Review: Dark Side Detector Mini Lightsaber

Written on May 6, 2011 by RuthJS and filed under Brands, Reviews, Uncle Milton

So you want to know whether your friends and family are Jedi or Sith? Luckily, Uncle Milton has made it easy to do just that. The Dark Side Detector Mini Lightsaber is the perfect way to figure out whether someone is to be trusted. Plus, it works based the science of electricity which lands it squarely in the category of cool tech toys.

Out of the Box

Before  you can play with your new Dark Side Detector, there are a few items to note:

• It will cost you about $15 to own one
• It comes in six pieces with three button cell batteries and an informational poster
• This weapon contains small parts and is not recommended for children under 3 years of age

Still interested? Then proceed, young paduan.

We all know that Jedi must build their own lightsaber, and the Dark Side Detector is no different. Once you open the package, there is some assembly required before you can begin to identify evil in the galaxy.

Luckily, there are easy instructions to guide you. Just look on the back of the box in which your mini lightsaber was packaged. It’s as simple as looking at the picture and clicking the pieces together in number order.

Then, all you have do do is hold down the button on the hilt to see whether or not you align with Darth Sidius or Yoda.

How it works

Based on the fact human bodies are excellent conductors of electricity, the Dark Side Detector uses your skin to complete a circuit that determines the color of the light. The button located on the hilt has two nodes that emit a small electric pulse. Much like with a polygraph (lie detector), damp skin, which corresponds to stress, nervousness and anxiety, will cause the saber to glow red. On the other hand, if your skin is cooler and drier, corresponding to a calmer person, the light will be blue.

There is a handy little poster (about 5 in. x 9 in.) included with the kit which details some of the science behind electricity and the human body. It is quite informative and interesting, even though it does not directly explain how the Dark Side Detector works.

But, to lessen your disappointment, on the flip side of the poster, there are fun facts about some of your favorite Jedi and Sith lords.

Now, I have to say that this detector is not completely reliable. I did, in fact, after washing my hands, have a brief time where the light appeared red. But, before I put Darth Vader on speed dial, I dried my hands thoroughly, and I was back in the good graces of Mace Windu.

In an Nutshell

This is a fun little toy, and if it doesn’t lead your child to want to become an Electrical Engineer, at least s/he will have a handy pocket lightsaber, AND you will know whether s/he is Jedi or Sith . . . very important.

We give the Dark Side Detector Mini Lightsaber:

5 out of 5 stars

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