Dyson DC41 Animal Ball Vacuum

The following is a guest post by Ashley:

A few days ago we purchase a Dyson DC41 Animal Ball vacuum. Living in an apartment complex with old carpeting and a dog who is shedding like crazy with it being Spring, we decided to run some tests just to see how much of a difference the vacuum actually makes. We sectioned off the living room and in the first section we used our old cheapo vacuum, the next section we used the Dyson, and in the third section we used no vacuum at all. Looking at the comparisons, you could see the difference the Dyson made. It actually pulls the carpet fibers back upright so the carpet is not matted down, not too mention the color difference. The feel of the carpet the Dyson was used on was different, too. It felt clean on bare feet, unlike the other two sections that still felt dirty. We emptied the Dyson bin and then ran the Dyson back over the carpeting that we used the cheapo on to see how much was missed. After doing so, the Dyson bin was filled 1/3 the way full of dirt and debris the cheapo had not picked up.

This vacuum is amazing! We cleaned the cealings, all the corners and edges of the rooms and hallways, and it even picks stuff up off the linoleum floors. The vacuum glides across the floor with ease, is SUPER light, and the lip is so flat it fits under all the furniture including the couches! We have used the vacuum every day since we purchased it and it's worth EVERY penny it cost us. I have not a bad thing to say about the Dyson other than it's so powerful we have lost a retraction cord from the blinds cleaning the windows (but even with that it was so easy to remove). They really did think of everything!

Dyson DC41 Animal Ball Vacuum passes The Trav Test with A+.

•Category: Products
•Location: Stores
•Cost: $599
•Ease of use:
 Easy
•The Trav Test grade: A+

Happy Darwin Day (Observed)!

Yesterday was the 203rd birthday of Charles Darwin. Let's celebrate today by honoring science!

darwinday.org

Charles Darwin passes The Trav Test with ∞A+. 


• Category: People
• Location: Everywhere!
• Cost: Free!
• Ease of use: Easy!
 
• The Trav Test grade: ∞ (Infinite) A+! 

New Year's Eve Essentials!

Well, it's that time of the year again... the end! First, I want to thank you, the readers, for a wonderful 2011! I'm so happy that you enjoy this tiny consumer reports operation I started! While you're generally void from the comment section, I love reading your emails and seeing you repost my reviews! Thanks! 2012 will be awesome with you all around!


With that said, most of you will be going out on the town for New Year's Eve. The Trav Test has 3 essential items to make your night an A!


1. Agloves. I've told you about Agloves before and Tweeted about their newest products. You'll want to use your touchscreen phones, but it's cold in many places! Stay warm AND connected with Agloves!


2. Blistex. I'm not sure if it genuinely counts as prevention, but if you'll be kissing people at midnight, 50%-80% of them have herpes! Blistex claims to relieve cold sores so you'll want it in your purse or pocket! (On that topic, grab some condoms, too. Even if you won't need them, someone will.)


3. Numbers for taxis or a taxi finder app. You'll probably be a drunk mess, so don't drive. It's simple!


If you have these 3 (ok, 4) items, you can be confident that you'll have a great time!*


*The Trav Test is not responsible if you have a shitty time. If you do something stupid, it's on you. If you have a really annoying significant other, that's on you, too. If you have nowhere to go on NYE, have these items anyway - you can go to see a movie. Using the Agloves, use your iPhone to get a ride and have the Blistex ready when your lips are super dry from the salty popcorn! All kidding aside, be safe, have fun, and see you next year!

New Year's Eve passes The Trav Test with an A+. 


• Category: Fun!
• Location: Everywhere!
• Cost: Depends!
• Ease of use:
 Easy!
• The Trav Test grade: A+!

Neato XV-11

Just about one month ago, I got the Neato XV-11 robotic vacuum for testing. I was interested in testing a robotic vacuum because the concept is awesome and, frankly, it is 2011 yet there is nothing Jetsons-like in my home. Also, with a Jack Russell Terrier who sheds more than you could imagine, daily vacuuming is a good way to keep the house clean between full weekly cleanings. Although I'm a "neat freak", I'm not lugging a full upright vacuum out every single day. Plus, my aforementioned dog is deathly afraid of the vacuum and daily anxiety for him would be even worse for me. So I went on the hunt for a robotic vacuum to test.

