Road Test: Daiso compressed towel

It looks like the mother of all pills – but run this thing under the tap, or pop it into a glass of water, and something magical happens.

They’re individually wrapped, so it’s easy to chuck a few in your bag

Crikey, that’s a big pill! You don’t expect me to swallow it, do you? No, it says on the instructions, “Do not insert into the mouth, nose or ears.”

In the hand: this is what it looks like

Well there’s only one alternative, and I’m definitely not doing that. Look, you’ve got the wrong idea. This thing – 2cm across – may look like a pill, but pop it into a glass of water or run it under a tap and something magical happens.

Go on … It expands in seconds into a rolled-up hand towel, 26cm by 16cm; squeeze off the excess water and it’s good to go.

When you said “magical” I was expecting, I dunno, a dove or something. You’re a tough audience. A disposable hand towel is very useful for wiping down a café table, or freshening up your face, or mopping up spills. Can’t do that with a dove, can you, eh?

Actually, you can – doves are very absorbent. Anything else? Yes, they’re individually wrapped, so it’s easy to stash a couple in your bag.

$3.10 (pack of 20), Daiso supermarkets