In recent months, COVID-19 has forced everyone in the world to take extra precautions for their own health. Masks, social distancing, and sanitizer are the order of the day. Hopefully, all of this will blow over within the next year. But while we’re dealing with these hard times, maybe we can learn a thing or two. The fact is, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) isn’t the only germ out there. Even once there’s a vaccine for COVID, there will still be plenty of other bugs on our surfaces. These include Salmonella and E. coli, nasty bacteria that are frequently found in feces and on raw meat. Shouldn’t we be taking precautions against these bugs, as well?
Now, we’re not suggesting that everyone should wear a face mask for all eternity. But it does make sense to take basic precautions, including sanitizing frequently-used surfaces. As we’ve all learned, this goes a long way towards reducing the risk of infection. And some of those commonly-used surfaces are sneaky. They’re things like your smartphone, your keys, and your TV remote. How do you clean those?
We’re going to be looking at the 59S P55 UV Light Sanitizer Bag. This is a roughly lunchbox-sized bag that works as a UV sanitizer. It’s designed to clean your objects quickly and efficiently, without a lot of effort. But how well does it perform, and how easy is it to use? We’re about to go over all of the P55’s features, from construction to performance. After that, we’ll know everything we need to know to render a final verdict. Let’s go!
How Does a UV Sanitizer Work?
Before we go any further, it’s a good idea to understand what a UV sanitizer is and what it does. This is new technology, and it might be confusing to some people. So, why would you use a UV sanitizer instead of some other cleaning method? The main reason is that it’s convenient. For instance, you can use soap and water to effectively clean hard, smooth surfaces. But it’s not a great way to clean electronics, since you might damage them. Moreover, electronics often have grooves, crevices, and ports. If you miss a spot, you miss some germs. A UV sanitizer will hit the entire surface, and won’t cause your phone to short circuit.
As an added benefit, UV sanitizers are hands-free. You don’t have to keep rubbing, scrubbing, and rinsing away. You put something in the sanitizer, walk away, and let it do its job. This saves a lot of time. It can also keep your hands from getting dried out from soap and sanitizer. To be fair, this isn’t true for all UV sanitizers. UV wands, for instance, aren’t hands-free. You have to manually hold them over the surface you’re sanitizing. This means keeping track of exposure time and distance and carefully following instructions. An automatic sanitizer eliminates that complication. On the other hand, with a UV sanitizer wand, you can clean large objects that won’t fit in an enclosed sanitizer.
Another benefit of an enclosed sanitizer, as opposed to a wand, is that it’s safer. UV light works by literally destroying the DNA and RNA molecules in living cells. This is an incredibly powerful way of killing viruses and bacteria. However, it doesn’t discriminate between different types of cells. In other words, if you shine a UV sanitizer wand on your own skin, you’ll get hurt. At low levels, it can cause sunburn.
Frequent, constant exposure can even cause cancer. So if you’re using a wand, you need to be very careful where you’re pointing it. As a side note, we should point out that UV sanitizers in general are no good for pets and houseplants. If your dog gets into a mess, just use shampoo.
Last, a word on disinfection rates. In short, there’s really not much difference between difference UV sanitizers. When they’re used properly, they’ll all get the job done. The main difference is in how much time it takes. The more powerful the UV light, the shorter exposure needed for disinfection. You’ll also notice that every UV sanitizer on the market advertises 99.9 percent disinfection. The reason for this is primarily legal. There’s no way for any manufacturer to guarantee that they’ve killed every single microbe on a surface. If one single bacterium survives, they could be at fault! So they advertise 99.9 percent instead, to keep themselves safe. With that in mind, let’s get on with our review!
Overall Design
The 59S P55 UV Light Sanitizer bag looks like a thermal lunchbox on the outside. It’s rigid, but with a soft outer shell that’s lightly padded. It’s baby blue in color, and has a solid finish with a stitched periwinkle upper border. There’s a vertical light bar on the front, which lights up purple when the sterilizer is plugged in. Above that, you’ll see a small white-on-grey 59S logo. The top has a simple flip-open design, with a zipper closure. On top, there’s a baby blue nylon weave handle that’s comfortable to grip and carry. This makes the P55 useful for carrying around, as well as for sanitizing.
