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Soundcast VG5 weather resistant Bluetooth speaker review

REVIEW – Recently I reviewed the Bunktrunk footlocker for my daughter.  It came with a cute, little Bluetooth speaker about which I wrote, “It may not be loud enough to fill my house with sound, but it will be plenty loud in a dorm room.”  Looking back, I think this is how I thought about all Bluetooth speakers.  They are nice, and they are cute, but there’s nothing earth-shattering about their sound.  And then a box from Soundcast arrived, and my perspective has changed.

What is it?

The VG5 is a large, portable Bluetooth speaker intended for outdoor use.  It’s very little about quiet, introspective moments alone, but very much about thumping, rocking parties with your friends!

What’s in the box?

  • The speaker
  • A wall charger with 5 outlet adapters
  • Two battery packs, one smaller and one larger
  • 3.5 mm audio cable
  • An instruction manual with 3 pages of English instructions

Hardware specs

  • One 6″ long-throw woofer, two 3″ full-range drivers
  • 50-watt bi-amp amplifier
  • Rechargeable internal battery pack
  • Bluetooth 4.2 and Qualcomm® TrueWireless™ Stereo
  • Capacitive touch keypad

Design and features

When the box first arrived, I didn’t know what it was.  It was so huge!  It took me a second to realize that this was a Bluetooth speaker.  Pulling it out of the box did nothing to diminish its massive size.  The VG5 is 17 inches tall and weighs over 11 pounds; it even comes with a built-in handle for carrying, a feature that is very much needed.

Installation and setup

The first step in the setup process was to install a battery.  I unscrewed a panel on the base—this requires a medium-sized Philips screwdriver, which is not included—plugged in one of the battery packs, and then tucked in the wires.

The second step was to select the appropriate wall adapter and put in into the wall charger.  I used the typical North America adapter, but it’s pretty cool that the VG5 is ready for wherever you want to take it, whether nationally or internationally.

The third step was to plug it into the wall and just let it charge.  The manual recommends that you give it 5 hours, so I let it charge for the full duration.

One interesting item of note is this threaded hole in the bottom of the speaker.  I couldn’t find any explanation for it on the manual or Soundcast’s website.  It looks a lot like the mount point on the bottom of my DSLR camera, so I’m going to assume that this is for mounting the speaker onto a tripod.  If you plan to do this, make sure you get a hefty tripod.

The final setup step was to connect the VG5 to a music source.  Although it comes with an audio cable for a wired connection, I chose to use Bluetooth and pair it to my iPhone, which was easy to do.  I simply turned the speaker on, pressed the Bluetooth icon, enabled Bluetooth on my phone, and then selected “VG5 by SoundCast” from the menu.

Performance

The main question is certainly, “How does it sound?”  Unsurprisingly, it sounds loud!  The VG5 can put out a lot of volume.  When I first turned it on and played a rocking song, it shook the kitchen table!  When I took it outside, it shook the porch!  When I put it out in the garage, I could still hear the bass thumping from my living room.  Much of this can be attributed to its 6″ long-throw woofer that can really move some air.  When I put my hands in front of the 4 openings along the bottom, I can feel the air it’s pushing.

As this is an outdoor speaker, I took it outside every chance I got, washing the car, grilling steaks for dinner, woodworking in the garage, and enjoying homemade ice cream on the back porch.  I was never disappointed by the amount of sound.

The quality of the sound is, perhaps, a little bit of a different story.  Overall, the sound is very good.  The mids are solid, and the highs are clear; however, as one might expect for an outdoor, party speaker, Soundcast has cranked the bass on the VG5 way up.  This results in a sound that “thumps you good” but tends to be muddy and distorted.  I listened to a variety of music genres, and the distortion is most noticeable with techno/electronica, pop, rock, or anything with a pulsing beat and a heavy bass.  Just to make sure that I wasn’t imagining the excessive bass, I listened to the same music in my Mustang, cranked up to ear-splitting levels.  It sounded very different; the bass was present, but not overpowering.  There’s no doubt that the VG5 significantly alters the sound of your music.  Whether or not you consider this to be a good thing is largely dependent upon your personal tastes.  If you’re an audiophile or a musical purist, you probably won’t care for this speaker.  If, however, you just want to party, I think you will absolutely love this design choice.  Go ahead and drop the beat!  Personally, I wish that Soundcast had added an equalizer or a few presets for various music genres; this would make it more flexible by accommodating a variety of musical tastes.

