Products that work well.

[Mark42]

Have you bought something for the house, yard, car, etc that surprised you at how well it worked? How about we start listing products that we are very happy with, especially those that out perform the competitors, or were a real bargain?

For example:

I bought an indoor/outdoor thermometer by AcuRite at Walmart for $10. It is wireless, and works up to 100 feet from the outdoor sensor. I like it because it has a large LCD display, with numerals about 3/4" tall. And it lists the temperature in 1/10 of a degree increments. Being wireless, the display can be set on an end table, book shelf, etc. Which is nice because reading the classic window thermometer was difficult at night. Now we have the indoor and outdoor temps in the family room, and the display can easily be read from 8-10 feet away. Pretty neat device for $10.

Another product that worked well is Armstrong's ceiling tile system. When finishing off the basement, I wanted to use a tile system for easy access to wiring and plumbing, but I didn't want to lose up to 6" of head room that is typical of suspended ceiling systems. Armstrong makes a tile system that screws directly to the ceiling joists, and only takes up less than 2" of headroom. The system uses the standard ceiling tiles in 2x2 or 2x4 foot sizes, and the tiles are easily removed to access wires and plumbing, etc. This system is a little pricey, and I had to custom order it. But it works very well, and over time I appreciate it more when ever I want to get behind the ceiling tiles.

So what can you add?

 

[Laddies]

Re: Products that work well.

Super Clean works well on grease and lime, I think it cleans up everything Always spot test on paint when using full strength, Plus its biodegradable.

 

[gibletts]

Re: Products that work well.

Heineken seems to work well.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Products that work well.

Harbor Freight 2 gallon pancake air compressor($89), not great/professional quality, but good for several years of air for the casual mechanic, do-it-yourselfer, use it all the time, first one bought about 8 years ago, finally the valves tore up, just went and bought another one. If I was a professional mechanic type guy, then I would definitely invest in better quality, but this thing gets it done for me, and my open garage just invites thieves, but I doubt any self-respecting crook would want this thing, keep it under the workbench with junk piled around it! $89$$$Cheap!

 

[robert graham]

Re: Products that work well.

Another great thing is the Harbor Freight Spark Plug Sandblaster($15), works like a charm on all spark plugs, never need any new plugs! My 1999 Yamaha 90C still has the original plugs in it, just blow the carbon off and runs like a top! Good Luck!

 

[CN Spots]

Re: Products that work well.

Y'all beat me to the Magic Erasers and Super Clean. I bought one of those battery testers for the little AA, AAA, C & D batteries from Harbor for a couple of bucks and I love that thing. With three kids and a house full of gizmos, we go though a ton of batteries. It's quick way to determine if they're really toast or not.

http://www.harborfreight.com/household-battery-tester-96377.html

 

[Cofe]

Re: Products that work well.

Great Value brand, new and improved Dark Roast Coffee at Wallmart. Tastes as good as Folgers and cost $6.00

 

[lakelover]

Re: Products that work well.

CFL warranties...

GE 6-year warranty on their CFL bulbs: Just keep your package UPC code and your receipt. If one burns out before 6 years, you send them the bulb, those two items and your name address and they will send you a coupon for $8.00, no questions asked. That will buy you a new three pack.

Since I've had about 10-25% of my CFL's fail early, they have probably paid for my initial investment with their coupons.

Sylvania has a similar deal, but I haven't used theirs for some time. Once, I sent them a failed bulb, and they mailed me a package containing 9 new ones. Can't beat that!

It only costs a couple bucks to mail the bad bulb.

Update: Since I get 3 new for every one failure, now I have 9 spares in the closet too! Not sure when the mfr's will wise up!

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Products that work well.

Some of the Frederick's of Hollywood and Victoria Secrete products comes to mind.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Products that work well.

Have to agree on HF pancake compressor also the HF oscillating multi-tool for 29 bucks is great. "Great Value" blueberry pancake mix at walmart,needs no eggs and makes some of the best tasting pancakes ever.

 

[jkust]

Re: Products that work well.

