Burei Men’s “Big Face” Quartz Watch with Black Leather Dial

 

We’re no stranger to Burei watches in this house, and this one here is another winner, but more sleek and uncomplicated than the watches Hubby is used to. Suitable for dressing up or down, I think this Burei watch is fantastic.

Made from 316L stainless steel and sporting a brushed black electroplate, this almost 43mm watch also has a scratch-resistant mineral crystal and a genuine calfskin 18mm band. The leather is soft and pliable and made from a single piece of leather. The push in knurled crown allows you to easily adjust the time and date, and the indices are coated with a bright, powerful lume, with traditional hourmarkers as well as minute markers and a ticking second hand. There’s a bright copper threading on the band that is much more copper-colored than the image on Amazon would lead you to believe. And while the watch is water resistant to 50 meters, the calfskin band won’t fare too well being submerged, but the occasional splash is just fine. The precision Japanese quartz keeps excellent time with no noticeable loss after a couple of weeks of regular wear.

The quality you get from Burei is second to none for the price, and is backed bu Burei’s stellar warranty of 30 days money back guarantee for any reason, 12 months replacement or full refund for quality issues and 24 months maintenance for any quality issues. I don’t know of a single watchmaker in this price range that even comes close to a warranty like this. Burei even includes a ready-made gift package with bag, box, and pillow presentation with warranty card.

There are many choices out there for value-priced watches, but none that, for my money, match the quality of Burei.

Connect with Burei:

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• Buy your own right here!

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Burei. 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.

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XNvalue’s 18″ Stainless Steel BBQ Grill Brush (Plus Bonus Tongs!)

One of the things we’ll never not need in this house is a good grill brush, especially because one of the few benefits of 10 months of sunny weather here in Southern California is an extended grilling season. Unfortunately, XNvalue tried to reinvent the wheel here, and their product fell just short of good. The less said about the included tongs, the better.

To start, the brush has a triple head of thick stainless steel wire that have a very healthy amount of stainless steel bristles attached. So far, so good. In brushing the grill, we noted no bristles falling out or coming loose, because getting those in your food and then lodged in your esophagus would be an absolute nightmare. The handle is large and firm, and the wire that comes out of it doesn’t bend or give under a fair amount of pressure. So why then, you wonder, does it not get a great rating from me? Because for reasons that completely escape me, XNvalue turned the brush head 90 degrees so one has to try to brush side to side, not forward and back like every other grill brush I’ve ever seen or used. I don’t know why or how someone at XNvalue thought this was a good idea. It was awkward and made a perfunctory step in grilling a real chore for me. And again, the included tongs are so short and flimsy that they’re fairly useless, especially for grilling, and went right in the trash.

I’m all for making a product that everyone needs and trying something new. A quick search of Amazon shows a plethora of these types of brushes, some cheaper, some more expensive. At $18 it’s exactly twice what my old go-to brush costs from Weber. And I just don’t see the value.

Connect with XNvalue:

• On Amazon

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from XNvalue. 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.

BUREI® Watch Company’s BM-7006-51E Date Chronograph Men’s Watch

There are a few things that I’ve come to expect from budget watch brands. Hollow steel links in the bands. Cheap glass for the crystal. Flimsy hardware. Poor construction and function. But when a watch comes into my home with a high-polished solid stainless steel with a push-button hidden deployant clasp, precision Japanese quartz movement, full functioning chronograph, full water resistance and a sapphire crystal for $68.99?!? Are you kidding me? Burei has got to be insane to be selling that much for that little!

Any yet, they are indeed offering their quality watches at that price, and after speaking to them a few times I’m reasonably certain they’re not nuts, but just nuts for quality and value. I thought the Burei BM-7006-51E Chronograph looked nice on the page when I ordered, but I wasn’t prepared for how amazing it looked and fit in person. It’s a little bit dressy, and also a little bit sporty, so it can fit almost any occasion and style. And while the bracelet is sold 316L stainless steel polished to a flawless mirror finish, it’s not heavy or bulky, but instead sleek and understated, but also refined at the same time. The pushers for the chronograph function are smooth and actuate easily, the interior of the bezel has indices for precise countdowns, the face is an easy to read joy with minute markers and standard numeric markers at the hours, with a small date window between 4 and 5 o’clock. The case is 42mm, which is in the butter zone for Hubby (42-44mm) for size, and the 20mm band looks perfect on the wrist, not too skinny but not so large as to be obnoxious. The push-in crown is simple to use, and the scratch resistant sapphire crystal is such a nice touch and usually reserved for much more expensive timepieces, and rarely used on anything under $100. It’s water resistant to 30M as well, with a screw-down case back that makes replacing the battery a breeze. There’s the usual Burei attention to detail with the swirls on the clasp, the knurling on the crown, and sizing arrows on the inside of the band. There’s also the usual Burei bells and whistles, with the gift box and bag, the warranty card outlining the stellar Burei 30-day, 1-Year and 2-Year warranty times, as well as a easy to read instruction manual should you have any issues. And as if there wasn’t enough value added here, Burei gives you a watch sizing tool to make customizing your Burei watch a breeze, at no additional cost. The customer service is quick to respond to any and all issues (usually a 24 hour turnaround time), and they ship free next or same day with Amazon prime.