The VG5 comes with a pair of rechargeable, lithium-ion battery packs.  At first glance, it’s not obvious why there are two packs.  The manual only mentions the smaller one, and the larger one comes with a slip of paper saying that it’s a bonus battery.  The Gadgeteer did confirm that everyone gets two batteries; it’s not a perk for reviewers.  The manual says that the play time varies depending upon the volume, so I ran a couple of tests to see how long the battery packs last.  On one-fourth volume, the smaller pack lasted 5.5 hours with continuous play over Bluetooth and the larger pack lasted 10 hours.  The Amazon website says it should last 10 hours, so my guess is that Soundcast added the larger pack because the smaller one wasn’t lasting long enough.  Whatever the reason, hey, it’s a free battery and a welcome addition!  If you’re going to spend all day at the beach, start with the larger battery and bring the smaller one (and a screwdriver) for a spare.

I’m really glad that Soundcast designed the VG5’s battery pack to be replaced; however, this feature is only helpful if you can procure another pack once you wear out the ones that come with it.  Unfortunately, Soundcast does not appear to sell spare packs for the VG5; there’s no mention of them on the Soundcast website (though they do sell them for the VG7) or on Amazon.  I sent a request to Soundcast via their contact page, asking where I could purchase a spare battery pack.  The replies that I got were prompt and courteous but didn’t actually answer my question.  Unless Soundcast clarifies, I can only assume that there’s no way to purchase a replacement battery pack; that’s a tough pill to swallow for a speaker that costs $400.  Hopefully, Soundcast will fix this soon by offering the larger size battery packs on their website.

Extra Features

Soundcast’s website notes that the VG5 has a “weather-resistant exterior.”  Looking on the bottom of the speaker, I found that it has an IP64 rating.  This means that it provides complete protection against dust and is protected from water that is splashed against it.  Feel free to take this speaker to the beach, onto your boat, or to the pool; just don’t throw it in!

The VG5 doesn’t really have any buttons in the traditional sense; instead, it has what Soundcast calls a “capacitive touch interface.”  This means that I simply have to touch the surface in order to activate a feature.  It’s a slick-looking interface and undoubtedly contributes to its IP64 rating.  It does take a bit of getting used to, as you have touch and hold the interface for a couple of seconds in order to activate each feature.

The VG5 supports NFC, so if your mobile device also supports it, you can just put it near the top of the speaker and it should instantly sync.  The good news is that NFC takes less power than Bluetooth; the bad news is that it has a very short range (about 4 inches), so you’ll need to leave your mobile device on top of the VG5.

If you want even more volume, you can buy a second VG5 and pair them together using Qualcomm’s TrueWireless Stereo (TWS) pairing.  This allows one VG5 to connect to a mobile source and to another VG5, effectively doubling the sound.  Additionally, you can configure them so that one VG5 acts as a left speaker and the other as a right, thus giving you true stereo sound.

The VG5 also has a couple of lock features that prevent “un-intended or accidental operation.”  I suppose if your party is getting a bit too crazy, or if you have mischievous friends (or little kids), this might help keep the music going without interruptions.

What I like

  • Booming sound
  • Easy Bluetooth connectivity

What needs to be improved

  • An equalizer or some presets
  • The option to purchase additional battery packs

Final thoughts

I like this speaker.  I really like it.  I listen to it all the time.  It has completely opened my eyes (or my ears?) to what is possible with a portable, Bluetooth speaker.  Summer is here; it’s the right time of year for pool parties, grilling burgers, and picnicking at the park.  Whatever your plans are, the Soundcast VG5 is a great choice for filling your event with loud, thumping music.

Price: $399.97
Where to buy: Amazon

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Soundcast.

