Over the past few years, I’ve become laser-focused on learning about my sleep. I’ve always considered myself to be a good sleeper, but in my late 20s, I started to experience interruptions, a reduction of REM sleep, and overheating, which left me extremely tired and irritable the next day.

Following these disruptions, I tried my fair share of sleep trackers to gain some insights into my sleep habits. But aside from getting a bit too addicted to getting the perfect sleep score, I didn’t like having to wear something to bed – and that’s where the Hatch Sleep Clock came in.

The Hatch Sleep Clock came out in August 2026, and it offered a contactless, non-invasive way to track your sleep. As Hatch is known for its wake up lights, the Hatch Sleep Clock has a similar design, and comes with these features, including sound, lights and colours.

I’m a big fan of wake up lights, so having an option which combined this with non-wearable sleep tracking sounded like a win to me – but how did the Hatch Sleep Clock perform? I spent a few weeks sleeping next to it to find out.

Price and availability

The Hatch Sleep Clock is available to buy for $249.99 at Hatch. As of writing, it’s not yet available in the UK or Europe, and I had to use it with a US to UK plug adapter, as I live in the UK. It comes in putty, greige and cocoa colours.

To use the Hatch Sleep Clock, you need to download the Hatch Sleep app. The sleep tracking features are included in the cost of the Hatch Sleep Clock so you don’t need a subscription but if you want to use the lighting and sound features, you’ll need to sign up for Hatch+. The plan is free for the first 30 days, before you pay $5.99 a month and $59.99 annually.

Unboxing and set up

The Hatch Sleep Clock arrived with the main device and a US power cord. As mentioned, I had to use an adapter to test the Hatch Sleep Clock, so if you’re outside the US, you’ll need one too, and a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection is also required.

I’ve set up Hatch products before, and the Hatch Sleep Clock had a very similar process. I first plugged it into the adapter before downloading the Hatch Sleep app. From there, I connected the Hatch Sleep Clock to my Wi-Fi before I was able to set up my alarms and schedules.

For the wake up, wind down and alarm features, the Hatch Sleep Clock asked me to select timings and bedtime playlists. During set up, the Hatch Sleep app also gave advice on how to position it which was facing towards me on my bedside table, and between two - four feet away.

Design and features

As a contactless sleep tracker and wake up light, the Hatch Sleep Clock is designed to assist your entire sleep routine, from winding down, to sleeping, to waking up. It sits on your bedside table and uses ultra-low-power radio signals to detect movement and breathing without being invasive or using microphones or cameras.

Using radio signals and beside technology, the Hatch Sleep Clock can detect sleep with a 97% accuracy rate. It can learn your sleep patterns, and track when you go to bed, when you fall asleep, if you wake up in the night, and your different sleep stages. From there, the Hatch Sleep Clock offers personalised guidance and insights into your sleep, and recommends where you can improve your nighttime routine, like specific sleep stories, alarms and meditations.

The Hatch Sleep Clock looks identical to its wake up light siblings. It has a semi-circle shape with a large button on the top which you can press to turn it on/off and twist it to adjust the volume of your audio. It’s flanked by a pause button and a sleep button which will either pause your schedule or start it.

On the left side of the Hatch Sleep Clock is an alarm button which you can flick on or off without having to open the app. On the right side is a light button which turns on the Hatch Sleep Clock’s light so you can use it as a lamp. These are all the on-device controls but for anything more technical or customisable, you’ll need to use the Hatch Sleep app.

The Hatch Sleep app offers sleep tracking insights without you needing to sign up for the subscription. However, if you don’t, you won’t get access to the full library of sounds, meditations, podcasts, sleep stories, audiobooks and sound baths which the Hatch Sleep Clock comes with.

Performance

As the Hatch Sleep Clock is primarily a sleep tracker, I’ll start off with its sleep tracking functions. Firstly, you have to be very precise on how you position the Hatch Sleep Clock as it won’t pick anything up if it’s not perfectly aligned with where you are when you’re sleeping.

Personally, I didn’t find this too difficult. My bedside table is in line with my pillow so this wasn’t a big issue, although it took some trial and error before the Hatch Sleep Clock picked up my sleep consistently. It also started tracking for a day or two before the Hatch Sleep Clock demanded a reboot and completely stopped working.

After I returned from a holiday where I’d switched everything off in my house, the Hatch Sleep Clock was finally back up and running. However, I still found its sleep tracking to be inconsistent. Following the reboot, it consistently tracked my sleep every night, but it wasn’t the most accurate.

For example, I was informed in the Hatch Sleep app that I had only slept for three hours that night. I can confidently say that that’s incorrect as I slept from around midnight to 7am that night with minimal wake ups. It also doesn’t offer a sleep score, or really offer any in depth analysis, aside from some brief notes and timings of each sleep stage.

I’ve previously tested a smart ring before which tracked my sleep, and it was much more thorough about my sleep and how to improve. Of course, that’s because it was on my finger and therefore could better monitor my pulse, heart rate and other things, but the Hatch Sleep Clock is quite sparse with its tracking information.

Where the Hatch Sleep Clock won me over, though, was its use as a wake up light. I’ve used the Hatch Restore 3 before, so testing the Hatch Sleep Clock was a very similar experience with its wake up and wind down features. These features are definitely where the Hatch Sleep Clock – and Hatch’s other products – excel, as there are so many light, colour and sound options to choose from in the app.

The Hatch Sleep app is definitely worth the subscription cost, as you get so much from it. It’s much more expansive than similar style apps from competitors, and there’s lots of ways to customise your bedtime schedule, morning routine, and more. Despite being easy to use, the Hatch Sleep app can occasionally freeze and lose your customisations which is something to keep in mind.

In terms of sound, the Hatch Sleep Clock offers crystal clear audio which sounds amazing, and creates a full immersive experience when paired with lighting and colours. As a wake up light, the Hatch Sleep Clock does get very bright very quickly, and it could be a more gradual and gentle process.

Verdict

Hatch is a reliable, high quality brand that I would recommend to anyone – but only if you were looking to buy a wake up light. As a bedside lamp and wake up light, the Hatch Sleep Clock is an amazing choice. It’s got a cute design, lots of lights, colours and sounds available, and its on-device controls are quick and easy to use. The Hatch Sleep app is also one of the best I’ve tried.

However, as a sleep tracker, the Hatch Sleep Clock fell short for me. It’s not the most accurate or consistent, and didn’t provide a huge amount of insight into my sleep. It’s nice to see how many hours I’ve slept – although I found this to have issues too – and a sleep stages breakdown, but I think there needs to be some improvements before I’d use the Hatch Sleep Clock regularly as a sleep tracker.

Alternatives to consider

If it’s just a wake up light you’re after, the Hatch Restore 3 looks almost identical to the Hatch Sleep Clock. It also has all the same wake up and wind down features but without the tracking, and it’s more cost-effective at $169.99.

Another non-wearable sleep tracker which is a lot more accurate than the Hatch Sleep Clock is the Withings Sleep Analyzer. It sits underneath your mattress and offers detailed sleep statistics to help you sleep better – and you can’t feel it while you sleep.

It's always a bit of a gamble when a brand launches a cheaper, less-specced version of its flagship model. Whilst it's good news for anyone who wants the same experience without the premium price tag, there's usually something you have to give up – hence why I've been so keen to try the Roborock Saros 20 Neo.

Launched at IFA 2026, just nine months after its predecessor, the Saros 20 Neo shares many of the original's features but comes in at a lower price. Having tested the Saros 20, which I awarded five stars and soon placed at the top of our best robot vacuum cleaner guide, I was keen to see how the Neo compared.

Price and availability

The Saros 20 Neo has an RRP of £999 and is available in black or white from Roborock's online store and Amazon.

In the US, it's sold as the Roborock Qrevo Edge 3 Pro. Both models share the same core hardware, including 36,000Pa suction, dual spinning mop pads with a 15mm lift, a 6,400mAh battery and threshold-climbing capabilities.

Unboxing and set up

Getting started was straightforward, involving unpacking the robot and docking station, removing the protective packaging and checking that the brushes, dust bag and mop pads are fitted correctly. I placed it against a wall in my kitchen and near a power socket, with enough room around it for the robot to move freely. I then filled the clean-water tank, checked the dirty-water tank was in place and plugged it in.

Having tested other Roborock robots, I simply added the Saros 20 Neo as a new device in the app and followed the instructions to connect it to Wi-Fi. From there, I set my cleaning preferences, schedules and carpet settings before running the robot to create its initial map.

Design and features

Like Roborock's other models, the Saros 20 Neo is designed to handle most of your floor cleaning with minimal intervention. It measures just under 8cm tall and has a retractable LiDAR sensor that rises to map rooms and navigate around furniture, then lowers when the robot needs to squeeze beneath beds, sofas and other low-clearance spaces.

The robot measures 35 x 35 x 80cm, whilst the dock is considerably larger at 40 x 49 x 45cm. The dock has a more rounded design rather than the original's squarer shape.

The Saros 20 Neo has a 36,000Pa HyperForce motor designed to pick up dust, dirt and debris from hard floors and carpets. Its DuoDivide main brush and FlexiArm Arc side brush help reduce hair tangles, whilst the extendable side brush reaches into corners and along edges. The robot can also adjust its brushes and mop setup depending on the floor it's cleaning, lifting components or detaching the mop pads to help keep carpets dry.

Mopping is handled by two spinning pads that rotate at up to 200rpm and apply up to 14N of downward pressure. Warm water helps loosen stubborn marks, whilst the Edge Mopping System is designed to get closer to walls and corners. On carpets, the robot can adjust its chassis to maintain suction on pile up to 3cm deep, although some carpet-specific settings need to be enabled in the app.

One of the more unique features is the AdaptiLift Chassis 3.0, which is exclusive to the Saros 20 range. It helps the robot climb raised thresholds, with Roborock saying it can cross a single threshold up to 4.5cm high, or two consecutive thresholds measuring 4.5cm and 4.3cm.

Navigation combines the retractable LiDAR sensor with an RGB camera and structured-light sensing to map your home and recognise more than 300 obstacles. You can also set it to clean behind curtains, return to areas it skipped when something was in the way, and adjust its movements if it gets caught around furniture legs.

Interestingly, there are features for pet owners too, which I've been looking forward to trying having just welcomed home a new puppy. The robot can recognise nearby animals and adjust its route to avoid them, take photos when it spots them and use the app's Search for the Pet feature to help locate them. A video-call function also lets you check in through the onboard camera and remotely guide the robot around your home.

The docking station empties the robot's dustbin into a dust bag, refills its water tank and washes the mop pads using water heated to up to 100°C. It then dries the pads with warm air at up to 55°C and cleans the dock itself. A small light on the front also lets you know when the tanks need attention, shining white when everything is fine and red when something needs to be emptied or refilled.

The system also dispenses cleaning solution and adjusts its mop-washing routine depending on how dirty the pads are. Roborock claims the 2.7-litre dust bag holds up to 65 days' worth of dirt, although this will depend on how often you clean and how much debris the robot picks up.

Saros 20 vs Saros 20 Neo: what's the difference?

The Saros 20 Neo retains most of the original Saros 20's core cleaning features, but there are a few differences, with the biggest being navigation. The original uses StarSight Autonomous System 2.0, a tower-free navigation system, whilst the Neo switches to retractable LiDAR. That doesn't mean the Neo can't navigate beneath low furniture, but it does use different hardware to map and move around your home.

Interestingly, mopping pressure is actually higher on the Neo, reaching up to 14N compared with up to 13N on the Saros 20.

Crucially, both models retain 36,000Pa suction, the AdaptiLift Chassis 3.0 threshold-climbing system, dual anti-tangle brushes, automatic mop detachment and a dock with hot-water mop washing and warm-air drying. I'd argue these are amongst the most important features anyway, so the Neo is still well equipped despite the changes.

Performance

Having spent time with the original Saros 20, I was curious to see whether switching to the Neo would feel like a downgrade, but I found the experience to be almost identical. I barely noticed a difference in how it navigated around my home, and it managed to spot every kind of obstacle, including recognising and labelling my dog's cage on the app.

The initial mapping took slightly longer than it did with the original Saros 20, but we're talking about a relatively minor difference. Once the map was ready, the Neo navigated confidently, working its way around furniture and handling my home's layout without any issues. If I hadn't known about the change to the navigation system, I'm not sure I'd have noticed much difference at all.

Cleaning was just as good as I'd hoped, with the 36,000Pa suction picking up everyday dirt whilst the extending side brush got into corners and along skirting boards. The mopping was also impressive, particularly in my kitchen, where the pads did a great job of dealing with muddy paw prints. The anti-tangle brushes also kept hair from becoming a problem, and I liked being able to leave the robot to get on with things without worrying about it dragging wet mop pads across my rugs.

After a few uses, I did notice some hair collecting around the base where the mop pads sit. It could be that the vacuum isn't picking up everything the pads gather, but it was easy enough to wipe away with a cloth every now and then. It didn't seem to affect the robot's performance, but keeping the dock clean is always a good idea.

Verdict

The Saros 20 Neo may sit below the original in Roborock's lineup, but after testing both, the differences were hard to spot. I found the two remarkably similar in everyday use, from the impressive vacuuming and mopping to the navigation and obstacle recognition. Whilst mapping took a little longer, I barely noticed any difference once it got going. It's still a significant investment, but if you want premium cleaning without paying quite as much, the Neo gets the important things right.

Alternatives to consider

I've mentioned it enough already, but the original Roborock Saros 20 remains a good alternative, particularly if your budget stretches further. It's worth comparing current prices though, as a discount on the original could make the decision less straightforward.

The Eufy Omni S2 is another model to consider if you're after similar maintenance-free cleaning features. It uses a roller mop that continuously cleans itself with fresh water, alongside AI-powered obstacle avoidance designed to navigate around everyday clutter and pets. It doesn't match the Saros 20 Neo's low-profile design or threshold-climbing ability, but it's still worth a look.

I do a lot of flying. It's an essential for work, but also a personal passion. And if I'm getting a long-haul flight, then there's one gadget I won't leave home without.

I've long been using AirFly products, which enable you to plug into an in-flight entertainment (IFE) system and use your own headphones via Bluetooth. It's simple and brilliant.

Now there's a new upgrade as part of Twelve South's line-up: it's called the AirFly View, which adds a display to the product, making seeing and using the product easier than ever before.

I can see all kinds of situations where that's of benefit, not least because AirFly View offers dual simultaneous connection for two pairs of headphones – and here you'll easily be able to see that clearly.

I've often experienced cabin lights being dimmed soon after take-off – American Airlines seems to want you to live in permanent darkness – and visibility is another benefit of AirFly View's new display.

As you can see from the image embedded above, the View comes with its own little carry case, an adaptor for certain IFE types, and a short USB-A-to-C cable for recharging. It's even available in blue (well, 'Coastal'), if black doesn't do it for you.

Another great benefit I'd appreciate is seeing the remaining battery life. The non-visual nature of previous AirFly products has meant you're sometimes left guessing – and I've often come back to a unit that's drained if I've forgotten to switch it off.

Adding a display hasn't made the price outlandish either, as AirFly View will go on sale from today, priced at £/$79.99 in the UK/USA, €89.99 in Europe, and AU$139 in Australia. You can go direct to the store and order today.

The temperature's dropping, and your best smart thermostat is about to become your best friend again. However, before you turn up the heating and settle in for winter, it's worth making sure your system is ready for the colder months ahead.

Whilst we've already covered the exact date you should turn your heating on, there are a few jobs worth ticking off before then. From bleeding your radiators to checking your boiler pressure, here are three things to do before switching your heating back on for winter.

1. Bleed your radiators

Before switching your heating on properly, you need to check whether your radiators need bleeding. If they have cold patches at the top, make gurgling noises or take longer than usual to heat up, trapped air could be the cause.

Make sure the radiators are entirely cool, and then use a radiator key to release the trapped air. Once water starts coming out steadily, close the valve. If you have a sealed central heating system, check the boiler pressure afterwards, as bleeding radiators can cause it to drop.

2. Check your boiler pressure

If your boiler has been sitting idle over summer, it's worth checking the pressure before relying on it to heat your home. Most domestic boilers should sit at around 1-1.5 bar when the heating is off, although you should check your manufacturer's guidance for the correct range.

If the pressure is too low, you may need to top it up using the filling loop, following the instructions in your boiler manual. If it keeps dropping, or you notice leaks, get a qualified heating engineer to investigate rather than repeatedly topping it up.

3. Test your heating before the temperature drops

It's a risky move waiting until the first properly cold day to find out your heating isn't working. Turn your thermostat up a few degrees above the current room temperature and run the heating for 15-20 minutes to check that your radiators warm up and the boiler runs as expected.

Listen out for unusual noises and look for leaks around radiators and pipework. It's also a good time to check your thermostat batteries and make sure your boiler's annual service is up to date. If you smell gas or suspect a carbon monoxide leak, switch off the appliance if safe to do so, leave the property and contact the appropriate emergency service.

Following Apple’s ‘Welcome Home’ event which (finally) announced the new HomePod mini 2, you might be thinking that your old HomePod is obsolete now – but you’d be wrong. Apple has just released new HomePod 27.2 software for its old and new HomePod devices, including new lights, controls and audio options.

The most exciting feature that’s now available on the existing HomePod (2nd generation) and HomePod mini – as well as the upcoming HomePod mini 2 – is Sound Glow. The Sound Glow feature makes the top of your HomePod smart speaker light up and pulse with colour, and in sync to the music you’re playing.

The lights and colours emitted from Sound Glow draw from the album artwork of the song playing. It works with songs, podcasts and Apple’s ambient music feature to make your HomePod look like a ‘visual canvas’. The ambient music feature also allows you to choose a soundscape to trigger bespoke animations using Sound Glow, to make a more enjoyable, soothing experience.

I’ve just got my hands on the new HomePod mini 2 – review coming soon – which officially releases on 30th October, and Sound Glow is most definitely the feature I’m most excited to try. Alongside this feature, the HomePod 27.2 software update also includes new lock controls.

Thanks to this update, lock controls will now let you disable touch controls on the top of your HomePod. For those who have pets or small children, this means you can avoid any accidental taps, skips or volume changes, and reserve HomePod control through your other Apple devices and via voice commands.

