Designing a test for the magnetic coasters...

[Dr Adequate]

I like the original claim:

About the size of a CD, this powerful coaster has powerful magnets hidden within an attractive wipe clean plastic shell. Use it to 'magnetise' drinking water, or even improve the taste of red wine (!) Every kitchen should have at least one.

The word 'magnetise' has to go in quotes because of course you cannot magnetise water. For one thing, it's a bleedin' fluid. So if the quotes weren't round it, to say 'not really though', it would be a downright lie. But what's this...?

Magnetised water is carried through the body more effectively than regular water. It has a lower surface tension and is therefore taken up more readily by the cells.
We recommend magnetised water for many skin and digestive disorders and to improve general health and skin.

How to magnetise your water
Simply place your glass or jug on top of the coaster and leave for an hour - your water is now magnetised!

Well, no it isn't. This is simply untrue. You cannot magnetise water. I like the bit about "lower surface tension", though. So funny. Pseudoscience at its best. Yes, folks, if you leave water near a magnet long enough, you will change the nature of the hydrogen bond...

This bit's good too:

Ripen tomatoes, strawberries or any fruit by placing them on the south pole of the coaster.

Yup, not only can it make a glass of water refreshing, it also causes fruit to ripen. This man can perform the Miracle Of The Bleeding Obvious.

 

[Dr Adequate]

We are going to run our own trial with a dozen coasters and a few hundred subjects, but we're so busy right now that I can't see it happening this year.

You are "too busy" to find out whether the supposedly medicinal product you're selling actually works? How very convenient for you. But I think you'll find that real laboratories do manage to find the time. They do this thing we call "research". You might like to try it.

 

[Stitch]

Update:

I'm having trouble finding a source of cheap paper cups!

Plastic would be no problem. Foam is a possibility. But paper? No way.

I could get a packet of about 5 party cups (with Shrek or Spiderman or some such character) for about a quid, but that would make for a rather expensive experiment.

So, I apologise for the delay and I'll continue looking.

Try somebody like Autobar or King UK (www.king-uk.com) (Yes I know King are part of Autobar )

 

[Rolfe]

Did any of this ever get done? What sort of results?

Rolfe.

 

[TheBoyPaj]

Nope, still looking for those paper cups. I could just use plastic, but Roger implies it won't work with those.

I wonder if he puts that in the instructions, BTW?