Interesting Items...

Anybody need a soldering iron? Aldi have a temperature controlled iron with digital setting and readout for £20. If you plan to do any lead-free soldering, fine control over temperature is almost essential.
 
Black Hole said:
Aldi have a temperature controlled iron with digital setting and readout for £20.
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:rolling:
I know someone who bought an item from Aldi on one of these offers. I think the quote was, "you get what you pay for". He wasn't impressed. If it looks too good to be true and is an unknown make - be careful. It may be fantastic value and work well. Let some other mug person buy one first and see what they say. :D
 
I've bought one, just in case. I bought a pair of binoculars for £10 and they are brilliant (although I note the more recent ones are crap).

It seems serviceable, and I don't think there's a lot can go wrong with it (unless maybe the thermocouple isn't calibrated properly).
 
Things that stand out for me are the binoculars (I have thought about getting some better ones but have yet to find any sub-£200 that are sufficiently better to be worth buying), a little MP3 player with built-in FM and DAB and timer record capability, and a WiFi connected USB extender with audio (bought one, then scoured the country to get another).

I have no doubt some things are duds, and the customer is final inspection, but in general it's good stuff and inexpensive (I don't know how they do it) - one just needs to exercise some self control. I bought the National Geographic reflecting telescope when it was really knocked down just to find out if it was any good - it wasn't.

In fact, I was seen examining the soldering station with interest, and had it bought for me because the party in question never knows what to get as a present.

EEPhil said:
I know someone who bought an item from Aldi on one of these offers. I think the quote was, "you get what you pay for".
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Sometimes. But often, you get much better than you pay for.
 
There's a brand new purpose-built Lidl in Bristol (they didn't just move into the Co-Op + other stores it replaced - they demolished and started again) with a huge floor area, and the stuff they have in there knocks the older Lidl stores into a cocked hat.
 
Sounds like you're really lucky there. The store in Maidenhead was in a new building, started up last year (the rest of which is a 'self-storage' operation, it's small, and the range of hardware bits not very attractive (to me).
What location is the Bristol store (I could check it out when I visit family)?
 
@BH re binoculars.
Check out the Barr & Stroud series 5 range. My wife uses 8x42 ED, purchased last November and they are superb. Good field of view and great in low light. We are both keen birdwatchers but won't fork out for Leicas et al. These have rrp at £299 but we shopped around and paid £175. Well worth a punt, other magnifications available.
 
dandnsmith said:
What location is the Bristol store (I could check it out when I visit family)?
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Kingswood, Halls Road (access from Cecil Road).

Readers should note that although Aldi and Lidl are very similar in their business model, one is better for some things than the other and it pays to keep an eye on both.
 
RobH1 said:
@BH re binoculars.
Check out the Barr & Stroud series 5 range. My wife uses 8x42 ED, purchased last November and they are superb. Good field of view and great in low light. We are both keen birdwatchers but won't fork out for Leicas et al. These have rrp at £299 but we shopped around and paid £175. Well worth a punt, other magnifications available.
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Thanks, but I much prefer porro-prism designs to roof-prism.
 
Black Hole said:
Thanks, but I much prefer porro-prism designs to roof-prism.
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I used to use porro-prism ( Swift Audubon) but found that if they got a knock, the lens appeared to shift, rendering them useless without a specialist repair. Happened also with Swift Saratoga, but each to their own.
 
Sure, the inversion prisms need to be carefully collimated, and if birding is your thing then robust is good.
 
Black Hole said:
There's a brand new purpose-built Lidl in Bristol
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There's one being built in the Clifton area of Nottingham - due to open soon. (And currently easy to get to on a free bus route!)
with a huge floor area, and the stuff they have in there knocks the older Lidl stores into a cocked hat
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Here's hoping that ours will be wearing similar headgear.
 
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