Putting 'As Seen on TV' gadgets to the test

'As Seen on TV' gadgets often come with a life-changing promise (and an overly cheesy infomercial), but how many of them actually work the way they claim? To help save you time and money, we tested out a few popular products to see if they deliver, or if they're just a disappointment. 

ReColor

The claim: This product promises to instantly restore any aging or weathered items you may have at home. For just $19.99, you can wipe the years off of your favourite fixtures and outdoor furniture, getting that "factory finish" without the mess of painting. This product claims to work on virtually any surface — metal, vinyl, leather, stone or plastic.

Our verdict: We took a beaten up lawn chair and sought to restore it to its original glory. And the results…. well, see for yourself — it REALLY works!

Note: There are a lot of chemicals in this product and ReColor should be used in well-ventilated areas. It did work on a variety of products we tested, so we say this one is worth the spend!

HotWavz

The claim: This gadget is for anyone who has ever wanted silky, luxurious waves in just 10 minutes. For $19.99, it promises to take you from flat to fabulous.

In order to get the perfect curl, you need to spritz your hair with water. Slip the HotWavz mesh over the wand. Grab a section of your hair (the amount will vary depending on your hair thickness). Holding your hair and the wand with one hand, use the other to push the HotWavz onto the hair (about 2.5cm). Pull the wand from the other end. Release! Let your hair dry naturally or blow dry. To remove, just grasp your hair with one hand and slip HotWavz off (holding the rubber tip).

Our verdict: When we tried HotWavz, it wasn't so hot. We did not achieve the perfect curl — or any curl for that matter — and we tried it on different textures. We recommend skipping the spend on this one.

Simply Fit Board

The claim: If you want a six pack, look no further than the Simply Fit Board. This product retails for $59.99. It's easy! It's fun! And it claims to tone your abs, legs, your entire core and more.

Our verdict: We put this gadget to the test with a variety of workout moves. While we did feel it working our cores a bit, it wasn't enough to to make the Simply Fit Board worth the price point. Skip this buy in favour of some good, ol' fashioned sit ups. 

The Eggstractor

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The claim: The Eggstractor is an egg peeler that claims to peel hard boiled eggs instantly. In fact, it promises to peel eggs 10 times faster than doing so by hand.

Our verdict: The Eggstractor is, unfortunately, not all it's cracked up to be. It did peel some eggs, but not perfectly, and many were ruined! Save your money on this one, and just peel by hand.