ROHA, Inc. Digital Kitchen Scale Review

ROHA, Inc. has another hit on their hands here, with their sleek-looking kitchen scale. I’ve not had a lot of luck since I bought my old Salter kitchen scale lo, those many years past. While for most folks who cook don’t really need a scale that’s accurate to the gram, here we measure stuff pretty minutely, be it from my kitchen experiments, or Hubby’s various sundry workout potions. Have I finally found the heir apparent to my beloved Salter? We shall see.

To start, this is a good looking gadget, what with it’s single piece of tempered glass and bright blue backlit LCD screen. But looks are really secondary to performance, because in this house, function trumps form any day. So we tested the ROHA, Inc. digital kitchen scale against the most accurate, to-the-gram scale we own. And it held up, gram for gram, ounce for ounce, being dead accurate every time.

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What I didn’t quite understand is the different settings for “water” and “milk”. It just seems like adding a different setting just because you could. It makes no sense and serves no practical purpose. Just kind of silly, really, but the scale is accurate and easy to clean, with the controls being manipulated by the touch-sensitive tempered glass “buttons”. What’s so nice about that is that there’s no way for powder, schmutz of flour to end up in the mechanism, or under and around any actual physical buttons. And again, batteries are included, and I can’t tell you enough how much I appreciate any company that does that. It has all the stock features one would expect from a quality scale, like an auto-off, tare function, it’s switchable from grams to ounces with a simple touch, and ROHA, Inc.’s “No Questions Asked” 90-day money back guarantee.

So there it is. I think my venerable Salter scale is going out to pasture, probably on some farm upstate where it can romp and play with other old scales and live out it’s days as free-range scale. At least, that’s what I choose to believe. So welcome to the kitchen, ROHA, Inc. Hope you enjoy your stay!

**BONUS ALERT!** Limited Time Offer: Enter Code G8GEF6O5 at Amazon checkout and ROHA, Inc. will include their Measuring Spoons Set, valued at $9.95, With Your Order for FREE! Enter code G8GEF6O5 at checkout. Here’s how(restrictions apply)

Connect with ROHA, Inc.:

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from ROHA, Inc..  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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ROHA, Inc. Digital Bathroom Scale

Not too long ago I reviewed a pretty disappointing bathroom scale. ROHA, Inc. sent me one around that same time and while it does almost all the same functions, it’s a vastly better product. And with it, I learned the difference between a product that overpromises and underdelivers, and one that does what it says it will, and not a bit more. Let’s go over this nifty little number, shall we?

So here it is: A scale that just measures what matters and doesn’t concern itself with a bunch of extra bells and whistles. Weight, body fat, body water, muscle & bone mass, and it looks pretty sharp doing it, with it’s tempered glass surface and stainless steel panels. It also sports a large, bright backlit LCD panel that’s easy to read. I stumbled a bit programming it, because it can be used by up to 8 different people, and the touch panel controls are not as user intuitive as some I’ve used. There’s no need to manually switch users, because like most better scales it recognizes the user by weight. Which is pretty awesome unless you lose (or heaven forbid, gain) a bunch of weight. But that’s not going to happen in this house. Both Hubby and I found it to be accurate on several different floors, and to the pound with our high-end Ozeri scale. Oh, and how awesome is it when a company includes batteries? I love that so much! And it only takes 2 AAA batteries. Nice.

ROHA, Inc. is also willing to stand behind their product for 90 days. I would really like to see a year, as seems to be the standard for these products, but they promise 100% Satisfaction, or your money back in that time, so you should find any defects well inside that time. No questions asked. So I see no harm in giving them a try.

Connect with ROHA, Inc.:

• Online
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• On Amazon

I received the above product(s) free of charge from ROHA, Inc..  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.

 

Taylor Bluetooth Body Fat SmartScale w/ SmarTrack App

 

I’ve covered a couple of different bathroom scales on here, and most of them have been fairly basic. I have one from Ozeri that measures body fat, bone, muscle and water levels too. I’m very happy with it. One even had it’s own “app”. But until now, I’d not had one with bluetooth. In steps Taylor, a Salter Housewares brand, with their Taylor Smart Scale with Bluetooth, model 7222F.

It has the fairly standard tempered glass surface, this time with stainless steel strips inlaid for the measuring of all those extra metrics like body fat, body water and muscle mass. And it then beams those numbers via bluetooth to your paired smartphone or tablet via their SmarTrack app. At least in theory, that is, because I could not get the app to register me, despite multiple tries on my phone, tablet, and over both our FiOS wifi and 4G network connection. Which, essentially, renders the features that most folks paid extra for useless. Shame. The idea behind easy and convenient tracking of your weight, and your fitness, is a good one, but one of these days these companies really need to understand app development and that it’s more than throwing a few dollars at an IT company that bid the lowest to cobble together what amounts to placeholder to be able to say you “have an app”. It has to work, people.

