Green (Living) Review: product review

Showing posts with label product review. Show all posts

Huskup – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Reusable and plastic free, Huskup brings takeaway coffee back down to earth

Durable, biodegradable and entirely free from plastic, Huskup is tackling the UK’s disposable culture one flat white at a time with a brand new reusable coffee cup made from rice husks. Using the outer hull of the rice grain, a natural and robust material that would otherwise be burnt at the mill, Huskup is harnessing an abundant waste product and giving the planet a helping hand even before the first coffee is poured.

Responding to the disposal of 7 million takeaway coffee cups every single day and the nation’s ever growing commitment to cut plastic waste from their lives, the Huskup takes the humble rice husk from earth to earth. Each cup is dishwasher safe and tough enough to withstand temperatures of -30c to 120c, yet the reusable cup can ultimately return to the soil at the end of its life and biodegrade naturally.

Free from melamine and BPA, Huskup is setting a new standard for reusable coffee cups and is ready to make every hot drink on the go that bit greener, from coffee shops and canteens to the workplace and beyond. Saving energy, materials, money and waste using an all-natural bi-product of one of the world’s most prolific store cupboard staples, the Huskup is set to make a big impact with one small change to the morning routine.

The Huskup comes in 12 different designs and can be purchased from www.huskup.com, priced at £10.95 each. Cheap they are not, in comparison to other reusable coffee cups, that is for certain, but then they are also made from a different material in a different way.

Bath-based Huskup was founded in 2018 to harness one of the world’s most abundant food waste materials, the humble rice husk, and begin a new chapter in takeaway coffee with a cup that is both durable and biodegradable. Entirely plastic, tree and toxin free, the Huskup contains no melamine or BPA, meaning that no nasties can make their way into drinks. These eco-friendly cups are also tough enough to take on the dishwasher and safe for reheating coffee in the microwave, but will simply decompose and return to the earth at the end of their lives. Launching with 12 designs, having teamed up with like-minded independent artists to create products that represent the Huskup ethos, these reusable cups are ready to bring takeaway coffee back down to earth.

While the material of the Huskup is free of melamine it has the feel of that plastic material, or that of Bakelite, for those that remember that material, but the material is not even, actual plastic. In my opinion the scope for this material itself, a plastic-like substance that is made from natural ingredients which harmlessly return to the soil, goes beyond just coffee cups.

As far as biodegradability is concerned Huskup are certified to the compostability standards, European EN13432 including the following elements:

1. Biodegradation - materials turn to soil through microbial action

2. Disintegration - the materials fall into small pieces

3. Eco-toxicity - seeds can germinate in the resulting compost - i.e. it is useful for plant growth

4. Heavy metals - the compost is safe to go onto land

The manufacturing process takes the waste rice husk and mixes that with some natural starches – and those are, alas, trade secrets. The cups are then molded and formed into the huskup. No melamine or other plastic binders are used.

The lid and the band around the body of the cup are made of, what in my opinion, would appear to be silicone.

The cup appears to be extremely sturdy and, as I said before, feels like a melamine or Bakelite product, but is neither. It should last for many, many years and when it finally has to be replaced you do not have to have a guilty conscience as to its disposal. That still does not mean that you should thoughtlessly toss it at the end of its life into the countryside.

The only, for some it sure would be, major turn off is the fact that the product is “Made in China” while the company is British. The reason, though, probably is that rice husks are more common in China (and elsewhere in Asia) than, obviously, in Britain and hence the product is Made in China.

Web: www.huskup.com

Twitter: @huskup_eco

Instagram: huskup_eco

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/huskup/

Spear & Jackson Precision Snips – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Spear & Jackson PRECISION SNIPS
SK5 steel blades for lasting sharpness
with a built-in locking catch for safe transportation
and storage
SRP: £6.49

Don’t be fooled by their diminutive size; these Precision Snips with their long narrow blades are perfect for dead-heading, says the website and promises the advert.

Well, hmm, perfect for dead heading, they say. The accuracy leaves much to be desired as does the strength of the blades; in my tests, at least. In other words, impressed I am not. OK, those snips only cost about £7 but why where something else would work equally as well, namely a pair of (old) scissors.

Alternatively get a decent pair of garden scissors, such as Fiskars, but an ordinary (old) sharp pair of scissors repurposed for the garden will do just as well, as those snips, if not better even. The only advantage, maybe, that this pair of snips has is the fact it has the spring in the middle like a pair of secateurs has. But I have found that a pair of scissors has better accuracy also.

There are many “special” garden tools that you do not need – nay, not even want – to buy, and this one falls firmly into that category, but is just one of many.

Oh, I guess you now want to have my rating for this product. Hmm, zero would just about sum it up. A pair of scissors or snips from Poundland would offer a better deal. I know the company won't like me after this but so be it.

