Product review: Utility Knife 6" by Zelite Infinity.

Zelite utility knife is midway in size between a Chef's knife and a Paring knife. in the past, I have not used utility knife as often as my chef knife or my pairing knife. But this knife is so sharp and maneuverable that I am using it quite a lot. My most common use for it is for cutting cheese and meats for making sandwiches. It also works well on cutting tomatoes for those sandwiches. I use it when a paring knife feels too short, and chef's an overkill.



Zelite utility knife is very sharp, and its handle fits my hand very well. The knife feels sturdy but it is not heavy. The knife weighs 5.2 oz.



It has a beautiful pattern on the blade. This is because the knife's blade is made out of laminated stainless steel. The higher quality of Japanese knives use laminated steel which has this beautiful pattern. The use of laminated steel improves the strength and rust resistance of the blade (and it looks beautiful).



A note on packaging. I don't often comment on packaging unless there is something special about it. This knive comes in a very attractive packaging, the box packing is sculpted to the knives shape and is made out of red velvety material. The presentation of the knife is suited for a gift.



This knife was provided to me for testing and review by Zelite as part of the new product introduction. It is a nice quality knife and good to work with. Using automobile analogy if the chef's knife is the car's engine, the utility knife is the sun roof. It is not strictly necessary, but often nice to have.



You can locate this Utility Knife on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review

Product review: UEB US Plug Socket with Energy meter Watt Voltage Current Meter

UEB socket is a nice tool for anyone who is energy conscious. For example, I have two things that keep my feet warm in the winter equally well - a set of electric booties and an electric carpet mat. I have been wondering which one is more efficient from the energy consumption point of view. Now I know!



Electric booties draw 41.5 W

Electric carpet is 49.5 W



UEB socket has a large easy to read display. Documentation is not the best, some portions of it is hard to understand due to translation, but the socket itself is not that complicated to figure out. UEB meter has several different modes. One of the modes allows you to see the actual costs of electricity of an appliance plugged directly into UEB (you need to enter the cost of electricity in you area using "set" mode) another shows electricity consumption graph for the last 7 days.



The unit runs on two button batteries either LR-44 or AG13. One set of batteries is included in the package. It comes with an insulator which can be just pulled out. You don't need to open the battery compartment. If you do closing the compartment is little finicky because you need to make sure that contacts in the cover are inserted into the slots in the body of the unit.



I am an energy conscious person, I find the ability to compare different appliances (like lamps and monitors and my feet heating options) more useful than the ability to track the cost of one specific appliance. I can see it being useful for tax purposes if someone had a home-based business and wanted to deduct the cost of electricity for the appliance they were using in the business.



This product was received at no cost to inspect and provide an honest review. No compensation besides the product was provided and the company was made aware that my review may be positive or negative depending on my experience with the product.



You can find this Socket energy meter on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review

Product review: Boning Knife 6 inch by Zelite Infinity

This boning knife is longer and thinner knife than the chef's knife and a pairing knife. I do not think of it as essential to have in the kitchen, but if is very handy for fine work. If you do a lot of boning it will be easier to use than a chef's knife because it is easier to follow curves. I also like it for work that requires finesse such as coring an apple because this knife is so maneuverable.



It is very sharp, and its handle fits my hand very well. The knife feels sturdy but it is not heavy. Its weight is 5.1 oz.



This knife has a beautiful pattern on the blade. This is because the knife's blade is made out of laminated stainless steel. The higher quality of Japanese knives use laminated steel which has this beautiful pattern. The use of laminated steel improves the strength and rust resistance of the blade (and it looks beautiful).



A note on packaging. I don't often comment on packaging unless there is something special about it. This knife comes in a very attractive packaging, the box packing is sculpted to the knives shape and is made out of red velvety material. The presentation of the knife is suited for a gift.



This knife was provided to me for testing and review by Zelite as part of the new product introduction. If you are skeptical of my review because of this, please take a moment to look at my other reviews and see that I leave many critical review (1 star, 2 star, 3 star) when the product deserves it. Getting a free product does not guarantee a glowing review and I always state this before accepting a product for review. It is a nice quality knife and good to work with. If the chef's knife is the car's engine, the boning knife is the car's stereo system. You can get to your destination without it, but it makes it more fun getting there.



