Pyrex Liquid Measuring Cup: Cool Gear

What is the best liquid measuring cup in the kitchen? The right measuring cup has many attributes: easy to handle and to store, easy to read, easy to clean, precise, long lasting markings, can go to the microwave or the freezer without damage, hard to break... We are putting together a full length review to determine the answer - but, so far, the iconic Pyrex measuring cup does not disappoint, collecting excellent user ratings and very few pans. We collected more than 200 user reviews on Pyrex measuring cups. What do users say?


Durable and well made

Pyrex tempered soda-lime glass has excellent resistance to stress shattering and good resistance to thermal stress. Users are pleased with durability: "a great product that will last forever, some of my pieces are over 25-30 years old", "This thing is made to last", "durable", "it's durable", "well made product", "durable and hard wearing", "Made from a heavyweight glass, these are very sturdy. I would have gone as far as to say 'virtually indestructible', but my wife somehow dropped ours and shattered it a couple of weeks ago. As soon as it happened, I was here ordering a replacement","well constructed", "this thing is made to last", "made very, very well", "durable, long-lasting, thick-glassed measuring cup. I've had it for years", "they are very durable", " and has a high tolerance for temperature", "thick, sturdy glass [...] made in USA", "I've dropped it a few times in the sink without any damage. It's sturdy Pyrex you can expect to use for years", "measuring cup is made very well","very durable, won't crack when hot."

While tempered soda-lime glass is durable, it can break, and will break if exposed to strong temperature contrasts: "exploded in my microwave yesterday."


Easy to measure and read

The first duty of a measuring cup is to measure. Users report, in general, that Pyrex cups measure well, and that the measure is easy to read: "measures great", "easy to read while you are measuring liquids",   "thick walled with red letters that are easy to read","measures liquids accurately", "accurate","clear markings", "the markings are clear and haven't worn off","measurements are accurate", "easy to read markings", "well marked", "thick walled with red letters that are easy to read", "I have had one many years and I can still see the numbers"," red lines are rather easy to see", "measure quantities in either cups or milliliters; this is great for recipes that have measurements in either type of unit","I've had it for years, and the writing hasn't come off. The writing is easy to read", "lots of measurements (metric and imperial) on the side","accurate measurements, easy to read", "label is very clear","measurements are easy to read forwards, backwards, upside down (wait, what?) and in any other way you can think of","red measurement markings are well defined and easy to read. They also don't fade over time"

A small number of users complain of having the imperial measurements on the counterclockwise side of the handle, while the metric measurements are on the clockwise side: " made for lefties: the handle is positioned so that if you hold the handle by your left hand you get metric measurements instead of English", "I am a right-handed American who uses Cups as a measuring unit. When I am pouring something into the measuring cup, I hold the cup in my left hand and pour with my dominant right hand. That means that the scale I need is on the opposite side of the cup." Other users disagree.

Another few users complain of inexact measures, while others disagree:
- "this is a great cup, except for one little thing: the measurements are wrong! 1 cup, according to this measuring cup, is actually closer to 7/8 cup. I have compared it to older PYREX measuring cups (2 cup and 4 cup sizes), as well as to a variety of other measuring cups. The other measuring cups are all consistent, both Pyrex and non-Pyrex. But the measurements provided by this 1-cup Pyrex cup are consistently too low."
- "this Pyrex Prepware 1-Cup Measuring Cup is a joy to work with. The measurements are dead on. I cross checked each measurement with 6 other measuring cups and spoons from various other makers and rest assured the Pyrex Prepware 1-Cup Measuring Cup is very accurate. If you want to measure things whether to cook, bake, or if you just like to measure things as a hobby like I do, this is the product."


Microwave-safe

Users report that Pyrex measuring cups can be used in the microwave oven: "great to use in the microwave for melting butter, chocolate, etc", "Sometimes I will microwave in it, and it is fine for that as well","microwave safe", "[go] in the microwave", "can go from microwave to the fridge and everywhere in between", "microwavable."


Easy to clean and  dishwasher safe

Numerous users reviews report that Pyrex measuring cups are truly dishwasher safe, with not a single dishwashing issue reported (as opposed to older models of Pyrex cups, where there are reports of washed-out markings). Users rate the cups easy to clean: "dishwasher safe and very easy to clean", "will not stain", "easy to clean", "go in the dishwasher fine", "easy to wash", "dishwasher safe and very easy to clean. Will not stain", "glass is easy to clean","I had searched high and low for a microwaveable and dishwasher safe measuring cup. The only cups I found were only one or the other but not both. This cup is both. Very useful. We use it daily","does real well in the dishwasher."


Advantage of glass again plastic

Many user reviews focus on the advantage of Pyrex measuring cups against plastic measuring cups. They outline the advantages of using glass to measure oily substances, the easier clean-up, the ability to heat liquids inside the cup, and the fact that glass provides a neutral, clean surface while plastic can leach chemical substances: "[it] is GLASS and is definitely higher grade than most measuring cups", "measuring oil in a plastic measuring cup is not a good idea, most of the oil will stick to the sides, not with the Pyrex glass","Since it's glass it's extremely easy to clean","Because it's glass, I warm up liquids in it in the microwave", "Have you ever tried to measure a cup of oil in a plastic measuring cup? Sure, it works, but I hope you have half an hour or so to get the oil off the plastic. It's an annoying waste of time and gallons of running water", "the gold standard of measuring cups. All that other plastic stuff in my kitchen is junk compared to it", "The reason for the review is comparing with the plastic ones, glass ones are far better. #1 - It's easy to clean. Even if you use it to measure oil, glass cleans a lot better afterwards. #2 - The glass is very thick, you can call it heavy duty. Bumping it on the counter or against pans, it won't just break. #3 - The handle holds comfortably & the cup has a pouring mouth", "I like glass it is pure does not hold stains and it does not give off any gases", "Cleans up easier & quicker than the plastic ones. Nothing seems to stick to it","safe from chemical worries like plastics and odor and stain resistant","If I am measuring solids then I use a stainless steel or plastic set but if I am measuring liquids then glass is the only way to go, especially when I need to heat up in the microwave","I love how this measuring cup is made out of glass (unlike my other one, which was made out of plastic). Now I could put oil and other solutions without hesitation", "since it is not made of plastic, it will not disintegrate over time and leave microscopic particles of of plastic and chemicals in your food like plastic cups will."


Easy to hold and pour

Most reviewers are pleased with the handle and with the way the measuring cups pour: "pours great", "has a spout and a handle for easier pouring","lip works perfectly well in my applications.  ", "I like this measuring cup because of this comfortable handle and pouring mouth", "easy to hold","it pours very well, comfortable to handle", "spout and a handle for easier pouring", "handle is comfortable", "good handle and spout",""handle is quite comfortable"

Some users, however, are unhappy with the spout. There are some who suggest Anchor Hocking cups as having better spouts, while others suggest that both brands are equally poor: 
"I got this to replace a similar Anchor Hocking 1-quart measuring cup, because that one pours so poorly. Unfortunately this one is no better", "the pouring lip is too narrow and too shallow. You have to pour very slowly to prevent spilling liquids. Anchor Hocking makes one that has better markings, is easier to read, and has a wider and deeper pouring spout. It is also less expensive", "does not pour well", "this measuring cup doesn't pour well at all", "pouring anything more viscous than water out of the spout creates, at best, unpredictable results. Sometimes I can pour perfectly (if slowly) and sometimes the contents just run down the side and come off the bottom of the cup."

After examining pouring complains, we suspect that pouring issues, when they happen, occur primarily for viscous liquids other than water. Other users agree with us: "if you google teapot effect, or coanda pouring, this is actually a very old, well known problem, with a few known solutions, one of which is to pour your fluid against a stirring rod, or spoon."

