• The Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker: Ultimate Ears UE Boom 2
• The Best Bluetooth Speaker for Sound Quality: FUGOO
• The Best Indoor Bluetooth Speaker: Bose SoundLink Color

The Details

The Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker: Ultimate Ears UE Boom 2

Pros: Waterproof, rugged, great battery life, impressive sound, lightweight

Cons: playback controls occasionally unresponsive

A favorite pick of top tech magazines, the UE Boom 2 is a remake of the popular, original UE Boom.  Although just over 1 lb., the compact, cylindrical speaker projects a loud, clear sound with deep bass in all directions.  Unlike many delicate tech gadgets, these speakers were meant to be taken outside – the outer shell is resilient, rugged and made to withstand dings and dents.  It’s not just water-resistant – it’s waterproof – and can be submerged in over three feet of water for up to 30 minutes.  The rechargeable battery lasts an impressive 15 hours, perfect for a weekend camping trip with a group of friends.  The UE Boom 2 also offers a variety of other features, including the ability to sync with a second UE speaker for even more sound, intuitive app features, and a variety of color options to suit any style.

The UE Boom 2 is available at Amazon for around $200.

The Best Bluetooth Speaker for Sound Quality: FUGOO

Pros: Powerful sound, excellent battery life, durable design, customizable “jackets”

Cons:  Does not give visual cues on volume or battery life, changing jackets requires some dis-assembly

According to TechRadar, the FUGOO Bluetooth speaker is one of the industry’s best-kept secrets.  Although some high-end Bluetooth speakers from well-known brands, such as Bowers & Wilkins, Bang & Olufsen, Sony, Marshall Kilburn, and Bose, may boast of higher quality sound, many of these are not realistically portable, or likely to be used as portable speakers, due to their size, weight, and price tag.  However, the FUGOO is a true portable speaker at a little under 1.5 pounds, and includes a durable core and different exterior “jackets” depending on the purpose and environment.  Specifically, the core is itself a rugged machine capable of handling dings, dents, and spills.  The “style” jacket offers additional protection and a streamlined silhouette.  The “sport” and “tough” jackets offer additional protection.  The speaker sound is exceptional; music lovers will be astounded by the depth and clarity of the sound produced via its six drivers, including two tweeters, two mid/sub drivers, and two passive radiators.  The FUGOO also offers an unbelievable 40 hours of continuous battery life.

The FUGOO does have some small drawbacks.  Its streamlined, minimal visual design only indicates whether the machine is turned on or off.  All other cues are voice-activated, which means a simple glance to check the volume level or battery life is not possible.  Additionally, the jackets are not easily interchangeable.  Although the “style” jacket slides and locks in, the other jackets require a little more assembly; many reviews noted changing jackets was frustrating and somewhat confusing.

The FUGOO Bluetooth speaker is available on Amazon for $178 to $230, depending on jacket type.

The post The Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers appeared first on Reactual.

The Details

Portable electronics are only as useful as their battery life. If you get caught away from a power outlet with a low charge and no external power source then it doesn’t much matter what other specs your device has. But an answer is out there. Portable chargers are an inexpensive and convenient answer to one of the modern world’s little frustrations. They are ideal for vacationers, business travelers, and just about anyone who is worried that their cell phone or tablet might not make it through a full day of extensive use.

But what should you look for in a portable charger? It depends on what you need. If that need is to simultaneously charge multiple devices, veer toward high capacity chargers.

The capacity of a battery is expressed in milliampere-hour (mAh), a unit of electric charge  that measures power delivered over discharge interval. The higher the mAh, the larger the charging capacity. A 3000 mAh portable charger will charge an iPhone 6 once. A 20000 mAh charger will fill the phone 7 times.

Lower mAh batteries will recharge a device quicker than their high capacity competitors, so go with them if you prize speed over quantity. They also are smaller and lighter because they have less cells.

Ruggedized and waterproof options are also available for those who need to recharge their phone or tablets on the beach.