My search started with the product everyone is familiar with: Roomba. It's expensive, round, and the reviews aren't great. Plus, with 6 different models ranging in price from $300 to $600 and many different features, I didn't know which one to get. Roomba Pet Series sounds like it would make sense, but it doesn't have other necessary features. As I was reading other reviews, I kept reading comments saying to get Neato instead. I checked Neato out and understand why people were saying so. It's U-shaped, so it fits in corners, has "RPS" or room positioning system, and supposedly has the best suction for a small robotic vacuum. At $399, it's right in the middle of Roomba's prices, but many people say it's much better. Sold!

Having my Neato XV-11 for about a month now, I can tell you that it is awesome. It doesn't have the suction that a good upright has, but it has more than a cheap upright. For most of us, the atmospheric pressure suction rating means absolutely nothing so instead, here's a practical description: it picks up dust, dog hair, popcorn, crumbs, nail clippings, and even the occasional bug that sneaks into the house. Translation: it works very well. Instead of dragging a fairly heavy upright vacuum up and down the stairs, I can very easily pick up this small, 15 pound machine and take it anywhere. On the main floor where I have the base, all I need to do is push the main button twice and the entire level will be vacuumed while I do other things. When it's finished, it goes back to the base and charges. On the other 2 levels, I can set it down, push the button, and again that's all. When it's finished, it returns to where it started and shuts off. It's fantastic.

Ok, so how does it compare to a good upright, other than suction? One of the great things is the path it uses to clean if you have carpet that leaves those awesome vacuum marks. I really do love those! Other robotic vacuums (i.e. Roomba) take a completely random path. Neato first goes around the perimeter of the room, then cleans the rest of the room systematically so it leaves nice vacuum lines, THEN it leaves the room and starts the next one. It can detect doorways and stairs so it goes room-by-room and doesn't fall over any edges. As for noise, it's not exactly quiet, but it's not exactly loud either. You can hardly hear it if you're on a different level, but it's too loud to watch TV if you're in the same room. What's really great, however, is that it does not have that really loud, high pitched sound upright vacuums make. It is that sound that makes my dog go crazy. Without that sound, my dog isn't bothered by Neato at all. Now, Neato doesn't completely replace your upright. You'll still need to manually vacuum once per week if you're a neat freak like me. Why? Well, the extra suction of an upright gets any dirt that is deeper in the carpet and Neato obviously can't move things to vacuum under them. If you don't have a dog or kids, you probably could go 2 or more weeks easily.

All in all, I'd recommend Neato for everyone. If you're lazy, it does the work. If you're a slob, it picks up after you. If you're busy, you can set up a schedule and never think about it again. If you're a clean freak, you can be sure that the house is cleaned daily without any work on your part. It works on all floor types, too. I honestly can't think of a single situation where Neato wouldn't be a great purchase. And yes, I paid for my Neato myself, so you can be sure that the company isn't paying me to say these things! I wouldn't hesitate to purchase Neato again!

Neato XV-11 passes The Trav Test with an A+. 


• Category: Products
• Location: Online, Some stores
• Cost: $399
• Ease of use: Super easy
 
• The Trav Test grade: A+
• UPDATE: Click Here

Kensington

Ok, folks, this is a slightly different post than you're used to. It's about a product that I love and a company that I love even more! Ever since I purchased my first iPhone back in 2007, I've searched for the best way to store it and use it in the car. When I got my current car in 2008, I drove directly from the dealership to Best Buy to have a touchscreen and Bluetooth-enabled system installed. That solved the problem about using my iPhone in the car since I can play my iTunes library and take calls over Bluetooth, plus the radio display shows my battery level, signal strength, and connection status. What about storing it, though?

A few years ago I found the Kensington Windshield/Vent Car Mount for Smartphones at the Apple store. It is fantastic! I've always used the windshield mount rather than the vent mount simply because I don't want to block the airflow in my car, but I was nervous at first about using the windshield mount. It's just a small suction cup that holds the 12" flexible arm which holds the phone holder which holds my expensive iPhone, but it's perfect. The mount has adjustable side clamps that hold the phone steady and a button on its back that releases the grip. I loved this feature until one day, the button got stuck and the clamps no longer worked. I emailed Kensington immediately and they responded the next day offering to send me a new one. Since this issue occurred within a year of purchase, I thought this was great customer service - exactly how it should be. Somehow, the button became unstuck so I never had Kensington send me a new one.

