Do you squint to read sometimes? I do.
Even in the best light while squinting to read, sometimes I still can’t make out the letters if they’re super small!
Well, get ready to be amazed…
I’ve discovered the BEST hack to help you read something quick & easy at home — without putting on glasses or buying anything!
Whether you actually need to wear glasses all the time or not doesn’t matter.
The fact is there are times when the fine print on a label or package will just be too small or too light colored to read clearly.
This Hack Works Every Time!
I don’t normally wear glasses — just readers on occasion. But tiny print is my downfall.
When I’m home and struggling to read something, I usually find that I’m in (or near) the kitchen:
- Cooking recipes
- Opening the mail
- Reading dosage instructions on prescription bottles
- Following instruction manuals
Being near the kitchen is actually a good thing — because this hack involves your refrigerator!
My solution any time I’m having trouble reading small print is to:
#1 – Open the refrigerator door.
#2 – Place the item you’re trying to read near the fridge light bulb.
That’s it. I haven’t found a single thing that I haven’t been able to read this way.
Sounds silly — but it works!
There’s just something about:
- The brightness of the light
- Shining directly onto the object
- Within the confines of a small space
- With 3 white sidewalls
…that focuses the light so perfectly.
Obviously, it doesn’t make the print any larger (like a magnifying glass would). It just makes the words incredibly crisp and clear — and a cinch to read immediately.
Trust me, you can read even the smallest print this way!
Best Magnifying Glass For Reading Small Print
If you prefer to use a magnifier — instead of opening up the refrigerator every time (which, I agree, is not eco-friendly)… I’ve found a great magnifier for reading small print and tackling other household projects.
I keep this magnifier in the living room — I mostly use it whenever I need to:
- Remove a splinter or piece of glass that’s hard to see
- Inspect a mole on my husband’s back (he’s a survivor of melanoma skin cancer)
- Remove ticks from my dogs
- Fix broken jewelry (mostly clasps on necklaces & bracelets)
It’s not your typical magnifier with a handle attached to a round piece of glass.
My favorite one is more like a large jeweler’s loupe or coin loupe that sits over the top of the item (similar to a microscope) — yet it’s lightweight and extremely practical!
These are the top 7 reasons that I like the Carson MagniTouch 3x magnifier best:
#1 – It has a bright LED light that illuminates the area you’re looking at — so you don’t need to hold a flashlight on the area at the same time.
#2 – It’s hands free — you simply position it over the item you want to magnify and move your head closer or farther to focus.
#3 – It’s got a little bit of weight to it — so it rests solidly on top of the area you’re inspecting and you don’t have to worry about it moving or slipping.
#4 – It’s bigger than most loupes — almost 3 inches in diameter
#5 – It’s made by Carson, the #1 manufacturer of U.S. magnifiers — and one of the leading suppliers of binoculars.
#6 – The batteries are replaceable — although I doubt I’ll ever use up the batteries it came installed with. (It uses two CR2016 button cell batteries.)
#7 – Cushioned zippered pouch and lens cloth are included — and the pouch is perfectly contoured to keep the magnifier from shuffling around inside.
TIP: To turn ON/OFF the LED light, you simply push down lightly on the top outer edges of the magnifier itself. If you will be traveling with the magnifier stored inside its storage pouch, you can manually turn OFF the switch (so the light won’t come on and use up your batteries if the storage case gets bumped).
The only downside I can think of with the Carson MagniTouch magnifier is the fact that there’s no zoom capabilities or adjusting of the focal length. Typically, that’s not necessary though. (A traditional magnifying glass doesn’t zoom or adjust.)
If you want even more magnification…
The closest magnifying glass for reading small print that is similar to the MagniTouch is this one — a 10x loupe magnifier with LED. Or, this one — a 30x loupe magnifier with adjustable focal length but no light.
Just For Laughs
For what it’s worth, this is what prompted me to share my favorite hack for trouble reading small print and my favorite magnifier for reading small print today:
I saw that in my Facebook feed this morning — from a site called Intelligence is sexy.
Pretty funny, huh?
Hubby and I are both in our early 50’s, and we’re finding that our eyesight is becoming the topic of discussion more often these days.
I got to thinking… just like everything else in life, even reading fine print has a simple hack that many people might not realize.
You’re welcome.
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