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Audew 12V DC Digital Tire Inflator / Air Compressor review

Think about the trunk of your car. What have you got in there to help you out in case of an emergency? Spare tire? Sure. Jumper cables? Nice. Maybe you’ve even got a road flare or some water bottles. But what if that spare of yours is flat, too? You may be missing an often overlooked but equally important element of roadside preparedness – a portable air compressor. Audew is here to fill that void with their small-yet-mighty Digital Tire Inflator.

What is it?

The Audew Digital Tire Inflator is a small air compressor that is powered by the automobile’s 12V DC outlet (cigarette lighter). It’s ideal for cars, bikes, motorcycles, RVs, SUVs, ATVs and trucks… basically anything with a tire. Also, sports equipment and inflatables adaptors are included, further extending its usefulness.

Built-in LED light right on the case, which is really handy.

Hardware specs

  • Product power: 120W
  • Operating voltage: DC12V
  • Maximum operating current: 10A
  • Maximum pressure: 150 PSI
  • Flow: 35 PSI / min
  • Power cord length: 3M
  • Continuous working time: 8 min
Everything you need in a nice, compact package.

What’s in the box?

  • tire inflator with built-in 3-meter power cord
  • multiple nozzles for air mattresses and sports balls
  • instruction booklet
  • extra fuse
  • carrying bag

Design and Features

What I liked best about the Audew air compressor was the fact that it had everything necessary to complete a regular tire fill on board. No hunting for the adapter cable, tire pressure gauge, or the nozzle. It’s all right there. It even includes a backlit display and a bright LED light on the side of the case, which is super-handy for finding those tire stems in a dark parking lot or roadside.

Even the nozzle folds into the body.

The built-in DC cable is 3 meters long, which should be long enough to easily reach every tire on an average vehicle. I didn’t get a chance to test if it would be long enough to reach, say the back tire of an extended cab truck, but I imagine it would do the trick.

It comes with extra nozzles for filling up air mattresses or sports balls, which is a nice inclusion, but you’re going to have to be right next to your car in order to do so, which is a very minor problem.

Living in an area of the country that sees wide shifts in temperature from day to day, it’s not surprising how often my car gives me those “low pressure” alerts. And since free air dispensers seem to be getting increasingly hard to find – most are like $1.50 for a few minutes of runtime – it’s super handy to simply pop this thing out of my trunk and pump up those tires to a proper air pressure.

Setup

Since all of the required cables, hoses, and nozzles are built into the compressor unit, setup is a snap. Simply plug the adapter into the outlet and LED lights on the compressor come on. Anyone who’s ever used a bike pump would be familiar with the clamp-type nozzle… just push the nozzle over the stem, fold down the clamp and you’ve got yourself a secure connection.

I’m sure you’ve used one of these on your bike at some point. Same story.

The LED on the unit should display the current pressure. In the instance of my tire, it was at 27 PSI.

All that needs to be done from there is to use the + or – buttons on the compressor unit to set the target PSI, and then flip the switch. The compressor roars to life and fills the tire to the set pressure and shuts off. That’s literally all there is to it.

Backlit LCD display for easy reading in the dark.

If you don’t happen to have your tire’s optimum PSI, that information is usually printed on the inside of the car door, or in your car’s manual.

Performance

The compressor seemed to be comparable to one you would find at a gas station, in terms of how quickly it inflated my tire. I saw the pressure increase half a PSI unit every 8-10 seconds. Total time to get the tire inflated to the desired pressure was a little over a minute. It works just like you’d imagine.

What I like

  • all-in-one, compact format
  • easy to use
  • lit display and built-in LED flashlight

What needs to be improved

  • must be within 3 meters of the DC outlet

Final thoughts

Audew’s diminutive air compressor is the perfect size to keep in the trunk right next to your jumper cables and extra windshield wiper fluid for those “just-in-case” scenarios. It’s inexpensive, simple to use, feature-rich, and all the necessary parts are built right in. You really can’t go wrong.

Price: $36.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Audew.

This wireless parking sensor prevents bumps when parking your car

All our cars have rear-view cameras that help with parking, but sometimes you still need a bit more information than the camera can give you.  Two of our cars also have built-in proximity sensors that warn you when you’re getting too close to an obstacle with either the front or rear bumpers, but our daughter’s car doesn’t.  The Bump Avoiding Parking Sensor would be the perfect add-on to her car.