Another new software feature is Mac audio output. If you have a Mac with Wi-Fi 6E or later, you can set your HomePod as the default speaker. This means you don’t have to manually connect them via AirPlay, which makes it more responsive and convenient when listening to audio on your Mac.

The HomePod 27.2 software features are available on the second generation HomePod, the first HomePod mini and the upcoming HomePod mini 2. It can be installed via the Home app on your iPhone.

Foreo has launched a new LED panel designed to make light therapy part of your daily wellness routine, with features aimed at supporting skin radiance, mood and sleep as the seasons change.

Unlike traditional light therapy panels, Foreo's UFO Advanced LED Lighthouse Panel uses Fresnel lenses to focus light from up to two metres away, so you can use it whilst working, reading or relaxing. It builds on the standard model with two additional near-infrared wavelengths, more LEDs, higher irradiance and sunrise and sunset lighting modes.

Priced at £269, the panel is available from Foreo's online store and retailers including Currys, LOOKFANTASTIC and Amazon.

The UFO Advanced LED Lighthouse Panel features two light settings designed to fit around your daily routine. Wake-Up Mode mimics a gentle sunrise, using changing light wavelengths to help suppress melatonin and promote morning alertness. On the other hand, Sleep Mode projects warm, sunset-inspired light to encourage relaxation before bed.

Like many of the best LED face masks, its five LED wavelengths target different skin concerns, from deep near-infrared light for signs of ageing and near-infrared for cellular repair. There's also red light for fine lines, amber for redness and blue for blemishes, including acne.

For best results, Foreo recommends pairing the panel with its new UFO Dual-Mode LED Serum, a ceramide-powered formula designed to maximise light absorption whilst helping to strengthen the skin barrier.

Check out 3 ways to use your SAD lamp to manage the UK clock change next.

Pro Breeze has expanded its OmniDry dehumidifier collection with its smallest, most compact model yet. The new Pro Breeze OmniDry 10L Dehumidifier offers powerful extraction, a dedicated laundry mode and it’s surprisingly cost-effective to run.

Previously, Pro Breeze’s OmniDry range included 12L, 20L and 40L models, but the brand has now gone even smaller. The Pro Breeze OmniDry 10L Dehumidifier offers a more accessible and affordable option to avoid damp and mould in smaller spaces, including bedrooms, home offices and flats.

As the name states, the Pro Breeze OmniDry 10L Dehumidifier extracts up to 10-litres of moisture a day. Despite its small space-saving size, the dehumidifier is packed with built-in sensors and intelligent humidity control to automatically monitor your room’s humidity, and keep it between 40-60% – the ideal level for keeping your home hygienic and you comfortable.

The Pro Breeze OmniDry 10L Dehumidifier measures 33.8cm in height, 24.3cm in length and 18.2cm in width, and weighs 6.95kg, so it can easily fit in small spaces. It’s a corded model, so it will need an outlet, but the cord length measures 150cm and it has smooth-gliding wheels so you can move it around wherever you need it.

For those who dry their clothes inside, the Pro Breeze OmniDry 10L Dehumidifier has a dedicated laundry mode to speed up this process. It also works to absorb excess moisture from your wet clothes to help minimise dampness and condensation.

Another handy feature of the Pro Breeze OmniDry 10L Dehumidifier is its quiet operation. It operates at 38dB on its quietest mode, so you really shouldn’t notice it while it’s running.

Most dehumidifiers cost between 4p – 9p per hour to run, and the Pro Breeze OmniDry 10L Dehumidifier is on the lower end of this scale. According to Pro Breeze, its newest dehumidifier costs 4p an hour, so it’s not making too big of a dent in your monthly energy bills.

The initial cost of the Pro Breeze OmniDry 10L Dehumidifier is affordable too. It’s available to buy for £119.99 at Pro Breeze.

I hate to break it to you, but you're not the only one waiting to get your hands on Apple's new HomeView. Pre-orders are open, but shopping doesn't begin in the UK until 13th November, so there's still a little while to wait.

However, don't fret, because I've found some smart home hubs you can buy today, including options from some pretty big brands. Granted, they might not look quite as sleek as the HomeView, but they're impressive gadgets in their own right.

Take a look at my picks below, along with how much you can save on each one.

Roborock is taking on Dyson and Shark with its latest wet-and-dry vacuum cleaner – and it’s finally available in the UK. The new Roborock F25 Ultra is the brand’s first handheld vacuum with steam and hot water cleaning modes, and it has a clever lay-flat design to help it get into all your home’s nooks and crannies.

Wet-and-dry vacuums have taken over the cleaning market, as a quick and easy way to get your floors clean and sparkling without dirty water cross-contamination. The new Roborock F25 Ultra takes this one step further with its high-temperature cleaning that tackles stains, grease and dirt in a more hygienic way.

The Roborock F25 Ultra uses VaporFlow and WaveFlow technology to clean up dried-on spills and stains. It produces 150°C steam which works to loosen these types of stains, while the flow and 86°C temperature hot water breaks down grease and stickiness.

This action, especially the steaming, makes the Roborock F25 Ultra a seriously hygienic vacuum-mop hybrid that removes 99.99% of bacteria and allergens. Not only does its technologies ensure an effectively clean floor, but it doesn’t leave them too wet or soggy, or use any harsh chemicals on your flooring.

As a vacuum, the Roborock F25 Ultra has a 22,000 Pa suction power to suck up dirt and debris. It also has a tangle-free brush head roller, so it’s suitable for homes with pets and people with long hair, and has four cleaning modes to choose from – Auto, Sponge, Steam and Hot Water.

The design of the Roborock F25 Ultra is similar to other wet-and-dry vacuums, with a water tank in the head, an LED display at the top, and an extra-long handle. It looks quite chunky, but the Roborock F25 Ultra actually has a 12.5cm lay-flat design which allows it to fold down by 180°C to get underneath furniture.

As the Roborock F25 Ultra moves around on its SlideTech 2.0 wheels, it has a blue light that illuminates any missing dirt and dust, and a DirTech smart sensor detects dirt and adjusts its cleaning power accordingly. The brush head also has a JawScraper which reduces tangles and streaks left behind by mopping.

For maintenance, the Roborock F25 Ultra comes with a self-cleaning and drying roller. The steam and hot water cleans the roller, and the main head of the Roborock F25 Ultra has an automatic detergent dispenser in the one litre water tank which lasts for up to 30 days before it needs refilling.

Users of the Roborock F25 Ultra will have to manually separate the wet and dry waste, but this is relatively easy to do. The Roborock F25 Ultra also has up to 60 minutes of runtime, and can connect to the Roborock app for scheduling, and self-cleaning and drying information.

The Roborock F25 Ultra is available to buy now for £699 / $799 at Roborock and select retailers, like Amazon.

Blink announced five new security cameras last week, including 4K and 2K models for the UK and US. The new Blink Mini 4K+ is likely to get the most attention, as it offers the brand's highest resolution yet, but another model caught my eye for a different reason.

The Blink Frontier XR+ is designed for monitoring remote areas, making it Blink's longest-range camera to date. It's aimed at places such as gates, barns, outbuildings and property boundaries that are too far away for standard Wi-Fi security cameras, whilst still offering real-time motion alerts and live view.

For now, the Frontier XR+ is only available in the US and Canada, where it's priced at $199.99 and available in black or army green. There's no confirmed UK launch date yet, but we'll update you if that happens.

Its main selling point is range, particularly when paired with the right hardware. The external antenna is designed to improve signal strength when used with the Sync Module XR or Sync Module XR+. With an outdoor-mounted Sync Module XR+, Blink claims the camera can reach up to 800 feet through heavy obstructions, or up to 7,000 feet with a clear line of sight.

The camera is available on its own or in a bundle with the Sync Module XR+. The standalone version is intended for anyone who already owns a compatible Sync Module and wants to add another camera, whilst the bundle includes the XR+ module, a power adapter and cable.

There are no cellular fees or contracts, but the system does have some limitations. The Sync Module XR+ needs AC power and a Wi-Fi connection, so it won't work in locations without electricity or internet access. That somewhat limits where you can use it, despite the extended range.

The camera runs on four AA lithium batteries, but its USB-C port also accepts 5V DC power, allowing you to keep it plugged in instead of relying on batteries.

Some features also require a Blink subscription, although some new users can access a free 30-day trial of Blink Plus AI, which begins when the product is activated and includes AI-powered features across Blink devices. After the trial, you can choose from the Basic, Plus, Basic AI or Plus AI plans for cloud storage and additional features.

The Frontier XR+ takes a different approach from Blink's more conventional best security cameras, focusing on range rather than resolution. If you need to monitor a distant part of your property, that could make it a useful option, provided you have the power and Wi-Fi connection it requires.

I'm a huge fan of browsing the New in section of IKEA's website and discovering all the things I didn't know I needed. That said, it's been a fairly lacklustre month for new finds, mostly due to the retailer's huge Christmas lighting launch, but one recent addition has finally caught my eye.

The IKEA Solskur LED table lamp actually launched back in 2020, but it's making a comeback in a fresh blue colourway designed by Malin Gyllensvaan. The new version has a light blue finish, a nickel-plated knob on top and a bell-shaped design with cutouts inspired by the natural world of the Himalayas.

You can now buy it from IKEA's website or in store for just £19, making it £6 cheaper than the original white version. It's also available in the US for $39.99.

Although the Solskur technically sits in IKEA's kids' section, I think it would look lovely in pretty much any room. Its soft blue colour and decorative cutouts make it a great option if you want to create a space that feels fresh but still cosy, whether that's a bedside table or a reading nook.

It's worth knowing that the LED bulb is included, but you can replace it when needed. The lamp also has a low-voltage design and no sharp edges or hot surfaces, making it a safe option if you'd prefer to have it in your child's bedroom.

This year's extremely dry weather has not been kind to lawn mower reviewers. Just as some products arrived, the southern half of the UK experienced one of its hottest, driest summers ever, with lawns going into complete shut-down. Hence, a complete lack of lawn growth made it almost impossible to accurately appraise any lawnmower, whether conventional or robotic. But thankfully lawns across the UK have since sprung to life – and that means garden product reviewers like myself can finally get down to some serious catchup.

Today, I bring you one of the most unique wireless robotic lawn mowers currently available, a model that not only properly mulches grass but collects grass clippings and dead leaves before dumping them in a designated spot, just like a pick-up truck. It's called the Anthbot N8 and it might just be the robot mower of your dreams.

Let's look at this little lawn-meister in more detail.

Price and availability

In the UK, the Anthbot N8 is available to buy direct from Anthbot for €1,599 or Amazon, where it’s selling for £1,699. If shopping in the USA, try Anthbot direct and Amazon, where it’s shifting for $1,699.

Specifications

• Recommended Mowing Area: 1,500m²
• Functions: Mows, mulches, collects grass clippings and sweeps up leaves
• Cutting width: 20cm
• Cutting heights: 30m to 70cm in 5mm increments, motorised
• Collection bin: 23 litres, auto dump
• Maximum slope: 44.5% (24˚)
• Multi-zones: Up to 30
• Navigation: RTK + NetRTK over WiFi and 4G + Dual Vision 150° AI vision
• 4G data: One year included
• Waterproof rating: IPX6
• Weight: 16.5kg
• Warranty: Machine 3 years; Battery 2 years

Set up

Some wireless robots I’ve tested have been much easier to set up than others. For instance, I enjoyed a completely fuss-free experience with the TerraMow V1000, Mammotion LUBA 3 and Segway Navimow i210E LiDAR Pro that I've reviewed previously, but had a torrid time with a Husqvarna model that made my blood boil.

This model fits into the easy-peasy category. Simply remove the robot and charging station from the box and site the charging station on the side of the lawn nearest to a power outlet. You have a choice of either using the spiked RTK aerial if you have poor WiFi or 4G reception or using netRTK over the internet which doesn't require spiking any aerials into the lawn.

Once in position, switch on the mower, initiate any inevitable firmware upgrades and choose whether you want to map your lawn automatically or manually using the app's virtual joysticks. When mapped you can then choose the type of mowing you want to perform, whether its collecting, sweeping or mulching. The mower comes with the three-blade grass collecting cutting disk already mounted so don't forget to change it to the alternative six-blade disk if mulching.

Design

The Anthbot N8 isn't the first robot mower to collect grass cuttings and leaves because that accolade goes to the Mammotion YUKA 1500 which I reviewed in 2024. However, the Anthbot N8 definitely takes the concept to new heights. Let me explain.

Unlike the YUKA 1500 which used a revolving plastic sweeper brush to help fling leaves and grass cuttings into its collection bag, the Anthbot N8 behaves more like a conventional rotary mower only on a much smaller scale.

For instance, where a rotary mower uses a gently pitched, fast-spinning blade to both cut grass while creating a cyclonic effect that sucks up and blows the cuttings into the mower's collection bag, the N8 uses a specialised cutting disc replete with three acutely curved razor blades that generate a similar type of cyclonic lift that works a bit like a vacuum cleaner.

Hence, the grass is not only cut, but the majority of clippings are blown into the robot's grass collector and then dumped pick-up style in a predesignated spot. The downside is the noise it makes when mowing, which is very similar to that of a rotary mower. Yes, the Anthbot N8 is quite a lot quieter but it's nowhere near the silence of a conventional robot mower.

Now, I'm the first to question why someone would need a grass-collecting robot mower when the whole idea of having an autonomous bot is so that it can mow several times a week, lopping off just a millimetre or two of grass on each occasion. However, after having run the N8 on my lawn for the past few weeks, I can now see some very valid reasons why one might prefer a machine like this.

Firstly, some robot mower owners tend to get rid of their conventional push mowers as soon as they've seen the excellent results created by their new robot. However, there will be times when your grass has grown too long for a robot mower to cut without leaving clumps of long cuttings on the lawn, and this usually happens at the beginning of the season or while you're away on holiday. Regarding the latter, you could rightfully let the robot continue to run while you're on holiday but the internet is still full of users reporting stranded robots with dead batteries that had a hissy fit while owners were sitting on a beach hundreds of miles away with no way of rectifying the issue. It's the nature of the beast.

Although I have no evidence to prove it, I suspect that collecting grass clippings could also help limit the spread of certain unwanted grasses and weeds, including dandelions, by removing some of their seeds before they have a chance to germinate. It’s difficult to say how significant the effect would be, but surely a machine that collects as much debris as possible has at least a small part to play in reducing the spread of unwanted plant growth.

However, for me, this mower's main raison d'etre is its leaf-sweeping ability. My garden is surrounded by very tall beech, birch and horse chestnut trees which have already started shedding their leaves and this little bot has so far been a godsend in that department. Later this year I expect a monster deluge of leaves, so will add further thoughts to this review in due course.

Cutting system

Depending on the height of the cut, most robot mowers leave at least a light trail of grass clippings in their wake, but the Anthbot N8 takes a much more versatile approach by allowing the user to switch between a full grass and leaf collection system – replete with a generous collection bag – and a mulching chute that returns finely chopped clippings to the lawn.

Anthbot supplies a 23-litre fabric collection bag, a fabric mulching deflector and two separate 20cm cutting disks, allowing the N8 to be configured for different tasks, whether it's cutting the lawn with the grass and leaf collector attached or mulch cutting using a different blade configuration and the mulching chute.

Let's look at the grass and leaf collection system first. With the collection assembly fitted, the N8's three curved blades generate cyclonic airflow that sucks up and blasts the clippings or mulched leaves into the bag.

Not one to miss a trick, Anthbot has equipped the collection bag with a sensor that can tell when the bag is full, initiating a magical process whereby the robot trundles over to a predetermined dumping ground to empty the contents, just like a pick-up truck. And it doesn't just lift the bag once when it's there, it lifts it twice to ensure the bag has been properly emptied before moving forward beyond the pile with the bag raised in the air so it doesn't scoop up any of the detritus it's just dumped. Clever.

For mulching, you will need to turn the robot over and replace the disk used for grass collection with a different six-blade cutting disc comprised of three traditional razor-style blades on the top and three curved cyclonic blades on the bottom. You will also need to replace the rear collection bag with the specialised mulching chute.

Now, you may be wondering why you need this specialised mulching kit when practically all robots use the mulching technique as a matter of course. The main difference with this system is that the grass is cut twice and then blasted towards the rear chute which distributes the cuttings far more evenly than standard robot mowers. The result is not only finer clippings but a much more even spread than the conspicuous clumps that can spoil the appearance of freshly mown grass.

Granted, both the collection bag and mulching chute make the N8 bulkier at the rear and trickier to map a lawn without the rear end snagging on a fence or a border, but I'm willing to work around that given that this is a machine that's designed to maintain a lawn throughout more of the gardening year, rather than merely keeping the grass short.

However, there is one major caveat with the Anthbot N8 that may put off some prospective buyers – the noise it makes. The beauty of robot mowers is that they are so silent when working on the lawn that they simply can't be heard, even from a few metres away. That is most definitely not the case here.

Since the Anthbot N8 uses curved blades that suck as well as cut, the compressed air whizzing about underneath makes it sound like a traditional rotary mower when in operation. Admittedly it's a lot quieter than a rotary mower and you can, at least, set it to run its blades more slowly and less efficiently, but even this setting is still audible from indoors. And that means your neighbour may hear it, too. Bear this in mind.

Like all good robot lawn mowers, the N8 comes with a motorised cutting deck and a range of cutting heights from 30m to 70cm in 5mm increments. I find 35mm to be the sweet spot for British grasses but Americans will likely prefer a taller cut of between 3 and 3.5 inches (76 to 90mm) for grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass and 1.5 to 2.5 inches (40 to 63mm) for Bermuda and Zoysia. If in doubt, follow the one-third rule and never remove more than one-third of the grass blade in a single mowing session.

Navigation

The Anthbot N8 uses RTK satellite positioning either via a spiked aerial or netRTK over WiFi and 4G, plus dual vision cameras to accurately navigate a garden without the need for an old-fashioned perimeter wire.

Mapping is handled through the Anthbot app, where you create a digital outline of the lawn's perimeter and define the areas the mower is allowed to work in. Like many mowbots, the N8 can map automatically but because of the sticky-out grass bag which can snag on objects when performing turns, I would suggest manually mapping your lawn by walking behind it and steering it like an RC car using the app's virtual joysticks. That way you can steer the bot closer to edges and end up with a more accurate lawn map.