Ultimately, try and strike a balance between value, portability, durability, capacity and speed.

Best Overall Portable Charger: Intocircuit External Battery

Durable, compact, easy-to-use and lighting fast, Intocircuit’s portable charger is the best all around external power source on the market. It has Samsung Grade A Lithium-ion cells that supply over 1000 lifetime charges.

This is the best balance between charge capacity and speed. It is rated at 15000mAh, which is enough to charge an iPhone 5S 7 times. The 4.8 dual USB output is 2.4A per port, as well as a respectably fast input of 5V/2A.

We also appreciate the brushed metal exterior, which provides the lithium ion battery cells with better protection. Since it uses a material that is more durable than the standard thick plastic, it has increased portability.

The Intocircuit also has smart technology that automatically detects what device charges at and adapts to maximum speed, so you don’t need to worry about cross-referencing your device with the correct USB charger. LED lights also indicate how much charge is left in the battery, eliminating some of the annoying guess work.

The Intocircuit External Battery is available on Amazon for around $37.

Best High Capacity Charger: MMSA Power Bank

MMSA Power Bank has 20,000mAh of charge, which is enough to refill an iPhone 6 7 times and a Samsung Galaxy S5 5 times. It has a 5V/1A input and an impressive four USB outputs, enough to charge the whole family’s portable electronics at once.

This is also quite a bit lighter than other 20k batteries on the market. High capacity chargers tend to run on the heavy side, because they house larger batteries than their smaller counterparts. High capacity chargers also are slower, but this is one of the faster ones on the market. Still expect it to take a 5-10 hours before you get a full charge on most phones and tablets.

The MMSA Power Bank is available on Amazon for around $35.

Best Hyperspeed Charger: Patriot Fuel

If want one device charged fast, use a hyperspeed charger. Look at a charger’s output to determine how fast it can charge your portable device. A 1A (5W) charger is the slowest, 2A (10W) cuts the charge rate in half and a 2.5A (12.5W) charge is one of the fasted currently available. Recharge speeds also depend on the cord. Newer Apple devices are outfitted with lightning charging cords and some Android devices work with Turbo chargers.

The Patriot Fuel is outfitted with a 2.5A USB output for hyperspeed charging. It has a 9000mAh capacity and two USB ports (1A and a 2.5A). It has a built in self-monitoring system to prevent under or over charging and to optimize charging efficiency. It can get smartphones back to full charge in around 1 hour. It also comes with a 2 year warranty.

The Patriot Fuel charger is available on Amazon for around $25.

Best Waterproof Charger: Unifun Waterproof External Battery

This dustproof, waterproof and rugged charger is perfect for use in the great outdoors. It is IP66 waterproof rated, which means it is totally dust-proof and protected against string water jets and waves. The 10,400mAh lithium polymer core provides up to 1,000 lifetime charges, and each charge will refill an iPhone 4 times. It has 2 USB outputs.

Rechare your iPhone 6 Plus 5S, 5C 4 4S, iPad Air/iPad Mini, Samsung Galaxy S5 S4 S3, Google Nexus 7, cameras, and tablets at the ski lodge, on the beach, poolside, camping, at a construction site, or in the desert with this durable and waterproof portable charger.

The Unifun Waterproof External Battery is available on Amazon for around $17.

The post Portable Chargers With Longest Battery Life 2016 appeared first on Reactual.

The best waterproof laptop case is the Pelican 1495 Protector. It can fit a 17 inch laptop and is watertight, crushproof and dust proof. Pelican protects laptops with a combination lock and a lifetime warranty.

The Details

Those who take their laptop to construction sites or hazardous terrains need extra protection than what standard laptop cases provide. Pelican has manufactured equipment durable protection cases for over 40 years and specializes in rugged designs that can survive everywhere, from the ocean to the desert.