You can find this "Boning Knife" on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review

Product review: DALSTRONG Santoku Knife 7"

This is an excellent knife. It is a general purpose knife for dicing, slicing and mincing. Santoku translates from Japanese to mean "well-balanced" and is designed with the weights of the blade and the handle to be equally balanced. This balance in combination with an ergonomic shape of the handle makes cutting and dicing with it quick and easy. It is very sharp, everything I cut feels as easy as cutting soft butter.



The knife comes with a protective sheath. Protective sheath is unlocked by pulling out a small black pin as I show in the video.



This knife has a limited "rocking" travel in comparison to a Western-style chef's knife. When the blade rests on the cutting plane there is very little clearance above the cutting plane from heel to the tip. The Santoku design is shorter, lighter, thinner, and more hardened (to compensate for thinness) than a traditional Western chef's knife.



The "scalloped" sides that give this knife its unique look create small air pockets between the blade and the material being sliced and reduce cutting friction. The higher quality of Japanese knives use laminated steel which has a beautiful pattern. This knife has this laminated finish. Not only does it make the blade look beautiful but it also improves the strength and rust resistance of the blade.



It can be washed in a dishwasher, but I prefer to wash it by hand so it will last longer and there's no risk of them cutting the plastic coating on the appliance racks.



The packaging of the knife is very nice. The box looks attractive and also includes a very nice manual, a cleaning cloth, and a key chain with Dalstrong logo. The manual covers information from maintenance to how to hold the knife.



YOu can find "DALSTRONG Santoku Knife" on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review

Product review: Dante RFID Blocking Slim Wallet for Women with many Slotsoduct review:

I have been using this wallet for almost two weeks and I like having so many compartments: 10 credit card slots, one ID Window, two currency pockets, one zippered pouch. I got the red color as my main purse is red and is a pretty good match in color. Initially the credit card slots were very tight and it took some effort to pull out each credit cards but after about of week of daily use it got better as the leather stretched out.



Its size is 3.75" x 7.25" (a little smaller than Amazon description).

The id compartment is 3 5/8" long and 2 5/8" wide. It fits both the drivers license and the passport card (which is tiny bit large than the driver's license).



Drivers license is 3 3/8" X 2 1/8"

Passport card is 3 1/2" x 2 1/4"



There are two aspects to consider about this wallet. First, how does it fit all items one wants to carry in the wallet. Second, is RFID protection worth paying extra for.



