Worth It or Not: A Shopping Guide

We’ve all been there, standing in the aisle of a store, spending way too much time weighing the small differences between two similar products. Are the knives with the carbon steel blades really worth the extra $30? Will the more expensive weed wacker stay sharp longer? When it comes to a croquet set, is $220 too much, too little, or just right?

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It’s enough to make some shoppers stop trying. The average American will spend $145.61 on gift cards this year, up more than $5 since 2009, according to the National Retail Federation.
Each month, SmartMoney Magazine looks at sets of two similar consumer products, from digital scales to leaf mulchers and beyond, and assesses the better buy. This year, we looked at a wide variety of goods, including scales, rain boots and leaf mulchers. To aid in your holiday shopping, here are five suggestions.

Scales

Worth It
Type-A health nuts, rejoice: The Withings WiFi Body Scale ($159) shows your weight, then beams it to the company’s Web site via your home wireless connection. It also measures other biometric data, such as body fat. Register for a free online account and see graphs of weight gain or loss over time. Eight people can share one scale, and it comes with a free iPhone application.
Not Worth It
The Seca Cursa 818 ($199) also records other biometric data, but it has no online monitoring tool and stores stats for just four people. The display is easy to read but doesn’t fold down, so storage may be tough. The company says it hasn’t received any storage complaints, but the model is on backorder until the end of December.

Light-Emitting Alarm Clocks

Worth It
The light on the BlueMax Sunrise System Model 200 by Full Spectrum Solutions ($129) is intended to simulate dawn, helping the body wake up more naturally. The clock can begin emitting light between 15 and 90 minutes before the desired wake-up time and gradually gets brighter. Heavy sleepers have an optional backup alarm sound. The Model 200 also comes with a choice of light bulbs to mimic morning or midday light.
Not Worth It
The good-looking Philips Wake-Up Light ($170) offers five optional sounds: birds, chimes, African jungle, standard beep or digital FM radio. But its basic display doesn’t show the date, and the timing of the light can’t be customized; it goes on a half hour before your desired wake-up time. The company says 30 minutes is ideal for people who want to feel rested and energized every morning.

Men's Rain Boots

Worth It
The Bogs Ultra High ($103) have a standard rubber base, but their upper section is made with Neoprene, the same material used in wet suits, which the company says increases warmth, flexibility and ventilation. The 15-inch-tall boots are a manageable 3.4 pounds, with handles that make for easy on and off. And the Bogs aren’t just for April showers; they can handle subzero winter temperatures, too.

Not Worth It
The all-rubber Hunter Original Tall ($125) rain boot comes in stylish colors like green and graphite. But the boots lack insulation and can end up with white marks from the wax used in the manufacturing process. The company says some customers like the look of the marks and notes that it sells a line of socks for extra warmth.

Leaf Mulchers

Worth It
The electric Black & Decker LeafHog LH5000 Blower/Vacuum is a yard-junkie triple threat: a mulcher, leaf blower and vacuum, in one. It weighs just over 8 pounds, has a zipperless bag for easy emptying and provides a 16-to-1 ratio of yard waste to mulch. The LeafHog also uses a sturdy metal impeller for mulching, which the company says should last the life of the machine, and it has a two-year warranty. It is listed as unavailable on the Black & Decker web site but can be bought on Amazon.com for $79.
Not Worth It
Flowtron’s electric LE-900 Leaf-Eater Mulcher/Shredder ($200, $161 on Amazon.com) churns out fine, medium or coarse mulch at a ratio of 11 to 1. But the 17-pound machine mulches using plastic cutting lines, which could wear out with use. The company says the mulcher is compatible with most lines used for weed whackers and comes with a pack of 36 extra lines.

Roasting Pans

Worth It
Expecting a horde of hungry holiday guests? This 16-inch Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Roaster With V Rack ($130) is designed to support a hefty 25-pound bird. Dishwasher safe (that is, if you can fit it), the stainless-steel pan includes a nonstick V-shaped rack — for better heat dispersion, the company says — and cast stainless “stay cool” handles for safer stove-top use.
Not Worth It
Like the Calphalon, the 16-inch stainless-steel All-Clad Large Roti With Rack and Turkey Forks ($160) includes a lifetime warranty. But All-Clad says anything larger than a 20-pounder may not fit. And though the pan is dishwasher safe, the company’s recommended cleaning method involves hand-washing with a powder paste.

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