The Pelican 1495 is a medium case in the company’s Protector series. It has a tough-as-nails polypropylene exterior that can resist heavy weight and even survive IED explosions. It operates effectively in temperatures ranging from  -40° F to 210° F. US Service personnel prize the case for its rugged versatility and IP67 dustproof and waterproof ranking. The laptop is sealed off from the elements with an Automatic Pressure Equalization Valve that balances interior pressure and keeps water out.

The 1495 comes with a Pick N Pluck block of foam to secure the laptop in place for transit. Some reviewers noted that the included foam was too thick to house thinner laptops and opted to modify their own memory foam setup. If you prefer to outfit your own padding, get the 1495NF, which comes without foam.

A 3 dial combination lock further secures the case’s contents. Easy open double throw latches with stainless steel padlock protectors offer easy access. The 1495 includes a padded shoulder strap for comfortable transport.

Don’t purchase this case just for everyday use; it weighs well over 10 lbs with a laptop inside and is quite unwieldy. Its durability makes it ideal for extreme conditions, but it is too large for airport carry-on.

Another Option

The crowd-funded Vivax case is another crushproof case designed to protect your laptop from extreme elements and fierce impact. The exterior is designed with Nex resin, a heterophasic copolymer commonly used in aerospace applications. Nex resin guarantees the case shell is resistant to atmospheric and corrosive agents, extreme impacts, and crush damage.

The case is also protected by Poron XRD, a unique technopolymer developed by Vivax that behaves like a non-Newtonian fluid. That means the materials are normally soft and instantly stiffen to form a protective shield on impact. According to Vivax, the protective shell defends the object from shock better than any other existing material.

Hyperlastic interior protects the inside of the case. It lets kinetic energy dissolve progressively and forms to fit any laptop, a more flexible alternative to Pelican’s foam block.

The case has an IP68 waterproof/dustproof ranking and floats in water.

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The Details

The Survivor Stealth USB 3.0 is compatible with both USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 technology. USB 3.0 gives the drive additional speed, and is four times faster than traditional USB 2.0 drives. The drive has a max read speed of 85 MB per second and max write of 70 MB per second. Those speeds are a bit slower than drives specifically engineered for high speeds, but are still more than serviceable for such a rugged drive.

In addition to being fast as lighting, the Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth is rugged. Its aircraft-grade aluminum housing is waterproof up to 200 meters thanks to the use of an EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber) waterproof seal. A molded shock damping collar makes the Survivor vibration proof and shock resistant.

In addition to the 64 GB storage size, Corsair offers the Survivor Stealth in 16, 32, and 128 and 256 GB. The drive weighs 1.3 ounces and is a bit bulky, as can be expected from a rugged drive. It has a hole to hook on to your key ring, but the hole is on the drive itself, not the cap. It unscrews in two halves, so you need to be careful not to lose the cap.

The Survivor Stealth USB 3.0 is available from Amazon for around $45.

Another Option

The LaCie XtremKey is another rugged USB drive with USB 2.0 and 3.0 capability. It can withstand ten tons of pressure thanks to its metal alloy exterior. The XtremKey also holds up well against heat and water.

The XtremKey outpaces the Corsair Survivor Stealth in speed tests. A Maximum PC test found that it performed key reads at an impressive 213MB/s, taking just 3 minutes 34 seconds to write an 11GB file-copy test. The XtremKey is even bulkier than the Survivor, so it is not great for portability.

The LaCie XtremKey is available from Amazon for around $83.

The post The Best Waterproof and Shockproof USB Drive appeared first on Reactual.

To use Binchotan, you simply place a piece of the charcoal into a water pitcher, and leave it to sit for 6-8 hours. After this time, the water in the pitcher will be purified and mineralized.

It is recommended that the Binchotan stick be boiled in a shallow pan of water for 10 minutes every month to keep the exterior pores open. After four months, boil the charcoal stick again. If you don’t see a profusion of bubbles circulating around the charcoal stick when it is returned to the pitcher and water is added, the stick has reached its capacity to absorb toxins. At that point it is ready to be composted in the garden or used as an odor absorber in your refrigerator.

