In the past few days we have tried Utorch R9, a lamp with a very particular shape. In fact, the light comes from inside a large ring and spreads throughout the room in dozens of different ways: with the remote control, in fact, not only can the color and intensity be adjusted, but different animations can also be activated to create a point. undoubtedly original light.
How is it made
It resembles a small hula hoop (diameter 32 cm) welded to a heavy pedestal: the result is precisely a lamp that is not seen every day but well capable of being inserted into any modern environment without out of tune. The external shell is painted white, a color that “hides” the LED edge when the lamp is off. The internal area is in fact surrounded by a semi-cylindrical section with a matte finish so as not to dazzle the view if you look at it directly.
The construction appears solid and the base, in addition to being quite heavy, about half a kilo, is also wide enough to ensure that the lamp does not even hesitate if you hit it by mistake (so please give way to a reinterpretation of home basketball for stop moments of boredom).
The only flaw is the smell of the rubber covering that covers the bottom: a miasma mixed with oil and burnt rubber that doesn't seem to go away even after prolonged exposure to the open air. But there is good news: if you are not there to move it constantly, once you have placed it on a bedside table, table or desk, the mat is covered and the smell disappears (or rather, it is absorbed by the top. support).
Another thing, but this could be a defect related only to the unit under test, the shape is not perfectly circular: the lamp has a deformation on the upper side and, in the diametrically opposite one, there is a crack in the metal frame probably due to the strong compression that the lamp may have undergone during transport.
It must have taken a good hit since the packaging is excellent: the lamp is received in fact enclosed within a thick polyester envelope that completely covers the entire structure. If this happens to you too, contact the service center and have it returned.
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How does it work
To work, Utorch R9 requires power, so in order to use it you will not have batteries to rely on – although the base would have had ample space available to accommodate a battery – but you will necessarily have to connect it to a power outlet via the power supply included in packaging. Be aware that the cable is a bit short (1 meter).
Once connected, comes the second bad news: it only turns on via remote control. In fact, there is no switch along the cable, nor on the base (we repeat: there is plenty of space to plant one somewhere), so if the remote control is hidden somewhere, no light. Last but not least, there are no batteries in the package, so remember to equip yourself with two AAA mini-AAA batteries to be able to use it right away.
From the remote control you can still manage everything, from the color (7 in all: warm white, purple, light blue, yellow, blue, green and red) to the intensity (5 levels of brightness), up to activating one of the different animations present by adjusting its color. and speed (3 speed levels). There are monochrome animations and others that mix 3 colors, also here with different selectable combinations.
Some buttons on the remote control do not work (a problem with our unit?) But we were still able to try all the modes present, including the ability to memorize the favorite lighting and recall it if necessary with a click.
Conclusions
Apart from problems, which we believe to be related to the specific unit rather than to a production defect of the entire line, the lamp makes its figure. The construction is very good and the lighting effects available are multiple and adaptable to various situations.
The maximum brightness is not very strong: the warm white light at maximum intensity is just enough to read a book in a completely dark room and even if it is positioned behind a 49 '' TV, the light that bounces off the wall is not like that. intense to guarantee a good light effect to accompany the viewing of a film. But if you want to plant it on a corner of the house and amaze your friends with some colorful animation, then Utorch R9 is for you.
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Retail price
Utorch R9 is on sale on GearBest at a price of about 42 euros . The offer is valid while stocks last; for more information on shipping costs and times, any charges and order management, you can consult the seller's website.
