product review Archives

Munchkin- It’s the Little Things® (Deco Wood & Steel Designer Gate)

December 4, 2012 by Momstart 9 Comments

Munchkin- It’s the Little Things®

By Christine:

In 1991 Munchkin was founded by Steven B. Dunn to develop clever, innovative products that excite and delight parents and children making parenting and life safer, easier and more enjoyable. In 1995 Munchkin was granted it’s 1st US patent, and by 2001 it had 25 US patents.

The Munchkin Mission Statement reads: "To rid the world of tired and mundane products by developing clever, innovative solutions that excite and delight families — making parenting safer, easier and more fun. Munchkin knows it’s the little things® that often make the biggest difference."

I was sent the Deco Wood & Steel Designer Gate to try out and review. This safety gate blends the designer aesthetic of wood and steel with all the latest safety features. The wood components add a natural softness to the appearance of the gate and the steel U-shaped pressure power frame creates a strong four point pressure seal when the gate is in position. The dual action opening system and secondary locking mechanism makes it difficult for small children to open, but easy for adults (even with one hand).

It Deco gate came just in time, as our very curious one year-old has taken to climbing the stairs at every available opportunity. While making dinner one evening I had to recover her 15 times from the stairs, needless to say our home was well overdue for a gate. While shopping online I came across all different styles of gates, many of which were functional but quite honestly flat-out ugly. My husband and I have worked very hard to maintain our sense of style even with having two kids, and didn’t want to settle for a gate that was plastic, white or otherwise unsightly. The Deco Wood & Steel Gate by Munchkin is exactly what I had in mind.

Another challenge I encountered while shopping online is the width of space I need to gate off. Virtually no gates would expand wide enough to securely adhere to the wall on both sides. After some work I determined that the Deco Wood & Steel Gate would fit with two of the 10" attachments- one on each side. For safety’s sake Muchkin doesn’t recommend parents use any more extensions then that, as the structural integrity and safety of the gate may be compromised.

The Deco Wood & Steel Gate is everything I was looking for in terms of style, and everything I need to keep my very curious toddler safe.

A few things I appreciate about this gate:

– I can open it with one hand, which comes in handy when holding a wiggly 14 month-old

– it swings both ways, which makes traveling through with a large load easier

– it is by far the best style of ANY gate and compliments the decor of our home

– it is safe and secure

Deco Wood & Steel Gate Specifications:

Color: Dark Wood
Dimensions: 29.5 – 40.5" w x 29.5" h
Material: Wood and Steel
Mount Type: Pressure or Hardware
Model Number: MK0007
Included Extensions: Three (x3) 2.75”

Sample provided

About Christine:

Christine is our in house baby product reviewer. She has two children that are quite adorable, one is 3 1/2 months old and the other is three and in my son’s preschool class. When she’s not taking maternity leave she works at the local children’s hospital

Should You Buy the Baby Bullet?

March 3, 2012 by Momstart 9 Comments

Review By Summer:

I have so many friends who love their Magic Bullet … and I mean LOVE. I haven’t ever owned one, but I have given some as gifts for weddings; common request. I knew a while back the Magic Bullet company made a Baby Bullet. The Baby Bullet is not only the “bullet” mixer, but comes with blender pitcher, silicon freezing tray, a refrigeration tray with six separate food containers featuring date on lids, plus rubber spatula, small and large food tips/tricks/recipe books. Pretty neat-o!

I’m so jealous of not having the Baby Bullet with my first child, but having said that, I’m either the best or worst person at Mom Start to review the Baby Bullet because I own a Vitamix. I’ve always wanted a bullet, but having now compared the two products I love my Vitamix though the Baby Bullet is nice and, the biggest part, a very fraction of the cost of a Vitamix. A Baby Bullet Complete Care System should cost you $59 whereas the Vitamix will set you back some Benjamins. Let me repeat though I’m in love with my Vitamix, adding a Baby Bullet to your registry is a good idea.