Spear & Jackson Select Stainless 3-Piece Mini Tools Set – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Spear & Jackson Select Stainless 3-Piece Mini Tools Set
• Mirror-polished stainless steel heads for rust resistance, easy clean and minimal soil adhesion
• Bi-material, soft grip contoured handles for added comfort
• An ideal set for container gardening
SSP incl VAT £17.99

A small but perfectly formed set of three miniature Select Stainless hand tools: hand trowel, transplanting trowel and three-pronged cultivator, ideal for working in the confined spaces of pots, planters and baskets.

While, originally, intended for use by adults in confined spaces of pots, planters, baskets and otherwise in container gardening, the set is also ideal for the little ones to be introduced to proper gardening, whether in containers or raised bed, by being given proper tools and not plastic things.

Personally I always suggest to refrain from giving a child inferior tools when introducing them to gardening. The plastic play tools do not cut it if you really want them to take gardening serious.

I particularly like the serration on the left-hand side of the trowel as, aside from giving a cutting edge, so to speak, if and when the soil is a little compacted, it also can be used to open bags of soil, compost, etc.

A real nice handy set of tools for the adult gardener pottering around in pots or, and especially, for the young gardener.

ALDI Gardenline Foldable Saw – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

ALDI Gardenline Foldable Saw
Length approx. 18cm
Carbon steel saw blade with 3-sides ground teeth, ABS handle with TPR grips
Thickness: 1.2mm (Blade)
Price (when available) £ 4.99

I purchased this saw, more or less, to try it out as to how it would perform and not, like often, given this as a review sample. Having used it on both old and green wood, including rather hard cherry, I must say that it performed if not as well then at least almost as well as some rather expensive makes of saws of this kind, at a fraction of the cost.

I would certainly say that this saw is ideal for gardening, pruning, camping, clearing trails, hiking, tree trimming and light coppice work.

Blade safety lock with a safety locking mechanism that double locks, so to speak, as it also locks the blade once on the way down, thus making the closing of the blade safer reducing the risk of closing it on the hand.

Unfortunately, as with all ALDI special buys offers, these saws are always only available now and then and then only as long as stocks last which, at times, may last for a couple of days or a couple of weeks depending on demand.

Obviously, the question is now as to how this saw holds up in sharpness and other things in comparison to other, more expensive ones of brands that I am not going to mention here.

Paper Saver – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The Paper Saver is – probably – the most eco-friendly notebook ever

The Paper Saver comes without paper inside, because it's meant to be stuffed with old, discarded printouts from your home office.

Having received my review sample I have to say that it is – in my opinion – a brilliant idea and probably beats any recycling of single-side printed paper and so many pages come as just that. They are used once, such as press releases, and then, generally, though not at yours truly's place, discarded.

The idea is so simple and effective that one can but wonder that it has not been done before. Along the lines of this principle, I have, for years, made A6 pocket notebooks, though with card covers and staples in the center.

The market for eco-friendly notebooks has become, over the years, a large and hot one. Mostly it is a case of beautiful covers enclosing thick piles of 100% recycled paper. No company, however, has taken its eco-minded ethos quite so far as Paper Saver.

Australian startup, Paper Saver, uses no new paper at all, not even recycled, having figured out an ingenious way to put unwanted, surplus paper to good use – and we all have plenty of that lying around; I know that I have all the time, but I also reuse all of that anyway and always have.

The Paper Saver Notebook is a basic imitation leather cover with a stainless steel binding, nylon bookmark, and elastic, akin to the one used with Moleskine or Leuchtturm 1917 notebooks, and “derivatives”. The basics of this is a folder similar to magazine files – the so-called string binders – with the difference that there is only one metal “rod” instead of several in the case of those files.

Unlike “normal” notebooks the Paper Saver comes with no paper inside – because that is where you are meant to put your own sheets. Just grab a stack of accidentally printed paper, or paper that has already served its purpose in your office (40-50 sheets of either Letter size in the US/Canada or A$ in the rest of the world), and push it into the binding. Fold the other half over and you have got a half-blank notebook of 80-100 pages, ready for scribbling and sketching. Once you fill up those pages, pull out the whole wad of paper, flip it around, and start over again. Personally I would fold the pages in half first to have a fold before inserting the stack through the binding.

Once you have finished your first notebook you pull the wad out again and then you can, if you so desire, send the lot for recycling though most of us, more than likely, would wish to hold on to those notes. I know I would and will. Then add a “new” stack of one-side printed “waste” paper and ready is another notebook.

The idea for the Paper Saver grew out of architect founder Jon Yong's frustration with the sheer quantity of draft designs that were printed and discarded as soon as changes were made. He created a homemade Paper Saver nearly a decade ago before realizing that others might enjoy such a device.

While the Paper Saver, in itself, may not be made of recycled materials and components it will, however, if used correctly, keep paper being dumped in landfill. As the cover of the Paper Saver is faux leather it is also vegan-friendly; another positive.

