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Lefant T700 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner review

REVIEW – The Lefant Robotic Vacuum Cleaner (T700 1800Pa) lives up to its claim as a super quiet cleaning system, with good suction and sensors.

What is it?

The Lefant T700 is a robotic vacuum and mop system.

What’s in the box?

  • Vacuum
  • Charger with homing port and cleaning brush
  • 2 mop pads
  • Extra filter
  • 2 extra brushes
  • Removable dust bin
  • Removable mop pan
  • Interchangeable suction/roll-style vacuum
  • Quick-start and troubleshooting guide
  • Remote control

Hardware specs

  • Product Dimensions: 12.6 x 12.6 x 3.2 inches
  • Item Weight: 6.17 pounds
  • Shipping Weight: 11.02 pounds
  • Batteries: 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required (included)

Design and features

Setup

Setup was very easy. The dust bin or mop tray pop right into place. You just need to charge it completely before the first use.

Similarly, it was quick and easy to pop open the dustbin to empty it. Or to change it to the roller-style vacuum attachment, which we only used for vacuuming carpet, and the suction-style attachment, which we used for tile and hardwood vacuuming, as well as mopping.

Performance

I despise vacuuming, and mopping is a close second. Our house is a tri-level, with a sunken sunroom, making for a fourth level. For me, traditional vacuuming involves moving a heavy canister model up and down lots of steps.

Since I was in a car accident 10 years, I suffer from back pain that’s often triggered by lugging the vacuum around and the vacuuming motion itself. I’ve been in the market for one of these for ages but always hesitant because of our multi-level home. Then again, we have white carpet and tile (not my choice) with two boys and a black dog. It was time to get a handle on my gross floors!

With the Lefant, I just carry it from floor to floor. At only 6 pounds, that’s really not a problem. Moving it wasn’t the hassle I anticipated.

We let it run until it ran out of batteries, which took nearly 2 hours on vacuum mode! Impressive.

For actual cleaning, my opinion gradually changed on this. At first, I was disappointed. However, in all fairness, my baseline was pretty low. Boys. Dog. A hate for vacuuming. Plus, knowing this was in the mail, I was admittedly slacking on housework, not that my house was a beacon of tidiness to begin with. I think if I would have done a big baseline clean first, with an old-school vac and mop, I would have been happier with the initial performance.

It took a few sessions to get my floors where I wanted them. And, of course, in this household, it’s a constantly moving target.

Now I’ve now set up a rotating schedule, where the Lefant hits at least one level of my house each day (with one round to vacuum and one round to mop in the kitchen and bathrooms). And I gotta admit, after seven days my floors are cleaner than ever. In fact, by comparison, my counters and windows are somehow looking dirtier!

Our house has a lot of weird ledges, and we were all set to create barricades. However, the sensors thoroughly impressed us, and worked almost every time! Now I just set up barricades between the carpet and hardwood, so that I don’t accidentally get my carpet mopped.

Note: Cardboard boxes might not be your best bet for barricades. I watched the Lefant bust right through one! It was the one and only time the sensor didn’t seem to work. Hand weights and cases of Gatorade worked a whole lot better as borders.

It did get caught in a few little spots: the carpeted top of our steps, the track of the sliding glass door, and under the lazy susan in our kitchen. So I’ve started blocking those off, so she doesn’t get stuck in an endless loop and burn out her batteries under the lazy susan.

She’s also extremely quiet. (Notice the female pronouns? We named her “Rosie.”) One morning, my son was finishing some homework over breakfast. He asked me to “turn it off” and I thought he meant the vacuum. He laughed and said, “No! The TV.” It’s true, you can barely hear the vacuum. Really, how often can you watch TV or talk on the phone and not even notice a vacuum running? Well, with the Lefant you can!

Programs

There are three choices for programs: spiral from the middle, start at the edges and work your way in, or press the power button for a basic back-and-forth pattern.

We didn’t have much use for the spiral or edge patterns. In fact, in our small square sunroom, we tried the spiral pattern and it basically cleaned a spot in the middle of the room and then decided it was done. The edge pattern left too much dog hair and dirt to be effective. But simply pressing the start button and letting it do its own thing, just a simple back and forth, worked by far the best.

