Elegant, functional -- but pricey
583207
If you've read my review of the RX100, you know I'm crazy about this camera. But its small size and smooth finish make it tough to hold onto. This grip solves that problem, but not perfectly or cheaply.

I previously used a J.B. Grip Base (see separate review) which provided a great holding surface but made the camera noticeably more bulky and, more importantly, covered up the battery door on the bottom. On a battery-hungry camera like the RX100, changing them became a serious nuisance with this case installed. I was impressed with J.B.' s workmanship, so I bought his much smaller Wood Grip.

For what it is -- essentially a sliver of wood and some adhesive tape -- it's expensive.  But it does what it's supposed to, and like its predecessor, the workmanship is flawless.

Unlike the Grip Base, the Wood Grip attaches to the camera with a strip of super strong adhesive tape. I was skeptical about this approach, but after several weeks of fairly heavy use, the grip is still holding like a vise and hasn't loosened a bit. If I didn't know better, I would think it was bolted on.

While the Grip Base it replaces was too big (at least on the bottom), I'd like the Wood Grip to be slightly larger. It's big enough now, and a big improvement over nothing, but I would prefer a bit more surface area.

On the plus side, compared to the Grip Base, the Wood Grip doesn't increase the height or thickness of the camera so it now fits easily in my Lowepro Santiago 20 belt case.

On balance, a good product. Each is handmade with great craftsmanship, and that keeps me from harping too much about the price :)
2484443
Generally an excellent value.  Appearance and quality is above average, especially at this price.  However, several items to be aware of:

* Shipping and tax as shown on the packing slip appeared excessive (shipping was $50, about 30% of item price??).
* Assembly is definitely a two-person affair.  Attaching the desktop is easiest with three people.
* Assembly is to be done with a single-wing allen wrench, and a screwdriver (not included), which would be nearly impossible.  I cut off the allen wrench and put it in a drill/drive chuck, which made things manageable.  At least a two-wing allen wrench/Phillips driver should be included instead.
* The wood pieces are labeled with stick-on paper labels, which are difficult to remove and leave adhesive residue, which is very difficult to remove.
* There are no caps for the screw holes included, which has at least four of the screw holes on the front legs exposed and unsightly.
* The closing mechanism for the top will not close completely without manual manipulation under the desktop, which is nearly impossible if the desk is against the wall.
* Instructions are `written by Chinese", with many grammatical and typo errors.  The diagram for the finished product in the instructions is different from the final assembly, and the picture shown on the web site/catalog.

With those reservations, I would recommend this desk at this price.
943239
I have been using the reviews on Amazon to decide what to buy, and I guess I should give some reviews back to the community, so here goes my first review.

Price: It is about %50 more expensive than other comparable products. Since I am the first to review this product, I assume the higher cost is due to it being a new line. However, it is also heavier than other comparable sets, so it may be more expensive because of that.

Weight: I wanted a heavy set, so I looked at the shipping weight to determine which one was heavier, and this was among the heaviest in its class. But it is not so heavy that it would be hard for my toddlers to handle.

Weight Distribution: The weight distribution is towards the end of the handle, which is what you would want, since when you put food item on the tip, the food and the end of the handle balance each other. This makes it easy to maneuver from dish to mouth.

Color: It is not as light colord as aluminum but not as dark colored as titanium. Somewhere in between, giving it a classier look.

Design: The four indentations in the handle are actually holes, which may not be clear from the picture. The two crossed swords make the four holes. Holes are better than indentations, since they would be easier to wash. Food tends to get stuck in the corners of indentations. However, you still may need some care to clean through the holes. They are large enough though so that should not be much of an issue.

Fit: The handle fits well in the hand, and the curved middle part of the handle is a pleasure compared to other flat handles. The flat handle gives more control, but its edge could be uncomfortable at times. This is very comfortable, and the end of the handle provides adequate control and stops the utensil from spinning with unbalanced food on it.

