Women's Wool Warm Solid Color Winter Socks

This is a set of wool socks in solid colors.  The exact content of the fibers is not provided in Amazon description or on the sock label.  I would describe them as medium thickness wool socks.  I have small feet (7.5 shoe size) and these socks fit me very well - the heel is in the right place. The socks extend 7" above my ankle.

Looking at any garment inside out really tells you about the quality of the constructions. These socks look very neat, the sock has a rolled edge, and no large bulges at the toes. They very comforable and slightly corse from the wool fibers.

I was happy to see that the socks were not stapled together for shipping. They are kept together just by a paper label. Perfect!

These socks are made in China for the Chinese market place (the label is in Chinese). These socks were provided to me by Velice for evaluation with a request to test the fit and size in American market. If you skeptical about my review because of that I invite you to examine my reviews to see that I leave critical reviews when the product deserves it. Nice subtle colors, good fit - I like these socks!


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Surge Protector, Firstbuy 3200 Joules SurgePlus Power Strip Power Socket

This strip has 6 tightly packed outlets and one outlet that is spaced out so I can plug in a large plug or charger.  In attached photos I show how several different plugs fit on this power strip to give you a better idea of the spacing. The strip is 9 3/4" long, 4" wide and 1 1/4" high. It has holes on the back for hanging (both vertically and horizontally).

In addition to AC outlets it also has 5 USB outlets.  I measured each of them with USB power meter and both my Android and Apple devices had good reading. Android phone charged at its optimal rate, the iPadMini was not optimal but pretty decent.  Attached photos show the actual readings for those who are interested in the details.

This power strip offers surge protection. In order to tell the difference between a power strip and a surge protector, you have to look for an electric rating.  A surge protector will have a rating in Joules of energy, as well as the maximum voltage it can take from a power spike.   These numbers can appear either on the box or the strip itself.  I prefer them to be on the strip but this this strip has on the box.  If  you get a power surge the strip should be replaced, it can only protect one time.

This power strip is not UL listed.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Rii K18 Wireless Keyboard With build-in Large Size Touchpad Mouse

This is a compact wireless keyboard from Rii.  Its size is 12.75" long x 4.75" wide x 5/8" thick.

It weighs only 10.8 oz.  I tested it with my Android TV, Windows laptop, and Linux desktop.  All three worked right out of the box, no special drivers were needed.

The keys have a very low profile. I am a touch typist and found that I make a few more mistakes than my regular keyboard.  The spacing of the keys is comfortable, but something about their height makes me miss the right character every now and then.  Not of often but enough to notice it.  The touch pad works very well, it is sensitive and accurate.  The keyboard is solidly built, I accidently dropped it on the wood floor and the keyboard survived without any issues.

The keyboard is rechargeable. It has a 6.5" built in cable micro USB cable and a separate cable for 17" extension.  I do not like this because both of them are short. I would have preferred to use my own long micro USB cable. It would have been nice if the build-in cable would be removable, so I can use it or replace it with a long cable of my own.

The on/off label is on the top of the keyboard, but the switch itself is on the side.  It took me a few minutes to find it, because even the documentation show the top of the keyboard when it indicates where the switch is.

Overall, this keyboard has pluses and minuses which I highlighted in this review. 

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.
Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: All Design's Turkish Dobby Terry Border Hand Towels - %100 Cotton

This is a set two hand towels made in Turkey, they are 100% cotton. I like their thickness.  They are plush without being too thick. The towels are soft and absorbent.  They got softer after two cycles through the washing machine. After the two washes they look good and they are color fast (I ran the wash with a color catcher).  I selected the brown color and the brown color is a rich chocolate color.

They are exactly what I hoped for.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: ProEtrade Women Comfort Knit Printing Winter Boot Crew Socks

This is a set of socks in subdued colors. I like the colors but the socks finish is a bit sloppy.  Every one of the the socks in 4 pairs has loose threads at the top of the cuff.  When I pull on them they don't seem to unravel, so I think this is just unclipped threads and will not cause runs.  I will post an update if the the socks develop runs.