If you have multiple lawns, you can also create up to 30 different zones and have the robot automatically move from one lawn to the next. However, you would need to ensure that there are no obstacles like steps or gates in the way or it will simply come to a halt. Each zone can have its own settings, including cutting height, mowing direction and obstacle-detection sensitivity, and no-go zones can be programmed to protect areas such as ponds and tree roots, or areas of the garden you'd rather the mower avoided.

The N8's obstacle avoidance is handled by two forward-facing cameras and AI recognition software. If the system identifies people, animals or most small items, it steers around them and continues the task. You can adjust its obstacle avoidance sensitivity in the app in two steps: High for avoiding smaller obstacles and Medium for larger obstacles and more thorough cutting performance.

Overall, the N8's navigation and mapping system is up there with the best models I've previously tested. However, if there's one limitation, it's that the mower with grass collector attached is almost a metre long, making tight turns, narrow passages and awkward corners a bit more challenging. As a result, I think this model is best suited to relatively open lawns where it has more room to manoeuvre.

Anthbot app

The Anthbot app is one of the most feature-filled command centres I’ve come across. Consequently, it’s loaded to the gills with a smorgasbord of features that allows you to adjust the mower’s cutting height, manage mowing routes, monitor the mower’s progress remotely, create virtual boundaries and no-go areas, divide your garden or gardens into multiple zones, establish individual mowing schedules, adjust the mower’s obstacle avoidance sensitivity, and customise cutting directions to achieve the perfect finish. Top marks in this respect.

Performance

Since this model is more complex than others on the market, it took me a lot more time to evaluate but, in the main, the Anthbot N8 has really impressed me with its overall performance, particularly the accuracy of its navigation, how well it cut my lawn in perfect parallel stripes before dumping the cuttings in a place of my choosing and, above all, its leaf-sweeping ability.

Let’s start with its navigation which has been rock solid from the moment I installed it. I prefer manually mapping my lawn and this model was pretty much plain sailing. Consequently, it has never ventured off piste, lost its RTK signal – in both aerial and WiFi modes – or not been able to find its charging base.

The N8's obstacle avoidance is less effective than most other robots I’ve tested and I can only put this down to a possibly intentional tailoring back of the N8’s obstacle sensitivity, especially since it is also designed for sweeping up leaves of all sizes.

Hence, it completely ignored a tennis ball (a tough ask for many robots) and a small plant pot with a dead plant poking out. I may be wrong, but my thinking is that the robot may have ignored the pot on purpose, because it was roughly the size of a large horse chestnut leaf, and were it to avoid everything that size it would never perform the task it was designed for.

Perhaps Anthbot could update its list of recognised object so its avoidance system is a bit more accurate. On the plus side, it avoided a slightly larger lantern as expected. While the N8 doesn’t have the worst obstacle avoidance I’ve ever seen, some users with kids and pets might wish to look elsewhere.

I have no reservations regarding this robot’s cutting quality. While I much prefer the wider tract of the Mammotion LUBA 3, the N8 has always left a neat stripe in its wake. I’ve been especially blown away by how well the grass collector has worked and found myself waiting for the moment it trundled over to the corner of the lawn where I set its designated dumping spot.

Like clockwork it has sauntered over, reversed into the spot and then lifted the grass collector twice to ensure all cuttings have fallen out. Even more impressively, on subsequent dumping sessions it has avoided any previous piles of cuttings and dumped new batches alongside.

I also tried the mulching system by swapping over the blades (easy to do) and fitting the mulching chute. In this set up it chopped the grass into finer clippings and distributed them across the lawn very effectively, with very little obvious evidence of any cuttings in the mower's wake.

However, it’s this robot’s leaf-sweeping ability that really clinches the deal for me. I normally run my Worx Nitro push mower on a higher cut setting to clear leaves and the combination of its fast-spinning blade and cyclonic air system does a sterling job of sucking up 80% of leaves on the lawn. This little robot is just as effective. Granted, it takes much longer to complete the task than the push mower but, because it’s a robot, it can be programmed to go out every day during autumn and then all you have to do is bin all the leaves its collected. Job done.

What’s not so great about the Anthbot N8? Well, aside from the toned-down obstacle avoidance, its above-average length, the loud noise it makes and the slight faff of having to change the blades for different tasks, the only issues I’ve come across is the rain water that pools on top of the grass collector when it’s sitting on its charging dock, and the fact that you can’t use the robot without either of the rear attachments should you simply want to cut the grass like a traditional robot mower. It simply won’t let you.

Verdict

No question, the Anthbot N8 is arguably the most versatile autonomous lawn-care machine I’ve ever come across. Its ability to sweep up fallen leaves and automatically dump them at a designated spot is an especially welcome convenience that tackles one of the most mundane of all garden duties. Autumn leaves? Bring 'em on.

On 25th October 2026 (a.k.a today), the clocks went back in the UK, making us ‘fall back’ to standard time. After a long, hot summer, some people will be looking forward to the colder weather, but this clock change means it’s going to get darker earlier in the day, making them feel shorter.

For those who experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), this is typically the time of year when their symptoms worsen. SAD lamps are recommended as light therapy devices to combat this lack of sunlight and help manage SAD symptoms.

Following the UK clock change, it can take a few days to acclimatise to the new time. A SAD lamp can also come in handy for managing this effectively, so below, I’ve listed three ways you can use your SAD lamp to manage the UK clock change.

1. Use your SAD lamp within the first hour of waking up

To adjust to the UK clock change, use your SAD lamp within the first hour of waking up. I’d recommend using it for up to 30 minutes each morning, which is surprisingly easy to incorporate into your day. It can be introduced into your morning routine as part of getting ready, reading the newspaper, making coffee, and so on.

Using your SAD lamp first thing in the morning signals to your body clock or circadian rhythm that it’s time to be awake, which is great for if you’re feeling lethargic after a clock change. It also ensures you get a good amount of sunlight as soon as possible which can positively affect your mood.

I’d also suggest using your SAD lamp alongside a wake up light. As a wellness expert, I’ve tested plenty of wake up lights, and they’ve made a big difference to my mornings. They wake you up in a more gentle, natural way by mimicking the sunrise. Having this kickstart your day, followed by another hit of light from your SAD lamp, should hopefully alleviate your symptoms.

2. Incorporate your SAD lamp into your work set-up

SAD lamps are surprisingly portable and compact, so they can be set up almost anywhere, including your desk. Using a SAD lamp at your desk is a great way to add light to your day, and as you’re not meant to look at them directly, it’s handy for passively getting the benefits while you’re busy doing things – and without hurting your eyes.

You can use whichever SAD lamp you have, but the Lumie Task is actually a SAD and desk lamp hybrid which is designed to boost your mood, productivity and motivation while you work.

3. Avoid using your SAD lamp in the evening

This is more of a tip for what not to do, but it’s important to note, especially if you’re using your SAD lamp to tackle the recent clock change. Light signals to your brain when it’s time to be alert, so using a SAD lamp too late in the afternoon or evening can trick you into thinking it’s time to be awake. This will result in you staying awake for longer, and can negatively affect your sleep cycle.

The biggest mistake you’re making with your dehumidifier is actually much simpler than you think.

Autumn is officially here, and with it, comes darker nights, colder temperatures and – for the UK especially – lots of wet weather. This is why now is the perfect time of year to invest in a dehumidifier to prevent your home from getting damp, mouldy and unhygienic.

In general, dehumidifiers are easy to use, and don’t require a lot of intervention from you. However, I’ve covered common dehumidifier mistakes before, from facing them the wrong way to setting the wrong level, and there’s one obvious mistake everyone makes with dehumidifiers that can actually prevent them from working properly.

Due to the ease and simplicity of dehumidifiers, many people forget that they have to change and clean the filter, and empty the water tank. It might sound obvious to do this, but a dehumidifier is definitely one of those appliances that most people set and forget, so it can be easy to neglect doing these tasks.

If you don’t regularly change the filter or empty the water tank, your dehumidifier can start to negatively impact the air quality in your home. As they work by pulling in air, dirty or full dehumidifiers will start to pull in allergens and bacteria that can make your home’s air worse. This build-up will also prevent your dehumidifier from working properly and altogether.

Starting with the filter, if you use your dehumidifier regularly, you should clean your filter every two weeks. If your home is particularly dusty or you have pets, this should be shortened to every week or 10 days.

If you’re using a dehumidifier seasonally, you can get away with cleaning the filter once a month, or at the start and end of the season. For changing the filter, I’d recommend changing it every 3-5 months to keep your dehumidifier running smoothly.

Another area that’s often neglected when using a dehumidifier is the water tank. It should be emptied as soon as it reaches the maximum line, and if you’re using it throughout the day, you should be emptying it once or twice a day, especially if the tank is small.

Leaving the water tank full for too long runs the risk of it overflowing, and prevents the dehumidifier from working at its best. It’s also a waste of energy as it’ll continue to try and perform, while not actually making a difference to your home.

If you've been eyeing up the Dyson Airwrap but can't justify spending hundreds on a hair styler, Aldi has a much cheaper alternative arriving in stores tomorrow. The Ambiano Styling Barrel costs just £17.99 and comes with three attachments – a smooth brush, volumising brush and diffuser.

We've seen Aldi take on Dyson in other areas recently too, including with its Ambiano bladeless fan heater, which offers an alternative to the Dyson Hot+Cool HF1. The Styling Barrel also arrives ahead of Christmas, making it one to consider if you're looking for a gift for someone who enjoys styling their hair.

The Ambiano Styling Barrel also comes in Black, Berry or Champagne. It'll be available in Aldi stores from tomorrow, Sunday 25th October.

In terms of specs, it has a power output of 1,000-1,200W, compared with the Dyson Airwrap i.d.'s 1,300W. It also has two heat settings, two speed settings and a cool-shot function to help set your style.

Of course, the two aren't directly comparable, and I'd be cautious about expecting Dyson-level results from a £17.99 tool. However, if you want a multi-attachment styler without spending hundreds, Aldi's latest offering could be a great option.

It's safe to say I was pretty excited when Dyson's new robot vacuum cleaner lineup launched last month. This was not only because three models arrived at once, but also because they all came with different features, requirements and price points – meaning there's something for everyone.

As a result, I decided the R2 Nurovi would be a good place to start as the middle model. This was mostly because I have a mix of hard floors and carpet, but also because slightly higher suction power is needed in my house due to our five-month-old puppy.

That meant the conditions were pretty much perfect, leaving me with one more thing to do... put it to the test.

Price and availability

The Dyson R2 Nurovi is priced at £749.99 ($699) and can be purchased from Dyson's website, as well as Argos, John Lewis and Currys.

As mentioned, it's the middle model in the lineup, sitting between the hard-floor R1 Nurovi and the upcoming R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub, which uses an AI stain scanner to identify and tackle invisible stains.

Unboxing and set up

The R2 Nurovi is easy to set up and connects to your phone via the usual MyDyson app, which I've become very familiar with. This involves plugging in the dock and using the app to find nearby products to connect to, with the R2 Nurovi appearing almost immediately.

You can see me setting it up by filling the tanks and attaching the anti-tangle side sweeper below too:

The app then takes you through a few steps, including connecting it to your Wi-Fi and the robot itself. This took me a few attempts, as the app got stuck on the pairing request page, but everything was connected properly within about 10 minutes. If you experience the same issue, just relaunch the app until it works.

After that, the robot mapped my chosen area, which didn't take long at all, allowing me to edit and split rooms when needed. I then connected it to my Amazon Alexa (steps here if needed) so I could use voice control when required, and then it was all good to go.

Design and features

The R2 Nurovi has an understated Light Grey and Vinca Blue design, with Dyson retaining the distinctive canister-style look of its robot vacuum docks. The robot itself measures 35cm wide and 35cm long, stands at just under 10cm tall and weighs 3.6kg, whilst the docking station weighs 9.2kg and measures 52cm high, 47cm long and 42cm wide. I personally love the way it looks, and it's nice change from the usual black square docks provided by other brands.

The R2 vacuums and washes hard floors at the same time, rather than requiring separate cleaning runs. Dyson has designed it around a new Twin-Capture system, which uses two stages to deal with different types of dirt. A brush bar mechanically sweeps larger debris into the machine, whilst the vacuum motor focuses on fine dust and smaller particles.

There's also a 21,000Pa suction motor and an anti-tangle brush bar designed to pick up and de-tangle hair, including pet hair.

One of the more unusual design features is the Reuleaux triangle wash pads, which allow the points of the triangles to reach further into corners and along edges. This improves floor-washing coverage right up to walls, where circular pads can leave gaps.

The R2 also has extending anti-tangle side sweepers, which are designed to deal with dirt collecting around the edges of rooms. The sweepers extend 27mm from the robot to get closer to walls and into corners, whilst their redesigned structure guides dust and debris into the airflow.

The robot also uses an ultrasonic sensor to detect whether the floor is hard or carpeted, allowing the R2 to adjust its suction, whilst a sensor also monitors dust levels. The piezo system counts and sizes dust particles and can automatically boost suction when it detects that more cleaning power is needed.

Navigation has also been upgraded from previous models, with the R2 using high-speed LiDAR to scan and map your home, allowing it to navigate rooms, avoid obstacles and clean systematically. It can also climb over raised areas of up to 40mm.

In terms of battery life, Dyson quotes a maximum runtime of 90 minutes, with a 6.5-hour charge time.

Its docking station automatically washes the Reuleaux triangle pads with 75°C heated water after cleaning, before drying them with 45°C hot air. Dyson says this helps prevent mould and odour build-up, whilst dirty water is extracted hygienically during the cleaning process.

The dock also takes care of the dry debris and has eight Dyson cyclones that separate dust and debris when the robot returns, with the dock able to store up to 90 days of dry waste. The R2's bin has a 2.6-litre capacity, whilst the dock also automatically refills, self-cleans and recharges the robot – but more on this shortly.

Performance

I've been impressed by the Dyson R2 Nurovi's cleaning performance, particularly on hard floors. The app is easy to navigate, and I liked being able to split rooms and add furniture to the map. Having those visual reference points makes it much easier to see where the robot is cleaning, rather than trying to decipher a basic floor plan.

The R2 vacuumed and mopped my living room and dining room in around 20 minutes, which is on the speedy side. Having it tackle both jobs at once is also brilliant, particularly in a busy home with pets or children, where floors rarely stay clutter-free for long.

My home has hard floors and rugs, and the R2 handled that combination without any issues during my testing. That said, I've seen reports of other users experiencing problems with the robot getting stuck, so I'd be more cautious if your home has deep-pile carpets or lots of different floor surfaces. It wasn't something I encountered myself, but it's worth bearing in mind.

Unfortunately, the biggest issue I've had with the R2 is its Twin-Capture system. This collects dust and debris inside the robot before transferring it into the larger dust container in the dock. After a few cleaning runs, I noticed that the transfer wasn't working properly, with debris building up in the robot's onboard container instead of being emptied automatically.

I tried triggering a manual empty through the app, but that didn't seem to dislodge the blockage. The onboard container has two compartments, and on closer inspection, the upper section attached to the filter appeared to be clogged with dust. I manually removed the accumulated debris from both sections, hoping this would help the dock suction everything out more effectively.

Even after I'd cleared the blockage, the transfer didn't seem particularly powerful once I started paying closer attention. I knew the system was working to some extent, and there were no seals I'd forgotten to remove, but the process of getting debris from the robot into the dock was clearly being affected.

This is a pretty significant drawback for a robot vacuum that's designed to take care of cleaning with minimal intervention. Having to empty the onboard container manually takes away much of that convenience, and it put a real dampener on what had otherwise been a positive experience. I've since been more careful about how much debris I let the robot pick up in one go, and I make sure to check and empty it after each run.

I was also keen to see how well the triangular mop pads handled corners, but after watching the robot clean, I was a little disappointed. I understand the thinking behind the shape, and I was hoping it would make a more noticeable difference, but the pads didn't reach into corners as effectively as I'd expected.

The extending side sweepers were much more successful, doing a good job of picking up leftover hair and dust along skirting boards. The dock is also very loud when emptying the robot, although that's hardly unusual for this type of vacuum – it's just something to keep in mind.

Verdict

The Dyson R2 Nurovi has a lot going for it. It cleans hard floors brilliantly, tackles vacuuming and mopping in one go, and is quick enough to make a noticeable difference to your daily routine. I also love the app and the robot's design, whilst the extending side sweepers do a good job of picking up dirt along edges. Unfortunately, the dust-transfer issue I encountered is difficult to overlook. Having to manually clear the onboard container after cleaning defeats much of the point of buying a robot vacuum at this price, and the triangular mop pads didn't quite live up to my expectations either. There’s plenty to like about the R2 Nurovi, but at £750, I’d expect it to take care of the cleaning without leaving me to finish the job.

Alternatives to consider

As mentioned, Dyson has launched three models in the same lineup with different needs in mind, so you can move up to the R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub if you want more advanced suction and scrubbing, or down to the R1 if you find yourself using your robot on hard floors only. However, it's worth noting the R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub is currently only available in the US, and will come to the UK early next year.

However, if I had to recommend another brand, it would be the Eufy Omni S2. The Eufy has higher suction levels, but the mopping style and corner-reach designs are very similar, and the dust storage capacities are almost identical. However, the Eufy is considerably more expensive, so the R2 Nurovi is the better option if you're shopping on a budget.

The best LED face masks are evolving quickly, and we're seeing more models that do more than just treat your face. Philips is one of the latest brands to get in on the action, launching the Philips ReAura LED Face Mask in August as its first-ever LED face mask.

What makes the ReAura stand out is its flexible 3-in-1 design, which lets you treat your full face, eye area or neck separately. I've tested all three treatment areas over the full recommended eight-week period, and here's how I got on.

Price and availability

The Philips ReAura LED Face Mask has an RRP of £349.99/€399.99, although it hasn't officially launched or been priced in the US. You can currently get 15% off through Philips' website with the code LED15, bringing the price down to £297.49.

It's also available through Amazon, where a similar discount is offered.

Design and features

The Philips ReAura has a 3-in-1 design that lets you treat your full face, focus on the eye area or target your neck without needing separate devices or attachments. For a full-face treatment, the two sections connect together and are secured with the main mask strap. You can also use the upper section on its own for the eye area, whilst the lower section detaches for targeted neck treatments using the included neck strap.

Philips has also built in eye protection to block light from reaching your eyes, whilst the lightweight design makes the mask easy to wear and take away with you.

