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Posted: 2023-08-28T10:30:00Z | Updated: 2023-08-28T14:54:56Z The U.S. Inches Closer To Breaking Russias Monopoly On This Rare And Necessary Fuel | HuffPost

The U.S. Inches Closer To Breaking Russias Monopoly On This Rare And Necessary Fuel

The Putin government's control over a special nuclear fuel has rattled the West's atomic industry. New deals show the U.S. is finally trying to catch up.
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At the dawn of the atomic age, the United States mined, enriched and split its own uranium in what ultimately became the world’s largest and most self-reliant fleet of nuclear reactors. As fission fell out of favor in the 1980s, the country began importing more fuel for its reactors. When Washington made a deal with Russia in the 1990s to buy uranium harvested from disassembling the Soviet bombs once aimed at Americans, the domestic industry couldn’t compete, and collapsed. 

Three decades later, the U.S. and its allies are scrambling to revive their declining nuclear sectors in a bid to replace planet-heating fossil fuels and, in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, cut back on imports of Russian natural gas and oil. A new generation of atomic startups are seeking to commercialize types of reactors never before brought to market, and lawmakers from both parties in Congress say they’re ready to help speed up the effort.

If reversing nuclear decline and wooing skeptics in the public who still fear improbable accidents like Fukushima more than the certain but slow-rolling catastrophe of climate change isn’t hard enough, those companies are running into a major problem. There’s only one vendor in the whole world that sells the concentrated form of uranium fuel many of these so-called “advanced” reactors need. 

And it’s an arm of the Russian government. 

But the U.S. is inching closer to breaking the Kremlin’s monopoly. 

On Monday, the Ohio-based Centrus Energy announced a deal to supply the California-based reactor startup Oklo Inc. with a fuel known as high-assay low-enriched uranium, or HALEU. 

Pronounced HAY-loo, the fuel compares to traditional reactor fuel the way a heady Belgian ale might stack up to a Miller Lite. The old-school, large-scale reactors that comprise the entire U.S. fleet can’t stomach HALEU, which is enriched to the point where as much as 20% of the uranium atoms can be split, as opposed to the typical stuff that maxes out at 5%. But the sleek new reactor technologies companies like Oklo, Bill Gates-backed TerraPower and the Maryland-based X-energy hope to bring to market in the coming years run on that stronger stuff. 

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An array of centrifuges, known as a "cascade," is shown at Centrus Energy's Ohio facility.
Centrus

As it is, the U.S. produces just 5% of its own traditional reactor fuel from a New Mexico facility owned by Urenco, a consortium jointly owned by the British, German and Dutch governments. It’s been difficult enough to get more domestic production up and running for that fuel, much less convince private investors to spend billions of dollars on facilities to manufacture fuel for reactors that don’t even exist yet. 

This has created a “chicken-and-egg problem,” said Dan Leistikow, the vice president of communications at Centrus. 

“It’s very difficult to sell reactors without a domestic fuel supply,” he said in an interview Sunday. “But it’s very difficult to put the investment together to build the fuel supply until there’s a base of customers.” 

Making matters tougher, the energy-intensive “gaseous diffusion” technology once used to enrich uranium went out of fashion. Countries like France and Russia built what are called centrifuges, cylindrical machines that spin gasified uranium at extremely high speeds to turn the metal from its natural form into the unstable radioactive isotope that can be easily split in a fission reaction. But the U.S. simply lets its old enrichment industry shut down without investing in anything new. 

Centrus which was born out of the Manhattan Project and split from the federal government to become a private company in 1992 has been slowly working to change that, building a pilot facility in Piketon, Ohio, that in June got the first stamp of approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. But the company has yet to receive enough investment to expand to full capacity. 

Once that demand lines up, things could move quickly, Leistikow said. It would take 3 1/2 years to get enough centrifuges up and running to produce 6 metric tons of HALEU per year. But the company said it could roughly double its capacity every six months after that with the right amount of money flowing to it. 

