Volume 13, No. 1, Winter 2005	Previous Issues Subscribe to AT Messenger Download PDF Viewer
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The AT Bargain Basement

Marvin Williams, AT Specialist, Kent County ATRC

Hello friends, and welcome to another edition of the AT Bargain Basement. For those of you unfamiliar with this column, this is where I, your humble AT Specialist, bring you glad tidings of AT bargains priced under $100. I also try to find AT that is available from local stores throughout Delaware. In this installment, we return to the land of independent living. I have some new devices for you, as well as a new website that might help you find the AT you need.

Lamp Commander™ by Salton

The first device is the Lamp Commander™ by Salton. The device allows the user to control a lamp via speech recognition. It is available at Lowe's® for about $39.96, and it really works. Unlike other systems that use speech recognition for device control, the Lamp Commander does not require the user to do any voice training prior to using it. Just take it out of the package, plug it into the wall, plug a lamp into it, and it is ready to use. The Lamp Commander can control up to two lamps using the same unit. Now, this does not mean each lamp can be independently controlled, but if there are two lamps that need to be turned on at the same time, this device will do that. I have been able to find this product online for around $19.95.

Lids-Off Automatic Jar Opener by Black & Decker

The next device is a great asset to any kitchen. It is the Lids-Off™ Automatic Jar Opener from Black & Decker®. The Lids-Off allows the user to open a variety of different sized jars with just the press of a button. Simply place the jar in the machine's bed, spin the bed to hold the jar in place, lower the top of the jar opener to the top of the jar, and... ta-da!... the jar is open! You will have that jelly jar open in no time with no more effort than it takes to press the button on the top of the device. The jar opener retails for $25.00 at the Black & Decker outlet store in Rehoboth. A few drawbacks of this device are its size (about the size of a blender, so it does take up some counter space) and the fact that it does not work with extra-large jars (e.g., pickle jars). But, the opener is a great device to have on hand for those who have trouble opening jar lids.

Motion Activated Light Adapter by Dimango®

The next item on my list is the Motion Activated Light Adapter by Dimango®. This handy little device lets the user turn most any light into a motion-sensitive light that will turn on whenever someone walks into its activation range. This device might be of better use outdoors rather than inside the home because the light will turn off automatically. So, this device would be good where having some light would be beneficial, such as at an entrance to a house or a garage. Just make sure the unit will work with the light bulb that is put into it. I have found that automatic controls like these do not work well with fluorescent bulbs in cold weather because it can sometimes take the bulb a little while to warm up and provide the needed light. Even then, it can take a while for the light bulb to reach full brightness, so keep that in mind when selecting bulbs for this device.

My final item is something many individuals may have seen but disregarded. It is the non-slip shelf liner that can be found at most any store from Super Fresh to Wal-Mart®. Prices range from $1.50 a roll to $10 for a very large roll depending on where and how much you purchase. The shelf liner can be used to keep plates from sliding around on a table or to keep a book from moving while writing in it. The liner can even be used to keep rugs in place, but you can—and probably should— get heavier duty material for that use if rug movement is a chronic problem. At any rate, this stuff is great to have on hand if you need to keep something in place.

My final recommendation is a website called Spin Life (www.spinlife.com). Spin Life is a great site because it has lots of durable medical equipment available for some pretty low prices. Granted, you will not find everything for under $100, but you can find some great deals on most anything under the sun. The site's ramps are reasonably priced and range in size from the small threshold ramps for entrance into a house to the large ramps used to get up stairs; it even has ramps for use in getting in and out of vehicles.

Well, that brings another chapter of the AT Bargain Basement to a close. I hope you found it fun and informative. All of the products I’ve mentioned can be seen at you local ATRC. As usual, please feel free to send in the bargains you find so that I can share them with others. And remember, just because it's cheap doesn't mean it's a bargain; and just because it's a bargain doesn't mean it's cheap!