ASOTVI Review of The Garden Groom

What is it? An electric trimmer for bushes and hedges that collects the clippings as you trim.

ASOTVI Rating: Works As Advertised

Major Claims:

• World’s only collecting hedge trimmer
• Safety

This product is an electric hedge trimmer that not only trims, but it also shreds the clippings and collects them, saving much time and extra effort cleaning up after trimming. The product was observed to be very sturdy and well made.

We were unable to identify any competitive product as of the date of this review that also collects trimmings, so their claim of it being the world’s only trimmer to do so is accurate. Most all other hedge trimmers, electric or gas, are of the “sawfish” variety that trim along a single line and leave the clippings to fall where they may.

We evaluated the Garden Groom Midi model on a round topiary bush (see video) as well as on simple grass (not shown), and in each instance it cut easily and collected all the clippings in its on-board container. When the trimming job was complete, it was an easy task to remove the clipping container and properly dispose of the shredded leaves and stems. These clippings can also be used for compost, if desired.

For safety, the unit must be operated with two hands, squeezing two separate handles before engaging the start button. Releasing either of the handles turns the unit off. The product is reasonably lightweight, at only 5.9 pounds empty, but understandably gets a little heavier as the collection container fills.

The unit’s blades are set behind a metal grill (see video) to prevent them from accidentally cutting the electric cord, which is another safety feature. The user needs to be aware that this metal grill can on occasion impede some limbs and large leaves from reaching the blades as well, and if so, the user merely needs to move it around to allow the portion of the bush needing to be trimmed to get inside to the blades.

For longer limbs, the instructions indicate moving the unit down directly upon them, instead of sliding the unit horizontally over the bush in a mowing fashion. We tried this, and this technique worked just fine.

For larger jobs, and to avoid having to empty the unit frequently, the product also comes with a separate collection bag that sits on the ground and is attached to the unit via a cloth hose and plastic adapter that attaches in lieu of the normal on-board collection container. The fact that the blades act as a fan, both sucking up the trimmings and shredding them, they also serve to blow those shredded trimmings through the hose and into the larger collection container.

The only observation we made about the product that might be considered a performance issue of note is with respect to the height of the unit itself, which is about a foot from the blade section on the bottom to the top of the upper handle (and this handle is fixed in place), which then necessitates at least that much room for the unit and one of your hands between the bush you wish to cut and anything else, e.g. a wall. If your hedge is adjacent to a wall and you don’t have at least 12 inches of clearance between the two, and wish to trim back there, the handle of the unit will impact the wall. Otherwise, if clearance isn’t an issue, you should have no problem with using this product safely and efficiently.

So if you’re tired of the mess made by trimming your bushes, along with the extra chore of raking and sweeping and bagging, then this product is the solution to that problem. We find this product works as advertised.

ASOTVI Review of the Cush 'n Shade

What is it? A personal sun shade to protect the face while sunbathing




Rating: Works As Advertised

Major Claims:

• Can be used on any sun lounger
• Combines Cushion and Sunshade
• Rated 50+ UPF sunshade

This product consists of a plastic frame, an inflatable cushion and two cotton cloth sections. One cloth section contains an interior pocket for the inflatable cushion; the other cloth section serves as the sunshade. We found the product easy to assemble, with instructions conveniently illustrated on the product’s packaging. The plastic frame quickly snaps together with no need for glue, tape, screws, or any other mechanism. Once the frame is complete, the two cloth sections slide on and Velcro strips hold them securely in place.

The lower cushion section holds the inflatable cushion, which resembles a small air mattress, which in a sense is exactly what it is, with a standard air valve as you might see on any inflatable water product. The cushion section also features a long, thick, adjustable elastic strap which can be used to attach it securely to a lounge chair, as we did, and can also be used as a handle to carry the product when not in use.

Attaching the product to a lounger was a simple task, and the elastic band provided a good amount of force; that is, we did not observe the product coming loose during use, but staying firmly in place. The plastic frame holding the two cloth sections (the cushion and the sunshade) fold out to incremental “clicked” positions, so the user can position the product in a variety of angles, as desired, depending on whether the user is lying flat, sitting up, or at any angle in between, and it can also compensate for the angle of the sun at different times of day. The product is also very light to carry (approximately 1.5 pounds), and the elastic strap serves well as a handle if you’re also carrying other items.

With respect to the product’s UV protection capability, the maker of the product provided us with independent test result reports issued from a NATA accredited laboratory of the Australian Government, performed in June of 2006, attesting to an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of “50+”, and the Protections Category rating of “Excellent.”

Conclusion: If you like to sunbathe and get a nice tan on your body, but would like to keep your face out of the sun more and perhaps avoid its damaging effects, and don’t wish to have to apply and reapply sunscreen to your face (especially if you just might happen to be wearing makeup), or just want to stay a little cooler with your eyes in the shade (which can make reading a lot easier), then this is the product for you. We found it to work exactly as advertised.