Undisputed Reviews
The Best Checkers Set
Checkers is one of my all time favorite games. It is a classic board game that has been around for hundreds - if not more - of years, and can be so simple to set up and play, that anyone can enjoy it.
It is, of course, a game that allows for plenty of strategy and planning, which means that you can play this game for years against different opposition and still test your mental skills out as you try and outwit your opponent.
Check out this great checkers set
It can be quite difficult to get small kids interested in a board game such as checkers because it is not a very bright or colorful game. Fortunately, this Jumbo Checker Rug Game makes that a whole lot easier, as it allows you play checkers literally anywhere!
The jumbo sized pieces and rug based board mean you can play on a table, kitchen floor or even outside.
The kids will love the oversized checkers pieces and adults can still have fun with it.
For the more advanced players, you might well find that this different approach to checkers will give you a fresh insight into the strategy of the game; one that you may not have considered before.
This is a really fun checkers set that lets you play with all different age groups, and we really recommend it as a way of getting kids to engage their brains and have fun at the same time.
The Best Crayons
Whilst not the most exciting subject matter to write out, any parent, aunty, niece, nephew or baby sitter knows the importance of having a good quality and reliable set of crayons!
It may come as no surprise that the crayon category is dominated and generally topped by none other than Crayola, who are perhaps the most famous name when it comes to colouring crayons and colouring pencils.
This is the classic box of crayons that are pretty much suited to every use imaginable. The box is reasonably small with 24 crayons, meaning you can transport it around and store it away without too much trouble. Obviously with 24 individual crayons, there are plenty of different colors to choose from, and you won’t be left wanting for any different shades.
These are the best crayons, period.
You may well have seen other crayons out and about, or perhaps ones advertised for slightly cheaper, but rest assured that with these Crayola crayons you are buying decades of manufacturing experience and a whole lot of quality. Whilst we don’t always advocate buying your kids the higher end versions of everything in the world, having a good set of crayons will pay for themselves again and again, as they offer plenty of variation, are built to last and are far less likely to snap
Get these crayons now, on Amazon
Amazon offer some really great prices on a lot of stuff these days, and these crayons are no exception. They are also highly rated by other shoppers, adding further testimony to these great quality crayons.
The Best Croquet Set
Unfortunately we are now in the run up to Christmas as I write this (September 2011), but it doesn’t mean that you have to be all winter minded as you start your Christmas shopping!
I actually played my first game of Croquet a few weeks ago at a friend’s wedding, and I loved it! It is definitely more of a summer game, as you lounge around on a well kept lawn - sipping either some fresh lemonade or if it really feels like summer, a nice glass of Pimms.
This Halex 6 player croquet set has got to be one of the best croquet sets on the market at the moment. You can see from the picture above that it is all really high quality stuff, which makes it infinitely more satisfying to knock the balls around with weighty mallets.
The set includes 6 twenty four inch hardwoodd handled mallets with caps, 2 stakes and of course 6 balls for you to use (as sharing croquet balls kind of ruins in the game!). There are also 9 wickets which should keep you plenty busy on a nice summers evening.
Everything in the set comes packed away in a really nice, high quality croquet bag and carry case, so storing the set in the winter should not cause you too much of a headache. It also comes in handy when you pack everything into a car to drive away for the day, and lets you play a bit of impromptu croquet!
This croquet set is currently one of the best sellers over on Amazon, with some great reviews, so it is well worth checking it out.
The Best Brain Teaser Game
Brainteasers are one of my all time favorite categories of game out there.
I know a lot of people can find them frustrating or too challenging, but they are a great way of exercising the brain (and of course, your mind) and having fun as well.
They can also be great for kids and younger teenagers to get their brains working in a slightly different way from what they might be used to. However, this Perplexus Epic Brainteaser Game may be a bit too challenging for some kids!
A simple brainteaser done right
The concept for the Perplexus epic is actually quite straightforward, and it is an idea that has been around in toys and games for over a hundred years. However, this time, it is even more challenging as you try and thread your small steel ball through 125 different barriers as you also try and defy gravity with this great game!
You can literally get hours and hours of fun, entertainment and brain wracking excitement out of this game, and is a testament to the success of the Original Perplexus game that got rave reviews and sold thousands of units worldwide.
The Best Frisbee in 2011
Looking for the best frisbee? Well, you have just found it.
This Discraft 175 Ultra Star frisbee is one of the best frisbee models you can buy - anywhere in the world, full stop.
The design and engineering of this great frisbee means that it is easier to fly, will fly for longer and will give a much better game of frisbee wherever you are - in the park, on the street or down on the beach (lucky you!)
This is the official frisbee disc of the UPA, which pretty much sums up how good and how well regarding this disc actually is. It is available in a variety of different colors, and what’s more is that it glows in the dark, so you can play after the sun goes down!
Obviously the glow in the dark is not going to last forever, but it will give you an extra thirty minutes of frisbee fun, so it should make the difference.
Whether you need a new frisbee for the summer to replace last years tired looking one, or you are looking for your first cool throwing disc, the Discraft 175 Ultra-Start is well worth your time and dollars.
The Best Fishing Line
There is a reason that Berkley Trilene XL is largely regarded as the best fishing line in the US, and probably even the world. It is insanely strong and smooth, too, which means you get a good cast over and over again, and really limit the potential for snags as you either cast out or reel in.
There are - as fellow anglers know - many, many different varieties of fishing reel in the world, and it can sometimes be a bit tricky (especially if you are just starting out) to know which line spool you should buy, and which is going to be best for you.
The long and short of it is, if you are only a casual fisher, you probably do not need the best fishing line in the world, but having some high standard stuff can certainly work to your advantage.
Berkely fishing line is trusted by thousands of people here in the USA, and it has been used for all types of angling. The high tensile strength makes it suitable for some game fishing, too. Even if you are not fishing up to the 10Lb limit, you will probably just appreciate the smooth finishing which prevents (or helps prevent) this fishing line getting into knots and tangles, meaning you can spend more time doing what you love - casting out for that next catch!
The Best Smoothie Blender
Many people react to this Vitamix smoothie blender with a degree of surprise, and that is pretty much down to the price alone. There is no denying that this is an expensive bit of kit for making smoothies, but it also a bit of kit that will make you the best smoothies outside of a commercial outlet.
This Juicer has laser cut steel blades, hugely powerful motors and above all else, looks super sleek on your kitchen work surface. It is so powerful in its blending action that it - of course - does not need to be restricted just to making smoothies. Just remember that it is best not to put anything to fragrant in there (like a curry powder) if you are going to be mixing up smoothies with it.
The accompanying book has more than twenty different smoothie recipes for you to try out, but I’m sure it won’t be long before you are making them up yourself.
The Vitamix smoothie maker is endorsed by the CIA - which is the Culinary Institute of Amaerica, and not the Central Intelligence Agency .. although, if they did endorse a smoothie machine, I am pretty sure it would be this one.
Definitely a great bit of kit - expensive, sure - but if you are looking to make some of the best smoothies in the world, then you would be doing yourself a disservice by not getting this Vitamix blender.