App

We downloaded the app, which says it’s compatible with IOS and Android 4.0 or above. My son is the phone person in our family, and with his Android 7.0, he had trouble getting it to work. Even after deleting and redownloading it a few times, he kept getting the message: Sorry the program is abnormal and will be withdrawn. We’ll post an update if we get the app working.

What I like

  • Extremely quiet
  • Great sensors
  • Long battery life

What needs to be improved

  • App doesn’t work
  • More effective program mapping

Final thoughts

The Lefant Robotic Vacuum Cleaner (T700 1800Pa) may take a few sessions to clean the messiest of floors, but it’s very quiet and easy to use, has a long battery life and accurate sensors.

Price: $299.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Lefant.

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Lefant T700 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 22, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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FoldiMate aims to takes the drudgery out of folding laundry

NEWS – Are you the type that whips through your laundry chores, only to have fresh, clean clothes sit unfolded until the next time you wear them?  FoldiMate can fold an entire load of laundry in just five minutes, all automatically.

FoldiMate is a smallish refrigerator-sized device that will fold most of your laundry items into perfect, closet-ready piles.

According to their website:

FoldiMate will fold any type of shirt, blouse, or pants from age 6 to adult size XXL. It will also fold standard size towels and pillowcases. FoldiMate works best with average-sized clothing and laundry items. It currently won’t fold very small items like baby clothes, socks or undergarments, very large items such as sheets, or very bulky items such as hoodies.

You feed the items in one at a time. The unit continuously accepts items while folding the previously accepted item, allowing for non-stop folding. This results in their claimed five-minute runtime for an entire load of laundry of about 25 items.

Once the folding is done, a lighted drawer opens automatically, presenting you with your folded stack.

They claim that it will be relatively quiet – about the same as an average clothes dryer.

I hate folding clothes and hang most of my shirts and pants.  If you’re more of a folder, this might be for you, but, it comes at a price.  Right now, their targeted launch price is $980, and that’s not guaranteed. FoldiMate is an in-process project looking to launch late in 2019 in the US and then internationally. FoldiMate released a previous version in 2017. This new model is claimed to be a result of all the feedback they received and a major upgrade in the folding experience.

Interested?  Check out their website at FoldiMate.com to get more details, and to get on the pre-order waitlist.

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FoldiMate aims to takes the drudgery out of folding laundry originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 4, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Artisan Revere Super Steel Chef’s Knife review

REVIEW – Sometimes I get to review products that just feel like magic right out of the box. The Artisan Revere Super Steel Chef’s Knife which is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter is one of those cases. These guys set out to make the perfect chef’s knife, and I think that they may have accomplished that. To the review!

What is it?

It’s a chef’s knife made in the USA.

What’s in the box?

My sample came with the knife and a leather sheath. Additional package options are available with the Kickstarter campaign.

Hardware specs

8.6″ blade, 13.6″ overall length
15 degree cutting angle with a 50/50 bevel
160 grams total weight
Elmax “Super Steel” Construction
Richlite composite handle with G10 liners

Design and features

I’ve recently been working on educating myself on the finer points of what makes a good chef’s knife. It’s a complicated subject full of terms like “steel composition” and “blade geometry.” Here’s what you need to know: the Artisan Revere Super Steel Chef’s Knife is an amazing piece of work.

My sample knife came with a custom leather sheath. It’s just gorgeous. Seriously. Just look at it. You just want to show it off.

The knife is handcrafted in the USA, with industrial-strength Elmax steel from Sweden. The goal was to produce a knife that’s thin and nimble like Asian chef’s knives, yet has the durability for heavy commercial use. Check out how the steel composition is proudly imprinted on the opposite face of the blade.

But there’s more than just good steel going on in the finished product. The folks at Artisan Revere paid close attention to the blade ergonomics and finishing to make sure it would be comfortable & durable for all day use. Check out the contoured handle.

That handle is made from a recycled wood & resin composite that’s made to take a beating. See that little design in the rivet? Details like that speak to craftsmanship in the final product.

