Is It Worth Paying More For Cleaning Products?

Testing Scotch-Brite Against Cheaper Products

Scotch-Brite is a company that produces cleaning products that are a little more expensive than many other  brands on the market.  In this economic climate, I have been challenged to find out if it is worth paying a bit extra for cleaning products and whether buying cheaper brands is a false economy.

I was sent a selection of Scotch-Brite's products, along with some of their competitor's products so I could test them for durability and efficacy.  I want to find out whether it is sometimes worth paying a bit more initially and whether I'll be saving money in the long run.

Heavy Duty Scourers

Scotch-Brite's Heavy Duty Scourers retail at £1.15 for a three pack, which makes them about 38p each.  I was comparing it against Product A which sells at 30p each as part of a four pack and Product B, also 30p but sold in a three pack.  The first difference that I noticed was that the Scotch-Brite scourer felt much thicker and denser than the two other products.  I personally hate the feel of scourers, they make me cringe, so I usually leave scoring to my husband, but in the name of reviewing I gave them all a try!  The biggest difference was that the Scoth-Brite scourer was much more absorbent than the competitors, which really came into its own when scrubbing down the work surfaces.   It was also very effective and hasn't yet shown any signs of disintegrating.  I am still not a fan of the feel of these scourers, but for an extra 8p, the quality and usability of the Scotch-Brite was definitely better.

Multi-Purpose Non-Stick Scourers

The Multi-Purpose Scourers had the biggest price difference of all the products.  Scotch-Brite's premium Non-Scratch Scrub Sponge cost £1.15  The others cost 15p each for Product A and 17p for Product B.  A and B are almost identical (except for the colour) with a synthetic sponge base and a stuck on white scouring layer.  The Scotch-Brite scrub sponge is a very different product.    The wave shape makes it very ergonomic and easy to hold.  The sponge side is thick and dense and the scourer feels strong and claims to scour 50% faster than other scourers and is recommended for use on premium cookware.  It works a treat with its delicate cleaning sponge side and its tough scouring side.  It takes up the bubbles from the washing up water and makes a good foam for cleaning up.  It is really gentle but a powerful cleaner! The scourer is easy to rinse through after use.  The cheaper ones seem to clog and disintegrate after a few uses. 

It is definitely much better than the flimsy, lightweight cheaper products, but you have to take into account the fact that you could buy seven cheaper ones for the cost of one Scotch-Brite one.  Will seven cheap ones last longer than one premium one?  Or does the quality of the longer lasting, tougher scrub sponge justify the expense?  I think if you have some top quality cookware that you want to protect and keep clean, it is worth the investment, but for everyday lightly soiled plates you can get away with using the cheaper ones, although they are nowhere near as nice to use.

Sponge Cloths

The Sponge Cloths from Scotch-Brite cost £2.49 for a multi-coloured pack of five.  With a stripy finish on one side and a spotted finish on the other side, they are thick and really soft to the touch.  Product A and B, both retail for £1.30 for a four pack equating to 33p each, as opposed to 50p each.  A was noticeably thinner and felt drier and less springy.  It only had one textured side.  B was almost as thick but less soft and had a waffled texture on both sides.  When it comes to absorbency, I put the three sponge cloths to the test using a glass full of water 'spilled' into a tray, replicating a common household accident that occurs regularly in our home!

Product A performed quite poorly sucking up only about half of the water.  It also didn't hold the water it had absorbed very well and it run from the bottom corner.  The Scotch-Brite sponge cloth and Product B both did really well, mopping up and holding the water well with just a little bit of leakage when picked up.  The Scotch-Brite product actually claims to hold ten times its weight in water which I'd say is pretty accurate.  However, the one big difference between Product B and the Scotch-Brite sponge cloth was the flexibility.  It was far more easy to wring out and felt nicer to use.  Product B was a bit stiff and felt slightly brittle on drying out.  The Scotch Brite sponge cloth is definitely more durable and out performed the competition.

 Conclusions

It's been quite an eye-opener testing these products against each other.  Saving money is a huge consideration to me and my family.  We can't afford to be frivolous anymore, but sometimes paying a few extra pence can be more cost effective in the long run.  Using cloths that are not up for the job will end up being a waste of cash and make household chores more difficult. Taking environmental impact into account, I'm happy buying products that last a long time rather than constantly re-buying and disposing of cheap alternatives. Weighing up the pros and cons and making an informed choice is the wisest plan of action.  But sometimes, it definitely pays to go with the better quality, more expensive product if it is going to outlast and out perform the cheaper alternative.

Asda Halloween Treats

It's just two weeks until Halloween!  Today I'm showcasing some of Asda's massive range of goodies.  I love going in store and heading for the seasonal aisle at this time of year.  The costumes, decorations, tableware, party ware and other Halloween themed accessories make for an eye-catchingly, spooky display.

Asda sent us a selection of their Halloween range including their cute, batty paper bowls and cups which little ones will love (£1 per pack).  The pumpkin shaped box full of sweet treats will keep your little monsters happy with its yummy contents (£2.25).  The Wicked Wand Candy Canes (£1 per pack) will be perfect for Trick or Treaters who come calling.  The jars of spookily shaped sweets look great and cost just £2.  They look fantastic and will be perfect for sharing at parties.  The Pumpkin Carving Party Kit is an excellent buy for anyone wanting to carve their own Jack O' Lanterns.  The pack includes a book of 25 stencils with instructions on how to carve a pumpkin.  It also includes an assortment of tools for scraping, cutting and carving the pumpkin.  We'll definitely be having a go at this for Halloween this year!

With such an extensive range, there are products at really low prices so everyone can get into the Halloween spirit without having to spend too much cash.

Find out more at asda.com or check out the range in store.