The sensor fits over your existing tag surround and pairs wirelessly via Bluetooth to your Android or Apple phone running a free app.  The phone app will alert the driver with visual, audible, and vibrating alarms when the car is getting too close to an obstacle.  The sensor has an 18″ to 10′ range, and it has an anti-theft alarm.  It is powered by two AA batteries (included).  You’ll also receive a car mount for your phone and all installation hardware.

The Bump Avoiding Parking Sensor is $149.95 at Hammacher Schlemmer.

Brush Hero detail cleaning brush review

When I was in high school, my dad asked me to detail his Bronco. It took me all day, but his truck looked better than the day he bought it. I remember having to really work at it to loosen up the grime, grease and brake dust. I still love the sense of satisfaction from really cleaning my cars, so the Brush Hero detail brush looked like it might make getting into the nooks and crannies easier.

What is it?

The Brush Hero uses water pressure from a typical garden hose to spin a cleaning head, making loosening dirt easier and more fun.  It’s intended for cars, patios and grills, gutters, garden tools, pools, pets and even people (with some caveats.)

Hardware Specs

  • Heavy-duty plastic construction
  • Approximately 13-1/2” long, with cleaning brush attached
  • 2-1/2” at its widest
  • 8.1 ounces

What’s in the box?

Brush Hero wand
Two removable brush heads, one firmer for “serious muck”, and one softer for “sensitive surfaces.”
User manual
Card inviting persons having trouble with the Brush Hero to call “customer service rock Star Julie.”

Design and features

Brush Hero comes in a transparent plastic box, adorned with their logo, a list of objects suggested to be cleaned and several usage photos including a happy dog being washed.

The user manual is fun to read. I got several chuckles and appreciated the humor, particularly the “Brush Hero is for external use only” comment (use your imagination here 😉 ).

The Brush hero feels tough. I started by attaching a brush head. It goes on with a hefty push and stays on quite securely. The handle is ergonomic, with a grooved surface that will help prevent dropping it when one’s hands are soapy. A thumb-operated off switch/pressure control allows the Brush hero to be turned off without having to return to the water valve. I gave the wand a number of twists and bends and determined it should hold up reasonably well under normal circumstances.

The middle of winter in upstate New York’s snow-belt isn’t a great time of year to give the Brush Hero a proper shakedown, but I gave it the old college try. Firing up a 50,000 BTU kerosene heater and performing a bit of plumbing to give me hot water in my garage, I made an attempt to give my 2008 Smart Car a much-needed bath.

The Brush Hero started spinning as soon as water was flowing. Out of the box, the brush head spins freely, but when in operation, there is a surprising amount of torque, even with my home’s moderate water pressure. Concentrating first on my rims, the Brush Hero cut through brake dust, road salt, and mud effortlessly, fitting into the tightest places, even behind the valve stems. The brush spins relatively slowly, but with ample force to dislodge stubborn dirt. Three nozzles at the base of the brush it clean and prevents the brush from trapping debris that might damage my precious vehicle’s paint. Water flow is well controlled so I didn’t get soaked in my 45-degree garage.

The brush head fits into places that would have been challenging.  I was able to clean the openings around the wiper arms, the air intakes and under the gas door without mucking about finding different brushes. Cleaning the door frames without spraying water all over the interior of my car was a bonus.

The pressure/shutoff switch worked flawlessly, completely cutting off the water flow. I noticed little difference in rotation speed, but this may be more pronounced with higher water pressure than my house can provide.

Here’s the before and after of my little chariot.

What I like

  • Well-constructed
  • Brushes clean well
  • Excellent torque
  • Doesn’t leak
  • The valve cuts water flow completely
  • The brush head fits into places fingers can’t
  • The user manual is a hoot!

What needs to be improved?

  • The manual says a hose quick connect is included, but it wasn’t in the box
  • Add an extra external shut-off valve and a few additional quick connect couplings allowing the Brush Hero to be removed and other tools to be installed without the need to turn the water off at the spigot.

Final thoughts

I was initially thinking this was going to be one of those “as seen on TV” type gimmicks. Pleasantly, I found it’s well-constructed works as described, and genuinely fun. I’m looking forward to warmer weather when the Brush Hero will definitely be used more often.

Price: $34.99
Where to buy: Brushhero.com or Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Brush Hero.

Brush Hero detail cleaning brush review

When I was in high school, my dad asked me to detail his Bronco. It took me all day, but his truck looked better than the day he bought it. I remember having to really work at it to loosen up the grime, grease and brake dust. I still love the sense of satisfaction from really cleaning my cars, so the Brush Hero detail brush looked like it might make getting into the nooks and crannies easier.