There’s a lot of cheap, poorly made watches out there, and if you’re like Hubby and I, we tended to sort on price and say that anything under “X” amount is not going to be made well or made to last. And Burei went and turned our world on it’s head by stuffing so much quality into so sharp a package and all the while charging a pittance. At this price these quality timepieces are suitable for holiday gifts, birthday gifts, graduation gifts, or “Just Because” gifts, and they’ll think you spent hundreds of dollars. I’m so thankful for the chance to try Burei watches and I’m glad to spread the word, because their name, to me, is now synonymous with Quality. You can’t go wrong with Burei. And Hubby can’t wait for his next one!

Connect with Burei:

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• On Amazon
• Buy your own right here!

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Burei. 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.

 

As an aside, Burei has been amazing to me, and I think the rep I’ve been working with wanted to go above and beyond, and since I was reviewing men’s watches for Hubby, thought I should get a little gift as well, and included an adorable little hair clip for me. That’s the kind of awesome Burei is. I’m happy o support them and recommend them to everyone I can.

 

 

EverMarker Titanium-Plated His & Hers Heart Necklaces

From time to time, I get offered jewelry to review, and while I usually pass on it, the whimsy of this piece struck a fancy with me and I decided to give it a try.

Made from stainless steel and then plated in titanium, this new take on a traditional heart-shaped necklace is cute and seems to be made well enough to last a good long time. The contrasting silver (hers) and black plating (his) is a real eye catcher when interlocked, though sadly there’s no feasible way to wear the entire heart together, as the come un-clasped easily. The stainless steel ball chain necklace is a different story for me, as I have long, fine hair and it catches and gets stuck in necklaces like these, so I did have to wear my pendant on a different necklace, but at a little over 19″ long, it should fit around almost every neck. It’s a little light and feels pretty cheap, but I look at it as an included bonus and not a reason to buy or not buy this particular piece of jewelry. The pointy edges of the separated heart halves can be a little on the pointy side, so I would keep the necklace you wear it on short.

There are two crystal “gems” in each half of the Evermarker charm that add a sparkle and shine, and plays well with the shiny and matte elements of the charm. Each half of the charm is inscribed with “I Love You” so there’s no doubting your feelings when you share it with you loved one. The listing on Amazon is a touch misleading, calling it “Titainum Steel”, and careful reading of the product description tells you it’s titanium plated stainless steel. Priced at $8.95 shipped for the set, it’s a cute little bargain that won’t put a serious dent in your pocketbook.

Connect with Evermarker:

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Evermarker. 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.

Comfy Clothiers: 18 inch Long, Heavy-Duty Metal Shoe Horn made from Stainless Steel

 

When it comes to preserving the items I buy, I take extra steps and will do everything from purchasing a kit to treat leather goods, to special cleaners for certain fabrics and materials. Finding a good shoe takes time. Yes, I see a lot of cute pairs but if they are going to make me go, “ouch”, that means they mostly likely will stay looking cute in my closet. I decided to invest in a shoe horn several years ago because I’m a girl with long nails, and sticking my finger in to insure I did not crush a heel when inserting my foot, well it would sometimes pinch or crush my nail a bit. My priority was my shoes but I also did not want to ruin a manicure because of it.  This also meant I would use my nail again upon removal because I dislike the idea of stepping on one heel to remove the other! It just leaves you with one really marked up and damaged heel in the end, and shortens the life of your shoes.

