Troy-Bilt TB22 Gas String Trimmer, Not quite ready for “Prime Time”

I’ve had quite a bit of experience with string trimmers. Gas, corded & cordless, I’ve used them all, my current outdoor tools are cordless. We wanted to see if we’d been missing out not using gas. I can say with no hesitation I’m sticking with my Ego Power+ Cordless tools.

I learned the hard way the grass isn’t always greener, pardon the pun. What moved me into cordless tools was the ease of start-up, lack of fumes & noise. Gas tools sometimes need many yanks on the cord to get going. Same with this one. This one took more than a few. With each successive stop, more yanks were needed. Then it started to sputter and stall out when idling, then I couldn’t get it started again at all. I checked the fuel mixture provided, & emptied and refilled, thinking I’d fouled the line somehow. I adjusted the choke. No go. I let it cool & went back to cordless to finish the front. When I tried to start it up again for the side yard, it took a lot of effort to get it running. By the time I got to the back grass, I could not get it to start or stay running. It’s brand new, it should not have given me these kinds of problems.

Hubby tried to fix it, as he can usually fix anything. He disassembled, cleaned, & reassembled the user serviceable parts & tried again, following the start-up instructions to the letter. It started up after some effort. He handed it over back to me & when I tried to get it started, it wouldn’t. I gave it back to hubby to try again, he couldn’t either. We were forced to give up. I went back to my Ego Power+ String Trimmer, which started up and ran like a dream, as it always does.

We used the provided & recommended pre-mixed fuel. The unit was new, had barely been used when it started giving problems. A online search to troubleshoot showed we’re not the only ones. I liked that you could build around the engine base with attachments like a blower, hedge trimmer, etc, but if the motor unit is this unreliable, all you’re left with is a bunch of stuff that doesn’t work. It’s loud, and creates a lot of fumes. It has good power to trim grass and weeds, beats corded by a mile in that regard. But it’s unreliable, even when it worked was difficult to start & keep running. I’m sticking with Ego cordless tools. They’ve never failed me. Troy-Bilt has now twice.

I received the above product(s) free of charge for the purpose of evaluation and testing for a review. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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Ozeri INSTAVAC Green Earth Storage Container Set

We all eat. And food isn’t cheap. Especially fresh food. Nothing’s worse than buying some beautiful produce or fresh fruits only to see it toast a few days later. Ozeri seems to have a sixth sense about what to send me to review, because they asked me to review their Storage Container set, called the INSTAVAC Green Earth storage set. 8 pieces (lids and containers) that at first glace might seem rather ordinary. But look closer, these containers have a fantastic feature that sets them head and shoulders above your everyday storage container.

See that little green doo-dad in the center of the lid? That’s their patented pressure valve that with a small press on the lid, evacuates excess air to keep your fruits and veggies as fresh as the day you bought them. Air is the enemy of fresh food, as it causes food to oxidize and go bad. Short of expensive electronic gadgets, there was really no way before to push the air out of your containers. We own a vacuum sealer and while it’s great for meats, or even some cheeses, it’ll squash just about anything else, and the bags aren’t cheap by any stretch. So we’d been resorting to zip-top baggies and the usual plastic containers that leaked, let air in and out, and were generally a pain in my rear to store.

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Ozeri has solved all of the above. No bulky, awkward, expensive gadgets, no stinky, flimsy, pretty much disposable containers. Now you have the option of a unique, BPA-free, microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe containers that come in 4 sizes (the four sizes are: 21 cups (5.0 liters), 12.7 cups (3.0 liters), 6.3 cups (1.5 liters, and 3 cups (0.7 liters), and that fit your fridge and your life. They’re stain-resistant, shatter-proof, and transparent as glass. They have a raised wave pattern to keep food ever-so-slightly elevated and away from liquids or juices. And, as if there weren’t enough features to make you tell Ozeri “Shut up and take my money!!”, there’s a little adjustable dial on there to mark what day you’ve stashed your container, so no more smudged marker, no little strips of making tape, no writing on bags. I think I have a new best friend in my fridge. Ozeri has another winner on their hands here, and I may have to buy a few more sets. And as with everything they sell, they stand behind it 100%. If for any reason you’re not satisfied or your product fails, Ozeri will replace it or refund you, no questions asked. All this for just $24.97? Are you kidding me?

 

 

Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s some tupperware in my kitchen drawers that I suddenly feel the need to chuck in the trash.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Ozeri.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

AirBundle Silicone Ice Ball Tray Review #IceBallTray

Back when I was in high school and college, an early morning stop before classes was Winchell’s. For my readers a touch younger, that was one of the only places in the San Gabriel Valley to get early morning coffee and doughnuts. Hubby, not being the biggest fan of coffee, used to get a drink concoction with little balled ice cubes that he enjoyed almost until lunch. So when AirBundle via Cost Brothers offered to send an ice ball tray to test and review, hubby was excited.

This 4 cup silicone mold is a little larger than the balled ice of hubby’s halcyon days, but it’s pretty cool none the less. 4 large spheres of ice, large enough for one per glass and substantial enough to cool the drink sufficiently. I did have a little trouble getting the ice ball cubes to achieve ball shape, as the little bit of water that will (always, really) overflow on the sides and to made for some jagged edges and a little nibbley bit on the tops. Some careful cracking took care of the edges but the nibbley bit on top is another matter. Best to let it be then crack the whole thing, or worse. Airbundle says ice in this shape is supposed to last longer than cubes, and I can report that it lasted the duration of dinner and desert. Whether our normal cubes would last that long, I doubt it.

My only compliant would be that the silicone, though stated to be dishwasher safe, had a slight film left behind by the dishwasher that had to be scrubbed out with a brush. It also needs a perfectly flat surface to freeze on, and with a French door fridge with bottom shelf freezer like I have, that can be a little trickier at times than one would think. I also have glasses that taper towards the top, which means one of these very substantial spheres almost entirely blocks the opening of the glass, so do be mindful of the size of your glasses.

All in all these are fun, neat little treats that would definitely be remarkable at a party, gathering or family dinner. You can freeze them, 4 at a time, and drop them in you ice tray and have plenty to share and go around. I think they’re a neat little conversation piece that will be around our kitchen for some time. As of the time of this writing, They are available on Amazon.com (Prime eligible!) for just $6.99, which is one the lowest prices I’ve seen on Amazon for this type of product, with Prime shipping to boot!

 

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Airbundle & Cost Brothers.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.