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Soundcast VG5 weather resistant Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 9, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Enklov Air Fryer review

REVIEW – You’re not going to find a bigger fan of fried food than this writer. Growing up, I regularly attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which is famous for having booths of fried food including twinkies, snickers and oreos. Needless to say I’ve consumed my fair share of fried goods. I’ve been intrigued about air fryers for a while, as I get older and my cholesterol levels require me to cut back on the deep fried goodies. So I got the chance to review the Enklov 5.5 quart XL Air Fryer and let me tell you: this one might be a life saver!

What is it?

The Enklov air fryer is a cooking device that allows you to “fry” food by using heated air instead of submersion in grease.

What’s in the box?

  • Air Fryer with removable basket
  • Instruction Book
  • Recipe Book

Design and features

The Enklov air fryer has a sleek black matte design, with a pull out basket that further disassembles for cleaning. Touch controls on the front panel allow you to adjust the temperature, set a timer and turn it on and off. The actual operation is fairly simple, set the temp to allow it to preheat, then put the food in the basket and set the timer. Many of the recipes and food types require you to either shake the basket, turn the food over or adjust it within the basket half way through cooking to ensure it doesn’t stick to the basket and that it cooks evenly.

Setup

Setting up the air fryer couldn’t be easier, it’s ready to go out of the box – simply plug it in, set it and start cooking.

Performance

We have tried multiple recipes and cooked a variety of types of food in the fryer. Here is a before and after of your standard fare tater tots:

The tots went in frozen at 400 degrees and after a shake half way through they came out perfectly brown and crispy. In fact, we absolutely loved the way they came out. Unlike when baked, they were not mushy on the inside and they kept the crispness until eaten. Definitely our new favorite way to cook tater tots, fries, and sweet potato fries.

Next, we tried a recipe for apple pie egg rolls:

You may be able to tell, they didn’t quite come out as pretty as the picture in the recipe guide, however they were still very tasty and definitely a healthier option than a deep fried apple pie. In the few weeks we’ve had the fryer, we have tried the fries mentioned above, the pies, as well as fried apricot glazed chicken, fried tofu, fish sticks and surprisingly we used the fryer to reheat pizza. The pizza came out especially well and using the fryer will be the only way I reheat pizza ever again. The cheese is reheated to a perfect gooey texture while also keeping the crust with some crispness. I always hated putting pizza in the microwave to reheat and now I won’t do it again.

What I like

  • Great crispness and texture on cooking frozen food compared to other cooking methods
  • Easy to set timer and temp, cook food and prep
  • Faster to preheat than an oven or cooking oil
  • Less greasy and oily food – healthier cooking overall.

What needs to be improved

  • When the drawer is open after preheating or when adjusting the food, there is a VERY loud repetitive beeping – this could be toned down a bit.
  • In cleaning the basket the bottom grill is rather difficult to get clean during hand washing, this can be rather labor intensive depending on how messy the food is that was being cooked. For most basic frozen foods, it’s not bad but the apple pie egg rolls for instance took quite a bit of time to clean with all the gooey overrun.

Final thoughts

Overall, this unit has me wishing I had invested in an air fryer a long time ago! It’s a great cooker, easy to use and fast to cook our meals. It has a wide variety of uses, recipes and will be a highly used item in our kitchen. I think it’s a quality device at a great price. I love that it gives us a healthier option for cooking foods like french fries and tater tots as well. I definitely recommend the Enklov Air Fryer.

Price: $89.98
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Enklov.

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Enklov Air Fryer review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 9, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Nebra AnyBeam Pocket Cinema Projector review

REVIEW – Some may say that I am addicted to television and movies since I tend to watch one or the other any time I can. Sometimes when I am in that mood, I am not at a location where television is available. This is often the case when I am away from home. My answer to accommodate my need is to find the best pocket size projector that will produce the best display and also have flexible and minimal power supply requirements. I would also like it to offer as many types of media device input options as possible. The first candidate in my testing and review lineup is the Nebra AnyBeam Pocket Cinema Projector.

What is it?

The Nebra AnyBeam is a compact and lightweight, low power consumption, high definition laser pico projector.

