Matt Alexander and Michael Kannely own Illumibowl. This company makes a colorful toilet night light. Alexander came up with the idea for IllumiBowl while attending BYU. It wasn’t long before he recruited Kannely to help him raise $95,399 on a $20,000 goal on Kickstarter. They have sold over 50,000 units for over $1 million so far.
IllumiBowl is an LED light that lasts 100,000 hours that clips onto the side of the toilet and shines a soothing light into its bowl to avoid blindness when going to the bathroom at night. The motion sensor activates the light as soon as you enter the bathroom. You can select one of eight colors or configure the light to alternate through the visible spectrum.
Matt and Michael proudly claim that it prevents “night-time misses” by illuminating the way to the restroom at night. As a germicidal light bulb is in the works, it will be able to clean your toilet when you turn the light on. Batteries are required for operation and are not included in the package.
With a price tag of only $19.99, it’s affordable for just about anyone with access to a toilet. Alexander is working on getting his product into shop shelves, even though it is already accessible on Amazon. At least one of every five goods produced in his first production run was defective. He said he could keep consumers by being proactive about the flaws. Now, IllumiBowl comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Now that we have established what IllumiBowl is, let’s see if the company got an offer from the Shark Tank.
Matt and Michael hope to get a Shark on board to help with manufacturing and distribution to reach a wider audience. They aim to raise $100K for 15% of their business.
They started their pitch by elaborating on the disadvantages of going to the bathroom at night. There are risks to “doing it alone in the dark,” as they say. The Sharks were amused when the boys declared that their primary priorities were number one and number two. They went on to demonstrate how the product works.
Daymond questions if the light is on the whole time he’s in the restroom, to which they explained that it’s motion activated. They handed out samples to the shark to let them examine it. When asked why people don’t use nightlights, they emphasized the advantages of having something to aim at. On Kickstarter, they priced their product at $19.99 each. However, it only takes $3.98 to box and build the light. The Sharks were impressed with the numbers at this point.
Business owners were talking with brick-and-mortar stores about opening an internet store; however, they require the funding to take a step forward. They said they were also planning to add a new feature to the product – a picture in the toilet bowl. They used a picture of Kevin to showcase this function, much to the amusement of the other four sharks.
According to Daymond, the company didn’t need the Sharks if they took affordable next steps and used the money for merchandise. Saying this, he said he’s no longer in the picture.
Kevin liked the idea. However, he found it a little crazy. He said he is ready to invest $100k for a 25% stake in the company.
Mark thought it was a one-of-a-kind object. He describes it as a novelty product rather than a business. Saying this, he excused himself.
Robert believed that they could acquire their inventory and that he would not be able to offer a better price than Kevin for the same amount of merchandise.
Lori claimed to have invested in a similar project. Therefore, she did not feel comfortable infringing on their territory. Since there was no better deal than Kevin’s, the IllumiBowl had no choice but to give in.
After landing a Shark Deal with Kevin O’Leary, Matt and Micheal have stayed true to their original plan. Starting with smaller local businesses like True Value, they have worked their way up to larger retailers like Walmart and Target.
In addition to working as a liaison between the company and shops, Kevin O’Leary has used his relationships to help grow the product’s market. Since Shark Tank, the price has dropped. Originally $19.99, the IllumiBowl is currently $14.99 on Amazon with a $5 discount. There’s no doubt that IllumiBowl has a bright future ahead of it, and the entrepreneurs and their Shark partner are thrilled.
Our Review of IllumiBowl
Illumibowl is one-of-a-kind. It has three AAA batteries to power the light and a built-in water resistance feature. As soon as you enter the bathroom, a built-in light and motion sensor will turn on the light and cycle through various exciting colors. You can pick a color or adjust the brightness according to your preference. Moreover, the light shuts itself off when motion is no longer detected to save battery life.
Some people are unsure what tools or adapters they’ll need to install the light on their toilet. Don’t worry! You can easily rectify the situation. Batteries and motion sensors are stored in a lightbox outside the bowl, oriented at the front door. Your bowl’s rim can be bent to accommodate the light’s flexible arm. This is a DIY project that doesn’t even require any tools.
The light is activated only at night when it detects movement. You will be amazed by the light sensor’s and motion detector’s sensitivity. It is a valuable gadget for your restroom. And you know what the best part is? You don’t have to put in much effort to clean it! All you need is a soft cloth and a little detergent, and you are good to go!
It’s a convenient way to keep your sight on the target at night without turning on bright lights. Just a little bit of color can go a long way. Moreover, it is educational and entertaining simultaneously.
Pros
- Lets you do your business in peace without stumbling.
- You don’t have to switch on the bright light in your restroom at night.
- Cost-effective.
- Shuts itself off.
- Easily attached to a toilet bowl.
Cons
- You have to keep moving to keep the light functional.
- Some users have complained that the product stops working within two months.
- Colors tend to fluctuate after a while.
Who is it Best For?
Illumibowl can be installed in every restroom of every house. Anyone who has trouble doing their business at night can install this revolutionary product. Moreover, if you think the bright lights of the restroom hurt your eyes or sleep eludes you after peeing, you can get this product installed.
Are There Any Alternatives?
Though there are many alternatives to Illumibowl, Clear Rear works the best. It offers free exchanges and returns and works just as well.
Our Final Thoughts
IllumiBowl is a fantastic product that lets you pee in peace at night. You don’t have to wake up to do your business. Just go in, do your thing, get out, and go back to sleep. How amazing does that sound?