The overall dimensions of the P55 are 9.5 inches wide, 7.7 inches high, and 5.9 inches deep. This makes it spacious than many other UV sanitizers, so it’s useful for larger objects. For instance, you’re typically limited to sanitizing objects the size of a smartphone or TV remote. With the P55, you can sanitize larger objects like cups, clothing, vapes, and other frequently-used objects. This makes it highly versatile, since you can use it to sanitize a larger variety of things. Despite all this, it weighs just 1.36 pounds, so it’s lightweight enough for easy transport.
The internal finish of the P55 is mirrored, which allows for better UV coverage. In order to sterilizer your device, there are 24 internal LEDs located throughout the interior. This provides complete, 360-degree sterilization on the inside. You don’t have to worry about missing any part of whatever it is your sterilizing. When the P55 first arrives, there will be a plastic films over these lights and the surrounding surfaces. You need to pull this film off before you use the sterilizer. That will allow the bulbs to reach full intensity, and ensure that the whole reflective surface is uncovered.
The main drawback of the 59S P55 is that it’s not battery-powered. This means you need to have it plugged in in order for it to work. That said, it uses a simple USB plug. You can plug it into an AC power adapter, or even a laptop or PC USB port. So being out of range of power shouldn’t really be a concern. Moreover, the P55 is covered by a 1-year limited manufacturer’s warranty. This warranty covers any defects in workmanship or materials. If something goes wrong, just send the P55 back for a full refund or replacement.
Everyday Use
Using the 59S P55 is very simple. It operates on a three-minute cycle, and it’s hands-free. Once the sterilization cycle is started, you can walk away and come back later. And since it covers all 360 degrees of whatever’s inside it, there’s no extra work involved. You don’t have to move things around to run a second cycle. That said, the soft design might put some people off. 59S also offers a UV Light Sanitizer Box with rigid sides. This makes it sturdier than the P55, and more suitable for heavy-duty use. On the other hand, it only sterilizes the top side of whatever’s inside it. This means you’ll need to run one cycle, flip your stuff over, and run a second cycle. That’s the only way to get full sterilization.
To operate the P55, first ensure that it’s plugged in. Next, unzip the top, and place whatever you’re sterilizing inside. We should point out that a surface will only be sterilized if it’s exposed. Don’t pack the P55 full with a bunch of crowded objects. Make sure every surface is unobstructed. That way, you know you’re getting good sterilization in a single cycle. Of course, you could always move things around and run a second cycle anyway. It never hurts to be sure, but with proper use, it’s not really necessary. Next, simply push the button on the front and wait for the cycle to run. That’s all there is to it.
Final Verdict
As you can see, the 59S P55 is a versatile piece of sterilization equipment. Most home UV sanitizers can only handle small objects, which limits there usefulness. The P55, on the other hand, can be used to sterilize just about anything. If it fits, it gets clean. You can manage baby toys, cups, and other mid-sized objects with ease. As such, the P55 will do a lot more than your average UV phone sterilizer.
The main limitation is the lack of battery power. Without a battery, you can only use the P55 around a power outlet. On the other hand, batteries can be heavy, and the P55 is fairly lightweight without one. Even carrying an additional USB cable, you’re not carrying a significant amount of weight. As a result, the P55 is easily portable, and the nylon handle makes it easy to carry. Even if it’s a bit on the big size, it’s quite portable. If it’s still too bulky, you can just throw something else inside it for convenience.
For sanitizing, you get excellent performance. For one thing, you get 360-degree coverage. No matter what you put into the P55, it’s going to come out without any germs. Or at least without 99.9 percent of them. Not only that, but it’s easy to use. Single-button operation makes it simpler than running your dishwasher or dryer. And even with all these features, the price is quite reasonable for what you’re getting. All in all, you’re looking at a great home UV sterilizer for a variety of objects.
Meet Ry, “TechGuru,” a 36-year-old technology enthusiast with a deep passion for tech innovations. With extensive experience, he specializes in gaming hardware and software, and has expertise in gadgets, custom PCs, and audio.
Besides writing about tech and reviewing new products, he enjoys traveling, hiking, and photography. Committed to keeping up with the latest industry trends, he aims to guide readers in making informed tech decisions.