The two SteamBuddy units tested didn't get hot enough to...

The two SteamBuddy units tested didn't get hot enough to produce a useful amount of steam. They didn't even get hot enough to cause discomfort when a hand was placed over the steam vents. Credit: MCT

Some products on the market are true time-savers. Others are just money-wasters.

How do you tell the difference? We tested several items pitched on TV or promoted in stores. Here's what we thought about them.

SWIVEL SWEEPER

Claims: Swivels and picks up like no other

Cost: $39.99

Available: Stores, TV, online

Verdict: The Swivel Sweeper is a basic floor sweeper aided by electricity to rotate the bristles. It operates by means of a rechargeable battery that disconnects from the handle for charging.

Now a little education is in order here: A floor sweeper isn't a vacuum cleaner. It's a light-duty cleaning tool meant only to sweep up crumbs, lint and other surface debris, not to suck up embedded dirt.

It's for quick tidying, not deep cleaning.

The Swivel Sweeper was tried on a wood floor and on carpet, and on both surfaces it picked up the visible dirt efficiently. True to its name, it swiveled smoothly around corners, and it was effortless to push. There's also no cord to get in the way.

The dirt collects in a compartment that easily snaps open for emptying.

The only concern is that it's one more appliance sucking electricity from the power grid, but it's easier to use than a broom.

QUICK DRY PLUS

Claims: Dry it faster, wear it sooner.

Cost: $29.99

Available: Stores, online

Verdict: The Quick Dry Plus is a drying rack with stacked mesh tiers for drying items flat, plus a fan to keep air flowing around your clothes and dry them faster. The fan does seem to hasten the process but only marginally.

The Quick Dry Plus was tested using a few items of clothing that were hand-washed and then squeezed in towels to remove the excess water. Two lightweight tops dried in about five hours, but when the fan was turned off after seven hours, a thick sweater and two towels were still quite damp. The heavier items needed to dry overnight and would have done so with or without the fan.

Like any tiered rack, the Quick Dry Plus would be useful for drying hand washables in a small space, even without the fan. And at $29.99, it's priced comparably to similar racks without fans.

However, it's fairly bulky and somewhat noisy. The tiers are supposed to nest for storage, but they don't fit together neatly or snugly. A smarter, collapsible design would be an improvement.

STEAMBUDDY

Claims: The world's most convenient multiuse steamer.

Cost: $19.99

Available: Stores, TV, online

Verdict: SteamBuddy bills itself as a convenient fabric steamer.

Steam? What steam? The appliance was heated according to the instructions and managed to produce only a barely noticeable wisp of steam, nowhere near enough to budge a wrinkle. In fact, it seemed the product was defective, and it was returned, but its replacement was equally ineffective.

The two SteamBuddy units tested didn't get hot enough to produce a useful amount of steam. They didn't even get hot enough to cause discomfort when a hand was placed over the steam vents.

OPEN IT

Claims: Easily opens a variety of packaging.

Cost: $9.99

Available: Stores, TV, online

Verdict: The Open It is a tool for opening a variety of packaging, such as CD wrappers and those hard-to-breach clamshells. It's a multifunctional gadget that incorporates scissors-like cutting blades, a small utility knife and tiny Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers for opening battery compartments.

The Open It was tested on a couple of clamshell packages. While it wasn't any easier than using a regular pair of scissors, it worked just fine.

It's a decent multipurpose tool, especially for the money ($9.99). It's something to keep on a desk or toss into a junk drawer so you'll have it handy when you need it.

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