FocusAiry Leader G1 Air Purifer/Qi Charger Review

The FocusAiry Leader G1 is a combination HEPA Air Purifier and Qi Charger that allows you to charge your phone simply by placing it on the charger. It's designed for small rooms such as offices and has some really cool features. It combines two functions that are nice to have in a small office so it only takes up one power outlet and little desk space. Continue reading for my full review.
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Hyperikon Ballast Compatible LED Tubes Review

As I mentioned in a previous post I've been working on switching a lot of my lights to LEDs. For standard screw in bulbs it's been very simple. If you have any fluorescent tubes, switching to LEDs was a bit difficult until now. I found these Ballast Compatible LED tubes from Hyperikon that make replacing your fluorescent tubes with LEDs easy.
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American Standard Dual Injection Flush Valves Review

Tomorrow a new High Efficiency 1.28 gallon per flush toilet is going to be available for sale on HomeDepot.com from American Standard that features a Dual Injection Flush Valves which give it great flushing power. The Optum VorMax is the first toilet to feature this new flushing system. I installed one about 2 weeks ago and I wanted to let you guys know about it.

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Is the Gerber Groundbreaker Multitool Worth the Price?

The Gerber Groundbreaker is more than just a pair of wire strippers. It's a multi-tool that in addition to being a multifunction wire stripper has plier tips, a hammering surface, a utility knife, a drywall saw and a multi-tip screwdriver. It comes with a sheath that hooks onto your belt that can also carry some other tools. It's not cheap. MSRP is $144 and as of right now it's selling for about $125 at Home Depot. At first I thought it was a little unnecessary but the more I've used it the more I appreciate having all the tools right where I need them.

This past weekend I was installing a couple of wireless switches that work in conjunction with my garage door opener. A fairly simple project and not the first time I used the Groundbreaker but it's the first project that unexpectedly required me to use much of the extra features of the Groundbreaker.

First, the switches came in that annoying plastic packaging that needs to be cut open and I used the Groundbreaker's utility knife to do that. I needed to strip a ground pigtail to connect it to the switches and the grounded outlet box. Always need pliers when doing electrical work and the Groundbreaker's plier jaws and wire bending loops worked perfectly. The switches have a wire antenna that needs to be fed down the wall and I was able to use the drywall saw on the Groundbreaker to slightly enlarge the wall opening around the bottom of the outlet box to feed the antennas through. The only thing I didn't use was the hammering surface. I really tried to think of a way to use them on the project too.

The saw, driver and utility knife are located on the handles and can be used with the handles still on the Groundbreaker. If you find that a little too cumbersome for some work, the handles are removable.

More importantly. Everything was right on my belt within easy reach when I needed it. I didn't have to waste time running around looking for a half dozen different tools that are in various locations as I realized I'd need them. Seems like have the time I work on any DIY projects I'm running up and down stairs or out to the garage looking for a tool.

Not only the tools that are part of the Groundbreaker but other tools that are important when doing electrical work. A loop on the bottom of the sheath can hold a couple of rolls of electrical tape. A tool holder on the right can hold a screwdriver or a pencil and the pocket on the left is the perfect size for my Milwaukee Non-Contact Voltage Detector. In addition to being a voltage tester it has a little flashlight on it so I could have a good look inside the box when I needed to. I also keep a philips head screwdriver in the pouch but I use the Groundbreaker's screwdriver for slotted screws.

Everything I need to do some electrical work around the house is right there in one place ready to go when I need it. The belt loop unsnaps so you don't even have to take off your belt and a flap on the back of the sheath slips in your back pocket so it doesn't flap around as you move.

This is how I normally keep the Groundbreaker sheath set up. Non-contact voltage detector in one pocket, philips screwdriver in the other, a pencil in the main pouch and a roll of electrical tape on the loop. It's always ready to go.

But still.... It's expensive. At first look I thought it was neat but I don't think I would spend that much for it. As luck would have it, I needed a new set of wire strippers at the same time the Groundbreaker was made available to me for free so I could review it. The more I used it the more I appreciated the multitool aspects of it over individual tools. It has saved me quite a bit of time. So let's look at what it would take to create a Groundbreaker experience with individual tools and how much it will cost.

Multifunction Strippers $22.76 -- The Klein 1001 Multipurpose Electrician's Tool has similar features to the Groundbreaker as far as wire stripping, cutting, terminal screw cutting and crimping goes.

Pliers $29 -- Klein Tools 9" High Leverage Side Cutting Pliers.

Screwdriver $16.99 --Milwaukee 10-in-1 ECX Multibit screwdriver.

Utility Knife $5.97 -- Stanley Quick-Change Retracting Utility Knife.

Drywall Saw $7.97 -- Milwaukee 6" Fixed Jab Saw

Pouch $29.98 -- Dead On Tools HDP222496 Electricians Professional Pouch

Total: $112.95

The price of the Gerber Groundbreaker doesn't seem too high anymore when you compare it to individual tools of similar quality. Plus you get everything in a smaller package that doesn't take up a lot of space or weight on your belt, toolbox or drawer.

For me, I just like having a small compact set of tools I can grab and go when I occasionally need to do electrical work. I don't know about you but I've tried to set up individual tool kits in the past and it never pans out. If I did build the electrical tool kit above it wouldn't be long before everything went missing. If I needed a utility knife, screwdriver, pliers, or drywall saw and my electrical pouch was closer than other tool kits, I'd grab it from there. Slowly the tools would make their way to other areas and tool storage cases, defeating the whole purpose of being able to grab one set of tools quickly to get the job done fast.

