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BANG FOR THE BITE
If it ain't broke...don't get an unnecessarily complex gadget to take its place.
COCKTAIL FACT
Gizmodo's list of the worst SkyMall gadgets of 2007 included a hot dog bun warmer, an animatronic Elvis robot, and a pre-decorated Christmas tree.
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home › tip library › Non-Electric Devices
Are the people behind SkyMall joking?
The Bite
With gizmos like the Vocal Recognition Grocery List Organizer, we sure hope so. Take the complexity out of basic tasks like opening cans, and stick with old-school, non-electric devices instead of unnecessary gadgets. You'll save energy and burn a few calories while you're at it.The Benefits
- Saving on energy bills. Example: If everyone in the United States used electric can openers instead of manual ones, it'd cost us a collective $36 mil per month. (You read that right: million.)
- Less landfill. At the end of their useful lives, old-school gadgets generally take up less space at the dump than the contraptions advertised in your seatback pocket on the plane.
- It's really not that hard. Fact: People opened wine bottles with non-Rube Goldbergian contraptions for, like, centuries (plus the speed is practically the same, and bonus - you can open cans during blackouts).
Personally Speaking
A business acquaintance gave Jen a Rabbit Deluxe Wine Opener Gift Set one Christmas. She took one look at the complicated apparatus and regifted it immediately.Wanna Try?
- Pedrini Classic Can Opener - no-frills can opener ($5).
- Staedtler Pencil Sharpener - in case you haven't switched to mechanical pencils ($2).
- Update International Corkscrew - simple, old-fashioned corkscrew with a wooden handle ($2).
Feb 14,2008
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All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
More Absurdity in Your Seatback Pocket
Whenever I'm mid-flight and in need of a laugh, or just a little reminder of how ridiculous the human race can be, I turn to SkyMall.
Over at Pandasmash, the editors pitted some of SkyMall's best-of-the-worst, next-to-useless gadgets against what-were-they-thinking gizmos and put them all to a vote. The Championship Round's resulting two worthless gadgets? The DayClock (a wall clock that doesn't tell you the time of day, just which day of the week it is) and the Solar-Powered Bible (a steal at $149.95). At least the latter is eco-friendly, I guess.
-Toshio...off to ask "why?"...
Biter Comments...
but THIS one (and it comes in electric too) leaves the can without any sharp edges AND you can use the lid to cover the can if you don't use all the contents (like dog food)....
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Grips-1049953-Smooth-Opener/dp/B000079XW2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1202999752&sr=1-1
Hand held devises never fail - you don't have any motorized works to break down - they practically have a lifetime warranty. I have put the international corkscrew to the test with so many others and go right back. In fact, I found it for $1 at a garage sale 20 years ago and it's still going strong. And I have used my swingline can opener now for about 15 years without failer. When I do get arthritis, which is rampant in my family, I'll switch over to the battery operated one touch: http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/1touch_canopener.html
I know batteries can be difficult to deal with - but I can recycle in my area.
No doubt would have kept it if it had been that other kind of "rabbit"
while i agree that most people don't need a motrized can opener some people who have arthritis might. voice recognition grocery list organizer, sounds great for my visually impaired brother. i know, i know, this bite is directed to people who are perfectly capable of performing functions that they are letting machines do for them. but there are definitely practicle uses for these items for those who aren't capable.
As to your newsletter today bashing the new fangled bottle/can openers. Not all of us has strong, young hands. I, for one, am a Biter with bad arthritis, and my new handy-dandy battery powered and my older electric can opener are life savers. Please consider those of us who are not young and ablebodied individuals ! We count, too, you know !
what about all of those other unnecessary appliances, like kitchenaid-type bowl mixers? i mean, get a bowl and spoon/whisk already...
by the time you've creamed the butter, sugar and eggs together, you deserve those brownies! ;)
There again (don't mean to beat a dead horse), BUT, I for one cannot BEAT, WHIP,WHISK or STIR for very long due to arthritis, so please give us a few modern helpers....after all, this IS 2008, isn't it?
Again, I AM a Biter and DO conserve, save, cutback, recycle, etc., all those good things for our environment, but again, not everyone is able to do things your ablebodied take for granted.....'nuf said....I'll climb down off my high horse now....Bye.
Although the wooden-handled corkscrew seems like a bargain at $2, the estimated shipping cost is $19! You'll spend more on fuel to get it to you than the item is worth. How about advocating the purchase of screw top wine bottles? Then the need for extra gadgets could be eliminated altogether...
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: Linda | February 14, 2008 at 08:29 AM