Oh! Gizmo

By Andrew Liszewski

I’m far from being a germophobe, but when wandering through the grocery store I can’t help but wonder what micro-organisms might be living on the handle of my shopping cart. Well according to the PureCart Systems website, the average shopping cart handle actually has upwards of a million germs on it, which could lead to sickness, death or just a really icky feeling. And that’s why their PureCart System actually seems like a pretty good idea.

Instead of providing shoppers with disinfectant wipes that are really only ever used to clean the handle and maybe the child seat, the PureCart System uses an FDA and EPS approved quick-drying sanitizing solution to quickly clean the entire cart. Sanitizing a cart is as easy as pushing it through the cleaning station where the solution is automatically sprayed on, and for non-wheeled items like a basket or a child seat a wand is also provided to make purifying them just as easy. The system supposedly only costs the store about 1 to 2 cents per cart once installed, and would no doubt help them lure that lucrative obsessive-compulsive crowd.

[ PureCart Systems ] VIA [ Retail Design Diva ]

By Andrew Liszewski

I’m sure there has to be some country on Earth where back hair is considered to be an attractive trait, but it’s not here in North America. So if you’d like to avoid being mistaken for a gorilla when you go out in public you can pick up this Extended Reach Body Hair Groomer from Hammacher Schlemmer for $49.95. Not only is it designed to deal with the contours of your armpits, shoulders and legs, but it features a hinged handle that can extend up to 3 inches allowing you to better reach the middle of your back. On a single 8 hour charge the cordless shaver will run for about half an hour, and it also features a water-resistant housing allowing you to even use it while in the shower.

[ Men's Extended Reach Body Hair Groomer ] VIA [ Coolest Gadgets ]

By Andrew Liszewski

I know there’s a lot of hype surrounding them, but if you’re in the market for a new vacuum cleaner I can’t recommend the Dyson models enough. Their upright ‘Animal’ model has particularly impressed me when it comes to battling a golden retriever who seems to shed and regrow his coat every 4 to 6 hours. Unfortunately though the upright model isn’t incredibly portable, and if you’re battling pet hair in your house, there’s a good chance you’re waging the same war in your car which is why Dyson has also introduced an ‘Animal’ version of their handheld DC16 line. (Also known as the Root 6 in North America.)

What sets the Animal version apart from the other Root 6 models is a motorized brushbar attachment that basically ’scrubs’ the pet hair off of fabrics and other upholstery. But like with the other handheld Dyson vacuums, the amazing suction power means you only get about 6 minutes of battery life. However, they do apparently recharge up to 3 times faster than their competitor’s models, which is great because I don’t anyone who can’t wait to clean. The Root 6 Animal is available directly from Dyson for $199.99.

[ Dyson DC16 Animal Handheld ] VIA [ Shiny Shiny ]

By Andrew Liszewski

I’ve never used a bidet, and to be quite honest, I wouldn’t be that upset if I lived my entire life without having had that experience. But if you enjoy the bidet experience, and don’t want to drop thousands of dollars on a fancy new toilet, the GoBidet’s got you covered. (I’m sure there’s a joke in there somewhere.) It can be affixed to your existing toilet and features an adjustable arm that can be strategically aimed and even swung in and out of position as needed. The easiest installation option allows you to connect the GoBidet’s water pipe directly to your toilet, but that only provides you with cold water, which could take some getting used to. If you want hot water as well you’ll need to run an extra pipe or hose to the water hookups under the bathroom sink, which is a bit more complicated. With a price tag of around $130 (depending on where you buy it) the GoBidet seems like an affordable way to live a life of luxury.

[ GoBidet ] VIA [ Kevin Kelly's Cool Tools ]

By Andrew Liszewski

This handheld cordless vac seems to be targeted toward owners of messy pets because not only can it be used for sucking up dry materials like pet food or dirt, but the recharging base also functions as an air sanitizer. The vacuum portion has an easy to empty dirt cup that’s lined with nano silver technology to prevent the growth of mold and odor-causing bacteria while the base apparently uses the same UV-C air sanitizing technology as hospitals do. Except that in a hospital it’s used to save lives where as in your home it will probably be used to fight the stank coming from the litter box.

