Product Review… HummerMagnet Hummingbird Feeder

Occasionally I purchase, or use, a product that is so much better than other similar products that I am prompted to write a review. The HummerMagnet is such a product. Living as I do in the hills of southeast Ohio, I eagerly await the return of the hummingbirds each spring.
If you have never hung a hummingbird feeder you don't know what you are missing. Something I didn't realize when I first started feeding hummingbirds is that the same birds return to my backyard, every year, after making their annual migration from Ohio to Central America and back!
A hummingbird's diet is made up of insects and spiders, but they rely heavily on the nectar from certain flowers - and from hummingbird feeders.
Hummingbird feeders come in all shapes and materials, from glass to ceramic, to plastic, and range in price from a few dollars to mega-bucks for hand made glass or ceramic models. You may think that the most expensive products would be the best, but that just isn't so.
Many of the glass and ceramic feeders are difficult, if not impossible to clean. Hummingbirds are very susceptible to bacterial infections, so this is an important issue. Bees, wasps and ants are drawn to the same nectar that attracts the hummingbirds and they can contaminate the nectar.
Most of the plastic feeders are light weight, poorly designed, and last only one or two seasons. While most of these feeders look very similar, look closer and you will see the differences.
Here are some key points that make the HummerMagnet superior to (and a better value) than competitive products:
• The HummerMagnets are handcrafted, one at a time, in Texas, not mass produced in China. The resins and dyes are no-toxic and will not harm the birds.
• The heavy glass bottle and molded base are extremely rugged and will last for years.
• The red base is the color that is most attractive to hummingbirds - Yes, the color is important.
• The bright red, UV protected base comes apart easily for cleaning and reassembly.
• Eight feeding stations with specially designed conical feeding holes that are much safer for the birds than the standard round holes.
• The HummerMagnet has a built-in sugar measure. Fill the bottle with sugar to the fill line; add hot tap water, shake until dissolved and you are ready to go. No more mess, no more guessing.
• Built-in ant moat - With the HummerMagnet you do not need to purchase a separate ant moat.
• The HummerMagnet is bee and wasp proof. It was designed to attract hummingbirds not bees. This design was actually tested in the jungles of Brazil and passed, keeping all bees away from the nectar.
• The HummerMagnet converts to a seed feeder with the optional seed tray, allowing you to feed your winter birds using your HummerMagnet.
• The HummerMagnet is labeled with a professional quality photograph made of waterproof, UV resistant vinyl and comes equipped with a stainless steel hanger wire for years of rust free service.
• The standard bottle size is 16 ounces, a perfect size for most people. A 32 ounce version is available for folks with lots of hummingbirds.
The only feature of the HummerMagnet that could be improved is the ant moat. It could be enlarged to hold more water. This would be helpful to those living in hotter, dryer climates, but having said that, on a scale of 0 to 10, I rate the HummerMagnet at a solid 9.9.
The designers of this product have paid attention to detail and quality control that is lacking in so many products today. For more information about the HummerMagnet, visit www.thehummingbirdstore.com . A word of warning though - Once you start feeding these beautiful little birds you will be hooked for life!

David Hardin is a freelance journalist who's backyard is the 63,000 acre Shawnee State Forest. The long hours spent behind the keyboard are a lot less lonely thanks to the HummerMagnet just outside his window.