It's controlled by a separate rechargeable unit that connects to the mask during use, which charges via the included USB-C cable. This takes up to six hours to fully recharge and it provides up to eight treatment sessions per charge.

The ReAura uses three LED wavelengths – 415nm blue light, 630nm red light and 830nm near-infrared light. These are combined into three treatment modes, each designed for different skincare concerns. Age Care combines red and near-infrared light to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, whilst Blemish Care combines blue and red light to target the appearance of blemishes and redness. Daily Glow uses all three wavelengths in shorter sessions to help maintain a healthy-looking glow.

Philips recommends using the mask every other day, with Age Care and Blemish Care sessions lasting 10 minutes and Daily Glow treatments taking just five minutes. For the recommended treatment periods, Philips advises using Age Care for at least eight weeks and Blemish Care for at least four weeks, whilst Daily Glow can be continued for as long as you like.

Performance

After testing the Philips ReAura for eight weeks, the first thing I fell in love with was the design. I initially expected the 3-in-1 setup to be complicated, but its magnetic attachments make it easy to switch between configurations, which was a relief. The overall feel is premium, and although I'm not sold on the beige, orangey colour, the silicone itself feels wonderfully smooth. The mask is lightweight and comfortable to wear, and it also comes with a suede storage bag, which is great for storage and travel.

What I particularly like is that you're not limited to treating your face as a whole. You can detach the lower section and use it on your neck separately, which is useful if you want to give that area some extra attention on days when you don't use the full mask, or vice versa. It's a very clever design, and one that makes the ReAura feel a little different from the LED masks I've tried before.

Due to the mask's shape, the lower section doesn't sit completely flush against the skin. However, this isn't a bad thing as the gap helps provide more even light distribution and broader coverage – so don't worry if you notice a little space between your face and the mask!

The other thing I've really appreciated is the guided treatment system, which makes the whole experience much less intimidating, particularly if you're new to LED skincare. I also love the Daily Glow mode, which offers a shorter treatment you can use to maintain your routine after completing the initial 6-8 week courses.

During testing, I used both Age Care and Blemish Care, sticking to Philips' recommendation of treating my skin every other day. I'm approaching my 30's, meaning I still get the odd spot and blemish, but I'm also starting to notice fine lines more and more. This makes it interesting to see how the mask would perform across both concerns.

After the first couple of weeks, I noticed my skin looking a little glowier and healthier, which is usually one of the first things I notice when using LED regularly. However, when I reached the four-week mark, which Philips recommends as the minimum treatment period for Blemish Care, I was still seeing most of the blemishes I'd started with. I stuck with it though, and began noticing more of a difference at around the six-week mark.

Age Care took a little longer to show visible results. It wasn't until around week seven that I noticed some of my smile lines looking less defined, whilst the slight puckering around my jawline also appeared less noticeable. These are subtle changes rather than a dramatic transformation, but they're the sort of gradual improvements I'd expect from an LED mask. My advice would be to give it time and not get disheartened if you're not seeing the results you hoped for after four weeks or less.

The controller is perfectly straightforward to use, although the lack of a display means you'll need to remember which mode you've selected. There's also no timer showing how much treatment time you have left, which is something I've appreciated on other masks I've tested. Neither issue is a dealbreaker, but a little more feedback from the controller would make the experience even better.

One smaller detail I really appreciated was the silicone straps. Plenty of LED masks have a comfortable face covering but let themselves down with plasticky Velcro straps. The ReAura's silicone straps feel much nicer against the head and are comfortable to wear throughout a session. The neck straps are great too, as you can simply pop them on rather than having to thread them through loops, making it much easier to switch between neck and lower-face treatments.

Finally, one thing worth mentioning is that the ReAura doesn't appear to have as many LEDs as some other masks I've tested. Philips doesn't disclose the exact LED count, and it's worth remembering that the number of LEDs alone doesn't determine how effective a mask is. Irradiance – the power density reaching your skin – and the accuracy of the wavelengths are much more important factors. Still, I'd like to see Philips provide more transparency around the LED configuration, and potentially increase the number of LEDs in a future model. For now, it's something I'd like to know more about, rather than a reason to dismiss the mask outright.

Verdict

The Philips ReAura has impressed me more than I expected, particularly with how thoughtfully it's designed. After eight weeks, I noticed my skin looking healthier and glowier, with blemishes becoming less noticeable around week six and some fine lines appearing softer by week seven. There are a few things I'd change, including the basic controller and the beige-orange colour, but neither overshadowed my overall experience. It's certainly an investment, yet if you want an LED mask that can treat multiple areas without complicating your skincare routine, the ReAura is a great choice.

Alternative to consider

The overall setup of the ReAura reminded me a lot of the Shark CryoGlow, particularly its approach to guided treatments. Having the mask handle the sessions for you, rather than having to work out which light colour to use and for how long, makes the whole process much more straightforward. The ReAura and CryoGlow are similar in that respect, although Shark's newest Face + Body model offers a little more versatility in how you use it.

The most common issue with pod coffee machines is waste. While the machines themselves last for several years, the single-use coffee pods produce a lot of waste, and despite many brands having recycling services, pods and capsules are hardly the most eco-friendly product on the market.

But Lavazza is set to change that with its latest pod coffee maker – the Lavazza Tablì. As a single-serve capsule free coffee machine, the Lavazza Tablì works the same as other pod models, but using coffee ‘tabs’ that are made of 100% coffee with absolutely no plastic in sight.

I’ve tested plenty of coffee machines during my time as T3’s Home Editor, and I’ve never been more intrigued by a pod coffee machine until this one. I’ve spent the past couple of weeks drinking an insane amount of coffee, and these are my thoughts on the Lavazza Tablì.

Price and availability

Launched in 2026, the Lavazza Tablì is available to buy for £199 / $129 at Lavazza and select retailers, like John Lewis. It comes in walnut brown, sand white and graphite black colours.

There are eight Tablì Tabs options available which start at £5.89, and come with 12 tabs inside.

Unboxing

The Lavazza Tablì arrived in a large cardboard box, with three boxes of coffee tabs. It was extremely easy to set up, as you’d expect from a pod coffee machine, and only required me to remove some plastic and tape before it was ready to go. To actually make the coffee, I simply filled up the water tank at the back and added a pod into the machine.

As mentioned, the Lavazza Tablì came with three coffee options. This included the Tablì Qualità Oro, Tablì Qualità Rossa and Tablì Espresso Intenso, all of which came with 12 tabs per box. Qualità Oro has an intensity rating of 8/13, Qualità Rossa goes up to 10 and Espresso Intenso is the most intense with an 11/13 rating.

Design and features

Measuring 32.7cm in height, 16.5cm in width and 39cm in depth, the Lavazza Tablì is quite slim and compact. It only weighs 4.5kg so it’s easy to move around, and it takes up minimal space on a countertop. It’s roughly the same size as other pod coffee machines, although it has quite a unique shape.

At the top of the Lavazza Tablì is a bean-shaped slider and piston system which slides back and forth for you to add the coffee tab. The top of the slider has the controls, including an on/off button, single shot, double shot and two cup options, and the removable 1.2-litre water tank is located at the back.

Using Lavazza Crema Plus technology, the Lavazza Tablì expertly brews your coffee to bring out the flavours and crema from the tab. It’s an espresso maker, so the Lavazza Tablì makes espresso, double espresso and lungo coffees. It can’t dispense hot water so no americanos, and if you want a latte, you’ll have to add or froth your own milk.

The Lavazza Tablì is specifically designed to use Tablì Tabs, so you won’t be able to use a ‘normal’ plastic capsule with this machine. The tabs are made entirely of coffee without any protective coating or binders, and once the coffee is brewed, the tab can be disposed of in your food waste bin.

For those who love an app, the Lavazza Tablì has Wi-Fi support and can connect to the Tablì app, so you can use it remotely. It’s also compatible with Alexa and Google Home.

Performance

Pod coffee machines all have quite strange designs, but the Lavazza Tablì definitely takes the cake. I tried the walnut brown version which looked lovely in my kitchen – almost like an oversized coffee bean! – and the slim size of the Lavazza Tablì made it easy to keep out on my countertop.

Once on, the Lavazza Tablì took hardly any time to heat up, and it’s an extremely easy machine to use with little instruction required. I pressed the on/off button and waited for the buttons to stop flashing before adding my tab and selecting the shot option – I’m a double shot girl so that was my favourite.

When adding the coffee tab, the sliding motion of the piston system was very smooth and satisfying. It covered up the tab and immediately got to brewing after I pressed the button. I found that it made a minimal amount of noise although it did produce a lot of steam.

The Lavazza Tablì also made a single, soft-sounding beep when it had finished brewing which I appreciated – there’s nothing I hate more than an appliance incessantly beeping at me! The coffee it made was rich and delicious, and while I’m a milky coffee drinker, I tried a few espressos, and loved the taste.

My first time using the Lavazza Tablì, I noticed some grainy coffee residue at the bottom of my mug. However, on my next try and the ones thereon didn’t produce this, so I imagine it was a first-use ‘error’ – if you can even call it that. The Tablì Tabs are the best coffee capsules I’ve ever tried in terms of espresso strength, flavour and crema, so I’d highly recommend them.

The Lavazza Tablì didn’t have the standard height adjustment I was used to from other pod coffee makers. The main machine can’t be adjusted to accommodate different mug sizes, so instead, you have to remove the drip tray to get a standard-sized mug under it. If you want the drip tray in place, you’re better off using a small mug as you won’t fit a standard one under there.

Now, this isn’t necessarily an issue or deal breaker – although it would be if the Lavazza Tablì dispensed hot water or frothed milk.

Verdict

As a no-waste, espresso-making pod coffee machine, the Lavazza Tablì ticks a lot of boxes. Its coffee bean-inspired design feels whimsical, and the entire coffee-making process is simple, near-silent and delicious.

The Tablì Tabs make delicious coffee – the best pod coffee I’ve ever tried – although there are no milk options yet, so if you like milky coffees, you’ll need your own milk frother.

Alternatives to consider

As a capsule-free pod coffee machine, the Lavazza Tablì is one of the first on the market. Keurig has recently announced its Alta coffee machine with plastic-free pods which is a similar concept, and it comes with a built-in milk frother.

Resideo Technologies has announced plans to update its Honeywell Home smart thermostats to support Apple's new Adaptive Temperature Control and Clean Energy Guidance features. This means users won't need to replace their existing thermostat or pay for a professional installation to get them, as the features will arrive through a software update.

Honeywell Home isn't the first smart home brand to announce support, with Aqara doing the same thing back in April with its W200 smart thermostat. Still, the timing is interesting, coming just days after Apple's new HomeView launch. HomeView is set to become one of the main ways to access and control Apple's latest smart home features, making wider thermostat compatibility all the more useful.

The update is expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2027, and will be available on the Honeywell Home ElitePRO, X7S and X8S smart thermostats.

Honeywell Home thermostats already work with several smart home platforms, including Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Home Assistant and Samsung SmartThings, and are Matter-certified. Bringing Apple's latest Home features to thermostats already installed in people's homes is a good example of how software updates can add new functionality without making existing hardware feel outdated.

Compatible Aqara smart home devices are also now available through Apple's online and physical stores, so whether Honeywell Home products will follow suit remains to be seen, but it's another development worth watching as Apple's smart home ecosystem expands.

Carl Friedrik has teamed up with Atlassian Williams F1 Team on a new limited edition travel collection. The new Grove collection is made up of four luggage essentials, and are inspired by the golden area of Formula 1.

I’ve covered style and travel on T3 for a while now, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many Formula 1 collaborations in one year. From watches to blenders, 2026 has been full of racing-inspired products paying tribute to the global competition, and Carl Friedrik is the latest brand to jump on board.

The Grove collection has been designed by Carl Friedrik in partnership with Atlassian Williams F1 Team to celebrate the team’s racing heritage. The four pieces – including a backpack, weekender bag, passport holder and luggage tag – are made from luxury supple grained leather, and have racing-inspired logos and details.

The main colour of the collection is chestnut brown, but the bags have a uniquely sporty look, thanks to the two diagonal racing stripes that run down the length of each accessory. They also feature the ‘Forward W’ logo that was first introduced in 1977 by Frank Williams, and is a subtle nod to the collaboration between the two brands.

I just got back from holiday, and wish I’d had the Grove Weekender bag as my carry-on luggage. It’s a spacious bag with 33-litres of space inside, and lots of interior pockets for your passport, cards and other travel essentials. There’s also a ‘hidden’ exterior pocket for quick access, and you can slip it onto the handle of your suitcase with its rear panel.

A more everyday option, the Groove Backpack also has a lot of pockets, including a large exterior window pocket. It also has a 15-litre capacity and can fit a 16-inch laptop. I use my Carl Friedrik Day-to-Day Backpack as my office bag, and couldn’t recommend it more. It’s easily the most comfortable backpack I’ve worn with its padded back and shoulders, which the new Grove Backpack also has.

The last two travel accessories in the Grove collection are the Grove Passport Sleeve and Grove Luggage Tag. They’re pretty self-explanatory, and would make a great gift for Formula 1 fans and those on a tight budget.

Speaking of budget, the Carl Friedrik X Atlassian Williams F1 Team Grove collection is not cheap by any means. The Luggage Tag is £65, while the Passport Sleeve is £125. Getting even higher, the Backpack is £795 and the Weekender Bag is a whopping £945 – yikes!

Each piece is limited to 80 pieces each and available to buy now at Carl Friedrik. It may take me a while to save up for a bag, but it is a really beautiful collection, and a great homage to Formula 1.

Therabody has expanded its best massage gun range with two new devices designed to help ease everyday tension and support at-home relief. The new ThermFace Massage is a facial massage device that comes with four specialised attachments, whilst the ThermNeck & Upper Back is a wearable designed to tackle modern-day neck and shoulder tension.

The launches arrive at the same time as the brand’s new SkinSpa system and Neck & Chest LED device, expanding its skincare lineup with more options for different routines and skin concerns.

The ThermFace Massage costs £179, whilst the ThermNeck & Upper Back is priced at £299. Both are available now through Therabody’s online store and selected retailers, including Harrods, Selfridges, Space NK and John Lewis.

The ThermFace Massage is designed to provide at-home relief for jaw discomfort and tension across the face, neck and head, combining percussive therapy with heat. It comes with four attachments designed for delicate facial muscles, including a heated percussive attachment for a deeper massage experience.

Meanwhile, the ThermNeck & Upper Back goes beyond a standard neck massager, combining five therapies – kneading massage, far-infrared, heat and near-infrared LED light therapy, alongside two built-in Theraguns.

We’re currently reviewing the ThermFace Massage, so keep an eye out for our full thoughts coming soon.

It's been over four years since Panasonic launched the Series 900+, better known as the Arc6, which I reviewed back in 2022 and came away impressed by thanks to its six-blade head and the super close shave it delivered. It was a bit of a beast, mind, with an enormous head that made it rather top-heavy, but it set a high bar for what a foil shaver could do, and it's remained Panasonic's flagship ever since.

Now the brand has turned its attention to a five-blade offering. Still part of the Series 900 moniker, the all-new ES-L580U model brings a bit of a refresh with an upgraded blade system, a smarter beard sensor and, finally, USB-C charging (hurrah!).

While it looks almost identical bar its dark grey casing over the original black, the new shaver is essentially a slimmed-down take on the Arc6, with two titanium-coated thick stubble blades and three redesigned finishing blades that Panasonic says are twice as efficient as its previous five-blade model. This is all powered by a linear motor the company claims is capable of 70,000 cross-cutting actions per minute. With a new six-blade flagship confirmed for later this year, the Series 900 has been positioned as the more accessible premium option in the meantime.

I’ve been using the ES-L580U, which comes with Panasonic’s self-cleaning charging station and a hard carry pouch, as my main shaver for the past few weeks to see whether five blades really are enough. Here’s what I think.

Price and availability

The Panasonic Series 900 ES-L580U is available to buy now in the UK direct from Panasonic and Amazon, priced at £429.99. There’s also an ES-L550U version that ditches the cleaning station, although rather oddly it’s listed at the same price at the time of writing, so the L580U is the obvious pick. I couldn’t find any official US or Australian pricing, but for reference, £429.99 works out at roughly $575 / AU$870 minus any import costs, of course.

That’s still a lot of money for a shaver, and it’s a price tag that puts the Series 900 up against category heavyweights like the Braun Nevo, while sitting well above compact alternatives such as the Laifen P3, which will set you back about £170 / $200 / AU$250 RRP.

It’s only a tad cheaper than the larger Arc6’s £500 RRP, though, and you’ll also need to factor in running costs, with a three-pack of Panasonic’s cleaning sachets costing around £12 / $16 and replacement blades adding to that further down the line.

Design and build

Lifting the Series 900 shaver out of its box, the first thing you’ll notice is how well put together it feels. It’s every bit as premium as its flagship sibling, with a solid build that feels like it’ll last for years. It’s almost identical in design to the Arc6, too, but at 180 x 72 x 57mm and weighing 215g, it’s a little more manageable in the hand. Plus, the head doesn’t feel quite as top-heavy as its six-blade relative, which made all the difference - especially during longer shaves.

The head is still on the larger side, though. It’s great for covering a lot of ground in one pass across the cheeks and neck, but when it comes to those tighter spots like directly under the nose, it takes a bit more effort to get the angling right. I did discover that you can lock the head in place by half-pulling the trimmer slider, which helps a lot in those areas, although it’s not something Panasonic makes obvious.

There’s a pop-up trimmer on the back, which has 45-degree blades, and is handy for tidying sideburns and works well enough for quick touch-ups, but it’s not going to give you as close of a shave as the foil shavers on the head.

The headline design change on the Series 900 is the USB-C port, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s a big deal. My biggest gripe with most shavers has always been having to rely on a two-pin bathroom shaver plug, whereas this Type-C port means I can top up the Series 900 with the same cable I use for my phone and laptop, which makes it far more travel-friendly.

As for the self-cleaning station, it does an excellent job, and is much smaller than those I’ve seen on rival shavers. And rather than using disposable cartridges like Braun, it relies on a sachet of cleaning fluid that you mix with water in a removable tray, which is cheaper and less wasteful in the long run. Although the down side here is that filling it up is a bit of a fiddle compared with simply slotting in a cartridge. There’s a clever pop-up button, however, that gives access to the tray for emptying used fluid, which is a nice touch.

