HotelSpa® Designer Collection Ultra-Luxury 2-tone Chrome/Brushed Nickel 30-setting Combo

Not my picture. This belongs to Interlink.
I just thought you would want to know what it's supposed to look like. 

I am not the most handy person around. I can usually figure things out and fix them on my own with a lot of help from Google and Youtube though. That's why I was so hesitant about trying out my new shower head. I had never installed any sort of plumbing fixture before.

I was so excited to try my new shower head though. I love showers. I could spend forever in the tub. That's why I jumped at the opportunity to review the HotelSpa® Designer Collection Ultra-Luxury 2-tone Chrome/Brushed Nickel 30--setting Combo. I ran into a lot of hiccups along my journey however. 

First off, I received a mysterious knock on my door. It was the mailman. He said that he had a package for me, but that the postage had not been paid in full. I didn't have cash at the time so he gave me a receipt and said I could pay for it and pick it up at the post office. Before I paid for anything I wanted to know what the package was. After using the receipt and the tracking number I discovered it was my shower head. Bummer! Long story short, after a week of emails back and forth they agreed to reimburse me through PayPal. When I went to retrieve my money PayPal had taken a portion of the money as a fee. Double Bummer! That means that I ended up paying for part of this "free" review. 

After an almost two week waiting period the excitement had worn off a little. That left me with holidays, sickness, a new job, work meetings, family parties, and church functions. All of a sudden my month to review was gone. I was no longer looking forward to this review. 

I hesitantly turned to my best friend Google and asked her if she knew how to install a shower head. Of course she did! Because she's a woman and knows everything and keeps it all organized. She went through and told me how to do it step by step and then she showed me how to do it as well. That's when I realized I would need Teflon Tape in order to do this review. 

So, the next morning I packed up the kids and went to my not so nearby hardware store. Yep, I tried finding it on my own and failed. I ended up asking the attendant who pointed towards my left hip and said it was right there. Of course it was! I just failed my entire gender. I apologize to women everywhere. 

When I got home I ate a couple of cookies and then took a deep breath. It was now or never. I very simply disassembled my old shower head. Which was way easier than I expected. Then I opened the box and read each instruction thoroughly. Twice. I pulled out all of the parts and realized they had actually packaged some Teflon Tape for my convenience. What??!! This is definitely not a *Batteries not included company. As happy as I was to see this, I was quite disappointed at the time, gas, and $2 I had just wasted. 

I took another deep breath and dove in. I followed each instruction to the T. I referred back to their diagrams just to be sure. I was getting pretty pumped because I was doing it all by myself and it was working. I was almost done when I came to a pretty big bump in the road. Something was missing. I guess that makes it a pothole in my road. Where was the handheld shower head. I read the instructions over again. Do they want me to attach my old shower head there? No. I read the instructions again. I looked in the empty box. I looked at my old shower head. Not compatible. What the??? 

Now I was really defeated. Part of me was angry though. This was turning into a much bigger nuisance than I originally had anticipated. I began reading over the instruction manual again. That's when I saw it next to one of the diagrams - my saving grace!

I really did not want to deal with customer service though. I didn't want to be put on hold and forced to listen to elevator music. I didn't want to be questioned and quizzed. I didn't want to have to verify myself and my purchase along with my address, telephone #, email address, blood type, social security number, and a sample of my DNA. I didn't even know if they would help me since this was just a product review anyways. 

It wasn't like that at all though. They immediately answered and asked what I needed assistance with. I told them about the missing piece and all they wanted to know was my address. They said that they would be sending out the part immediately. They were so easy to work with. I sat in stunned silence. That was it? No interrogation? No secret password? No need to call a lifeline? WoW! I was really impressed.

Needless to say, I have not yet tried out my new shower head. The handheld part will be arriving tomorrow. It looks great though. It really looks like it will provide a nice water massage. It is very easy and quick to assemble and disassemble. I had to take it down so that we can take showers tonight. The only thing that has disappointed me about the product itself is that it is made with more plastic than I expected. You can't tell by looking at it, but I just question how well it will stand up to years of use. So far it has held up to my installation skills though. The customer service alone and company's willingness to stand behind their product has left me quite happy and pleased with my experience. 

After all of this I really am going to need a trip to my at-home spa... tomorrow. 

You can find the HotelSpa® Designer Collection Ultra-Luxury 2-tone Chrome/Brushed Nickel 30--setting Combo at SEARS.

SEARS.COM

I received a sample of this product in exchange for my honest trial and review. These are my personal experiences and opinions. Thanks for reading!

UPDATE:
It's almost been 26 hours since my phone call. No part yet. I guess I'll just be using my old shower head. And I doubt I will ever work with this company again. Plus, the review I submitted to the SEARS website was removed. I guess they don't like me taking away a star.

Melapet Non-Slip Bathtub Mat

This is the third bathtub mat that I've owned in six years. That sounds crazy! lol. The first one got mildew/mold on it and I could never keep it clean after that. The second one started to harden and crack and fall apart. Time will only tell if this new mat can keep up.

 When I saw it online I was very excited! It looked so soft and squishy. It almost looked as if it was made of gel. Plus, it looked so cute! When it arrived I was so sad. It was yellow. The picture that they feature is of a blue mat. If I had thoroughly done my research I would have discovered that it ONLY comes in yellow however. To me, that seems kind of deceiving. I don't like that. You shouldn't lure customers in with a beautiful picture and then offer a different product. It just seems shady to me.