What’s in the box


1 x Nebra Anybeam

Design and features

Specifications

  • Resolution: 720p/60FPS
  • Contrast: 80,000:1
  • Ratio: 16:09
  • Brightness: 30 ANSI (equivalent to 150 ANSI lumens in a standard DLP projector)
  • Screen size: 150″ (The projection distance is 3m depending on the environment)
  • Audio output: 3.5 Audio Jack
  • Speaker output: 1.0W (Maximum)
  • Input interface: HDMI (v1.4 HDMI female connector)
  • Rated voltage (V) / current: Rated input: DC 5V / 1.5A
  • Operating temperature: 5 ° C to 35 ° C (41 ° F to 95 ° F)
  • Size: 103mm x 50mm x 19mm
  • Weight: 133 grams
  • Mounting: Standard 1/4-20 UNC tripod mount
  • Navigation: Multi-way switch

Features

  • Pocket size
  • Watch on any surface
  • 150+ inch screen-size
  • No need to focus
  • Plug in any device with HDMI compatibility
  • Fanless
  • Bulbless Nebra

On the front of the projector, there is a small clear window that protects the projection laser.

On the back of the projector, from left to right there is the micro USB power port, the HDMI input port and the headphone/line out port.

On one side of the projector, there is a spring-loaded multi-way switch that provides access to the settings menu and settings functions. To the left of the switch, there is a slot that is not used at this time.

Performance

This projector is probably the easiest I have ever used. First, I connected a small tripod to the 1/4-20″ mount on the bottom of the projector.

On the back of the projector, I connected a micro USB cable that I used to provide power via a USB power bank, and I connected a Roku streaming stick to the HDMI port.

Once I connected the power to the projector it immediately turned on and the Roku menu was displayed. For this testing, I projected on the ceiling. I also tried various other surfaces to see the effect, and the picture was always the same regardless of the surface. Here are some shots of the picture that was displayed on the ceiling: (I took the pictures lying on my back and from an angle, but from directly underneath are the correct format and dimensions).








The projector is completely quiet, does not get even barely warm and using my 10000mAh USB Power Bank, it seems like it could run for days.

What I like

  • The compact size
  • The laser for projection that produces a great picture and is always in focus
  • The really nice picture
  • The ability for it to be powered by a USB power bank

What can be improved

  • Add a built-in SD card and/or USB port for media playback
  • Include a User Guide
  • Include a Micro USB cable and power supply
  • 1080P HD Resolution

Final thoughts

In my opinion, the Nebra Anybeam Laser Projector is a really convenient and great performing pocket projector. When I consider that my main projector at home is probably 30 or more times the size of this projector, I am impressed by the picture it produces and the cost to capability ratio. While I know that it is only 720P and that it is limited to the HDMI input, those factors are outweighed by the portability, always-in-focus great quality picture laser projection, and the low power consumption. Regardless of the additional bells and whistles that I would like to see added to this device, in my opinion, and for my needs, it has earned two thumbs up!!

Price: $289.98 (This item is a preorder. Estimated delivery date: August 2019)
Where to buy: Pi Supply website
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by Pi Supply

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Nebra AnyBeam Pocket Cinema Projector review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 8, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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Sena Wallet Skin Leather Case for iPhone XS Max review

REVIEW – So you’re trying to ditch your wallet, but you need a bit more room for cash and cards than one of those single-slot phone cases. The Sena Wallet Skin Leather Case may be the answer you’re looking for. It features a design that still maintains that minimalist profile, and it looks great too. How does it stand up to our testing? To the review!

What is it?

It’s a combination wallet/iPhone case. The one I am testing is a bundle package for the iPhone XS Max, but many styles and device types are available.

What’s in the box?

I’ve got the bundle, so my test package includes both the case as well as a screen protector (you can get just the case). The screen protector includes all the stuff you need to apply the screen (a cleaning swab, applicator, and a bit of adhesive film to remove dust that might collect during application).