Strength: These are very solid, especially the fork points, which often is the first part to bend. Unlike other designs, there will be no bending with these spoons. Since the handle is round and not flat, it will not bend with the usual eating activity.

Material: Of course, it is 18/10 so it is solid and will last a long time. They did not go cheap with using material in this, so the spoon, fork, knife, all are thick yet elegant from end to end.

Storage: The holes can be used to hang these up. But if you want to lay them down on top of each other, the end of the handles are thicker than the other end, so they don't sit well on top of each other.

Final Impression: My kids love them as I do. They are heavy and unique looking. They are more expensive than other comparable sets but I will be using them for years, so a little more for something nicer is worth it.

I hope this helps.
4656404
I'm very satisfied with the functionality and performance of the product, but I docked one star from my rating because I don't think there's $40 of value there. With a lower price point, the product would deliver functionality and performance and value. One possible enhancement to justify the price would be a carrying pouch for the lanyard headphones. I've found I have to be careful where I carry it, if not around my neck, because the foam earphone covers can slip off, and if Apple were to provide a carrying pouch in the package, they could eliminate that issue and provide more value.
2364328
The current price of $93.45 is a bit steep; however, this towel rack is stylish and functional. Assembly is incredibly easy except for the balancing act required to hold the rods in place while screwing in the holders from the bottom.

In the box are:
- Two towel rods that hold the towels
- A chrome base plate
- A heavy metal base plate that sits underneath the chrome base pate
- Two screws
- One Allen wrench

To assemble I held the base plates together and inserted the screw from the bottom up into each towel rod and tightened with an Allen wrench. It took less than ten minutes.  As instructed, I tried to remove the paper covering on the base plate after assembly but was unable to as pieces of paper were poking out where the rod met the base. Therefore, I had to disassemble the unit and remove the paper before re-assembling. The paper is there to protect the base during assembly. However, I see no point of keeping the white paper in place because I could not remove it after I put it all together.

The rods are very light and the two-piece base is heavy and sturdy. The rods are also stationary. This towel holder would look great next to a claw foot tub. It looks fantastic in my purple bathroom when holding hand towels.

Note that the rack only holds folded or scrunched up towels. I have bath sheets and those are too long for this holder as they touch the floor. A folded standard-size bath towel fits easily onto each rod.

I attached a picture of the assembled rack and one of my bath towels folded and one of them not folded. The towels look horrible on the rack unfolded. It is not easy to dry bath towels on this rack due to this. I also attached three pictures of it being used as a towel rack for hand towels in my purple bathroom. For hand towels it is perfect.

Personally, I wish the rods were a bit taller so that I can hang my bath sheets on them. It would also be great if they were a tad longer. Nevertheless, this towel holder is stylish and functional and is sure to dress up most bathrooms.
242492
This product is solid - high quality, stable. portable, and has this modern & sleek look. It works very well with my 15 inch MacBook Pro and I am going to start bringing it to work. The only reason that I didn't give it a 5-star is that it is way too expensive..
183522
I just bought a set of mirror finish knifeforkspoon flatware, designed by Jasper Morrison for Italian housewares manufacturer Alessi, and I'm really glad I bought the set with the monobloc knives. Monobloc knives are less expensive in general because they're made of a single piece of stainless steel, as opposed to knives with thicker handles that are made separately, then into which a separate blade is set. This is done for two reasons: presumably nicer feel in the hand, and in some cases, a better, sharper, blade is attached separately.

The knifeforkspoon monobloc knife looks better and feels better in your hand. It's more of a piece with the other forks and spoons in the line. I bought one placesetting earlier to see if I liked it, and I did, except for the thick regular knife handle that just never balanced in my right hand with whichever piece was in my left.

A single regular knife in this series costs $20. The monobloc costs $11. In a set this size, the difference in cost is around $300.

Jasper Morrison designed this as a nice everyday set of flatware that you can also use in a more elegant setting. I use Metlox Colorstax as my everyday dishes, and have a set of Thomas O'Brien's Tiago Blue, a glossy navy porcelain with double concentric platinum rings. knifeforkspoon goes with each set of dinnerware very nicely. Next I'm going to get some of Ellen Chilewich's placemats and napkins.

