Recently in Tool Reviews Category

The Gadgeteer have published a review of the Duracell Powerhouse portable charger. 'The Powerhouse comes equipped with a MiniUSB swing arm as well as a supplied USB to MiniUSB cable. The swing arm felt solid when retracted and didn't feel flimsy at all. However, the charger itself has a plastic feel to it. Considering the Powerhouse's price tag I think it should have had a more solid feel to it. The Duracel Powerhouse features an on and off button to conserve power.'

The Gadgeteer have published a review of the TrickleSaver power-strip. 'The TrickleStar TrickleSaver is a device that can cut down on the "vampire" or stand-by power used by secondary devices in your video (or other electronic) system. It uses a "master/slave" mechanism, where the "master" (normally your TV set) controls when the "slave" (or "slaves" such as VCR, game console, cable box or other devices connected to the TV) is given real power. This means that when your TV is off (or, more accurately, in its own vampire or sleep or stand-by mode) the other peripherals are cut off completely from pilfering power.'

A review of the Grace Digital C2TXT2000 Bluetooth Cellular Gateway has been posted over at CNET.com. 'The Cell2Tel is really not much of a looker, design-wise. Measuring 5 inches long by 3.7 inches wide by 1.7 inches tall, the Cell2Tel looks a bit like a boring black answering machine. On the front are two LED indicators; the one on the left glows green to indicate that the power is on and the phone is connected, and the right one glows red when it isn't connected. Underneath that are two buttons, one for Cell Phone 1, and the other for Cell Phone 2. Next to both buttons are amber indicator lights, to show which cell phone is connected. On the back of the Cell2Tel are the connections for power, the USB port for firmware updates, a telephone line-in jack, and then the phone jack that leads to the desk telephone.'

A review of the Krups Citrus Expert ZX 7000 juicer has been posted over at Pocket-lint.com. 'First up, the ZX7000 is a citrus press not a full-on juicer, so it won't squish your apples, carrots and wheatgrass into a worthy mush. It will however blitz the juice from oranges, limes, lemons and grapefruit. Straight from the box it's pretty obvious the Krups is built tough - the dye cast metal base is unflinchingly hefty and the bowls, juicer heads, fruit press and handle all fit together with reassuring ease.'

Digital Trends have published a review of the Hawking HomeRemote Pro Starter Kit. 'The kit consists of just three components, the most important of which is the HomeRemote Pro Internet Gateway. This plugs into your router and enables you to monitor and control most aspects of the system over the Internet. There's also one Z-Wave lamp module (plug a lamp into it and you can use a PC to turn the light on and off) and one door/window sensor (mount it to a door or window and you'll know if the door is open or closed from anywhere you have Internet access).'

Auto Express have published a review of twelve tool boxes. 'The key here is keeping tools apart - that way, you can store drivers, sockets etc together for easy selection. So we wanted to see plenty of large sections for spanners, screwdrivers, pliers and hex keys, plus bigger ones for long tools such as hacksaws, a torque wrench and hammer. Smaller areas for connectors, fasteners, fuses and the like are another desirable feature, as is a solid finish and lightweight construction - tools are heavy enough on their own without adding a hefty box to your load! Price was our final consideration.'

The Gadgeteer have published a review of the ZIPit Clamshell Package Opener . 'When you grip the handle and press the trigger, the blade will rotate. It can take some effort to get the blade to cut through the edge of a package depending on the shape and thickness of the clamshell. Once you jump over the edge, cutting feels pretty effortless if the package has straight sides. You basically just guide the cutter along the edge. You don't really don't need to press it forward as it almost feels self-propelled.'

AllShadow.com have published a review of the SolarMio solar charger. 'Inside is the detachable 900 mAH battery. As most of you might know, that is only 20mAH smaller than the original Shadow's battery. This can be used as a standalone in the city if you need extra juice. Since it can be charged with the wall charger or auto adapter it makes a great travel companion. My only issue is that the wall charger and auto adapter aren't combined. Still, having extra juice comes in quite handy when walking around or using public transportation. (FYI, that extra short USB cable is a custom cable I built).'

Auto Express have published their review of twelve screwdriver bit sets. 'Siegen's SO709 is unbeatable value for money at less than a tenner. Not only does it contain a huge variety of bits, but it also comes bundled with a flexi extension and a mini ratchet. Sealey's AK6489 is another well thought-out and well priced set - even if it is aimed more at smaller screw sizes. Kennedy's KEN-573-7050K takes the final podium place for being a very rugged and usable budget-priced entry.'

A review of the Innergie mCube 90 power adapter has been posted over at CNET. 'The mCube 90 and its various parts come in attractive packaging that includes a soft zippered case. The power adapter is a white rectangle that measures 5.07 inches by 2.76 inches by 0.93 inch and weighs 9.28 ounces. Innergie claims that the mCube 90 is the smallest universal power adapter. While that might very well be the case, the mCube 90 isn't exactly featherweight. On the exterior, you'll find a plug for the AC power cord, a USB port and a DC output port for notebooks. There's also a LED indicator.'