A few weeks ago, my Kensington broke again. This time, the suction cup completely detached from the arm. Since it's at least 2-3 years old now, I didn't think this was a big problem. I just grabbed some super glue and reattached the suction cup. That didn't work. The rest of the mount is perfect fine, so I thought perhaps I could email Kensington again and see if I could buy a new arm only rather than paying for a whole new unit that I didn't need. They again responded within a day and offered to send me a brand new mount. I was happily shocked. My warranty has long expired and I didn't expect much help because of that and the fact that a brand new one is under $30. 6 days since they emailed me back, a brand new mount was at my doorstep. Kensington really knows how to make good products and have really happy customers. Needless to say, I highly recommend both the Kensington Windshield/Vent Car Mount for Smartphones and Kensington itself. I will be a loyal customer for the foreseeable future! And, if anyone at Kensington happens to see this, THANK YOU!

Broken :(

Brand new!

Kensington Windshield/Vent Car Mount for Smartphones & Kensington both pass The Trav Test with an A+.





• Category: Products, Accessories
 

• Location: Online and in many stores.
 

• Cost: $29.99
 

• Ease of use: Easy
 

• The Trav Test grade: A+

Beauty Charade

One thing you won't find reviewed on The Trav Test is make up since I don't wear any! If you happen to be interested in make up tips and tricks, check out Beauty Charade. My friend Kayla recently started the site to blog about her finds. While I can't say I know anything about make up, she definitely does. It's not just make up, though, as she always has something to say about things from nail polish to false eyelashes and everything in between. Maybe I can even talk Kayla into doing some posts here if she does any product reviews!

Beauty Charade is promoted by The Trav Test with an A+.

• Category: Products, Beauty

• Location: BeautyCharade.com

• Cost: Free!

• Ease of use: Easy

• The Trav Test grade: A+

Ari Herstand - Clean Up EP

I've never posted a music review to The Trav Test before, but this EP deserves to be mentioned. (Readers: You'll have to let me know if you want to see music reviews or if you'd prefer me to stick to products!)

First, some background information.  Ari is a singer/songwriter originally from the Midwest.  I was introduced to his music by a friend with great musical taste and met him for the first time around 2006.  After quitting his job at Starbucks in 2008 and realizing he could support himself by music alone, he ventured to Los Angeles to further pursue his career.  This EP is Ari's latest release since then.  As of this writing, it's currently #11 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart - and it just came out earlier today!  From the hook of the politically charged "Do Ask, Do Tell" to what could be the story of my life with "Vegas Is My Weakness", you can't pass it up!  Great music from a great guy at a great price!

When you're done loving every second of Clean Up EP and learning the words, you should check out Ari's Whatever It Takes Tour - he's almost definitely coming to a city near you soon!

Clean Up EP by Ari Herstand passes The Trav Test with an A+.

 • Category: Music, iTunes, Art

 • Location: iTunes

 • Cost: $3.96

 • Ease of use: N/A

 • The Trav Test grade: A+

Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator

While I have only had the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator for just under 1 week, I am already a huge fan!  As I noted in the review preview, I was rather nervous to use it.  Many of the reviews on Amazon.com and other similar sites said that there were issues with water leaking into the battery housing and to avoid the product until those issues were resolved.  I'm not sure if the manufacturer changed the product or not, but I have not had any problems.  Knowing how the product is assembled, I have to assume that the problems are caused by user error.

With the aforementioned problem not posing an issue for me, I am happy to report that the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator is a great product.  I have had sinus issues for years.  I had polyps removed and my sinus openings enlarged almost 10 years ago.  I've had intense sinus pressure and infections consistently over the last 2 years and was beginning to think that the polyps were back.  Since the polypectomy was the absolute worst pain I could imagine, I was not rushing to have it again.

In the last week, I have used the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator daily before bed.  My sinus pressure and most recent infection are gone.  I also cannot remember the last time I was able to breathe as well as I can today.  My ability to breathe freely is most likely a combination of the effects of the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator alone as well as the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator allowing my Nasonex nasal spray to work more effectively.  If these results continue, I think I will be using this product every day for the foreseeable future.  While the cost of the WaterPik Sinusense Soothing Saline Easy-Pour Packs adds up, at about 12¢ per day (120 for $15 on Amazon), it's certainly worth it.  It's even cheaper through Walgreens using the manufacturer coupon and Walgreens rewards.

Using the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator isn't the most comfortable thing, but it's definitely not painful either.  The sensation is similar to getting water up your nose while swimming.  I have found that using warmer water is more comfortable as colder water more closely resembles drowning.  It's difficult to describe - not unpleasant, but also not pleasant.  10 seconds (per nostril) of an awkward feeling is certainly worth the benefits, though!  If by some chance my results disappear or the battery housing begins to leak, I will post an update. As of today, however, I'd say this product is one of my new favorite things!

Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator passes The Trav Test with an A+.

 • Category: Products, Sinuses, Medical, Health

 • Location: Online or in stores nationwide

 • Cost: Varies.  $35.20 on Amazon.  $34.99 from Waterpik.  I got mine on sale for $29.99 at Walgreens plus I had a $10 coupon from Waterpik's website!  $19.99 cannot be beat!

 • Ease of use: Easy!

 • The Trav Test grade: A+

Jen Brookman Graphic Design

When I launched The Trav Test in February 2010, the purpose was simple.  I use a large variety of products and services and wanted to share my experiences with friends.  I threw together the website in a matter of minutes and took under an hour to design the logo.  Today, however, The Trav Test is more than a personal blog for friends.  I never could have expected the level of success and media coverage my simple site has received.  It recently became evident that I needed to step up my graphic representation online!  I created The Trav Test's Twitter account and began looking for a graphic designer to save the day!  I received a handful of replies, but Jen Brookman's reply stood out.  She sent me to her portfolio and I was blown away.  Ready to begin working together, I emailed Jen and got the ball rolling.

Jen was incredible.  It was clear that she wanted to deliver exactly what I wanted.  While I know Jen could have come up with hundreds of ideas for a completely new logo, I just wanted the one that I made to be re-freshed.  I needed something that was higher quality with a transparent background.  I also wanted to use my favorite rare font, if Jen had it, of course.  Not only did Jen have my font, but she also had the ability to deliver exactly what I was looking for and then some!  Originally, I was just going to stick with my burgundy red logo, but Jen sent a few colors including a burgundy gradient.  I really loved the gradient look so that instantly became the new main logo, but Jen also provided me with the logo in every color of the rainbow for special uses or if I change the color scheme!  Jen did all of this fabulous work in a matter of hours and we maintained seamless contact via email.

If you or your company ever needs any graphic design work completed, Jen Brookman Graphic Design has my highest recommendation.  She is professional, highly skilled, and fast!  Her prices are very competitive and she will work with you to make sure you get exactly what you're looking for.  From logos to ads, posters to invitations, and everything in between, Jen Brookman Graphic Design is your solution.  As for the work she did for me, the only other thing I can say is THANKS!  Stay tuned to see all of the logo varieties she did for me as they are used around the web!

Jen Brookman Graphic Design passes The Trav Test with an A+.

 • Category: Graphic Design, Services, Online
 • Location: Online
 • Cost: Varies
 • Ease of use: Beyond Easy!
 • The Trav Test grade: A+

Agloves

If you use a touchscreen device (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Droid, Evo, etc) and live someplace with winter, Agloves are for you.  They are a revolutionary new way to use winter gloves and a touchscreen device at the same time.  Other companies have made other products that tried to solve this problem.  They all failed.  Dots Gloves, for example, have some nickel or brass on the fingertips.  The problem with this is that if the gloves don't fit perfectly (actually, they need to be on the tight side), they don't do a damn thing.  They also don't work if you use the pad of your finger to scroll since the nickel or brass is only on the tips.

Agloves, however, work because they have silver nylon throughout.  Silver is the most electrically conductive element so your capacitive touchscreens LOVE silver.  Or, rather, they (g)love it.  You know, I'm typing this thinking I need to find something else to say because 2 relatively short paragraphs doesn't do Agloves justice, but they're simply so great there's nothing more to say.  If you have a touchscreen device, do yourself a favor and order Agloves.  You won't regret it.  Plus, for a limited time, you can enter "Free Shipping" in the coupon code and save the $3 shipping fee!  Actually, if I had to come up with 1 complaint to be my usual cynical self, I'd complain that I paid $3 for shipping when the shipping label clearly says they only paid a little over $1!  That's kind of annoying, but the gloves are still damn good!  Since the CEO, Jennifer Spencer, personally wrote "Thank you" and signed the packaging insert, I'll even give Agloves a few extra brownie points!

Agloves.  Conduct yourself.™

Agloves passes The Trav Test with an A+.

• Category: Winter Accessory

• Location: Agloves

• Cost: $17.99 + $3 shipping when the Free Shipping code expires

• Ease of use: Beyond Easy!

• The Trav Test grade: A+(++++++++++++++)