Besides the low price, it’s nice to have all the “extra” of the Baby Bullet over other blenders, elite or not. For making your own baby food with the Baby Bullet offers a complete package – two mixer heads (bullet and blender), freezer and refrigerator trays, and the food books. Though you can purchase the refrigerator Baby Bullet brand storage cups separately and Magic Bullet also offers a Baby Bullet steamer.

One down fall is cleaning the Baby Bullet which is a hand wash item. As a first time mom I had more time to do such things, but it progressively becomes harder as your child ages and requires more attentions, especially an only/first child. Having two children, for me, was a bit harder as I had to cater to a baby and also my demanding first child. But you can read the reviews on Amazon for yourself.

I also believe the Baby Bullet is better than “any old blender”. I’ve had blenders; the the Vitamix is the best I’ve EVER had, but the Baby Bullet does well for a blender and I believe out preforms cheap blenders I’ve owned in the past. Though a warnings from the reviews would be that the blend seems to only last about a year’s time (which should take you through one child’s solid food eating 6m-18m).

My advice would be to skip buying a new blender each year to couple of years or so (depending on wear and tear) and just get a Vitamix! The Baby Bullet is designed to make baby food in small portions, so add the Baby Bullet to your registry. Though, if you purchase the Baby Bullet for yourself from The Baby Bullet website you will get the Baby Bullet package plus the steamer AND a Magic Bullet System for about $100.

The Baby Bullet can be found on their website, Facebook, and Twitter @TheBabyBullet.

Sample received

About Summer:

Summer is very active in our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm

Pampers New Soft Care #PampersBabyBoard

March 1, 2012 by Momstart 377 Comments

Kids and messes are synonyms in my book. We use wet wipes all the time and Pampers has been our go to brand for wipes for over four years now and even as they change their product line or packaging we still find them to be reliable.

Sticky fingers are much easier to clean with a wet wipe than with a napkin. I always have wet wipes in the van and my husband just reminded me that we need another package in the van. I need another package in the kitchen too. Pampers Baby Wipes are perfect for craft time clean up.

Pampers just launched new Soft Care wipes packaging that is super fun, colorful and easily portable. They are the same great wipes with a newer, hip design and going in my van. Miles and I just tried them out and he thinks they work great as always. Plus the new packaging is cute enough to leave out on the table too!

If you don’t’ see them in your store you will soon. The new Soft Care wipes packaging is set to hit retail stores this month!

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winnner, Stephanie J.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Weight Watchers Conair™ Glass Body Analysis Scale Model WW52 Review

October 2, 2011 by Momstart 36 Comments

I have needed a new scale for almost a year now. Being physically fit is more important to me than I usually let on. I love to exercise and knowing your weight isn’t as important as knowing your BMI. (at least that’s my opinion, I’m not a doctor and I’m not making any medical claims). Weight is not the only measurement of success for a weight loss/exercise program. Right? You have muscle tone, and at rest heart rate and height verses weight and bone mass. There are many factors, and how great would it be to have a bathroom scale that measures many of them in one step?

I have good news my friends, the Weight Watchers by Conair Glass Body Analysis Scale not only measures weight but also measures body fat, body water, bone mass, and BMI (body mass index). And because it has a four-user memory, it can be used by the whole family! And the best part of all of this is the fact that it’s so easy to use.

How to Use the Weight Watchers Conair™ Glass Body Analysis Scale Model WW52:

You hit the user button
You hit set
You answer the first question
You hit set
You keep doing this until it’s out of questions.

You hit user, select your number
Get on the scale and weight yourself
Then it spits out your numbers and I’m not so healthy.

The scale has a very sleek, streamlined design that matches our taste quite well. The scale also features a blue backlight on the 1.9” LCD screen with 2 lines. It features impact-resistant tempered safety glass platform with stainless steel and includes bone mass analysis. The 12.2” x 12.8” scale has a 400 lb. capacity and includes long-life batteries. The Weight Watchers by Conair Glass Body Analysis Scale Model WW52 is available at Target, as well as at www.conair-store.com for an average retail price of $49.99.