Okay. Deep breath.

Aside from the incredible amount of frustration caused by this, the scale in and of itself is accurate, and while the numbers were slightly off from the other body fat-measuring scales we have here in the house, that can simply be chalked up to the fact that they all use “estimates” from small electrical signals sent through the body, and so many factors can skew that, I’m not going to begrudge a scale a few percentage points here and there. Up to 8 people can use this scale with basic non-bluetooth tracking features, an “athlete” setting for those that work out regularly, and a bright, dual-line backlit LCD readout with “touchscreen” controls. All this and it operates on 3 AAA batteries. Unfortunately, most of the advertised features like true tracking, cloud storage, and compatibility with MapMyFitness, RunKeeper and other popular apps are inaccessible due to the native app being useless. So it quickly becomes less and less a value because, let’s face it, you paid for those features. I wanted to like this product so much more, and I’ve had Taylor, Salter, and Homedics scales before that were fantastic. This scale is, as a scale, flawless. It’s all the advertised extras that caused the premium pricetag that are rendered useless by a non-functioning, junk app. For that reason, I find that I can’t, at full retail, recommend this product, because so many of the potentially wonderful features advertised cannot be accessed, and they’re built into the price tag. Too bad.

Connect with Taylor Precision Products:

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Taylor Precision Products.  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.

Sari Foods Company: Nutritional Yeast Flakes, Vitamin C from Acerola Cherries and Spirulina Powder #Review

It’s not just because I told myself in 2014 that in 2015 I want to eat better, a la New Year’s resolution, but I have been looking for ways to add nutrition to my diet via super foods. The only way to know if the “buzz” is real, is to get out there and try it.

Super Foods and what makes them super duper is really in the eye of the beholder, however the general rule is a product that is naturally fortified with an enormous amount of vitamins, minerals, omegas, and/or antioxidants, and so forth. As I ventured down the super foods rabbit hole, I literally realized that I needed to go beyond the Goji and Acai berries I was so comfortable with already eating and drinking. I needed to go old school and give Spirulina powder a try, to the ultimate cherries called Acerolas. Yeast flakes is new to me and when the package stated it tastes like cheese, I know I love cheeses but unsure if a yeast flake had the “moo flavor” I was looking for. Time to get out of my comfort zone!

Spirulina Powder– Sari Food’s provides you with a 100% purely organic powder, so that is a positive beginning. Spirulina is not new to the world of super foods that even the Aztecs consumed such a gem. The plant grows and thrives in water beds/lakes and is magical on it’s own, where it even creates it’s own feed so it can thrive. I was already intrigued by the idea of something creating nutrients for itself and to me that was like have an endless supply of energy bars in your purse! The protein level is insane when you look at the amount of product that delivers such a high content. Sarii Food’s Spirulina has 6.5 grams of protein for every 10 grams of servings, that equates to one heaping tablespoon, and it does not stop there:

You have Iron and 6.0 mg, which is 33% of your D.V.
Vitamin A 27 mg, so you get 1800% of your D.V. and we are still on 1 tablespoon’s worth.
Vitamin B12 15mcg., giving you 250% of your D.V.
Vitamin B2 comes at 450 mcg., and 28% of your D.V.
Thiamine (Vitamin B1) is 350 mcg., and provides 25% of your D.V.
Niacin, known as Vitamin B3 is 3 mg and 15% of your D.V,
Magnesium is 48 mg, and 12% of your D.V.
Vitamin K is 40 mg and a generous 50% of your D.V,
Folic Acid is an astonishing 450 mcg, and comes to 113% of your D.V.
Plus, Total Carotenoids at 30 mg
Chlorophyll at 60 mg
Phycocyanin at 800 mg
Gamma-Linolenic Acid
DHA at 70 mg (Docosahexaenoic acid) which helps with brain function and is an Omega-3 fatty acid, comes at 70 mg

Retail Price Point: $23.95 via Amazon for a 16 ounce package, which provides 45 servings .

