People use lighters all the time, but the traditional lighter design has not evolved quickly. The flame burns awfully close to where your thumb holds the button down. The Linse lighter lets you adjust the nozzle so that the flame comes out away from your hand for lighting candles and other flammable objects. For maximum portability, the nozzle tucks right back into the lighter so it’s not sticking out all the time. Many of us have burned ourselves on lighters, so this is a clever little device aimed at fixing that problem. One Linse lighter costs $4 with estimated delivery in September 2014. Linse hopes to raise $5,000 on Kickstarter.
Category: Tools
The Premise. The best tennis technique involves not only a firm grip and good racket, but also a spin on the ball itself. This spin allows the ball to move in an arc, which makes it easier to get over the net. It also can push the ball to the opposite side when it hits the net itself. Tightly wound rackets get this spinning effect, but it lasts for only a short time.
The Product. SpinGen is a device that gets the best use out of your tennis racquet. It creates a rougher quality in the strings so that they produce more spin. The product is a plier-like tool that one clamps around the strings in the “sweet spot” of the racket. It roughens some of the strings, while others remain smooth so that the strings themselves can easily slide against each other creating spin and flexibility at the same time. One must simply clamp around the string in question and apply pressure until the string is a bit rougher.
The Pitch. SpinGen’s campaign video features epic music along with the basic physics involved in the game of tennis. For the rest, the creator displays lots of up close photos of tennis racquets and strings. SpinGen needs to raise $18,000 for a successful run on Kickstarter.
The Perks. One of these tennis-centric clamps goes for $35 with an estimated delivery date of September 2014. Higher reward tiers offer several SpinGens at discounted rates and climb up to $280.
The Potential. SpinGen is one of those products that solves a problem that few know about. There are tennis strings out there that are already rough. The creator argues, however, that it’s best to have a combination of rough and soft strings for the best game. SpinGen is a great way to produce such an effect, but will probably be useful only to pro tennis players. While an interesting product, the SpinGen needs to find a place in the very niche tennis market for success.
The Premise. Cleaning eyeglasses can be tricky. Most methods either don’t get the job done well, create micro scratches on the lenses, or leave smudges behind. It’s difficult to find a fast, efficient and effective way to clean your sun or eyeglasses.
The Product. Cliris is a glasses cleaning system that requires very little effort on your part. Simply place the glasses in the black or white pod and push start. Four minutes later they’ll come out clean and dry with an added fragrance. The product uses an environmentally safe, biodegradable cleaning solution for the glasses. Each month of daily use requires a new cartridge that gets placed in the back. Cliris plugs into the wall for power.
The Pitch. The Swiss creators of Cliris spend the campaign video discussing the design and manufacturing of their product. They assert that this product is great for kids, teachers and business people alike. For their 33-day Kickstarter campaign, they’ve set a $280,000 goal.
The Perks. For one Cliris, early backers can donate either $269 or $299 with their choice of either black or white color and two cartridges. At a regular price, the creators are offering one Cliris and two cartridges for $328. Higher reward tiers offer the product in multi-packs with several cartridges. Estimated delivery is set for May 2015.
The Potential. The market has plenty to offer in terms of electronic eyeglasses cleaners. Most out there are also sold to clean jewelry. For instance, the Magnasonic uses only tap water to clean glasses and jewelry and has five different settings. Cliris, on the other hand, uses its special cleaning solution and add fragrance to the glasses, which other cleaners don’t generally do. Although, some might think it unnecessary to have glasses that smell like anything at all. In addition, the separate cartridges might be a hard sell as they are expensive and don’t last very long. All in all, Cliris appears to be an expensive way to get the job done right.
What tool takes a good camping trip and makes it great? A quality camping saw, of course! Boreal21 is a folding bow saw that takes some of the complication out of finding wood for a fabulous campfire. While searching may still be necessary, cutting through those larger pieces so that they can be more easily brought back to camp and used for fuel just got a little easier. The 21 inch blade even comes with the option of a case so gear doesn’t get damaged when in transit and for easy toting. For $77, early bird backers get multiple blade options with an expected delivery of November 2014.
Perhaps one of the nastier jobs that comes with owning a home that uses water heat is cleaning the radiator. The sludge and hard deposits that build up over time make for poor water circulation and cold spots that can render a radiator nearly ineffective. That’s why there’s CombiRadHammer. This unique device fits any ‘SDS’ or ‘SDS plus’ drill, and when the hammer setting is used, breaks up the debris through mechanical impact and magnetic disruption. According to the video, the magnet is a Neodymium N52, and is encased in strong plastic casing. For £35, backers get a complete product with an expected delivery of July 2014.
The Premise. Out of whack steering can be scary when you’re driving. Bumps, potholes, hitting curbs or everyday wear and tear can mess up your wheel’s alignment over time. It can be costly and time-consuming to bring your car to the mechanic in order to have the alignment checked.
The Product. The QuickTrick SL is a wheel alignment diagnostic system. The product attaches easily to your wheel on the ground, so no lift is needed. It comes with a digital reader that uses arrows to alert the user whether or not the wheel needs to be realigned. The product is made of metal and is about the size of a tire iron, making it easy to store in the car itself if needed.
The Pitch. The campaign opens with a high-quality video showing the QuickTrick being manufactured as well as narrative from the creator about the inspiration for the product. She goes on to explain in detail how to use the product. The rest of the campaign shows testimonials for people who like the QuickTrick and different statistics about the U.S.’s high rate of tire use. QuickTrick hopes to raise $28,250 in a 30-day Kickstarter campaign.
