Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I've wasted enough energy on this "not ready for primetime" product, but writing this review is worth expending just a little bit more if it keeps even one person from making the same mistake that I did. Problem #1 - The batteries drain when the unit is not in use. This is a problem that will take you longer than the 30-day return window to figure out. I used the product for 3 weeks and maybe 8 beers (and cleanings) and had to change the batteries. Then I used the product for another 3 weeks and 2 beers, and had to change the batteries again. And now there is no way to get my money back. So most of you can stop right here. But if you think that you may be able to live with removing the batteries after each use, read on.. Problem #2 - The battery compartment is very difficult to close. You have to twist it into place in just the right position and I gurantee it will take you at least 4 to 5 attempts to get it to seat properly. This is only a problem because a potential solution to Problem #1 might have been to take the batteries out between uses (which, by the way, is ridiculous). But this becomes a real chore when they design a battery compartment that you can't close without an instruction manual! Again, these first 2 issues should be show stoppers, but if you're anything like I was and already have it in your head that you want to buy this thing, then please read on... Problem #3 - When the Fizzics actually does work, it doesn't pour a full beer in one pour. At least the unit I have stops halfway through, requiring me to pull forward again (and sometimes even a third time). And once I do get a "full" pour, there is always some beer still left at the bottom of the bottle, which completely defeats the purpose of having a beer tap in the first place. Still not convinced that you should move on? OK, I have more... Problem #4 - You have to clean this unit out after every beer change. Sounds easy enough, but not when the only way to clean the Fizzics is to run a bottle of water through it (cutting the already impossibly short battery life exactly in half). And then there's the problem of having to have a small water bottle on hand that will actually fit into the unit (that is, assuming you don't want to go through the process of rinsing out your beer bottle and using it instead). Believe me, all of this is a much bigger inconvenience in practice than it sounds like on paper and makes you not want to use the unit after a few uses. And then your batteries will drain as you let the unit sit (see Problem #1). So, by now, surely I've convinced you that the Fizzics does not deserve a place on your kitchen counter. But for those of you who still want to buy a product that simply doesn't work, I have one more issue for you to consider... Problem #5 - Assuming you can live with all of the other problems I've mentioned, when the Fizzics actually does operate, you'll never know when to "pull back" on the handle to create the foam (which is actually pretty good, but in no way worth the trouble given all of these problems). Since the foam is the main point of the Fizzics, not knowing when to actually create it is not a small issue to overcome. Most times, I ended up waiting too long or pulling back too early. Some sort of indicator would have been nice, or even a clear window so that I could see how much beer is left in the bottle while I'm pouring. But that would just add cost to a product that really doesn't work in any other respect. So this one is probably a moot point anyway. Bottom line, the Fizzics just doesn't work, and it will take you longer than 30 days to figure that out. No, I didn't just get a bad unit. No, I am not just some bitter consumer who likes to write bad reviews. And, no, your experience is not likely to be any different than mine. If you want to donate over 100 of your hard earned dollars to a product that was rushed out to market before it was ready, than feel free. But I, for one, have learned my lesson. So I guess I'll have to chalk it up as an educational expense. The real question is, do you want to do the same?