As Seen on TV Tips
Read these 15 As Seen on TV Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about As Seen On TV tips and hundreds of other topics.
Pick Ups--Should You Gopher It?
As Seen On TV wisdom holds that peanut butter and jelly go together like short legs and the Gopher. Honest—As Seen In TV, it's a satisfaction-guaranteed saying! Okay, perhaps not. After all, there are such things as stepladders (especially when you buy another As Seen on TV item, the Total Trolley). However, they don't make stepladders to pick up your glasses when you drop them.
If you have bad knees or are disabled, you probably find it difficult to reach high or low. That's where the Deluxe Gopher may lend a helping hand. The three-pronged Gopher is reportedly an extension of your arm (like the attachments all your favorite superheroes had). You can grab items off the high shelves or off the floor. And, if you have back pain, the three-foot extra reach prevents bending and crouching.
* A little stretching is good for your back so don't get too lazy with this gadget.
Repair Your Windshield, Wipe Out Car Costs?
Crack! Road construction sent a pebble your way and the unintended missile cracked your windshield. If you live in LA, you're probably relieved the crack wasn't from an AK-47. Howeevr, you're still left with the problem of windshield repair. Do you pay through your car's nose to fix the fracture or do you do a MacGyver As Seen In TV move and use a little elbow grease (preferably not while riding on the top of your car during a chase scene)?
Television has a wholesale As Seen On TV answer for minor cracks that aren't in your driving line of sight. The Windshield Repair Kit is an injection-based squeegee-shaped system that squeezes UV liquid resin into the fissure—it's like a liquid bandage for your windshield.
* Even an As Seen On TV item has its own disclaimers. The product description states, "Not intended for use on heavy damage." Fixing a crack in your driving line of sight can cause a distortion that could interfere with safe driving. Also, if you can't cover the crack with a quarter, it's better to get your windshield replaced by an auto glass repair specialist.
Ladies, Talking Auto Pilot Is Better Than A Man Because...
AutoPilot Talking Road Navigator, unlike the man in your life, will actually let you stop and ask for directions. In fact, this As Seen On TV item will give you directions without a map (assuming you don't have OnStar or GPS). If you don't, AutoPilot may be an affordable alternative—and it's endorsed by the AAA!
Yes, your AutoPilot won't talk back to you. Yes, it won't insist on lecturing you about the Civil War history of every point in Pennsylvania or Georgia, or stop to use the rest room every ten minutes. Yes, it gives detailed point by point directions to hotels, restaurants and points of interest. Yes, it can entertain with its electronic knowledge. But as seen in TV sitcoms, a man will usually win over a machine (plus, MapQuest has been known to be wrong).
* The AutoPilot does have 800 telephone numbers of hotels, motels and inns, the best driving directions between major cities, plus computations of distance when you input a highway mile marker. It can't replace your guy, but at least when you're planning your trip on the road you won't feel ready to toss him out of the car.
The Hover Copter--More Fun Than Should Be Legal?
After improving your health, organizing your home, and saving money, it's time for fun. You're in the As Seen On TV trance and you see an ad for the Hover Copter. Your first reaction: "The kids will love it!"
What is the Hover Copter? It's a remote-controlled, light-up Frisbee that flies 30 feet in the air when you aim the raygun-shaped remote control. Wireless, baby! The Hover Copter comes with a portable charging station. If the kids were awake, they'd be clamoring for you to buy the Hover Copter and, to be honest, you're psyched about it yourself. However, don't take a ride on the flying saucer yet.
* Take the time to read reviews and examine this the way you examine all your kids' toy requests. Remember, this wholesale gadget is intended for ages 10 and up. Also, teach your kids safety. If you do buy the Hover Copter, watch out for hard outdoor surfaces since the plastic casing tends to crack on impact.
New Egg Wave--Does It Work?
Don't skip breakfast—according to new research it's one of the reasons Americans are overweight. But you think, “I don't have time for breakfast, even for the Incredible Edible Egg! Besides, eggs are so unhealthy”. According to eggsperts such as Suzanne Somers (a definite As Seen In TV classic), however, you can GET SKINNY ON FABULOUS FOOD. Apparently, if you put a bacon and egg breakfast side by side with a low-fat muffin, the eggs are actually healthier! Don't you have egg on your face now?
You still might think, “I don't have time!” But, as usual, As Seen On TV comes to the rescue with a wholesale As Seen On TV answer to the egg dilemma: the Egg Wave, a microwave egg cooker. Many people think eggs turn rubbery in the microwave. However, the Egg Wave can cook eggs for breakfast or for use in that eggscellent potato salad without a rubbery texture.
* Always obey microwave safety—although the plastic Egg Wave is microwave safe, be careful.