RFID

~~~~

When is RFID useful? There are three types of credit cards:

1) Cards that have only magnetic strip do not emit any kind of data for the thieves to steal. RFID protection is not needed.



2) RFID cards which are are identified by wavy lines on the card (see attached photo). These cards came into being a few years ago and has not became widely used. RFID chip cards produce radio waves which can be picked by thieves that are are a few feet away from the card and can be targets for electronic pick pockets. RFID protection is needed.



3) The new EMV chipped cards they are now a requirement and are common. EMV cards work either by being inserted into a check out terminal or by Near Field Communication (NFC). NFC radio signals degrade very quickly, they can only be transmitted within a very short distance measured in centimeters. This need for proximity makes the risk of electronic pick pockets extremely low. In addition, the data transmitted by the card is encrypted which further minimizing the risk. Whether RFID protection is needed is more of a personal preference rather than yes or no purely based on the technology.



So what is the bottom line? For the old fashioned magnetic strip cards RFID protection is not needed at all. If you have the old RFID type credit card, the RFID wallets are useful. For the EMV credit cards they are not really needed but could provide peace of mind for those who worry.



This wallet is provided by Dante for evaluation and review. I hope my review was helpful to figure it if the wallet is match for your needs. RFID protection is not a key feature for me, but I like the way it looks and the number of compartments it has.



YOu can find "Dante Wallet" on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review

Product review: Z-Edge Portable Powerful 12V DC Wet/Dry 100W Car Vacuum Cleaner

This vacuum is 15.5" long and weighs 1 pound 9.6 oz. It felt quite light and I was not sure if it would have sufficient suction, but it surprised me. This vacuum works well especially when I put a crevice nozzle attachment: it picked up all kinds of sand, twigs, and stones in my car in just a few sweeps. It worked better than my hand held wireless vacuum which I used to use for this job before.



Zedge vac comes with several attachments: the crevice nozzle (my favorite), two types of brushes, and a hose. The package also includes a carrying bag. The bag is very snug and fits the vacuum and attachments, but not the hose. I would have liked the bag to be bigger so it is not so snug and I would have liked it to be big enough to fit the hose as well so I could keep everything together.



The AC cord is 184" inches long. I can reach not only my back seat but even my trunk without unplugging it from the port in the front of the car.



Changing the filter is easy. There is a button next to the on/off switch that pops off the dust compartment. When you close it you need to point the dust compartment down because the filter does not lock in, so you need to use gravity to keep in the right orientation.



Despite being light and small it really sucks (in a good way).



YOu can find this vac on Amazon via this link



AshopZones review

Product review: Exelia PVC Flooring Tile LW 19.7in X 19.7in 7mm

Exelia tiles are more heavy duty than I expected. Each tile weight 3 pounds and 5 oz and they feel very solid. The tiles have an interlock system on all 4 edges of the tile, 2 sides have the locks on the underside, 2 sides have locks that stick out. This allows the two tiles to fit right next to each for a neat finish. When the tiles lock you can hear a satisfying click.



I ordered the grey color for the laundry room in otherwise unfinished basement. The grey color tiles fit perfectly giving the laundry room a neater appearance without standing out. The tiled section lays flat and the installation was pretty simple. I used a mallet to tap in the locks.



I received these floor tiles for testing and review as part of the new product introduction. I hope attached photos will give you a better idea of what to expect.



You can find these Tiles on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review

Product review: Leak Detector for your basement or kitchen by Alert Innovations LLC

One Drop Water Alarm is very sensitive to water as long as you put it the right side up. How can you tell which side is the right side? Make you can read the web address of the company in the left top corner. If the web address is backwards you got it upside down and it will not make any noise. I show how the mat reactions to drops of water with the right side up and the wrong side up.



I have had a leak under my sink in the past and it went undetected for several days until it caused some damage. This mat is going to let me right away. The mat very thin (1 mm thick) it comes with net liner so metal thing do not the lines on the mat and general false alarms. The mat can be trimmed as long as you cut between the sensor lines.



The alarm has two modes music and alarm, both are very loud and unpleasant. They can be turned off by changed the switch on the box. I made sure it was easily accessible because I will want to turn it off as soon as it lets me know there is a problem.



The alarm runs on 9volt battery and the battery is not included.



