Sound Advice
By Don Lindich
Week 11, 2023
Some of the most popular, best-received product recommendations and reviews are for products and categories that many readers are unfamiliar with, such as the RF skin-tightening machine. This week I have two excellent products in the same vein.
The first is the Artestia Car Refrigerator. To call it a “car refrigerator” is selling it short because it is so very versatile and can be used in many ways and in many places on the go, at home and in the workplace. It resembles a largish cooler in the style of a classic, mass-market Igloo product. Digital controls are found on the top panel and the top-opening door is reversible. A DC car power supply is included and it can be powered by AC using a 10-amp adapter that provides a cigarette lighter socket. (I used the SHNITPWR 10-amp adapter, $21.99 on Amazon.) Though it can reach freezing temperatures, there is only one compartment with a basket divider and hence one temperature zone. You can keep ice cream frozen or drinks cold, but not both at the same time. It is very quiet and cools quickly.
In the Artestia I found the perfect mancave refrigerator. I have been looking for a small fridge for the room for years, but did not want a typical front-opening appliance that requires me to get close to the ground every time I want to open it. I also tend to flex the room space into different configurations while reviewing equipment for the column, and dorm refrigerators tend to be awkward to handle. The Artestia opens from the top and given the cooler form factor it is really easy to move around. I would have much rather had the Artestia during my college days than the tiny, cube-shaped fridge I had back then! I can see it being a perfect match to dorms, offices, workshops, garages, parties on the porch, as well as in vehicles to keep things cool or frozen while on the go. Thinking of the parties, compared to a cooler you can fill it up completely and there is no ice to take up space or make a drippy mess later. This is a great product and I am sure owners will find many uses for it as they explore its capabilities. The Artestia Car Refrigerator sells on Amazon for $279.99 and has a lifetime warranty.
Next up is USB-rechargeable powered salt and pepper grinders from Littneo, $35.95. Powered grinders seemed a bit overkill to me until I tried them. As regular readers know I love to cook, and these grinders have made life easier and my technique better. Coarseness is adjustable and they lay on the spices more evenly than a typical grinder or shaker, and a downward-facing LED light even shows the way. I can also hold the grinder in one hand and flip the meat with the other, avoiding contamination without frequent hand-washing. I may get a few more of these for other spices such as barbecue rubs.
Q. I have noticed that the Xfinity cable TV volume is lower compared to streaming services from my Smart TV. In fact, for the same volume level on the amp the streaming services are much louder than Xfinity. Is this typical and is it related to my equipment?
-S.J., Washington, DC
A. This is typical and there is nothing wrong with your equipment. You will even see dramatic differences between streaming channels. The channels and cable are just transmitting at different average volume levels, based on their own taste and what they think is right. Just adjust the amplifier as needed to get the volume that you want.