Reviews

    Simplehuman

    Level 3
    Daniel DLevel 3 11 Reviews

    17 days ago

    Great aesthetic and in general higher quality than most other brands. However, they need to step up their environmental responsibility. An electronic foam soap pump in perfect working order except for a worn down lithium battery is apparently trash — so that you’ll buy another one instead of replacing a single part. How many millions of custom plastic trash bags are they selling and no attempt to pioneer more responsible materials? Couldn’t at least a bathroom or office trash bag be made from compostable or more easily degradable materials?

    Sensor Soap Dispenser

    Allbirds

    Level 3
    Daniel DLevel 3 11 Reviews

    10 months ago

    People know Allbirds for the squishy wool sneakers, which I like just fine, but their clothes are a hidden gem. Made with sustainable materials, down to the packaging. The Sea tshirts are so soft and durable they’re my de facto uniform. The list price is like $48 but after paying that a few times and not even being that mad about it I discovered you can often get these for wayyy cheaper. Check out woot and other discount sites. Also love the workout joggers which have a merino blend. Some clothes have been a miss, so I recommend being prepared to return a few things here and there but overall 👍👍

    Banza

    Level 3
    Daniel DLevel 3 11 Reviews

    10 months ago

    Props for helping to make chickpea pasta a thing. I love pasta and I’ve replaced about half of wheat pasta consumption with chickpea or other alternative flour to improve my fiber intake. However, despite being an innovator, they’re not the best product in this space. Banza pasta produces a gross foam when boiled that makes you feel like you’re on a polluted beach. Barilla makes a comparably priced product that doesn’t do this and generally doesn’t get as mushy. I still love their deluxe Mac and cheez tho.

    Stasher Bag

    Level 3
    Daniel DLevel 3 11 Reviews

    10 months ago

    Huge fan of these, always wish I had more around! It’s a simple way to eliminate single use zip lock bags (truly, I haven’t purchased zip locks in years thanks to these) and something most people don’t even know exist, so I am constantly giving them as gifts for people who care about the environment. I find them to be easy to care for (dishwashing kinda works, if you can prop them open enough) and durable, but not indestructible. Have had one start to tear at the seam. It’s still kinda usable but no longer air tight.

    Definite Articles

    Level 3
    Daniel DLevel 3 11 Reviews

    10 months ago

    Have only purchased the socks, which feel very high quality. Despite being someone who generally prefers cotton socks, I don’t find these get sweaty and gross and they are among my favorite to put on. I wish I had more! However, at $12-16 per pair they’re quite pricey. I am crazy and cold wash/hang almost all clothes I like, so I’m not the best judge of longevity; that said, after at least a half dozen washes these still look stellar. Can’t really put their biodegradable claims to the test but appreciate the commitment to sustainability.

    Sunski

    Level 3
    Daniel DLevel 3 11 Reviews

    10 months ago

    100% got these because of sustainability claims, both in terms of materials and the ability to swap lenses rather than constant trashing pairs over the years. They have a thing where you can text a pic of your face and an actual human will send you suggested frames. This was helpful since choosing sunglasses on the internet is tough, but can’t say they look amazing on me in the end. I went with one of their premium line and the build is solid. Overall very decent for the price. I think if I could have tried in store and chosen a pair I liked better I’d have no complaints.

    The Ordinary

    Level 3
    Daniel DLevel 3 11 Reviews

    10 months ago

    So far I’m sold on the ordinary given the simplicity of ingredients in most products and very reasonable pricing compared to many beauty brands. I can’t say any product has noticeably changed my complexion, not even the expensive Niod products. That said, mostly I’m trying not to show signs of aging and I think the Niod eye serum has done its job the last two years. I wish they were more focused on sustainability and took into account potential health and environmental risks of ingredients. Many don’t have great ratings from EWG. I also find the range of products overwhelming and think they need a better system for matching products to individuals or at least skin types. They seem to want you to throw on about 15 things and are happy to tell you the order in which to do so, but it all seems unnecessary.

    Native

    Level 3
    Daniel DLevel 3 11 Reviews

    10 months ago

    Have tried the deodorant and while it isn’t perfect, it’s convinced me I don’t need old spice to get through the day without smelling disgusting. Had previously tried a few natural deodorants that were a total bust. The coconut oil melted and deodorizing was nil. Cutting out propylene glycol ended the rashes I was getting in my pits, while still working as a deodorant. They have a ton of scent options, however all the ones I tried so far are pretty overwhelmingly powdery smelling. Not in an overly feminine way but still not quite for me. I am curious to try the unscented to see if it suits me better while still deodorizing. Also tried the sunscreen. Rubs in better than your average mineral sunscreen. Downside is it’s some sticky, which I haven’t experienced with other brands, and it’s not labeled as sweat proof so it’s not ideal for being active. Given my positive experiences I would continue to try their products. Prices are high compared to the mass market equivalents but so far are worth it for me.

    OLIPOP

    Level 3
    Daniel DLevel 3 11 Reviews

    10 months ago

    These taste way better than similar competitors. I’m not someone who otherwise drinks soda, but it’s fun to have a sweet soda option that doesn’t make me feel disgusting. How a clear bubbly liquid has fiber is beyond me but presuming that’s for real, that’s a cool bonus. The pricing makes it tough to enjoy these regularly at $2.50 a pop. Couple ideas: Sell them in bigger packs than 4 to offer more of a discount? Or even better, to cut down environmental impact, sell a concentrate that can be added to soda stream instead of shipping cans around the country?

    Supergut

    Level 3
    Daniel DLevel 3 11 Reviews

    10 months ago

    I have been eating the bars for some time. I keep reordering because I like the taste compared to many other protein bars. I prefer peanut butter chocolate but strawberry almond is ok too to mix it up and those don’t have erythritol, which has been associated with heart attacks. The flavors involving chocolate do, which knocks them down at least 1 star. (who knows which ingredient will be found to be evil next). Other negatives: the pricing is bananas but there are tons of coupon codes available and check out Amex offers, where they keep popping up. In terms of improving my gut: didn’t have problems to begin with so it’s hard to comment, and the idea of eating one of these before also having something sugary or high carb isn’t realistic for me. These are very sweet and salty so I use them in place of a dessert or snack.