This is a clever concept with potential to make us all feel slightly less guilty about the fact that 50% of paper used in North American offices, for example, ends up as garbage, and that a about 27% of waste in landfills is paper products. Rather than using yet more resources on recycling and shipping, it makes sense to extend the lifespan of paper that has already been made.

In addition we may also have to ask how much so-called 100% recycled paper really is post-consumer waste and how much of such a claim is actually greenwash.

At present the Paper Saver is in stores only available in Australia but can be purchased via the Internet. Two sizes are available; one for the US-Canada in the letter format and the other, for the rest of the world, in A4. In Canada or the United States, the Paper Saver is only available in black. In Australia and the rest of the world, cover colors include teal, brown, and red.

Very well designed and well made. Really looks the business for business – no pun intended – and at AUS$ 22 (around £14 or €15) is not going to break the bank either considering that this will – probably – be the last notebook you will ever (have to) buy, saving you money and also saving paper.

If you do not like writing on blank sheets of paper Paper Saver offers free downloads of printable lines and grid patterns.

Rating: 5 out of 5 plus an extra 1 point for ingenuity.

Charlie Dimmock Multipurpose Garden Scissors – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Part of the new and exclusive Charlie Dimmock range at Poundland those narrow bladed multipurpose garden scissors are easy and precise to use so are ideal for dead heading, removing dead leaves and stems which in turn means more flowers and less chance of disease on plants.

Garden scissors, or scissors in the garden, are – in my opinion – a must in the garden tool armory. And while secateurs can do some of the tasks, if they are very sharp, others they can not and only a pair of scissors will do the job. For all the uses for scissors in the garden see my article here.

So, now to the review of The Charlie Dimmock Multipurpose Garden Scissors:

Let me start first of all, if I may, with the packaging. Unlike many where the product is welded into the plastic in this case the molded plastic is just attached to the cardboard backing with 3 small staples and thus the plastic and the cardboard can be easily separated for recycling. Already a plus. All too often in order to get into the packaging of many products one requires a can opener or, well, a strong pair of scissors. And then often the paper, card and plastic still cannot be separated, making recycling (almost) impossible.

The blades are sharp, definitely sharp enough, coming out of the box, for all tasks. Unlike, obviously more expensive makes and brands, though many of those are about the same, the blades and handles are not one piece steel but the blades are molded into the plastic handles. Then again they only cost you one Pound Sterling.

One thing to remember though, as regards to garden scissors, they are just that, namely scissors, and are not intended for pruning really, bar, maybe, giving the little box “tree” a haircut, or snipping off Rosemary for use in cooking, for instance. Other woody stuff is to be handles with secateurs.

Original Löwe 14.104 compact bypass pruners – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Original Löwe is best known for its anvil pruning shears and, though many many not know it, the parent to the Rolcut pruning shears that once were made and sold in Britain.

The bypass pruner Löwe 14.104 convinces with its compact design and good balance. A balance, in fact, that is very positive indeed and the cutting head and handle, at the right place, will balance like a scale.

The Löwe 14.104 also features dual shock absorber in order to minimize cutting impact, the slim and the pointed design offers as well in tight locations access and the possibility for a clean cut.

The blade also has a built-in wire cutter that completes the picture of this lightweight model. This wire cutter is intended for use with thin tying wire and obviously not meant to cut fencing wire or such. Having such a cutter available at the bottom of the blade of a pair of secateurs is important for those who professionally work with them, especially those in vineyards.

These pruners are 19mm (7.5 inches) in length and the maximum cutting diameter is 22mm (5/8 inch) and such a maximum diameter, ideally, should not be exceeded. Its weight is 180grams (6.35 ounces).

Spare parts are available for this, as for all other, Original Löwe pruners and shears.

The price in the UK should be around the £20 mark making it cheaper than any of the competition in the same quality range.

Bottle Pen – Product Review

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The Stationery Show 2014 in London, I know, is already a few months past and alas I only now am getting around to doing this review. Shame on me, I know.

Why “bottle pen” you may ask. Well, they, that is to say their bodies, are made from recycled PET bottles. But what else could you say about those pens?

They write OK – actually very well – and handle well too. However, with regards to the ball point pens, the “refill”, even though they are not refillable, are a little on the loose side in the body and that could do with rectifying.

The idea of making the bodies of such disposable pens from recycled PET is a good one, to some extent, though not having the bottles in the first place would be better still. It would also be much better if they would not come in a plastic blister pack.

The pens, as samples, though obtained from a British company – Enveco Ltd., who are stationery wholesalers – are made in China. It can therefore safely be assumed regardless of the fact that the importers of this pen are based in Europe, Bulgaria it would appear, that the PET recyclables were shipped to China, processed there and then returned to Europe.

While using waste PET to make new plastic products is, in general and in theory, a brilliant idea this shipping back and forth is not. recyclables should, nay must, be processed into new products in the country of collection and not in the current way.

Making new products by recycling waste materials is sure good but it must be done at home, so to speak, if it is really supposed to be green. Otherwise it is nothing but greenwash.