Democrats earmarked roughly $700 million in President Joe Biden’s landmark Inflation Reduction Act climate law for producing HALEU at home. But Leistikow said that amounts to a down payment. 

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View from offshore Pacific Gas and Electric's Diablo Canyon Power Plant, the only operating nuclear powered plant in California. The plant had been scheduled to be the next traditional nuclear station shut down in the U.S., but was saved as part of a frantic effort by U.S. officials to prevent more atomic plant closures, which have led to an increase in fossil fuel use and blackouts virtually everywhere.
Brian van der Brug via Getty Images

While Centrus has declined to say the exact dollar figure, chief executive Dan Poneman, who served in the Obama administration as a deputy secretary of energy, said on a recent podcast interview that the figure is in the multi-billion-dollar range. 

Congress appears to be responding to that need, with bills from Democrats and Republicans in the Senate and House funneling billions toward domestic fuel enrichment. 

In the meantime, Centrus last month made a deal to sell HALEU to TerraPower, which is working to debut its reactors by converting a coal power plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming, before the end of the decade. As part of its latest agreement with Oklo, Centrus said it would help manufacture some of the components for the power stations from which the California-based company plans to operate its reactors and buy electricity from a planned Oklo plant in Piketon for the enrichment facility.

In a statement, Oklo CEO Jacob DeWitte cast the “wide-ranging landmark partnership” as a turning point for nuclear energy in the U.S., and a sign that the private market is warming to a technology that many banks still refuse to fund. The announcement comes a month after Oklo said it would go public on the stock market as part of a merger with an investment firm owned by Sam Altman, the famed technology investor and chief executive of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI. 

“This partnership will represent an important step in lowering the cost of energy by establishing a critical domestic fuel supply infrastructure,” Altman said in a statement. 

Oklo declined to provide a dollar figure for the deal. 

While much depends on how much money the federal government ultimately decides to put up, Leistikow said the latest deals are a key piece of the puzzle falling into place. 

“Every enrichment plant everywhere in the world has been built with government financing and government ownership,” he said. “What we’re looking to see here is a public-private partnership that combines federal investment, private investment and commercial offtake agreements. That would level the playing field that’s currently dominated by foreign state-owned corporations.”

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Before You Go

31 Things People Who Live In Hot Climates Swear By
A tube of Burt's Bees After Sun soother(01 of31)
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This product is formulated without parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, or SLS.

Promising review: "Ive been using this product for years now. My first trip to Costa Rica I had it and trust me when I tell you its saved my life. I live in Florida now and I never go anywhere without it. After any time in the sun you can use this and you can believe that your skin will be nourished and moisturized it will not hurt and your skin will not peel if used properly. I said your skin will not peel. I love this product for it." Kenneth
(credit:www.amazon.com)
A hands-free personal fan(02 of31)
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The rechargeable fan lasts for up to 16 hours, and it has six different speed settings. Reviewers say it's especially great for people who work outside all day and still need their hands free to do tasks.

Promising review: "Best thing Ive bought in a very long time!! Living in Texas means HOT summers and I hate always being so sweaty! This fan is a lifesaver and everyone who has seen me with it has asked to try it and loved it. Buying a second one today " Laura W.
(credit:www.amazon.com)
An inflatable pool(03 of31)
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Promising review: "This pool has been a great summertime addition to beat the Texas heat! My daughter, husband and I are enjoying it so much! Its a pretty good size, easy to set up and so far is holding up pretty well! I did purchase a couple of additional items to keep the water/ pool clean and covered. I was quite skeptical at first as we had already purchased another pool this summer that didnt last but this pool was it! If youre looking for something to relax in and cool off, go for it!" Pineapple_Beauty94 (credit:www.amazon.com)
A high ponytail running cap(04 of31)
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Vimhue is an Arizona-based, woman-owned small business that specializes in uniquely engineered running hats.

