Who else is an infomercial and “As Seen On TV” junkie? I can’t be the only sucker that has been drawn in by the over-the-top claims, extreme deals and middle of the night shopping impulse. I’ve bought way too many home exercise and diet kits, beauty aids and kitchen accessories. Anyone else got a Makin Bacon or Epil-Stop?

So I’m dealing with a bout of insomnia on a random Friday night while my boyfriend is off playing hockey when I catch a few seconds of a commercial for the PedEgg. A metal foot file that claims to be “safe & gentle” and mess free. Of course I’m buying.

What they claim:
The secret is PedEggâ„¢’s precision micro-files that gently remove calluses and dead skin to give your feet the incredible baby soft look and feel that everybody loves. Two high quality emery buffing pads are included for the ultimate finishing touch. The unique “egg” shape of the PedEggâ„¢ not only looks great, but is ergonomically designed to fit perfectly into the palm of your hand for easy and convenient use. Best of all, PedEggâ„¢ has been designed to collect all the skin shavings in a convenient storage compartment allowing you to use it anywhere with no mess.The test run:
With some products, I have to trick my boyfriend into trying them out but when the PedEgg arrived, he was chomping at the bit to give it a whirl. As I mentioned above, he plays hockey and as gross as it is, he plays barefoot so he can feel the ice better through his skates. As you can imagine (or don’t want to imagine) it takes quite a toll on his tootsies. Because I didn’t want to subject you all to in your face foot pics, I kept them small but if you click on the image you can see the damage and results in better detail.
Using the PedEgg: It’s as simple as rubbing your feet and works best on clean dry skin. Just hold the PedEgg in the palm of your hand and use a gentle back and forth motion. Make sure you go up and down, not in circles or sideways or the blades could cut you. As you file away the dead skin, it collects in the reservoir behind the blades. Included are two self stick emery pads that attach to the bottom of the egg base for the “ultimate finishing touch.”
The results:
Pros:

• Overall the PedEgg does what it claims. It quickly and gently removes calloused skin. If you have a lot of filing to do, this is a faster method than a traditional file but not necessarily for everyday maintenance. Boyfriend went to town on his callouses and after a good fifteen minutes of filing, he’s soles were really smooth. That is seriously a huge accomplishment.
• It really is painless. I’m a big wuss and I was worried about the PedEgg hurting but I could barely feel it. It’s no different than using a pumice stone or emery file.

Cons:

• Regardless of the claims, the PedEgg is not mess free. Yes, the egg collects all the dead skin BUT if you turn the egg so the blades are facing down or even tilted down, the shavings fall out through the blade slots. That was an unpleasant discovery on the bathroom floor.
• The other big issue is that if you don’t use the included emery pad or any sort of emery board style file you end up with jagged skin in a couple days. It was so bad I got a runner in my trouser sock. So just like when you file your nails and seal the edge, you have to use a finer grit file to finish and ensure a long lasting effect.