We received samples in exchange for this review.

The NEW Step2 Wild Slide Riders Zebra Can Help Your Toddler Step It Up!

August 17, 2011 by Momstart 13 Comments

My little boy has now officially reached “toddlerhood.” It’s taken me a month or so to accept that he isn’t a baby, but watching him as he cruises around, his babbles start to turn into words and his strong personality makes itself even more known, I’m realizing that toddlerhood is a pretty cool thing. One of the best parts is the new variety of toys to choose from. We can actually now consider ride on toys! He is so much more fun and interactive … and likes trying to do most everything HIMSELF! Step2 has such a wide variety of toys to choose from! They are a strong, reputable company that carries exactly what can support children at every stage of their development!

Right now, Atticus is just starting to cruise around. He’s a little hesitant to take risks and actually “walk” on his own, but that’s where the Step2 Wild Side Riders Zebra came in handy. As soon as he saw the pictures on the box, I knew that this Step2 product was going to be a hit. There was some very quick and easy assembly required. In under 10 minutes, with nothing more than a hammer and some easy sticker placement, our new ride on toy was ready to go.

Since it is Atticus’s first ride on toy, I was a little nervous that he wouldn’t know exactly what to do. Boy was I wrong! Not only did he hop on board and begin scooting around the room, but he took time to pet the Zebra’s face, point out his eyes and then scratch the Zebra’s ears. The next thing was my favorite. Atticus took the lead of the Zebra and used it to walk! He also used the ears of the Zebra making it not only a ride on toy, but also a push toy to aid in the development of walking!

Step2 describes the Step2 Wild Side Riders Zebra (taken from the website) as:

Lightweight design for easy storage and portability
Contoured seat with easy grip handle
Cute character gives this toy a warm appeal
Durable poly construction lasts for year
Weight limit: 45 lbs. (20.4 kg)
Minimal adult assembly required
Recommended for ages 1.5 and up
Not a fan of zebras? No problem. There is also a Step2 Wild Side Riders Giraffe! Also an adorable and
an enticing option for any toddler.

As someone who has worked with children for a long time, I’ve always been a huge fan of Step2 products. Now I’m excited to begin building our collection of Step2 products!

(Thanks to Step2.com for the individual product pictures.)

Disclosure – A product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

About Ashley:

Ashley has a background in teaching Kindergarten and working with children K through 8th grade. She is now a SAHM and a very active member of our local MOMS Club chapter. She writes her own blog at Momicles.

Munchkin Mighty Grip Sippy Cups Review

July 17, 2011 by Momstart 10 Comments

Searching for “the right” sippy cup? Munchkin might have what you need!

Discovering “the right” sippy cup seems to be just as hard as finding “the right” stroller. Recently I had the opportunity to test out the Munchkin Mighty Grip 10 oz. Spill Proof Cup. To be completely honest, I had my doubts. I had tried the smaller version of this cup when my little guy first started transitioning to cups and it did not go well. I decided to that it was worth another shot though… a 6 month old with a cup compared to an 11 month old with a cup are 2 very different things!

The Munchkin Mighty Grip 10 oz. Spill Proof Cup is designed with an easy grip shape, a soft silicon spout, and a built-in leak proof valve. The cups are dishwasher safer (top rack) and are one of the more affordable sippy cups on the market.

The opportunity to test these Munchkin cups came at a pretty good time. We were planning to travel soon and I was hoping to sneak bottles out of the picture so that there would be less baby gear to pack. Since the Munchkin Mighty Grip 10 oz. Spill Proof Cup has such a soft spout, I decided it would be a good place to start. One night, this cup replaced my little guy’s nighttime bottle and I have to say, it went pretty well. 1o ounces of milk were downed pretty quickly!