Yes, my wife rolled our tow vehicle 2.5 times two weeks back on the highway with our youngest on board. It was a Buick Rainier, midsized, body on frame suv and we replaced it with a newer model Buick Rainier with stabilitrac. Stabilitrac is amazing and I'll never buy another car or certainly an suv without it. She wouldn't have had the accident had the old Rainier had the system. I never thought twice about rollover mitigation technology but it is a product that works good.

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Products that work well.

True Temper lawn and garden products, made in America and GREAT customer service.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Products that work well.

Milwaukee Cordless Impact driver. This thing works great. I was trying to unscrew a couple of rusted screws with my screw driver. I was turning it as much as I could to point of bending the shaft and it would not budge.

I put this on the screw and it backed it off like nothing. I was so tickled, my wife just didn't understand.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Products that work well.

A harbor freight air impact wrench http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-impact-wrench-2623.html 90 reviews, and 4.9 out of 5 stars and I believe it. 79.99 on the site now. I think I got it for 60 bucks with a 20% off coupon. Talk about a deal! Some reviewers are saying their coworkers IR's and MAC's are breaking and their HF special keeps rocking along, removing bolts some name brand 3/4 in guns can't remove!

My dad was using a lug wrench to try to remove his backhoe's front lugs. He was spinning the tire he was trying so hard. He calls me, I go over there with my handy dandy impact wrench with impact sockets also purchased at HF, set the compressor to 90psi, put it on the lug and squeeze the trigger. Within seconds I was holding the lug and asking him where he wanted me to put them as I took them off. He literally said, "There is no effing way you got a lug off that easily." I handed him the lug and he said, "Wow, that thing is amazing. I've been fighting these lugs for a half hour!"

Built like a brick **** house and hits like a hammer. It hasn't met a lug or bolt it couldn't break loose. It has 5 or 6 adjustable stages of torque, so you can set it where it won't break a fragile bolt but will still shake the **** out of it and break it loose. The reviews from guys who have had it for 5+ years say it works as good for them now as it did the day it was bought. 3 drops of oil in the air intake hole each time I use it and it should last a long time.

 

[Bucks45]

Re: Products that work well.

Check out a product called MotorKote. It's a lubricant that can be put into anything mechanical. Also comes in a spray can. This stuff has unlimited uses and works great!

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Products that work well.

Crown Royal has always worked for me. Like a good friend that never lets you down.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Products that work well.

iboats works

 

[rbh]

Re: Products that work well.

Crown Royal has always worked for me. Like a good friend that never lets you down.

Partial to appltetons rum myself.

 

[redfury]

Re: Products that work well.

PB blaster has been my stubborn bolt removing penetrating fluid since I found it.. it's thicker than WD so it holds in place instead of running all over the place.

can't say enough about the magic erasers, they are magic! ( actually, they are a special type of foam )

The most amazing tool I've ever received was a cam locking "wrench" my wife bought for me. It took off old brake lines when even the proper wrenches stripped the heads. Thought it was a gimmick tool...not anymore!

I'm going to go look at the HF impact gun though...my interest is piqued after reading that. I'm also looking to buy the HF DA sander that has the water feed for wet sanding, I'll let you know if I find it useful for the price ( $60 )

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Products that work well.

Great thread.

In no particular order...

I'm wearing a cable knit sweater my wife (then my girlfriend) bought me in 1989 while we were backpacking across Scotland. Still looks brand new and is toasty warm as can be. Not sure that it's in style any more but, hey - warm is warm!

My 1999 Honda CRV is the best damned vehicle I've ever owned. Closing in on 400,000 km on not much more than gas, oil, and tires. Original clutch despite some serious launch ramp abuse...

Got a 60 year-old Ferguson tractor that starts on half a spin no matter how long it has sat and can run hard pushing a blade through deep wet snow for hours on end nonstop on just a couple gallons of gas.

I've got this great wood splitting axe - the kind with the hinged spreaders built into the head. A lazy whack is about all it takes to split big, mean logs apart.

Oxy Clean. My kid spilled a bunch of iron filings from a science experiment kit on the floor of his room. That stuff somehow managed to make a rusty mess disappear from a light cream carpet. Unbelievable.

+1 on the Crown too!