Brick App Blocker Review: We Tried it for Two Weeks

Five NBC Select staffers put The Brick to the test to see if it curbed their doomscrolling.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Nearly everyone on team NBC Select thinks they would benefit from less screen time. The Brick is a physical and digital device that aims to make your phone less distracting by 'Bricking' your phone, removing access to some (or all) of your apps until you disable it. Five NBC Select staffers put The Brick to the test for two weeks to see if it really works.

Why it matters

The Brick is a unique approach to reducing phone distractions, as it requires physically tapping the device to unblock apps, unlike most productivity apps that can be easily overridden. This could be an effective solution for people struggling with excessive screen time and mindless scrolling.

The details

The Brick is an app and physical puck that blocks apps on your phone. During setup, you can set the Brick to block all apps, block specific apps or select apps to allow (and block everything else). You can also set up to 10 modes or schedules to automatically Brick your phone at certain times. The physical Brick must be tapped to your phone in order to unBrick it, so you can't override it remotely.

  • The Brick staffers tested the device for two weeks.
  • The longest amount of time any staffers' phone was Bricked was eight hours during the workday.

The players

Mili Godio

An updates editor at NBC Select who was interested in trying the Brick to help reduce her social media usage and screen time.

Ashley Morris

An associate SEO reporter at NBC Select who wanted to break away from her phone taking up so much of her time and attention.

Caitlin Cusack

An associate social media editor at NBC Select who has had historically high screen time recently.

Nikki Brown

A senior editor at NBC Select who was curious about using more technology to address a technology distraction.

Rebecca Rodriguez

An editorial projects manager at NBC Select who wanted to cut down on her social media consumption.

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What they’re saying

“I loved it. It made meeting certain goals (like going to bed earlier, getting more work done and focusing on my journaling) so much easier. I felt like I wasn't constantly reaching for my phone at random points of the day, and I also wasn't mindlessly using a locked app when I got bored.”

— Mili Godio, updates editor (NBC Select)

“Having the option to disable a select number of apps or your entire app library is huge; one lets me avoid looking at my phone before bed or at work, while the other prevents me from mindlessly opening a doom-scrolling app.”

— Mili Godio, updates editor (NBC Select)

“Every time I went to grab my phone, I was greeted by the image of the Brick next to the amount of time I had it Bricked so far. I think Ashley worded this great: it almost felt like my phone was shaming me every time I fell into that bad habit. It made me so much more aware of how much I do it.”

— Nikki Brown, senior editor (NBC Select)

The takeaway

The Brick appears to be an effective tool for curbing excessive phone use and mindless scrolling, with its physical barrier and scheduling features helping users stay focused and productive. While it may not be a perfect solution for everyone, the Brick offers a unique approach to digital wellness that could benefit those struggling with smartphone addiction.