Performance and features

When it comes to performance, the Series 900 made a strong first impression. Whether I was using it wet or dry, it sliced through my stubble with very little effort and felt every bit as comfortable on the skin as I remember the Arc6 being.

Much like its bigger sibling, the shave is impressively close. On my cheeks and jaw in particular, it left my skin smooth after just a few passes, and because you don’t need to push down hard to catch shorter hairs, there was very little in the way of redness or irritation afterwards.

Panasonic says this is because the redesigned finishing blades are angled diagonally to catch more hair with every stroke, and while I can’t say I noticed a dramatic difference in the number of passes compared with the Arc6, it certainly feels just as smooth f a shave despite having one less blade.

Where it stood out was how it munched its way through slightly longer stubble. After leaving facial hair to grow a couple of days, I found the shaver’s two thick stubble blades cut through the growth super easily, and the motor kept its pace well across my jawline rather than stuttering like many cheaper shavers do. It’s not flawless, mind, as it did occasionally miss the odd longer, flat-lying hair on my neck, and the further you push it beyond a few days’ growth, the more likely it is to snag. If you shave every day, though, I doubt you’ll hardly notice.

The Series 900’s Beard Sensor+ tech is worth a mention, too. Panasonic says this works by scanning your stubble up to 233 times per second, automatically ramping up the power over thicker areas as needed. While I can’t say I ever heard it working, the fact that the shaver never seemed to pull at my stubble suggests it was doing its job.

Panasonic also says the motor holds its power regardless of battery level, which must be correct since I never noticed any drop-off as it ran low. Speaking of battery life, Panasonic quotes the Series 900 as 50 minutes from an hour’s charge, which got me through over a week of almost-daily shaves.

My biggest bugbear, however, is the noise level this thing kicks out. It’s noticeably louder than most rival shavers I’ve used, with a high-pitched buzz that’s hard to ignore, so it’s probably not one to use early in the morning if you don’t live alone.

Verdict

The Panasonic Series 900 is an excellent shaver that gets surprisingly close to the performance of the six-blade Arc6, while being a little lighter, a little cheaper and, crucially, far more practical thanks to its long-overdue switch to USB-C. The shave itself is close and comfortable, it copes well with thicker stubble, and the self-cleaning station keeps everything fresh without much effort on your part.

It’s not without its niggles, though. It’s loud, the large head can be awkward around the nose and mouth, and, more importantly, at £430, it’s a serious investment, especially with a new six-blade flagship just around the corner.

Still, if it’s in your budget, you shave every day and want a reliable, premium foil shaver that’ll deliver a close shave for years to come, the Series 900 is a no brainer.

If you've read my Dyson Airwrap review, you'll know I'm a big fan of the hot brush attachment. It quickly became my favourite of the bunch, so when I heard Dyson was launching a dedicated hot brush styler, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

Launched in September 2026, the Airsmooth combines airflow technology with a specially designed brush head to dry, stretch, smooth and shape hair in one go. It's designed for all hair types, from straight and wavy to curly and coily, and can be used for everyday smoothing or to create a stretched-out base before moving on to another style.

You'll find all my thoughts below, but to cut to the chase, I'm very impressed.

Price and availability

The Dyson Airsmooth costs £199.99 / $249.99 and is available from Dyson's online store, as well as Boots, John Lewis, Argos and Sephora.

For now, it's exclusive to the Ceramic Pink and Rose Gold colourway, although I'd love to see more options added in the future.

Design and features

The first thing you'll notice is its distinctive teardrop-shaped brush head. The narrower tip lets you get closer to the roots, whilst the wider body works through the lengths of your hair. It's designed to create tension as you brush downwards, smoothing hair from root to tip, whilst the curved edge is great for adding volume, bends and flicks.

The Airsmooth also features Dyson's dual-bristle system, which combines two different types of bristles. First, there are the Anti-snag bristles, which have a looped structure that can collapse to release strands more easily. Then there are the PivotFlex bristles, which sit on an open base and flex by up to 90 degrees. They're designed to direct airflow whilst allowing hair to wrap around and release smoothly, creating enough tension to stretch curls and coils without pulling hair into tangles.

Dyson has also built in intelligent heat control, which monitors the air temperature more than 20 times per second to help prevent excessive heat exposure. There are three heat settings – 85°C, 100°C and 113°C – alongside three speed settings.

Despite its fairly substantial brush head, the Airsmooth weighs around 580g, with the motor positioned in the handle to help balance the tool and make it easier to manoeuvre. It also has a 2-metre power cable, universal voltage and bristle protector, making it suitable for use when travelling.

Performance

The Dyson Airsmooth already had an advantage in my eyes because, as I've mentioned, I'm a big fan of the hot-brush blowout look. However, the results, design and overall styling experience have all impressed me, and I've had a brilliant time testing it.

I've mostly been using the Airsmooth on hair I've let air dry, rather than styling it straight from wet. I've found this gives me a smoother finish in a fraction of the time, although the wet-to-dry approach works well too if you're happy to spend a little longer on it. Either way, I haven't really needed to go back in with another tool afterwards, and a little hair oil to finish is usually all I needed.

The teardrop-shaped head is brilliant for creating a smooth style, and combined with the clever bristle design, it gives you plenty of flexibility to style your hair exactly how you like. I've discovered that my favourite technique is to wrap my hair around the brush, give it a little twist, then pull it down through the lengths, which created a lovely flick at the ends that lasted. Of course, using the right prep products helps, and the Dyson Chitosan range is my favourite, but I love how much versatility the Airsmooth offers.

I also love how lightweight it is, which makes it easy to use and tackle different angles around your head. The long power cable, universal voltage, compact plug and included bristle protector also make it great for travelling, especially if you need to keep your suitcase on the lighter side. I haven't taken it away with me in the testing process, but I guarantee it will be one of my favourites going forwards.

The only real downside I've found is that I needed to keep on top of removing loose hair from the brush to maintain the best results. This isn't unusual for a hot brush, and it'll depend on your hair type and how much hair comes loose during styling, but I'd recommend giving it a regular clean to keep it performing at its best.

Verdict

I've always loved the bouncy look you can get from a hot brush, so the Dyson Airsmooth was right up my street from the start. Thankfully, it hasn't disappointed. The teardrop-shaped head makes it easy to smooth hair and get close to the roots, whilst the bristle design gives you enough control to experiment with different finishes. It's lightweight, comfortable to use and great for travelling, too. You'll need to keep the brush clean and use the right prep products to get the best out of it, but it's an overall excellent hair tool that deserves all the praise.

Alternatives to consider

If you like the sound of the Airsmooth but want something more versatile, the Dyson Co-anda 2x Airwrap is great. Alongside its multiple attachments, it includes the Co-anda 2x Multi-Styler Large Round Volumising Brush, which uses specialised bristles to maintain tension for a smoother finish.

Another hot brush I absolutely love is the Shark Glossi, which is a great choice if you're after a salon blow-dry without the complexity of a full multi-styler. It also has a similar teardrop-shaped head, allowing you to get much closer to the roots than you would with a traditional round brush.

Amongst the sea of fragrance notes, oud is a consistent note that you hear about a lot, especially with men’s colognes. Derived from Aquilaria trees, oud is extremely intense, and its scent of wood, leather and earth allows it to act as a powerful base for many popular and luxury fragrances.

An oud-focused fragrance that recently came across my desk is Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Velvet Mood Extrait. Originally launched in 2023, it was re-released in 2026 as an Extrait de Parfum edition, expanding the brand’s oud collection.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Velvet Mood Extrait is described as a unisex fruity, woody fragrance. Inspired by the texture of soft velvet, it has top notes of saffron and heart notes of peach accord and jasmine. At the base is oud – the fragrance’s namesake – and leather accord, which gives it a rich woody, fruity balance.

Hearing these notes, I was intrigued by Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Velvet Mood Extrait, as it sounded quite intense. I was also surprised to hear that it’s classed as unisex. It definitely leans towards the masculine, and I found it far too powerful for me, so I tasked my husband with wearing it for a few days to see how he found it.

The first spray of Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Velvet Mood Extrait is extremely woody. The oud gives it an incense, almost syrup-like smell, which is brought out by the sweetness of the peach which you can subtly smell beneath the wood. The main notes I smell are leather and oud which makes it quite rich and bold.

The major thing I noticed while I – and my husband – tried Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Velvet Mood Extrait was how extreme it is. It’s a very powerful fragrance, and it lasts for hours on the skin and on clothes. I personally wouldn’t wear it to the office or everyday, as it’s quite a distracting, and full-on fragrance, but it’s best for nights out.

My biggest recommendation with Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Velvet Mood Extrait is to let it settle. The first spray almost knocks your head off, and it smells a bit chemical initially. It also lingers a lot, so if you’re someone who doesn’t like smelling too strong, I wouldn’t spray it directly on the body, but rather, spray it in the air and walk through it – or spray it lightly on your clothes.

The bottle of the Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Velvet Mood Extrait is surprisingly small but still attractive. I like the combination of the gold and black colours – although on website listings, it looks more blue than black. It’s quite expensive with prices starting at £235, but it’s from a luxury brand so that’s somewhat expected.

I found trying Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Velvet Mood Extrait to be an interesting experience. It’s not something I’d wear as it’s too masculine for me, but it’s a bold option for date nights and late evenings.

Your Tado smart thermostat is getting even smarter and more customisable, thanks to these new app software updates. The upgrades build on Tado’s existing AI and smart heating capabilities for its standard and X thermostats, and as someone who’s currently shivering in their home, these updates couldn’t have come at a better time.

The main upgrade to the Tado app is its Open Window Detection. For Tado X customers, Open Window Detection now uses an AI-powered algorithm to learn more about the different rooms in your house to make its detection more reliable and precise.

The existing Open Window Detection feature already understands changes in your room, like drops in humidity, but this AI upgrade means it will not only recognise this sensitivity, but it’ll also learn the room’s normal patterns and habits. This should allow your thermostat to better recognise when a shift in the room is due to an open window, so it can automatically pause your heating to avoid unnecessary usage.

Another update for Tado X users, Tado has updated its Air Comfort feature with a new room-level index. With this feature, your thermostat and Tado app reads humidity levels and classifies them into Low, Elevated or High categories across multiple rooms – although each room will need a smart thermostat in it.

Being able to see the different temperatures and humidity levels in each room gives you more control over your heating. It also means you can monitor your home’s Mold Index so you can take action before mould and damp can develop.

Aside from feature updates, the app’s home screen has also had a makeover. It’s now customisable, so you can reorder and hide tiles, prioritise rooms and controls, and just generally make it more personal to you, and easier to use.

The Tado app will also introduce heating Boost to Apple Live activities. Across Apple Watch and Mac, you can now see when Boost is active from the iPhone Dynamic Island and Lock Screen.

These Tado app updates will be rolling out over the next month in stages. The home screen update is available to all Tado customers, while Apple Live Activities is exclusively to Tado X users. Open Window Detection and Mold Index is available through AI Assist which is behind a subscription paywall.

The Reolink OMVI 2i Ultra is now available to buy after making its debut at IFA 2026, where it picked up 12 awards, including one from us. It joins Reolink's OMVI Series, bringing the range's dual-view setup to a completely wire-free security camera.

Pricing wasn't announced at the time, although we expected it to arrive somewhere between £170 and £220 (around $230-$300). It's now been confirmed at £199.99/$229.99, which seems pretty reasonable for a camera this advanced.

You can buy it now from Amazon or Reolink's online store, where it's currently available with 10% off as part of a launch offer. The kit includes the camera itself and a 6W solar panel, which Reolink claims can keep the camera running on just 30 minutes of sunlight per day.

The OMVI 2i Ultra combines an 8MP wide-angle camera with a 5MP pan-and-tilt camera, letting you monitor the wider scene whilst tracking movement elsewhere at the same time. Reolink's SyncTrack technology also allows the lower camera to continue following a detected person or object after they move out of the wide-angle camera's view.

As mentioned, it's completely wire-free, thanks to a detachable 10,000mAh battery that Reolink claims can last up to six months, based on five minutes of recording per day.

We'll be putting the OMVI 2i Ultra to the test in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out for our full review soon.

Blink has launched five new security cameras to its smart security line-up, including 4K and 2K models for the UK and US market. The releases include Blink’s first-ever 4K wired security camera for indoor and outdoor use, that Blink Mini fans will definitely be excited about.

While there are five Blink cameras up for grabs, only two are currently available in the UK, while all five are available in the US. As is often the case with Blink, we can (hopefully) expect the other US models to launch in the UK at some point, but it’s unclear when at this moment.

So, starting off with the UK options, the Blink Mini 4K+ builds upon the success of the original and second generation Blink Mini, and expands its usability and camera quality. Now with 4K video, the Blink Mini 4K+ has Blink’s highest resolution yet, and it can be used both indoors and outdoors.

The Blink Mini 4K+ is slightly bigger than its previous Mini models but it’s still extremely compact, and easy to install. It’s a plug-in camera, so you’ll still need an outlet, and to mount and use it outside, you’ll need a weather-resistant power adapter which is sold separately. It also has dual-band Wi-Fi 6 for fast connections and streaming.

In terms of coverage, the Blink Mini 4K+ has 115-degree horizontal views and 10x enhanced zoom so you won’t miss anything. It has true colour night vision in low light which switches to black and white when it gets dark, and it even has a built-in siren to scare off intruders.

Other features include two-way audio, noise cancellation, and smart detection. The Blink Mini 4K+ is priced at £69.99 / $79.99, in keeping with the brand’s affordable price tags.

Next is the Blink Mini Pan-Tilt 2K+. Another first for Blink, the Blink Mini Pan-Tilt 2K+ (£44.99 / $49.99) is the brand’s first indoor and outdoor pan-tilt zoom camera. Like the previous launch, this camera is also a plug-in, and looks more similar to the original Mini, except slightly longer – and with more advanced features.

The Blink Mini Pan-Tilt 2K+ has 2K resolution, colour night vision, and motion detection. For coverage, the Blink Mini Pan-Tilt 2K+ pans by 360 degrees, and tilts by 115 degrees. Not only is it extremely flexible, but it can follow people or pets around the room or outside your home.

As mentioned, these two cameras are available to pre-order now in the UK and the US, with shipping expected from 27th October. If you’re based in the US, you have three more options to choose from, and they’re all designed for outdoors.

Starting with the more affordable model, the Blink Spotlight Cam 2K+ ($109.99) is yet another first for Blink, as its first battery-powered spotlight camera. It has 2K video resolution and built-in illumination so you can see every detail, even in the dark. It’s completely wire-free and its spotlight activates when it detects motion.

A new generation of Blink’s popular Outdoor model, the Blink Outdoor 2K XR+ ($149.99) is another 2K option and 115-degree field of view. For extended range, it can be paired with Blink’s Sync Module XR+ to reach up to 800 feet away, making it ideal for big properties and outdoor areas.

Speaking of outdoor, the Blink Frontier XR+ ($199.99) is the brand’s farthest-reaching camera to date. It’s designed as a trail camera for remote locations, and with the Sync Module XR+, it can reach up to 7,000 feet of coverage. It also comes in black or camo colours to blend into its surroundings.

Govee has unveiled the second generation of its popular outdoor deck lights, bringing brighter illumination and improved water resistance. Both versions remain Matter-compatible, so they can integrate with a range of smart home setups.

The Govee Outdoor Deck Lights 2 consist of individual smart lights designed to be mounted on walls or fences, adding colour to outdoor spaces whilst providing practical lighting. They're available in packs of 10 or 20, and now carry an IP67 rating, up from IP65 on the previous generation.

For now, the lights are exclusive to the US, priced at $119.99 for the 10-pack and $239.98 for the 20-pack. We're expecting them to arrive in the UK and Europe in the future, and we'll update you when we know more.

The Outdoor Deck Lights 2 use 16-bit IC chips to produce more than 16 million colours. Each RGBWIC light can be controlled independently through the Govee Home app, where you'll find more than 100 preset scenes, including effects that sync with music.

The new lights apparently deliver up to 1,500 lumens of total luminous flux, with around 1,350 lumens of useful luminous flux. They also support voice control through assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Grind has launched its new advent calendars for Christmas 2026. Catering for pod, grounds and whole bean coffee lovers, Grind’s new coffee advent calendars offer multiple blends in colourful 12-door packages – and you won’t believe the price.

Grind is definitely celebrating Christmas early this year, as the brand has launched its full Christmas collection, including bundles and its flavour of the season – chocolate orange. I’m not a pod coffee drinker, but I have to say that the standout from the range has to be the Grind Coffee Pod Advent Calendar.

Featuring a colourful Christmas store front design, the Grind Coffee Pod Advent Calendar includes 26 home-compostable pods and 17 different blends. The eagle-eyed of you will have noticed that 26 pods would take you to Boxing Day, but there’s actually a ‘bonus’ pod when you open the 25th door.

Perfect for pod coffee machine users – including Nespresso owners as Grind pods are compatible with Nespresso machines – the Grind Coffee Pod Advent Calendar has lots of festive and classic flavours to enjoy. Without listing the entire contents and ruining the surprise, you can expect to find house, light and dark blends, and flavoured pods, like vanilla, pumpkin spice and pistachio.

The Grind Coffee Pod Advent Calendar also features Grind’s Christmas Blend which is a limited edition, festive coffee from Guatemala. This flavour is also available on Grind’s other 2026 advent calendars.

The other Grind advent calendars include options for ground coffee and whole bean coffee. Instead of 25 days, these calendars are only 12 days and include 12 single-origin coffees.

The Ground Coffee Advent Calendar and Whole Bean Coffee Advent Calendar both come with 18g daily sachets of grounds or beans. The coffee is sustainably sourced from places around the world, including Guatemala, Brazil, Kenya, and more, and are roasted in London.

Alternative advent calendars – a.k.a options that aren’t chocolate! – typically tend to be quite expensive, so I was imagining the Grind advent calendars to be pricey. However, all options are available for £29.95, making them incredibly affordable and a nice early Christmas gift for yourself or a fellow coffee lover.

Check out our UK advent calendar round-up for more festive alternatives.

Baseus has launched a solar-powered outdoor security camera with a motorised spotlight that locks onto a detected person and follows them as they move around a property. That makes the PrimeSentinel U2 Pro Outdoor 3K Dual Camera the first security camera to feature a dedicated target-tracking spotlight beam.