Similarly, few users prefer a closed handle, but others prefer the modern open handle, which also allows stacking: "my only complaint is the 'open' handle. I have trouble holding on to the cup when it's soapy. A 'closed' handle (welded on both sides) would be easier to hold on to. A benefit of the 'open' handle is the ability to stack the cups",  "the way the handle is designed is awful. On the current design, you can't get a firm, solid grip because the handle only goes half way down. The old version's handle was like you would find on a coffee cup - the top and tip were attached to the cup part. You knew you had a good grip. Also, if your hand is not completely dry and clean, the cup can very easily slip out of your hand", "one reviewer writes that the handle isn't good enough but I have no complaints in this department. It's sturdy; but if you really want a closed handle that is welded on both sides you will have to look elsewhere."


Comparing old models with new

Few users complain that new models are somehow inferior to the old ones. Others, however, provide specific reasons why they prefer the new models to the old ones:
- "My original is tall and slender, with thick glass. The new version is short, wide and the glass is thinner. I don't know if this makes a difference, but my problem is thus: When pouring liquid, my new Measuring Cup DRIPS."
- "When my wife accidentally broke her old Pyrex 2-Cup measuring cup which she's had for at least ... 18 years [I replaced it for her] ... to my and especially her great surprise, this new exact replacement was better marked and thus easier to read and had an extremely cool light-green hue to it!!! It was truly better than the original it replaced!!!", "I replaced an older cup of this type with the new model. The measurements are much easier to read, and I like the handle better as it is open at the bottom, which, I think, makes it easier to use."
- "After 30 years of using the same Pyrex measuring cup, the markings were starting to wear and we had scratched the interior, so we decided to replace it with another Pyrex measuring cup [...] The design of the cup has changed little in 30 years. If anything, it is a little heavier. We are very pleased with it. "
- "I've had these Pyrex cups in three sizes (not the same ones, though they are very sturdy) for nearly forty years. I didn't check the other reviewer's comment about the handle, but -- in the old days the handle was closed on the bottom; when they redesigned the handle it allowed these cups to stack, as you mention, which was a very good thing. The other improvement made to these over time is the red markings; they were not dishwasher-hardy, back then, and everyone I knew had a Pyrex quart bowl with the markings entirely washed off. Still handy but not for measuring. "


Made in USA

Many users remark on the fact that Pyrex measuring cups are made in the USA.


Tips

Several users comment on the need for different measuring tools for dry and wet measures: "for measuring dry ingredients, you want a cup that fills to the top so you can scrape off the excess", "this is a liquid measuring cup. Why would you need this? Because using dry measuring cups to measure liquids (which are meant to be leveled off at the very top with a knife) almost guarantees spillage. This cup prevents that. Conversely, you can't level off dry ingredients in this, so only use it for liquids."

Multiple users comment upon the specific limitations of Pyrex glass, in particular upon the fact that it must not be used on the stove top: "this is both top and bottom dishwasher safe, microwave safe, and even oven safe, but not stove top safe."

The cups come in multiple sizes, and many users report that they own all, or many, sizes. Some indicate a preference for one size: "the 2-cup size is a nice balance; smaller and and easier to handle than the 4-cup, but more useful than the 1-cup size (especially when cooking for more than two)."


Statistics and user ratings

We gathered over 200 reviews from Amazon and Macy's on multiple sizes of Pyrex measuring cups. User ratings were an excellent 87%, giving us a 5% margin of error at 95% certainty.


Rumors and concerns

Internet rumors have circulated over the past several years, about Pyrex being manufactured in China, and about Pyrex having recently switched glass formulation from borosilicate glass to cheaper soda-lime glass. They have been largely, if not totally, debunked, although all US Pyrex products have indeed been made of tempered soda-lime glass since the 1980s.

More serious are recent allegations that Pyrex baking glass has been subject to sudden explosions. There are multiple reports over the net. Consumer Reports recently published some tests and showed that tempered soda-lime glass can shatter when used in contravention to the manufacturer's instructions, while some borosilicate dishes may not shatter, and requested consumer agencies to investigate these reports. To be clear, tempered glass products, in general, will shatter when subjected to violent temperature differences, such as when you take a baking dish out of a hot oven and put it in or on cold water. There still may be some issues affecting Pyrex baking dishes - although at this stage we are somewhat doubtful. In any case, these reports only minimally affect measuring cups, which are not, in general, subjected to wide temperature changes.


Conclusion: "recommended for use by ConsumerPla.net"

Pyrex measuring cups are a kitchen icon, with a high reputation for durability, and very strong advantages over plastic measuring implements. They are easy to wash, dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe, and use highly visible markings. Most people consider Pyrex cups to hold well and pour well. The Pyrex web site is abominable and does not give you any way to peruse the different models available, so following are a few links. Pyrex measuring cups come in 1-cup, 2-cup, 4-cup and 8-cup sizes. Other Pyrex measuring cup models allow you to view measuring numbers from above, or provide a cup with a silicone bottom ring and/or a plastic lid, although they do not meet with universal user approval. We have no hesitation endorsing standard Pyrex measuring cups as excellent liquid measuring tools for general use in the kitchen.

Some more user comments: "I have owned this measuring cup for quite a few years and it is my favorite", "pretty much a requirement for anyone who cooks or bakes","accurate and durable", "you can't ask much more from a measuring cup", "If you can only own one measuring cup set, then this would be the one to get", "We've had one of these Pyrex measuring cups for years and love it. Other measuring cups don't even compare!", "durable and practical, "I use this cup for everything [...] this is just a must-have for your kitchen","A real simple item, but this one gets everything right at the reasonable price. Good buy","really nothing that could be improved upon, just a great, solid product", "Fantastic measuring cup [...] worth every cent! "

Zip-It Drain Cleaner: Cool Gear

Zip-It/ Cobra Drain Cleaner: a fast and simple way to clean a drain without the need for any other tool 

How do you fix a clogged sink or tub drain? Chemicals, Snake, Auger? Call a plumber? This problem must be the most common, and one of the most unpleasant, plumbing problems that we all encounter in our everyday life. In an upcoming guide, we will explore the different product options to clearing a sink drain. Without needing to go through all possible scenarios, however, we can already say that, to us, the first option after trying a plunger is the Zip-it Drain Cleaner, a simple, inexpensive, and easy to use device with very high user satisfaction ratings.




The Zip-It Drain Cleaner, also called the Cobra drain cleaner from its manufacturer's name Cobra Products Company, is available for $2 to $4 in most brick-and-mortar hardware stores, and in large numbers of online stores. It is a 17-inch plastic strip, with soft teeth on both sides, and a finger hold, which is rigid enough to be inserted into a sink drain hole, yet flexible enough to follow the tight curves of the P-trap below the sink.

Using a Zip-It Drain Cleaner

Because of its design, the Zip-It Drain Cleaner may only clear clogs if they are in the first 17 inches of piping:-) It turns out, however, that most drain clogs happen in the first foot and a half from the drain, based on the very high percentage of satisfied user reviews.What do users say about the Zip-It Drain Cleaner?


