Latest update July 1st, 2024 12:59 AM
Dec 25, 2021 News
…Innovations America Director weighs in
By Kiana Wilburg
Kaieteur News – How many times have you been caught in the trap of thinking that spending less makes you a smart consumer? Let me be the first to admit that I have been ensnared many times, especially during the Christmas season, with only expensive consequences to face for my affinity for cheap deals.
This is undoubtedly the most prevalent and exciting Griddle/BBQ stations available in Guyana at Innovations America.
In November for example, I remember passing on Princes Street which is just a stone’s throw away from Kaieteur News, to purchase a beverage at a fairly popular Chinese mini-mart. Like most ladies, I left with more than just my favourite drink. I browsed through the fairly short aisles and stumbled upon a stack of extension cords. A conversation with myself ensued. I said, “Do I need drop cords? I don’t know. Maybe, possibly; but it cheap, is only $600. Get two. You gon find something to do with it.” And so I did, I purchased two of the “cheap and sweet” drop cords.
Let’s fast forward to the second week in December. I used one of the cords to plug in my electrical kettle. Within seconds, a burning scent filled my nostrils. I checked the gas stove, the microwave, and nothing.
When I checked the kettle, the black cord was smoking. The kettle was damaged and so was the power strip it was plugged into.
Needless to say, I counted my lucky stars for the travesty I averted and on the advice of a friend, headed over immediately to Innovations Solutions at Lot 23-24 North Road, Georgetown for the trusted items I should have purchased in the first place.
Unsurprisingly, the foregoing story is one that Geraldo Alphonso, one of the Directors at Innovations America has heard many versions of; hence, he was more than willing to share trusted tips that will make anyone a more prudent shopper of home appliances and accessories.
Alphonso said, “Customers buying cheap products especially at Christmas is an issue we observed in the market for some time…But one item I would always advise persons not to be cheap or try to cut fiscal corners with relates to drop cords or Christmas lights.
“I have seen some stores selling Christmas lights as cheap as $200-$300 and the drop cords too and you can literally hold these cords in your hands and pull them apart. This is dangerous and I would hate to see anyone lose their home or have millions in assets go up in flames because of faulty cords and lights.”
The Stanley surgemax 245 features 6 Grounded outlets, 245 Joule surge protection, On/Off switch with built in circuit breaker and Keyholes on its back for easy mounting
The businessman added, “At Innovations America, we set ourselves apart because we do not sell anything that is not of high quality. All of our goods are certified and procured directly from the distributor. In fact, all of our products are CE certified and UL certified so we don’t have any product that would cause any risk or harm to anyone.”
For those who may not be aware, CE stands for the French acronym “Conformité Européenne” and it is a regulatory marking symbolising that the products sold in the European market meets the health, safety, and environmental requirements as desired by the European Union.
UL, on the other hand, stands for Underwriter Laboratories, a third-party certification company that has been around for over a century. UL was founded in 1894 in Chicago and they certify products with the aim to make the world a safer place for both workers and consumers. Besides testing, they set industry standards to follow when innovating new products.
In a nutshell, UL is a safety organisation that sets industry-wide standards on new products. They continually check these products to ensure they’re up to these standards. UL testing also makes sure that wire sizes are correct or devices can handle the amount of current they claim to be able to. They also ensure that products are constructed correctly for the highest safety.
With the aforementioned in mind, Alphonso says it is key for consumers to always stick to trusted and familiar brand names, which have proper certification. “There are brands we have all grown accustomed to since we were kids like Hamilton Beach, that stands out, Cuisine Art, Kitchen Aid, those stand out too. In short, I would advise consumers to be mindful of appliances with weird names.
Always buy certified products.”
For the Christmas season, he listed a few items that are a must-have from his store along with those that would be a perfect start or complement for the new year.
The Director told Kaieteur News he would recommend a LED colour-changing Christmas tree that is pre-lit and perfect for getting family and friends into the Christmas mood. “With this tree, there is no need to worry about installing lights and it adds little to your light bill. We also have inflatable Christmas characters like the Santa Claus or a reindeer, which are weather proof and easy for anyone to use. I would recommend as a must-have, our pre-lit garlands which are safe and cut down on time spent on assorting and putting up Christmas decorations.”
With respect to the ideal gifts for 2022, Alphonso recommended his company’s Blackstone Grill, which is perfect for eggs and burgers; their high-quality air fryers which are proven to be a healthier method or form of cooking than deep-frying; Tiki torches for outdoor activities as they are sure to keep mosquitoes, and other insects at bay. The Director also suggested thermos flasks to keep beverages cold or warm for 24 hours; LED lights that provide 100 watt output but only burn two to three watts and are perfect for security purposes; toolsets for dads and for moms, high-quality pot sets and spoon sets.
ABOUT INNOVATIONS AMERICA
Kaieteur News understands that the business is the brainchild of Geraldo and his brother Lorenzo. The company was birthed from the difficulties they faced in sourcing top-notch items for their initial business venture which focused on home renovations.
Innovations America was subsequently established in 2016 to fill the gap that was observed and later expanded in 2018 with a bigger and more sophisticated outlet in Central Georgetown.
The company sells only the best in American plumbing, hardware, and carpentry. It also features a home depot section on the second floor of its headquarters which has everything a home owner needs.
Some of its popular brands for plumbing include Kohler, Glacier Bay and Moen. For carpentry, they stock Quickset, Brown USA, Makita and DeWalt while some of its popular brands in electrical include Hamilton Beach, Elegant Lighting, etc.
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