The UV-C bulb in the base will last up to 5,000 hours, but if you leave it running all day and night that’s only about 208 days, or a little under 7 months before it’s time to swap in a new bulb. You can find the Hand Vac / Air Sanitizer at Solutions.com for $99.95, but I have no idea how much the replacement UV-C bulbs are.

[ Hand Vac & Air Sanitizer 2-in-1 ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Looking to add about 2 hours of extra work to your typical day? Then make sure to carry this folding UV scanner everywhere you go and use it to disinfect everything you might have to touch like door handles, telephones, computer keyboards, mice and faucets. Waving the UV light over an object will kill 99.9% of the germs you might come in contact with, but what about that 0.1% that’s still going to end up on your hands? If they’re tough enough to survive a blast of UV light who knows what harm they’re going to cause you? I suggest just staying home all day and working at your computer in your pajamas. If people think you’re crazy for doing so just tell them you’re a blogger. It worked for me!

Whatever Works sells the handheld UV Scanner for $29.99, but it doesn’t include the 4 AAA batteries you’ll need to wage your war on germs.

[ Disinfecting UV Scanner ] VIA [ Ubergizmo ]

By Andrew Liszewski

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I hate shaving. But I guess I can at least be thankful I don’t have to deal with the top of my head in addition to my face. But if I did, you better believe I’d use something like this HeadBlade Sport razer. While it looks more like a concept snowmobile than a razer, the wheels and contoured handle are actually designed to make shaving your own head a bit easier.

In addition to the wheels, the HeadBlade also uses ‘triple blade technology’ which I assume works just like you see in other razer commercials. You know, one blade lifts, one blade cuts, one blade is there for moral support etc. The company also sells a classic version of the HeadBlade but it doesn’t have any wheels and as a result looks nowhere near as cool as the Sport version.

You can get the HeadBlade Sport directly from the HeadBlade online store for just $15, while replacement blades are $8.97.

[ HeadBlade Sport ] VIA [ Nerd Approved ]

By Luke Anderson

One of my favorite things about my job is the fact that I don’t have to worry about keeping my facial hair perfectly trimmed or gone. I keep it trimmed and looking neat, but I don’t carry around a razor to nip that 5-o’clock shadow in the bud. Unfortunately there are people out there that must keep their face smooth all the time, so for those guys, here’s a razor that will keep you smooth without sucking up any juice from your power outlet.

While I can’t be sure how long it will take to charge (or how long a charge will last) it’s a good thought for a device that will only be used a few minutes at a time. It’s pretty thin, so you can slip it in your pocket and head to the men’s room when you feel a bit stubbly. It’s a bit pricey though, coming it at just under $70.

[ Ecotopia ] VIA [ UberGizmo ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Looking for a way to test your breath before friends, family or even strangers subtly offer you a breath freshener? While I suggest carrying around a canary in a cage like coal miners did, you might want to consider this pocket friendly Halitosis Detector instead.

I guess you just blow or breathe on the sensor above the screen, and the results will be displayed VIA an easy to understand smiley face. Obviously a smile means you’re good to go, but if you see a shocked face like the one in the product shot, you might want to grab another swig of mouthwash. However I’m not really sure what the ‘WAIT’ message means? It’s not like hiding in the corner for 10 minutes will magically make your breath fresh again. Unless you’re supposed to just wait for everybody else in the room to leave, so you can easily make your escape. (Or as Someguy pointed out in the comments, that’s probably just the message you get while it’s analyzing your breath.)

The Halitosis Detector is currently available for just $10.00 from Restoration Hardware.com, and for that price you just know it must work great!

[ Halitosis Detector ] VIA [ Geek Sugar ]