Fun With Poppy Cat

Poppy Cat continues to be a much loved character in our house with the gorgeous books and the Nick Jr TV show, so when Freddy was sent a Talking Poppy Cat Soft Toy he was most pleased.  Voiced by Joanne Page, the orange cat with the lilting Welsh tones is a favourite among pre-schoolers who love sharing in her fantastical adventures, so it is lovely that they can now have their very own Poppy Cat to play with and interact with.

The talking Soft Toy says five fun phrases when her tummy is pressed.  One of the phrases is Poppy Cat counting down "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" which generally results in her being blasted off into space by the power of Fred's best throwing arm!  Her chirpy chatter encourages children into imaginative role play as Poppy urges them to "Come On!" and says "That was a great idea!"

Being quite a small toy, Poppy Cat is perfect for a pre-schooler to carry around as a new best friend and give big hugs to.  Poppy is really soft and cuddly and looks so cute with her patchwork scarf around her neck.

This is just one in the range of fabulous Poppy Cat toys that will give young fans lots of extraordinary adventures and will make perfect Christmas gifts for any child.

RRP: £9.99 - available at john Lewis, Amazon, Play, The Entertainer, Boots and more.

The Hive Toys

"There's a buzz, buzz, buzz in the meadow!!"

The Hive on Disney Junior is another TV show that my pre-schooler Freddy enjoys.  The everyday lives of the cute and friendly  insect characters always raises a smile and the star of the show is BuzzBee, a cheeky young lad who often finds himself in sticky situations.

Now fans of the show can have their very own cuddly toys to play with at home.  Mookie have launched a range of gorgeous plush toys which includes Buzzbee, Rubee, Barnabee and Postman Spider.  We were sent our very Buzzbee!

The 6.5" tall plush toy is really soft and cuddly.  The design is very true to the TV character and Freddy instantly recognised him from The Hive.  The attention to detail is good with Buzzbee having a cute pair of little wings and curly antennae.  His big smiling face is so appealing and his expression is full of mischief and adventure.

He is available from Amazon, The Entertainer, Smyths, Toymaster and Hamleys priced at £9.99.  

Mookie have plans to launch more toys based on The Hive so little ones will be able to enjoy playing with  all their favourite characters at home.  Find out more at www.mookie-toys.co.uk.

Halloween at Aldi

It's that time of year again, when the shops stock up with all their Halloween goodies.  If you want quality and value, Aldi offers a great range of Halloween themed Special Buys available in store.

They sent me the Dr Oetker Halloween cupcake kit to try.  For just £1.59 you can make 12 monstrously good cupcakes (just add some butter and eggs).  I will be making these with the kids for our celebrations!

I also received a pack of window stickers which are available for just £1.59 a pack.  With sixteen designs to choose from you will find a pack that is perfect for your house!  They are 42 x 30cm and will look super spooky!

Aldi also stock a great range of dressing up sets and accessories, tableware, decorations, partyware, food, drink and bakeware for Halloween.  Find them in your local Aldi while stocks last.

What To Expect When You're Expecting

If you like a good chick flick, then chances are you will enjoy this comedy film.  Starring a whole host of big Hollywood names such as Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, Matthew Morrison and Chris Rock, this heartwarming tale tells the story of five couples with intertwined lives as they embark on the biggest journey of their lives.

TV fitness guru Jules and dance show star Evan discover they are having a baby after a whirlwind romance, but will their celebrity lifestyle cope under the demands of pregnancy.  Baby crazy author Wendy discovers that her militant-mum advice doesn't quite measure up when faced with the reality of pregnancy hormones and their side effects.   Photographer Holly is prepared to travel to the other side of the world to become a mother, but her husband is not so keen.  He joins the dad's support group "The Dudes' Group" where he learns what it is really like to be a dad!  Food van rivals Rosie and Marco find themselves in an unexpected situation following a one night stand.  Ageing ex racing-champ Ramsey and his beautiful, young wife Skyler seem to be sailing through their perfect life.  As their stories cross and intertwine we share the trials and tribulations of pregnancy and childbirth where life doesn't always deliver quite what you are expecting...

What To Expect When You're Expecting is a film inspired by the best-selling book of the same name.  I was so pleasantly surprised by this film, finding myself laughing out loud in places.  I could definitely relate to many of the issues of pregnancy!  I loved how the couples' lives were connected, often in really amusing ways.  I watched this with 10 year old Kizzy who is a Rom-Com fan and she loved it (the film is a 12 certificate but I was perfectly happy with the content for her).  She said it was "an emotional rollercoaster of funny and sad!"  I couldn't have put it better myself!

What To Expect When You’re Expecting is out on DVD/Blu-ray from 22^nd October

Bigsby - Hallmark's New Story Buddy

A New story Buddy from Hallmark

He is big and beautiful and totally endearing!  That's Bigsby, the latest Story Buddy from Hallmark, a giant furry creature, perfect for your little monsters to love!

Following in the footsteps of Cooper and Abigail, Bigsby is the newest addition to the Story Buddy family.  He comes with his own story book.

Story time is magical with these interactive toys who join in, giving responses when trigger words are read aloud.  The trigger words are highlighted in red in the story book.

Bigsby is a shy creature who lives in the forest who meets a new best friend called Sam, who is new in town.  They share lots of adventures together in the book " Bigsby's Best Friend".  Children aged three and over will love to cuddle up to Bigsby at bedtime, listen to the story and hear Bigsby as he interacts with the lovely story.  He has a great voice and an infectious laugh!

We were sent a Bigsby to try out.  The best way to demonstrate this wonderful toy is to show you in a video!

Priced at £19.99, Bigsby is available in Hallmark stores, good independents and at www.hallmark.co.uk. The additional books for Bigsby are also available from the same outlets priced at £5.99 each.