* According to TV reports, the Egg Wave may sometimes take longer than advertised, but a healthy breakfast is worth it. You'll save money and time as opposed to skipping breakfast or grabbing a fatty McMuffin.
Primetime TV Blues? Relive the Golden Age with Red Skelton
500 channels and nothing to watch for you or your children? Thanks to DVD and videotape, the old classics have returned—chief among them Johnny Carson, the king of class. Forget Paris Hilton car wash commercials, Def Comedy Jam, or reality shows. Forget the infamous As Seen In TV Girls Gone Wild (which got an As Seen On TV review black mark on RipOffReport.com).
If you're a parent wanting charm, charisma, and morals with your laughs, you have plenty of options. Who would have thought the cleanest part of TV would be the infomercials? You've seen the ones for the Johnny Carson collection. Johnny's fellow quick wit, Red Skelton (who died in the Palm Springs area with his first and only wife by his side), is also available on DVD. Did you know that Johnny wrote for "The Red Skelton Show," as did "Brady Bunch" writer Sherwood Schwart? You can't get more wholesome than that!
Unlike many comedians (Ray Romano and Jay Leno being exceptions), Johnny knew you didn't have to talk blue to make people red with laughter. That is a lot more than you can say for television today.
Onion Green Thumb: Make Your Own Blooming Onions
Love blooming onions but don't want to head down under to Outback Steakhouse or go to Chili's? An As Seen In TV solution has popped up: the Onion Gourmet Blossom Maker. This onion corer makes your sweet Vidalia look like a rose...or it would if roses came up deep-fried. If you love blooming onions, you know they're perfect for dipping and attractive appetizers. The Onion Gourmet Blossom Maker As Seen On TV item claims to be easy to clean and easy to use.
This is definitely not a diet dish so, if you're health-conscious, the Onion Gourmet Blossom Maker may not be for you. If you're health-conscious but love blooming onions, Frymaster advises frying onion blossoms in tube-type fryers as opposed to the frying pan on the Onion Gourmet Blossom Maker package.
The Onion Gourmet Blossom Maker, according to one As Seen On TV review, is made of plastic but gets the job done just like the Onion Machine. However, you do have to use a knife to get that perfectly sectioned look.
No Lollipops Unless You Brush In-Between Teeth
If you hate dental checkups and tooth scraping treatments, you're not alone. Is there anyone who actually enjoys dental checkups?! When you were a kid, you got stickers, a balloon, and a lollipop for being a good patient. You got that great big white smile As Seen In TV and you felt proud of yourself.
Now you're a grownup and coffee stains, bacteria, cigarette smoke, and red wine (not to mention the old enemy, sugar) have battered your teeth. Worst of all, you don't even get a lollipop—you get a lecture at the dentist, usually when you're a captive audience with your mouth stretched wide open. There are dozens of oral care products to help a healthier mouth and,even more products for tooth whitening. Hey, what's one more product As Seen On TV?
The Clean Between Machine, an As Seen On TV item, is a sonic solution similar to the Rota-dent or Oral-B electric toothbrushes. It gets into the crevices between teeth where even dental floss fears to tread. It even cleans dental implants. It flosses too! But what's the "tooth" about this As Seen On TV item?
* The hard tooth: Any product that gets you to take care of your teeth and save on dental bills is worth trying.
No Time For A Stitch in Time? Use the Buttoneer
The button just fell off your favorite trousers—before an elegant party. Or, you'd like to finish that quilt for Aunt Nora but you flunked home economics. class. As usual, As Seen On TV makes it "sew" simple: get yourself the Buttoneer As Seen On TV item. The wholesale As Seen On TV solution "seams" easier and cheaper than going to a tailor shop, consigning your favorite culottes to the rag bag, or buying a quilt.
While the Buttoneer advertises that there is "no sewing necessary," and doesn't need to be threaded, does it do what it's "cut out" to do according to As Seen On TV review? Is it easy for avid quilters and people who don't know one end of a needle from the other? Amazon.com reviewer and single guy Eric Bowers says that it takes time to learn the Buttoneer, but it was a blessing when he reattached his bachelor's buttons.
* The Buttoneer isn't just for buttons but take advantage of the 100-button refill packs, sold separately.
Now You're Cooking With Plastic...and Silicone
No, the headline isn't an advertisement for those As Seen In TV bust enhancers. We're talking about Smartware today, yes, folks, for only $19.95 wholesale As Seen On TV. Actually, it's a bit more than that—even discount TV products sites sell Smartware for only $5 off the regular As Seen On TV item price (according to an As Seen On TV review). However, Smartware may be worth the markup ($34.00 isn't too steep for a 16-piece set) since its silicone plastic is flexible, cooks evenly, and stores easily in crowded kitchens.