Successful at cleaning sink and tub drains

We found more than 150 user reviews for the Zip-It drain cleaner. Of the lot, 88% of the reviews indicated success at unclogging drains, and were very positive, not to say raving: "these work great!", "such an easy way to clean out clogged drains without expensive and harmful chemicals","after about 20 minutes of work all three drains were perfectly free flowing again. I was so pleased I quickly bought more to have a stock on hand just in case!", "one of those things that looks like it would never work [...] it worked very well on my bathroom drains, even those that have the stopper pretty much permanently attached. With some creativity you can get it down the drain and back out again without breaking any of the plastic tines", "so simple it's amazing! [...] In only 5 minutes I [...] completely pulled EVERYTHING out using only a quarter of it length. I ran the water and to my bath tub drain answered with the whirl wind I thought I would never see again.Just to be sure I plunged the Zip-It tool in it's entirety (the way you check your oil) and it was clean as a whistle. GET THIS PEOPLE. I wished I had found it sooner", " cheap, easy and it works!I have used these for years (sink drains only) and they've worked every time", "especially in showers used by girls with long hair, this is SO helpful in clearing drains--no more standing in ankle deep water in your shower!", "best 1.99$ I ever spent! Seriously, this thing is amazing. I ended up having to take the plug out of the sink to get the enormous glob of hair out of the drain (easy), but it worked very well", "this one is the best! Since we started using this, the drains were clear and no more slow clearing of water!!!!  I completely recommend this product", "works like a champ! Zipped three drains this morning. As said just insert down the drain, jiggle twist, turn and pull. Wear the rubber gloves. Drains running smooth",  "worked great for my sink clog! [...]  It was easy to use, just took some pulling and jiggling to pull it out at times, but nothing difficult. I inserted it down about 5 times at different entry points around the drain to make sure I had everything and it pulled up a decent amount of hair (yuk) [...] After about 5 minutes of work the sink drained perfectly with no chemicals or big to-do", "awesome little gadget! Easy and effective for unclogging a slow-running bathroom sink drain! It took me longer to open the package than it did to unclog the drain. Highly recommended", "my drains work again:   Excellent tool! [...] the teeth that pull out the hair/gunk haven't broken or bent, and it definitely cleaned out my drain", "does the job! : I purchased this hoping it would fix the drain clog in my bathtub. [...] I pushed the Zip It into the drain and pulled out a ton of hair!It only took two or three minutes to clean the drain and then clean the tool. I'm very pleased with the results. Highly recommended!", "pretty useful! This worked great in one my tubs, and nothing on my other tub. It's great how you can just throw it away and you're done. My plumber's snake is so gross after using it, I want to throw up. If you have a clog and want a cheap way of cleaning it with out calling a plumber give this a try", "great for hair clogs! These are the best, most eco-friend hair clog removers around. Before you dump those chemicals down your drain, give one of these a go. They work like a charm", "awesome! This product is awesome...I was impressed by how easy it was to use this. It gets the job done",  "clever and effective",  "it works ... cheaper than a plumber and safer than chemicals."

Some of the user reviews tell us entertaining stories:
- "you just push it down the drain and pull it back up. My bathroom sink was really slow at draining, I stuck this down there and pulled up quite a bit of hair. I figured while I was at it and I wish I would have took video of it was my bathtub drain. I never thought I had any drain flow problems with it until I used this nifty tool. I put it down the drain and I swear I pulled up what looked about as long as a full grown cats tail and as big around as one too. I did it about three more times and got so much hair out. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone that is looking to clear out their drain."
- "it fixed the hair clog problem on my wife's sink in less than 5 minutes. I was so happy with the result that I proceeded to use the Zip it on the other sink in the master bath, in addition to the sink in my daughter's bathroom and the bathtub drain in our spare bathroom. What a difference Zip it made, with no chemicals used in the process. I would definitely recommend using this product"
- "more than pleased! [...] I removed a huge amount of material from my tub (my boyflame and I both have long, long hair), and a less impressive haul from the bathroom sink[...] .  The sink and tub ran a lot smoother afterwards. Try this before more expensive options. It is safer for the environment and effective for many types of clogs. I would pay at least $20 for this even though it's just a cut plastic strip. The design is pretty damn good."
- "neat drain cleaning tool! Our shower drain never drained properly ever since we moved in our new house. The builder did not look into this and after 4 years(!) After we ordered this simple drain tool, my husband went to work right away. He inserted the long plastic tool and twisted it several times. What he pulled out was a ball of hair which was stuck to a plumber's putty! Now the shower drains perfectly! Even if there wasn't a plumbers putty in the drain, this gadget really pulls up hair (remember to twist it)."

We even have a building contractor giving us his thoughts: "great little product! I'm not just some handyman, not that there is anything wrong with being a handyman. I'm a full on contractor and yes, I often let things go in my own home because I can't be satisfied with little fixes. I always want to tear out the whole thing and do it right. I want to remodel our bathroom and one little nagging thing about it is the poorly draining sink. And yes, constantly pouring caustic drain cleaner down pipes is bad for them, but I've been doing it. So I got one of these (despite the fact that I could probably make something similar - but heck time is money) and it worked like a charm. Pulled out the expected slimy wad of hair, and also part of a chop stick and some broken glass. Second run came up with nothing and the sink drains perfectly. I haven't tried it on the shower yet - which might be trickier - but that doesn't actually have any drain problems. Totally worth it. Buy it!"

 On the other hand, 12% of the user reviews are negative and describe unsuccessful outcomes. Several of them indicate that the clog was too low for the Zip-It to be effective: "did not work for me. I think if they make this item longer in size it might have helped","useless. The drain in my bathtub is clogged and remains so after using this product. I did nothing for me. It is too short, does not reach the clog down the tube", "does not work in every case. Zip It may not work for bathtub drains.
Zip It does not work for deep clogs (even in a sink).[...] Zip It will not work if the clog is something the little spikes cannot catch (like something too soapy or greasy, "the reality is, it doesn't go all the way in my bath tub drain, only 1/3 of it got in. And it didn't remove a thing", "Zip-it probably is only good when U-tube is near the bottom of the wash basin. If it's located further down, Zipit can't reach it."

Some negative reviews mention that the clog is worse after using Zip-It. We imagine that this might be due to a clog being right around the end of the Zip-It length: "does not work. This was the first drain cleaning tool I tried,and I can tell you for sure...it does not work at all! It made the clog 10 times worse. Couldn't use the sink at all!! It went form a slow draining sink to a completely NON-DRAINING, unusable sink. Now its stuck in there and no clog removed", "this actually made my drain problem even worse. Instead of just a slowly draining sink,I think the Cobra jammed the clog down the pipe and completely stopped up the drain so it didn't drain at all."


Reusable

While the product is sold as a use-once, throw-away item, several users report success at reusing it multiple times: "you don't have to throw them away after one use either. Just wipe them clean. We use these 3-5 times each and they work like a charm. Great value...", "so cheap and can be used several times", "I reused one of these on my two bathroom sinks and the master bathroom tub drain", "I don't dispose of them after each use, I use them several times before they get bent and need to be disposed of", " it says on the package to throw the tool away after you use it but I just took toilet tissue and cleaned it off pulling in the direction of the spikes, not against them. It cleaned off nicely and I can use it again and again, "my live-in plumber! AMAZING.....I bought this item because all of a sudden, the water in my tub would not go down. I purchased the Zip-IT, brought it home, stuck it down the drain, pulled it out, and there was a rag attached to the zip it!!! Yes a rag had gone down my drain (without my knowledge), and the Zip-It cleared my drain!! Amazing!!!!", "


Usage Tips

What is pulled out by the Zip-It tool is not appetizing to say the least, and many users mention the need for gloves:  "before you begin folks, you should probably wear some goggles and dish washing gloves. Also enlist some needle nose pliers to pull out the hell that this tool surfaces", "make sure you have gloves or paper towels handy to grab the nasty gunk that will come out of the drain",  "I put on some rubber gloves thanks to another reviewer's advice and got after it... Glad I had the gloves on to help pull stuff off the tool and away from the drain as I worked."

Several users mention that pulling out the tool must be done with care so as not to damage the plastic teeth. Users suggest twisting as you pull for an easier time: "the teeth get hung up a bit on the drain plug rigging as you try to take it out but I found that if you twist it as you remove it retains the hair and clears the metal bit by bit", "it does have very sharp edges, so be aware [...] Just be patient and don't freak out if it gets stuck", "they are fragile, but only when used carelessly. I broke some of the teeth off when I became too enthusiastic."