What is it?

The Brush Hero uses water pressure from a typical garden hose to spin a cleaning head, making loosening dirt easier and more fun.  It’s intended for cars, patios and grills, gutters, garden tools, pools, pets and even people (with some caveats.)

Hardware Specs

  • Heavy-duty plastic construction
  • Approximately 13-1/2” long, with cleaning brush attached
  • 2-1/2” at its widest
  • 8.1 ounces

What’s in the box?

Brush Hero wand
Two removable brush heads, one firmer for “serious muck”, and one softer for “sensitive surfaces.”
User manual
Card inviting persons having trouble with the Brush Hero to call “customer service rock Star Julie.”

Design and features

Brush Hero comes in a transparent plastic box, adorned with their logo, a list of objects suggested to be cleaned and several usage photos including a happy dog being washed.

The user manual is fun to read. I got several chuckles and appreciated the humor, particularly the “Brush Hero is for external use only” comment (use your imagination here 😉 ).

The Brush hero feels tough. I started by attaching a brush head. It goes on with a hefty push and stays on quite securely. The handle is ergonomic, with a grooved surface that will help prevent dropping it when one’s hands are soapy. A thumb-operated off switch/pressure control allows the Brush hero to be turned off without having to return to the water valve. I gave the wand a number of twists and bends and determined it should hold up reasonably well under normal circumstances.

The middle of winter in upstate New York’s snow-belt isn’t a great time of year to give the Brush Hero a proper shakedown, but I gave it the old college try. Firing up a 50,000 BTU kerosene heater and performing a bit of plumbing to give me hot water in my garage, I made an attempt to give my 2008 Smart Car a much-needed bath.

The Brush Hero started spinning as soon as water was flowing. Out of the box, the brush head spins freely, but when in operation, there is a surprising amount of torque, even with my home’s moderate water pressure. Concentrating first on my rims, the Brush Hero cut through brake dust, road salt, and mud effortlessly, fitting into the tightest places, even behind the valve stems. The brush spins relatively slowly, but with ample force to dislodge stubborn dirt. Three nozzles at the base of the brush it clean and prevents the brush from trapping debris that might damage my precious vehicle’s paint. Water flow is well controlled so I didn’t get soaked in my 45-degree garage.

The brush head fits into places that would have been challenging.  I was able to clean the openings around the wiper arms, the air intakes and under the gas door without mucking about finding different brushes. Cleaning the door frames without spraying water all over the interior of my car was a bonus.

The pressure/shutoff switch worked flawlessly, completely cutting off the water flow. I noticed little difference in rotation speed, but this may be more pronounced with higher water pressure than my house can provide.

Here’s the before and after of my little chariot.

What I like

  • Well-constructed
  • Brushes clean well
  • Excellent torque
  • Doesn’t leak
  • The valve cuts water flow completely
  • The brush head fits into places fingers can’t
  • The user manual is a hoot!

What needs to be improved?

  • The manual says a hose quick connect is included, but it wasn’t in the box
  • Add an extra external shut-off valve and a few additional quick connect couplings allowing the Brush Hero to be removed and other tools to be installed without the need to turn the water off at the spigot.

Final thoughts

I was initially thinking this was going to be one of those “as seen on TV” type gimmicks. Pleasantly, I found it’s well-constructed works as described, and genuinely fun. I’m looking forward to warmer weather when the Brush Hero will definitely be used more often.

Price: $34.99
Where to buy: Brushhero.com or Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Brush Hero.

Uten Model UCA001 auto DVR Review

I’ve never thought I needed a dash camera. I have a 20-minute commute each way, which is mostly limited access or multi-lane highways, and folks generally drive OK. But the team at Uten needed a reviewer, so I volunteered to test their Model UCA001.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

You can’t have surfed the internet very long and not have come across one of those dash-cam videos from Eastern Europe. You know the ones: cars and trucks of mostly Soviet designs that fall apart, swerve in front, flip over and catch fire while the driver tries to dodge. They are the reason I never thought I needed a dash camera. My commute is somewhat staid by comparison. But then I started to notice folks weaving into lanes, pulling in and stopping, slamming on brakes in front of me, and generally not driving well. There are a lot of distracted drivers out there these days. If I were to hit one of these crazies, how could I prove their actions in court? Or how could I explain to unbelieving friends?