While EPinions/com reviews conflict, one reviewer comments, "Insomnia and credit cards don't mix.” The humorous reviewer also points out that you must have your cake batter evenly spread in the Smartware round pan and, if you don't put the loaf pan or oblong pan into the trivet, the pans can warp and bulge.
* Bear in mind that so much depends on microwave settings—make sure your temperature is adjusted correctly.
TV Tops: That's Where I Left The Remote
Can't find the remote, your glasses, your drink, or the TV control? They used to be on the top of the TV...until you got that flat screen TV. Now you can't even put your credit card on top of the TV when you're watching As Seen On TV infomercials. Sorry, you can't have your flat screen and your storage too! If you're considering getting extra storage space, like the TV Top Shelf, do your research first.
The commercials for the Top Shelf depict a standard monitor (13 inches and higher) with no image of a flat screen TV. If you want TV storage space with a plasma model, you're better off with a TV cabinet that has shelf space above your flat screen TV, or a TV stand designed for a plasma screen TV.
* If you're not daunted and want the As Seen On TV item for your flat screen TV, ask a hardware expert.
When Your Phone Is a Pressure Cooker
What insomniac hasn't turned on the tube at 1 a.m. and been greeted with an "Act Now" ad for the George Foreman Grill? Before you know it, you're dreaming of bragging to your friends, "Isn't it a steal? As seen in TV! You can get one too!"
Besides, you really need that MicroMaster Microwave Pressure Cooker, which cooks products easily without excess oils, don't you?
You can dial the As Seen On TV 1-800 number or log on to web sites such as TVProducts4Less.com to buy any As Seen On TV item from the GT Express 101 Pressure Cooker to the 6 second abs machine.
Don't be so quick to volunteer your Visa information just so you can get the perk that inevitably comes with the "limited time offer!" While most products, expensive or wholesale, are legit, many As Seen On TV offers are scams. Some "healthy cooking" appliances may not be healthy for your wallet. Here are some hints to avoid being scammed:
• Search RipOffReport.com and the Better Business Bureau Web site to see if the product is listed
• Phone operators for a legitimate offer won't ask for information covered under privacy laws
• Phone operators for a legitimate offer won't con you into buying more than you want
• Look for the padlock on the lower right hand of the browser (this indicates a trusted site)
Unprepared with No Fresh Batteries? Use the Everlife Flashlight ICOE
It's a scene As Seen In TV: You're prowling around in the dark. You hear a spooky noise. You turn on your emergency flashlight but… your batteries are dead. Unfortunately, this is a real-life dilemma. Luckily, however, you might find an answer in the Everlife Flashlight.
The Everlife Flashlight is a temporary emergency measure for your car or home that needs no batteries! If you shake it for thirty seconds, you get five minutes of light—long enough to call for help or check under the hood. The Everlife Flashlight supposedly has 1000 hours of life. This wholesale As Seen On TV safety item could save your life!
* You should not rely completely on this flashlight. Keep essential safety equipment on hand. Below is a list of items that you should have available in your home and/or in your car:
• An additional light source
• Cell phone
• Road flare First-aid kit
• Auto repair kit
• Earthquake survival kit
• Spare tire
• Bottled water
Unsightly Dent? Just Make it Go Pop!
Dent removal is for the pros, right? You need a mechanic to fix a dent, nick or ding in your car, right? Wrong. The Pops-A-Dent wholesale As Seen On TV gadget (available for $19.95) boasts of the power to help you fix these problems yourself.
Auto-body experts know how expensive dent removal can be—this is why auto pros developed Pops-A-Dent (which includes a glue gun and dent removal stems). But, does it work? Two Amazon.com reviewers rated Pops-A-Dent a rip-off that is not worth the dent in your wallet. Still want to give it a try? Keep these things in mind:
• You shouldn't need to repaint after you repair.
• Make sure the tool can adjust to the dent size. If the dent is too large, it won't work.
Stadium Hot Dogs--No Waiting in Line
Baseball, hot dogs, Applegate, and Chevrolet (so the old commercial jingle says).
Stadium hot dogs are always plump, juicy, and evenly cooked thanks to the hot dog vendors' cookers with constantly moving rollers. Yes, hot dogs are definitely a guilty pleasure but, unless you live at the stadium, you can't enjoy them whenever you please.
Baseball and hot dogs do go together but if you're not a baseball fan, or if you can't get to the ballpark, and you love stadium hot dogs, what do you do? You check out As Seen On TV ads to find the Hot Dog Express (which is a smaller version of the big roller hot dog ovens). It even keeps the buns warm and fluffy!
While the high price ($47.95 at discount sites) may not look like a wholesale As Seen On TV bargain, you'd probably pay that for hot dogs for the whole family at Dodger Stadium. Hold the mustard!
* For healthier hot dogs, try all-natural organic turkey, beef, or chicken franks.
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