Is the Groundbreaker worth the high price? Yes in my opinion.

At first I thought the Groundbreaker was overpriced and a bit gimmicky. The more I've used it the more practical I realize it is. It's also a very well made tool with a Lifetime Limited Warranty. Gerber is one of Fiskar's brands. You probably know them from the high quality scissors and outdoor cutting equipment they make.

See more info and current pricing at HomeDepot.com.

The Concrete Mixing Bag Rocks!

I needed to mix about 10 bags cement mix for a small concrete slab and used the Concrete Mixing Bag to do so. I don't have a wheelbarrow or large mixing tub and transporting a small rented cement mixer would be a hassle. The Cement Mixing Bag worked out great and was about half the price of a large mixing tub.

I didn't think to take any pictures or video at the time and the whole process was a little wet but it was fairly clean and easy.

The Concrete Mixing Bag is just a large, thick plastic bag and a hook and loop strap to close the top. You just cut open your cement mix bag, place the Concrete Mixing Bag over the top,  flip it over, add water, close the top and rock it back and forth. Here's a video showing how to use it.

Some of my tips:

• Dust does come out of the bag when you lift up the cement mix's bag so it's a good idea to wear respiratory protection.
• Tie it as high as you can so you have a lot of room to mix.
• Bend the bag opening forward while you're rocking the bag so that if any liquid does come out it doesn't shoot onto you, especially your face.
• If you don't rinse the Cement Mixing Bag out between bags your arms will get cement on them as you remove the next bag so you might want to wear something that covers your arms. Cement is very alkaline and can burn your skin so it's better to rinse the bag out between bags of mix.
• Mix as close to your pour as possible.
• A dry mix takes longer to mix than a wet one but provides greater strength in your concrete. Aim for the mix recommended on the cement mix bags.
• Can handle up to 80lb bags of cement mix but the 60lb bags are easier to mix and pour.
• If you quickly rock the bag so the cement gets thrown from side to side it mixes faster but takes more effort. Rolling it with your hands lower to the ground and letting the cement fall from side to side is easier but takes longer. 
• After you rock from both sides, kneed the middle a little to make sure it's not dry.

The bag is reusable and I read one person used it for 200 bags.. Just rinse it out with a hose and let it dry. Folds up so it doesn't take up a lot of space.

The instructions are simple and come with different recommendations for the amount of water to add. I found the "ideal" recommendations had more water than what was recommended by the concrete mix. The "Dry" recommendation was fairly close to what the mix suggested. Here are the instructions for reference.

I ordered the Cement Mixing Bag from Amazon because I couldn't find it sold anywhere locally. Cost less than $8 and I got it in 2 days with my free Prime shipping. If you buy a lot from Amazon and like to stream movies and tv shows online the Prime membership is well worth it.

12 Stocking Stuffers for the DIYer under $25

Twelve useful tools, gadgets and accessories under $25 that make great stocking (err... toolbelt?) stuffers for the DIYer in your life. What's great about most of these is even if they already own one, a second one to keep in another location will be very handy.

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Milwaukee Hackzall Review

I've owned my Milwaukee M12 Cordless Hackzall since almost the beginning of 2013. Since then, I've reached for the Hackzall more than any of my other saws and haven't used my corded reciprocating saw at all this year.

Every time I use it I'm blown away by how powerful this little cordless reciprocating saw is. Milwaukee has managed to squeeze a lot of power out of only a 12V Lithium-Ion battery.

Considering Jerome Schnettler and Edware Ristow invented the Sawzall (first reciprocating saw) back in 1952 for Milwaukee, it's no big surprise that Milwaukee would come out with such an innovative new design. Although it has the same shoe , uses the same blades and can be used for the same types of cutting activity as a reciprocating saw, it is a whole new type of tool.

While other cordless reciprocating saws merely tack a battery pack onto the back of a standard looking reciprocating saw, Milwaukee took a different approach with the Hackzall creating a compact reciprocating saw that can be used in a lot more places.

The smaller size of the Hackzall opens up a lot of possibilities. It's easy to carry and use with one hand which makes it great for using in tough to reach spots or when on a ladder. It leaves one hand free to secure the work piece but at the same time there's enough room on the small body to grab it with both hands for greater control.

The variable speed trigger smoothly controls the speed of the blade from between 0 to 3,000 strokes per minute and a bright LED illuminates the cut area. Four red LED's next to the blade lock indicate how much charge is left in the battery. These LED's are activated every time you pull the trigger so you don't forget to check.

A twist lock mechanism provides tool free blade changes of any blades that will fit in a standard reciprocating saw. The blade can also be mounted in reverse. With the blade facing the opposite direction you can get in some tighter spots since the shoe is shorter on the back end.

Overall the tool is built tough and can handle a lot of abuse. I've used it for cutting 2x lumber, some metal pipes, bars and have used it extensively over the summer in the landscape to cut thicker branches that would have taken a long time to do by hand.

I don't know that I'd grab it if I needed to demo a large area (nor would I use any cordless saw for that) but for the occasional cutting job throughout the day it works well. The Hackzall would be a great tool for plumbers, electricians, etc to in their tool bag whenever they need to cut through framing. Great saw for the homeowner that likes to tackle weekend projects but tough enough to withstand daily use too. I've put the M12 batteries through some tough situations and they've held up. Other Li-ion batteries for other tools I've owned haven't done as well through similar use.

If you already own other M12 tools you can purchase the bare Hackzall without a battery or charger. If you don't, you can purchase the Hackzall with battery and charger. If you need more power, a slightly larger 18V Hackzall is available that uses the M18 RedLithium batteries.