I received a sample unit from manufacture to share my experience with the alarm (be they positive or negative) the with potential future buyers. This fairly inexpensive device can save you a lot of money by preventing water damage.



You can locate One Drop of Leak Detector on Amazon via this link.



AshopZones review

Product review: Paring Knife 4-inch by Zelite Infinity.

This knife has become one of my two "workhorse" knives (the other being the chef's knife). This is a terrific knife, great for any kind of slicing and cutting that requires a lot of control: cutting, peeling, cutting out shapes, scoring, and so forth. It is very sharp and its handle is comfortable to hold. One small thing that I really like about this knife is the transition from the heel of the knife to the bolster is curved and it is one piece of steel, it does not have a grove where dirt can hide.



This knife has a beautiful pattern on the blade. This is because the knife's blade is made out of laminated stainless steel. The higher quality of Japanese knives use laminated steel which has this beautiful pattern. The use of laminated steel improves the strength and rust resistance of the blade (and it looks beautiful).



A note on packaging. I don't often comment on packaging unless there is something special about it. This knife comes in a very attractive packaging, the box packing is sculpted to the knives shape and is made out of red velvety material. The presentation of the knife is suited for a gift.



This knife was provided to me for testing and review by Zelite as part of the new product introduction. I am impressed!



You can locate this Paring Knife on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review

Product review: Jsaron Vintage Flower Tea Coffee Cup with Spoon and Saucer Set

This is a very pretty cup. The edge of the cup feels very nice on my
lips, it is sculpted to be thinner at the edge. I often drink tea from
my coffee mug, so switching to this cup made me feel like it was a
special occasion - very delicate and festive.

The package
includes a teacup, a saucer, and tiny spoon. The spoon is also made out
of bone china, and it is much smaller than a regular tea spoon. I like
the spoon for scooping loose tea into a small tea bag, it is just right
size to deposit the content into a small baggy.

Attached photos
show the cup and the cup markings. The markings do not indicate where
the cup is made, but the seller is based in China.

I received this cup for evaluation and review. I like it - very pretty and delicate teacup.

AshopZones review

Product review: LightDims Black Out Edition

Many manufactures add unnecessary lights to various devices, I especially object to the bright LED lights on chargers I keep in the bedroom where I want total darkness. In the past I use electrical tape to cover up lights. LightDims are a neater (but more expensive) solution.



LightDims package is a single sheet of stickers that come in a variety of sizes, made out of thin dark material with a strong adhesive that covers even the brightest LED lights.



In attached video you see my one of my favorite chargers that has one of the brightest blue LEDs invented. I had that LED covered by a piece of electrical tape, but the electrical tape also covered the port labels. In the video I remove the electrical tape and replacing it with the light dims. The light coverage is the same, but the appearance is neater and the labels are visible.



Even though LightDims are more expensive to use than a piece of electrical tape if you trying to cover a light on a piece of equipment that you want to look neat or leave labels clearly visible LightDims will do a good job.



I received LightDim stickers for testing and review. I hope seeing the video helps you getting a better idea of what to expect.



You can find "LightDims Black Out Edition" on Amazon via this link





AshopZones review

Product review: UEB Portable 4 Ports USB Car Charger - used with Nexus 6p

  

We usually travel with a lot of gadgets so a 4 port car charger is very useful to us. However, the key question how well it performs with Nexus 6p which is used for navigation, so it needs to be able to charge at an optimal rate. Nexus 6p has a capability for rapid charging, which means it can draw up to 2.5A when the battery is low. Rapid charging is incredibly fast, it is such a nice feature that any charger that cannot support this rapid charging is disqualified.



Prior to testing the charger, I read the specs of the charger and I was disappointed to see that it has very rigid specs for each port (best chargers have a smart chip that allow each port of a charger to work equally well with different mobile devices).



The spec listed the following information:

iPhone port provides 1 A/5V

iPad port provides 2.1 A/5V

Samsung port provides 1.3 A/5V

Android port provides 0.6 A/5V



Fortunately, when I tested each port the spec information proved to be incorrect and each port is not limited to stated limits.

I tested Nexus 6p with both 3.1 compliant and 3.1 non-compliant charging cables.