As far as the bottle pens go as pens they are fine and the plastic body, made from recycled PET, is very good as well. It is just the way that all those recycled products – the majority of them at least – and where that irks me time and again.

The Propagro Windowsill Propagator – Product Review

Propagro Windowsill Propagator, the mini individual plant greenhouse for your windowsill.

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The Plant Pot Propagator is probably the simplest propagator you will ever use except for one that you may fashion yourself by simply using a pot and a plastic bag. Two wire hoops which click together hold a 9cm or 10cm pot away from the ground for good drainage and provide a frame to hold a polythene cover away from the leaves of your cuttings and seedlings whilst providing the warm and humid environment needed for good propagation.

The Propagro Windowsill Propagators are simple to set up; so simple, in fact, that a small child could do it and, once again, instructions are almost superfluous.

Made in the UK from recycled galvanized steel. RRP £8.00 excl delivery. Pack of 3 Propagators.

Yes, it is true that you could, basically, make your own propagators by simply placing the pot into a plastic back and tying up the top. Did that an while it did work to some degree it also caused rot and thus death to a number of seedlings due to the fact that the entirely closed bag does not allow for any ventilation. The Propagro, being open on the bottom, does away with that problem though it does, maybe, require a little more checking as to keeping the soil at the right moisture condition for seeds and seedlings.

Meisenbach COMPACT Fountain/Roller Ball Pen – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

This pen, the Compact, is available as a Roller Ball pen or with a fountain pen nib. In fact, they are interchangeable, and it is powered, so to speak, not by a refill as Roller Ball pens normally are but by a standard cheap fountain pen cartridge, available for little money per box of five or ten.

Not only are those ink cartridges cheaper compared to, say, a Parker or Shaeffer pen refill, they are also greener as they are fully recyclable being made entirely and purely of polyethylene.

Today you do not even have the little “pearl” in the cartridge anymore as you did in my childhood and thus it is all polyethylene and this can be made into polyethylene again.

Yes, it is probably true that several cartridges will run out in this pen before a Parker or Shaeffer refill will but it still is going to be cheaper and definitely greener as, so far, none of those other pen refills are recycled anywhere.

Now a little to the pen itself. The Meisenbach COMPACT comes as a Fountain Pen with steel nib, a Fountain Pen with iridium point nib or as an Ink Liner (Roller Ball Pen) with tungsten carbide tip. All have a plastic body and a metal clip.

There is one drawback with this pen as with all wet ink pens and that is that much of the paper we find today, even in most notebooks, is not suitable for this kind of ink and will bleed through.

One slight disadvantage of the Compact to the cartridge fountain pens many may remember from their schooldays, if they are old enough to have used a fountain pen, is the fact that the size of this pen does not allow for a spare cartridge to be carried in the barrel. But that is only a minor inconvenience as one can always have one or two spare cartridges in one's pocket.

The pen is best used with the cap placed at the non-working end of the pen's barrel as it gives a better balance this way.

The best part, aside from writing well, is the fact that the cartridges (refills) are very cheap indeed and fully recyclable unlike, as already indicated, general ballpoint and Roller Ball pen refills.

The Meisenbach fountain pen/Roller Ball pen is not just a new concept but also a fairly green one at that.

OK, someone may say: “It's a pen. What's special about it and green as it is made of plastic, etc.?” What is special and green on this pen is the fact that, as mentioned more than once, it has a fully recyclable refill cartridge and thus is a very sustainable writing instrument, despite the fact that it is made of plastic, with some metal for the clip.

It is true that there are many other pens, ballpoint pens and ink liners, aka Roller Balls, that have refills but – one – most of them are rather expensive and – two – the great majority of those refills, if any, are not being recycled and may not even be recyclable as they are at present.

The only other kind of pen that has probably better green credentials is the true fountain pan, refillable from an ink bottle, or the dip pen.

Karl Meisenbach GmbH & Co. KG has been producing writing utensils since 1880 at their factory in Fischbachtal, an idyllic village of 2700 souls in the Odenwald, ca. 50km south of Frankfurt/Main and thus has a long tradition in making pens.

All plastic components are manufactured in the Meisenbach factory in Germany. Metal components and accessories are bought in addition. However, each piece is „made in Germany“ or „made in Europe“.

Square Foot Gardening Plant Spacers (set of three) – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Have you ever wanted to get into square foot gardening but just could not be bothered with creating, time and again, for planting, the grind pattern made with string?

I did but that playing about with the string put me off. Now there is an answer available by way of the plant spacers designed and handmade in Britain in Sandy, in Bedfordshire.

This is about the easiest way to space plants/seeds for square foot gardening with no need to mark out your beds saving time and effort.

Get bumper crops in your raised beds with minimal effort, time and money. Square foot gardening is particularly effective in the summer months by saving water and reduced the amount of space for weeds to grow.