What is it?

The camera is a 3.75” x 2.25” x .75” smooth black box with a lens and small speaker on one face, and a full-face screen on the opposite side. Across the top is an on/off switch, AUX input, a mounting hole for the included holder, a GPS input, and a mini USB power input. Across the bottom is a TFT slot (covered by a rubber gasket) and four menu controls: menu, left, right, OK. There’s nothing on the right side (with the lens facing you) and there are only a reset button and a mic hole on the left side.

Hardware specs

  •  1296P+30FPS HD RESOLUTION: Providing great sharp video quality and super great vision.The camera can be mounted on your car’s dashboard or windshield to record what happens in front of the vehicle. Whatever treasured memories you want to keep, our in-car camera will deliver a high-definition record of events that you can watch time and time again.
  • SUPPORT 128G LARGE SD CAPACITY: Super large capacity, storing all your videos and pics of your beautiful life right in this camera, enable you to capture videos of more enjoyable activities such as scenic road trip holidays and exciting track-day races!
  • MSTAR TECH SOLUTION: Great clear night vision, clearly captures the license plates cars as well as road signs during the day and night, making our roads a safer and better place for everybody.
  • 170°WIDE ANGLE+ F1.8 APERTURE LENS: Though most are F2.0 aperture in the market, our F1.8 is better than F2.0. The actual aperture much less, the vision is much brighter with better effect.
  • 1-YEAR MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE: We commits ourselves to creating high quality and great design products. Also being confident in our premium upgrade dash cam and offering a full 1-year guarantee. We will do the best for you!

What’s in the box?

The unit comes packaged in a well-designed black cardboard box with a black heavy paper sleeve. Inside, a lighter-weight black cardboard box contains the 12-volt plug with a 9+foot captured cable, which ends in a molded right-angle mini USB plug. The camera itself is wrapped in a Tyvek-type envelope, with clear stickers over the rear screen and front lens. It is held steady by a black foam insert, centered over a black cardboard riser, under which is the mounting stand. Top marks for recyclable packaging. I think the foam around the camera is the only not-clearly-recyclable piece. You get everything except a storage card. Camera, charger/cord, instruction sheet, and mounting stand: that’s it.

Design and features

The camera is dead simple. You don’t even have to turn it on – just apply power and it is ready. By default, incoming video is cut into 3-minute segments and is set to fill the memory card, then the camera starts erasing the oldest unlocked clips. You literally just point it out the front window and you’re done. I used it for a week or so lashed to the rearview mirror with extra charging cable. (9 feet gives you a good bit of play!)
Settings available are lane departure warning, GPS connectivity, and distance warning. You can also alter the length of video clips, aperture, and time/date setup. The menu screens are pretty bare-bones but offer the settings needed.

 

Performance

The camera is rock solid. It turns on with the power, records until the power is cut, and locks video clips where significant vibration occurred. (I have seen this several times driving a bit quickly through road construction sites.) There is a sensitivity setting for this.

Here’s a sample video using the default settings during the day:

Here’s a sample video using the default settings at night:

What I Like

Simple on/off activation.
Flexible – can be used as front or rear camera.
Automatically cuts video into segments.
Automatically locks segments around velocity events.

What needs to be improved

The Permanent mounting – This would be better as flexible so that you could mount in rentals while traveling, or reposition if you don’t like where you first mount it.
No battery means routing power cord – never pretty.
The captive power cable is also irritating. I have at least one other item charging all the time and only one power outlet. 🙂

Final thoughts

Dash cameras are a natural outgrowth of two modern trends – highly litigious societies, and technical progress. Ten years ago, a similar system would have cost many hundreds of dollars, and a lot of custom programming and installation. However, ten years ago, the road-rage and “I’ll sue you” factors were much lower. With the cheap ability to document things, you may forestall any legal action early on, enough to cover the investment in this little gem. For now, I’m keeping it installed and running, at least when I don’t need to charge anything in the car. Were I to change to a more driving-oriented occupation, I might look into getting a multi-outlet adapter, or finding a camera that doesn’t have a captive cable. Since it’s a standard mini USB connector, however, that may be the route I take anyway.

If you have a larger car/van/SUV that may benefit should you be rear-ended, using this mounted and aimed out the rear glass may help you in the event of an accident. Seeing the driver checking their email just before they hit you and their airbag deploys may be great party footage as well, after your car gets out of the shop.

Price: $49.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Uten.