This would make a terrific present for the modern lover in your life.
595083
This is a beautiful and elegant leather case. It has four compartments on the left leaf to store Wi-Fi cards or SD cards, even business cards. I think it offers a good level of protection against scratches or damage for any fall, but the overall size of the equipment increases a lot; to a point that handheld can not be place on a shirt pocket, or jacket or pants pocket. So functionality of carrying is reduced if you do not have a bigger bag to place it. In my case, I always use a Laptop, so I store my palm on laptop's bag. Other complain I have is the lake of a way to hold the case in a strap or belt. That is way I am rating this neutral with 3.
3735288
The Drinkwell Sedona is avery attractive pet watering fountain.  It looks good enough that you don't immediately see it as a pet dish.  It has lots of room for multiple pets.  It's very quiet.  In all, a very nice item.  It is, however, nearly $80 here on Amazon currently.  Whether it's worth the cost is, of course, very much a personal decision.

A couple of potential issues:  First, the directions are not well done at all.  They use drawings rather than photographs, and t's sometimes not easy to determine what they're illustrating.  The bowl is is quite attractive, but t's made out of plastic.  My cat and I don't give it very hard use, but there are already a couple of scratches on it.  I don't know what would happen if I dropped it, and I don't want to find out.

Like all pet dishes, it does require frequent cleaning to keep unpleasant things from growing in it.  There is a Drinkwell brush kit, and you will need it or similar brushes to do thorough cleanings.  The filter will need regular replacement, too.  Cleaning requires disassembly, but it's pretty straight-forward.  The parts are mostly plastic, so it's possible to break them by trying to force something into position.  A little care and patience will prevent that.

My bottom line:  This is a very attractive pet watering system that works very well.  It is, however, pretty pricey.  I recommend it very highly for appearance and functionality, but not for the price.
3429548
Well, it really does cost too much for all it is--supply--demand--I get it.  It does work very well and is nicely made.  Once I "got" how to make it stand up I found it very easy (I have limited use of my hands so I was a bit concerned I wouldn't be able to do it, but no worries!).  I'd recommend it and buy another if the need arose--but in RED if they had it (hint, hint). :)
1459953
I really like this.  The size was perfect for the place I wanted to store it.  It's functional and pretty.  I do think it was a bit pricey which is why I'm giving it four out of five stars.
2334743
Pros - Elegant design. Very well made. Large size for use as a serving bowl, fruit holder, for large salads, etc.
Cons - A bit pricey. Can not use it in the micro wave.

Overall - Lovely, elegant bowl and well worth the price!
486034
This watch has a very elegant look.  The dial has a split shading effect which you cannot see in the photos.  Basically this means that half the dial (when split from the 12 O'clock to 6 O'clock position) looks slightly lighter than the other half.  This effect looks great and gives it a more elegant appearance.  The band is a dark brown leather that is nicely lined on the inside.  It is a bit thin but it looks like it should hold up to moderate abuse. The actual bezel is a bit on the large size which is kind of a surprise for a dress watch.  The overall effect is upscale and attractive on the wrist. The only real downside to this watch is that the Armitron brand is very prominently displayed  on the face.  If this was a more known brand such as Bulova or Citizen you would not mind but being so flashy but the large Armitron branding makes this look slightly downscale.  Also worth noting is that the price is not really that much less than some of the name brand watches.  A similar looking Bulova costs only about  $10  more.  If the Armitron brand becomes more respected or the price of this watch drops then this will be an excellent product.  Until then this is an attractive and elegant looking timepiece that is a bit too pricey for its brand.

*** Positive Points: ***

- Elegant and Attractive Design
- Water resistant
- Leather band is comfortable and attractive
- Watch face is large and looks modern

*** Negative Points: ***

- Armitron branding is a bit too prominent
- Price is only slightly cheaper than similarly designed name brand watches
2171157
This is a beautiful, elegant and classy glass tumbler.

