Always Check Product Reviews

I don't watch a ton of TV these days, but I've watched enough to see plenty of ads for the Wubble Bubble Ball.  What makes it special?  Well, they claim that this blows up huge (about 3' in diameter), but doesn't pop.  It blows up so thin, that it looks like a bubble, but plays like a ball.

My kid really got sucked into this advertisement and has been wanting one of these for a couple of months.  She rarely wants to spend her own money, but for this product she was willing to part with the 19.99 to experience the awesome hours of fun the Wubble Bubble can provide. These things have been an online/tv exclusive, but have now made their way into Target.

For some reason, I didn't bother to check the reviews before purchasing this thing.  That's my normal routine especially for "As Seen on TV" items that make crazy claims.  Had I checked them, I would have seen hundreds of reviews that basically say "Lasted for less than an hour", and perhaps could have talked my daughter into something a little better.  Instead, we bought it at Target on Central and headed straight home so she could play with it.

It worked initially and behaved exactly as we'd seen on the commercials.  She was thrilled with her purchase.  I headed off to my office to get caught up on some work and literally 10 minutes later she came in and asked if I would help her patch it up.  The kit did include a couple of patches, but I certainly didn't expect we would need them so quickly.  Sadly for her, this wasn't a tiny puncture, but a huge gash that was irreparable.  She's not the first kid to get taken by a commercial, but it was a bummer to see her so disappointed.

To be fair, I found another review on Youtube full of happy kids and their Wubble Bubble stayed in tact.  You be the judge, but for me, $20 for about 15 minutes of playing isn't in the budget.