Monday, 23 February 2009
Surge Protector - very useful, cable organizers
Overpriced? You bet! While paying $30.00 for a cheap, plastic box seems like a huge waste of money, it's well worth it to clear up the spaghetti mess of cables that pile up under our desks, entertainment centers, etc. I bought $120 worth of these units and don't regret it at all.
All in all, the CableBox is just a great idea and, quite frankly, one I'd had myself years ago. Glad somebody finally put a product like this on the market. It's far better than trying to tie up the cables and make it look passable. Just hide the suckers! And if you're a Mac person, the boxes have an "Applesque" feel to them and go quite well with iMacs, MacBooks, etc. Bluelounge CableBox - Cable management box - black
This really cleaned up the space under my desk and eliminated all of the dust traps under there and made it a LOT easier to vacuum under there without sucking up any cords. It is well designed, but I'm not sure the high price is justified.
When I first received the product, I was surprised at the size as it seemed a bit large for what I needed. Silly me. Once I plugged in all of my devices into the power strip, three of which have large power blocks and long cords, everything fit just right. It's sturdy enough that I can place other peripherals on top of it such as my external hard drive. The only improvement I would make is to add rubber feet so it won't slip around. Yes, it is a bit pricey, but it will last you forever.
I keep my laptop on my kitchen counter, and between the power supply, USB hub, audio cables, and cables to connect to a second monitor, I had a giant nest of cables on display. I found this as a solution and and very pleased with the size of the box and it's ease of use as a cable clutter problem solver. There's plenty of room inside for a power strip and cables, and the size of the cord openings on the side allow for everything from small audio cables to larger HDMI and power cables. My only reason for a 4-star review is that the plastic of the box is a somewhat smoky-looking black, and not a high-gloss plastic such as the back of an iPhone 3GS or perhaps on the bezel of a TV. This would make the aesthetics more pleasing and make it seem like it's worth the relatively high cost.
I purchased this a number of years ago, which I wrote about: [...]. It's just a box with two holes in it, but it actually works and has survived two moves. The device comes with a bunch of tie twists or zip ties (forgot which) which you can do yourself a favor and throw away (mine are still taped to the cablebox), and instead get a bunch of CableBuddies or velcro zip ties.
Use this in places where you cannot hide the cabling. For instance, companies sell clamp-on or screw-mount cableways (or you can DIY a pegboard) and almost all power supplies have screw mounts for wall or desk mounting so you probably should use those over these on office desks and plain tables. Also, avoid this if you have only a few electronics since companies like Belkin make designer power supplies for hiding cables and a good set of CableBuddies will allow you to shorten and organize a few cables
However in places like exposed TV mount setups, kitchen offices, and the like, the cablebox really comes in handy if you have a lot of electornics. The box is quite big and needs to be for it to work well. If it is too big for you then that area would have been better served with cable ties and cord organizers.
The CableBox is both simple and thoughful which, in my opinion, is the hallmark for good design. I am docking a star because my white one yellowed over a number of years due to sun exposure and heat (of the power supplies). I'm docking another star for the value--I'd personally pay more with a higher quality plastic, or the price of these should be less so you can buy tons. If it were made in the USA, I'd understand the premium. Also be aware that since I wrote my review, these are also available in more colors than black and white and also in smaller sizes (though see the limited utility above). So consider those before purchasing. I do recommend these and the Bluelounge brand, so don't let my three stars discourage you from making a purchase (even this one). You are better with one of these organizing cable clutter than without.
I LOVE this box. In fact, I bought three of them and couldn't be happier. The rat's nest next to my printer is now hidden away in a neat white box. Sure, you have cables sticking out of either end, but the unsightly clutter is gone. After extensive research, this product seemed to be the best option for a residence, where you don't want to attach boxes to the walls or furniture. I wish I had found it years ago.
The design is clean and beautiful. The pieces fit together snugly. One is currently hiding a large surge protector, 9 cords and 3 power supplies. In my mind, the $30 is a bargain. Looking at that corner with its jumble of wires (even though all were neatly coiled and wrapped) caused a great deal of angst. (Yes, I know they have meds for that, thank you.) Now, everything in contained, and I'm no longer embarrassed to show people my home office, which is good since we're listing our home for sale and prospective buyers will be tromping through.
I was kinda wary about buying just a box for $25. The fact that with a Prime account I could get free two day shipping and it saved me the effort of few hours trip via public transit to Ikea for a similar item won me over. It's a sturdy box that the top isn't in danger of popping off if you have thick not easily bended cabling rolled up in it. The tangled web of cords was driving me batty just thinking about and now I can't stop peeking under the desk to admire the box.
It's a good buy if you either can't get to an Ikea or like me just can't be bothered. I don't regret the purchase in the least. - Organization - Surge Protector - Cable Organizers - Very Useful'
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