The only downside I see with this cup is that it is tricky to travel with and takes a minute to assemble. The valve/spot section of the cup comes through the ring and has to line up with specific notches on the ring. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon, but it does take a tiny bit of extra time. In addition, traveling with this cup must be done CAREFULLY. When I was running errands I just tossed the cup into my durse (diaper bag/purse) and was on my way. Well, the silicon valve/spout got pushed in by something in the bag and the entire cup leaked. If you decide this cup is right for you, just make sure you know the lid is a little sneaky and sensitive… and can be leaky if pushed.

I had originally sold my smaller Munchkin Mighty Grip Cups because I thought they were useless. Well now, these two Munchkin Mighty Grip 10 oz. Spill Proof Cups have made it through several “clean out the cabinet cuts” and seem to be pretty useful.

Munchkin products are usually pretty easy to find and are usually pretty affordable. This link helps you find where you can buy Munchkin products near you: Where To Buy Munchkin?

About Ashley:

Ashley has a background in teaching Kindergarten and working with children K through 8th grade. She is now a SAHM and a very active member of our local MOMS Club chapter. So much so that she just became the president of our chapter. She writes her own blog at Momicles.

What Do You Do With Duct Tape? Scotch Tough Duct Tape Review

July 16, 2011 by Momstart 10 Comments

What do you do with duct tape? I’ve known people to wrap presents in it. Protect their leftovers from their siblings inside of it. Seal ducts with it. Create forts. And my personal favorite, use it for geocaching! These are all excellent uses, but have you ever noticed the residue?

3M’s Scotch brand has come out with Tough Duct Tape which promises no residue. And the asterisk, as long as the tape is stuck for 6 months or less for removal from most opaque surfaces, as compared to 3Mheavy duty duct tape based on accelerated weathering.

You get 20 yards of tape for about $8.

Why buy more duct tape? This is your new outdoors BFF!

With the economic plateau and the need for inexpensive getaways, think CAMPING with Scotch Tough Duct Tape. Use it to:

Patch and repair tears in tents, backpacks, sleeping bags or clothing
Label water bottles so they don’t get mixed up with other water bottles on the campsite
Keep bugs out of clothes by securing the bottoms of pant legs or cuffs of shirts
Secure and protect bags of food from small camp sight creatures out of your food stash
Repair broken camp chairs, tent poles, fishing poles and other equipment
Make a smooth, splinter-free walking stick handle
Hang bags of food from high branches to keep big camp sight creatures from destroying your trip
Create a quick clothesline by twisting into a rope and securing around trees/posts

If your next outdoor excursion includes camping, hiking or backpacking, paddling, fishing, hunting, rock climbing, or geocaching, don’t leave home without a roll of Scotch Tough Duct Tape … or two! Just remember to CITO – Cache (or Camp) In, Trash Out. Scotch Tape is not biodegradable yet (but even if it was that doesn’t mean leave it out there for the “wild” to take care of).

I tested Scotch’s No Residue Duct Tape on both plastic and cotton, both resulted in no residue left behind. The plastic was a “naked” cache I have placed in my area. The original container was more camouflage for the area, but I believe the gardeners throw it out when they harshly trimmed back the ivy that concealed it. In my haste to make this cache available ASAP, I placed a white container in its place [above]. Cachers often use duct tape to change the color and protect their caches. I stuck the tape on and to test it removed the tape and rewrapped it; no problems, no residue. On cloth was an experiment; I simply took a 100% cotton rag and taped it. I felt the tape in place for 2 hours and peeled it off with no residue or harm to the cloth.

What would you do with a roll of Scotch No Residue duct tape? What’s the craziest thing you ever did with duct tape? Let Mom Start hear your stories; I bet there are some funny ones out there!

Find all of 3M’s brands on their website. You can also locate Scotch on their website.

Samples received to facilitate this review.