You can get Binchotan on Amazon: 1 pound of Binchotan costs about $18. A single pound will last you 3-6 months depending on the amount of water you purify, and the amount of contaminants in your water. You can also get a portable Binchotan bottle for on-the-go filtration.

Binchotan: A Super-Adsorbent Charcoal

Binchō-tan is only made in the forests of Wakayama, a province in southern Japan. The branches of Holm Oak trees are sustainably harvested then slowly fired in traditional kiln ovens over many days.

The very dense wood of a Holm Oak has a multitude of open pores through which the tree breathes, nourishes itself, and redistributes chemicals back into the earth. The microorganisms (which are utterly harmless to humans) that live in these pores efficiently decompose toxic chemicals like chlorine, pesticides and herbicides. This phenomenon of adsorption (not to be confused with absorption) ensures that contaminants stick to the active charcoal until it is completely saturated. This is why it is necessary to reactivate the binchotan every three months by soaking it in boiling water.

The fineness and high quality of binchō-tan are attributed to steaming at high temperatures (about 1000 degrees Celsius). Although it is often thought that binchō-tan burns hot, it actually burns at a lower temperature than ordinary charcoal but for a longer period. It does not release smoke or other unpleasant odors. Binchō-tan or white charcoal is harder than black charcoal, and rings with a metallic sound when struck. Wind chimes and a musical instrument, the tankin (“charcoal-xylophone“) have been made from it.

A number of Binchotan-inflused products are now on the market: Binchotan pumice stones. Binchotan body scrubs, Binchotan eye masks and even Binchotan facial soap.

The post Binchotan Charcoal: An Inexpensive Way To Mineralize and Filter Water appeared first on Reactual.

Reviewers like stainless steel electric kettles, because plastic kettles can contain bisphenol A (BPA) and the plastic tends to crack over a number of years. Plus, according to Chow.com, plastic pots can imbue your favorite brew with a plasticky taste and aroma. The best electric kettles boil water quickly, last a long time, require little maintenance, and incorporate safety and efficiency features.

Chef’s Choice Cordless Electric Kettle

The Chef’s Choice Cordless Electric Kettle is a well-designed matte stainless-steel kettle is a great choice for tea connoisseurs, as it allows you to choose from a variety of water temperatures. With a two-quart capacity it’s not only the biggest kettle made by the manufacturer, but one of the largest kettles on the market by about a cup. The only potential drawback of this kettle is that can be somewhat complicated to use.

It received an score of A- from Good Housekeeping — reviewers there gave the glass version of this kettle an A+ rating. However, we found many complaints on Amazon, stating that they lid of the glass kettle broke. This stainless steel version of the kettle received an average of 4 out of 5 stars, from 227 Amazon buyers.

The Chef’s Choice Cordless Electric Kettle is available from Amazon for about $40.

The Krups BW500 Electric Kettle

KRUPS has a long-standing reputation of quality and this 1.8 quart cordless electric kettle is one of the most durable on the market. Made of stainless steel, the 3-pound weight may be off-putting to some, but this adds to the sturdiness of the kettle. The 1500 watts heats water quickly and efficiently. There is an automatic shut-off once the water reaches the boiling point.

Most electric kettles have a 1 year limited warranty, but KRUPS offers a 2 year limited warranty. The KRUPS BW500 received an average 4.4 star rating from 14 Amazon customers. It sells for about $60 on Amazon.

Capresso H2O Plus Electric Kettle

The Capresso H2O Plus wins big on style points because it’s sleekly designed out of glass–which lets owners watch water boil, if so moved. Of course, the glass exterior is also prone to breakage.

The Capresso boils water under 5 minutes, shuts off automatically, and has a concealed heating element. As a bonus, the cord retracts into the electric kettle’s base. This kettle also has a slightly smaller six-cup capacity, though whether that’s an upside or downside depends on how many people live in your household and how often you entertain guests.

This kettle received a top rating from Cook’s Illustrated.