I just bought this for my half marathon training and I really like using it! I have to wear a hat while running because I sweat a lot and absolutely hate the sting of sweat dripping into my eyes. But whenever I would wear traditional caps, I didn't like that my ponytail had to sit pretty low on my head, which meant it would stick to my sweaty neck and make me feel even more hot. This solves all my problems!! I love being able to sport my high pony and feel a nice breeze on my neck. Plus: the material is super breathable, and I just throw it into the washing machine in a delicates bag whenever I need to wash it (make sure you hang dry!)

Promising reviews: "Amazing hat. Super comfortable, even in the high heat of Arizona. I will definitely be getting more!" Melodie Dies

"Love this hat so much! I already ordered another one in a different color for myself and one for a friend! I live in Texas near the Gulf and its summer really humid and really hot. I walk 34 miles outside most days and Id been wishing for a hat that allowed for a high ponytail so I could keep my hair off my neck to not get as hot/sweaty. Decided to Google it and found this and was thrilled! The X straps are easy to adjust and it fits great and is breathable. And its super cute!" mlp06h
(credit:Vimhue/Etsy)
A personal umbrella that clips onto the back of your beach chair(05 of31)
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Promising review: "I live in Florida and have two children in sports that I spend countless hours going to practice and games in the hot summer sun... I quickly learned to get a clip-on fan and umbrella to help stay cool, but the small sporting goods store umbrellas only ever seem to work if the sun is directly over your head, not coming from the side, or roasting your back or neck. Finding this Sport-Brella was like a gift from above. It is bigger, blocks more sun, and most importantly, can be adjusted into all kinds of angles to block the sun from whatever direction it comes from. It is also more durable than previous sport umbrellas I've used in the past. I'm sold on this... it costs a little more, but well worth the investment if you need to spend a lot of time at games and practice." Wolfshanze (credit:www.amazon.com)
A pair of high-waisted quick-dry running shorts(06 of31)
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BuzzFeed Shopping's Emma Lord loves these! Here's her review: "I recently bought these shorts because I needed some more breathable summer options, and they're phenom! I love the huge array of colors you can buy these in. (At other places they often sell out too quickly to get to pick!) I love that the high-waistedness of them meets about where my running crop top ends so I don't have to get bonkers with sunscreen, and love love loooooove the side pocket for my keys or face mask. I only have them in purple so far, but I'm excited to try other colors!"

Promising review: "LOVE these shorts. I live in Puerto Rico and the humidity was getting uncomfortable in regular cotton shorts. These are so light and breezy. The little zip pocket is handy and discreet. I loved the beautiful packaging too. I will order more colors because they are so great!" Abnnassif
(credit:Emma Lord/BuzzFeed)
A HyperChiller that can chill your coffee in less than 60 seconds(07 of31)
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It also works great for other beverages like tea, juice, or wine that you want to chill at a moment's notice.

Promising review: "Im absolutely in love with the Hyperchiller!!!! I live in South Texas. Its HOT and that makes it hard to enjoy my coffee in the morning. This little thing gives you iced coffee without watering it down!! There are three compartments- outer most compartment is where you put in water to freeze, middle is where the coffee is poured and then inner most compartment is more ice. When youre ready for your coffee you pour it directly into the lid which goes into the center compartment. You can let it sit or swirl it around. And voila! Its honestly the coolest thing!!" Staci Leitko
(credit:Amazon)
Or this cold brew maker(08 of31)
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To use, add coffee into the mesh filter, pour water into the pitcher, screw the lid on (with the filter attached and submerged in the water), and let it brew for 1224 hours. You can pour it straight over ice cubes, or cut it with water or milk.

Promising review: "I wish I had found this iced coffee maker years ago. I live in Florida and the summers are extremely hot, so I like to drink iced coffee in the morning during the summer. I grind up coffee beans and fill the infuser with them, then just fill up the pitcher with filtered water and let it infuse over night. When I wake up in the morning I have excellent-tasting iced coffee and it makes my mornings quick, because all I have to do is pour it into a to go cup. I can usually get about five fills out of one pitcher. I absolutely love this device and will always have one now that I have found it. You do not need anything more expensive or complicated than this." Ashley Bouchard
(credit:Maitland Quitmeyer / BuzzFeed)
A set of three lightweight racerback tanks(09 of31)
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Psst to anyone breastfeeding lots of reviewers mentioned that the deep sleeves in this also made it easier to breastfeed at home!

