Gadget Blog - UK Gadgets and Gizmos

Available from: Nigels Eco Store – Eco Balls – Price: £29.99

EcoBalls are a great idea, helping you save the environment, but also money!

The Eco Balls replace your standard washing powder or detergent, and the main benefit is that the same balls can be used over and over again, which is where the savings mount up. 

Inside the EcoBalls are a number of pellets which contain mineral salts, and create ionized oxygen to help the water penetrate deep into your clothes, to lift the dirt away. They contain no harsh chemicals, so are great for the environment, and it also means that you can save water by cutting down on the rinse cycle. They also soften your clothes so there is no need for fabric conditioner, and are anti-bacterial, helping to kill E-Coli and Staphylococcus Aureus.

Each set of Eco balls will last for around 750 washes! There is also a refill pack included which you can use to replace the pellets inside the balls, to make them last for another 250 washes. Costing on average 3p per wash, compared to 20 – 30p for normal washing powder they quickly pay for themselves, and then save you more money! If everyone in the country switched to Eco balls, it would mean 700,000 tonnes of detergent would not enter British waterways.

 EcoBalls are hypoallergenic and the kit includes free refill pellets and a stain remover.

Available from: Nigels Eco Store – Eco Balls – Price: £29.99

BBC Newsnight – Eco Balls Review

Available from: I Want One of Those – Sun Jar – Price: £19.95

The Sun Jar was created by Tobi Wong, and mixes new technology with old fashioned styling. The Sun Jar consists of an a frosted old fashioned storage jar, which contains a solar cell and a number of LED lights.

During the day, the Sun Jar can be placed on a windowsill to charge up, and then during the night it emits a soft, warm ambient glow, releasing the energy it has stored from the sun. Because no traditional batteries are used its eco friendly, as it uses nothing but the sun rays to power it. As the Sun Jar is waterproof, it can also be used outside in the garden.

The Sun Jar automatically switches on when it gets dark usings its built in light sensor, although this can be over ridden if you wish and the jar can be turned off.  Just a few hours of light during the day can give it enough charge to last throughout the night, releasing a comforting warm glow, making it great as a childs nightlight.

Winner of the “2007 Gift of the Year”, the Sun Jar is unique and is great addition to your home.

Available from: I Want One of Those – Sun Jar – Price: £19.95

Available from: Find Me a Gift – Laser Cosmos Projector – Price: £99.90

The Laser Cosmos projector is really amazing! Using it’s built in laser, it projects a whirling galaxy onto your ceiling, complete with blue nebulae and shooting stars, to create a truly stunning effect!

There is no setting up required with the Laser Cosmos, as soon as you’ve taken it out of the box and switched it on it starts projecting a crystal clear display of stars which can fill any sized room. As some stars are brighter than others, the display seems to be almost 3 dimensional, creating a whole galaxy in your home!

With its powerful green laser and holographic technology, the Laser Cosmos creates a bright and crystal clear display that’s never been available before. The galaxy effect is completely mesmorising, and it’s great for parties, or kids bedrooms.

The Laser Cosmos Projector can be pivoted to any angle, and has 2 lenses for stars and clouds, and offers a cloud brightness control. It’s self focusing, so theres no complicated setup procedures, you just have it switch it on!

The Laser Cosmos is sure to be the main talking point of anyone who sees it, and is extremely relaxing, especially with your favourite music on. It’s a bit pricey, but well worth the money!

Available from: Find Me A Gift – Laser Cosmos Projector – Price: £99.90

Available from: Prezzybox – Spider Catcher – Price: £9.95

Do you hate spiders, but feel guilty when you’ve bashed their brains out and sent them to spider heaven?

The Spider Catcher is the Arachnaphobes dream gadget! Why squash that spider (which involves getting close to it!), when you can pick it up from a safe distance and transport it outside, and save your walls / carpets from getting covered with spider innards!

The Spider Catcher is 65cm long, meaning that you can stay a safe distance away from the spider, and features a grip on the handle which closes the soft bristles harmlessly capturing the spider. You can then take it outside and release the spider back into the wild. The bristles can capture pretty much any insect, allowing you to safely remove them from your house without hurting them. It’s great for removing dead insects like flys from your window sills without having to touch them, and can even pick up goldfish! (Why you’d want to pick up a goldfish, I have no idea, but you can and thats the main thing!).

The Spider Catcher makes a perfect gift for all people who are scared of spiders (and I think everyone knows at least 1 person who turns to jelly when there around!). Alternatively, you could buy one for yourself to safely dispatch spiders from your home, without having to get near enough to pick them up by hand.

To see the Spider Catcher in action, have a look at the showreel below. At just £9.99 the Spider Catcher is great value for money, and puts an end to dealing with big hairy spiders!

Available from: Prezzybox – Spider Catcher – Price: £9.95

Available from: Firebox – The Wattson – Price: £124.95

In the past, all we’ve had to worry about is muddy footprints, now it seems we have to worry about our carbon footprint as well! To help with this the Wattson is an ingenious device which can help you save the planet by helping you to cut your electricity usage, which has the added benefit that you can save pounds from your electricity bill! Even if you are not a greenie, then saving money is sure to make your ears prick up!

 On top of that the Wattson looks cool, extremely stylish,  and it’s sure to be a real talking point amongst visitors to your home.

 So what does the Wattson actually do? Quite simply it displays in real time the amount of electricity being used in your home. Simple to install, you simply clip the sensor on to the wire between your meter and fusebox. This transmits the amount of electricity used to the wireless receiver show above. As well as displaying a running total of your electricity usage in either Watts or Pounds (sure to make you take notice!), the lights on the Wattson receiver change colour according to the amount of energy being used. When the lights are red, then there is a high rate of electricity being consumed, if the lights are blue then your energy consumption is low. To sum up, Red – Bad, Blue – Good – Simple!

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Available from: Alternative Gifts – Inflatable Sofa Bed – Price: £44.95

The 5 in 1 Inflatable Sofa Bed is a fantastic idea, and is really handy round the house, especially when guests come to stay!

The Inflatable Sofa Bed can be quickly inflated in minutes, using the free electric pump provided, and can be used as a 3 seater sofa, lounger, recliner, queen sized bed and single booster bed.

Unlike traditional sofa beds, it’s incredibly cheap and offers great value for money, and doesn’t take up permanent space as when not needed as it can be deflated and stored in it’s carry bag ready for the next use, taking up very little room.

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