@harry491 The exact model Meh has is also on Amazon and it didnt have any bad reviews at all, and appears to be as valuable as diamonds http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-COBRASELECT-MICRPRT-TRVLR-INVRTR/dp/B00MGAECQA All kidding aside... briefly... I've had similar inverters and they had noisy cooling fans, but were handy in a pinch. Getting for the trunk kit.
I have one (albeit a different brand) and it's a horribly inefficient way to power a mobile device or recharge a battery. However, it does come in handy for road trips.
@LankHairdoo Order one from meh right away! See which arrives first, the slow boat from China, or SmartPost. (Is friendly wagering allowed on the forums?)
I will admit to having plugged in a slow cooker in an inverter before so food would be warm when I arrived. So did I need more? - no. Did I buy more? - ummmm ...
So if I chain together {cigarette lighter} to this {Cobra Power Inverter} to a previously Meh'd {Bluetooth Home Connect Audio Receiver} to my car's {AUX IN}, will I then be able to play bluetooth audio in my non-bluetooth factory standard radio? I think so. In for 1.
Yes, it does work. Of course as soon as had it set up my in car Bluetooth started working again. But yes, you can plug the Bluetooth module into the Aux after powering it with the inverter then connect you phone to the Bluetooth device.
@Bingo That's crazy talk! And it's what I've done the last two years. I'm thinking that with this new cobbled-together setup, I'll have fewer wires wrapped around the e-brake and gearshift (because I've stuffed it in the back seat lighter). I've still gotta run power to the phone, though, so yeah, this $6 experiment could end quickly. Maybe very quickly, now that I'm remembering that the audio cable on the bluetooth gadget might be less than a foot long. Or I could buy an audio cable extension cord... Hey, this could be an amazingly epic rat's nest of cabling stuffed into the back seat.
Okay, so for those of you who say these things never get used... I buy/sell alot of used electronics... its always nice to be able to do an "on the spot" test to see if something works.
In for three, I had an older, bulky one of these that was only 10 watts bigger. The older one has recently gone missing. The kids use them on long trips to keep the laptop and DVD players running. In one odd case, I've even plugged a wall wart into one of these to charge a cordless drill . . . Far from efficient I'm sure, going from DC to AC to DC again, but it worked!
@Keyeno pesto is delicious! It's great on pasta, I have no idea what that is supposed to be in that picture but it looks like guacamole on top of pesto on top of ???? which seems like a terrible idea.
A couple months ago I did a 24 hour road trip to Texas and back with the family. The rental had outlets and I'm positive being able to plug in my laptop saved at least three lives. I'm in for two.
If it's a COBRA product, it will explode in a ball of fire just when you need it most. But you will miraculously bail out just in time and without a scratch on you.
I had a COBRA radar detector that was stolen from my car by some jerk college students. Then my friend stole one from some jerk college student who parked in his driveway without permission for a day and gave it to me, then I was pulled over by a state trooper a few days later because he didn't like that I had a radar detector (they're legal in my state, but that doesn't mean they have to like them). The given reason was for excessive speed, but everyone was speeding excessively that day so I didn't buy his explanation, but that didn't matter because he gave me a citation anyway.
Anyway, I was so mad that I swore off radar detectors altogether and pawned the stolen one (in true 'I need to get rid of this hot item, FAST' form).
@aWes0m3 Unless you mean when my friend stole the thing from the guy, and gave it to me. I guess that's receiving stolen property. I mean, what was I supposed to do? Anyway, this was ten years ago when I was younger and less wise. I don't justify any of it, nor am I proud. I was just telling a tangentially related story about a Cobra product.
Now while I am using my fleet of quads to fly around an undisclosed location and film undisclosed activities by undisclosed people I will be able to keep on flying and recording useless video.
my parents gave me a big secondhand inverter when I got my first car. the one time I tried to use it, it didn't work. I just bought three to make up for that trauma.. implicit bright ham
@Bingo forcing my VMP subscription to take a little break helped my otherwise futile resistance on this one. 6 bucks? Heck yah. Eleven? Not a no-brainer for me.
@scottj Gotta save some for others folks too, y'know. Now if that other includes someone else who happens to live at the same address as you do happens to order some too ... well, that they won't hold against you. And yes, it'll get to you in time to stuff a Christmas stocking in 2015.
Long ago I got a few 70 watt ones. Back then, they weren't very efficient, so those ran hot near full load. So I am buying some modern ones.