The U2 Pro combines two passive infrared (PIR) sensors with AI recognition to track people. According to Baseus, the spotlight can follow someone moving at up to 1.8 metres per second – roughly a light jog – at distances of three to eight metres.

It costs $269.99 in the US and €269.99 in Europe, and is available through Amazon. UK availability has yet to be confirmed, but a price of around £269.99 seems plausible if it launches here at a similar price point.

The U2 Pro projects a sharply defined beam of light onto detected people, following them as they move to signal they've been spotted and help capture clearer night-time footage. It features two 3K cameras – a fixed 130-degree camera with 8x digital zoom, and a second camera that pans 360 degrees, tilts and zooms to cover the wider property. Full-colour night vision and AI detection can distinguish between people, pets and vehicles.

Recordings are triggered by motion and saved to a microSD card of up to 512GB, with AES and RSA encryption. Whilst cloud video storage requires no separate subscription, cloud-based AI analysis and detection summaries do. Owners can also review footage remotely, talk to visitors through the built-in speaker and microphone, and stream live video to compatible Amazon Alexa and Google Home displays.

Autumn is officially here, and I don’t know about you, but I’m very VERY cold. After the long hot summer we had, I knew that the colder months would hit hard, and that’s definitely the case right now.

But if (like me) you’re avoiding putting your heating on for as long as possible, then you might want to consider investing in a heater. I’ve done the calculations, and an electric heater costs far less to run than your home’s boiling system, so buying a heater could keep you warm this autumn-winter and save you money on your bills.

However, as it’s the colder time of year, heaters aren’t really dropping in price. But luckily, I’ve found a cheap deal on the Dyson Hot+Cool HF1 Heater that you won’t want to miss.

Shop the Dyson Hot+Cool HF1 Heater deal

Priced at £399.99, the Dyson Hot+Cool HF1 Heater is now priced at £349.99 at Dyson. Is there a huge discount? No, but Dyson rarely cuts its prices, and this is likely the cheapest the Dyson Hot+Cool HF1 Heater will be for a while, so I’d get it while you can.

If this £50 discount isn’t enough for you, I’ve also found a great deal on the DREO Electric Space Heater. With three modes and three speeds available, this compact, oscillating heater sits quietly in your home, and fills it with toasty warm air – and it’s 15% off right now.

SwitchBot has launched its first-ever outdoor smart lights, featuring native Matter over Wi-Fi support, and up to 16 million colour options. Easy to install and designed for year-round use, the SwitchBot Permanent Outdoor Lights could not have arrived at a better time with Halloween and Christmas fast approaching.

Measuring 30 metres, the SwitchBot Permanent Outdoor Lights includes 72 LEDs across six 5 metre segments. They can be used on any outdoor area you can think of, including your home’s eaves, balconies, garages, patios and outdoor walkways, and can be secured to wood and metal surfaces using adhesive tape and screws.

The most exciting feature of the SwitchBot Permanent Outdoor Lights has to be its colour options. With an RGBIC+WW design, the SwitchBot Permanent Outdoor Lights combines RGB colours, warm-white and cool-white lights, and there’s a massive 16 million colour options for you to choose from – almost too many if you will!

The colours on offer include multi-colour arrangements, gradients, patterns and flowing effects, so you can customise your lights or pick a pre-made illumination. This makes the SwitchBot Permanent Outdoor Lights great for seasonal holidays, like Christmas and Halloween, but you can also keep things plain and simple throughout the rest of the year.

Each LED light has up to 40 lumens with a total brightness of 2,600 lumen across the entire 30 metre strip. Users can adjust the colour temperature from 2700K to 6500K, and dim the lights using the SwitchBot app. The app also unlocks remote control, colour, temperature and brightness adjustments, timers, schedules, and scenes.

Aside from the SwitchBot app, the SwitchBot Permanent Outdoor Lights are compatible with Matter over Wi-Fi support so you can connect them to your smart home ecosystem. You won’t need a hub for this, but a Matter controller is required.

The SwitchBot Permanent Outdoor Lights are also compatible with Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home and Samsung SmartThings, and you can use voice assistants to control your lights.

The SwitchBot Permanent Outdoor Lights are available to buy now for £199.99 / $239.99 at SwitchBot and Amazon.

Aldi announced last week that it was adding a Dyson-lookalike bladeless fan heater to its Specialbuys range, but just a few days later, Lidl has joined in with a near-identical alternative. Suddenly, choosing between the two budget buys isn't quite so straightforward.

Lidl's Tronic Bladeless Fan Heater arrives in stores tomorrow, leaving around four days of overlap before Aldi's model disappears. That means there's a limited window to compare the two before one of these middle-aisle bargains is gone.

Below, I'm putting the Aldi Ambiano Bladeless Fan Heater head-to-head with Lidl's Tronic model to see how they compare on design, features and price – and which one is worth your money.

Design

The Lidl Tronic Bladeless Fan Heater is available in black or white, and comes with a non-slip base for added stability. It also has a magnetic remote control holder, so you can keep the remote attached to the heater when it's not in use. Lidl offers a larger version for £69.99, too.

The Aldi Ambiano Bladeless Fan Heater also comes in black or white, with a compact design that's easy to move around the home. However, Aldi doesn't specify whether there's a dedicated remote holder, so we're not able to confirm.

Both models have a bladeless design, which makes them easier to clean than traditional fan heaters and removes the risk of contact with exposed fan blade.

Winner: Lidl

Features

Lidl's Tronic heater offers 10 speed settings, adjustable temperature control between 5°C and 35°C, 80-degree oscillation and five LED mood-light colours, including a colour-changing mode. It can also be used as a fan and has a nine-hour timer.

Aldi's Ambiano model offers three heat settings, eight fan speeds, oscillation and a nine-hour timer. It also provides both heating and cooling, but doesn't list the same temperature adjustment or any lighting features.

Winner: Lidl

Price

There's no difference here, as both the Aldi Ambiano and Lidl Tronic bladeless fan heaters cost £49.99. That said, Lidl is offering a larger version for £69.99, giving shoppers another option if they're willing to spend a little more.

Winner: Draw

Safety and warranty

Both heaters include overheating protection, whilst Aldi also lists tilt protection and Lidl specifies tip-over protection. Lidl adds frost protection and a non-slip base, alongside a three-year warranty.

Aldi's supplied product information doesn't specify a warranty period, so it's worth checking the terms before buying.

Winner: Lidl

In our opinion, Lidl's Tronic heater wins this time. For the same price as Aldi's, you get more speed settings, adjustable temperature control between 5°C and 35°C, and five LED light colours with a colour-changing mode. It also comes with a magnetic remote control holder, frost protection and a three-year warranty, giving it a few extra perks that Aldi's model doesn't list.

Both heaters offer oscillation, a nine-hour timer and heating and cooling functions, so you're not missing out on the basics with either option. However, Lidl's extra controls give you more flexibility over how you use it, and the longer warranty is a welcome bonus for a budget buy.

Overall winner: Lidl

Simba has just expanded its bestselling pillow collection with the new HeatRelease Pillow. Featuring the brand’s temperature regulating technology, the Simba HeatRelease Pillow is designed to keep you cool and comfortable throughout the night.

Back in August 2026, Simba added HeatRelease to its mattress line-up to help UK sleepers manage the unseasonably hot weather that we experienced over the summer. Following that success, Simba is introducing its HeatRelease technology to more sleep accessories, starting with a new pillow.

The Simba HeatRelease Pillow has the same HeatRelease technology as its mattress line-up, which is engineered to absorb excess heat to regulate your body temperature. HeatRelease strips – made from natural granite – are woven through the pillow, alongside adaptive memory foam to keep you comfortable through the night, and at the perfect temperature.

The HeatRelease strips can keep you up to 1.7°C cooler for over eight hours, so you can get a full night’s rest without overheating. The memory foam adapts to your head and neck to offer responsive support and comfort, and gives the Simba HeatRelease Pillow a medium-firm feel.

Now, you might be wondering why Simba would launch a cooling pillow during autumn-winter, seasons that are known for being cold already. But after we tested Simba’s HeatRelease mattress, it actually makes a lot of sense.

To fall asleep at night, you actually need your core body temperature to drop. Sleep experts estimate this drop to be between 0.5-1°C, so the Simba HeatRelease Pillow can help move this process along to help you fall asleep faster.

Personally, I sleep quite hot no matter the weather, so even during winter, I’ll wake up feeling a bit sweaty. The Simba HeatRelease Pillow definitely sounds like it can help manage that, without making your sleep environment too cold.

While it might be a cooling pillow, the Simba HeatRelease Pillow is designed to regulate temperature rather than cool everything down, making it a great all-seasons option that doesn’t need to just be saved for summer.

The Simba HeatRelease Pillow is available to buy for £119 at Simba. It’s a bit more expensive than you’d expect to pay for a pillow, but owning a cooling pillow myself, I have to say it’s well worth the investment.

If Apple's smart home news caught your attention last week and convinced you to buy the new HomeView, you're not alone. It's one of Apple's most exciting launches in years (well, in our opinion) and pre-orders are already underway.

However, not everyone will realise that some HomeView features are locked behind an iCloud+ subscription. That's not unusual, and plenty of other brands do something similar, but it's worth knowing before your wallet becomes £299 lighter.

Below, we've rounded up three features you'll need an iCloud+ subscription to use, alongside three you can enjoy without one. There are plenty more, of course, but these are the ones we think you should know before you buy.

Features that require iCloud+

1. AI-powered camera summaries

With a compatible HomeKit Secure Video camera, Apple Intelligence can summarise recorded activity in the Home app, giving you more useful information than a basic motion alert. Instead of simply telling you that movement was detected, it can describe events such as someone leaving a parcel at your door or a dog wandering into the garden.

2. Search your camera footage using natural language

Rather than scrolling through hours of footage to find a particular moment, you can search using everyday questions. For example, you could ask “Show me when the parcel was delivered” or “When did the children get home?” This makes finding specific events much quicker and more convenient.

3. Searchable video history and AI analysis

Apple's AI camera features can also connect related activity and surface significant moments captured across multiple cameras. However, accessing these capabilities requires a compatible HomeKit camera, an Apple home hub, an Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhone or iPad to set up the features, and an eligible iCloud+ subscription. Recorded footage is retained for 10 days and doesn't count towards your standard iCloud storage allowance.

Features you can use for free

1. Live camera feeds

You can still view a live feed from a compatible HomeKit camera without paying for iCloud+. That means you can check what's happening at home in real time, even without subscribing to Apple's cloud storage service.

2. Personalised home screens for up to six people

HomeView can recognise up to six household members and show each person their own Home Screen, apps and widgets. Shared photos and music can still be enjoyed by everyone, including guests.

3. Hands-free cooking help

HomeView can turn recipes found online into step-by-step instructions, track ingredients and manage multiple timers by voice. It's a practical kitchen feature that cooks will love, and you can read more about it here.

iCloud+ plans start at £0.99/$0.99 per month for 50GB, rising to £2.99/$2.99 for 200GB and £8.99/$9.99 for 2TB.

Over the past few years, there have been lots of prominent fragrance notes, from sweet vanilla to woody cedar. But for 2026, the most popular note to emerge in both men’s colognes and women’s perfumes is cherry.

Cherries might only be in season for a couple months of year, but cherry is an extremely complex scent. Red cherry is typically sweeter, and best suited for spring and summer, while black cherry is darker, and better for wear during autumn and winter.

This makes cherry an all-year-round kind of scent, and it caters to all genders. What’s better is as it comes with the gourmand fragrance family, cherry fragrances often smell good enough to eat.

To celebrate the most popular note from 2026, here are seven cherry fragrances you should add to your collection, featuring the likes of Tom Ford, Armani, Dior, Guerlain and more.

CHERRY FRAGRANCES FOR 2026

NutriBullet made a name for itself with those compact bullet-style blenders that became a household name just over a decade or so ago. They hit the mainstream thanks to them making blending feel quick, simple and accessible, and they've sold millions of them ever since.

However, the company has been pushing into bigger, more capable territory of late, and its newest addition, the SmartSense Blender Combo, is probably the most ambitious thing it's done so far.

Boasting a 2-in-1 setup, the appliance touts a 1,500W base that pairs with either a full-size 1.8-litre pitcher for when you’re blending in bulk, or two smaller personal cups (900ml and 700ml) for knocking up a single serving to grab on your way out. The stand-out feature, however, is the SmartSense auto cycle, which is supposed to detect what you’ve loaded in and what vessel you’re using, then sort out the speed, time and blending function all on its own without you needing to fiddle with lots of buttons.

I’ve been using it daily for the past few weeks to find out whether the “smart” part actually works or if it’s just a gimmick. Here’s how I got on.

NutriBullet SmartSense Blender Combo review: price and availability

The NutriBullet SmartSense Blender Combo is available to buy now from Nutribullet’s official web store in the UK, US and Australia, priced at £149.99 / $164.99 / AU$299.95 RRP.

At the time of writing, I found it on sale for around £129 from retailers like Currys and Robert Dyas. For context, a basic NutriBullet 900 costs around £70 to £90, so the SmartSense is asking quite a bit more. Still, it does undercut premium jug blenders from the likes of Vitamix and Sage while sitting just above Ninja’s entry-level options.

You get a fair amount in the box, too, with the pitcher, two personal cups and two to-go lids all included.

NutriBullet SmartSense Blender Combo review: design and build

One thing you can’t take away from the SmartSense Blender Combo is that it does look pretty good sitting on the kitchen worktop, which is more than can be said for a lot of blenders. The gunmetal grey base has a clean, modern finish that suggests NutriBullet has put some thought into how this thing looks next to your kettle and toaster, and it’s also compact enough that it doesn’t dominate the counter the way some jug blenders tend to.

The controls on the front are lovely and minimal looking, five manual speed buttons, a pulse function, the SmartSense auto cycle button and a small, simple LCD display that shows you what’s going on. I had it all worked out within minutes of taking it out the box, without needing to keep checking the manual, which is exactly what you want from a smart kitchen appliance.

Where I think the SmartSense loses marks, though, is in how it feels in the hand. The 1.8-litre pitcher is entirely made from plastic, and while NutriBullet makes a point of saying it’s BPA-free and durable, there’s no getting around the fact that it feels way cheaper than a glass jug. There’s a lightness and flimsiness to this that you just wouldn’t find in a blender with a proper glass pitcher, and that just doesn’t feel right with the price tag it has. While the personal cups are plastic too, that doesn’t bother me as much since they’re meant for chucking in a bag and taking with you on the go, and to be fair they held up better against staining than I thought they would.

Something I did appreciate, though, is the flip-open spout on the pitcher lid, which lets you pour without having to take the whole lid off and risk getting smoothie juice everywhere (though you’ll notice form my images, I didn’t exactly dodge that). There’s also a food pusher included, which is handy for when thicker blends need a nudge toward the blades. I also loved that everything (apart from the base, obviously) is dishwasher-safe, which is a god-send when it comes to cleaning.

NutriBullet SmartSense Blender Combo review: performance

The SmartSense Blender Combo’s meaty 1,500W motor is where the device really earns its stripes, because this thing has some serious power behind it. Ice gets crushed in seconds, frozen berries disappear almost instantly, and your standard smoothie ingredients come out smooth and creamy without much effort at all.

Over a few weeks of daily use, covering everything from fruit smoothies and frappucinos to frozen berry blends, the results were consistently good and I never felt like the motor was struggling with anything I threw at it.

As for the SmartSense auto cycle feature, this is the function that NutriBullet is banking on to justify the price jump over its simpler models. The idea is that you load your ingredients, hit the SmartSense button, and the blender figures out what’s inside and what vessel you’re using, then handles the speed, duration and function on its own.

For standard smoothie batches, I found it works well and ended up using it most days. Plus, there’s something quite nice about just pressing a button and knowing it’ll blend it to the right consistency (most times) without it needing too much babysitting.

That being said, it’s definitely not perfect. Frozen bananas in particular have a habit of wedging against the sides and just spinning round without actually getting pulled into the blades, which means you end up stopping the cycle, giving things a shake or poking at it with the tamper, then running it again. It doesn’t ruin the experience, but it does mean you can’t always just walk away while it does its thing. I found that loading liquid in first and putting frozen stuff on top helps most times, but definitely not all.

I should also mention the noise, because this is a loud blender. While it’s not abnormally loud - especially for something packing 1,500 watts - you certainly won’t want to use it at 6am with someone asleep in the next room.

NutriBullet SmartSense Blender Combo review: verdict

The NutriBullet SmartSense Blender Combo does what it says on the tin: it blends things, and does so well with a lot of force. The motor handles pretty much anything, the SmartSense auto cycle works well most of the time, and having both a pitcher and personal cups on one base gives it a versatility that a lot of rivals at this price can’t match.

But what I keep coming back to is the build quality. At the price it’s at, I’d expect the pitcher to be glass, and the fact that it’s not makes the whole thing feel cheaper than it should. It’s not poorly made by any means, but it doesn’t feel like a product with this price tag should when you pick it up, and that’s something I just can’t move past. Sorry ‘bout it, Nutribullet!

Nevertheless, if you just want something that blends well, looks decent and has a smart auto mode that does (most of) the thinking for you, the SmartSense is a worthwhile purchase. Maybe just try and grab it on sale so the cheap feel bothers you less?

It's that time of the year again: the temps are plummeting, and it feels like there's about 30 minutes of light each day. Here's a little winter-warmer on us. No, not a whisky dram (though that might help), but our guide to the smart home tech you need to see you through until spring comes round again.

We've got gadgets to keep you warm, entertained, well-groomed, and allow you to get a great night's sleep, plus much more.

Taken from issue #391 of T3 magazine.

Set the mood

GOVEE OUTDOOR WALL FLOODLIGHT

Govee has blended its love of colourful ambient lighting with home security for this clever outdoor launch. RGBWW lighting, 3,000 lumens and a 120° PIR sensor mean it can react when movement is detected, flood your exterior with colour or simply provide a welcoming glow when guests arrive.

£100, govee.com

TEWKE LIGHT SWITCH

Now you've filled your home with smart lighting, you'll need something equally clever to control it. Enter the Tewke Tap, a touchscreen switch with an OLED display, Gorilla Glass, environmental sensors and real-time energy monitoring. Ordinary light switches suddenly look terribly boring by comparison.