Promising review: "I LOVE these shirts. I live in Arizona, where it is hot 50% of the year, and these are so nice and breezy! Great for working out and great for breastfeeding! I love that theyre dual purpose for me. I went hiking with one on and my friend liked it so much on me that she purchased some herself!" Elizabeth
(credit:www.amazon.com)
A set of stackable stick-shaped ice molds(10 of31)
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Promising review: "I got these to make ice cubes that I could fit into hot water bottles to make 'cold water bottles.' I'm in the big heat wave and it's been over 100 every day for the last week, with no sign of it letting up any time soon. These are quick and easy and the cold water bottles have been the only thing helping me sleep in a room anywhere between 8090 degrees at night. I love the lids! It makes my ice trays easy to stack and more secure. I wish all ice trays came with lids like this!" AJ Stark (credit:www.amazon.com)
A set of popular wickaway sweatbands(11 of31)
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Promising review: "I've always been active all my life and I sweat profusely! It's summer here in Southwest Florida. I walked over 5 miles outside with temps close to 90 degrees and over 80% humidity. You get the picture. I just received these and this was my first time to try it out. I walked over 5 miles and there was NOT one drop of sweat that went in my eyes. The wicking is the best ever! It never moved on my head (I was worried because I have a small head), it is extremely comfortable, and it is fashionable." Michele in OFallon (credit:www.amazon.com)
An ice roller gloriously designed to help you cool off on the stickiest of days(12 of31)
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Many reviewers also say it helps reduce puffiness on their faces when used in the morning.

Promising review: "Well made for the price. I find its helpful in the morning for puffy eyes. Its great to use after a workout in sunny Florida. I use it to cool down and reduce redness after exercising." Amazon Customer
(credit:www.amazon.com)
Essence Lash Princess mascara(13 of31)
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Promising review: "I have been a mascara snob my entire adult life, and have been purchasing the same two brands for mascara. Then, I decided to get an inexpensive tube of mascara just to have in my emergency makeup back, and WOW was I surprised! One coat of this stuff is better than four or five coats of my other stuff. It isn't waterproof, so it comes off with just a makeup-removing facial cleanser or micellar water with no problem. It separates and lengthens my lashes. I have people stop and ask me ALL THE TIME what I do to my eyelashes to make them 'look like that.' Like... literally stopped in the middle of a sidewalk in downtown Tampa to ask about my eyelashes. And it really does stay in place, even without a setting spray, when most of the other makeup I use melts off. Seriously, let me put this in perspective: I live in Florida, and I wore this mascara to work every single day for the last year in the heat/humidity (including all through the summer) and they stayed on my lashes better than any other brand of mascara I've used. This is now officially turned into my go-to mascara!" Kate (credit:Kayla Boyd / BuzzFeed)
A set of satin pillowcases to protect your hair(14 of31)
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Check it out in action on TikTok !

