One Fire star projector review: A great projector for kids

A barebones projector designed for kids, the One Fire Star Projector is inexpensive, cute and easy to use. However, it has a few design flaws that prevent us from ranking it among the best star projectors you can buy. But even with a few issues, we think it'll be an ideal star projector for kids who want fun stars and shapes projected on their bedroom ceiling.

It goes without saying that this isn't a scientific projector, and if you're shopping for an adult, you should look elsewhere immediately. The One Fire Star Projector comes with interchangeable projection domes, which means, along with the standard cartoonish stars and moon projection, it can also project colorful dinosaurs, jellyfish and unicorns on the ceiling. There's also, inexplicably, a Christmas-themed projection dome in the box. Fun over the festive period, that's for sure.

The One Fire Star Projector doesn't have any additional features, however. With no remote control, everything it can do is controlled with just three buttons on the body. That makes it easy enough to use for kids, but outside of projecting and turning on and off a rotating motor, there's nothing else. No night light, no music player, not even a sleep timer. This is purely a projector, so if you’re looking for a more rounded package, this isn't the one for you.

Design

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• Easy to control
• Projection domes are flimsy
• Cheap construction

The One Fire Star Projector sports a lightweight, simple design with a star-shaped body. Atop is a dome which acts as the projection element. It's available in two colorways, pink and blue. With only three buttons on the side of the device and no remote control, it's simple to use: one button turns it on and off, one button cycles through color options, and the final button turns the rotation function on and off.

It is, however, fairly cheaply made, which isn't all that surprising given its $22-or-so asking price. It comes with six projection domes, which change the images projected on the walls and ceiling, but these are made of thin plastic and are easily bent or broken, particularly when handled by young children. More concerning is that when you remove the dome to change it over, the projector's components are bare underneath. Not only does this mean the projector is likely to be easily damaged, but they get rather hot in use, and a child could touch it when attempting to change the dome.

Performance

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• Wide reach
• Fun, colorful projections
• Choice of projection domes included

With six different projection domes to choose from, the One Fire Star Projector is far more than just a star projector. In fact, only one of its six domes has a star and moon theme. The others feature dinosaurs, unicorns, jellyfish and Christmas imagery. No matter which dome you install, though, you're going to get colorful, bright images, with a choice of colors to cycle through.

Despite the projector's size, it has a very wide reach, covering most of the ceiling and walls of a small to medium-sized bedroom. It's capable of creating a magical atmosphere, but that's about it: without any extra features, it's very barebones in what it can offer, particularly considering the star projections here are far from scientific. It's best suited to very young children, who would appreciate the additional fun projections on offer, like dinosaurs and unicorns.

Functionality

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• Limited extra features
• No remote control
• Rechargeable battery

As we've already mentioned, the One Fire Star Projector has limited functionality outside of being a projector. There's no sleep timer, no night light, no music player. It doesn't even come with a remote control. If you're looking for a projector with various features, this isn't it.

One thing it does have, however, is a built-in battery. It can be powered via USB, but unplug it and a 2400maH battery will keep it running for up to seven hours before needing charging again. This is ideal to move around the house, or take away on trips; you could even use it while camping. This could be a selling point by itself, as most projectors require to be plugged in at all times when in use.

Should I buy the One Fire Star Projector?

If you want something cheap and cheerful for young children, the One Fire Star Projector does a decent enough job of offering colorful, wide-reaching projections. But its flaws, including its flimsy design and the fact that components are exposed when changing projection domes, hold us back from fully recommending this.

If you're looking for something a little more sturdy or something that packs in more functionality for kids, we highly recommend the YACHANCE Night Light Star Projector. While it doesn't have interchangeable projections, it does boast an excellent build quality and features a night light, a sleep timer and a sound machine.

If you're looking for a more scientific projector, take a look at the Hommkiety Galaxy Projector. It's suitable for both adults and kids, and can project 10 different images thanks to the range of discs it ships with.