£389, tewke.com

TAPO L430C SMART WI-FI CANDLE BULB

Sometimes the smallest lighting changes make the biggest difference. Tapo's L430C Candle Bulb shifts from a cosy 2,500K to a crisp 6,500K, but its ultra-low 1% brightness setting is the real treat. Perfect for late-night illumination without being greeted by the lighting equivalent of an early-morning alarm.

£24.99 (two-pack), tapo.com

WIZ GRADIENT LIGHT BARS

Give movie night a little more drama with the WiZ Gradient Light Bars. Positioned around a TV or gaming setup, they wash the surrounding space in colourful gradient light, dance along to music, and can even sync with what's happening on-screen when paired with WiZ's HDMI Sync Box.

£75 (two-pack), wizconnected.com

MEROSS SMART TABLE LAMP

For an impressively affordable price, this smart table lamp combines touch controls, 16 million colours and 0-100% dimming with a minimalist design. It's the perfect way to introduce some ambience without paying premium-brand prices, and who wouldn't want that?

£35, meross.com

PHILIPS HUE PLAY TABLE LAMP

The Philips Hue table lamp takes the colourful appeal of its much-loved Signe floor lamp and shrinks it into a compact design made for desks and entertainment setups. Place it beside a TV or monitor and let Hue's ecosystem turn whatever you're watching into a room-filling light show.

£70, philips-hue.com

Three-layered lighting

When it comes to filling a room with good lighting, the trick is to think in three layers – ambient, task and accent. Start with ambient lighting for the overall glow – a floor lamp or larger smart light works well for this – before adding more smart bulbs for focused task lighting. Finally, light bars and LED strips can provide accent lighting around shelves, artwork or other features, bringing everything together.

Daily grind

SAGE THE DOSE CONTROL PRO

Great espresso starts before the coffee machine gets involved, and the Sage Dose Control Pro gives you 60 grind settings to play with. An adjustable timer helps control how much coffee you grind, while grounds can go straight into your portafilter. Consider your supermarket pre-ground era officially over.

£170, sageappliances.com

GRIND TWO MILK FROTHER

Grind's frother is here to give your homemade flat whites a serious upgrade, whipping milk into everything from silky hot microfoam to cold foam. It'll tackle hot chocolate too, while its sleek design means it's one of those rare kitchen gadgets you won't immediately want to hide in a cupboard.

£75, grind.co.uk

FLAIR CLASSIC

No plugs, pods or automatic buttons here. The Flair Classic is a completely manual espresso maker that puts you in charge of the extraction, using a lever to generate the pressure needed for a proper shot. It's coffee making slowed right down – and one for anyone who considers brewing part of the ritual.

£121, flairespresso.com

NESPRESSO VERTUO UP

Nespresso's latest Vertuo wants to make choosing your morning coffee almost effortless. The Vertuo Up automatically recognises each capsule and adjusts its brewing settings accordingly, with six cup sizes covering everything from a quick espresso to a much-needed longer coffee. Just add capsule, press button and attempt to wake up.

£99, nespresso.com

DE'LONGHI RIVELIA START

The new, smaller addition to the Rivelia family serves up espresso, coffee, long and Americano at the touch of a button. Its clever Bean Switch System also lets you swap between two different beans, because apparently committing to just one coffee is now optional.

£600, delonghi.com

OXO BREW RAPID BREWER

Good coffee doesn't always need a machine – or much patience. Oxo's rapid brewer uses a clever manual brewing system to produce concentrated coffee in just two minutes for hot and five for cold. It's compact, portable and doesn't need electricity, making decent coffee away from home considerably less complicated.

£45, oxouk.com

Coffee mistakes you're probably making

You can spend a small fortune on a coffee machine and still end up with a disappointing brew. Old beans, the wrong grind size and poorly textured milk are some of the easiest ways to ruin your morning coffee. Grinding beans fresh can make an immediate difference, while matching the grind size to your brewing method is just as important. Don't forget cleaning – leftover coffee and milk residue aren't going to make your flat white taste good.

Front of house

YALE LINUS SMART LOCK L2 LITE

Yale's smart lock retrofits discreetly onto the inside of your existing door, with no drilling required. It's simple to install, easy to live with and particularly tempting for renters. Your landlord need never know what hit them.

£130, yalehome.co.uk

TAPO C675D KIT

The Tapo C675D has practically every angle covered. Its dual-camera setup combines wide-angle and telephoto lenses with 4K clarity and 360° panning, while solar power keeps trips up the ladder to a minimum. Better still, there's plenty available without the need to commit to an ongoing subscription.

£238, tapo.com

RING WIRED VIDEO DOORBELL (2ND GEN)

Don't let the entry-level price fool you. Ring's latest wired video doorbell provides a sharper look at whoever's calling, while clear two-way talk and the excellent Ring app make everyday monitoring effortless. At £60, it's an appealing way to bring smart security to your doorstep.

£60, ring.com

EZVIZ EP4 WIRE-FREE PEEPHOLE DOOR VIEWER

No permission to drill into the front door? No problem. The EP4 transforms an existing peephole into a smarter security setup, complete with remote smartphone viewing and a 4.3-inch indoor screen. AI facial recognition makes it particularly appealing for apartment living.

£230, ezviz.com

Looking sharp

BRAUN NEVO 15000C ELECTRIC SHAVER

Braun isn't exactly known for doing things by halves, and this might be its most extravagant shaver yet. AeroTouch technology reduces friction, while 250 blades and a smart processor adapt power to your beard density. There's even a seven-in-one Care System to handle all the maintenance afterwards.

£740, braunshop.co.uk

SHARK CRYOGLOW CLINIC FACE + BODY

Shark's LED tech targets eight ageing zones across the face, neck, back, chest and hands. Better still, it does the job of three separate devices, saving your bathroom cupboard from yet another collection of beauty gadgets.

£550, sharkninja.com

SURI CORE 1.0

Suri has stripped its electric toothbrush back – but not too far. The Core 1.0 still includes a pressure sensor, timer, magnetic wall mount and up to 28 days of battery life, just without the Pro's UV charging case. Great teeth, slightly happier bank balance.

£65, trysuri.com

ROOTIQUE DUO

Scalp serums have a habit of going everywhere except your scalp. The Duo's one-handed micro-mist system applies its tonics right where they're wanted, and also incorporates 650-660nm red light, dosage notifications and a clever hair-parting design.

£112, rootique.co

Cooking upgrades

CASO DESIGN PIZZACHEF 430° INDOOR PIZZA OVEN

Pizza ovens don't have to be oversized or stand loud and proud in your garden, as this indoor model proves. It still reaches up to 430° to replicate the intense temperature of a traditional brick oven. The results? Crispy, delicious pizzas that taste authentic and are cooked perfectly in mere minutes.

£199.99, casodesign.co.uk

PROCOOK INSTANT READ DIGITAL THERMOMETER

A must for both indoor and outdoor cooking, this thermometer can handle temperatures up to 300°C, has a backlit LCD screen that instantly delivers readings, and can handle the stress – and mess – of the kitchen thanks to a waterproof design.

£32, procook.co.uk

OONI DOUGH TOOLS

From pizza to bread and beyond, these tools are exactly what you need for mixing, kneading, scraping and prepping dough. The set includes mixing and lifting spatulas, and a bench scraper, all of which make it easy to handle the entire manual dough-making process.

£35, uk.ooni.com

SMEG AFC01 DUAL FLAVOUR AIR FRYER

Known for its Italian retro-inspired designs, Smeg has put its own stylish twist on the air fryer. Its AFC01 has two cooking functions and seven presets that expertly cook different ingredients to perfection. Available in a range of matte colours, Smeg's latest air fryer is the best-looking model on the market.

£199.95, smeguk.com

PANASONIC MINI BREAD AND ICE CREAM MAKER

Bread and ice cream in one machine? Sign us up! The Panasonic Mini has 34 programmes to play with, covering a range of ice cream, dessert and bread recipes. The best feature is the dispenser in the lid which adds yeast, nuts, seeds and sprinkles at just the right moment to achieve the perfect rise and mix.

£TBC, panasonic.com

OUR PLACE CERAMIC NONSTICK PERFECT POT 6L

One of the most valuable things you can have in your kitchen is a reliable cooking pot, and this eight-in-one non-stick pot ticks all the boxes. It can tackle any roasting, frying or boiling task you throw at it, from your stovetop and into your oven. It looks the part, too, coming in a range of Mediterranean-inspired colours.

£135, fromourplace.co.uk

Brains behind the home

Thanks to advancements in smart technology and AI, the kitchen has become a place for hybrid appliances that have almost taken cooking completely out of our hands. Where we're starting to see improvements within the AI appliance space is white goods, such as fridge freezers and ovens. Having a screen on your fridge sounded ridiculous a few years ago, but now it compiles your shopping list, tracks expiration dates, and even plays music while you cook. Despite air fryers taking over, the oven has never been smarter, with AI cameras inside that scan your food and adjust time and temperature to deliver the best results. Have things gone too far? Probably, but if a fridge can order your groceries for you, it might be nice to have an extra brain in your home.

Gaming gadgets

MSI CLAW 8 EX AI+

For gaming on the go MSI has you covered, with a handheld PC that'll make your daily commutes more enjoyable. Powered by the Intel Arc G3 Extreme processor, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ offers fast and immersive gameplay for up to four hours on a single charge.

£1,399.99, msi.com

ALIENWARE 16 AREA-51 GAMING LAPTOP

The 16-inch Area-51 has everything you need to take your games to the next level. Its second-gen Intel Core processor is joined by an Nvidia graphics chip up to the mighty GeForce RTX 5090 to make ultra settings tremble.

From £2,599, dell.com

STEELSERIES ARCTIS NOVA PRO OMNI

Ideal for PC, consoles and mobile, this headset offers high-fidelity wireless audio and controls you can adjust with a quick tap. Active noise cancellation blocks out up to 96% of background noise to completely dive into whatever you're playing or streaming.

£349.99, steelseries.com

ROG XREAL R1

These AR glasses have a 0.01ms response time and 240Hz refresh rate for smooth and responsive action across their 171-inch virtual screen. The lenses come with different tint levels, and they can switch from 2D to 3D, depending on the content. Earbuds by Bose seal the deal.

£749, rog.asus.com

Home office

NANOLEAF X FANTAQI SMART LED MONITOR STAND

If you've ever wanted to make your desk look more exciting, Nanoleaf's collaboration with art-driven smart home technology brand Fantaqi is up for it. With a combination of natural wood and ambient lighting, this monitor stand illuminates your desk with colour – it's enough to make you want to sit at it for hours.

£179.99, nanoleaf.me

CANYON WEBCAM C2N

Upgrade your video calls with this pocket-sized camera that clips onto the top of your laptop or sits on your desk to offer wide viewing angles with 360° rotation. Its fivelayer 1080p lens will make your colleagues feel like you're in the room with them – in a non-creepy way, of course.

£34.99, canyon.eu

ERGOCHAIR PRO

A comfortable office chair is a must, and this one has nine adjustment points to customise the seat's depth, tilt, lumbar height and headrest. The foam adjusts to your body to keep you supported for hours for the feeling that you're sitting on air.

£466.80, autonomous.ai

COZYLA CALENDAR+ 2

Keep your work schedule and daily life organised with a 24-inch colour touchscreen that stores everything from meetings and chores to tasks and meal plans. Hang it on your office or kitchen wall, and when not in action, it turns into a photo frame.

£699.99, cozyla.com

Keep cool (and warm)

MEACOFAN SEFTE 6” PORTABLE AIR CIRCULATOR

Compact enough to sit on your desk or bedside table, this fan might be small but it sure is mighty. With three modes and 12 fan speeds, it offers strong air circulation and up to 26 hours of battery life. With a sound output of just 22dB while it's working, you'll barely know that it's there.

£69.99, meaco.com

TADO SMART AC CONTROL

Helping you make the most of your air conditioning throughout the year with simple, wireless connectivity, the Tado Smart AC Control connects to your heat pump or AC system and controls heating, cooling, speeds and other modes from your smartphone. It also monitors energy usage to help reduce your monthly bills.

£89.99, shop.tado.com

INGENIX SMART GLASS PANEL HEATER

Moving away from traditional radiator designs, the Ingenix Smart Glass Panel Heater features a glass front LED touch panel that blends into your home while delivering 2000W of heat to keep you warm during the winter months.

£99.99, igenix.co.uk

DREO WHOLE-ROOM HEATER 714S

The colder weather will be a reprieve for many after this summer, but Dreo's whole-room heater is perfect for both hot and cold seasons. This oscillating heater and fan hybrid can fill a room with warmed or cooled air, and it still remains cool to the touch while it's doing it.

£99.99, dreo.com

DUUX YENTL CUDDLE HEATED OVERBLANKET

There's nothing better than getting warm under a cosy blanket after a long day, and the Duux Yentl Cuddle Heated Overblanket is the perfect accessory for this. With its extra large size and faux fur material, the Yentl has multiple heat settings to keep you toasty warm for up to nine hours.

£159.99, duux.co.uk

DYSON HUSHJET MINI COOL FAN

While it might look a little obscene, if you've got that kind of mind, this premium handheld fan recently saved a lot of people's summers. With its simple controls and star-tipped adjustable nozzle, the HushJet Mini Cool gives immediate cooling relief and a powerful airflow while on the go.

£99.99, dyson.co.uk

What to consider before installing air conditioning

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TYPE

The AC system you choose will determine cost, how much space it takes up, and installation length. Try to choose between cooling single or multiple rooms, and match the AC unit's cooling capacity to room size.

DECIDE ITS LOCATION

Indoors, place the unit high on your wall away from heat sources. Outdoors, the compressor should be out of direct sunlight. Check with your building management or the local council first, if you need to.

GO PORTABLE

Installation and maintenance costs for permanent air conditioning systems can add up, but portable AC units deliver super-cool air when you need it and are small enough to pack away when you don't.

Tech for sleep

HATCH SLEEP CLOCK

Hatch's new Sleep Clock is a sleep tracker, wake up light and alarm in one cute, semi-circle gadget. Instead of a wearable, the Hatch Sleep Clock uses radio signals to track your breathing, movement and sleep stages without being invasive. It also has colourful lights, sleep sounds and personalised guidance for the best night's rest.

$249.99, hatch.co

EIGHT SLEEP POD 5

When it comes to smart sleep technology, no one does it better than Eight Sleep. Its Pod 5 sleep system features a base, cover and hub that work together to track your sleep and health. Overnight, it makes adjustments to regulate your temperature, stop snoring and more, so you wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

£2,499, eightsleep.com

LOOP DREAM

Sleep uninterrupted by your partner's snoring. Perfect for side sleepers, thanks to its soft silicone and small shape, the Loop Dream plugs reduce external noise and other distractions so you can sleep without interruptions. But don't fret – they're not completely noise-blocking, so you won't miss your morning alarm.

£44.95, loopearplugs.com

THERABODY SMARTGOGGLES 2ND GEN

If blackout blinds just aren't enough, these goggles block out all external light. But they are much more than just an eye mask, offering compression massage, heat and vibration cycles which will relax you, reduce stress and eye strain, and relieve headaches.

£199, therabody.co.uk

Just smart stuff

AQARA SPATIAL MULTI-SENSOR FP400

Make your smart home work without you having to think about it too much. This sensor uses mmWave radar and AI, so it knows when someone is in the room and whether they're sitting, standing or lying down – so lights and other devices can react automatically without anyone reaching for a switch.

Price TBC, aqara-shop.co.uk

IKEA KLIPPBOK WATER LEAKAGE SENSOR

Not every smart home gadget needs to be exciting – sometimes you just want to know if the dishwasher is flooding the kitchen. Ikea's tiny sensor sounds an alarm when it detects water and, when connected to a hub, can send an alert to your phone.

£7, ikea.com

TAPO P304M SMART WI-FI POWER STRIP

Why make one plug smart when you can do four at once? This strip gives each of its four sockets individual smart control, alongside Matter support, energy monitoring and surge protection. It can even estimate how much your connected gadgets are costing you.

£34.99, tapo.com

HOMEY PRO

When your smart home gadgets all speak different languages, Homey Pro acts as the translator. This hub supports Matter, Thread, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 433MHz and infrared, bringing devices from different ecosystems together and letting you build some seriously sophisticated automations.

£449, homey.app

Powered-up partying

ROBERTS SOLARDAB 99

The Roberts SolarDAB is made for those rare British afternoons when the sun actually decides to cooperate. Its integrated solar panel helps keep the battery topped up outdoors, while DAB+/FM radio and Bluetooth give you plenty to listen to. Garden soundtrack sorted.

£150, robertsradio.com

HYPERVOLT HOME 3 PRO

An EV charger isn't usually the most exciting thing attached to your house, but the Hypervolt Home 3 Pro makes a strong case for changing that. Alongside 7kW charging, it can make use of surplus solar energy, schedule charging around cheaper tariffs, and put everything within reach through the Hypervolt app.

£690, hypervolt.co.uk

ECOFLOW STREAM GARDEN/GROUND KIT

Now that plug-in solar panels are legal in the UK, EcoFlow has the perfect kit to get you started. It includes two 400W rigid solar panels bundled with a microinverter and ground-mounting hardware, letting you angle them towards the sun without committing to a permanent rooftop installation.

£649, ecoflow.com

ANKER SOLIX EVERFROST 2

Forget melting ice and soggy sandwiches. The Anker Solix EverFrost 2 is a batterypowered electric cooler that can actively chill its contents without bags of ice taking up valuable space. Available in three sizes, its wheels and pull-out handle make transporting it a breeze, whether you're camping, picnicking or taking the garden party really seriously.

From £799, ankersolix.com

IKEA SOLVINDEN LED SOLAR TABLE LAMP

Not every outdoor light needs an extension lead or complicated electrical installation. Leave Ikea's Solvinden table lamp outside to charge from the sun during the day, and it'll provide a decorative glow after dark. With such a low price, scattering a few around the garden doesn't feel particularly extravagant either.

£12, ikea.com

JACKERY EXPLORER 300D PORTABLE POWER STATION

Essentially a giant power bank for everything your phone charger can't handle, this power station is compact enough to take outdoors with you. Its 288Wh capacity and 300W output can keep laptops, cameras and other gadgets going, while USB-Cfast charging makes it particularly handy for weekends away from a plug socket.