Promising review: "I've been using these pillowcases for about a week now and I have to say that they have really seemed to help my hair not be so frizzy when I wake up! I live in a hot and humid climate and my hair normally just makes my life awful this time of year (summer). I have been trying a couple of new things to help my hair, like using Moroccan Oil on the ends and these pillowcases and it's really a lot better. I also feel better about sleeping on my side now and don't worry so much that I'm creating wrinkles. I would definitely buy these again and recommend them!" R. Spann
(credit:Amazon)
A pair of beach socks(15 of31)
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Promising review: "Water sports shoes save the bottom of my feet from being torn up by the pebble tech on the floor of my pool. It also protects feet from the intense Arizona heat on pool decks (yes, even pool decks get extremely hot in Arizona). I will definitely wear them when at the beach walking on sand and in the ocean." noslip (credit:www.amazon.com)
A soothing shampoo scalp massager(16 of31)
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Promising review: "I bought this item based on the reviews and needing something that would help with my itchy scalp. I tend to have a line on the back of my scalp where product builds up due to my thick hair and extreme Florida humidity. I've used this a few times now and I love the way it feels. It helps the shampoo really get into my scalp and I haven't had as much itching since I started." Ashley R. (credit:Emma Lord/BuzzFeed)
A drawstring romper(17 of31)
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Promising review: "Bought four of these in different colors, black, blue, red, and green. Love them all. Live in Florida and its perfect for the hot weather." DVS (credit:www.amazon.com)
A set of affordable wireless Bluetooth earbuds(18 of31)
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These come with a wireless charging case that provides up to 14 hours of charge (with the earbuds able to play for four+ hours with each full charge). They're also sweatproof and waterproof!

Promising review: "I can sit here and bore you with a bunch of verbiage, but I wont. Let me be clear: These earbuds are AMAZING. Seriously. They do EVERYTHING very well and they are just as described! High quality stuff! I wear them while cycling in (right now) 100+ degree humid heat in South Carolina and not only do they stay in place, but they are unaffected by sweat, etc. Amazing sound, amazing clarity. These things should easily cost $200." Gene Reyna
(credit:www.amazon.com)
An adjustable mister(19 of31)
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The mister can cool the surrounding area by 20 degrees, and it comes with an interchangeable flower-shaped misting head for a fun, whimsy detail.