Then came to hunting for a simple metal shoe horn. I thought it would be quick and easy. I then realized many name brand shoe stores no longer existed. People buy their shoes from stores that carry multiple brand names, will buy shoes that cost less just to wear a current trend, or even purchase from outlets that clearance out shoes from past seasons, to buying just directly on-line. I am guilty of all. The problem then comes that when you need accessories or kits that help you preserve suede, leather to even cleaners, that also becomes as generic as the place that carries a whole lot of brands. They usually carry one item if any and not always a good product. I went everywhere from places like Macy’s, DSW, to Target to find a good quality metal shoe horn. There came a point that I did not care of length, just as long as the metal was of strong and would last. Found many plastic ones and bendy metal ones! I just could not locate a good metal one until I entered Nordstroms, and the ladies department had none, but the men’s department next to the suits did. It cost me more than I wanted to spend, but then again I kept telling myself, “you are saving your expensive heels, so it’s worth it”. The metal is strong in the shoe horn I purchased and has a clear coating to insure smoothness that is welcoming when using it. All my heels have lasted well (some even over a decade) and none have experienced the wrath of warped heels from me stepping on them when it comes to putting my shoes on. Poor shoes of the past!  Just one smooch each time you insert your foot cause damage to leather and really makes a shoe not last as long as it could.

Retail Price Point: On Amazon for $17.95, but is currently on sale for $14.95 and you get free one day shipping if you are a Prime member.

 

When I was offered the campaign for the Comfy Clothiers long metal shoe horn, I jumped on it. It is longer than the one I have and it advertises the product as being made of a strong and “heavy-duty” steel. I figured it never hurts to have an extra one either. When the shoe horn arrived, I noticed it is 18 inches in length and slimmer in diameter. I wear 6.5 in most brands like with Poetic License, Franco Sarto, ect. branded shoes.  I’m a 6 with Born heels, and with Ugg heels (never have owned the boots), I’m a 7 due to the padding inside that adds extra cushioning. My feet are not wide, so my former shoe horn was a little (wider) bigger than it needed to be but realize I got desperate towards the end. I could only locate plastic ones at stores and on-line it is hard to decipher if the metal is truly strong and stiff enough to withstand years of use. I can say the Comfy Clothiers shoe horn is made of a strong steel that does not bend or deform when using.  I also like the lack of needing to bend over to use this shoe horn from Comfy Clothiers, because the length allows no need for it. This is great for days I’m just aching to days I don’t want to bend over and accidentally get lipstick on my shirt’s collar. Yes, that has happened to me to even getting lip gloss on my hair when I bent and it came forward, which then transferred it to whatever shirt I was wearing. Girls with long hair problems! I have none of those worries now and the metal is stiff enough to last years of use and smooth, so you don’t damage your shoes or hurt your feet. I also saved gas ordering directly from Amazon! So glad I have this shoe horn from Comfy Clothiers because you have no idea how hard it is to locate a a good metal one if you try to purchase from a brick-and-mortar store!

Connect with Comfy Clothiers at:

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• #18CCShoehorn

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Comfy Clothiers. 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.

Burei Watch Company’s Men’s Chronograph Model BM-7011-C01EH

There’s a term some like to throw around, “Affordable Luxuries”. Usually it’s applied to disposable items with little use or value. So I was hesitant to apply that term to a watch, something my husband takes very seriously. But with a small semantic change, you can also drastically change a term’s meaning. Burei is Affordable Luxury, in every sense of both words.

 

There are cheap watches on the market, a ridiculous amount, made cheaply with poor materials and no craftsmanship, and won’t last kissing time. There are quite a few expensive watches as well, with bejeweled automatic movements, Swiss craftsmanship and jaw-dropping price tags. Somewhere in  he middle are watches for everyday wear with quality builds and prices that won’t change your tax bracket. Some of their names are synonymous with value and quality. Seiko. Casio. Timex. Citizen. There’s a new player on the block, and Burei is going to be making a splash in the market very soon!

Burei is a new watchmaker but you’d never know it from the fit and finish of their products. Priced to meet any budget, this Burei Chronograph has the heft and feel of a watch that cost 10 times as much. The croc embossed caflskin strap (at a healthy 20mm!) with contrast stitching makes a bold statement immediately. But the bright accents on the face are just as striking, and fully functional. The 42mm case and decorative bezel are a wonderful mix of polished and brushed stainless steel. The chronograph pushers are knurled, have a cobalt blue finish on the tips, and are easy to use. The mineral crystal should is bright and clear and should be scratch resistant to all but the most deliberate abuse. The pushers for the chronograph functions are smooth, and the functions are a breeze to control. The screw-down case back is water resistant to 50m, and the Japanese quartz movement is precise and made to last. You get a day and date window at the 3 o’clock marker, and a ticking second hand on the bottom chronograph window. It rests easy on the wrist and doesn’t feel heavy, and isn’t a huge, obnoxious “wrist clock”, but a has an understated elegance that means the watch will be good for work, built well enough for leisure activities, and sharp enough for wearing with a suit.  All of this, and they provide a warranty card, detailed and clear instructions, a presentation box with pillow, and a gift bag, and at just $49.99 shipped from Amazon, this is a STEAL. I mean, I’ve paid so much more for some of Hubby’s watches and gotten sooo much less, I wish I’d known about Burei sooner! These watches make a great gift, an amazing Groomsman gift, or just a Every Day Watch for the man in your life.