A decade ago, I dressed up as a compact fluorescent light bulb. I ran a 120volt rope light through translucent drier vent (the kind that lead to a lot of house fires. You can't buy them anymore.) I wired a cigarette lighter to a switch to some alligator clamps. Those were connected to a 7 amp hour gel cell that I cable tied to my belt. My hat was a giant light bulb base. I wrapped myself in lit up dryer vent. It worked well.
My mother-in-law lived the last three years of her life with us. Power failures are confusing for people with Alzheimer's. I hooked the cigarette lighter outlet from the costume to the larger 12 volt battery from my robot. We plugged in a couple extension cords and used normal looking lamps with real compact fluorescents. We put away the flashlights, and grandma wasn't fixated on the power failure any more.
Naturally, I have used one to power a laptop while in the passenger seat. Many times, we have used them to run gameboy chargers and other power supplies on long trips. (Back in the day, when the everything wasn't USB.)
My son was so excited tonight to play with this. Plugged his 3DS into it in the car. (Never mind that we have a car 3DS charger.) I went ahead and plugged my phone in too. Works well enough.
Power inverter for car that I know about is Bestek power inverter. Friend recommend this to me when we are planning to camp under the countryside mountain. Simply use this power inverter to charge laptop and camera.
@ACraigL So what is the wattage of your power inverter? I’m going for a travel with my family next week and just wonder what kinds of power inverter I should have. Yeah, I know Bestek power inverter on Amazon. But for me, I not only want to charge laptop and camera, I also want to charge a small coffee maker. Is 300W power inverter OK for that? Or higher power inverter like 1000W? My small coffee maker is 300W. Thanks.
Specs
Condition: New
Warranty: 1 Year Cobra
Estimated Delivery: 12/31 - 1/5
Shipping: $5 or free with VMP
What’s in the Box?
Pictures
3/4 view
Scale
Retail box
Plugged in
Safety not guaranteed
Price Check
$27.79 at CarID
$39.95 at Cobra
Warranty
90 days
@mediocrebot
meh
Meh
I just got a hybrid. It comes with a regular outlet. Sorry Meh.
The meh face isn't showing up for me today. Anyone else??
@jsh139 same here
@jsh139 Not showing up for me either. Sad :-(
@jsh139 Same here.
@hallmike unless the "face" today is supposed to just be a red square?
@jsh139 Oops! Fixed now, I think. Sorry about that.
@jsh139 Yes, it's sticking out its little forked tongue.
@dave thank god you fixed it!
@jsh139 But face now speak with forked tongue.
@gertiestn Cobra face to go along with the Cobra product.
@heartny Fonda ain't got a motor in the back of her Honda.
@nadroj my anaconda don't want none unless she's got buns, hun.
@dave Noticed today's Meh face isn't showing up in the calendar. It's there near the Buy Now, but not in the calendar for December.
Two deals in a row aimed at people with cars. This is getting tacky. Don't you have any speaker docks?
@gertiestn So maybe it's time to start the January Scapegoat discussion?
Meh
This describes 90% of my meh purchases
@spitfire6006006 yep. In for 3.
@spitfire6006006 90% of my purchases in life are like this. I'd say a good 10% of that I actually find a reason to use said purchases.
My non-hybrid also has a regular outlet.
Yessssssssssssssssss...
@TheAlmighty1 Cobra toe?
@TheAlmighty1 Now THAT is a cobra toe.
It's worth it for the usb outlet alone....In for at least one, maybe two.....
Not exactly the same part, but this other inverter by the same company has pretty unappealing reviews...
http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-CPI130-130W-Power-Inverter/dp/B0011DVZ90
Two of the five reviewers say that it died on first use.
@harry491 The exact model Meh has is also on Amazon and it didnt have any bad reviews at all, and appears to be as valuable as diamonds http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-COBRASELECT-MICRPRT-TRVLR-INVRTR/dp/B00MGAECQA All kidding aside... briefly... I've had similar inverters and they had noisy cooling fans, but were handy in a pinch. Getting for the trunk kit.
@dgmshop That is not the same product..
I have to say that the color scheme today is the most eye appealing one I have ever seen.
@RicoSuave It would be even better if it was purple.
@heartny Or Pumpkin..
@heartny i hear @Barney likes purple.
@heartny @carl669 I love purple.
@RicoSuave Red and black. . . red and black. . . red and black. Kudos Rico.
meh
How many amps does the USB put out? (There's gotta be a 'your mom' joke in there somewhere...)
@TehMaliron According to the Cobra website: "USB Output : Yes." Wish I had a real answer!
I'd like to know too. I'd consider it if it's 2Amp. Anything less would be a downgrade.
