Product: Keyboard Waffle Iron
Research:
I used to love waffles, but forced myself into pancakes. I didn’t want to be bothered with finding a place to store a waffle maker once I purchased it or the hassle of having a bunch of cords in the kitchen. The Keyboard Waffle Iron, without explanation, is pretty cool, but the fact that I could (possibly) make a good looking waffle and be able to store it is what especially caught my interest.
Product: Sushi Making Kit
Research:
I typically eat sushi 2 – 4 times a month and it has never crossed my mind to make it myself. Upon seeing this product, I suddenly became obsessed with wanting to create it for myself and others – I craved sushi almost every day. The kit looked like it would be easy and not a fussy/stressful meal to prepare, which made me more eager to try.
At UncommonGoods, we’re always excited when we launch a product that in time reveals itself to be a complete game-changer; an overwhelmingly popular product that sheds new light on what makes something a runaway sensation. But every once in a blue moon, we meet a new product that we know will win hearts as soon as it is placed in This Just In. Elwood the Rainbow Unicorn was the latter. From his goofy blue eyes to his chubby little feet, we were smitten and didn’t have any questions as to whether everyone else would share our love for him.
So we decided to take a trip to Pennsylvania to meet Elwood’s creator. By “we” I mean Senior Buyer Candace, Purchasing Planner Maham, and myself, and by “trip” I mean a car ride outside of cell phone service to a place where the streets had no name. Literally, we had to call when we were close so the artist could give us directions that Google couldn’t help us with. We were warmly greeted by ceramicist JoAnn and her spirited team of Mudworks helpers who were eager to show us how our most beloved new product is born. It was easy to fall in love with people as it was to fall in love with their creations so we are excited to share our visit with you.
My favorite UncommonGoods product in my category is…
The Pinch and Dash Salt and Pepper Shaker Set.
I’m inspired by…
Colors, sounds, feelings..nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. There is inspiration in everything.
My guilty pleasure is…
Children’s snacks. If there is a snack targeted towards kindergarten students to fifth graders, I’m on it.
An uncommon fact about me…
I barely watch television. I watch TV approximately 0-2 hours a week (2 hours is a major stretch).
My favorite place to eat in New York City is…
Everyone I know can answer this for me. Chipotle!! Whoop! I visit their site just to drool at the images (lame, greedy..call it what you want!).
The word that best describes me…
Ethical.
Working at UncommonGoods, I’ve learned…
That there are more people [like myself] who do things for others without looking for repayment.
Would you rather… Have to stay up for 24 hours straight, but get a front row spot to see your choice of band/artist perform after you’ve deprived yourself of sleep OR get to sleep in as late as you want every day for a week?
This is harder than I thought, because I love to chill in bed. I have stayed up 24 hours straight—so I’d choose to stay up a whole day to sit front row at a Nas concert. (Backstage would be better…)
Background
The Picnic Backpack ($40) is a two person picnic backpack. The core of the backpack is fully insulated thermal lined pocket, while the smaller front pocket comes with storage for [also included] two: plates, cups, napkins, forks, spoons, knives. There is also one waiter’s tool bottle opener. It also has a cell phone pocket on the strap and side and front pockets for a bottle and accessories.
It comes just as expected!
Hypothesis
I love to go out to eat or entertain at home. I also like to combine the two by getting a couple friends together for a nice outing in the park (food included, of course!), but there’s always the hassle of lugging my picnic basket which gets way too heavy. The weight of the basket plus its components doesn’t even include my beverages. I usually have to carry an extra backpack with the beverage and utensils. By the time I get to the park–I’m exhausted.
I think having the weight on my back alone would be easier, and this backpack seems to have the right storage for my drink, food, and utensils. I think I’ll be more excited and willing to bring lunch from home to the park, or anywhere for that matter, with this backpack.
Experiment
Instead of picnicking with friends as planned, I opted to take my younger brother Naquan (14 years old) and cousin Mya (2 years old). Taking these two would be perfect in figuring if this product will turn my picnic horrors upside down. My brother willingly (shocker) carried the FULLY packed bag, while skateboarding!
Dealing with a teenager and toddler is not the easiest thing, so I aimed to keep them happy with plenty of snacks and games.
Conclusion
The picnic was a success! With this one backpack, I was able to fit 1 qt. of water, 2 bowls of salad, 2 yogurts, 2 pints of fruit, 2 canned beverages, an abundance of snacks, a full-sized sheet, beach mat, card games, hand sanitizer, a trash bag, iPod, and there’s probably other things I’m forgetting. This backpack kept all of my cold items chilled, and everything I wanted to keep dry dry. According to Naquan, it was easy to carry–even on wheels. It was easy to setup, cleanup, and everyone enjoyed the day out in the sun (well, mostly shade).
In conclusion, picnicking was made fun again and we can’t wait for our next outing!
