Finding Hidden Gems on AliExpress - Episode 10

Overview

• AliExpress: A Chinese online store with a variety of products; some useful, some not.
• The purpose of this video series: Test interesting products to determine their usefulness.
• Episode 10 focuses on products not featured in previous episodes, featuring 8 different products.

Sponsored Segment

• Video sponsored by Ground News.
• App/website aggregates world news; good source for staying informed.

Product Reviews

1. Electric Hand Drill Grinder

   • Price: 2€
   • Purpose: Sharpens dull drill bits (sizes 2mm to 12.5mm).
   • Easy to use; intuitive design.
   • Surprisingly effective, but not suitable for hardened drill bits.
   • Recommendation: Yes.

2. USB Data Cable Tester

   • Price: ~1€
   • Function: Tests USB cables for connectivity issues.
   • Setup: Requires 5V power; connects cable to upper and lower sides of the tester.
   • Limitations: Does not test USB-C power ratings or Mini USB.
   • Recommendation: Yes.

3. Magnetic Pogo Pin Connectors

   • Price: ~1.2€
   • Purpose: Joins PCBs without soldering; offers an elegant solution.
   • Quality: Strong magnetic pull, non-reversible polarity.
   • Current handling: Average resistance of 10mOhm; recommended for low power circuits.
   • Recommendation: Yes.

4. BM6 Battery Monitor

   • Price: ~23€
   • Use: Monitors car battery voltage and abnormal behavior.
   • Setup: Easy installation; tracks voltage, temperature, and cranking performance.
   • Note: App collects GPS data but can be turned off.
   • Recommendation: Yes.

5. TES200 Logic IC Tester

   • Price: ~25€
   • Use: Tests logic ICs to identify malfunctioning units.
   • User interface: Intuitive; supports many logic ICs.
   • Limitation: Not all 74 and 40 series ICs are in the database.
   • Recommendation: Yes.

6. Tang Nano 9K FPGA

   • Price: ~19€
   • Difference from microcontrollers: Configures logic blocks for high performance.
   • Setup: IDE installation and example code available for beginners.
   • Resources: Many online resources for learning FPGA programming.
   • Recommendation: Yes for beginners.

7. Round Digital Tape Measure

   • Price: ~17€
   • Function: Measures surfaces by rolling; accuracy of 0.1cm.
   • Limitations: Cumbersome for straight lines; manual in Chinese, not intuitive.
   • Recommendation: No, limited use cases.

8. Battery Holder with Protection PCB

   • Price: ~13€
   • Function: Holds 4 18650 Lithium Ion cells for a DIY battery pack.
   • Features: Overcharge, overdischarge, and overcurrent protection.
   • Limitation: Does not balance charge cells; voltage drop at high current.
   • Recommendation: Yes for low power projects with balance connector.

Conclusion

• Most products in this episode were found to be useful.
• Encouragement to subscribe and hit the notification bell for future videos.
• Closing note: Stay creative!