What is 3.1 compliant cable? USB 3.1 spec specifies that the termination resistor that advertises the maximum available current should be set at 22K which advertises 1.5A of current. Benson Leung has a series of excellent reviews of Type C cables. Benson works for Google's Pixel group and has pointed out that many type-C cables violate the USB 3.1 specification that states that the termination resistor that advertises the maximum available current has been set incorrectly at 10K which advertises 3A of current rather than the correct value of 22K which advertises 1.5A of current. The "bug" in non-compliant cables can be used as a feature of allowing rapid charging for Nexus 6p. The phone does not draw more than 2.5A so it does not damage the phone. The non-compliant cable could be harmful to devices that are not limited to 2.5A such as the ones that Benson evaluated in his reviews.



Nexus 6p, charge level 46-51% keeping all other variables the same (at this level Nexus 6p uses rapid charging if possible)



* Using Tenswall USB 3.1 non-compliant cable

Android port_.._.._.._.._.._.._ 2430 mA (excellent)

iPhone port_.._.._.._.._.._..__ 2320 mA (excellent)

iPad port_.._.._.._.._.._.._.._ 2330 mA (excellent)

Samsung port_.._.._.._.._.._.._ 2310 mA (excellent)



* Using PECHAM USB 3.1 compliant cable

Android port_.._.._.._.._.._.._ 800 mA (bad)

iPhone port_.._.._.._.._.._..__ 1280 mA (ok)

iPad port_.._.._.._.._.._.._.._ 1330 mA (ok)

Samsung port_.._.._.._.._.._.._ 1320 mA (ok)



With a rapid charging non-compliant cable Nexus 6p is getting rapid charging on every port. With a compliant 3.1 USB cable I am not getting rapid charging, but it performs reasonably on every port but the port labeled "Android".



I received this car charger for evaluation and review. Getting a free product to review does not effect what I say. My review and opinions are purely my own based on testing and my experience with many different car chargers.



You can find UEB Car Charger on Amazon via this link.



AshopZones review ★★★★☆

Product review: Crustina 14" x 16" Pizza Stone Baking Stone (rectangular)

The pizza I cooked on the stone had a nice crispy crust. It tasted better than the pizzas I made on the metal sheet. The pizza you see in the video is 16", this the maximum size of the pizza that fits on the stone. We did not finish this pizza on the first day, and I reheated the pizza the next day using the stone, and again it was nice and crisp, as good as the first day.



Pizza stones are not made out of stone. They are made out of ceramic. These unglazed ceramic tiles absorb moisture and make the dough that rests of them crispier. Ceramic tiles are not good heat conductors and this is why the food is less likely to burn when using a baking stone compared to using metal or glass bakeware.



The down side of the ceramic tiles is that they are fragile. As I found first hand because my baking stone did not survive shipping in one piece. It was broken in two pieces as I opened the box. Replacement stone was in one piece. The benefit of having a broken stone is that I am able to include a photo of the cross section of the stone so everything can see exactly how it is made.



To prevent fracturing of the stone by thermal shock I place the stone in a cold oven and heat it over at least 30 min, 45 minutes is even better. The stone gets very hot, I use a cookie sheet without a lip to slide the pizza onto the stone. To prevent items from sticking to the stone and to make cleaning easier I sprinkle corn starch on the stone. Corn starch works better than flour because it does not turn into paste when wet. When the pizza is done, I slide off the stone onto the cookie sheet, and let the stone to cool down slowly inside the oven.



When I can I clean the stone I use a dry brush and plain water. I do not use detergent because it gets absorbed by the stone.



I received this pizza stone for testing and review as part of a new product introduction.



You can locate Crustina Pizza Stone on Amazon by following this link.



AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: LOPOO Key Chain Flashlight

This flashlight is 2 5/8" long and has three modes: bright, medium, and strobe. I like the mechanism for turning on the light and changing modes. It is a slide switch which is used not only to turn on the flash light but to change modes as well. It cycles through three modes with every slide. I can hold the flashlight and change the mode with one hand which sometimes is quite useful.



How bright is bright? To answer this question an easy way I used a lux meter which measures light intensity and compared the brightness of this flash light with a 60 watt bulb, because everyone has a good feel for how bright a 60 watt bulb is.



Flashlight bright mode at 19" = 1492 lux

Flashlight low mode at 19" = 392 lux

Fluorescent bulb at 19" = 613 lux



The flashlight runs on one AAA battery, the battery is included. The battery has a stopper in the flashlight to preserve the battery (a red disc which is easy to see if you open the flashlight). The weight of the flashlight with the battery installed is 0.9 oz.



I received this flashlight for testing and review. The flashlight produces pretty bright light, alhtough the beam of the light is not large. I am including a video to give you a better idea of what to expect.



You can find this LOPOO Key Chain Flashlight by following this link to Amazon.



AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: Bread Knife 8 Inch by Zelite Infinity

This is a very comfortable bread knife to work with. It has a slim handle that is ergonomically shaped. It feels great in my hand and makes the knife very easy to maneuver. The knife weighs 9.2 oz. The blade is very sharp! It works well on both soft bread and crusty breads.