When did cars, hybrid or not, start having regular power outlets?
@mortonfox A friend bought a Pontiac Vibe 8-9 years ago that had an inverter outlet OEM.
@mortonfox my 2010 Ram 1500 has one
@mortonfox I had a rental car about 7 years ago that had two. Don't remember what model year it was, probably 2006
@mortonfox I have a 2010 Enclave and it has at least 1, maybe 2. I've never had to use them.
@mortonfox my 2009 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI has one
@mortonfox 2007 Dodge Caliber has one.
yaaaaaa! POWER!!!!
ok, that's a 'lil disturbing...
I have one (albeit a different brand) and it's a horribly inefficient way to power a mobile device or recharge a battery. However, it does come in handy for road trips.
For six bucks? Why the eff not. Gimmie a couple, k? K.
ruthless-homely-desire Cripes... Zombie porn.
"Isn't it worth six bucks to have an AC outlet in your car?"
no
Give me 220V AC outlet!!
@beaureve why?
@TOaFK Washing machine!
I'm never in my car. Why did I buy 3 of these?
tenacious-last-tick
Got the Tenacious part, anyway.
I'm tempted to buy three of these even though I don't have a car. What is wrong with me?
@christinerenee Sell 'em at a boot sale for a tenner!
@ruouttaurmind If @christinerenee does not have a car, how can she have a boot sale? isn't that like a parking lot flea market ??
@Pamtha Glad to see the irony isn't lost on you mate! ;-)
No Georgia Red. . . for that alone, meh
Color scheme game today is top notch.
@jrwofuga Yay, red and black! Nothing like a good ol' game of checkers
@jrwofuga That's my boy!
I love purple.
Seriously can't think of any time I've ever wanted to plug something in while in my car.
In for one. immense-lowly-bomb
(Disclaimer: my paycheck is paid for by foolish purchases of products we sell, so I'm probably secretly trying to trick you into buying it.)
@dave cross country road trips. Every time we've done a multi-state drive, I've needed to plug something in.
@dave - "In case your car ever becomes your house."
@dave I've plugged a small crock pot into mine to heat chilli while cooking hot dogs on the 4th of July :)
@dave I bought one, so hopefully you will get a raise.
@dave yah, but you get the employee discount.
@dave I guess I figured you did if for the lulz. I'm surprised meh sales really matter to your monies level.
@RedOak The employee benefit is I knew I was going to
wastespend my money on this yesterday.@dave Proprietary wall warts on hand held video games for small family members. Or recharging the air mattress pump while camping.
@dave Also: I'm sure I'm now on several watch lists for repeated attempts to find a good image for that order number.
@dave
Already have a couple of these when they were on Woot a year or so ago. Now if you were selling a USB lava lamp, I would be all over that.
@wisenekt So help me, I gave a USB lava lamp to a terrific niece as a graduation present.
Why did I buy two? Aboard-treacherous- slug
@OldCatLady because 3 was too large of a commitment
@OldCatLady FTL? Just because of the slug race? BTW, FTL rocks.
@OldCatLady @BillLehecka I was late to the FTL train but once I started I got super obsessed for a while. It does indeed rock.
When did they start making lava lamp butt plugs?
@SSteve The day they started making lava lamps!
worthwhile-mischievous-verse
I bought two. One for the missus, because I'll be damned if she isn't going to ask one day about blowdrying her hair in the car.
@silverel if she tries that, either the smoke will come of of the inverter, or it will blow a fuse. (1800W > 130W)
I'm sure I'll need it at some point. In for 2 (1 for each vehicle).
In for 3 - this is my kinda meh! I own 2 other larger inverters but you just can't go wrong with this.
Always dreamed of playing WoW while driving...
@Mei Played it as a passenger once... (used an inverter). You have now given me the next step!
Meh. Finally something I want, but I just ordered 1 yesterday directly from China.
@LankHairdoo Order one from meh right away! See which arrives first, the slow boat from China, or SmartPost. (Is friendly wagering allowed on the forums?)
@G1 No thanks. I remember the first thing I ordered shipped by SmartPost on the original Woot! and it took 6 weeks to get from Texas to Arizona.
Normally I get my power inverters from Tosche Station.
You can waste time with your friends when your chores are done.
Not sure why I got three of these, but... waxy-animated-bedbug
@baqui63 If that's not a disturbing image, I don't know what is.
I've had a fancy power inverter in my car "just in case" for many, many years.
Never used it. Never once even thought I needed it.
It sits there in it's fancy case, mocking me.