The handle is sealed with G10 liners sandwiched between the steel and the handle to prevent moisture from getting into the crevasses. That’s a big deal if you’re making an investment in a good knife.

And check out the hand finishing in the bolster. There are no sharp edges and a bit of a scoop out for your finger. That means that it’s comfortable to use in a pinch grip, or a “pistol” grip as I show in the pictures below.

The spine has also been gently rounded with no harsh edges. While this may not seem like a big detail, it means a lot when you’re murdering large quantities of proteins or produce for an extended period of time. Little things like this show that these guys are thinking about both the home cook and the professional chef in the design.

When you put it to work, you’ll quickly appreciate how all of this comes together. It feels like a natural extension of your hand, with a super-thin blade that can tackle the most delicate tasks with incredible agility. Here I am breaking down apple slices that are nearly transparent. I could get them thinner with a bit of practice.

Turning to some denser root vegetables, I blasted through a carrot like it was wasn’t even there. The knife just feels amazing, gliding through the vegetable like paper.

For some finer work I attacked a pepper I was dicing for dinner. The thin, nimble blade makes short work of carefully removing the cheeks from the core.

And dicing? Please. I had this pepper broken down from start to finish in about 90 seconds. The balance is perfect, giving you a ton of confidence in handling both finer tasks and bigger slicing/chopping work.

The overall blade length is 8.6″, which is slightly longer than your typical chef’s knife. I prefer a longer knife personally for the leverage (my favorite is a 10″ model), but it can get clunky when it comes to little projects. I think the folks at Artisan Revere have hit the perfect combination here. In addition to vegetable prep, I used the knife to trim up about 10 pounds of chicken today for a large event. I never looked to grab another knife for any of the work from start to finish. And I did not want to. It just feels good to use, and had me looking for more stuff to cut up even after spending hours in the kitchen.

What I like

  • Excellent ergonomics.
  • Nimble, agile handling.
  • Excellent construction and attention to detail.
  • Durable enough that you don’t need to baby it.

What needs to be improved

  • Nothing to be found yet.

Final thoughts

The Artisan Revere Super Steel Chef’s Knife is not cheap. You’re looking at a minimum $259 investment if you act quickly on their Kickstarter campaign, which has met it’s initial goal and is filling up fast. But if you’re looking to upgrade your kitchen arsenal, I have no qualms about recommending this knife. From steel composition to finished design, these guys are making a product well worth your consideration without cutting any corners.

Artisan Revere has posted a ton of information on their Kickstarter page about their process from sourcing the materials to final design & construction. Take a wander over to the page for more information by following the link below. But don’t wait too long… the Kickstarter ends on April 18!

Price: Kickstarter packages start at $259.00. Lower buy-in options are available for a custom leather sheath and knife sharpener, while higher packages are available for multiple knives and accessories.
Where to buy: Go here to get in on the Kickstarter program!
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Artisan Revere.

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Artisan Revere Super Steel Chef’s Knife review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 1, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Edge of Belgravia Stingray frying pan review

REVIEW – The award-winning designers at Edge of Belgravia are at it again. But this time we’re not looking at knives… we’re looking at cookware! The Stingray nonstick pan is kicking off a new kickstarter campaign this week. I got a pre-launch sample to see if it’s more than just sharp looks. How did it perform in the kitchen? Let’s cook!

What is it

It’s a nonstick frying pan.

Hardware specs

  • 19.25″ long by 12.25″ wide by 2.5″ deep.
  • 2 pounds, 14 ounces.
  • Aircraft grade aluminum construction.
  • New ILAG nonstick surface.
  • FDA tested non-toxic and PFOA free.
  • Induction range compatible.
  • Oven safe to 480 degrees fahrenheit.

Design and features

I reviewed the Edge of Belgravia Gallatine knife set and Black Diamond knife block last year, and loved the combination of avant-garde design and performance. They’re still my day-to-day weapons of choice. The Stingray is the company’s first foray into other cooking products, carrying through their unique design language in a frying pan design.

The hexagonal design of the Stingray just looks incredible. The “Stingray” moniker comes from the unique shape coupled with the contoured handle, that vaguely resembles the sea beastie that we all know and love.

