Normally I don't do reviews or talk a lot about my recent Preps.
However, I thought that I would tell you about a couple of recent purchases just because I have been very impressed with them.
Now, this review has nothing to do with the regular purchases of food, although I do that regularly. These are extra items that I have picked up for back up purposes...
The first picture is of the Cansolidater can storage unit from Shelfreliance. I have wanted to try this out because of the large amount of canned goods that could be stored in a small amount of space. I figure that in my cabin, I'm gonna need all the space I can save...without giving up the amount of food I'll be needing to store. You can see the dimensions of all their units here.
It is very easy to put together, holds a lot of canned goods, and is adaptable. I set the small unit up and filled it. I was very pleased with the way it works, and now I feel good about ordering the larger unit! The delivery is pretty fast as well!
This next pair of items was a combo unit of hand crank flashlight and hand crank radio from Emergency Essentials. I have purchased items from these folks before, including food items, and I have to say I have always been completely satisfied with the products so far.
The main reason I wanted this combo is that I needed both items and it was a little cheaper to buy them together! Not that I'm cheap, but...Ok, I'm cheap! I really prefer to call myself frugal, just because it sounds better!
I want to be honest here. I was not expecting too much out of the radio or the flashlight, but I was pleasantly surprised with both. My main worry about the flashlight was whether or not it would be bright enough to be of service. After all, it only had three LED bulbs. The good news is that it turned out to be plenty bright enough to easily see very well in the dark, and it has two brightness settings. Nice!
BTW, the flashlight also has a jack in it for charging cell phones, and during a storm that can be very useful!
The hand crank radio was next and it was perhaps the most pleasant surprise of all! Not only can it be charged by using the crank, but it also has a solar panel on it that can be used. Here on the coast, most of the times that we have a power outage, the sun still shines...so that makes this a very handy item indeed. Even though the radio is small, it has acceptable sound clarity. It comes with ear buds, and has three tuning choices...AM, FM, and Weather band! All together, I was well pleased, especially as the price was right!
Finally, this is a very necessary item for me! This is my new perculator coffee pot from Academy!
Even though I already have a couple of non-electric coffee pots for the future homestead, I'm taking no chances...ya know?
Now the main reason I wanted to mention Academy here is that they had this coffee pot for the lowest price of anyone I found any where! Priced at $9.00 on the shelf, it rang up at $5.00 at the register...! My kind of surprise!
Well, that's all I had! Sorry to bore you with this, as a lot of you may already something like this handy, but I figured I would at least let you in on what I have done over the last few days to add to my goodies! Better than money in the bank, I think!
Now, my friend, let's get some coffee and gather around the table for a bit...OK?
24 comments:
Hey Mister Hermit, sir - that can thingy looked useful enough, but how is it an improvement on stacking cans on a shelf? I've seen something like it for the fridge to hold drink, but that one wasn't adjustable.
The radio and flashlight sure look nifty, and I'm all for things that are multi-taskers and have solar cells...maybe have to save up for those, since we lose power here in Redneck Central every time a mouse farts.
As for the coffee pot, well - you can't have too many ways to brew that elixir, can you?? I love it when things ring up for less than shelf price!!
Thanks for the info...
Shade and Sweetwater,
K (who doesn't need coffee or anything else caffeinated - she already doesn't sleep!!)
Hey K...
The biggest advantage of the Cansolidater is that they are stackable! That means more cans in the same amount of space...and space is what I'm after.
Besides, the unit automatically rotates your canned food. First in the top means it's first out of the bottom of the shelf! Saves having to date all the cans, ya know?
You are spot on about the coffee pots...besides, they can be used for heating other things as well (like mulled wine)!
Hey, thanks for coming by today!
...(kinda)mornin' Jim...been known to percolate myself some joe on the firepit here at the house...lol
...gotta stay in practice(sometimes it just tastes better anyhow)...
Ken
Hey Ken...
Good to see you this morning, buddy! Nothing wrong with staying in practice with the brewing, for sure!
Right on with it tasting better sometimes, being cooked outside...just like nearly everything else!
Thanks for coming by today, my friend!
I stopped by Ollie's today and they had a bunch of 12 volt appliances for 20 bucks each. Drip coffee maker and a blender. Toaster oven and a hot lunch box. I got some cash coming so I'll get over there way soon.
Hey Dragon...
Sounds like a pretty reasonable price to me. I don't think I'm familiar with Ollie's...are they a local store or online?
For $20 bucks, you can't do too badly, I'm thinking!
Thanks for coming by today, Dragon!
I'm glad you did a review-I've been eyeing the crank flashlight since we moved to the sticks. I too wondered if it would be bright enough to do any good. Our power seems to go out a LOT, and I hate to buy batteries.
Thanks!
Those are great items. The can storage unit looks like something I could use. I have one of those crank flashlights. It is amazing how much light it puts out. Your percolator coffee pot sure brings back some memories. My mom always had one sitting on her stove. First thing I did when I went to visit was grab a cup. I really miss that.