I will admit to having plugged in a slow cooker in an inverter before so food would be warm when I arrived. So did I need more? - no. Did I buy more? - ummmm ...
So if I chain together {cigarette lighter} to this {Cobra Power Inverter} to a previously Meh'd {Bluetooth Home Connect Audio Receiver} to my car's {AUX IN}, will I then be able to play bluetooth audio in my non-bluetooth factory standard radio? I think so. In for 1.
@laurict I was thinking the same thing
Yes, it does work. Of course as soon as had it set up my in car Bluetooth started working again. But yes, you can plug the Bluetooth module into the Aux after powering it with the inverter then connect you phone to the Bluetooth device.
@laurict Or, you know, just plug the aux in cable into the headphone jack on your phone and skip all that crap
@Bingo That's crazy talk! And it's what I've done the last two years. I'm thinking that with this new cobbled-together setup, I'll have fewer wires wrapped around the e-brake and gearshift (because I've stuffed it in the back seat lighter). I've still gotta run power to the phone, though, so yeah, this $6 experiment could end quickly. Maybe very quickly, now that I'm remembering that the audio cable on the bluetooth gadget might be less than a foot long. Or I could buy an audio cable extension cord... Hey, this could be an amazingly epic rat's nest of cabling stuffed into the back seat.
@Bingo Oh I was on that, I just wanted to have a bunch of cables so my wife would finally allow me to get a new stereo with Bluetooth,
@laurict I did that with one less part, since my truck has a built in power inverter.. but I use it all the time.
@kadagan this is an embarrassment for automotive manufacturers. This functionality should be standard.
Okay, so for those of you who say these things never get used... I buy/sell alot of used electronics... its always nice to be able to do an "on the spot" test to see if something works.
In for three, I had an older, bulky one of these that was only 10 watts bigger. The older one has recently gone missing. The kids use them on long trips to keep the laptop and DVD players running. In one odd case, I've even plugged a wall wart into one of these to charge a cordless drill . . . Far from efficient I'm sure, going from DC to AC to DC again, but it worked!
tidy-limber-pesto
Though somehow, I have yet to try pesto.
@Keyeno Now you have to try it, if only to later tell someone "the first time I tried pesto was when I got it as an order number."
@Keyeno pesto is delicious! It's great on pasta, I have no idea what that is supposed to be in that picture but it looks like guacamole on top of pesto on top of ???? which seems like a terrible idea.
I'd probably get this if it wernt for post Xmas shopping malaise.
Have no money for non essentials for about 18 months now.
My husband rolled his eyes at me, but I got one anyway. It's my allowance dammit! (we both get allowance, not just me)
choosy-offensive-shape
I don't know why I need this but I do, in fact I need two.
tasteless flattering curve
images range from this at #1
to this
Part of me wants to cancel and re-order... disgusting-gleeful-cilantro...I'm allergic to cilantro!!!
@rizzo297 and clearly it's out to get you
@rizzo297 disgusting AND gleeful. nice.
@katylava you can hear it saying MWAH HA HA HA!!! in that gleeful voice
Buying this for the one day in my life I might actually use it, but what a glorious day that will be.
A couple months ago I did a 24 hour road trip to Texas and back with the family. The rental had outlets and I'm positive being able to plug in my laptop saved at least three lives. I'm in for two.
If it's a COBRA product, it will explode in a ball of fire just when you need it most. But you will miraculously bail out just in time and without a scratch on you.
I had a COBRA radar detector that was stolen from my car by some jerk college students. Then my friend stole one from some jerk college student who parked in his driveway without permission for a day and gave it to me, then I was pulled over by a state trooper a few days later because he didn't like that I had a radar detector (they're legal in my state, but that doesn't mean they have to like them). The given reason was for excessive speed, but everyone was speeding excessively that day so I didn't buy his explanation, but that didn't matter because he gave me a citation anyway.
Anyway, I was so mad that I swore off radar detectors altogether and pawned the stolen one (in true 'I need to get rid of this hot item, FAST' form).
In for one. particular-divine-way
@aWes0m3 karma's a bitch. Both ways.
@aWes0m3 my favorite part was when you justified committing the crime.
@RedOak Karma isn't real.
@neuromancer My favorite part was when I didn't commit any crime (aside from speeding, of course -- and I paid the ticket). Read it again, chum.
@aWes0m3 Unless you mean when my friend stole the thing from the guy, and gave it to me. I guess that's receiving stolen property. I mean, what was I supposed to do? Anyway, this was ten years ago when I was younger and less wise. I don't justify any of it, nor am I proud. I was just telling a tangentially related story about a Cobra product.