But there’s more than pretty looks behind the design of this pan. Heavy-duty aluminum is the primary material. It’s got the stability and thickness of cast iron, but weighs in at just under three pounds. A diffuser on the base promotes even heating and is compatible with induction cooktops.

The handle has a nice contoured grip that makes for comfortable maneuvering when put to task. Notice that the angle of the handle keeps your knuckles from brushing against the stove top, and the 9″ length gives you plenty of room to keep your digits safe from the heat.

A pair of bolts connect the handle to the pan, and there’s no wiggle to be found in the grip. The construction is rock-solid.

To put the pan to the test, I decided that stir-fry was the way to go. The thick walls of the pan do a great job of absorbing & retaining heat, which is essential for stir-fry. I started with browning some chicken. The hexagonal shape is perfect for that fancy flipping maneuver that makes your guests say “oooh!” I was also able to get a nice sear on the chicken. Check out the action shot below.

The pan is coated with a new nonstick formula that is reportedly provides better durability and will last longer than traditional nonstick coatings. After browning my chicken, I was able to get nice even searing on the veggies with just a touch of cooking oil for flavor.

With a 2.5″ pan depth, this pan is great for both frying and simmering tasks. I added all my ingredients back in the pan along with a sauce to simmer for a few minutes. There’s 1.5 pounds of chicken in there, a whole bunch of vegetables, and a cup of the sauce liquid. I’ve got a meal for 6 in one pan.

Once the cooking is complete, that hexagonal shape is ideal for pouring out your masterpiece. Check out how the corners help me control things when I am pouring out the contents of the pan. I have a LOT of stuff in there, and nothing is leaking out onto my counter.

The finished product, ready to serve:

I’m liking the way the pan retains a consistent heat without the heft of a cast iron skillet. Check out the close-up. We’ve got some nice searing going on.

We’ll have to see how the nonstick surface holds up to long-term use, but I am pretty impressed with what I am seeing so far. It looks pretty tough in my brief test under higher heat, and cleans up well, and leaves no marks or residue on the pan. Edge of Belgravia states that the pan can handle up to 480 degrees in the oven, a temperature that will destroy many nonstick surfaces. We’ll see how that lasts in extended testing.

There are a few things I did find in my testing that you should be aware of. That abrupt vertical angle on the sidewalls is great for simmering and pouring out liquids, but I haven’t tested it on dispensing large flat items (like omelets) yet. I think it should do the job well. The handle can also get warm at higher heats, closer to the contact point with the pan. It does stay cool at the far end of the handle. I think a matching lid for this piece would also be an excellent addition. I used a round lid to steam some broccoli for this dish, but the mismatching shape does cause liquids to condense and dribble down the sides. Maybe we will see that in the future.

What I like

  • Hefty, yet well balanced for handling
  • Great handle design
  • Durable, with an excellent nonstick surface
  • Hexagon shape aids with flipping and pouring

What needs to be improved

  • Handle can get warm neat the contact point with the pan at higher heats.
  • Would like to see a matching lid for steaming and simmering.

Final thoughts

I’m really liking this pan, and have used it several times already for routine cooking tasks. It does a great job of retaining heat and even heat distribution, even on my old glass cooktop. It’s very maneuverable compared to cast iron, and that lighter weight combined with a great handle design makes for confident cooking. The nonstick surface looks to be a winner, too.

The Edge of Belgravia Stingray Kickstarter fires up this week. The pan will be offered in 8″, 10″ and 12″ sizes with a starting pledge of about $60 for the 8″ model. You can choose from a variety of packages and combinations from there. The Kickstarter ends on April 30, with a planned delivery date of November 2019. Check out the link below to learn more!

Price: Starting pledge of about $60 US.
Where to buy: Go to the Edge of Belgravia Kickstarter page.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Edge of Belgravia.

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Edge of Belgravia Stingray frying pan review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 28, 2019 at 3:00 pm.

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MyHotMat Connect warming tray review

REVIEW – Often when we have dinner guests over, we get lost in conversation and when someone goes back for seconds on a dish, our food is unpleasantly cold. Or we have a party and the queso dip either turns into an inedible block of resolidified processed cheese or gets overheated or burnt in the crock pot from inattention. Given the opportunity to review the MyHotMat Connect warming tray, I hoped to find a solution to these problems.