User's manual

A user review gives an improved manual for use:
"PREPARATION:
1) Put on some gloves
2) Get a bag, such as a left-over plastic bag from the market
3) Have some paper towels handy
USAGE:
1) If you are like me and don't know how to remove the adjustable sink plug (not sure what they are called), this tool fits fine along the side
2) Stick it all the way down the drain and SLOWLY work it up. If you pull too fast it will fling "stuff" all over
3) Repeat several times going around all sides of the adjustable sink plug
4) Use the paper towels to wipe off excess grim from the Zip-It and your sink
5) Put the water on full-blast and if it doesn't flow down the drain easily, then do it a few more times
This was easy.
This was quick.
I rinsed the Zip-it off and stored in the garage for next time. One Zip-It = multiple uses.
Worth it!"


Videos

They show excellent success, but they can be quite gross...


Statistics

We collected 169 user reviews from multiple sources: Amazon Zip-It Drain Cleaning Tool
, Amazon Zip-It Drain Cleaning Tool 12-Pack,  Sears Zip-It Drain Cleaner,  Zip-It Drain Cleaning Tool - Reviews | RateItAll,  Cobra Zip-It Reviews | Buzzillions.com, COBRA Zip-it Drain Cleaner #2 Reviews | Buzzillions.com, Cool Tools: Zip-It Drain Cleaner, Cobra Products 400 Zip-It Drain Cleaning Tool Review - InfoBarrel, Family Handyman Unclog Drains with the Cobra Zip-It Drain Cleaning Tool.  We found an excellent 88% user approval rating, with a 5% margin of error at 95% certainty. This is a particularly good result, given the fact that, from the tool's design, we know, before using it that it will only work with clogs that are close the the drain.


Conclusion: "Recommended by ConsumerPla.net"

The Zip-It drain cleaner is a very simple, inexpensive drain cleaning cool that has a high likelihood of resolving drain clogs when the clog is within a foot and a half of the drain, and that enjoys excellent user reviews. It is usable even by those with absolutely no affinities with tools. While it is advertised as a throw-away tool, many users report being able to use it multiple times. Given its very low $2-$4 unit price, ordering it online often results in proportionally high shipping costs. We recommend you purchase it in a local brick-and-mortar store, or online in a multiple-unit pack such as this one. We have no reservation in endorsing the Zip-It drain cleaner.

Find out more about ConsumerPla.net's reviews, rating system, and  statistical analysis here.

Rubbermaid Easy Find Food Containers: Cool Gear

A good set of food storage containers for refrigerator use is almost a necessity for a kitchen: we all want to be able to store food in the refrigerator (or the freezer) in multiple form factors. We want our containers to stack on top of each other when full, and to have the most efficient shapes inside the refrigerator/ freezer (i.e.,  most likely rectangular). We want them to nest inside each other and stack when stored empty. We want to be able to find the right lid easily, rather than having to empty a whole shelf or drawer in order to find the right lid for the container... We want to be able to take them from the freezer to the microwave oven to the refrigerator, and, of course, we want to wash them in the dishwasher. We want them to be safe to use, which, for many people, requires that they should be BPA-free. We could keep on going with a much longer set of wished-for attributes...

It turns out that, even for satisfying a short wish list, the right set of food containers is very difficult to find. We were therefore particularly pleased when we found an excellent product in the category, which scores very high in almost all (although not quite all) criteria: Rubbermaid Easy Find Food Storage Containers. We have been testing them at ConsumerPla.net for almost a year, and our ratings agree with the very large majority of the users who have reviewed it on line. We went through over 270 reviews and gathered the most significant comments for you.

Sturdiness
The product is robust and sturdy. It does not feel flimsy at all, like a throwaway plastic container, and has heft: "bliss. I have finally thrown out the mishmash collection of Glad and Hefty brand food storage containers cluttering my cupboards and replaced them with STABLE, STURDY locking/stacking lids and containers of this Rubbermaid system! How interesting the simple things can make one's day! I love these. Love. Love", "good sturdy system", "these are fantastic... sturdy", "containers are nice and sturdy", "it lasts and lasts. Cannot say enough about it",  "I am very happy with the fit and finish of these containers."
Some users prefer another Rubbermaid product line, called Premier, with premium features: "however, the containers themselves are not as good quality as some of the other Rubbermaid [Premier] containers that I have purchased at the local super-market. The lids are all plastic unlike some of the others with a rubber type border to the lid that seems to make a tighter seal. The plastic the containers are made of is cloudy and not the translucent of some others. They generally don't look or handle as expensive as they were", "I wish I ordered the Rubbermaid Premier brand instead of these. These containers are a great idea but the plastic is still plastic.  Do yourself a favor and spend the extra few dollars on the Rubbermaid Premier set (It is still part of the easy find lid system but has a quality heavy duty hard plastic)."  However, the Premier line, while an excellent product line, suffers from other issues, and does not have as high an approval rating as Easy Find does.  

More brittle when very cold
While the Easy Find containers get a great reputation for sturdiness, when coming straight out of the freezer or the refrigerator they can be more brittle. They can get damaged if they take a bad fall when very cold: "leftovers - second set on top - seals together ... when using in freezer - may come loose - hit floor and edges break - You're out the base containers", "when my wife dropped a small lid, the tab broke off!", "Plastic becomes more rigid and more brittle and susceptible to breaking when frozen solid. I 'klutzilly' dropped several of these filled containers out of my freezer one day which chipped the wide lips on a few of them when they hit the floor. Even this abuse didn't affect the usability of them or even the lid-sealing capabilities of the 2 chipped containers, but I'm now more careful when they're heavy and frozen solid." We believe this problem to be true of all plastic containers today.

Stacking and organization
Users rave about how easy it is to organize your food storage with this family of products. Empty lidless containers nest in a stack on top of each other as high as you want, and lids snap on top of each other as well. Containers can also snap on top of lids, so that, if you wish to, you can keep all containers of the same size in a nested stack, snapped on top of their lids. After experimenting with several schemes, we prefer to store the empty containers in a nested stack, and keep all the lids vertical in a small box next to the stacks of containers.
Users love these stacking capabilities: "great product and a great space saver", "my cabinet for storage containers was an unsearchable mess. It was just like in the commercial where the lady opens the doors and a river of plastic fall out. Now everything fits together in neat stacks. No more searching. No bowl filled with lids. It's great", "this product is a must have, if you are looking 4 easy storage. You will not have to look for or wonder which top belong to which bottom (no pun intended) ","this is a good sturdy system that replaces the mismatched and missing, as must be done every five years or so. If you store them stacked as they come in the box, it is quite an efficient use of space", "a must have to improve space in the kitchen and dump all those free bees from the Chinese store", "fantastic, lids are always on shelf neatly stacked - most important a great way to store foods in and out of the fridge", " stack great. Never misplace a lid again with the way they click together, or you clip them to the bottom of the bowl. I love these, and it's one of the best purchases I have made in a while!! fits a lot of my needs, unfortunately I have a lot of needs so I'm considering buying another set", "we have had a variety of food storage containers and these are by far the best.. They are easy to store in our cabinets", "I've never kept my plasticware so organized", "this product is great. It has allowed me to free up a lot of space in the cabinet that used to house all of the various plastic containers collected over the years. Now I have a neat stack with lids attached", "lids are always handy", "this new product is just the best!! ... super easy to store", "I love this set of Tupperware because they nest and the tops all click together. No more messy Tupperware drawers where you can't find the tops to anything!"

Multiple container sizes per lid size
The line comes in 3 primary opening sizes, 5"x5", 7"x7", and 9.4" x 9.4", with a smaller size (3"x3") and a larger size (16.5"x16.5") also available. There are two or three depths per size, but all the containers with the same opening size can use the same lids, which means that, with three types of lids, you can cover all of your primary sizes of products: " except for the smallest container, one size lid works with two or more different sizes of containers (a real time saver and hassle eliminator)", "size selection is perfect", "sizes of the containers are nice", "1/2 cup and 2 cups sizes are very useful."
The 5"x5" comes in 1.25 and 2 cup sizes, while the 7x7" comes in 3 cup, 5 cup, and 7 cup sizes,  and the 9.4"x9.4" comes in 9 cup and 14 cup sizes. For truly large storage needs, the larger 16.5"x16.5" comes in 1.5 gal. and 2.5 gal. sizes, while, at the very small end, the 3"x3" comes in a single 0.5 cup size. We find the combination of 5"x5" and 7x7" to be perfect for singles and couples, while average families will want to add the 9.4"x9.4" size containers.