About Summer:

From the Honey Colored Carpet: Hot Winnie The Pooh Toys

July 14, 2011 by Momstart 10 Comments

Winnie the Pooh is making a come back to hearts young and old with the new movie theater production opening Friday July 15th:

The "bear of very little brain" was on-hand with bosom buddies Eeyore, Tigger, Rabbit and more! KIDS FIRST! Film Critics, Anthony Aranda, Raven Devanney and Makai Weber Colvin take you behind the scenes with the talent of ‘Winnie the Pooh’ in the embeddable video available below. The critics interviewed Craig Ferguson (voice of Owl), Tom Kenny (voice of Rabbit), Jim Cummings (voice of Pooh, Tigger) and Travis Oates (voice of Piglet) to find out the stars’ favorite ‘Winnie the Pooh’ characters and more.

I’ve seen the movie and LOVED it. I can’t wait to take my kids to see it too. With a new movies comes new toys and books. My kids are already enjoying the Winnie The Pooh book from the movie. You can find it at your local Disney Store.

The Plush is adorable:

Tigger of course is my favorite, but Winnie the Pooh and Kanga are quite adorably soft as well

Kids can take Pooh and friends on all of their own adventures with the Disney Store Winnie the Pooh Plush (SRP $16.50). Collect all your favorite characters with these soft and cuddly plush characters that will take you right back into the Hundred Acre Wood. Plush are 11"-16" tall, the perfect size to hug! Disney Store Winnie the Pooh Plush are available at Disney Stores nationwide and at DisneyStore.com.

Rumbly Tummy Pooh

Children will enjoy playing with and feeding Pooh with the charming Rumbly Tummy Pooh (SRP $34.99) by Fisher Price. Nurture Pooh when his empty tummy rumbles and makes noises by placing his honey pot to his mouth and helping him eat. Once he’s full of yummy honey, he’ll rock back and forth wiggling his ears and nose in delight. Rumbly Tummy Pooh, available at Toys "R" Us stores nationwide, also talks and sings a song

Winnie the Pooh Duplo LEGOs.

I find myself wishing the kids were still in this stage of play. Discover fun with Winnie the Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood as they play the day away at Pooh’s house. There’s lots of honey to eat and a big slide to play on. Eeyore, Piglet and Pooh can all take turns sliding down for fun. The bricks, figures and animals are colorful, safe and sturdy for little hands and big imaginations.

Pull & Sort Eeyore

Learn shapes and colors with all your favorite Pooh friends. Comes with five different shapes that kids can learn and sort. After sorting all the pieces, open the back of Eeyore, remove the pieces and play again! Helps baby gain problem-solving experience and develop thinking skills.

Winnie The Pooh Couture Pooh Bracelet

My daughter is already asking for this bracelet. She’s such a girly girl. Winnie the Pooh themed flexible round brass bangle bracelet with Winnie the Pooh and bee charm, and hook closure. Inscription reads “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think”

The Baby line has more than just toys. You’ll find Winnie the Pooh baby shoes, Winnie The Pooh bodysuits, Winnie the Pooh Beech Nut branded baby food, Winnie the Pooh baby bath products, and even Winnie The Pooh sunscreen.

For the older at heart, we’ll find Winnie the Pooh honey. Yum, I can’t wait to try it out on my morning toast.

We received some of the products listed above to try out on our own.

Food Should Taste Good… And Boy Oh Boy Does It! Almost as Good as Their Amazing Giveaways!

June 12, 2011 by Momstart 2 Comments

A couple of years ago, before mommyhood, my husband and I made a pretty conscious decision to eat healthier. We started buying more natural products and cut out a lot of the junk that was part of our regular diet. After having my son, my awareness of natural products was definitely amped up! I work hard to try and have as many natural things as I can for all 3 of us while sticking to a tight budget. One of the hardest things to replace healthily and naturally is snack food. There is nothing like curling up on the couch with a bag of chips while zoning out into some mindless television (not that any of us necessarily have much time for that… but you know what I’m saying…).

