Kmart's $10 solution to one of summer's biggest problems: 'Game-changer'

Summer in Australia is comprised of many things: spending time at the beach, swimming in the ocean, and enjoying barbecues with family and friends. Thanks to the scorching heat, an Australian summer also often involves walking on the pavement so hot it feels like the soles of your feet are on fire, having to change your shirt midday because of how sweaty you’ve become, and getting near-third-degree burns from the metal seatbelt buckle in the car touching your skin.

While it’s impossible to control the weather (much to the surprise of some Republican politicians in the US), it is possible to control the conditions in your car to make the heat somewhat more manageable. Kmart has recently introduced a $10 gadget for your car that shoppers have declared will solve one of summer’s biggest problems.

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The retailer’s Sun Reflection Umbrella is perfect for sunny picnics, beach outings and outdoor adventures, and most importantly, for keeping the car interior cool. Similar to a classic accordion-style sunshade on your windshield, the umbrella is designed to reflect heat with its UV-protected silver-coated cloth.

In addition to stopping your leather seats and seatbelt buckles from getting extremely hot, the gadget also helps prevent interior surfaces in your car from aging and is easy to open, set up and stow away.

Kmart product goes viral on TikTok

Content creator Michael Jaimie (@michaeljaimie) recently shared a video on TikTok demonstrating how to use the product and has since racked up over 400,000 views.

“Ok, if you didn’t know that car umbrellas were a thing, I’m gonna get you onto it,” he began. “So we’re finally starting to get those warmer, sunny days in Australia now, but to help keep your car a little bit cooler, you can pop one of these umbrellas in your window.”

Michael went on to explain that the gadget “shoots out like an umbrella and blocks out your windscreen”, and saves you from dealing with a “flimsy” accordion-style sunshade.

“These are a lifesaver,” he added.

Social media users quickly took to the comments to praise the “amazing” product, with one person labelling it a “game-changer”.

“I bought mine when they first came out and I LOVE IT SO MUCH,” another added, while a third said, “Omg I got one this week and love it”.

“Best thing I’ve ever done for the hot Perth summer,” someone else shared, followed by a different user who replied, “Off to Kmart I go”.

Surprising reason why shoppers are scared to use it

Meanwhile, there were plenty of superstitious followers who admitted they would never open an umbrella indoors because it’s “bad luck”.

“Nope, I can't get over that it's opening an umbrella ‘inside’,” one person commented, to which Michael replied, “7 years bad luck for me and millions of others then”.

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“It’s the growing up knowing that’s bad luck for me,” another added, while someone else said, “I can already hear my mum telling me it’s bad luck to open an umbrella inside!

“I would try and reassure myself it's only indoors, meaning a house, but I probably couldn't do it,” a different user remarked, followed by another user who shared, “This is why I never used the one mum gave me for Christmas a few years ago!”.

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