Specs

  • 3.25″ by 6.25″ by 0.75″ deep (closed)
  • 3 ounces total weight (without phone)

Design and features

The Sena Wallet Skin is a combination iPhone case and wallet design. What’s interesting about this particular design is the form factor. The front of the phone is fully exposed, while the back panel flips down to get access to all of your cash and cards.

Your phone is nestled in a form-fitted case that includes a plastic bumper to protect it from drops and bumps. The back is also protected by a felt lining to avoid scratches:

Simply pop your phone in the case, and you’re good to go. While the edges are protected, the entire front face is open so that you have uninterrupted access to all the features. If you buy the bundle you’ll get a tempered glass screen protector to fully armor your phone.

Sena doesn’t mention anything about the leather sourcing, which looks to be a thin cover backed by vinyl or plastic throughout the build. While it may be thin, it’s pretty well crafted. I’m not seeing any scratches that pull through an underlying color, and the leather itself has a deep, rich texture. I’ve been using mine for about 4 weeks, and haven’t noticed any signs of wear on any of the corners either.

The build quality is excellent. The phone fits perfectly with open access to ports and speakers, while the flap is connected by an extra reinforced bit of leather for additional durability. Check out the close up below:

Same goes for the camera port. The case is precisely cut for a tight fit that doesn’t interfere with the camera when you want to take a picture.

Buttons are molded into the plastic bumpers, with the typical open slot for the silencer switch. Controls work great right out of the box, and don’t require any break-in period to get to smooth function:

You’ll find one card slot on the back panel, perfect for a work ID if you need to badge-in to your place of business. A magnetic snap closure keeps the flap in place. Open it up, and you’ll find room for 5-6 additional cards and your cash. The flap side has a card slot with a clear window and a cutout so that you can easily slide your cards in and out. There’s a second card slot behind it.

The side on the back of the phone includes three additional card slots and a little tab that can be used to stuff a few bills if you need them:

When folded, the total depth of the case is about 3/4″, but that will compress down a bit when you have it in your packet. Here’s a side shot for reference:

Performance

If you’re a minimalist but you need *just* a bit more capacity from a phone wallet, the  Sena Wallet Skin Leather Case might be right for you. I think it comes down to how much stuff you need to carry, and how much you use your phone.

The Sena Wallet Skin design works really well in day-to-day use. It’s not much bigger than a standard wallet, so you can carry this in your front pocket. After a month of use it looks just as good as the day I got it, so construction looks to be on point. I also really like that the design doesn’t interfere with any of the phone functionality.

Another plus here is that the card slots are very tight, so your cards won’t pop out when you use your phone. On the flip side, you’ll want to keep those frequently used cards in the clear panel slot with the cutout so that you can slide the cards out with your finger. Otherwise, you’ll be engaged in a wrestling match to get to the rest, which can be a little irritating when you’re in line at the convenience store. You’ll be able to get a couple of bills in the cash flap, but a wad of bills will interfere with the closure mechanism. The bottom line is that you’ll want to think about how much you carry on a regular basis to see if this configuration works for you.

If you’re the type who is on your phone all the time, this may not be your jam. Because I am so used to carrying my phone separately, I have a tendency to leave it on my desk when I run off to a meeting… which isn’t good when leaving cash & credit cards (and ID) out there. If you’re traveling (or going to the gym) you may have similar concerns about exposing your essential stuff in public places each time you use your phone. You’ll want to think about how and where you go on a regular basis before choosing this case.

What I like

  • Sleek, good looking design
  • Well built with nice finishing
  • Very usable form factor that does not interfere with phone use
  • Cards are tight, and won’t fall out when using the phone

What needs to be improved

  • Tough to get cards out of those tight slots when you need them
  • Limited capacity may not work for some users

Final thoughts

The Sena Wallet Skin Leather Case is a well-designed and good looking alternative phone case for those who want to go without a wallet. But it does have capacity limits, so it’s something you’ll want to keep in mind with respect to your daily use. If you can run with 6-7 cards and a couple of bills on a regular basis, I think you’ll be happy with this case.

Price: $79.95 for the bundle, $69.95 for just the case.
Where to buy: Sena
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Sena.

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Sena Wallet Skin Leather Case for iPhone XS Max review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 8, 2019 at 8:35 am.