I was recently sent a sample of Food Should Taste Good’s newest flavored chips. I was able to try the White Cheddar and the Toasted Sesame. I have to say, the name of the company says it all. Food SHOULD taste good, and this company makes sure that it does. Their products are made with high quality natural ingredients. There are so many perks to these chips (some might call them crackers). This is a partial description from the Food Should Taste Good website:

All chip varieties are gluten free, cholesterol free, have no trans fats and do not use genetically modified ingredients (GMOs). They are also certified Kosher, low in sodium and are a good source of dietary fiber. The chips combine the crunchiness of a chip, the crispiness of a cracker, and the dippability of a tortilla chip.

My truly unbiased opinion is that this product holds true to all of its claims. These are not going to be like your “normal” potato chip. They are not thin or greasy. In fact, the Food Should Taste Good chips are very hearty. They have a deep grain flavor and texture. The cheese on the White Cheddar variety is delicious, just like REAL cheese. The Toasted Sesame variety is definitely best with some type of dip (try hummus or salsa….YUM!). These are definitely a snack worthy of a curled up on the couch TV session.

Food Should Taste Good has great deals and promotions on their website, including a $1 off coupon. They even have a Food Should Taste Good Facebook page. You should definitely check that out for some great giveaways.

Not only does Food Should Taste Good provide healthy, natural, snacks, they also recently launched Let’s Summer. From now until September 5, Food Should Taste Good will be giving away 100 prizes a day to their fans. Prizes include portable Weber® Q® 100 gas grills, Creative D100 Wireless Bluetooth Speakers, FlipTM video cameras, iTunes® gift cards and of course, plenty of Food Should Taste Good chips!

From now until September 5, Food Should Taste Good munchers will find a 7-digit entry code on the top right corner of all Food Should Taste Good brand products. You enter your 7-digit code at LetsSummer.com.

Happy snacking! Good luck in the giveaways! =)

About Ashley:

Eco Cleaning Tips for the Holidays

December 21, 2010 by Momstart 3 Comments

Today Summer, our green writer here at Mom Start, has some great product recommendations for your holiday cleaning!

If you’re planning for guests this season then you’re probably thinking about all the cleaning you have to get done. Now’s the time to start! I love to use Seventh Generation’s products and on their site you can find coupons to clean up your house and bonuses for things like eco-friendly diapers and paper products. I really like the Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner. If you’re wonder how green these products really are then you can go on the Seventh Generation site to see all the features and benefits of their products such as non-toxic and biodegradable.

I also love to use Simple Green which I can find at Costco in a concentrated bottle. I get to choose how I mix it for either heavy cleaning or everyday use in multipurpose cleaning.

My all-time favorite natural and expensive cleaner is vinegar. You can use vinegar anywhere and many cleaners are beginning to advertise they include vinegar in their product. You don’t have to settle for vinegar added though … you can make your own cleaner using vinegar and 1001 Uses for White Distilled Vinegar is your site! They have all the tips you need to use vinegar as a cleaner – around the house, in the laundry, garden, and car – as well as other uses from health to pets and of course cooking. I have used a solution in a spray bottle of 1 cup vinegar to 1 gallon of water to clean around my house. Using the vinegar tips will help you clean anything! And if you know a trick or tip and don’t see it on the site you can click and send it in to 1001 Uses for White Distilled Vinegar.

Remember, Summer has no affiliation with any of these brands, she really likes to use them! I had to go and check out Simple Green because I thought it was just a brand name, I had no idea that they consider themselves the first “green” cleaner. Ha, I’m so out of touch with being green and eco friendly, I’m so thankful for Summer to share all of these tricks and tips with us. Here is more about Simple Green. Simple Green even has a naturals, line. Simple Green Naturals are 100% naturally derived, with ingredients originating from nature: chicory, coconut, corn, palm, naturally occurring minerals, salt and sugar, and water. Nothing else.

I have worked with Simple Green before in the past, and have to disclose that because it’s my blog. I have never worked with Seventh Generation or represented Vinegar before.

About Summer:

Summer is the President of our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living.