Pros:  First off, the design is lovely and the packaging is admirable.  It's slim and not bulky like other double-walled tumblers tend to be.  The logo is nice but I think it'd do better without the words: simple artwork would play better in the long run.  I love that it comes with a tea strainer.  The holes are small enough so the leaves don't "leak" through.  I can also add fruit or ice to my drink and the strainer blocks it from hitting my teeth while I drink.  I love that it came with a sleeve.  This significantly increases the amount of time my beverage remains hot or cold.  My favourite part is the wood grain lid.  It breathes charm and looks classy AF.

Cons:  The first one I received had a loose fitting silicone ring in the cap.  The strainer also did not fit perfectly.  The vendor graciously sent me a 2nd one that fixed both of these problems.  If you have an issue with either I suggest you reach out to the seller.  They handle the problem quickly and neatly.

I would buy this again should something happen to mine.  It looks great on my desk and definitely adds "perceived value" to me, or so I think.  It's also safer than plastic.. BPA-free plastic still worries me when used over increased periods of time.  Glass is the way to go, and if you have to go one way it should be with this tumbler!  I definitely think thirty dollars is a bit high but the quality is good.  I think a more attractive pricing would be in the fifteen to twenty dollar range.
2482142
I bought this over half a year ago and it's still working perfectly! Pretty much as functional as you can hope for. I use 3 of the 4 primary settings (you can also toggle brightness within each of the 4), starting from Relaxation in the mornings and working up to Reading at night. It's easy to adjust so there's really no way you can't get it pointing exactly how you want it. The stand is great, too - sometimes I prop it on my couch's backrest and it balances nicely.

However, one caveat is the $99.99 I paid for it at the time was reasonable, but even though the price has gone down there seems to be cheaper alternatives on the market now. On the Amazon market, that is - I went to a physical store for lighting and this was cheaper and better than anything I saw!

In terms of quality, this is top-notch. RECOMMENDED
2268430
My four-star rating is based in part on the current price of $84.50 for this set.  The design and quality of the stoneware/glazing is worthy of that, but there are some imperfections that I think make the current price a bit high.  They are, though, a great choice for everyday use because of their sturdiness combined with being microwave and dishwasher safe.

I wasn't so sure about the art on these when I ordered them, but in person - I love it!  I really like the rustic leaves pattern, and the smooth glazing over the entire surface front and back adds a nice sheen to every piece.  At first, I thought that solid-colored sides were black, but they are actually a dark brown.  I think that I'd have preferred black, but it's still a nice look and compliments the leaves.

Some things that I'd like to note as you do your shopping:
(*) The expanded lips on the bowls make them pretty huge.  They are like a hybrid mix between a cereal bowl and a soup bowl, with a deep central bowl and a wider, shallower lip region.  Pretty nice for soup or salad, but they definitely take up much more room in my dishwasher (mainly because I don't want them clanking together)
(*) The rims on the plates are also more raised that I was expecting.  I've grown to like it, but I wanted to point out that they aren't quite as flat as other plates that I have (including others from Pfalzgraff)
(*) There are some small imperfections in the glazing on mine, mostly around some of the outer rims where it shows white (or white-ish) color instead of the brown.  There are also what I'd call imperfections in some of the coloring, such as noticeable light/white splotches around the leaves or just in the middle of the speckled area

I will say that I do like quite a few things about these:
(*) The weight and feel of them is excellent.  Not too light, not too heavy - and comfortably smooth without being slippery
(*) The mugs are outstanding.  They have a great shape to them, and the smooth glazing make them a pleasure to hold and drink from
(*) The plates are just great.  They are plenty big, and I have yet to wish that I could fit any more on them.  Even though I've made a habit of using paper plates for many years, I find myself constantly reaching for these instead, despite needing the wash them.  I just really like using them
(*) Although the bowls are pretty large, and I can't fit many in my dishwasher, I still reach for them every day because I like them so much
(*) They are microwave and dishwasher safe