The three guides in this pack allow you to plant 1, 2, 4, 8, 9 or 16 seeds/plants per square foot, depending on the kind of vegetables that you wish to plant and grow. Some require a great deal more space than others.

Planting guide printed on guides so no need to work out spacing from packets or reading books. Simply look at the guides for the vegetable you wish to plant and in brackets will be the number of plants to put in a square foot listed on the correct guide to use and there is a handy ruler in inches and cm on each guide.

Dirt and soil cleans easily off guide and it will not weather or deteriorate so can be used for years to come.

Produced from recyclable PVC and handmade in the UK.

All three guides in the pack at just £11.99 and they will last almost for ever.

http://squaredgardening.co.uk/

These templates are an absolute doddle to use and they also work well enough in not so square beds, as mine are, being builder bags filled with soil.

Disclosure: I received a set of plant spacers at the Edible Garden Show 2014 for review purposes, but all opinions here are mine.

The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no compensation for any component of this article.

From Russia with hoe

Ploskorez Swage – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

PLOSKOREZ SWAGE S, 1.30 m, Stainless Cultivator+Weeder Hoe

Long Handle 1.3m. Strong, 3-edge-sharp, swaged & pointed stainless steel head, oiled wooden (Aspen or Birch) rounded-rectangular handle for upright position strain-free work (hold it with both thumbs facing the sky). Light weight.

Adjustable head allowing precision work around flowers or vegetables. Indispensable for all soil work (from subsurface down to 150 mm), loosening, planting, mounding, shaping and weeding tasks in larger areas and along long rows. Weed the patio hard surfaces. Slash overgrown weeds. Chop/Mix compost.

Blend fertilizers and compost into the soil. Mix up concrete. Contributes to improving soil structure. Aerates and mellows the soil. Breaks down clots. Hoe without moving a lot of soil. Hook. Rake. Chop. Slash unwanted plant growth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_ecnW_6muE

I have encountered the Ploskorez tools for the first time ever in the real world – having seen it before online – at the Edible Garden Show 2014 at the Alexandra Place on Friday, March 28, 2014 where Vladimir Kondratyuk kindly allowed me to take one for review I can but say that so far I am very impressed (and I do not impress easily) as to the capabilities of this tool.

Having used this tool in a test-drive, so to speak, on an old heap of soil that was totally overgrown with weeds and grass and consisted mainly of a clay mix I am very impressed indeed with this hoe (well, it is more than a hoe really) in the way it has turned that material into lovely soil that I would be able to plant in straight away had that been my aim.

One problem I encountered though and that is due to the fact that I did not read the instructions and used the standard hand hold for a drag hoe rather than the one with both thumbs towards the sky and nearly go myself some blisters.

So, the one thing to remember when using this tool is that the grip must be overhand with your thumbs forward – pointing to the sky, so to speak – and not the standard grip that all too often is used with the round handled hoes and such where the thumb points backwards. The latter will get you blisters... as the man says... use with both thumbs facing the sky...

The PLOSKOREZ Swage hoe (which is more than a hoe really) will be equally at home in the commercial smallholding and market garden as well as the allotment and the home garden with raised beds and can handle more or less anything that is thrown at it, I should think.

Oh, did I mention that I love the Ploskorez Swage Hoe. Well, I do and that very much and I believe that it will be THE tool that from now on will go into the garden with me each and every time.

For more information visit http://www.ploskorez.co.uk/

Disclosure: I received a Ploskorez Swage hoe for review purposes, but all opinions here are mine.

The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no compensation for any component of this article.

Globus introduces world's first biodegradable nitrile disposable glove

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Renowned for introducing revolutionary hand protection products, Globus has launched GREEN-DEXTM from Showa Best – the first nitrile disposable glove that fully biodegrades in landfills.

I would like to stress here that it says “fully biodegrades in landfills”; it does not say nor mean that it is compostable and especially not compostable in the compost heap at home.

Nitrile disposable gloves continue to gain popularity with consumers for their snug fit and tough resistance to tears, unlike latex ones; making them ideal to wear for a wide range of chores around the home as well as delicate gardening tasks. It can even be worn under other gardening gloves to provide water resistance.

GREEN-DEX provides users with a comfortable 'second-skin' feel and barrier protection against a variety of greases, oils and chemicals and because it doesn't contain any natural rubber latex, it can be worn by anyone with a latex sensitivity.

The unique biodegradation process is achieved thanks to innovative Eco Best Technology = (EBT) from Showa Best. EBT accelerates the biodegradation of nitrile in biologically active landfills and anaerobic digesters as validated by independent certified laboratories using internationally recognized test methods. Unlike GREEN-OEX, regular

nitrile gloves cannot attract enough microbial activity to begin breaking down the polymer's molecular structure.

GREEN-OEX is available in boxes of 20 Single gloves in sizes small, medium, large and extra-large and packaging is made from 100% recycled material.