The Perks. Early backers can nab a first production-run QuickTrick SL for $145 with an estimated delivery date of July 2014. Later backers will receive the QuickTrick for a $195 donation in August 2014. The highest $5,500 reward tier offers a trip to Alabama as well as accommodations. The creators plan to use the money from the stretch goal toward attending and competing in a large automotive venue new products competition.
The Potential. While the Internet offers a slew of “home remedies” for diagnosing alignment problems, all depend on feeling instead of hard data. The QuickTrick SL is a great way to save a trip to the mechanics by doing a simply diagnostic all by yourself. The reliability of the instrument is unknown, but if it is completely accurate, the QuickTrick will no doubt enjoy success on the automobile accessory market.
The Premise. Artists, designers, architects and other creative types use a variety of tools for their drawings. Their lines must be precise and they need accessories to ensure the integrity of their work. When on the go, it is necessary for them to carry around these tools in order to work, but it gets burdensome to be bogged down by so many objects.
The Product. The Imbue Creative Tool is an all-in-one device that combines several different tools in one compact product. Imbue looks like a simple ruler but has markings and holes in it that make it extremely versatile. It has a straight edge for drawing straight lines, markings to draw perpendicular lines like a T-square, a rounded edge, quarter inch markings for measuring, degree markings to draw triangles and several holes to draw circles like a compass. This small tool is made out of aluminum or steel and comes in three different colors. It is designed to be attached to Moleskine notebooks.
The Pitch. The campaign video for Imbue shows someone in a café using the different features of this product to make a drawing. The creators talk about the convenience and finesse of their product and what motivated them to create it. The rest of the campaign goes over the reward tiers, how to attach it to your notebook as well as individual videos demonstrating each of this tool’s features. Imbue hopes to raise a low $8,500 in a 30-day Kickstarter campaign.
The Perks. Early birds can enjoy the Imbue aluminum version for $20 and steel version for $25. The aluminum goes for a regular price of $25 and the steel for $30. Higher tiers offer packages which include Moleskin notebooks. All reward tiers have an estimated delivery date of December 2014. The creators have no clear stretch goals set, but express an interest in producing more colors if they exceed their goal.
The Potential. The Imbue Creative Tool is, like any great product, an incredibly simple idea that is smart and convenient. The creative minds who would use this product do seem to work a lot outside of their offices or studio spaces. There are several other products out there that aim to make drawing and drafting convenient like the 295 Parallel Rolling Ruler, but fail to be flat and small enough to carry around in a small notebook. Imbue takes the best of geometric tools and convenience making it a must-have for creative types and professional illustrato
Designers, architects and construction workers all need three essential things to do their jobs: a pen, paper and ruler. Hmm Rule/One combines two of these things in one. This compact aluminum 13cm long ruler comes with a built-in pen. The ruler fits well inside of any notebook or comes with an attachment that makes it easy to wear around. One of these two-in-one tools goes for a somewhat imposing $45 donation with an estimated delivery date of July 2014. Higher reward tiers come with different choices of color. Hmm Rule/One hopes to raise $20,000 in its 43-day run on Kickstarter.
When the carabiner made the jump from mountain climbing tool to everyday accessory, it seemed like the garment clip industry had pretty much reached its zenith. Now comes the Qlipter, a small and mighty device that looks like a standard carabiner but is capable of so much more. Made out of aircraft-grade aluminum, the Qlipter has a rotating hook built into its design, meaning that anything clipped can be hung and allowed to swivel freely. The clip is also magnetized to help keep it securely shut for towing or hauling smaller items onto larger ones. Backers can get a Qlipter of their very own to hang onto for $20, delivered in August.
The Premise. Pools are a great way to cool off in the warm weather, but getting out of them can often have you sopping and shivering. Towels can be cumbersome to tote and keep dry and clean, and aren’t very sanitary if they have to be shared, especially among kids.
The Product. Extending the concept of air dryers from public restrooms to the rest of the body, The Body Dryer gets you dry and toasty with a device that looks a lot like a bath scale. Its killer feature is In fact, it can even weigh you, helping you to feel better about all that swimming exercise you got in the pool. The device can dry you off in 30 seconds, which is good, because you’ll no doubt be the object of attention standing on it as it gently blows a swirling column of air at you.
The Pitch. The video for the $50,000 campaign intersperses footage of the inventor talking about his product with that of a bikini-clad woman taking a dip in and then hanging around a towel-bereft swimming pool. The makers of the body dryer explain the features of the product and how they’re looking to make this a residential tool that can cut down on towel consumption in the home.
The Perks. There are two tiers from which backers may choose. For $150 a backer gets their very own Body Dryer, which is $100 off of the anticipated retail price. Expected delivery is September 2014.
The Potential. The Body Dryer is clearly hoping to capitalize on much of the success of air dryers like the Dyson Airblade, but at a much more affordable price. It may be a more eco-friendly towel alternative that could have primary appeal to commercial owners of gyms with a pool and hotels might take an interest. Even with its quick drying time, though, these settings would probably want a few around to eliminate any drying queue. It may also be more sanitary, doing away with the bacteria that collects on towels. But what about the bacteria, mold and fungus that eventually collects on the area where you stand? It also has to be plugged in, which may be a concern around watery areas in which it must be used without limiting access to it.