But Burei didn’t stop there. They stand behind their timepieces. If you’re unsatisfied for any reason in the first 30 days, you get a full and complete refund, no questions asked. Any quality issues in the first 12 months? No problem, Burei will refund 100% of the purchase price. Any problems in the first 24 months? Send it back to Burei and they’ll get it back to spec for free. And when bought through Amazon, you get a 2-year Asurion warranty instead. That’s peace of mind you don’t get with most brands, but Burei believes in their product, and I believe in Burei. They have an entire line of quality timepieces that fit any and all styles, from a basic dress watch to a gorgeous automatic line, and prices so attractive, there’s no reason to not pick up a few.

Connect with Burei:

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• Buy your own right here!

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Burei. 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.

Ozeri Deluxe Stainless Steel Frother with 4 Attachments

I have been disappointed time and time again by frothers, because they’re made so shoddily and don’t last. I’ve bought several, from big national brands to smaller, lesser-known brands and to a one, they’ve all failed. I think, finally, I’ve found a frother that will be with me for the long haul. And I have Ozeri to thank.

Most frothers seem to made to be uni-taskers, as well as disposable. Use it to froth milk and then put it away, hoping it works the next time you need it. Ozeri, however, made their Deluxe Stainless Steel Frother to be used all over the kitchen , for multiple jobs, and to last and look good doing it. The frother comes with 3 different attachments, and a spare frothing head. The beater and whisk heads seem dainty, but the whisk held up to a couple of eggs in a cup for an egg wash, and the beater did just fine for a small amount of ganache for a cake. Ozeri refers to it as a “cocktail mixer”, but I’ve retasked it in this house since we don’t drink cocktails. It was dynamite, however, for a vinaigrette for my salad. Yay. Powered by two AA batteries, it has two settings (low and high, up to 15,000 RPM’s!!) to meet the needs of whatever task you throw at it. And the stainless steel body is a cinch to clean and feels solid in your hands. The top mounted clicker to turn it off and on is easy to use and reach as well. It comes with a matching stainless steel stand, but it’s a little finicky about placement and because there’s heft to the frother can become unbalanced easily, so I don’t always use it. But that’s a minor quibble about what I consider a bulletproof product. After a soild 2 weeks of use, this frother has had nary a hiccup and I foresee it becoming a long standing member of our little family. Ozeri even included the batteries this time (How I love that!) so you’re good to go right out of the box.

Frothers come and frothers go, and anyone who’s had one can attest to that. Nothing’s more frustrating than a product you come to depend on and it fails you. Ozeri understands this and makes their products top-notch and made to last. But I know that Ozeri would stand behind their products 100% if for some reason it failed you, and for that, as well as the above reasons, I recommend this product highly!

Get in touch with Ozeri’s family of products:

• On the web
• On Facebook
• On Twitter
• On Amazon
• On Pinterest
• On Instagram
• Buy your own right here!

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.

Ohuhu’s Hardwood 12-Belt Hanging Organizer

Ohuhu has a lot of products that spans many different categories, and I’ve been very fortunate to try out quite a few. And while I appreciate the high dollar, high value products they sometimes send, what I’ve found to be the most useful and clever are the ones that I might have overlooked or just passed right by, like this Ohuhu Hardwood belt hanger.

I don’t have a lot of belts, and I don’t own many scarves because it’s California, and even when it’s the dead of winter, we get 90 degree days. So on it’s surface you might find yourself wondering what possible use I could have for this belt hanger? It does do perfectly adequate for my few scarves as well as my and Hubby’s belt, even if his big, thick leather belt and big steel buckle made everything completely list to one side. Plus, this hanger tended to “grab” things that were hung in close proximity, and after a couple of days came out of the closet. Sitting there on the edge of the bed, looking all sad and unused. Well, when I saw it just lying there, it flashed through my head: Laundry hanger!!! See, I have quite a few unmentionables that need air drying. And lining all the door jambs in our house with hangers to hang my lingerie is just gauche. But this little guy? Boom, 12 bras or undies hung perfectly spaced out, with no sharp edges to snag things, and rust-resistant rounded polished hooks ready to hang under the nearest ceiling vent. What sometimes took me days had my stuff dry in hours. I’m in love! It’s also made of solid, strong hardwood, so it will last, and last, and last. The top hook will fit easily into any closet hanger, and even turns so that it can be hung just about anywhere!

