RoboReel

Ryan · May 1, 2012

In my experience, complicated plastic things often end up sucking. The RoboReel is definitely that - complicated and plastic. BUT, the idea isn't a bad one and I can see where units like this might come in handy. At over $300, however, they aren't ch...
To read the rest of this blog entry from The Garage Journal, click here.

padstack · May 1, 2012

Top 5 goofiest infomercials ever. "Won't Break!" Even when someone touches it with their foot? It MUST be durable! Wonder if it's made of the same cheese the commercial is...

Steevo · May 1, 2012

Gotta love the image in the opening scene there. Cutting directly into the path of the power cord.
DOH!

Zeke · May 1, 2012

I like it.

LOL...."Millions invested in patents....." Give the Chinese a year.....

Ryan · May 1, 2012

zeke said:
i like it.

Lol...."millions invested in patents....." give the chinese a year.....

hahaha...

softailgarage · May 1, 2012

Looks like a good idea, but...how much to replace the microcircuit processor board when it fry's or the electronic motor ? IMHO just more parts to fail & have to replace.

Matt M PA · May 1, 2012

I thnk it's great the way it works...but $329? Plus...another $50 for the different editions?

Ryan · May 1, 2012

The attached is way more my style... Simple and proven through years of abuse.

930dreamer · May 1, 2012

Any cord on the floor is my nemesis, so I like the idea but anything micro-controlled and $300 plus, no thank you.

mike_s · May 1, 2012

Steevo said:
Gotta love the image in the opening scene there. Cutting directly into the path of the power cord.
DOH!

yeah.... I didn't even start the video but went to Garage Journal home page and saw the "preview shot" of the video and first thing I noticed was the cord in the cutting path.

It doesn't look that bad... but for $329, plus shipping, for a 50ft cord, I think I'll pass.

harrisor · May 1, 2012

I can see myself making the mistake of purchasing this either severely hungover to make me feel better, or before the hangover and "surprised" by at $350 credit card bill.

LutzTD · May 1, 2012

looks like a product searching for a use

wnstwolf · May 1, 2012

Great Stuff is the supplier? Don't they make the can of foam that cloggs at about the 50% use mark?

DodgeZ · May 1, 2012

"..with millions of dollars in patents to protect design and function rotorreel will be the only product to offer these features for years to come...""

AKA we are going to **** you with this overpriced product. I would prolly spring 50-75 bucks for it. 300, noooooooooo way

ilovevocs · May 1, 2012

If you look at other reel products in this price range you can really by a nice piece of commerical/industrial hardware. I would give that thing a few days in our shop and it would be trashed. Nice concept, but its for home use, and price point needs serious consideration.

Falcon67 · May 1, 2012

It was all I could do to spend $50 for a 12 gage extension cord.

LutzTD · May 1, 2012

ilovevocs said:
If you look at other reel products in this price range you can really by a nice piece of commerical/industrial hardware. I would give that thing a few days in our shop and it would be trashed. Nice concept, but its for home use, and price point needs serious consideration.

I loved the examples, the cord reel pulling back and knocking paint cans off the window sill, or the durable design tested by someone backing into it while it was sitting on the floor. a cheaper solution would be dont put the paint cans onthe window sill and mount the reel on the wall like its supposed to be. If I have to carry the thing around and put it on the floor, doesnt that defeat the purpose?

Jack Olsen · May 1, 2012

That's got some cool ideas in it.

A lifetime warranty would make their 'great stuff' boasts more credible. A four-year warranty makes me assume that that's how long it's going to last. And at $330, four years goes by awfully quickly.

At $310 less, the $20 Wonder Winder seems pretty elegant in its simplicity.

Tman · May 1, 2012

See the issue isn't that overpriced paperweight. The issue is that we no longer teach industrial arts and kids grow up never having learned how to roll up an electrical cord!

IndyGarage · May 1, 2012

Sorry but I'm pretty skeptical. I just don't think I need "intelligent electronics" and "million dollar patent protection" in my extension cord.

The springloaded reel I have has worked fine for 7 years now - which I'm pretty certain is longer than the roboreel will.

That said, I've been surprised before. I bought a car a few years ago with a heated steering wheel - which I thought was way over the top. I don't miss the car that much, but man I miss that heated wheel.

Falcon67 · May 1, 2012

Jack Olsen said:

There has to be a way to weaponize that.

mike_s · May 1, 2012

instead of $330, you can get something like this for a few bucks.