For more information visit www.qreen-dex.co.uk

I am currently running those gloves on test and so far can but say that I like them and they perform very well indeed, better than the blue nitrile gloves as used by police and medics and about equal to the stronger black ones. As to the biodegradability I cannot comment as I, personally, cannot conduct a test on that.

Disclosure: I received a sample pack of those gloves for review purposes at the Garden Press Event 2014, but all opinions here are mine.

The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no compensation for any component of this article.

Twist & Spout – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Here is a brilliant concept by Italian brand Vice Versa. Swiss designer Nicolas Le Moigne designed this ergonomic water pourer and won the 2005 Macef Design Award. It’s called Verso Diverso or Twist & Spout and it also won a special Merit Award at the Housewares Fair in Milan for its unique design and utility.

Transform almost any bottle into a watering can, so to speak and, yes, it works.

How do you do it? It’s quite simple, you place it on a bottle and voila - you have an ergonomic pourer or watering can (without a “rose” though). It fits virtually any soda or water bottle with a screw-on cap. In fact, for testing the sample received I did not have a plastic soda or water bottle handy and used an empty glass bottle from Sainsbury's Basics Malt Vinegar instead and it works a treat.

A clever eco water pourer turns any old bottle into a watering can
Multi coloured
Fits most UK bottle types

Aside from fitting well onto the bottle and thus being able to upcycle any of those much hated plastic bottles (or even the right glass one) into a water can, especially useful for indoor plants, the pourer also works very well. Better, in fact, than the rather expensive indoor watering can that I have from a well-known British watering can maker. The latter tends to spill more water onto the window sill than it gets into the plant pot, the Twist & Spout gets it where it is wanted and needed.

Shop online at http://designmuseumshop.com/

To learn more about ViceVersa’s comprehensive line up of products and designs, visit UK distributer www.2tech.co.uk

Disclosure: I received a sample of the Twist & Spout water pourer for review purposes, but all opinions here are mine.

The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no compensation for any component of this article.

Brother P-touch GL-H105 – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The versatile Brother P-touch GL-H105 is ideal for use both in the garden and around the home. Its ergonomic shape has been designed to fit comfortably in the hand and it’s so straight forward and easy to use, labels can be created at a moment's notice without any fuss.

There are easy symbols such as italics and quote marks which gardeners may want to adopt to follow plant naming conventions and up to 9 labels can be stored in the memory, particularly useful for remembering difficult spellings of plants.

The convenient rechargeable battery option means it can be charged after use and there’s no hassle having to locate or replace standard batteries whilst using it. N.B. While standard batteries are supplied, rechargeable ones are not and neither is a power supply or a charger. Those are optional extras.

Brother’s durable labels can withstand temperatures from -80°C to +150°C and are resilient to sunlight, humidity and rain, making them ideal for labeling plants, produce and garden accessories

Key Benefits

Up to 20mm/sec print speed - giving you high speed labels on demand
Choose from a range of 3.5mm, 6mm, 9mm and 12mm wide labels - tested to the extreme
Convenient built-in cutter
Easy to use ABC keyboard
Easy-to-read LCD screen
Includes 12mm black on white tape (4m)
3-year warranty for additional peace of mind

Keyboard ABC (54 keys)
LCD Screen 12 characters x 1 line / 58mm x 22mm
Power supply AAA x 6pcs or Optional AC adapter (AD-24ES)

Dimension, without carton: 110mm x 207mm x 59mm

Weight: 420g

The Brother P-touch GL-H105 is a more funkier version of the GL200 in that is is a little more – much more, in fact – colorful than the GL200 and also the desktop, so to speak, is easier to use with its “hot keys”. It is the ideal choice for the gardener who wants to have a label printer that is a bit more colorful than others and maybe is also a little easier to find when put down.

The P-touch GL-H105 label printer also has some fun designs to go with it that can put a little more lightheartedness into the labels rather than just plain labels or the wooden, round or such designs found in the GL200. Though I do have to say that I like the “wooden” label feature of the GL200 rather a lot.

Disclosure: I received a Brother P-touch GL-H105 for review purposes, but all opinions here are mine.

The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no financial compensation for any component of this article.

LÖWE 1.102 Anniversary edition anvil pruning shears – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The world's first anvil pruning shears launched in 1923 by LÖWE and the LÖWE 1.102 is a very special Anniversary Edition of this popular and classic model, perfect for use in all types of gardening and horticulture, fruit growing, forestry, and viticulture.

Can be used left or right handed, for cutting any kind of wood.

It was the LÖWE 1 that made the Original LÖWE brand and the anvil principle (a drawing cut against a fixed base plate) world famous.

All Original LÖWE pruners are designed, produced and assembled in Germany to the highest standards with a unique hardening process giving the blades an unrivaled hardness and the latest CNC grinding machines, ensuring an outstanding sharp cutting edge. They are 100% “Made in Germany” throughout and this goes for all Original LÖWE pruners and not just the LÖWE 1.102. Spare parts available for all LÖWE pruners.

