Oooh. Aaah: We rate six new 2015 fireworks
The fireworks screeched at sound levels above 90 decibels, the equivalent of a passing subway train. And then there were the sprawling showers of sparks and cough-inducing clouds of sulfur smoke wafting through the air.
Once again, The Sacramento Bee crew testing the latest batch of safe-and-sane fireworks was a tenacious bunch. The Bee’s annual fireworks test has become a summertime tradition, not to mention a welcoming party of sorts for our latest crop of newsroom interns. This year we tested six fireworks – three from Phantom Fireworks and three from TNT – all of which are new for 2015.
This meshing of journalism and pyrotechnics was treated with the utmost seriousness. Score sheets were handed out, points tabulated carefully and the length of each firework timed with a trusty stopwatch app. Before you plunk down money on fireworks, here’s our rundown on which fireworks showed the most boom for the buck, and the ones that fizzled:
UPROAR
Price: $12.99 for two
Manufacturer: Phantom
What they say: “Red star with sliver glitter/green chrysanthemum with crackle.”
What we say: A roaring good show starter and a good value for the price.
Length of show: 35 seconds
Peak volume: 93 decibels
“Oooh” factor (out of 5): 3.3
“Boom” factor (out of 5): 2.4
NEON GALAXY
Price: $21.99
Manufacturer: TNT
What they say: “Gold and silver crackle sparks, colorful glitter sparks, titanium crackles and flowers. The Neon Galaxy transports you to another world!”
What we say: At times wondrous, at times a drag. We kept waiting for it to hit warp speed.
Length of show: 1.32 seconds
Peak volume: 97 decibels
“Oooh” factor: 3.8
“Boom” factor: 3.6
PIXIE DUST
Price: $24.99
Manufacturer: Phantom
What they say: “Lemon chrysanthemums with purple stars to crackling sparks, red flowers to silver crackle, gold pine to green flowers and ends with (crackling) with colored stars.”
What we say: At that price could use another handful or two of the magic dust.
Length of show: 1.16 minutes
Peak volume: 92 decibels
“Oooh” factor: 3.7
“Boom” factor: 2.9
ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE
Price: $21.99
Manufacturer: TNT
What they say: “Orange, green and blue sparks with silver crackles ...Purple and green sparks with white flowers. Zombie Apocalypse signals the end of the world as we know it!”
What we say: Enough fire power to take out a white walker. Top choice.
Length of show: 1.15 minutes
Peak volume: 94 decibels
“Oooh” factor: 4.7
“Boom” factor: 4.1
CORAL REEF FOUNTAIN
Price: $49.99
Manufacturer: Phantom
What they say: “Beautiful panoramic finale fountain with brilliant, red, green, blue, purple, and white colors! Also featuring multiple loud noise effects.”
What we say: Don’t get the name but dig the show, strong visual show and loudest of the bunch.
Length of show: 1.38 minutes
Peak volume: 98 decibels
“Oooh” factor: 4.0
“Boom” factor: 3.6
FIREY SCORPIONS
Price: $24.99
Manufacturer: TNT
What they say: “A fountain of colorful stars, flowers, and crackles – this is an awesome show starter or finale!”
What we say: Beautiful show with vibrant colors, but more melodic than bombastic.
Length of show: 1.09 minutes
Peak volume: 91 decibels
“Oooh” factor: 3.3
“Boom” factor: 2.9
Special thanks to Station 105 of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, located on Northrop Avenue. Sacramento Bee testers were: Chris Macias, Ed Fletcher, Ashiah Scharaga, Elliott Lapin, Brenna Lyles, Julia Calagiovanni, Katie Strong and Ben Egel.
This story was originally published June 26, 2015 at 10:58 AM with the headline "Oooh. Aaah: We rate six new 2015 fireworks."