That sales pitch.. Try hards.
Now while I am using my fleet of quads to fly around an undisclosed location and film undisclosed activities by undisclosed people I will be able to keep on flying and recording useless video.
I bought two of these! I might give one away to a friend in need someday. You can totally power your laptop with these on a road trip!
regal-whole-argument
my parents gave me a big secondhand inverter when I got my first car. the one time I tried to use it, it didn't work.
I just bought three to make up for that trauma..
implicit bright ham
@trudymae now I am hungry
Dammit, I held off all morning but finally caved. In for 1. Damn you for not selling out by now!
@Bingo forcing my VMP subscription to take a little break helped my otherwise futile resistance on this one. 6 bucks? Heck yah. Eleven? Not a no-brainer for me.
@Bingo was my name-o
Oh wrong comment..
But yes I concur I wish it had sold out
Why cannot I order 4? Now a stocking will go unstuffed. As will a cigarette-lighter socket. Tragic.
@scottj Gotta save some for others folks too, y'know. Now if that other includes someone else who happens to live at the same address as you do happens to order some too ... well, that they won't hold against you. And yes, it'll get to you in time to stuff a Christmas stocking in 2015.
@narfcake promises, promises...
@narfcake And pay another $5 shipping fee? Scrooge that!
@scottj Then don't complain when there's a limit. Four shipped for $34 ... where else can you get a better deal?
@nadroj 11 months is plenty of time for SnailPost.
@narfcake I'll complain whenever I want to. It's the holiday season, dangnabbit. I'm dreaming of a whine Christmas!
defiant-clear-penguin. Best I could find was this one, which has a transparent background.
. So this initiates me. [secret handshake]
@scottj Do earmuffs count as defiant?
Long ago I got a few 70 watt ones. Back then, they weren't very efficient, so those ran hot near full load. So I am buying some modern ones.
A decade ago, I dressed up as a compact fluorescent light bulb. I ran a 120volt rope light through translucent drier vent (the kind that lead to a lot of house fires. You can't buy them anymore.) I wired a cigarette lighter to a switch to some alligator clamps. Those were connected to a 7 amp hour gel cell that I cable tied to my belt. My hat was a giant light bulb base. I wrapped myself in lit up dryer vent. It worked well.
My mother-in-law lived the last three years of her life with us. Power failures are confusing for people with Alzheimer's. I hooked the cigarette lighter outlet from the costume to the larger 12 volt battery from my robot. We plugged in a couple extension cords and used normal looking lamps with real compact fluorescents. We put away the flashlights, and grandma wasn't fixated on the power failure any more.
Naturally, I have used one to power a laptop while in the passenger seat. Many times, we have used them to run gameboy chargers and other power supplies on long trips. (Back in the day, when the everything wasn't USB.)
Its an addiction! I can't stop myself. Another six bucks down the drain. Damn you Meh! Damn you all to hell!
In for two -- one for my car and one for my travel bag. Lord knows, I've found myself in rental cars when I've needed a USB port or outlet.
Fine. Don't sell out early. Predictable-Efficient-Crayfish.
@Kleineleh that fish cray.
@JonT That's Prisoner Zero!
These are great to plug in Christmas lights to decorate your car or in my case, golf cart. In for 2
ok
I'm in for one. At this price it's worth it just as a phone charger.
Meh, why does my box of Cobras say FROG?!
@Timbert
@JonT That's subtly brilliant.
@Timbert I got a box in a box!
@clonetek Hmm, looks like you got a box of cwap.
USB portion of mine doesn't work. :/
Does what it's supposed to do, but the internal fan in the device threw me for a loop. It's a bit loud, but meh.
My son was so excited tonight to play with this. Plugged his 3DS into it in the car. (Never mind that we have a car 3DS charger.) I went ahead and plugged my phone in too. Works well enough.
it did not work,
Power inverter for car that I know about is Bestek power inverter. Friend recommend this to me when we are planning to camp under the countryside mountain. Simply use this power inverter to charge laptop and camera.
@Rorence Cool story bro.
@ACraigL So what is the wattage of your power inverter? I’m going for a travel with my family next week and just wonder what kinds of power inverter I should have. Yeah, I know Bestek power inverter on Amazon. But for me, I not only want to charge laptop and camera, I also want to charge a small coffee maker. Is 300W power inverter OK for that? Or higher power inverter like 1000W? My small coffee maker is 300W. Thanks.
@MenaXiao Maybe @Rorence knows?