What is it?

MyHotMat Connect is a dual plate modular warming tray, with the two plates connected by flexible silicon to allow it to be folded over for easy storage. It provides a “Warm” and “Hot” heating level.

Additionally, each unit has a power port and cord (above) that allows up to 5 total units to be connected together for a total of 10 warming plates.

What’s in the box?

  • Two Plate Heating Unit
  • Power Cord
  • Connection Cord (for connecting to additional units)
  • Instruction Manual

Controls

There is one control mechanism on this unit, a toggle switch with three settings: WARM (I), OFF (O) and HOT (II).

Design and features

As you can see, it folds over compactly for storage, while folded it has a footprint of 9.8” x 9” x 4.1” and when unfolded for use it is 19.2” x 9” x 1.57”. It is available in red and gray for the plastic molding, while the heating plates have a stainless steel finish. For use, the trays take approximately 20 minutes to warm up, so you’ll need to think ahead a bit.

Per the project specifications, the unit can be used for up to 72 hours, they do not recommend use beyond that time frame. I was interested to read that this product had been tested and approved to be used during the observance of Shabbat, as I have a Jewish neighbor who observes it and could use a product like this. The HOT setting can reach 302 degrees F while the WARM setting reaches 212 degrees F. Care will need to be taken to keep pets and children from burning themselves on these units. An LED light illuminates the setting once turned on.

The HOT setting is recommended for soups, sauces and casseroles while the WARM setting is recommended for roasted, broiled or sautéed dishes and dry, baked goods. Additionally, when multiple units are connected, each unit can be set to its own setting. Finally, any glass, ceramic, stainless steel and aluminum containers, pots or pans can be safely placed on the warming plate surfaces.

For purposes of testing out this product, I had some friends over for a board game night and made a couple of dishes to use on the warming tray. First was a queso (velveta cheese block and rotel tomatoes) and the second was a bean dip. While preparing the food, I set the tray to HOT and let them warm up. Once ready, I moved the pot of queso straight from the stove top to the warming tray. For the bean dip, I took an oven-safe serving bowl we had and simply dumped the bean dip into the bowl and placed it on the other warming tray. Throughout the evening, my 4 friends and I made multiple trips to the trays to refill our plates. The queso stayed hot, liquefied and showed no signs of burning or curdling that I’m accustomed to when using a crock pot to keep it warm. The bean dip did start to dry out a bit as it got low, but that’s expected. The great part of the bean dip part, was that the bowl never got too hot to handle yet the bean dip stayed edible the whole time. A simple stirring of each dish from time to time kept them fresh and warm. Queso is kind of the ultimate test for me personally, as it can be a bit finicky – either burning, resolidifying or curdling if not kept at the right temperature. This warming tray delivered as promised.

What I like

  • Very simple controls
  • Storage is easy with the folding silicone connection
  • Being able to add multiple units for bigger parties/events
  • The color and design are sharp, fits into a modern kitchen very well
  • Worked very well at keeping our food hot

What needs to be improved

  • 20 minute heating time can be a problem if you don’t remember to turn it on early.
  • Cord management: there are two removable cords and if you’re like me, you could end up losing one or another, maybe have a snap lock tie under one of the units to help store the cords when not in use.
  • Price may be a bit of a deterrent.

Final thoughts

I anticipate using this warming tray very often, and may have to add a couple more to our kitchen for holiday celebrations that will require multiple casseroles and other hot dishes. The tray is very easy to use, has very simple controls and meets the expectations of the design. It is aesthetically pleasing as well for those who consider that an important part of their food presentation. Once it cools, it’s easily folded up and put away. I really had to struggle to find a way to improve this product, all of which don’t detract from the utility of the product. Overall, I consider it a great product and a signification improvement over other warming trays, crock pots and heated containers I’ve used to try and keep meals and snacks warm.

Price: $79.99
Where to buy: You can pick up the MyHotMat Connection on Amazon or on the manufacturer website.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by MyHotMat. You can find out more about their product on their website.

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MyHotMat Connect warming tray review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 26, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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