The Capresso costs around $49 at Amazon.

The post The Top Rated Electric Kettles appeared first on Reactual.

The Thermos Stainless Steel King Beverage Bottle is available on Amazon for about $25.

The post Buy It For Life: Thermos Stainless Steel King Beverage Bottle appeared first on Reactual.

Breville BOV 800XL Smart Convection Toaster Oven

This 1800 watt convection toaster oven by Breville comes highly recommended by professional chefs and home users alike. It features 9 pre-set programs that can be programmed for personal preference and automatically adjusts individual heating elements for consistent cooking. Energy efficient, the convection oven speeds cooking time by 30%. It has the capacity to hold a 13-inch pizza or six slices of toast.

Manufacturer warranties are hard to come by with toaster ovens. Breville says they design their products with durability in mind and that their products can last up to 20 years. The company offers a 1 year replacement warranty.

Over 630 Amazon users have given the Breville an average 4.5 out of 5 stars. The Breville BOV 800XL Smart Convection Toaster Oven is for sale on Amazon for $250.00.

KRUPS BW500 Electric Kettle

KRUPS has a long-standing reputation of quality and this 1.8 quart cordless electric kettle is one of the most durable on the market. Made of stainless steel, the 3-pound weight may be off-putting to some, but this adds to the sturdiness of the kettle. The 1500 watts heats water quickly and efficiently. There is an automatic shut-off once the water reaches the boiling point.

Simple to use, the KRUPS doesn’t feature all the bells and whistles of some other programmable electric kettles, which is why we like it. Simplicity often translates into reliability.

Most electric kettles have a 1 year limited warranty, but KRUPS offers a 2 year limited warranty. The KRUPS BW500 received an average 4.4 star rating from 14 Amazon customers. It sells for about $58 on Amazon.

If you find the design of this electric kettle a bit too utilitarian, you might consider the “Krups BW600 Silver Art Collection Electric Kettle” which features a polished chrome finish.

Zojirushi NS-LAC05 Micom 3-Cup Rice Cooker

Zojirushi manufactures some of the most top rated rice cookers on the market. Worth the investment, Zojirushi rice cookers not only stand the test of time, but they produce perfect rice every time. The Zojirushi NS-LAC05 Micom rice cooker features micro-computerized Fuzzy logic technology, menu selection, and an automatic keep warm function. The clear-coated stainless steel exterior is a unique process for rice cookers and makes for a more durable product that is easy to keep clean.

Like most rice cookers, there is a 1 year limited warranty. Out of 298 Amazon reviews, this model boasts an average 4.7 out of 5 stars rating. The Zojirushi NS-LAC05 Micom 3-Cup Rice Cooker sells for about $130 on Amazon.

Cuisinart CHW-12 Coffee Plus 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker

Cuisinart, a name synonymous with high quality kitchen products, makes this fully automatic and 24-hour programmable coffee maker with a separate hot water system for tea, cocoa, and soup. Though it’s difficult to find an drip coffee maker without plastic parts, the Cuisinart is made with all BPA-free materials. Included is a charcoal water filter to remove chlorine and other bad tastes from the water, as well as a gold tone filter for brewing.

Cuisinart offers a 3 year limited warranty, typical for high-end coffee makers. Over 160 Amazon reviewers have given this coffeemaker and average 4.3 out of 5 stars. The Cuisinart CHW-12 Coffee Plus 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker sells for about $88 on Amazon.

Another durable small kitchen appliance that is still made in the USA is a Bunn coffeemaker. The Bunn products are high quality and are well reviewed by users, however the design of these systems keeps the reservoir of hot water heated at all times which translates to high energy costs. There is a vacation switch that can turn off the tank heater, but it will take roughly 15 minutes to heat back up in order to make coffee. While we can’t recommend the Bunn as the most efficient option on a daily basis, it might be a consideration for those who entertain a lot. Since it can brew a cup of coffee in about 3 minutes, it would be great for parties.

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