The toothpaste battle

I did this and typed it all up before the whole upgrade fiasco that I am still in the middle of. So let's remember a happier time a week ago when my only worry was what toothpaste squeezer was best...

The contenders:

• Starno's tube squeezer (Top)
• Alany's tube key (Left)
• PrintTo3D's basic toothpaste extruder (Right)

The results were surprising. Before the test I favored Starno's. For some reason despite the fact that it used more plastic there was just something appealing about its curves, it even has a nice funnel in the bottom to help you get your tube in properly (...wow that is hard to phrase properly). However, after trying it Starno's tube, as is, was too narrow a slit for the adult sized tubes of toothpaste (fortunately we have some kids ones) and too thick to really squeeze it well. However, there is a scaled version that would work.

The key was also much more narrow than I anticipated off the bat. It looks like it was made for paint tubes in fact. However we have some infant toothpaste that it fit and... I've never really like this sort of arrangement. I tried it to be fair but it just doesn't work for toothpaste. Paint tubes are often metallic so they don't unwind but toothpaste it just doesn't stay on. So the key came in 3 of 3, last place.

Yes, the winner of this contest was PrintTo3D's basic toothpaste extruder, mostly because it worked for the job I wanted right out of the gate. In fact I was so pleased that I didn't even mind the branding. (The back half says "PrintTo3D" across it, the front says "Toothpaste".) Starno's may still be adjustable to work, but if I do that I will be checking it against PrintTo3D's in blender so that I know it'll be right before I print. It's small, doesn't use too much plastic, and works perfectly. What more can I ask for?

You're the best... arouuund!