Steevo · May 1, 2012

I have this kind:

$8.99 ($4.99 on sale)

GOLF for LIFE · May 1, 2012

I have a snap-on extension cord that works with a steel spring and has worked for 20+ years for me. I don't remember what I paid but it was not even close to $300. + . Not interested in plastic c##p probably made in china.

Zeke · May 1, 2012

Jack Olsen said:
.......................the $20 Wonder Winder seems pretty elegant in its simplicity.

Do they make that in a water hose version?

kizer · May 1, 2012

I have some Sears model that I've been using for years and it winds up everytime. Heck I think I even picked it up on the returned bench so it was nearly 20bucks.

However that thing does have 100 of line and I know mine doesn't, but I've survived so far with one on each end of my garage. LOL

Dan in Pasadena · May 1, 2012

I LOVE it....and I'll never own one.

BD1 · May 1, 2012

Falcon67 said:
There has to be a way to weaponize that.

Replace handle with straight shank and use battery drill.

1948 · May 1, 2012

lol i was watching this with more and more adding onto it, thinking to myself, ok when are they going to say "it even gets you a cold beer and washes your laundry...." lol

taumac · May 1, 2012

Its a good idea but seriously over complicated and over priced. Hell for that price I could spend $50 buck on a good extension cord and give son a few bucks each time I need cord rolled up. Hes get a few bucks and I get cords rolled up. Its a win/ win

Jvvmusme · May 2, 2012

mike_s said:
instead of $330, you can get something like this for a few bucks.

You could buy probably 20 of this....
No way a 300 dls extension cord ....they are crazy

RCman · May 2, 2012

If you guys think that the $329 (or $349 ceiling) mount is bad, take a look at their hose reel. It has some neat features (nothing I could see myself using), but a $849 price tag! $849 buys a LOT of garden hose. :lol:

Those wondering where it is made:

RoboReel FAQ said:
Where are the RoboReel Hose Reels and Cord Reels produced?
Great Stuff Inc. has both domestic and international operations:

Product design and engineering: USA (In-House)
Product Testing: USA (In-House)
Product Assembly: Mexico (components sourced globally)
Customer Service: USA (In-House)

Texas Aggie · May 2, 2012

As a patent attorney, I am a bit curious to see what these patents look like if they've spent millions of dollars on them.

Raze · May 2, 2012

Texas Aggie said:
As a patent attorney, I am a bit curious to see what these patents look like if they've spent millions of dollars on them.

Would you have to charge your normal hourly rate to review those patents (thus adding a few more millions)?

Texas Aggie · May 2, 2012

Raze said:
Would you have to charge your normal hourly rate to review those patents (thus adding a few more millions)?

Nah, I'd do it pro bono. I did a quick search and saw that there are 22 patents assigned to "Great Stuff, Inc." So I wouldn't be surprised if they'd spent quite a bit on patents.

gahrajmahal · May 2, 2012

I'm with Jack. I love my $20 Wonder Winder. Received it as a fathers day gift more than 10 years ago. Still works great even though the cord has worn grooves in the opening from the thousands of times I have pulled out and rewound the cord.

Rkfdspeed · May 3, 2012

Wow...

Who did their market research? Seems like "Great stuff" has great ideas, but needs an advisory board.

Zaylor · May 4, 2012

Was that Eric Smidt talking?

JakeKohl · May 4, 2012

DodgeZ said:
"..with millions of dollars in patents to protect design and function rotorreel will be the only product to offer these features for years to come...""

AKA we are going to **** you with this overpriced product. I would prolly spring 50-75 bucks for it. 300, noooooooooo way

Yes, because as consumers, having a patented item is value-added (not). How inflated is the price to offset the "millions of dollars" in patents? Who in the world does their marketing?! Wow.

BradTx · May 4, 2012

It seems people can't leave well enough alone. Cord reels work great. Sure, they'll break now and again, but for $329, I can buy a lot of replacements. I don't know what the fascination is with complicating a simple machine with electronics.

For instance, Delta Faucets recently released their Touch2O Technology. These faucets allow you to turn on the faucet by simply touching the faucet with, say, your wrist if your hands are dirty. Really, how hard is it to bump the lever with your elbow? We've all done it, but apparently it's not good enough. Now you have to run wiring to your faucet? No way!

My favorite is the touchless soap dispenser that's been advertised on TV recently. They say there's no need to touch the dirty soap dispenser. Well, if you've touched the soap dispenser, doesn't that mean you're about to wash your hands?

I just don't get it.

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