Gadgets That Work

Who doesn't like gadgets? We've all been sucked into the Magic Bullet infomercial or seen Ron Popeil "set it and forget it" as he whips up a rotisserie chicken. The brilliant marketing targets those of us looking for fast, easy, better. However, after the damage is done, you've paid for your ticket to make life easier, and receive your product only to realize the long-standing adage, "if it's too good to be true, it probably is." Sigh. The good news is that there are products out there that can and do make your life easier and better. EZ Moves furniture sliders, for instance, are great. Plastic discs that vary in size slide under the feet or base of heavy furniture, allowing it to "glide" over the carpet. (You can achieve the same effect by using throw rugs, but hey, for a couple of bucks, the EZ Moves are the way to go.) If you want to think of Mr Beams lights as gadgets (and some people do), then they are also brilliant.

This is the kind of product that you don't know you need until you see it, which is why it technically qualifies as a gadget. Every time you open your closet door and have to feel your way to two of the same colored shoes you may think about installing a light. But then you get your shoes on and the problem goes away. The folks at Mr Beams had the same problem, but they invented a light that you can stick on the wall of the closet so that when you step inside, light goes on and you find your favorite scuffs.

Mr Beams lights provide supplemental lighting in a jiffy. All products are wireless--they're battery operated, so you don't need to worry about hiring an electrician to wire or mount the lights. With the included hardware, you can install Mr Beams easily. The immediate gratification quotient? Fulfilled. Wireless Environment has designed their products for rugged applications; that means that you can use them indoors and outdoors. The IP44 rating doesn't mean much to most folks, but is an assurance that product can sustain any splashproof environment, including snow and rain. The products sell themselves--you don't need to sit through an infomercial to know that hands-free lighting solutions will make your life easier.

Once you see these products, you'll think of a million places where you need a light. Visit www.mrbeams.com for lighting ideas and full product descriptions and prices. You'll be glad you did.