For kids of all ages from toy collectors to boys and girls who want to drive like mom and dad. Great nostalgic pedal cars to stimulate their wild imaginations and provide hours of fun!


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Zojirushi  Rice cooker and Warmer

Zojirushi rice cookers are no different than other small kitchen appliances, right?  This is not entirely accurate. Zojirushi produces rice cookers that offer many of the same features as other brands, but that is where the similarities end. This manufacturer has made a name for itself for a number of reasons. If you are interested in purchasing a durable, functional rice cooker, then consider searching the Zojirushi catalog. The money spent will be well worth the use and perfectly cooked rice you get out of your appliance.

A Well Established Rice Cooker

Many companies come and go, but Zojirushi has proven to be a strong pillar in the world of household appliances. The company’s roots date as far back as 1918 with the formation of the Ichikawa Brothers Trading Company.  Two name changes later, the company officially became the Zojirushi Corporation in 1961. Ever since then, the company has seen numerous products added to their catalog as well as a new factory in Osaka, offices in Tokyo and Taiwan, and establishment in Shanghai, China.

Perfect Rice for Your Family

Zojirushi rice cookers come in many sizes. You can purchase a unit that is ideal for one or two people, or a larger one that works well with a sizable family. Regardless of the capacity of your rice cooker, Zojirushi models are known for producing perfect rice. They take the guesswork out of preparing steamed rice on the stove top. Simply add rice and water, choose the appropriate setting and let the rice cooker do all the work!

Modern Features that Make Life Easier

There are many rice cookers available, some of which do not utilize as many modern features as they could. Most Zojirushi rice cookers feature what is referred to as “fuzzy logic” or computerized controls. These allow for a greater range of options and give the user the chance to select more specific control settings. Overall, this advanced technology has helped the Zojirushi rice cooker build its longstanding reputation for perfectly steamed rice.

More than White Rice

Zojirushi rice cookers are great for making white rice, but so are many other cookers. Another unique benefit to the Zojirushi model is its ability to cook perfect brown rice as well as white. Using the GABA Brown menu, the Zojirushi rice cooker can produce delicious brown rice that not only has an ideal texture, but also greater nutritional value. Zojirushi offers a rice cooker that can help your family eat healthier!

Read our review on the Zojirushi  rice cooker NP-HPC10 to see why this rice cooker is so highly rated.

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It wasn’t too long ago that you had to search high and low to find a satisfied owner of a Magnetic (Mag) bike trainer. Stories of the units listing to one side or the other, or clattering themselves into oblivion were everywhere on the internet.

I’ve now done enough bike trainer reviews to know that the mag trainer ‘winds are a changin’.

The one company that’s made the best improvements in mag trainers is the CycleOps group. Whether it’s their standard Cycleops Mag trainer, or their new cutting-edge Cycleops Magneto bike trainer, they seem to have perfected these products enough to have worked the bugs out. CycleOps mag trainer users are a satisfied bunch.

One shortcoming mag trainers have in relation to their more expensive cousins, fluid trainers, is their inability to produce exponential resistance. Exponential resistance is what we experience when we’re outside on our bikes pushing against the air.

Aerodynamics dictates that it takes significantly more than twice as much energy to go 20 mph than it does to go 10 mph. In short, in order for resistance to be ‘realistic’ in a bike trainer it can’t be linear (like in a mag trainer), but must be exponential (like in a fluid trainer).

But then again, at half the cost of fluid trainers, mag trainers are plenty good enough for a large number of cyclists.

The CycleOps Magneto is the first and only mag trainer to provide progressive resistance (not to be confused with exponential resistance). As the rider spins the flywheel faster and faster, centrifugal force moves the magnets further and further away from center. The trainer’s engineered in such a way that this increases the resistance without the cyclist having to get off the bike to ‘dial up’ the workload.

CycleOps is noted for being a company that’s very concerned with customer service and satisfaction. All of their trainers are made with the same two inch 16 gauge steel frames, and they come equipped with adjustable rubber-padded feet that conform to any uneven surface. They also have a cam-levered locking mechanism that’ll lock your bike into the trainer at the same setting ride after ride.

On the downside, mag trainers have the unfortunate ability to ‘max out’ at a top-end workload and suddenly provide no resistance whatsoever. Because mag trainers provide resistance by the repulsive forces that magnets have for one another, if you spin them extraordinarily fast, the magnets may be spinning fast enough to not influence each other (thereby furnishing no resistance whatsoever).

You can imagine how disturbing this could be should the rider be a beastly sprinter who’s standing up on his pedals, practicing his finishing drive to the finish line. When the mag trainer ‘gives way’ he’ll be saddened to find himself suddenly straddling the top bar of his bike on his manly parts.