Look, maybe this isn’t what the Ohuhu Hardwood Belt Hanger was intended for. Maybe my habit of re-purposing things had finally gone around the bend. I don’t care, because I have this dream of a laundry hanger that makes air drying my delicates a breeze, and I regret nothing. I love my Ohuhu Hardwood Belt Hanger, and I think you’d be surprised just how useful a thing it can be for you too!

 

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Ohuhu.  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.

Ozeri Maestro Electric Wine Opener Kit

Having tried out a few automatic wine openers in the past, I wasn’t sure if the newest version from Ozeri would be quite up to snuff. I was pleasantly surprised to find that everything I liked about my past wine openers, I liked even more from My new Ozeri Maestro.

To start, the fit and finish of this unit is superb. It looks simply amazing just sitting on my countertop.This new generation motor is a marked improvement from the last one, which with stubborn corks might sometimes destroy the cork or bind badly. Not with the Maestro, it powered through any tough to open cork we had, and didn’t obliterate it in the process. The second generation battery is also much better than the last, as we have yet to have to charge it after a couple weeks’ use. Another big plus is the big, bright LCD readout that tells you how much juice is left in the opener. Because nothing’s worse than going to use an electric appliance or gadget and it….just…..power……dooooown. That is a thing of the past with Ozeri’s Maestro.

But wait, there’s more! The Maestro has a built-in non contact thermometer that reads not just ambient room temperature, but the temperature of the wine itself! How cool is that? Don’t worry, the Maestro will tell you. The unit is decked out in a high polished stainless steel, with a matching stainless steel base, and an included foil cutter that tucks away neatly into the back of the charging base. It even comes in a high class black storage/gift box, for those special people in your life that can appreciate quality. And let me tell you, for folks with arthritis and grip issues, this Maestro is a god send. And because it’s Ozeri, you know they stand behind everything they sell 100%, so you can buy with confidence.

 

Get in touch with Ozeri’s family of products:

• On the web
• On Facebook
• On Twitter
• On Amazon
• On Pinterest
• On Instagram

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.

Sunsella 100% Stainless Steel Collapsible Steamer Basket

There are things you take for granted you have in your kitchen and then when it fails you, are at a loss where to go to get a quality replacement. A rolling pin. A dough scraper. Cookie sheets. You know the brands, and the big box stores that sell them, but which one is good? Which one will last you? Which one won’t fail? Well, when my collapsible steamer went kaput, I’d had it for so long I didn’t know where to start. And like a knight in stainless steel shining armor, in rode Sunsella’s Stainless Steel Collapsible Vegetable Steamer. And let me tell you, it does so much more than steam vegetables.

See, these steamers are a staple in almost every kitchen, regardless of the background of the cook. It’s been used in this house to steam homemade tamales, to steam Asian-style pork buns and potstickers, to of course to steam veggies. It has a smooth action to open and close, a handy ring on the center post for easy grabbing, and little feet that are long enough to be able to put a good amount of water in your pot to keep the steam flowing. Have something big to steam? Just unscrew the center post and voilà, you’ve got all that real estate in your pot to fill. It takes up virtually no space in the cabinet but is absolutely indispensable in any kitchen. And the 100% stainless steel means it cleans like a dream and will last you for years and years. And while it says it’s dishwasher safe, I recommend cleaning by hand and air drying, as the harsh detergents in the dishwasher might cause it to tarnish and rust over time. I want my tools to last, and while my last steamer was over 2 decades old, I wanted him to last longer. And this Sunsella 100% Stainless Steel Vegetable Steamer might be there when I’m ready for Social Security. 

The one drawback I find myself hitting over and over and over lately is price. At $13.99 (at the time of this writing), this steamer is, in some cases, almost 50% more than others on Amazon with the same features and materials. I had to go to Williams Sonoma to find one with a comparable price, and we all know how “out there” Williams Sonoma is with prices. Most were around $8 or $9. I just don’t know how to justify the markup here, and I feel it’s an awesome product. I don’t know, but I know I wouldn’t pay that kind of markup for a product. I liked it, I just don’t know if I liked it 50% more than the rest.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Sunsella.  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.