It is ok for the dishwasher, but I always hand wash nice knives. They will last longer and there's no risk of them cutting the plastic coating on the appliance racks.



This knife has a beautiful finish, which looks like a marbled design. The higher quality of Japanese knives uses laminated steel which has this beautiful pattern. The use of laminated steel improves the strength and rust resistance of the blade (and it looks beautiful).



In attached video I use to cut two different breads, I've tried to show the clean cuts.



I was provided this knife for testing and review as part of new product introduction. Getting a free product does not effect what I say. I leave critical reviews when the product deserves it. However, I am very pleased with knife and it has become my go-to bread knife.



You can find this bread Knife on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: Orea Adjustable Nd Polarizer Hd CPL Telephoto Wide Angle Macro Phone Lens 4 in 1

This lens kit exceeded my expectations. I already have a camera lens kit with fisheye and zoom lenses for my phone so I expected something similar but wanted ti add a wide angle lens and a few filters to my collection. But these are better lenses than my previous kit. In addition the kit includes two holders (one screws down, one just clips on). I like the screw down mechanism better because it moves around less, however what I like most is having two holders. This allows me to quickly switch between the two lenses without having to unscrew them from the holder.



I am attaching a slide show of the photos taken with the lenses in this kit. To show what each lens does I show a picture taken with a camera without a lens and then next to it the picture taken with one of the lenses for comparison. The kit also includes two filters - a polarize filter and a variable density neutral filter. Polarizer is good for cutting down glare. Variable filter is really neat for capturing moving water (like waterfalls).



Taking photos with my phone is more fun with the filters. They are fairly large relatively speaking, so they do add a bit of extra gear to carry around.



I received this lens kit for testing and review. I like them! I hope side by side photos with and without the lenses help you see how they work.



You can find the lens kit on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: Electric Meat Grinder & Sausage Stuffer by STX INTERNATIONAL

This is my first electric meat grinder and I was not sure what to expect. First, it is reasonably sized for household appliance it is 16" long, 9.5" tall, and 6.25" wide. Second, it works! It grounded 2 pounds of cubed meat in 5 minutes using the low setting. Third, it is loud. It was louder than I expected, if there is anything slightly negative I can say it would be the level of noise. What you see in the attached video is the grinder working on low speed and processing 2 pounds of lamb (clips are from the beginning, the middle, and the end of the 5 minute job). Fourth, the clean up is not bad. I was impressed by how little of the meat was left in the grinder, and washing it with soap and water immediately after the grinding was easy.



Overall, I am quite pleased. Using the grinder did not make much extra time to set up or clean, I was able to use better cuts of meat, and there is less worry about contamination that happens with the store-bought ground meat.



I received a unit to evaluation and testing and request for a video review so potential buyers can see the unit in action. My video includes the assembly steps. The manual skipped one important step about the use of the fasten knob, so I hope this will save someone time. Getting a free unit does not influence what I say, I covered the pluses and minus of my experience.



You can find STX-4000-TB2 Meat Grinder on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: Z-Edge Universal 2 in 1 Phone Holder Kit Air Vent/ Windshield Car Mount

This listing includes two different mounts - you get both two different mounts and two phone holders. My favorite of the two mounts is the vent mount. I like using vent mount for the phone when we use it for navigation. It puts the screen in a very convenient location for viewing the map while at the same time it is not obscuring any of the windshield. I also like the phone in that position because it is easier to reach to mount and remove the phone.



Both mounts have the same geometry of phone holder. The jaws of the mount open as wide as 3.5". It fits Nexus 6p phone which is on the large side. The holder holds the phone securely. It is attached to a vent by spring mounted connection. Spring mounted connection is better than the compression mechanism used in other designs of vent mounts because the hold is more secure. The jaws of the holder open from 1.75" to 3.5". The jaws are 2" on the side with the middle section that is open. In some phones it might be possible to position the jaws right in the center of the phone in a way that it does not press on any buttons. On Nexus 6p the jaws have to hold the phone off center to avoid pressing buttons. The depth of the jaws is 1".



The back of the mount has a button that releases the jaws to their maximum length so all I have to do is press them close with the phone between the jaws to mount it. I prefer this method to spring type jaws. This button makes it easy to remove or mount the phone and there is less chance of dropping the phone (which I have done with spring mounted jaws on a number of occasions). In addition this mount has a lock, so you can lock the jaws in place for extra insurance.