Here is the description from their Amazon page:

• Comfort, cushioning, and reliable slip protection on just about any non-textured tub surface. Let the small raised bubbles gently massage weary feet. Made of durable, allergen free vinyl.Made of 100% allergen-free PVC, Machine washable-Dimensions: 67.5cm x 36cm-Soothing textured surface provides gentle massage for tired feet

• Non-slip surface large cheap girls throw floor rug-star wars chocolate shag rubber ducky backed bathroom rugs-cabin horse batmann eggplant floral moroccan cars bathroom rug-shabby chic mickey mouse cotton round rustic colorful luxury toilet rug

• The many small suction cups on the bottom of the mat hold it firmly in place, so slipping while getting in or out of the tub is greatly reduced

• DURABLE & ANTI-BACTERIAL & MILDEW-RESISTANT - Machine washable-The bath mat's compression-molded rubber resists abrasion and is very durable. Great for bathtubs and shower stalls in homes, gyms, hospitals, hotels, and other living facilities-The non slip bath mat is anti-bacterial and has mildew-resistant properties which keep mildew away effectively. To avoid the growth of mold, please remove the mat from the tub after each use. Just lay it on the front edge of the tub when not used with the suction cups pointing up

Did you read that second  paragraph? What was all that gibberish? I think it is their tactic to pop up in more search engines. Really guys? Your bathtub mat has absolutely NOTHING to do with Batman, chocolate, Star Wars, or any of that other nonsense. It just makes them seem really dishonest and needy.

The bathtub mat is a neon yellow. When it came all rolled up it looked very yellow. Since it is somewhat transparent the color really died down once I laid it flat. I don't like the color though. I don't like yellow in bathrooms. It reminds me of pee stains, discoloration, or scum buildup. Or is that just me? Seeing yellow at the bottom of the tub is not pleasing to me. My four year old kept freaking out while I bathed my one year old because she thought she had peed in the tub.

Plus, the smell was horrible when I removed it from the packaging. It has a gross chemical smell. Since we have been using it the smell has dissipated a lot, but I can still smell it every now and then. Usually after the water drains out of the tub when I bathe my girls. I am sure with more time it will go away.

Product Description

Package Quantity: 1 | Color: Yellow

Elegant High-Quality Bath Mat That Sticks to The Tub Floor with No Worries About Slipping or Falling. It is Actually a Soft, Flexible Mat That Fits All Tubs Perfectly. The mat grips the tub bottom well and will not slip around. It works on almost any non-textured tub surface. The subtle textured pattern on the top side of the mat provides great traction and slip resistance for your feet

-If you are elderly or otherwise fragile and are worried about falling in the tub
-Does your bath tub get very slippery while you are taking a shower?
-What if you find Anti-bacteria & Mildew-resistant & Abrasion-resistant Allergen-free bathtub?Melapet Bathtub mat is wide enough to cover the width of your tub. It does suction well. It is not slippery when the little one is standing. The "bubbles" are comfortable to sit on

-Melapet bath mat provides the foundation that you need for a safe and carefree showering experience
-One of melapet mat's most useful features is the series of evenly spaced suction cups on its bottom side. Better yet, the length of time for which the suction effect can be maintained is seemingly infinite.
-It's clear, has dimples on the bottom side that allow water to flow through yet maintain it's position in the tubAmazon Buyer Trust Melapet Bathtub Mat to be Quality Premium Products
Very Important...Read This

We Apologize If We're Sold Out Because of The Extremely High Demand for...We Tend to Run Out of Inventory Fast
Our Guarantee to You: If within 60 days you're not 100% happy with your purchase, let us know and we'll refund your entire purchase price... no questions asked.
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They claim that it will fit the width of your tub. It doesn't. It is a lot smaller than I expected.  My littlest girl likes to stand and hold onto the side of the tub. She always slips. I thought this mat would help, but it is nowhere big enough to help with this problem.

The suction cups really do work. They stay connected to the bottom of the tub during use. But they only perform that well when you use moisture to secure it. That means that you have to remove it after every use to prevent mold and mildew. So, what's the purpose of the holes then? You still have to hang dry it. And they just make it harder to clean. Now there are more crevices to scrub. Plus, we have three girls in this house. That means we have tons of hair. Guess where all of that hair gets tangled up? Yep, in those lovely holes.  I am also afraid that with all of that pulling and yanking every day that those holes are going to be the weak points and at some point those pieces will tear and the mat will fall apart. I don't know if that will happen, but that's my guess.

The good thing about this mat is that I don't slip while on it and neither have my girls. That is as long as you stay on it since it's not very big. And that massaging effect - it's just bumpy. It's like standing on any other bathtub mat. Sometimes it feels good and sometimes it hits a pressure point and it hurts just a little. My daughter hasn't complained about sitting on it and even my bony bum feels fine sitting on it. Which is great news! Plus, you can toss it in the washing machine when it needs a deep clean. I have a front loading machine so I don't know how well it does in a top loading machine with the spinning thing in the center.

I HATE leaving bad reviews. These companies try so hard to do a good job. However, I don't want my readers to be deceived. I personally don't believe this bathtub mat is worth $16.50. I liked my clear $5.00 mat from Wal-Mart just as much. If you need a mat that you can throw in the wash to clean easily then this is the right mat for you. And if you decorate your bathroom with yellow then this is great. It's just not for me. 

If you want to check it out for yourself then you can find it on Amazon HERE.

I received this product complimentary in exchange for my honest trial and review. These are my personal opinions and experiences. Thanks for reading!