Promising review: I didn't really expect this mister to be worth anything, but I was really wrong. I live in South Texas, so I purchased a canopy for my western facing patio and it was still to hot to sit outside. I thought I would give this a try and I couldn't believe it. We sat outside on a 98 degree day all afternoon with just this mister! It works perfect and well worth every penny I paid for it. If this one ever breaks, I will buy another one right away. It can be adjusted to how much mist come out. Even my dogs sit out under the canopy and let the mister spray them. I would never have another summer without one." Sheila
(credit:www.amazon.com)
A set of waterproof dog booties(20 of31)
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My family uses these on our goldendoodle (who lives in Texas!) in the summer because he loves to run around our pool and he ends up with roughed-up, bloody paws from the hot pavement. When we first got these for him, he definitely walked like a baby deer! But after a day or two of wearing them inside the house, he's been comfortable wearing them outside ever since and walks/runs normally with them on! They stay secure with the Velcro straps even when he's zooming around the pool trying to get splashed. (credit:www.amazon.com)
A very popular set of breathable, cooling bed sheets(21 of31)
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Promising review: "I bought two sets of the sheets, one in navy blue and one in white. I have had the most fun with interchanging the colors, so it's really like I have three or four sets sheets. These sheets are just the best, they wash well don't wrinkle even after you slept on them and they just feels so great on the skin. I live in Florida and they are just the best weight ever for the hot humid nights down here, and even if it gets a little chilly with the AC on, the body adjusts to the cool air with the help of the sheets. I guarantee you won't be sorry that you purchased the sheets. They are reasonably priced I'm sure there's better for several hundred dollars, but that's out of my budget. I highly recommend these for grandparents moms and dads kids and teens, they are just great!" HarmonyLady (credit:Amazon)
A pet cooling mat(22 of31)
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Promising review: "My Labrador loves this mat! I opened it and put it on his dog bed and before I knew it, he was asleep on it. He overheats quickly (we live in south central Texas) and he seems to love it. If all goes well in the next few weeks, Ill be purchasing another for the convenience of not having to move it all over the house." June P. (credit:www.amazon.com)
A set of backseat car fans(23 of31)
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Promising review: "Perfect for children and pets! I have this hooked up in my 2016 Chevy Cruze. The plug in part is long enough to be hidden along my seats and plugged in to the outlet. I love the fact that I can manually control the speed of the fans right at my finger tips. This is perfect for any smaller car or SUV that doesnt have AC flow to the back. We live in the south and it gets extremely hot in the backseat, so its takes awhile to cool down. I highly recommend this!" Alexandria (credit:Amazon)
An ultra-cooling bamboo fabric sleep set(24 of31)
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Promising review: "I will never buy another pair of warm weather PJs again other than these. I am a thirtysomething post-baby lady, and with my hormones paired with living in Arizona, I needed PJs that were cool and comfortable. But I often found that the fabric of other PJs would rapidly get worn, pilled, and rough. These silky soft PJs have been going strong for months now through countless hot flashes and heat waves when it would get into the 80s in our bedroom. If you are a hot-blooded person and need to cool down, I can't recommend these PJs enough. I literally never leave reviews but felt compelled to preach to others the good word of Latuza's PJs." Margery (credit:Amazon)
A set of towels(25 of31)
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Promising review: "It gets to be over 100 degrees in the summer where I live. These come in handy when working in the yard, at the beach or even at the county fair when it's super hot. What a relief these are to use when the weather is hot. I've purchased these many times because I always seem to give them out especially to those that work outside in the heat (mail carrier, pool guy, landscaper...) and they are always very appreciative." Realfoodmama (credit:Amazon)
A heat-resistant steering wheel cover(26 of31)
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Promising review: "Withstands 110+ degree weather when I park outside Vegas in the summer, and my steering wheel is fine to touch. I cant ask for more than that!" Ama Zon Customer (credit:www.amazon.com)
A maxi dress(27 of31)
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Promising review: "This is very comfortable and flowy. Wore it all day and didnt want to take it off because of how comfy it was. I got lots of compliments on it at my baby shower Im eight months pregnant in Texas and its HOT here." Lorin Rae (credit:www.amazon.com)
A family-friendly backyard sprinkler(28 of31)
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Promising review: "My 2-year-old and 10-year-old kids and 32-year-old husband love it. Super easy to put together. Great for easy cool down in the back for those without a pool. Florida living here, so water is a must in summer. Has held up very well in terms of durability. Left it out for a few days, and it still worked great." Deja T. (credit:www.amazon.com)
A reviewer-beloved mattress pad(29 of31)
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Promising review: "I LOVE this mattress pad. I let it breathe as directed. Living in Florida, my bed is always hot at night. I have been using this for a week, and I can feel the coolness of this mattress pad any time I wake up in the night. It is very comfortable also, adding a pillow feel to my bed. There is also a lot of space for any depth of mattress. I have a regular width mattress and I can easily tell a pillow top would be covered just as well. Well worth the purchase!" Julie Santello (credit:Amazon)
A mosquito repellent patio shield(30 of31)
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Promising review: "I was very skeptical of this product but decided to give it a try after reading the reviews and knowing if it didn't work I could return it. Let me preface this review by saying I live a few miles from a swamp in south Louisiana.

I know it says wait 15 minutes to give it time to work, but I wanted to make sure mosquitoes were swarming to test it effectively. So I camped out in my favorite chair and was immediately swarmed by mosquitoes. I started the unit, and in about 15 minutes there wasn't a mosquito near me! No exaggeration. I am sitting outside as night is falling in south Louisiana and not one mosquito is buzzing me. I have been out here just over an hour and I have only two bites one bite was from when I first sat down and before the unit was on 15 minutes. I am seriously impressed with this product and I am ordering more for gifts and to expand my own coverage as soon as I am done with this review. And there is no stinky citronella smell. There is no odor at all. Amazing." NolaMom
(credit:www.amazon.com)
An ingenious tote with a built-in cooler(31 of31)
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Promising review: "Living in Florida, I've had a lot of beach bags over the years! This is one of my favorites. I love the color! The turquoise color is very pretty. The bag is big enough to fit towels, a change of clothes, and sunscreen for several people. The insulated pocket on the bottom is nice for water bottles, etc. This bag is well made. The handles are connected to the bag well, and the seams are tight. Overall, a great bag!" Riv2359 (credit:www.amazon.com)