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That is a lot in just 1 heaping tablespoon. I tried the product by adding it to smoothies and to my morning power breakfast, which is mixed with fruit, yogurt and granola. The taste did not affect my breakfast in a negative way and by week one, I did notice I felt better but I did not stop taking my daily supplements, so Sari Foods’s Spirulina really filled the void that was missing and/or needed in my daily nutrition intake. The protein is plant based and is even rated better than what you get from legumes and without the bloating effects or feeling too full from eating beans. Studies wise I found very little when it came to having a negative impact from Spirulina and because I can’t beat the boost of energy I have been experiencing, I am addicted to feeling better so will continue it’s use.

Vitamin C powder from Acerola Cherries– Sari Food’s again provides us with a 100% USDA certified, Organic product. The package states that just 1 Acerola Cherry gives you the vitamin C of 65 oranges. Okay, you got my attention! The Acerola cherry tree is found in many regions like Brazil, where so many super foods derive from to California, Florida, Texas and certain regions in South America. The fruit tends to deteriorate quickly once ripe, so cultivation and process is key in making sure you get the most out of every red little gem the tree produces. When I stated quickly deteriorating, think of when you cut into an apple or potato and the Acerola cherry comes near that. Within 4 hours from just harvesting, a negative impact in appearance and in texture is already visible. That is one delicate little cherry but not when it comes to nutrition:

I mentioned the orange versus acerola statement above but to put it into perspective, this cherry juice gives you 13 times more Vitamin C than one glass of O.J.  Sari Food’s has made the impact even better by just 1 teaspoon giving you 500 mg, that is 833% of your D.V. The only other ingredient in their powder is organic and non-gmo Maltodextrin, so nothing gets between you and your Vitamin C!

Retail Price Point: $29.95 via Amazon for a 6 ounce package, which provides you with 58 servings.

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I found many benefits on-line upon reading and we already know what Vitamin C does for the body and protecting our immune system.  Some studies suggested aid with asthma, allergies, regulating blood sugar, shortening colds, helping with the aging impact of free radicals, to reducing cholesterol and heart disease.  The claims were broad and some with clinical back-up and some just anecdotal.  I gave the powder a try for 3.5  weeks and the one thing I was able to attribute to it’s intake, was better skin.  The month of February was the best looking clear skin I have had.  The powder is tart to sour like you would expect from a Vitamin C powder but the package suggested just a touch of coconut sugar would help if that was an issue.  I went with nectarines and once chopped, I added the powder and it actually improved the taste of my fruit versus needing to fix anything with the powder.  I will be taking this when stress is coming my way, which in my world is on a weekly basis!

Nutritional Yeast Flakes– Sari Food’s gives you a Vegan product that is Non-GMO and Gluten Free.  Yeast flakes provide everything from Potassium, Iron and a multitude of vitamins and minerals.  You have also a great amount of fiber, so it fills you up without the guilt!  Yeast is consumed for many reasons and used to amp up a dish’s nutritional value to some people who enjoy the flavor the product provides.

Retail Price Point: $12.95 via Amazon for a 8 ounce package, which provides 14 servings.

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The yeast flake product from Sari Food’s in non-fortified, meaning you get a natural product that is nourished from natural sources.  No fake vitamins or anything created in a lab to increase what is derived naturally!  The yeast has a whopping 18 amino acids and everything from Biotin, which helps with hair and nail growth to 352.0% of your D.V. of B5 Vitamin.  You just take 2 heaping tablespoons and add it to “almost” any dish.  I will say the scent of the product really in my opinion is more geared towards savory dishes.  The only yogurt based spread I could think of that would be pleasurable in taste, was when I made Gyros and combined the yeast flakes with Feta cheese.  We liked the change and especially on potatoes.  It really does amp up the protein content to 8.32 grams, which breaks down to 16.6% of your D.V., so I kept this in mind when cooking with proteins.  I know protein and especially clean protein is good for you but I also want only so much of it.  The fiber content makes digesting easy and especially if you are attempting to lose or just maintain a healthy weight.  This product may have limited me towards the savory dishes but then again everything else is geared towards sweetness in the diet and nutrition world, that I found it welcoming to have something I could add with most dinners.  The Yeast flakes in salads was another boost of flavor I was able to enjoy and especially on avocados!

Get acquainted with the above products and with Sari Foods Company at:

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Sari Foods Company.  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.

 

Gurin: High Accuracy Digital Bathroom Scale ACS-100 #Review #DigitalBathroomScale

Gurin High Accuracy Digital Bathroom Scale with 4.3″ Display and Step-On Technology

There is one product that everyone absolutely needs this time of year, but no one thinks about. A scale. With all the rich comfort foods, sugary desserts, and appetizers, my bikini body can go “poof” in a New York minute. And I worked very hard on it, so you better believe I’m tracking every calorie and pound. What better way to do that than with this stylish, tempered-glass digital beauty from Gurin? Why can’t a scale look snazzy too?