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Huel meal replacement shakes review

REVIEW – When it comes to food, I am lazy. By that, I mean that I’ll grab whatever is handy to eat for breakfast or lunch. What I end up eating is quick but not necessarily the most healthy for me. My latest bad habit is eating protein bars which are pretty much just glorified candy bars with some added protein. When I’m at work during the day, it’s easy to grab one from a drawer in my desk instead of walking down to the cafeteria for something that may or may not be healthier and definitely more expensive than a protein bar. Is there an easier and healthier alternative to grabbing a quick meal without a lot of food prep and cash? We’re going to find out because today I’m going to talk to you about Huel meal replacement shakes.

What is it?

Huel is a selection of pre-made meal replacement drinks and powders that provide 400 calories and nutrition per meal.

Huel bottled shakes that are ready to drink

The kind folks at Huel sent me a box of their vanilla and berry flavored pre-made shakes along with their vanilla, chocolate, and unflavored power.

The shakes are packaged in white plastic bottles that each hold 16.9 ounces. All you have to do is chill in the fridge, shake, and drink.

You can click the picture above to zoom in on the ingredients. Unlike the typical 200 calorie/10g protein bars that I eat, the Huel shakes are double the calories, double the protein and offer a balanced macro split of 35:42:20:3 (carbohydrate, fat, protein, fiber) and contain all 27 essential vitamins and minerals.

Both the ready to drink shakes and powder are vegan. All the versions of the shakes and powder use plants for protein, fat, and carbs (peas, rice, flaxseed, coconut, sunflower, and oats). You can also opt to buy a version of the powder which is gluten-free.

How do the Huel pre-made shakes taste?

I tried the vanilla shake first after having left it in the refrigerator overnight. I took it to work with me the next day and had it for breakfast. From my first sip, I couldn’t quite place the flavor of the slightly sweet, medium thick, smooth, not gritty, drink.

I kept trying to figure out what the taste reminded me of and I finally figured it out… It reminds me of a cake that Jeanne makes. It’s called a Watergate cake and is made of a white cake mix with pistachio pudding added to it. Huel tastes just like that cake batter. I love that cake, so by default, I really enjoyed the vanilla shakes.

The berry flavor of the pre-made shake tastes like the vanilla with a slight berry after taste. Not bad, but I prefer the vanilla to the berry.

Huel powders that you have to mix yourself

The next day, I decided to try the Huel powder which is packaged in a ziptop pouch that contains 17 servings per bag and is available in chocolate, vanilla, berry, unsweetened/unflavored, and gluten-free versions of the same flavors. I tried the chocolate version first.

Just like the pre-packaged bottles of Huel, the powder provides a 400 calorie meal. The powder provides a balanced macro split of 37:30:30:3 (carbohydrate, protein, fat, fiber) and all 27 essential vitamins and minerals. If you compare to the bottled shakes, the macro split is different because it has more carbs and more protein per serving.

To fix a shake, you’ll need a shaker bottle, two scoops of the powder, and about 17 ounces of cold water. The first time you buy a bag of the Huel powder, you’ll get a scoop, one of their shaker bottles, and a T-shirt.

I think the Huel shaker bottles actually mix the powder much better/easier than the shaker bottles I’ve used in the past that have a wire ball.

How do the Huel powder shakes taste?

I tried the chocolate version first and found it to be a bit gritty compared to the pre-made shakes. If you’ve had shakes made with pea protein powder, you’ll know what I mean about the texture. The powder also left me with a slight coconut after taste in the back of my mouth after drinking it.

The next day I tried the vanilla version of the powder which I assumed would taste just like their pre-made vanilla shakes. It wasn’t the same. The flavor was close, but I could taste a difference between the two types. When it comes down to it, I prefer the vanilla bottled version of Huel.

Huel also offers packets of what they call Flavor Boosts which you can add to the powered shakes to change up the flavor.

I tried the strawberry flavor with the vanilla powder and it wasn’t bad, but I still preferred the vanilla shakes. I also was a little put off by the warning on the flavor boost packet that warned that contact with skin and eyes might cause an allergic reaction. Hmm, that doesn’t inspire confidence for drinking it doesn’t it?

