Blast from the past - gadgets of yesteryear!

I was dropping off a bag of stuff at my local cat charity shop when I spotted an item I remember from telly shopping many many years ago. I wondered whether anyone remembers the Home-tek Ozone Hand and fruit cleaner. I suspect it's a piece of quackery otherwise we'd all have one by now. Anyone else remember it? Sadly out of stock on Amazon but here's the item.

Back then 15+ years ago QVC was fun to watch and this type of gadget you didn't know you needed made for entertaining viewing. They sold a liquid soap-making kit - you put water and a bar of soap in a tub with beads (supplied because you needed these special ones for it to convert your bar of L'occy soap into sludge-looking gloop). I'm trying to dredge up the name of the guest who used to bring these dodgy gizmos to QVC; she had long dark brown hair - long before Gill Gauntlet arrived on the channel.

There was a metal stone, sort of flattened egg shape that was claimed to remove odours from your hands, onion, petrol etc, just by washing with water, no soap required.

Not as long ago but not seen it for a couple of years was that magic bike thingy designed by husband for wifey after she'd had 5 babies and developed flabby thighs. A rather smug couple I couldn't take to.

OF COURSE I HAD ONE LOL!

Nearly all my purchases from QVC were gadgets, most of which were useless, or at least didn't live up to the QVC hype.

I used this for a while, but not often enough to justify the space it took up, and the use of yet another mains socket (my kitchen has only 2 in one corner, and 2 in the opposite corner - - ridiculous, and leading to extension leads everywhere).

This gadget, like loads of others, are lost somewhere in the depths of Strato Towers.

THE ABOVE REPLY WAS TO POST 1.

Re post 2, of course I also have the "metal stone", called a Zilo, it was supposed to stop smells in the kitchen, fridge, bathroom, etc. Naturally, it didn't work (I did lots of scientific tests). Again, lost somewhere in Strato Towers (TWO of them!) They were very expensive, around £20 each, from memory.

The steriliser I had looked the same as the link, but it was not battery operated, it was mains, and also it had ultraviolet lights as well as ozone.

ZILO SMELLKILLER


This 80mm diameter Zilo Smellkiller comes complete with its own glass bowl. This larger version of the classic can be used to rid rooms of all odours. Ideal for use in the kitchen, living room and garage.

As ever, click to enlarge.



View attachment 14721


Now £40 on Amazon, and smaller then mine. Link - - - -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00165TKRC/?tag=shoppingcom03-21

I remember a gold plating kit. It was a bottle of clear solution and a dipping basket. You immersed the metal object you wanted to plate and after a few minutes - boom! - it was gold. I remember Dave Bradford gold plating paperclips live on-air. I gold-plated a penny, a mustard spoon, paperclips and various other things. Sold the penny for £12 on E-bay many years later so I wish I'd done more!. I remember they used the sell pagers. There was one slightly awkward moment where a VERY funny incident occurred to a young Dale Franklin. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology you can view it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv-WAVBhkrA

Going off the subject, but you know how YouTube goes from one video to another - - - so here is DF demoing a crossword solver (yes, I had one!)

Very funny :mysmilie_17::mysmilie_17:

https://youtu.be/ax9Qe88MNTQ

stratobuddy said:

Going off the subject, but you know how YouTube goes from one video to another - - - so here is DF demoing a crossword solver (yes, I had one!)

https://youtu.be/ax9Qe88MNTQ

Click to expand...

Thy were quite good for their time.

Alan I had a feeling you'd remember the Home-tek Ozone thingamy. I remember the zilo, they sold one to clip in the rim of your toilet. I bought this one from Tchibo when they had high street shops, for a couple of quid; it works to neutralise cooking smells if used like a bar of soap under running water after chopping onions, garlic etc What I always wondered was wouldn't a stainless steel sink in a kitchen which is frequently touching water have an odour killing effect beyond that of a little stainless steel pebble sitting on a damp sponge?

Akimbo said:

Alan I had a feeling you'd remember the Home-tek Ozone thingamy. I remember the zilo, they sold one to clip in the rim of your toilet. I bought this one from Tchibo when they had high street shops, for a couple of quid; it works to neutralise cooking smells if used like a bar of soap under running water after chopping onions, garlic etc What I always wondered was wouldn't a stainless steel sink in a kitchen which is frequently touching water have an odour killing effect beyond that of a little stainless steel pebble sitting on a damp sponge?

Click to expand...

Yes, it was supposed to be "special" stainless steel, but it was all a snake-oil con

Oh Stratto you are a man after my own heart!

I love gadgets- despite knowing they are, as you say, snake oil, I still always have a sneaking feeling that THIS one WILL work.

I haven't bought anything for some years, more because of the lack of places tempting me, rather than being cured.

I also love stationary shops.

I had those ozone cleaner things. They did work but sadly didn't last long - three in succession died within days of their first use and were given up on. The Zilo smell killer still graces the toilets at chez Moth, and really does work. If I recall, they were sold by a French guest? Also had the gold platy thing, which was awful! Loads of items partly plated in gold but nothing ever looked really good with it. Also had the electronic dictionary, although it was a different one to that in the video - mine was grey and was bought in Boots, I think. It was great and was used a lot. In fact, I still have it but I don't know if it still works.