Overview
Foul smells are a part of life, and as they’ve eloquently illustrated they can come from all sorts of places. The diaper pail, the litter box, the bathroom, the garbage bin, and anywhere else where things can really turn sour. Usually it involves removing the source of the offending odor, or waiting for enough time to pass, or opening a window, or trying to cover it up with a potpourri or air deodorizer.
The Claim
The makers of Fresh Sticks say that they’re using plant based, all-natural materials so you won’t be using harsh chemicals and won’t have to worry about what you’re inhaling. But the biggest claim is that these are supposed to last up to two years without needing to be replaced. The reason this is such a big claim is that no other air freshener on the market claims nearly this long of a time, and we haven’t seen a substance yet that can stay fragrant for two years, so it’s something of a new technology if you want to call it that.
The Hype
A scent that can last up to two years conjures up thoughts of the Everlasting Gobstopper from Willy Wonka. If you can let your guard down and accept that there may be a chance that it could still exude a fragrance after 730 days then it stands a chance of making a sale.
The Cost
The cost of Forever Fragrant Fresh Sticks starts at $10 but jumps to $24 when you factor in shipping. If these can really last two years, that breaks down quite nicely at $1 a month, which is less than you’d expect to pay for air fresheners and room deodorizers. You can easily spend far more than that buying things like Febreze
The Commitment
All that’s needed on your part is to place these in a location that needs to have better smelling air, and you’re done. Since it doesn’t use oils or gels, and doesn’t plug into the wall, you can can put them wherever you need to, and simply forget about them. They’re decorative so someone might not even know they’re air fresheners, and if they do it’s an elegant looking air freshener so it’s not as obvious as having a plug in unit in your wall.
Evaluation
Using plant based materials in Fresh Sticks was a great idea. Did you know that Febreze is patented because it works by covering up odor molecules with Febreze molecules? That means when it’s working you’re breathing in all of those Febreze chemicals. It makes much more sense to use all natural based air fresheners so you don’t have to wonder what it is you’re taking into your lungs.
The thing about a new product hitting the market saying it can last 2 years is that there’s no way to prove it can or it can’t without a time machine. This means you’re going to have to take a bit of a risk on it if you want to buy it, and hope it can last for as long as it says. Look at it this way though, even if it only lives up to half of its claim and lasts for a year, that still only brings the monthly cost to $2 which is still likely less or about the same as what you’re paying now to freshen your home.
Overall, Fresh Sticks is getting a 50/50 rating from us, because there’s just no way to determine how long the scent will last. And since
the only way this becomes a good deal is if it lasts more than a year, we can’t even say whether or not it’s worth buying. The pricing structure makes it so you’re paying mostly for shipping, which is usually not a good thing to do because it means you’ll only get back the original $10 in the event of a return. The thing about this product is that it has a 30 day guarantee, but is supposed to last 2 years, so there’s a high chance that it will still be working in that first 30 days.Our Recommendation
If you find that you spend much more than $1 a month on air freshening products, it’s worth trying out these sticks to see how long they’ll last. Since they’re new to the market, no data exists on whether they actually do last for two years, and won’t exist until two years from now.
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View Comments
Mine worked great and am now looking to replace them after 2 years. I had the original vanilla scent. I think what helps is that it was in an enclosed small area (hallway closet) not sure about larger areas, but for small it was great
I believe that a misperception of what the scent sticks are ultimately supposed to do exists. I have been watching this product for a while and have an order on it's way. I have read reviews everywhere that I possibly found for the Forever Fragrant sticks. What I have put together is that many feel the sticks should permeate scent throughout your home or apartment on an ongoing basis. The real purpose of the sticks is to eliminate odor and many have found them to do just that. I just read a couple reviews and one person said 4 years later they are still working. Another said she has had her's for 2 years and they are still working. Working means it is controlling odors still. The only way many reviewers say they can smell the sticks is by getting very close to them and smelling them. If you smell the scent then they are still working. Joy got the Good Housekeeping Award for these sticks. Many reviewers will tell you if your looking to constantly smell a pretty odor than these sticks are not for you. If you want odor elimination the sticks have far more positive reviews on that. There are also many factors involved that can change how it works. If you live in a large home with vaulted ceilings and an open floor plan you will need several sets of these to help with odor and even then that time of home the sticks are better for bedrooms and bathrooms, laundry room, mud room, etc. In homes where they still have an older floor plan are pleased with the sticks and they are also the same people that don't like strong scents but still get a whiff of them now and again. Many in apartments if these are spread around in each room where they sticks have room to breathe the reviewers are very pleased. The ones that aren't pleased are those that want to smell scents. Overall if you don't want a heavy scent to barely any scent, even to no scent but you walk into your home and simply smell nothing than the sticks are working. It's how the sticks are made based on plant material and other things that is the odor neutralizer. Also the vases you get if you buy the ones that come with the kit of sticks are sized so that enough of the stick size is above the vase in order to work. Generally depending upon what configuration you buy you get 15-20 sticks per vase for 6 vases. If you buy at a store your buying 1 vase with I think 20 sticks. One vase alone isn't going to cover your entire living space. I personally don't mind scents but I also know every single spray of anything isn't good for my lungs. I will be very happy to have no odor of any kind vs. a scent that isn't good for us to breathe in. Also if you watch the video of the scent that is added to the sticks I think you will get a better idea behind the scent thought overall. On the description on HSN you will clearly read that the sticks may lose their scent within a few days to weeks because we become used to the scent but also because the scent is capturing the bad odors. I think anyone that doesn't want to smell scents that give them headaches or are worried about their lungs, it wouldn't hurt to give these a fair chance. How does your home or room smell when you come home after being away? No odor is what most of us are after. On the other hand if you prefer smelling a scent upon entering your home these may not be the right item for you to purchase. I am only adding this information because of the amount of research I have done on this product and I bought the sticks fully knowing the scent is not what it's about, it's about what I won't be smelling anymore and frankly I want to smell nothing but clean and fresh. Thank you!
I have had mine out for 3 days now and have YET to smell them. I have 4 vases. I even put all 4 in the same room for 3 hours,... Still nothing. Shame on you Joy.
Mine are still going and it's been about 5 months
Don't waste your money. They do not work. At all.
Just an FYI, these Fresh Sticks are sold at Bed Bath and Beyond. I think I'll pick some up there to try them out. That way if I don't like them initially, I can return them for a full refund without losing out on shipping.