The Cheap-Ass Smartass

GM-X Automatic Electric Stapler

2016-11-02T21:53:00.002-07:00

GM-X Automatic Electric Stapler
Rating: 4/5
Price at time of review: $46.99

If you need an electric stapler for your desk, this one is well worth a look. This stapler can either be run with 4 AA batteries (not included) or via the included AC adapter. It comes pre-loaded with a strip of standard staples. For a stapler that will go through 25 pieces of paper, it operates fairly quietly. Instead of using a sharp striking motion to drive the staple (which provides a loud THOK! when operating), this stapler quietly pushes the staple down through the paper. While this works slower, it still gets the job done within a couple of seconds. Another nice feature is the ability to adjust how far the staple is inserted from the edge of the page. A slider on the bottom of the paper slot allows you to move the trigger forward or back, which adjusts the stapling location.

There are a few things that I'm not that pleased about with this stapler. The glossy finish looks nice, but is a complete fingerprint magnet. Reloading the staples is easy (press a button on the back of the machine to eject the staple slot), but the slot slides out so far that I worry that it might break after a while. Finally, at $46.99, it's priced towards the higher end of comparable units. This one has a lot of reviews behind it, and seems to be a proven model. So far, it's worked quite well for me, and I'm pretty happy with it.

Sample provided for free or discount

Get a grip! Heck...get a pack of em!

2016-10-11T22:31:00.003-07:00

25 Textured Rock Climbing Holds for Kids with Installation Hardware - Assorted Sizes and Colors

$49.99 at time of review

Rock climbing is a great exercise for kids: It helps build coordination between hands and feet, it helps a kid learn balance and the importance of thinking ahead, it builds strength, and it's just a lot of fun.

Next year, I'm hoping to put together a bit of a climbing wall for my seven-year-old with some lumber I have lying around. These handholds (Sold by Rubys Future) will be a big help in that project. The bag comes with 25 handholds of assorted size and color (it looks like each handhold of each particular color is the same. The shapes between colors vary a bit). They're solid plastic, and have a nice solid feel to them, with a bit of texture. Each shape has various "lips" to grab onto while climbing. The handholds are nicely sized for children, but I don't think they would work well for an adult. They feel plenty strong enough, but the grips will be tricky unless you have small hands.

Each handhold has a flat base, allowing it to be secured solidly against the wood without any rocking. There are enough 1 1/2 inch bolts, washers, and nuts to secure all of the handholds in the bag. These bolts take an Allan's wrench, which is not included. Of course, if you're building something like this, you probably already have some lying around.

* I received a discount on this product, allowing me the chance to try it out and to share my opinions with you.

Welcome (and wow, has Amazon lost their marbles!)

2016-10-07T16:04:00.002-07:00

Hi everyone! I'd like to welcome you to my blog - something I never figured I'd actually be using. I was perfectly happy reviewing products on Amazon, posting the gadgets that I thought were REALLY cool on my YouTube channel, and then going from there. Then Amazon decided it wanted to get people to feel better about their reviews (without actually fixing anything). So while Amazon sorts their crap out, I'm opening the doors to my blog, and using it to share reviews. Hope you all like it.