Stacking and organization issues
They are very few. When full, containers can also stack in the refrigerator, container to lid. One user finds this to be a problem: "leftovers - second set on top - seals together - then when a child removes from fridge - out 'both' come - lids come loose and all over the floor with a very sad child standing there."  - and when using in freezer - may come loose - hit floor and edges break - You're out the base containers - "
A few users mention that it takes some pressure to snap the containers on top of the lids: " One thing is that it takes a little pressure to get the stack of lids to click into the stack of containers, but it's not a big deal", "The only problem I have had is that sometimes it is hard to snap the lids in place"

Lid fit/ seal
 Many user commented on the good fit between lids and container: "lids stay on very well", "The lids connect great", The lids fit on the containers perfectly.", The containers themselves do not fit easily to the lids on the bottom fits ever so snug." We tested our containers and lids randomly over a six month period by filling them with water and setting them on their side: none of them leaked for us. However, some users have seen leaks: "unless I keep them completely level on the shelf in the fridge, they leak a bit", "It appeared to be a tight seal but as soon as I picked it up and it sloshed around on my way to the fridge my soup spilled all over", "the lids do not fit properly and they leak if turned sidewards in transit to work." Our conclusion is that leaking container/ lid combination may happen in a small number of cases, and that they probably should get returned to the manufacturer. Since the lids do not lock on the containers, they should not be used for in situations where there is a high likelihood that the containers will be on their side and that motion may induce the lids to slightly dislodge themselves. For these uses, a locking container would be the appropriate solution.

Freezer - fridge - microwave - dishwasher safe
Many users comment on the fact that Easy Find containers can *really* go into the freezer, microwave and dishwasher:  "you really can use the microwave and dishwasher without damage", "dishwasher safe do not warp", "I have put these in the dishwasher... No warped lids or clouded containers! See? Bliss. (Don't laugh ;)", "resist the refrigerator, microwave", "chucked out all the old odd ones and lids that never fit once you put them in dishwasher." We have also found that the Easy Find line took easily to freezer, microwave and dishwasher - but we are careful to wash the containers with oily residue on the inside by hand. When heating food inside the container, we were careful not to leave the lid on, and we avoided bringing the food inside to a very high temperature. Clearly, there are some for whom microwaving did not work as well: "I heated a few things in them and the plastic became discolored and cloudy/bubbled like the cheapy brands do", "I reheated some chicken chili in one of them without the lid using a microwave and after washing I noticed that where top of the chili reached that the plastic was etched. Almost like pitting", "if you're using these just for storing food, they're excellent. HOWEVER, if you want to reheat that food, beware. You should switch to glassware like Pyrex or stoneware", " the covers are very difficult to put on after the microwave warps them", "twice they have deformed in the microwave while cooking in under a minute and a half." In our experience, using the containers and lids in the dishwasher has been fine, but we have seen some etching occur once with an oily container. We have used these containers extensively in the microwave with their top off and have not had any problems, although we imagine that over-heating an oily container could possibly create problems.

No stains
While Rubbermaid does not guarantee these containers against tomato spots, many users comment that they do not get stained in general, and from tomatoes in particular: " washing them is rather easy. does not get stain nor does it keep food smell", "does not stain from sauces", "my absolute favorite part is it does not stain from red sauce!! Reheating last nights spaghetti? No problem! There will be no stain left behind!", "we've stored tomato foods in them then microwaved and no stains occur." A few users disagree: " they get stained easily",  "they pick up a bit of white residue in the dishwasher (high-end Bosch with Electrosol tabs) after many washes."
We have been surprised by the fact that our containers have remained colorless for a year so far, even when exposed to tomato-based sauces. In the end, based on the preponderance of evidence, we feel that these containers have superior resistance to spots, although that there are certainly circumstances when they can spot. Premier Rubbermaid containers, already mentioned above, are advertised as tomato-stain free, although they can get stained from other sources (such as curry). Altogether, we feel that the resistance to stain offered by Easy Find containers is very good, in particular if you wash containers with very oily sauces by hand.

Drying lids
While many users rave about the fact that these containers can be washed in the dishwasher, some users mention that the lids retain water because of their sealing shapes, and that the container bottoms can do so as well: "if washing these items by hand and drying in a dish rack, the lids definitely do hold water, as with the other more temporary plastic storage lids", "because of that snap on feature, both the bottoms of the containers and the lids hold water when you wash them in the dishwasher", " after washing them, have to be careful to not snap them all together if they haven't dried completely. Could trap water in between the lids."

BPA and phtalate free
BPA (Bisphenol A) and phtalates are chemicals which are suspected to disrupt endocrine functions even at very low concentration levels, and could be particularly impactful on children. Both of them have prominently figured in the news lately. Contrarily to many other plastics manufacturers, Rubbermaid has been very forward in discussing which of its products contain BPA: it provides a reference page that lists of all its products and describes whether they contain BPA (the use of the plastic recycling number to figuring out whether a product is at risk of containing BPA is highly inaccurate). Rubbermaid states that Easy Find containers contain no BPA or phtalates.
In November 2008, however, Good Housekeeping published a Report on Safe Food Storage Plastics which stated, among other things, that an independent laboratory had found low levels of BPA in Easy Find containers, although none appeared to leach in food when heated. Rubbermaid vigorously denied the claim, and stated that, after the report's publication, they also had a third partly lab analyze Easy Find containers, and that the lab had not found detectable amounts of BPA. While we in no way question the honesty of Good Housekeeping, Rubbermaid is one of the few companies that have been proactive and willing to discuss the presence of BPA in its products, and we believe Rubbermaid's assertions that the line is BPA- and phtalate-free. Either way, the Good Housekeeping report also mentions that there was no detection of BPA leaching into food. This Amazon review discusses BPAs and Easy Find containers.

Rubber maid Produce Savers Food Containers

Produce Savers
Rubbermaid carries another line, called Produce Saver, with lids that admit some air, and spacers on the bottom to isolate fresh produce from water at the collecting bottom of the container. Interestingly, this line is compatible in size with Easy Find, and lids and containers are interchangeable (despite a comment to the contrary in one of the user reviews).

Approval rating
We collected a large number of user reviews for the Rubbermaid Easy Find storage containers, for a total of 273 reviews, with an excellent global approval rating of 88%. The broad sample of reviews we drew upon gave us a small 4% margin of error with 95% certainty. This is a an excellent score for user approval ratings, in a category where users are very picky about their reviews.

Wish list
What else could we ask from this product line that it does not satisfy? We could wish for a perfect leak-free record, although this probably requires locking containers, which come with other sites of issues (such as space). A no-spotting guarantee would be great - although this probably requires hard plastic containers, which we do not find as comfortable as the Easy Find line, which is made of soft plastic. A perfect record in the dishwasher would also be nice. We would love to see transparent lids, to be able to see inside from the top. We would also like a lid shape which does not retain water when drying. Finally, we would like to to have the ability to fill the container to the very top of its rm, and not have to worry about the lid forcing out some of the contents.


Conclusion
We find the Rubbermaid Easy Find containers to be an excellent system for storing food in a refrigerator, very compact both empty and full, with easy to find lids, robust and sturdy, and with a good resistance to spotting. They can truly be used in freezer, dishwasher and microwave, with few likely negative consequences - although some precaution should still be taken. We use 3 types of containers in our offices at ConsumerPla.net - Easy Find is one of the lines we picked. We have no hesitation in recommending them for use for food storage, and consider them superior to most or all other alternatives available when space and organization are important.