But I digress…mag trainers are a perfectly fine way for most cyclists to stay in shape through the dead of winter …as long as they don’t have a compulsion to see how much punishment they can dish out to themselves, or to the trainer.

Magnetic trainers are about half the cost of a good fluid trainer, and with the recent developments in design and quality they’ll suit many cyclists just fine.

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Using a Garden Tiller

Have you ever struggled with a shovel turning dirt over in preparation for planting? This process can time consuming and back breaking. There is an easier way to get this done. You can use a garden tiller. Garden tillers use sharp metal tines to break up the top six inches of soil making planting much easier.

If you haven’t used a tiller before, the process can be a little tricky at first. Here is a step by step guide to help you on your way.

1.       Start by Preparing Your Garden- While a garden tiller can make preparing your garden for planting much easier, a little preparation is critical. Remove any weeds, plants and grasses from the area. Your garden tiller won’t remove weeds and will simply chop them into pieces. This can leave your garden with a weed infestation rather quickly. Also pick up any stray rocks sitting around the area.

2.       Let the Soil Dry- Tilling works best on fairly dry soil. Do not water right before you use your tiller or you will find yourself struggling with mud and not making any progress. Wait at least one day, more if possible, after you water before you use your tiller.

3.       Break Up Large Chunks of Dirt- If there are any large dirt clods in your garden, break them into smaller pieces using a shovel.

4.       Map Out Sprinkler Lines- Your garden tiller can damage underground sprinkler lines. If you have in ground sprinklers, make sure that you know exactly where they are to keep from damaging them. It is a good idea to mark these lines using small flags or markers.

5.       Prepare Your Tiller- Examine the tiller to make sure that there are no obstructions in the tines. The tines should be free from foreign objects and not broken, cracked or loose. If you have a gas garden tiller make sure that you fill the tank. If you will be using an electric tiller, plug it into an outlet using an extension cord if necessary.

6.       Start Turning the Soil- Place your tiller in the corner of your garden area and move systematically throughout the area. You should move slowly through the dirt waiting until the soil is fully broken up to move the tiller to the next area. If you have a front tine tiller, you will need to manually hold the tiller back until the soil in section is finely broken up. While you can go over an area more than once, you should try to break the soil up the first time around as it will save time. Stay away from the edges of the garden bed to keep from getting soil in your grass and other areas. Also steer clear of plants as their root systems can extend several feet from the plant.

7.       Do Not Force the Tiller- If you encounter any large clumps of soil while working make sure that you use a shovel to break them up. Do not force the tiller and if it is having difficulty breaking up the soil in a section , consider using a shovel. Do not push the tiller deeper in the soil than it naturally goes. A tiller can only be used on the top six to eight inches of soil.

8.       Examine and Rework if Necessary- Once you have finished tilling the entire area look over it. If you see any large chunks or areas that need more work, go over them again with the tiller. Working in a systematic fashion will help to reduce missed areas.

9.       Rake and Prepare the Soil for Planting- Using a rake even out the soil in the garden. You are now ready to plant. Clean your tiller and put it away.

We  researched a number of garden tillers and found that the Mantis Electric Tiller/Cultivator is one of the best tillers on the market for the home garden.

  • It has a powerful electric motor  that starts just by plugging the unit in and pulling the trigger.
  • It’s easy to carry as it weighs only 21 pounds
  • The powerful electric motor provides  is an environmentally friendly alternative to gas powered tillers, but it gives you the same tilling performance
  • Because of its compact design the Mantis tiller can get into tight spaces. and it is doesn’t require a lot of space for storage
  • The patented reversible tines can till down to 10 inches or shallow cultivate the top 2 to 3 inches of soil

If you are looking for an electric home garden tiller then read our review of the Mantis Tiller.

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Art of Appreciation Grand Edition Gourmet Food and Snacks Gift Basket - Medium
Overall Rating:
Total Customer Reviews: (19)
List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $37.00
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Impress friends, family or valued clients with this classic and elegant gift basket filled to overflowing with a grand selection of gourmet goodies – perfect for 2-4 guests to share. The medium basket is pictured above featuring the finest in Wine Flavored Cheese, rich Chocolate Decadence Cake, savory Italian Salami, Angelina’s Sweet Butter Cookies, decadent Belgian Chocolate truffles, Stone Ground Mustard, Sesame Crackers, Black Peppercorn Crackers, and a delicious White Chocolate Amaretto Cookie. Each gift is carefully hand crafted with attention to detail, tied with an elegant gold bow and includes a personalized gift message from you to convey your[Read More]
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Starwars R2D2 Interactive Robot

Star Wars Interactive R2D2 Astromech Droid Robot
List Price: $169.99
Sale Price: $234.99