Retail Price Point: $23.50 via Amazon

It feels solidly built enough that I’m not terrified to step on it. Hubby either. This Gurin ACS-100 is backlit, consistent and reliable, safe for up to 400 pounds. The 4.3″ LCD Screen can be viewed from any angle, even in the dark! With “Step-On” technology it’s a cinch to operate. And best of all, it runs on AAA batteries, which, yes, thank heavens, are included.  Four precision sensors means an accurate reading the first time, and every time. We compared side by side with our previous scale that cost nearly twice as much. We got the same reading time after time.

I’m loving this new scale. And I’m loving how it looks, even if it doesn’t always deliver the news I want. Specifically, that cheesecake, pumpkin pie, and stuffing are not calorie free and as we’ve established, this Gurin ACS-100 doesn’t lie.

Start 2015 with a Gurin scale!  The scale comes with the Gurin Satisfaction Guarantee and a 2-year warranty.

 

Connect with Gurin and their products at:

• Amazon
• On-line
• #DigitalBathroomScale

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

 

 

Swaggable: The 17 Day Diet Book by Dr. Mike Moreno Review

Right about the month of March, whatever diet program I have been trying or testing has pretty much reached a point of…..well, boredom. I know it’s a life-style change and thankfully I am usually only fighting off 10 to 15 pounds I want gone, but I call them my celebration pounds, because they return when there is a holiday or birthday. Why March? Well, it’s my birthday month, as well as  my husband’s, so this means cake. Call it cake pounds and as much as I want to blame the confectionery with happy sprinkles that hypnotized me, if I was not looking at it I would have never fallen under it’s spell.

I received the 17 Day Diet book in late January and have read through it and the one thing I loved, is how Dr. Mike Moreno changes things up. Days, weeks, or even months do not play-out the same way for me so that also plays havoc on my diet. I sometimes under eat and other times over indulge, so this book has a more realistic approach to what I call R-E-A-L life. There are times I can do well for 2 weeks and then comes week #3 where I eat something someone brought over to I maybe did the unthinkable and had a real cheesy burger……with bacon and caramelized onions….some fries too. I obviously can’t just get back on the same horse the next week because I sort of strayed but Dr. Moreno also brought exercise into the picture, whereas most of us want a “way to eat”, or a pill to take to be the answer and only solution. It’s like the relationship you truly wish will work but sooner or later you have to dump whatever and move on! I’ve moved on (thankfully not on Husband 🙂 ) but definitely the  dreaming of the magic that never arrives. You got to move more and eat less but also eat smart!

Dr. Moreno uses a program designed around 4 stages/cycles, each consisting of 17 days. No tricks and just simple methods:

• Accelerate– The cycle where you lose weight rapidly and cleanse your body out. You start cutting out the things you already know you should not eat and what really just ends up starving your body, rather giving it “real energy”. There is an optional fasting day in this stage.
• Activate– In this cycle you start the metabolic burn, by having days your intake (caloric wise) will be high and others low.
• Achieve– Here you learn about the smart way to eat and this where I mention previously about controlling the amount you eat, but also introducing new exercises.
• Arrive– The combo stage where you enter the lifestyle of eating right and moving. Best explained, it’s a combination of the previous cycles to help continue a healthy way of eating that will not only benefit you long term but you will be happier with how you feel and look.

Like many diet books, this also comes with recipes but you get over 50 of them! I liked that not all recipes were ultra expensive or hard on the pocket book. Yes, you have lean meats but most of them I found to be low in cost, especially if you shop smart. Dr, Moreno even discusses supplements, exercising when you travel and even holiday stress. Topics from alcohol consumption are addressed, and even a section on PMS! Like I said, pretty much everything is covered including specific medical conditions.

I liked that the book was not only easy to read, as the author did not act like they found new miracles. Dr. Moreno found an easier way to apply what we all pretty much know already when it comes to diets and eating habits. The book was used as a manual at times, because it was easy to find information I could quickly reference on the topic I needed help on. Like, for example, when I was purchasing my supplements, I added Selenium and found I felt a positive difference. Most chapters have key points under the review section so you can take in the information as a whole or just go by what you want to read about……again, very adaptable.

Connect with Dr. Moreno and the 17 Day Diet Book at:

Via Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/17daydiet

Send a tweet via Twitter– https://twitter.com/17DayDiet

Pinterest is filled with recipes and advice too- http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=17%20day%20diet

#Ididitwith17

 

I received the above product free of charge from Swaggable and Simon & Schuster.  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.