They came nicely and securely packaged inside of a glossy box with nice pictures on it, so they make for a nice purchase for yourself or a gift for someone else.  The internal boxes are just plain cardboard, but they kept all of the pieces securely packaged and protected.  My product box arrived in an Amazon box with a token piece of packing paper thrown on top, so I imagine that they got jostled around a bit - but they are all in perfect condition.
3523866
Dear Amazon Shopper,

This is an excellent pen with only one drawback.  However, given the pen's many positive attributes, I was not inclined to deduct a star from my review.  Here are the pros and cons:

Pros:
1 - Elegant design - This pen has a very understated design, which emphasizes minimalism.  The muted gloss of the black lacquer is complemented by sharp gold accents to create a very businesslike profile.  This pen is at home in a professional setting, with the 18k gold nib smartly punctuating this pen's design.

2 - It barely skips - Fountain pens of varying levels of quality skip with varying frequency.  This pen is at the better end of the spectrum when it comes to skipping.  I have left it unused for days only to have it write with surprising fluidity from the moment I resumed using it; most fountain pens (including ones significantly more expensive) require a bit of coaxing to flow smoothly.

3 - It's well packaged - The box in which this pen comes is quite nice considering the price point.  The pen is securely cushioned and comes with a converter inside of it so you can use your inkwell if you so desire.  A nice bonus is the set of 8 blue cartridges underneath the cushion.  You'll be writing for a good while before you have to buy new ink cartridges.

4 - Reasonably priced ink - At $10 for a 50ml bottle or around $6 for a set of 8 refill cartridges, this pen won't break the bank with regular use.  Some ballpoint pens from this and other manufacturers will charge $20 for a single ink cartridge, making the price of entry in acquiring this pen a value proposition over the long-haul.  Also, the ink itself is sharp and clear.

5 - Durable - Wouldn't you know it, but the first thing I did when I removed this pen from its packaging was drop it.  There's an extra fastening holding it in place under the velvet strap that holds it to the cushion, and I tried to remove it without realizing this.  The result was it was pulled from my fingers.  The pen dropped about three feet onto a wooden floor and skidded some distance.  While I was expecting to have ruined a fine writing instrument, I dusted off the pen and examined it under the light only to find that there wasn't a mark on it.  Close scrutiny revealed not one scuff on the lacquer, which was a pleasant surprise and a testament to the pen's durability.

6 - Pleasant weight - The pen has a nice weight to it, which other more-expensive pens often lack.  Posted, it rests comfortably in the hand.

7 - Price - It's much lower-priced than other upmarket fountain pens, particularly if you grab it on sale.

There are, however, a few cons, which I feel you ought to know before pulling the trigger:

1 - Symmetry - The design of this pen is unique in that the bottom of the pen is somewhat curved.  When screwing and unscrewing the pen to refill it with ink or to clean/inspect it, you must be careful to line it up properly, else you'll have an annoying lack of alignment between the top and bottom of the pen.  If this doesn't bother you, or you will always use the pen posted, this is less of an issue.

2 - Design - While elegant, the design is almost TOO understated.  Until you remove the cap (and to some extent, even after, the quality of this pen does not bear down on you.  Unlike a Parker Sonnet Sterling Cisele, which exudes refinement before you even open it, this pen requires a trained eye to appreciate.  If you're looking to really impress someone with your fountain pen, there are better-suited alternatives.

3 - Balance - Even when not posted, this pen is back-heavy. It's not uncomfortable, but you'll notice it at least initially.

4 - Price - While it's a great value at the $130 I paid for it, it's still a lot of money to spend on a pen.  At $130, you won't really do any better than this pen, but in it's more typical $200 range, there are a number of alternatives worth considering. This is a 5-star pen at $130, but 3- or 4-star pen above $200.

So there you have it.  A fine, functional writing instrument with a lot to offer.

Thank you.