Uncle Milton Rainbow In My Room
by Uncle Milton
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List Price: Our Price: $16.88 You Save: $13.11 (44%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $13.15 (click here) Category: Toy See more product details |
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Toys and Games Reviews of Uncle Milton Rainbow In My Room
Customer Review: Pretty
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this gift for a 21-year old friend who collects rainbow decorations and accessories, and we still thought it looked pretty great. I actually originally intended for this to be a gag gift, but we were so impressed that we ended up showing our friends and roommates how great it looked.
The rainbow effect is gorgeous. We enjoyed experimenting with flashing the toy around the room to make it look bigger or wider. The effect worked great on my friend's eggshell-white walls, and I really loved the way it looked in a children's room that was painted blue with white clouds on the ceiling. I'm not sure if this effect would be quite as pretty in a room painted with dark colors or busy patterns, but it seemed to look nice when we shined it on dark green pillows and wooden furniture.
The toy itself is pretty small, and we've left it on a table full of knick-knacks so it shines over the ceiling. Play with the position and placement so you can get the nicest size and effect.
I rated this three stars for durability because I have no idea how to answer that. I don't know if durability is a concern for this toy anyway, since you don't exactly do anything TO it--you just leave it on a shelf or something. As for educational value, I guess you could use this to get a kid interested in prisms/rainbows/light/color theory.
I just had a few cons:
- Some reviewers seem to have had the impression that this gift works in sunlight or well-lit rooms. This gift only works in the dark. Don't try and show people the cool rainbow effect in a well-lit room, or even a room with sunlight streaming in. I don't think taking a second to turn off the lights to show people this toy is a big deal, especially since I think you could still have the effect if your kid sleeps with a nightlight or lamp on.
- My friend didn't like that this was battery-powered. The toy automatically shuts off after about five minutes to save power, so I don't think that wasting batteries is a terrible concern.
Overall I feel satisfied with the purchase. I bought this as a gag gift, but everyone was really impressed by how nice the effect looks. I might consider buying it again for a niece or nephew.
Customer Review: Good if it works
Summary: 4 Stars
I recommend this but second the person who notes the mixed reviews and suggests you order from a company that has a good returns/exchange policy. This is fun if it works. Pros: small enough to fit on a nightstand (9" long and 4 1/2" deep at the base); an outlet allows the use of an adapter (not included); the rainbow is decent, good enough for a little one to enjoy. Cons: the rainbow is created by a set of 5 colored LEDs that project down from the arch onto a curved strip of reflective mylar, so it is not a refracting prisim and thus has little science-education value -but I think its main appeal is to kids who are too young for learning this; the mylar could be scratched with rough handling; the plastic housing is slightly flimsy -the round reflector unit and the arch torque about 3/4 inch where they join, so take care not to twist when changing the batteries located in the reflector unit. A bigger con with mine -and I've read another review elsewhere dittoing this- is that the red LED band is considerably duller than the other colors, even in a dark room. Also, just like another review elsewhere said, while there are two settings, one to turn on the rainbow instantly and one to turn it on slowly one color at a time, the latter merely turns on the red and then a split second later turns on all the others at once. Last, neither pro or con, realize that in nature a rainbow is formed by light refracting through water particles in the air (white light goes in one side of a water drop and gets bent going out the other, splitting into its constituent colors). Unlike the ad, this toy projects already colored light onto walls and ceiling, not into the air. But short of spraying a garden hose over your child's bed while she points a flashlight at it, or rigging up a white light and prism (there's a do-able science experiment), this toy handily substitutes. Overall, even with the defective setting to turn the colors on one by one, I think my 4 year old niece will like this alot and am giving it to her.Customer Review: Making memories under the rainbow
Summary: 4 Stars
Purchased this for our kindergarten-aged daughter's birthday and she absolutely loves it! Mom (me) agrees it's pretty cool, too. At bed-time she turns on her rainbow (positioned to arch over her bed) as the room light is turned off... we climb into her bed and have so much fun snuggling & talking under it as she winds down for the night. Love that it turns off automatically in ~5-10 min. - usually the time she's drifting off to dreamland. Nights it takes a little longer, she just turns it on again. Ease of use is about as simple as can get! There's only one button to press for on or off (don't have to wait for it to turn off automatically, if wanted/needed). Nothing on it gets hot to the touch and it provides just enough light that could potentially be used as a "get to sleep" nightlight (not too bright or too dark). Though, again, shuts off automatically so not a good idea if your kiddo needs a full-time nightlight. Unsure about true "durability", as merely sits on her table and isn't "played with", though could be. Like the fact can be transported to any room in the house, to a friend's house for sleepovers (also a big hit there), under a blanket fort, or outside to project on the house - all with no cords or set up req'd. Happy way to fall asleep, under a rainbow. Will definitely consider giving as a gift for other kids her age.Customer Review: For the young scientist or...
Summary: 5 Stars
Way back in primary school I had gotten one of these at a 'Discovery' Store -
being the nerd [and I use that term VERY affectionately :)] that I was, this was
the coolest thing since my first microscope. Over the years, treasured as it was,
the rainbow projector was lost amongst the various things I accumulated...
Last year I had found it on Amazon, and promptly ordered it!
I can honestly say I felt the same joy and awe again that I had experienced as a child.
I love curling up with my cats and a cup of tea and just watching it -
My birds love it too, and my Scarlet Macaw positively adores it!
I've just purchased another one for the down-stairs and can't wait until it arrives :)
I'd say it's iffy in terms of being educational, unless of course you get into the whole
light refraction / visible spectrum thing(?) It's very stimulating mentally however!
On terms of durability - I take caution to an extreme with my larger birds, but other
than that I'd suppose it would hold up well against a moderately destructive toddler.
Over all, it's a fantastic little thing to have; for the young scientist or the young at heart,
although it may not be practical, it's still a simple something that's enjoyable.
Customer Review: Glorified Night-Light
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought this as a Christmas gift for my 3-year-old niece, and had super high hopes. On Christmas Eve, I tried it out before wrapping it, and it's a good thing I did. Rainbow in My Room is lame! A handful of Christmas tree lights and a mirror would do the same thing, and wouldn't cost $30!
The box makes it look like the rainbow travels across a room. That wouldn't even work in a broom closet. The range is tiny, and it's far from bright. Half the time, when you turn it on, at least one light doesn't work. Rainbow in My Room only stays on 10 minutes with (not-included) battery power, and doesn't come with an AC adapter. Radio Shack had no idea where I could even find one! Again, this thing was $30 -- plus shipping and batteries!
I literally had to buy a substitute present for my niece because this was that much less cool than I had hoped (a Wizards of Waverly Place magic wand, for what its worth, which was the star of the season). I still gave her this gift, but don't expect her to get any enjoyment out of it. I'll edit the score if it turns out she loves it. All girls love rainbows, but this rain-BLOWS.
Rainbow in My Room is a glorified nigh-light that's triple the price. Don't be enticed by its brilliant idea, because it doesn't deliver.