LÖWE 1.102 Anniversary edition anvil pruning shears

Length: 21cm
Weight: 270g
Cutting Capacity: 25mm (1")
PRICE: £34.52 (Quality Garden Tools)

Old technology still works and works best as it is simple and reliable with no frills, and most importantly, repairable. And the LÖWE 1.102 definitely falls into that category.

The packaging, for purpose of nostalgia, so to speak, has taken a step back in history too and proves that just a simple printed cardboard box could still work today and it would reduce our packaging waste.

The only concession to the modern world is the plastic back in which the shears are packed prior to wrapped in brown Kraft paper. In days gone by it would have just been the Kraft paper, often greased, before going into the cardboard box.

This proves, to me at least, that there would and should be no need for the hard plastic “bubble pack” that we see (almost) everywhere today.

What worked then would still work today but it would appear that the packaging industry is trying to tell us differently. The cardboard box and the Kraft paper both are biodegradable and will compost, even in a homer composting set up, in less than a year without trace. Alternatively it can both be be easily recycled.

Where this is only one special product of LÖWE where this old style packaging is being used it would be good, for the sake of the environment, if we could see a widespread return to this kind of more simple and sustainable packaging.

The LÖWE 1.102 Anniversary anvil pruning shears (secateurs) are a timeless 90-year-old design made with modern materials and methods and will last for generations, especially if cared for, as any good tool and product should be. The same goes, as to durability, for the other tools of Original LÖWE also. I know, I reviewed one of their modern design flagship pruners last year.

The LÖWE 1.102 anvil pruners performed extremely well in tests and accurately and precisely cut anything from Rosemary sprigs to 25mm (1inch) thick Elm branches, both green and dry. They are capable, of that I am sure, to cut to a greater thickness even but that would mean applying more pressure which might not be good for the user's hands. The blades of all LÖWE's pruners are sharp and strong and will stand up to the rigors of professional daily use.

As far as I am concerned Original LÖWE's pruning shears are superior to others on the market, even more expensive ones though mentioning no names.

As professional user I regard anvil secateurs/pruning shears to outperform bypass ones each and every time and day and I got used to them – under the Rolcut name – already as a child working in forestry nurseries. The cut onto the anvil, generally made of brass in the older days and now of aluminum, both being softer metals that the cutting blade, makes for a very precise cut where no twisting is being used, as often happens with bypass pruners, leading to a misalignment of blades.

Another great LÖWE product and if I could rate it the way I would like to it would definitely receive a 6 out of 5. But that does not really compute now does it.

My thanks to Original LÖWE in Kiel, Germany, and Dominic of Quality Garden Tools for allowing me to review this great tool and for supplying the sample.

If you are looking for pruning shears that your grandchildren will still be able and happy to use look not further than Original L ÖWE. For all your garden tool needs, including LÖWE products, in the UK, contact Quality Garden Tools.

The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no payment for this article with the exception of the sample of the product free of change. Nevertheless, because their products are second to none, we are happy to endorse both Original LÖWE and Quality Garden Tools.

Goody Good Stuff – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Got a taste for gum candy but don't want gelatine and artificial stuff in them? Goody Good Stuff is the answer (and I am not getting paid to write this piece). Yes, they do contain sugar but primarily in the form of fructose.

I encountered these sweets – or candy, as our American cousins would call them – for the first time properly at the V-Delicious Show 2013 held in the beginning of June 2013 at London's Olympia Exhibition Center and I fell in love with them. But then again I do love some good sweet things, as longs as it is not carrot cake.

Goody Good Stuff is an all-new natural gummy candy range that is made with a plant derived bio-gum technology, which eliminates the need for animal-based gelatin, which most traditional gummy sweets use.

What is so different about Goody Good Stuff gummy sweets and regular ones. Aside from the already mentioned fact that they do not contain animal-based gelatine they also are reckoned to be fat free. They contain no neat products, no dairy, no alcohol, gluten, egg, soy, nuts or wheat and also contain no E-numbers.

They do a nice range of different gummy sweets and my personal favorite are Summer Peaches together with all the other sour versions. But all of them taste so real, just like the real thing.

One word of warning, however, aside from being seriously moreish IBS sufferers might be advised to refrain from overindulgence in those sweets as they do include natural fruit acids and can set off an IBS flare; I can vouch for that. Serves me well for being such glutton as far as those sweets are concerned.

The sweets are, as far as I can tell, all made in Austria.

Find out more by logging on to their website on: www.goodygoodstuff.com, like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoodyGoodStuffSweets or follow them on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/GoodyGoodStuff

Disclosure Statement: Aside from a number of packets of this candy for review purposes the GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no payment for this article.

Keira Watering Can – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The Keira watering can is of a very snazzy and funky design which is beautiful but also practical and useable.

Designed by world-renowned designer Igor Juric, creator of the first Croatian electric car and owner of several international patents who is guided by the motto "Design for the Planet” under which the mentioned electric car was designed and produced.

