Brian Damage
05-04-2009, 12:42 AM
They're "As Seen on TV" -- but they don't work so well at home.
From the super-absorbent ShamWow! to the personal eavesdropping device Loud 'N Clear, you've probably caught countless advertisements for products you can order by calling now (and paying a small shipping and handling fee). Usually promoted by a fast-talking man in a headset and endorsed by wide-eyed, gape-mouthed people who just can't believe it's true, these items promise perfectly chopped vegetables, a sparkling bathroom and homegrown tomatoes.
But do they really work? The Post bought five popular "As Seen on TV" products and put them through rigorous testing in our special laboratory -- that is, the broom closet in the back.
Here are the results, rated on a scale of the most famous infomercial titan, Billy Mays. The scale ranges from zero Billy Mays (refund better be guaranteed) to four Billy Mays (Don't delay! Call now!).
PedEgg
Price: $9.95
The pitch: Pedicure tool designed to remove calluses and dead skin while catching the shavings. "Stop wasting time and money at salons; stop being embarrassed by your feet."
We found: No agony of de-feet if you buy this product. While it prompts fears of bloodied toes, feet were smooth after just 10 pain-free minutes. The only glitch came when it was time to clean. It took some effort to take apart, and we'd rather not look at what went in the trash.
Rating: 4 Billy Mays
SteamBuddy
Price: $19.95
The pitch: Hirsute huckster Billy Mays hawks the handheld steamer as "the fastest, easiest and safest way to remove wrinkles from all your clothing, guaranteed. What if you could put the power of your dry cleaner right in the palm of your hand?"
We found: Six minutes with SteamBuddy smoothed creases in a cotton blouse but didn't leave it crisply pressed. Plus, the steam button gave us hand cramps. Only one shirt drained the water compartment, and the gadget had to cool before refilling, Easily took out hanger creases in a pair of wool pants (though it left them damp) and zapped light wrinkles in a cashmere sweater. Points for small size and portability, but full of hot air.
Rating: 2 Billy Mays
ShamWow!
Price: $19.95
The pitch: Pushy pitchman Vince Shlomi promises "You'll say Wow every time" you use this super absorbent towel, which he says holds 12 times its weight in liquid.
We found: It sopped up several cups of water, but the 2.5-ounce towel, which should have been able to soak up 30 ounces, left a puddle, stopping 8 ounces short of the mark. ShamWow! came through mopping up kitchen spills when wet or dry, but worked better dry. The smaller one dried the bathroom tiles after a shower. It does the job, but so do rags and paper towels.
Rating: 2.5 Billy Mays
Eggstractor
Price: $7.99
The pitch: Easy egg peeling that's "fun for the whole family."
We found: Buy this product and the yoke's on you! Despite following the eggs-acting instructions for boiling eggs, cooling them in an ice water bath and prepping them, the product has no a-peel. You're supposed to push down on a plastic accordion and the egg will magically pop through a hole in the base of the plastic gadget, shell-free. Throwing our full body weight into the accordion resulted in only smashed shells for three omelets worth of eggs -- although it did provide a bit of a workout. Goose eggs for the Eggstractor.
Rating: 0.5 Billy Mays
Loud 'N Clear
Price: $14.99
Pitch: You won't miss another word at "lectures, movies, shows, or even church" while using the Loud 'N Clear to turn "ordinary hearing into extraordinary hearing." Also great for spying on your neighbors!
We found: Yet another gadget that's a bit fuzzy. Our high hopes for listening in on our bosses were quickly dashed. The sound amplifier, which looks like a cellphone headset, turned up the volume on ordinary conversation but didn't let us eavesdrop on others across a room as the actors do on the infomercial. You couldn't aim it at a particular conversation and instead heard general buzzing and static from far away. Despite coming with three sizes of ear buds for a snug fit, none was quite right. It worked best while pressed to the ear with one hand. So much for undercover ops.