After drinking the pre-made shakes and shakes made with the powder for breakfasts, and lunches, I can say that they did keep me full and satisfied for 4 hours or longer between meals. It was so nice not having to think about what I was going to eat or be tempted to eat something obviously unhealthy when I had a better alternative at hand.

Love it, but…

But the big disappointment for me is that Huel uses Sucralose to sweeten their pre-made shakes and their powder instead of something more natural. I’m sensitive to synthetic sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose. It builds up in my system over time if I consume too much of it and causes me to have joint pain in my hands. When I asked James Colliar, the head of nutrition at Huel, about their choice of sweetener, he sent me this info:

Some people don’t like the inclusion of sucralose in Huel, as it is an artificial sweetener. We use sucralose for a number of reasons. The first is that it doesn’t add any calories or carbohydrates, meaning the nutritional value of Huel is protected. Sucralose is also a much healthier option than many other sweeteners. Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar and doesn’t accumulate in your body. Huel only has to have a tiny amount of sucralose in it to make it much more palatable to many and it doesn’t interact with your body at all.
Furthermore, over 100 safety studies have been carried out on sucralose over 20 years, with a wide range of experts finding it has no ill effects on health, even when consumed at much higher levels than Huel uses. As such, sucralose is currently approved and deemed safe by:
  • European Union Scientific Committee on Food (SCF)
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • Food Standards Australia/New Zealand (FSANZ)
  • Health Protection Branch of Health and Welfare Canada
  • (Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization) Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
  • Japan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare
  • Sucralose is also suitable for people with diabetes, as it does not affect glucose or insulin levels. More still, it doesn’t increase bacteria levels in the mouth, so doesn’t cause tooth decay/cavities like sugar does.
The reason Stevia is not used in Huel is because it is not as sweet, so requires more of it to increase the overall sweetness of Huel. It can also leave a very bitter aftertaste in larger amounts.

Don’t like sucralose? Huel offers an alternative…

Luckily, you can buy an unflavored and unsweetened version of the Huel powder. I asked them to send me some to try and added some cocoa powder and several packets of stevia. Like the other versions of the powder, the unsweetened and unflavored version has a slight grit to the texture. I like the unflavored version because it’s easy to turn the shake/meal into whatever flavor you want by adding different ingredients like fruit, cocoa, peanut butter powder, etc.

I should also mention that there may be some side effects to drinking Huel that you might want to consider. First of all, you don’t want to drink start out drinking it for every meal because you’ll probably suffer from some gastric “issues” that will make you unpopular with the people around you if you know what I mean. I noticed this the first couple of days that I was trying the shakes because I also drink protein shakes each day when I work out. Combining a Huel meal and a workout shake later in the day caused me a few emissions issues. 😉

What I like

  • Pre-made vanilla shakes are yummy
  • Provides the nutrition of a full meal without having to cook
  • Less expensive than buying junk food or fast food
  • Save 10% per purchase if you subscribe

What needs to be improved

  • Consider a natural alternative to Sucralose as a sweetener

Final thoughts

Bottom line, I really like Huel. Huel has spoiled me. I look forward to taking a couple of bottles of the pre-made shakes to work with me so I don’t have to think about what to have for breakfast or lunch each day. I don’t replace every day, but I do use Huel for meals once a day a few times a week.

I’m not thrilled that the flavored versions of Huel have fake sweetener in them, but I like the shakes so much that I’ve been drinking them anyway. But once I go through the samples that were sent to me to review, I plan to buy the unsweetened/unflavored version of the powder and use it to make my own shakes. With the powder, you can customize the amount you use if you don’t really want to drink a 400 calorie meal.

If you’re in a hurry and want an easier way to grab a meal that is better for you and less expensive than most fast food, Huel is an alternative to consider.

Price: 24 bottles/$99, 2 bags of powder/$66, If you subscribe, you get a 10% discount with no commitment or extra fees
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Huel.

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Huel meal replacement shakes review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 7, 2019 at 11:19 am.

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