I'm going to get the perculator. What a great idea. I have one of the shelf reliant can systems that is free standing. I like that it rotates the cans, but it takes up too much space. I think the steel shelving from Lowes (about $200) would have been a better buy and better use of my space. Or the rotating system like you purchased. Good thing you have all those cans, looks like we might need them too soon.
Been eyeballing the crank radio...now you have me convinced that I so need another new gadget!!
Pass the brew HJ...I'm back on it!
Good Morning Special One, I have that coffee pot, Mine didn't have the insert so we used a knee high stocking for the grinds it worked great, then found an insert at a second hand store that fit. I think we enjoyed the stocking better. It made for some good laughs.
I have the exact coffee pot and it works great. Makes a good pot of coffee. We coffee freaks need our cup of Joe in the morning.
Hey Sue...
That's kinda the way I felt before I tried it. Like I say, it was indeed a pleasant surprise! It is really bright in a dark room...enough to keep you from stepping on a cat!
Out where you are living, I think it would make a lot of sense, for sure!
You can get the light by itself, if you want. YEA...no more batteries!
Thanks for coming by, Sue!
Hey Rae...
My folks used a stove top percolator for many years, as well as a drip maker and they both got a real workout, believe me!
Nice thing about them, is that you can use them to reheat the coffee without having to zap a cup in the microwave. Better than leaving the pot on all the time, I think!
Thanks for coming by today, my friend!
Hey Kris...
I think the best thing about the small unit, even though it only holds 20 cans, is that it is stackable and adjustable...plus other units can be added to the sides. Even sitting on a small metal storage shelf, the unit makes for a lot of storage. It's only like 9.5 inches tall, which makes it easily fit most shelves!
The coffee pot is a good deal...and Academy seems to have the cheapest prices by far! They are cheaper than Wal-Mart!
Thanks for coming by today...
Hey Momma...
That's right! I forgot that you have love for gadgets! Well, you should check this one out, for sure. You can get them alone if you don't need the flashlight!
Always glad to be of service...and so glad you could come by today!
Hey JoJo...
When it comes to brewing coffee, whatever works is the right way, ya know? Even boiling the grounds ( the cowboy way) is correct, if it's all you have!
I have known some folks use part of an old t-shirt!
Hey, sweetie, thanks for dropping in today!
Hey Sunfighter...
Man, you certainly got that right! It gets to be more important the older you get! That is, it's more important to me...but then, I'm just an old codger!
I sure do appreciate you dropping over today, my friend!
Heh...I didn't think about the hassle of rotating cans to keep the older ones up front - that's handy! At neary a quarter of my monthly grocery budget, though, even ONE of them is out of the question for now. Oh, well...they're still pretty nifty looking gizmos, and they're going on my list of "Stuff I'll Buy With the Lottery Winnings"
Oh, and I thought you'd like knowing that I've had one of those coffee makers in my camp box for over a decade...because they are really useful things!
Hmm...speaking of the camp box...I need to sort through that thing and tidy it up a bit. Guess I know what I'm doing today...or tomorrow...or, you know, sometime this decade...
Shade and Sweetwater,
K
Hey K...
Knowing just how organized you are, especially around the kitchen...I figured you would have one of these pots around somewhere!
Nice to know you have a camp box, fully stocked and ready to go! That's the reason you're my hero!
Maybe Santa will bring you a couple of these shelf units!
This wasn´t boring at all, intersting instead. I´ve heard about those radios and flashlights and only in positive words.
Have a great day now!
Christer.
Hey Christer...
Glad you found it interesting, my friend! I don't usually share this type of stuff too much, but with Winter coming on here, it might be a good thing to share!
I really appreciate you coming by today, buddy!
Watch out Hermit, the FTC is gonna come after you!
Hey Mayberry...
They just might, at that! I might be in big trouble...!
Hey, thanks for coming by, buddy!
I'm liking that Cansolidater a whole bunch, gonna have to look into that. BTW, ya got a smokin' deal on that coffee pot, they are 17.99 at the local Bi Mart, which I thought was outrageous and now I know.
Good work Jim!
Hey Busted...
Good to see you! I was surprised to find that price on the coffee pot. I had looked at Wally World and others, but they were all over priced like you said! Academy always seems to beat most places' prices!
Hey, thanks for coming by today!
Hermit how many cups does it hold. I have a couple those types of coffee pots. One of them is an old fashioned drip-o-later where you just pour hot water in the top cup and it drips over the grounds. A few years ago we were snowed in and out of power for about a week and I made coffee for me and the mrs. just in a large can on top of the grill. You really get creative when you can't have your electric. I think I've learned a lot about it living out here on the river like we do.
Hey Tjbbpgobill...
I also have a drip-o-later...but it is only 8 cups. The percolater shown is 12 cups...and for me that makes a lot more sense!
Like they say, necessity is the mother of invention! Gotta have that coffee!
Thanks for the visit, my friend!
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