I have small feet (7.5 shoe size) and these socks fit me very well - the heel is in the right place. The socks extend 7.5" above my ankle. The socks are made out of a blend of fibers: 68% Cotton, 27% Terylene and 5% Spandex.  I would describe them as medium thickness socks, they feel soft.

Looking at any garment inside out really tells you about the quality of the constructions. These socks look very neat, they low flat seams and no bulges at the toes. I have worn them for a few weeks, so they have been through a couple of laundry cycles and they still look good.

The socks were packaged with a staple through the socks.  This weakens the socks fibers and can lead to holes and snags.  These socks were not damaged, but many times I had brand new socks damaged by the staples and I hope sellers will stop using this packaging.  Paper ring or clips at the toes are much better.

These socks are provided by ProEtrade for evaluation with a request for a review as part of a new product introduction. If you skeptical about my review because of that I invite you to examine my reviews to see that I leave critical reviews when the product deserves it. These coks are comforable but loose threads effect their apperance.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Timeliker Digital Kitchen Cooking Timer by Timeliker

The best thing about this timer are the large and easy to read numbers.  The controls are also very simple: to clear push both minutes and seconds at the same time. To set press minutes or seconds. This kitchen timer runs on one AAA battery.  The battery is included.

The timer works well. The timer can be mounted two ways: using a magnet or using a stand.  The magnet is strong enough that the timer does not slide.

I received this timer for evaluation and review. The buttons are big and simple to operate, the numbers are large and easy to see. This is a very simple timer and just right for my needs.  Note that it has only minutes and seconds.  

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Vitovill HXY-H4 Universal Intelligent Multifunction LCD Battery Charger

My review is for the 18650 charger by Vitovill.  This listing combines several chargers and my review is for 4 bay Vitovill charger. Batteries were not included.

This charger is able to charge Li-ion, LiFePO4, Ni-MH and Ni-CD rechargeble batteries.  To select the right mode you need to the button above each battery for 10 seconds.  You can also select the charging current (500mA or 1000mA) by quickly pressing the button.

Short press the button A/B/C/D 1S: Select of charging current 500mA or 1000mA. Long press on this buttons switches between Li-ion battery and LiFePO4 battery mode.  

The battery has protection from inserting the battery in a wrong direction (wrong polarity) and overcharging.  In attached video you can see me put in a battery the wrong way.  When I did that the battery screen displayed "Err".  Nice!

I like that the charger charger allows me to charge an odd number of batteries at the same time. Some of my devices run on a single 18650 battery, so the fact that can handle recharging single batteries is very useful for me.

This charger is fairly large, its size is 5.5"L x 4"W x 1.25"H. The AC cord is 36".  The display on the battery is nice - it shows which typy of battery it is charging, it shows the voltage, and how long the battery has been charging.  The battery charger shuts off after 4 hours.

These batteries were provided to me with a special discount for testing and review as part of the new product introduction.  I like it!

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Ufriday Water Cube Shower Curtain EVA No More Mildew and Bacterial with Metal Grommets

This curtain is made out of EVA. I have a strong preference for EVA shower curtains because they are totally scent free right out of the box. 

When I first looked at the shower curtain I thought it had a different design from the stock photo - no interesting 3D effects. However, as soon as I put it up and the light began shining through it showed the 3D effect I saw and liked in the stock photo.  It really looks like the shower curtain has 3D bubbles - but it is totally smooth and flat. I like the neat effect.

The shower curtain is thicker than the liners (the kind one can pick up at Wallmart and similar stores) but it is not a thick shower curtain either.

I like that this shower curtain has magnets at the bottom of the shower curtain. They add a bit of weight to the bottom of the shower curtan and help keep the shower curtain inside the tub even if the tub is not iron and is not magnetic.

I like that the hook holes that are re-enforced with metal grommets.  They are not going to tear even if the curtain gets snugged on something.

What is missing? It does not have suction cups on the sides. My favorite shower curtains have small suction cups on the sides so the water does not splatter from the sides.

I received this shower curtain for testing and review. Getting a free sample does effect what I say. I have a history of leaving critical reviews when the product deserves it. Whether I had a good experience or bad experience you will hear exactly what happened.  Bottom line here is that despite missing suction cups it does a good job, it is scent free, and I really like the design.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★