As seen on TV = Crap?

About 10 years ago, I bought one of those wiper blades for my car that had been advertised on TV. It sucked. Since then, I’ve found pretty much anything/everything that says “As seen on TV” really means “Buy this for $19.95, and then go buy something for twice that price that actually works.” I’m sure there are great products out there (I’ve heard the George Foreman grill is great) but I’ve never bought one. In fact, I now go out of my way to avoid these products (hey, you can find most anything advertised on TV, but only a select few advertise themselves that way)

As a side note, it may be that the ASOT stickers that go on the products are usually reserved for items that have an infomercial. And that’s almost ALWAYS bad news for a product, right?

Try this thread for lots of humble opinions on “as seen on TV” stuff.

As Seen on TV products. What works, what doesn’t?

Generally speaking, ASOTV merchandise is crap. At least that’s my impression after seeing ASOTV items at an ASOTV store, seeing reviews on the local morning news’s “Doe is really do that?” segment, and occasionally using a product.

But…

I have one of those hand-cranked food processors that works great. Actually, I have two because I saw them for $5 at a store called “Mainly Seconds”. I got one for a friend, and she says it’s great. It makes chopping veggies much quicker than using a knife, and it’s good for making salsa and for mixing some things. This is one ASOTV product that really works.

Dad bought the “Pickham Amazing Knife” (actually to knives). I have them now, and they work fine. I don’t know what claims were made on the commercial, but I use them for cutting bread and carving roasts. I find the double-edged design with different serrations to be useful.

I have a small Hamilton Beach version of the Foreman grill. Got it at Pic’n’Sav (now Big Lots) for twenty bucks. Does a good job cooking burgers at the office.

But most of the stuff I’ve seen, I wouldn’t buy.

I figure that, if the best thing someone can say about a product was that it was Seen On TV!, the product can’t have very many other redeeming qualities…

I have a Foreman grill that my folks got me for Xmas a couple of years ago. I use it all the time.

I also have one of those tumble washer kettles. You know, you put your clothes in, pour in hot water and detergent and turn the handle a few times and everything is supposed to come clean? Well, it works…more or less. It does clean clothes but it’s a real pain to have to keep refilling it to rinse, plus there’s no way to wring out the stuff except by hand. I mainly use it if I need a clean pair of socks or shorts and don’t feel like going to the laundromat.

I can vouch for the Foreman grill being great. It, however, is the “exception that proves the rule.” Most ASOTV stuff is crap.