If you look to purchase Easy Find containers, you have a good chance to find them in any drugstore, often less expensively than on line because of shipping costs. There are several sets available, described in an excellent Amazon review which gives a comparison of different sets - beware, however, that many users criticize the sets for having too many small containers that they cannot use. If you need a specific container, it may be useful to note that each container size has an unique model identifier molded in the bottom, such as "7J66" or "7J55", and that these numbers can be used to find the exact matching model, or to search in Google Shopping.

Electric Trimmers and Edgers: Best Online Resources

Best Electric String Trimmers and Lawn Edgers Review Part 17: Online Resources

Online reference sources and stores: there are few authoritative sources in issues that regard electric trimmers, lawn edgers, and related accessories. As usual, the best resources are forums and sources of user-generated content. Good expert reviews are few and far between, and, as is normal for the part, include little of the reliability information that would be critical for homeowners getting ready for a purchase.


Online Sources

The best of the user-generated sources is gardenweb, with several active forums in the subject. The best of  these forums is the  Lawn Mower's Forum, but interesting information can also be found in the Lawn Care Forum and the Garden Tractors Forum. An example of such direct testimonies is this Worx thread - although, because of the nature of the topic, this thread includes little information about long term reliability. Another example is this electric vs gas trimmer thread.  The equivalent site for commercial operators - rather than homeowners- is the Lawn Site, with a wealth of information regarding professional equipment, which, unfortunately, rarely scales well to home use due to different requirements. Another forum primarily focused on commercial operators is the Lawn Service Forum. The Lawn Mower Forum is a good source of information for powered mowers primarily, as is the section of My Tractor Forum focused on lawn tractors. While there are many other lawn-related forums, we have not found them either to have enough traffic or to focus sufficiently on lawn tools to be useful.

Good numbers of valuable user reviews for electric trimmers and edgers can be found at Amazon, Lowe's, Home Depot, Sears, Walmart, and Mowers Direct. Other retailers also carry reviews, but in smaller numbers, and therefore are less useful. Unusually, Troy-Bilt also offers customer reviews - a laudable feature that we would like to see on all manufacturers' sites.

As usual, expert reviews are less useful - they typically fail to assess reliability, and often usability, in a manner that allows them to appropriately map to users' concerns. Consumer Guide has reviewed several string trimmers and lawn edgers, and the reviews appear to have been written by people who actually used the item. Consumer Search published a general string trimmers review, which includes specific selections for electric trimmers. Their background discussion is good, although some of their selections suffer from lack of in-depth analysis. Consumer Unlimited offers a weak summary review of string trimmers. Galttech, while short of providing a thorough analysis, offers a quick selection of some good models for lawn edgers string trimmers. This Old House has a brief and incomplete discussion  of cordless electric trimmers and of multi-head string trimmers. Lowe's  recently dropped its string trimmers buying guide, and only has brief buying guide for hedge trimmers and edgers buying guide. Garden Guides has a short discussion on grass edgers.


Online stores

Beyond Amazon and the large superstores, we found few specialized retailers with a good selection of power garden tools. The best places to find electric string trimmers and edgers online are Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe's, Sears, and Mowers Direct.

Guided Ergonomic Chair/ Keyboard Choice

Picking Ergonomic Equipment Easily

Ergonomic office chairs, ergonomic desks, ergonomic keyboard and mice - is there a way to pick them easily and without having to do much research?

In May, we published an exhaustive series reviewing ergonomic online stores. The winners were outstanding stores for ergonomic furniture and ergonomic accessories, with a great amount of choice in their inventory, and a very large amount of product and information data, allowing the customer to make an informed choice. There were, however, some stores who focused on offering a very easy picking process to customers, rather than giving them an abundance of research information. Where do you go then, when you want to solve an ergonomic problem quickly without doing extensive research? We found three stores which provide you with a quick and guided process to pick ergonomic equipment.

#3 Ergo4me (chairs only). Ergo4me is the direct marketing arm of the manufacturing company for Bodybilt, ErgoGenesis, already reviewed here. By selecting a "Build my chair" button in many places on the front page or on many other pages, you are led to two builders, a basic builder, which takes about one minute and proposes a chair, or an advanced builder which takes about 5 minutes and builds a custom chair. With the description of that custom chair, you can call ErgoGenesis, and ask for a quote along with options. Bodybilt makes good ergonomic chairs, and the average price of these custom chairs, according to Ergo4me, is approximately $850 - although the ones we built were higher. Perfect Back Chair is another site operated by ErgoGenesis in the same manner - there are several such sites.

#2 The Human Solution. The Human Solution, reviewed here, was already #2 in our ergonomic furniture store review, and #1 in our ergonomic accessories store review. It scores high again in this category, by providing two thorough self assessment evaluations, one for chairs, and one for keyboard trays. Both of them are PDF documents, that are to be downloaded, filled (it takes approximately 10 minutes), then sent back to the store. They are then evaluated by the store's ergonomic advisers (i..e ergonomics trained sales people), who come back to you with a proposal and discuss your choices. It is possible to get instant advice through chat (or phone) as well, rather than waiting for the result of these assessments. Because these sales people are agnostic with respect to brand, and because the store carries a very broad choice of brands, we like this process a lot, and feel that you get, at once, the benefit of professional advice with the brad range of products from a solid retailer. The sales people you talk to can also dispense advice on other issues such as footrest, keyboard, pointing devices etc., although the self assessments are focused on chairs and keyboard trays.

#1 Ergonomics Simplified. Ergonomics Simplified, already reviewed here, opens up as a clean site with a simple interface. It provides you with three primary guided self-evaluation. The most significant is the interactive evaluation, available from the upper right hand corner of the screen, which takes you through a 10 minute questionnaire and ergonomic guide, which also dispenses good advice on the way, and ends with a diagnostic of all your ergonomic problems, along with equipment proposals to alleviate them, goling from chairs to keyboard trays, keyboard, tracking devices, and footrest - very broad. You also have access to simple chair and keyboard choosers, which, based on a much simpler set of facts about you, validate which chairs or keyboards might be best for you. We really like the site and the evaluation, because the diagnosis and proposals are automated on line, and therefore instantaneous, and because the advice provided goes beyond chairs and keyboard trays, across all accessories that the assessment is programmed to cover, which is a broad range. We also like the fact that the store will put you in touch with local ergonomic consultants to evaluate your set-up in situ as needed - a nice touch, beyond what other stores provide. We have two significant concerns, however. The chair choices, and the range of options for some accessories, are limited, though - are they really broad enough to encompass all your needs? And - Ergonomics Simplified is the only store where you cannot reach the store on the phone, which we find inadequate - it would be better to raise prices and allow for a more complete range of interactions. Yet, despite these significant weaknesses, we find the broad range of automated diagnostics a compelling choice with great usability and immediate satisfaction online.

Lawn Edger How-to Advice For First Time Users

Best Electric String Trimmers and Lawn Edgers Review Part 16: Advice to First Time Edgers

Lawn edgers: Using them for the first time can be intimidating, as their use can change your landscape in semi-permanent ways. We have found, among the many reviews we read, many useful and often ignored pieces of truly valuable advice that I wished we had known prior to using our first edger.







Large gauge extension cords. Electric lawn edgers consume large amounts of current and require a specific voltage to run properly. If the extension cord you use is too thin (i.e. the gauge number is too high) you may burn up the motor. The longer the extension cord, the thicker (the smaller number) the gauge. Unless you run really short extension cords, you should be looking at 12 gauge extension cords.

First time use is harder. After purchase, the first use is typically harder, as it is when you re-define you edges - afterwards, later passes are much easier:  "we had not edged for a while [...] It took awhile to initially edge since we were cutting so much grass but it was well worth it","yard was a mess. The first time using it took a while, but that was because I was trenching the lines[...] Since then I've had clean lines and works easily", "I have also found the first edge of the season, or the first time you use it if you haven't ever edged your lawn, can be challenging for you and the edger - but after that this edger can help you maintain your clean edge with ease."