When you mount the phone on the vent the phone blocks some of the fresh air from the vent. I like flowing air in my face when I drive, so I prefer mounting the holder on the passenger's side vent. My husband does not like air in his face, so he mounts it on the driver's vent. He like that the vent mounted phone blocks the air from blowing into his face but cools the phone instead.



The package also includes a window mount - the jaws are identical for both mounts, so everything I said about the jaws above applies to both mounts. The mechanism that holds the jaws to the window mount was slightly lose and I had to use a screw driver to tighten it. The vent mount has a different mechanism for attaching the jaws to the mount and can be hand tightened by turning a ring. Being able to hand tighten is a better design.



This vent mount was provided to me by FIGERM for testing and review. I tried to cover all pluses and minuses of this phone mount. If you have questions I have not covered leave a comment and I will do my best to answer it.



You can locate this Z-Edge phone mount by following this link to Amazon.



AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: USB 3.1 Type C to Type A 3.3ft Sync & Charging Cable by Amagoing

My review is for Amagoing Type C to Type A charging cable. I am using this cable with Nexus 6p.



I have been following Benson Leung reviews of Type C cables since November 2015 when I purchased Nexus 6p. Benson has pointed out that many Type-C cables violate the USB 3.1 specification that states that the termination resistor that advertises the maximum available current has been set incorrectly at 10K which advertises 3A of current, the correct value should be 22K which advertises 1.5A of current. Benson works in Chromebook Pixel group and these cables are not safe to use with Pixel.



However, Nexus 6p is self-limiting and does not draw more than 3A of current. In addition many Type A USB chargers are rated at 2.5A and some as high as 3A which are safe to use with this cable. So the "bug" in the non-compliant cables (the bug being that they do not follow the spec) allows me to draw a higher (yet safe) charge for Nexus 6p.



My tests show that this Amagoing Type C to Type A cable is one of these non-compliant cables. Which means it can provides fast charging for Nexus 6p, where as spec compliant cable does not.



Below are results of the tests with compliant and non-compliant cables.



Nexus 6p at with the battery at 17% and 32%. At this level the phone uses rapid charging if it can.

1) Amagoing Type non-compliant cable draws 2620 mA - 2690mA (Using Qualcomm 2.0 charger)

2) By comparison a compliant cable (I am using a Tenswall cable) delivers a maximum 1500A.



I received this cable from Amagoing for testing and review. Bottom line: this cable is NOT USB 3.1 compliant and behaves differently from a USB 3.1 compliant cable provided by Google when I compare their operation at the battery level which performs "rapid charging" if possible. I now seek out these non-compliant cables to get rapid charging especially from my car charger when I use Nexus 6p for navigation. I am not saying that it's safe for all combinations of devices, laptops like the Chromebook Pixel and the Apple Macbook draw more current than a phone, and there may be badly made chargers that lack current limiting and might burn themselves out. However with a quality charger that's rated for 2.5A this cable will provide rapid charging where as a USB 3.1 compliant cable does not.



You can locate this USB 3.1 Type C to Type A on Amazon by following this link



AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: Santoku Knife 7" by Zelite Infinity

This is a terrific knife. This a general purpose knife for dicing, slicing and mincing. The name translates from Japanese to mean "well-balanced" and is designed with the weights of the blade and the handle to be equally balanced. This balance in combination with the rounded design of the handle makes cutting and dicing with quick and easy. It is very sharp, everything I cut feels as easy as cutting soft butter.



The Santoku has a limited "rocking" travel in comparison to a Western-style chef's knife. When the blade rests on the cutting plane there is very little clearance above the cutting plane from heel to the tip. The Santoku design is shorter, lighter, thinner, and more hardened (to compensate for thinness) than a traditional Western chef's knife.



The "scalloped" sides that give this knife its unique look create small air pockets between the blade and the material being sliced and reduce cutting friction. The higher quality of Japanese knives use laminated steel which has a beautiful pattern. This knife has this laminated finish. The use of laminated steel improves the strength and rust resistance of the blade (and it looks beautiful).



It can be washed in a dishwasher, but I prefer to wash it by hand so it will last longer and there's no risk of them cutting the plastic coating on the appliance racks.



This knife was provided to me for testing and review by Zelite as part of the new product introduction. I am impressed!



You can find this "Santoku Knife" on Amazon by following this link





AshopZones review ★★★★★