Rating: 1 Billy May
http://www.nypost.com/seven/05032009/news/nationalnews/wows__shams_167457.htm?page=0
From the super-absorbent ShamWow! to the personal eavesdropping device Loud 'N Clear, you've probably caught countless advertisements for products you can order by calling now (and paying a small shipping and handling fee). Usually promoted by a fast-talking man in a headset and endorsed by wide-eyed, gape-mouthed people who just can't believe it's true, these items promise perfectly chopped vegetables, a sparkling bathroom and homegrown tomatoes.
But do they really work? The Post bought five popular "As Seen on TV" products and put them through rigorous testing in our special laboratory -- that is, the broom closet in the back.
Here are the results, rated on a scale of the most famous infomercial titan, Billy Mays. The scale ranges from zero Billy Mays (refund better be guaranteed) to four Billy Mays (Don't delay! Call now!).
PedEgg
Price: $9.95
The pitch: Pedicure tool designed to remove calluses and dead skin while catching the shavings. "Stop wasting time and money at salons; stop being embarrassed by your feet."
We found: No agony of de-feet if you buy this product. While it prompts fears of bloodied toes, feet were smooth after just 10 pain-free minutes. The only glitch came when it was time to clean. It took some effort to take apart, and we'd rather not look at what went in the trash.
Rating: 4 Billy Mays
SteamBuddy
Price: $19.95
The pitch: Hirsute huckster Billy Mays hawks the handheld steamer as "the fastest, easiest and safest way to remove wrinkles from all your clothing, guaranteed. What if you could put the power of your dry cleaner right in the palm of your hand?"
We found: Six minutes with SteamBuddy smoothed creases in a cotton blouse but didn't leave it crisply pressed. Plus, the steam button gave us hand cramps. Only one shirt drained the water compartment, and the gadget had to cool before refilling, Easily took out hanger creases in a pair of wool pants (though it left them damp) and zapped light wrinkles in a cashmere sweater. Points for small size and portability, but full of hot air.
Rating: 2 Billy Mays
ShamWow!
Price: $19.95
The pitch: Pushy pitchman Vince Shlomi promises "You'll say Wow every time" you use this super absorbent towel, which he says holds 12 times its weight in liquid.
We found: It sopped up several cups of water, but the 2.5-ounce towel, which should have been able to soak up 30 ounces, left a puddle, stopping 8 ounces short of the mark. ShamWow! came through mopping up kitchen spills when wet or dry, but worked better dry. The smaller one dried the bathroom tiles after a shower. It does the job, but so do rags and paper towels.
Rating: 2.5 Billy Mays
Eggstractor
Price: $7.99
The pitch: Easy egg peeling that's "fun for the whole family."
We found: Buy this product and the yoke's on you! Despite following the eggs-acting instructions for boiling eggs, cooling them in an ice water bath and prepping them, the product has no a-peel. You're supposed to push down on a plastic accordion and the egg will magically pop through a hole in the base of the plastic gadget, shell-free. Throwing our full body weight into the accordion resulted in only smashed shells for three omelets worth of eggs -- although it did provide a bit of a workout. Goose eggs for the Eggstractor.
Rating: 0.5 Billy Mays
Loud 'N Clear
Price: $14.99
Pitch: You won't miss another word at "lectures, movies, shows, or even church" while using the Loud 'N Clear to turn "ordinary hearing into extraordinary hearing." Also great for spying on your neighbors!
We found: Yet another gadget that's a bit fuzzy. Our high hopes for listening in on our bosses were quickly dashed. The sound amplifier, which looks like a cellphone headset, turned up the volume on ordinary conversation but didn't let us eavesdrop on others across a room as the actors do on the infomercial. You couldn't aim it at a particular conversation and instead heard general buzzing and static from far away. Despite coming with three sizes of ear buds for a snug fit, none was quite right. It worked best while pressed to the ear with one hand. So much for undercover ops.
Rating: 1 Billy May
http://www.nypost.com/seven/05032009/news/nationalnews/wows__shams_167457.htm?page=0