Do not use when grass is wet. Advice: "not to use it when the grass is remotely wet. When the grass is wet the part that you are edging the grass and dirt get caught between the blade and the cover", "Only use it when it is bone dry outside. If you try and use it after watering your lawn or after a rain mud will clump inside the edger and clog it up, resulting in you having to pull out large mud clumps from inside the edger every few feet."

Careful with rocks. A user writes: "Note to new edgers: Watch for rocks - if the blade sparks, you may be hitting a rock. DIG IT UP FIRST. [...] I got some goggles out, and whenever I hit a rock, I used a small garden shovel at that very moment to dig the rocks out from the immediate area in front of me and kept moving. I can't wait to edge it up again, it was enjoyable. Another note - edge shallow the first time, then go deeper later as you never know what's under your lawn edges."

Replacement blades. Do not forget to have them ready: "I recommend buying extra blades when you purchase one, you will soon need them."

Edging frequency. Do not go too long without edging: "You should try and edge like every third cut to make it an easy task."

Precision edging. Putting more weight on the front wheel makes it easier for precision turns, although not quite as stable on the straightaways: "I had a little trouble getting precision edge-lines [...] [A] three-wheel model works great on straight-away edges, but is harder to use on curves. I discovered that if you tilt the edger slightly forward onto the single front wheel, you can get much better control, and the tight curves are much easier."

Thick clumps/ Southern grass technique. Be ready to take a couple of steps backs when dealing with thick clumps: "When edging, try moving the edger forward about a foot or two, then pull it back, and then forward again about 2-3'. Repeat as you work. This gives smoother, sharper cut on the grass edge", " [St Augustine:] Some escape the first slice, but backing over them usually wins the battle."


Next we review good online information sources for electric trimmers and edgers... So come back soon!

Best Electric Lawn Edger Review

Best Electric String Trimmers and Lawn Edgers Review Part 15: Best Electric Lawn Edger

The  Black and Decker LE750 Edge Hog  is without a doubt the best electric edger on the market today - and an excellent model it is, even though the competition is weak. It is a 7.5", 11A edger trencher, with a light weight of 12.4 lbs. Motor power is 2.25 HP.  There are three cutting positions in trench mode for depths varying between 1" and 1.5". The Edge Hog can be used to install outdoor lighting or invisible dog fences. The shaft is telescopic, and an auxiliary handle allows more flexibility in holding and handling.

Users rave about how easy it is to handle and how well it does regular edging jobs: "easy to use and get the work done fast", "easily cuts the edge around your curbed lawn and with little noise or fuss", "very easy to use and works great on edging the flower beds", " plenty of power, and adjustments for depth and angle are good", "very easy to operate, heavy enough to hold it on track, but not so heavy I couldn't handle it", "my husband was skeptical, but after I tried it, he decided to try it and now is telling the neighborhood how well it works", "easy to use, has plenty of power and does a nice job", "very powerful edger, easy to set up out of the box, with good settings for depth, and does a very good job in my yard and gardens", "adjustable height lets you edge nice and deep", "very light weight and easy to manage. Blade cuts well and is easy to maneuver", "well powered", "little edger is a work horse. Easy to handle -Cuts like a gem- actually fired the lawn man this make it so easy", "powerful, does a good job on edging with option to do flower beds."

The edger can take challenges that appear more difficult than the average home owner's task: "this thing was slicing through 3-4 inches of THICK dirt and grass (4 years) growth like it was soft butter. I had to stop every 2 feet just to pick up the huge scraps and discard them", "I have been noting less than rough with it (careful, it will chip your sidewalk/driveway into little pieces), surprising amount of power. If you want to add that perfect finishing touch to your yard too, buy this edger, you will not regret it", "very satisfied with the product. I use it about 8-10 times a year. I live in Florida and have St. Augustine grass which is a southern species very similar to crabgrass in the northern states. It is tough. Many of the roots grow horizontally on the surface of the soil and creep over pavement edges. Trimming them is a challenge that the B&D edger handles quite well", "I had several years of thick over growth around my driveway, and this thing just tore through it [...]Edge Hog was able to cut through both the grass and the soil and still made that little trench along the edge of the pavement. My edges now look very clean and manicured."

While this edger clearly does a very good job for most people with average needs, it is not a professional unit with unlimited power: "it does clog with mud quickly when the soil is wet, and (probably unavoidably)wears blades fairly quickly", "quiet, powerful, lightweight and easy to use. Does a fantastic job with regular edging; landscape edging is good but not great."

Immediately after purchase, the first use of the edger is typically more difficult, as it is when you re-define you edges. Afterwards, later passes are much easier:  "we had not edged for a while [...] It took awhile to initially edge since we were cutting so much grass but it was well worth it", "yard was a mess. The first time using it took a while, but that was because I was trenching the lines[...] Since then I've had clean lines and works easily." The tools is easy to put together: "easy assembly", "easy to assemble and sturdy enough to do the job." The unit locks the extension cord in: "simple and effective cord retainer." Like most edgers, blades need to be replaced roughly once per year (or per season in long growing seasons states): "the blades easily last a season (I can usually get them to last a season and a half), "used it for over 2 years replacing the blade only one time", "in three years of use, I've only had to replace the blade once."

Many users come to this unit from gas edgers and find it a good replacement: "much lighter than the gas powered weed eater", "good replacement for gas: [...] gives my lawn that crisp finished look I want, it's easy to use and it is consistent", "amazed how well this little machine can cut through the toughest overgrowth (6") on my driveway. I had no problem handling it. I was looking at gas edgers, and am so glad I bought this model", " great value. Edger works great. I got tired of buying gas edgers and having them break down. Plenty of power, works just like the product description." Longevity is good: "have had this product for over four years and it has worked great", "I'm on my 3rd year with this edger", "highly recommend this edger. I purchased my electric B&D Edge Hog in 2005 and decided to finally write a review on it."

The trenching function works well: "quiet and more versatile - being able to trench and cut on a bevel", "lightweight, strong & even digs a trench for your edging or planting", "also used it to dig small trenches when I wanted to install some low pressure plastic pipe for watering a flower garden. The edger dug out a nice little trench that I could push the pipe into and then re-cover with soil and let the grass grow over it." At the same time, like the edging function, it is not as strong a trencher as a commercial unit: "bought this mainly for its bedding trencher feature. Making a defined border around our many garden beds is hard manual work. The trencher feature on the Edge Hog merely cuts an edge rather than a wider cut I wanted for the beds to keep the grass from encroaching.It does work nicely though as an edger."

While there are very few negative reviews, those that are found center around two primary areas. A few users have seen early failure in their units: " used this edger for exactly 20 minutes and the motor burned out", "
worked fantastic for about an hour, then just up and quit", "unit = smoking garbage after [2.25] hr." Some of these failures are undoubtedly standard early failure mode, while some may be due to inadequate extension cords, as too small a gauge will heat up and burn up a motor. Although the bulk of the reviews are satisfied with unit power, few complain about lack of power: "this edger only cuts about 60% of the grass and the rest it pushes away"," (Florida) grass was over the driveway about three inches in places [...] I made five passes going slow back and forth and it only cut about 50% of the grass that needed edging. Not a good purchase if you have St. Augustine grass", "It won't cut the grass, it just crush .. you won't get a fine cut .. it doesn't have enough power", " (Jamaica) it does edge but I don't think it does that well with my kinda grass and my edges have some stones. You definitely need a soft grass and absolutely no stones." Many of these reviews appear to apply to Southern grasses, known to be more difficult to deal with - although several satisfied users mentioned their use of the edger with Southern grasses or in the South.

The LE750 Edge Hog gets an excellent 85% positive reviews with likely error below 5% (231/272 from Amazon, Sears, Home Depot and Lowe's). These reviews are spread over an amazing 10 year track record. The Edge Hog is an outstanding edger for most home owners with an average size yard and we have no hesitation in recommending it.