The Keira watering can is the first and only 2 liter, 5 liter and 10 liter stackable watering can in the world and the design concept enables easy transportation, storage and positioning inside stores. This is not necessarily something that will benefit the user in the garden shed as he or she will more than likely not have several of the same size but nevertheless it will benefit the Planet as far as the environmental footprint of shipping is concerned.

Made in Croatia by Strazaplastika, a manufacturer and distributor of plastic goods with over 50 years of experience, from polypropylene. While the Kiera watering can is made from virgin plastic, as said PP, it is an easily recyclable material, does not contain BPA (generally) and being, as said, Made in Croatia instead of Made in China, as is generally the case with the great majority of plastic products, and this is already a plus point.

The second plus point is that the Kiera watering can looks great and works a treat. It is easy to fill and pours well and accurately (no spilling with watering my houseplants unlike with the can that is – or was – normally being used by a maker who shall remain nameless bar it shall be said that that maker was one THE maker of watering cans in Britain).

I received my review sample of the Kiera watering can on the Press Day of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013 and I chose the apple green color in the 2 liter version. It does, however, come in quite a range of colors and in three sizes, 2 liter, 5 liter and 10 liter. For indoor gardeners I would suggest the introduction of a one liter can to the range as well as this would be a great asset to the range, no doubt.

The company aims to bring other new attractive garden products onto the market that will, so it is hoped, catch the attention of consumers.

While this definitely is not your – pardon the pun – common garden watering can and does not have the traditional rose it is definitely a nice watering can that looks good, even indoors. Instead of the old common rose the Kiera watering allows water to flow from its graceful and dramatic lip, allowing the user to target the root areas of the individual rather than watering an entire planter thus also saving water in watering and evaporation. Another plus point for sure.

The design of the Kiera watering can will go well with some of the new planters that are on the market albeit by different manufacturers that, for instance, can be placed over a railing and such, and also come in many funky colors.

The handle of the Kiera watering can is contrasted in a different color, in the case of my one, maroon, which really gives it class.

What more can I say... I like it...

J-Cloth® 3000 – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The J-Cloth® family is well known to, I should think, almost everyone in Britain and probably outside our borders as well.

Now, however, there is a new addition to this family with some different genes. No, we are not talking about genetic engineering here but of the fact that the new kid is biodegradable.

The J-Cloth® 3000 is the optimal wipe for the food and service sector, and that means for your kitchen and home too, and the environment's best friend.

The unique design and product features of this J-Cloth® are based on the world’s most renowned cleaning wipe, the J-Cloth® Lavette. Its unique, open, wavy texture enables efficient pick-up of any dirt and makes it easy to rinse, ensuring longer freshness. In addition, this new J-Cloth® 3000 cleaning wipe is the first to be compostable, biodegradable and FCC (Food Contact Clearance) approved.

All the features that make J-Cloth® 3000 the most effective and green cleaning solution are:

Compostable and biodegradable
Granted with compostability logo
Food Contact Clearance
Open weave structure
Cleaning agent compatible
5 different colors

The terms compostable and biodegradable, as we know, can be sometimes a little like latex rubber, in that it, as far as compostability goes, with reference to plastics and such, often means yes but ONLY in commercial hot composting and not – at least it would take a number of years – in a home composting environment. And, as I have not had the time and opportunity to test that, as yet, the jury will have to remain out on it and we have to believe the claims.

As far as a cleaning wipe goes this new J-Cloth even works better then the old J-Cloths that I remember, and the same goes for the rinsing out of any dirt picked up. No remains are left in the cloth even with just a simple rinse under the hot tap.

A great new addition for sure to the J-Cloth® family and if the compostability claim bears out then this is indeed the cleaning wipe of cleaning wipes and the environment will be happy too.

Filberts Bees Moisturizing Salve with Hemp – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Filberts Bees Moisturizing Salve with Hemp is made from artisan beeswax and is rich in English farm pressed hemp seed oil.

It is concentrated and smooth and the artisan beeswax, combined with avocado, olive and hemp seed oils, creates a soft, richly colored salve to treat dry or sore areas, including lips, hands and feet. Add a little water for rapid absorption or just let the oils soak in naturally for soft-feeling skin. Great as balm and al-round salve.

This salve, as indicated, works equally well on lips, hands and feet, and patches of dry skin everywhere.

As someone who suffers from dry and often cracked lips, and the same goes for hands, spending a lot of time outdoors, I am always very dubious as regards to claims. However, I must say that, as far as it goes this is a salve that lives up to everything what it says on the tin.

The salve comes in two packaging sizes: 7.4g and 24g and the former is ideally suited as a daily carry one for anyone who tends to suffer from cracked lips, for instance.

It is the same size – or thereabouts – as the small tins of Vaseline (petroleum jelly) but, being all natural and not a product of the petro-chemical industry far better for you and the Planet. It may cost a little more but you also do not need much of it.

Archive