Next we dish out advice (often found in the user reviews themselves) to first time edger users... So come back soon!

Comparing Electric Lawn Edgers

Best Electric String Trimmers and Lawn Edgers Review Part 14: Comparing Electric Lawn Edgers

Electric lawn edgers: lawn edgers are what you use when you want a truly nice vertical edge alongside your lawn. Trimmers and trimmer/ edgers, however good they are, cannot match the clean edge of a true edger. The good news about electric lawn edgers is that choosing electric as a mean of power does not require you to make agonizing choices:  the best electric edger reviews better than all gas edgers, when rated by home owners.

These models did not make the cut

The American Gardener ReadyEdger YE8  by Outdoor Power is a 7.5", 12A, 15 lb edger, which has recently been obsoleted by the newer 30243 model. It is practically the same machine as the Craftsman 79650 (made by Outdoor Power as well), which, in turn, is visually indistinguishable from the Craftsman 79653, which is currently being sold by Sears. The YE8 has a very long track record, extending back to at least 2002, although its reviews are not very good: it gets 40% positive reviews (10/25 between Amazon,  shopping.com and Sears). Users are in general satisfied with its power, but complain about the length of the shaft (too short) , and find the edger awkward and too hard to maneuver. The most significant complaint, which occurs often, is early failure, after a few uses (common), or after the first or second season. Purchasers of the YE8 (as opposed to the Craftsman) had some trouble with Outdoor Power customer support, which not not always efficient or helpful. While the YE8 is not available any more, the Craftsman 79653 is, and is not recommended because of its low reliability.

The $80 American Gardener 30243  by Original Power , is the successor to the ReadyEdger. Feature-wise, it appears indistinguishable from the YE8, although the motor housing is different. The telescopic shaft pivots for more convenient storage. An accessory handle allows the user flexibility in holding and handling. Cutting depth is adjustable. The 12A motor should give it reasonable power for most home owners' tasks. The 30243 doe snot have any reviews yet. Users of the previous models had some complaints about Outdoor Power customer support. Users of the American Gardener YS24 cordless trimmer also expressed disappointment with customer support, although, for most of them, it was due to the fact that batteries with early failure were not covered by the warranty. We were able to get a hold of customer support on the phone easily, and received polite support when we called. Nonetheless, the issue of customer support for Outdoor Power remains open. Because of the poor reliability of the previous YE8 model, and due to the lack of existing reviews, we cannot recommend the 30243 at this time, but will periodically update this review as needed.

The $90 Craftsman 79653 7.5", 12A Edger appears to be visually identical to the 79650, which was largely similar to the American Gardener YE8 model. The Craftsman 79653 gets poor reviews with 35% positive ratings (7/20 at Sears) - feedback is detailed under our review of the American Gardener YE8. The bulk of the complaints have to do with early failure of the equipment. Based on its poor reviews it cannot be recommended.

The Greenworks 27032 edger is a 7.5", 12A edger with a fairly light weight of 13.25 lbs. While it is already displayed on the company site, it does not appear to be available quite yet. Greenworks is a new brand, dedicated to lowering carbon footprint for outdoor tools, and outsourced manufacturing to China. We reviewed and were very impressed by their cordless trimmer edger, but their manual reel mowers left us underwhelmed. It is hard to say what to expect from the 27032 without reviews at this stage.

The $70 Power Glide Electric Grass Edger is a 7.5", 11A edger with an accessory handle and a telescopic shaft. The Power Glide appears to be made for Ace Hardware stores only, and is not easy to find online, which is a concern when looking for spare blades. When researching the model, we were able to find it with a large discount for $40 only, which might indicate that it is being obsoleted. We only found two reviews for it, one positive and one negative. The negative reviewer indicated that he was not allowed to order spare blades from the manufacturer and the local Ace hardware stores did not carry spare blades...  Not recommended at this time.

The $90 Worx WG895 is a 7.5", 12A edger trencher. The weight is moderate at 14.2 lbs. A two-position "ergonomic" handle appears very awkward. The shaft is telescopic. In trench mode, it carries three positions for blade depth, from 1" to 1.5". While we were able to find the WG895 for sale with several online retailers, and found evidence of earlier infomercials for it in mid-2009, we are puzzled not to be able to find this product on the company web site, and are somewhat concerned that it might be in the process of being obsoleted. There were no online reviews that we could find for this model, which could indicate that it is a brand new model instead...

The $350 Mantis 7250-05-02  is an interesting electric tiller edger, with excellent reviews, which combines light electric tilling (3" and 9" deep) with edging. Many users use it as a trencher with good success (although you still have to use a shovel once you have tilled). While the model specs indicate that edging should be effective with this model, we were only able to find one user across all the reviews for the model and its attachments discussing edging -the user simply mentioned it worked well. Many users mention that it really should be bought with the weed reducers (to stop weeds from wrapping around tines) and the tine detangler (a basic maintenance tool), and that Mantis should really include these tools in the package. The warranty for Mantis tools is excellent, with a 5 -year general warranty, and a lifetime warranty on the tines. Reviews are extremely positive about the function of the tool, and very few users complain about early breakage. However, the few which have had to deal with customer support are extremely critical of both the support operators and the support policy: they are left with the impression that the company does not stand behind its products.

The 7250-05-02 gets outstanding 88% positive reviews (incidentally, the electric model gets better reviews that the gas models), with a likely error up to 6% (84/95 on Amazon and Sears). It is an expensive tool, with very poor customer support from Mantis, great success as a tiller, good success as a trencher aid, and little data as to how well is edges. On that basis, we cannot recommend it for edging due to lack of data - but we intend to review this tool in the future as a tiller edger, and will report in more detail what we find out then.

Next we review the best electric lawn edger... So come back soon!

Picking Electric vs. Gas Lawn Edgers

Best Electric String Trimmers and Lawn Edgers Review Part 13: Picking Electric vs. Gas-powered Lawn Edgers

While traditional lawn edgers have typically been gas powered, traditional wisdom has quickly changed in this area, and the best-rated lawn edger is actually electric. Because edgers generally require more power, there is no significant cordless competition at this time - although we may see some in the future, as batteries shrink in size and increase power density. Today, competition is between gas and corded electric models.

The overhead associated with gas engines is high. Gas engines, compared to electric motors, are complex machines, that require ongoing and seasonal maintenance,  need periodic tuning, and can be hard to start. They are heavy machines and lead to heavy products. Gas edgers are noisy, smelly, and significantly contribute to global warming: in that respect that are comparable to lawn mowers, whose contributions to global warming were evaluated here as equivalent to 11 modern cars per gas mower engine. The big advantages of gas edgers are that they provide very compact power, and that they are self contained, taking their fuel along with them.

On the other hand, electric lawn edgers are lighter, comparatively less complex (outside of damage to the power cord or connector, a motor will work or be dead - there are few states in between these two extremes), significantly quieter, with no unpleasant odor, and much less contributions to global warming. Their major drawbacks are that existing models do not carry as much power as larger gas models, and that, mostly, they are constantly tethered to an outlet. ..  Edgers for home use do not carry the power requirements of professional tools, which need to be used all day every day in circumstances that include trenching. For all practical purposes, existing power in electric edgers is sufficient for all home uses unless you have very specific requirements, in particular if they include trenching. However, being tethered to an outlet is somewhat limiting. A good quality 100-foot outdoor extension cord, or two of them together for 200 feet, give the average homeowner a good roaming range. If this range is not sufficient to you, then you need a gas mower. Otherwise, in our opinion you should consider an electric edger as your first choice.

There are very few cordless trimmer edgers with an accessory guiding wheel, which are the closest to a real cordless edger that you can find at this time. These trimmers lag the two back wheels of a traditional edger, and do not make it truly possible to give a vertical edge for more than a few feet at a time. Trimmer edgers without a guiding wheel cannot really be used as true edgers.

Next we research and compare electric lawn edgers... So come back soon!