£219, jackery.com

Solar isn't just for rooftops any more

For years, solar has meant expensive panels professionally installed on your roof, but that's recently changed. Following a change in the rules at the end of August , compliant plug-in solar systems can legally connect to standard household sockets in the UK, making generating your own electricity much more accessible. They won't replace a full rooftop setup, but could offer a simpler and cheaper way to generate some of your own power without committing to a full-size installation.

Therabody has expanded its skincare lineup with a new SkinSpa system, offering three versions to suit different routines and skin concerns.

The SkinSpa ThermLED (£179) combines yellow, red, red + infrared and blue light therapies with heat and vibration, designed to boost circulation and help the skin absorb skincare products. Moving up the range, the SkinSpa CryoCurrent (£249) pairs microcurrent with cold therapy to deliver visible lifting and contouring after one use. At the top of the lineup, the SkinSpa Pro (£349) combines both technologies into one device.

All three devices are available now through Therabody's online store and selected retailers, including Harrods, Selfridges, Space NK and John Lewis.

The launch also brings the Neck & Chest LED (£349), which extends Therabody's VibraWave technology and optional heat treatment to the neck. It joins the brand's existing skincare devices, including the TheraFace Depuffing Wand and TheraFace Mask Glo, both of which we've reviewed at T3.

We're currently testing the SkinSpa Pro, so look out for our verdict soon.

Beko has just launched the newest bean to cup coffee machine to its CaffeExperto range, and it looks like its most impressive one yet. The Beko CaffeExperto CEG8564X offers up to 50 different coffees on its large touchscreen, and comes with everything you need to make espressos, lattes, cappuccinos and even cold brew.

I’ve covered home and kitchen for years on T3, so I feel a little stupid that I didn’t know that Beko made coffee machines! But I have to say I’m incredibly impressed by the Beko CaffeExperto Bean To Cup Coffee Machine CEG8564X, and think it could challenge the likes of De’Longhi and KitchenAid.

As a bean to cup coffee machine, the Beko CaffeExperto CEG8564X has a built-in bean grinder, and a 400g bean hopper at the top. With 13 grind settings to choose from and 19-bar pressure, the Beko CaffeExperto CEG8564X can make up to 50 different coffees, including hot and cold options – and even cold brew.

The Beko CaffeExperto CEG8564X has a 6.8-inch colour touchscreen at the top which allows you to choose your drink of choice, and adjust its settings where needed, like temperature and shots. It also connects to the HomeDirect app which can further personalise your drinks, and make them remotely.

With its 2-litre water tank, the Beko CaffeExperto CEG8564X can make multiple drinks, and can even brew two drinks at once with its dual nozzles. It can also make milk-based drinks using its 0.6-litre milk carafe and integrated frother.

The frother uses Beko’s CreamyPro technology to make velvety frothed milk for lattes, cappuccinos and other milky coffees. I couldn’t tell if the Beko CaffeExperto CEG8564X can be used for both dairy and plant-based milks, but as most coffee machines have this expertise, I imagine the Beko CaffeExperto CEG8564X does too.

The Beko CaffeExperto Bean To Cup Coffee Machine CEG8564X is available to buy for £699.99 at Beko and select retailers, like Amazon and Currys. It’s a little costly, but considering its features and technology, the Beko CaffeExperto CEG8564X is reasonably priced, and cheaper than its competitors.

Dreame has launched its new BlendLogic Power Blender, and it might be the most powerful blender I’ve ever seen. Using iDetect technology, the Dreame BlendLogic Power Blender senses what ingredients are inside it, before automatically adjusting its controls to make the perfect smoothies, soups and more.

Despite it being a relatively ‘new’ brand – having only launched in 2015 – Dreame has somewhat followed in SharkNinja’s footsteps by introducing products in almost every home category, including air fryers, vacuum cleaners, coffee machines and more.

Now, Dreame is expanding its kitchen line-up with the new Dreame BlendLogic Power Blender, and it’s giving Nutribullet and Ninja a serious run for their money. Powered by iDetect technology, the Dreame BlendLogic Power Blender can sense the portion size, hardness and consistency of your ingredients to get the right blend.

Its intelligent detection process works alongside auto-blending which automatically adjusts the time, speed and pulse of the blender. Aside from this technology, the Dreame BlendLogic Power Blender has seven speeds and nine smart programmes, including smoothie, juice, soup, sauce, puree, plant milk, nut butter, frozen drinks and dessert.

With its powerful 2000W motor, the Dreame BlendLogic Power Blender easily cuts through fresh and frozen ingredients. Its eight stainless steel blade grinds, whips and blends, and can even crush ice in as little as 15 seconds.

As a full-sized blender, the Dreame BlendLogic Power Blender definitely isn’t small but it does look great. It has a two litre blending jug with measurements on the side that slots onto a large base which has a bright touchscreen display where you can select and adjust the controls.

Other notable features include a +15 seconds programme for extra blending, and its lid with spout so you can add liquid and other ingredients as the Dreame BlendLogic Power Blender blends. It’s also easy to clean with its pre-set auto-clean setting and dishwasher safe materials.

I use a blender every week, and often find that it struggles with frozen ingredients, so the Dreame BlendLogic Power Blender is definitely a model I’d like to try. It’s available to buy for £179 at Dreame.

Compared to other full-sized blenders, this is a pretty reasonable price, plus you get a wide range of accessories, like 700ml blending cups, a tamper and measuring cups.

Samsung could be working on a new smart ring, but unlike the Galaxy Ring it won't be for your finger. Instead, a patent has been found that shows a connected ring that's designed to fit around your electric toothbrush.

It then tells you what you're doing right and wrong when brushing your teeth. And although some toothbrushes are Bluetooth enabled and can do similar with a connected app, the Samsung ring will go into much more depth.

That's because, according to the patent found by Patentlyze, the band taps into your actual dental records. This allows it to accurately assess your brushing technique based on your own teeth – including missing molars and whether you wear braces.

That of course depends on your phone holding that information, which you'd have to get from your dentist. However, it could use the most recent x-rays of your teeth and gums to help you achieve better daily dental care.

We assume the ring could fit around a regular toothbrush too, but the images show it attached to an electric model and that makes more sense. It houses several sensors to understand how the brush tilts, twists and presses. This will also enable it to tell you to return to a tooth that requires more attention.

The ring will also build up a "pattern" for each tooth over time, to better learn your habits and brushing techniques. This could possibly also lead to an understanding on whether a tooth has shifted or changed in some way, maybe to alert you to book a dental appointment before it becomes painful.

Of course, this is just a patent right now (US 2026/0315202 A1) and while it was published on 15 October – last week – it was originally filed in the spring this year. And many thousands of patents are filed each year. Not all of them are granted, and a vast number never see the light of day.

However, we could see the technology outlined by Samsung appear in an electric toothbrush in the future – rather than an accessory for one. Maybe that's something the Korean tech giant could have up its sleeve.

Microwaves, generally, are used as a lazy alternative to cooking. But kitchen appliance outfit Ninja – who’s already managed to shake up both the air fryer and coffee machine categories of late with its fresh, innovative designs – has decided the ding box has far more potential than just reheating leftovers or cooking packaged junk food.

The brand’s all-new CRISPi Microwave marks its debut in the microwave category, and in true Ninja style, it’s no one-trick pony. It's a 3-in-1 appliance that combines a 1,000W flatbed microwave with a 2,000W convection air fryer and something Ninja calls “FusionCrisp” technology. This is basically a mode that starts by microwaving your food to cook it through quickly and then auto-finishes with air frying to crisp up the outside. The idea is that you get speed and crispiness from a single appliance without having to lift a finger between the two stages.

I've been using it as my main microwave for the past few weeks, and it’s safe to say it’s one of the best kitchen appliances I've tested in a long time. Here's why.

Ninja CRISPi Microwave review: price and availability

The Ninja CRISPi Microwave is available to buy now in the UK and US priced at £359.99 and $399.99 (reduced from $449.99 RRP), respectively.

At the time of writing, the UK model is currently sold out on SharkNinja's own site, with new stock expected in October 2026, but it's still available from select retailers if you move quickly.

In the US, it's available from SharkNinja, Amazon and Best Buy, but it doesn't appear to be available in Australia right now. For reference though, £359.99 converts to roughly AU$700, but there's no official local pricing or release date as of yet.

At this price, the CRISPi Microwave sits firmly in the premium microwave territory. A standard microwave will set you back anywhere from £50 to £150, so Ninja is clearly asking a lot more here. But I guess you could justify this in that the CRISPi replaces both your microwave and your air fryer, and when you factor in that a decent standalone Ninja air fryer costs around £150 to £250, the combined price starts to make more sense.

Rivals in the combination microwave space, such as the Sage Combi Microwave (around £399) and the Panasonic NN-CD87KS (around £320), offer convection functionality but lack the dedicated air frying performance that Ninja’s option brings to the table.

Ninja CRISPi Microwave review: design and build

One of the first things you’ll notice about the CRISPi is how good it looks. It doesn't look like your typical microwave in that it boasts a sexy matte black finish with stainless steel trims, giving it a design that’s clean and modern. This is joined by a minimalist control panel on the right-hand side that sports a digital display and a handful of well-spaced buttons. It looks more like a premium built-in oven than something you'd shove in a corner to reheat baked beans, and it sits on the worktop with a lot more presence than any bog-standard microwave does.

While it looks the part, build quality is where the CRISPi Microwave really impressed me, especially coming off the back of reviewing Ninja’s Luxe Café Pro coffee machine, where the plastic construction left me feeling a bit cheated. That’s certainly not the case with the CRISPi, which, weighing in at a hefty 18.6kg, is very heavy but also super solid feeling.

Plus, everything from the door mechanism to the accessories that go inside feels robust and well engineered. That’s very reassuring to see, especially at this price, and really made me think Ninja has delivered in a way it didn't quite manage with its latest coffee machine.

The CRISPi’s flatbed design is one of my favourite things about the appliance. There's no turntable, which Ninja says gives you 20% more usable cooking space compared to a standard microwave with a 33cm plate, and having used it for a few weeks I can confirm the interior is as spacious as it sounds. The flat base also makes cleaning up spills far easier than trying to wipe around a moving turntable.

As for accessories, the included 5.2-litre CleanCrisp glass cooking dish is the star of the show. It's made from PFAS-free and PTFE-free glass, which is a nice touch considering all the concerns around non-stick coatings we hear lately. It also doubles as a prep, cook and serve dish, so you can take it straight from the microwave to the table without transferring food to a separate plate, which saves time and cuts down on washing up. Win win! I should also mention that the dish includes a crisper tray that sits inside for air frying. This works by lifting food above the base for better hot air circulation underneath. *Chef’s kiss*.

My only real design gripe is the microwave’s size. Measuring 51.5 x 44.6 x 35.8cm, the CRISPi will take up a serious chunk of worktop, so something to keep in mind. If your kitchen is on the smaller side, it's definitely worth measuring up before you commit.

Ninja CRISPi Microwave review: performance

Let's start with the CRISPi Microwave’s FusionCrisp, because it's the headline feature and the thing I was probably most sceptical about before I started using it. The concept is straightforward enough: you select a FusionCrisp programme, the microwave kicks in first to cook the food through quickly, and then the air fryer automatically takes over to crisp up the outside. You just load the food, press go, and come back to something that's cooked through and crispy on the outside.

While it sounds like too good to be true, it actually works brilliantly. The standout test for me was jacket potatoes, which I made following the included recipe booklet on FusionCrisp mode. After about 10 minutes of microwaving followed by 10 minutes of air frying, I was left with a jacket potato that was beautifully soft and fluffy on the inside with a lovely crispy skin on the outside.

That's about 20 minutes total, compared to well over an hour in a conventional oven, and the result was just as good – maybe even better. Anyone who's ever done a microwave-only jacket potato knows the sad, floppy skin you end up with, and to get the crunch you have to go with the oven-only method, which takes forever. This FusionCrisp mode, however, gives you the best of both worlds for less time.

The thing with multi-mode appliances is that, usually, they do one or two things well, but not all of them. This isn’t the case with the CRISPi Microwave – especially the device’s standalone air fryer function, which works very well. At 2,000W with super-heated cyclonic air reaching up to 240°C, it performs on a par with a standalone Ninja air fryer, which – as anyone who has ever owned one will know – this is only good news.

After trying the Sage Combi Wave 3-in-1 earlier this year and finding its air fryer function didn’t quite live up to the standard you’d epect from a standalone option, I was pleased this wasn’t the case for the CRISPi Microwave. I cooked foods such as frozen chips, chicken drumsticks and roasted veg in it over several weeks and the results were consistently good, coming out crispy and well cooked. If you already own a separate air fryer and you're thinking about consolidating to an all-in-one appliance to save worktop space, the CRISPi Microwave’s air frying ability is definitely good enough to replace it.

The microwave-only function deserves a mention too, because it's pretty punchy. At 1,000W, it heats food super quickly and evenly. I found it especially handy for rescuing cups of tea and coffee that had gone cold. It sounds like a small thing, but a microwave that can bring a lukewarm brew back to life in 30 seconds is worth its weight in gold, if you ask me (then again, I am Northern), and the CRISPi handles it without any fuss.

When it comes to cooking, you’ll find 14 functions across three modes (eight microwave presets, five air fry presets, plus FusionCrisp), which cover pretty much any cooking scenario you'd want. The controls are intuitive and easy to navigate, and I had the CRISPi Microwave up and running and doing exactly what I needed within minutes of plugging it in.

My only niggle, and it is a small one, is the beeping. After your food is done and you've opened the door to take it out, the CRISPi keeps beeping at you until you physically press the cancel button. If you just close the door and walk off, as I do every single time, it'll remind you of its existence repeatedly until you go back and deal with it. It's a minor grievance in the grand scheme of things, but it's the kind of thing you notice daily, and after a few weeks it will definitely start to grate on you.

Ninja CRISPi Microwave review: verdict

The Ninja CRISPi Microwave is a rarity in that it’s a kitchen appliance that actually lives up to its own marketing. The FusionCrisp technology really works, delivering results that are faster than a conventional oven and crispier than a standard microwave, and the standalone air fryer and microwave modes are both excellent in their own right. The build quality is a good step up from some of Ninja's other recent products, too, and it’s innovative where it matters, especially the versatile glass cooking dish and its flatbed design, which makes the interior feel surprisingly more spacious than your average microwave.

At its current RRP, it's definitely not cheap. But if you're in the market for both a new microwave and an air fryer, the CRISPi makes a compelling case for buying one appliance instead of two. It does both jobs well, it looks great on the worktop, and the FusionCrisp mode adds something you simply can't get from either device on its own.

If I had to pick one fault beyond the beeping, it would be the size. This is a big appliance that needs a pretty big chunk of worktop to live on. But if you've got the space and the budget, Ninja’s CRISPi Microwave is the most impressive of its kind that I've ever used.

Look, I'm not a professional traveller – and if you're willing to believe some accounts on Instagram and YouTube Shorts, there are plenty of those out there. I travel more than most people, because of the nature of my job, but I'm still broadly in the setup phase when it comes to figuring out my go-to packing list.

That setup got quite a shake-up in the last few weeks when I added a new element to it that I swear I should have been pointed at long ago: compressible packing cubes. Don't get me wrong, I've had packing cubes for years (all of them from Muji, one of the best all-around brands going), but never the sort that has a compression zipper to help you pack more into them.

Already, after just a couple of long weekend trips with the cubes in my EDC backpack, I don't think I can go back. I haven't done the A/B testing to see if I'm literally squeezing in more clothes per square centimetre, but anecdotally, it sure feels like I am, making it easier to pack without compromise.

I've used two types of cubes on my two trips – one from Cotopaxi, with great success, and more recently another from Thule, which isn't quite the same but does come in crucially a bit cheaper. They're both darned impressive for slightly different reasons.

I thought the addition of compression zips might be a little bit of a luxury addition to my packing, but (wouldn't you know it) they've basically made it easier to squeeze in that extra thin outer layer you'd like for chilly evenings, or the pair of shorts you're not sure you'll need.

For some people, that's not needed, if you're already a super-zen packer who reliably fits into a single bag without trouble. For those of us who aspire to one-bag travel, but know that in reality we're a little too anxious to leave some bases uncovered, this is a must-have addition, I'd say.

Obviously, though, they're more expensive than normal packing cubes, and if you're careful with how you use the latter you'll probably be able to get almost the same amount of stuff into your bag. It'll just be way easier with compression cubes, and a lot of why we all buy gadgets and gizmos is to make life that bit easier, no?

Tefal has launched what it claims is the UK’s first ‘personal cooker’ and it could solve all your solo meal problems. The Tefal YumMeal is a multicooker and air fryer with three different modes, and a single bowl that can be used to prep, cook and eat your meals in one appliance.

The Tefal YumMeal Multicooker and Air Fryer stands out in many ways, the first one being its size. Measuring just 23cm x 26cm x 36cm, it’s one of the smallest multicookers on the market, and it takes up minimal room in your kitchen. Where it really shines though is its 1.2-litre removable bowl.

To help cut down on food waste and prep time, the bowl of the Tefal YumMeal can be used to prep and cook your food. Once it’s done, you can eat your meal directly from the pot and clean it up, so for those who hate doing the washing up, you only need to wash the Tefal YumMeal’s bowl rather than multiple pots, pans and dishes.

As the Tefal YumMeal has a small capacity, it’s ideal for those who live alone. Personally, I don’t live alone but I’m terrible at cooking small portions, so the Tefal YumMeal is a game changer when it comes to solo meals and single food portions. It can also cater to food allergies and different diets to avoid cross contamination across different appliances.

The Tefal YumMeal has three cooking modes to choose from – Air Fry, Induction and Combi. This launch marks the first time that air frying and induction cooking have been combined in one appliance.

The induction feature can be used on its own to cook one-pot meals like soups, stews and sauces, or in Combi mode, you can combine it with the air fryer setting to make oven-style meals. The air fryer feature can also be used on its own to make crispy foods, like chips.

When in action, the Tefal YumMeal is surprisingly quiet. It has a touchscreen display at the top which flicks through the modes on offer, and you can customise time and temperature.

The Tefal YumMeal is available to buy for £199.99 at Tefal.

JURA has just launched its latest bean to cup coffee machine, and it’s introduced a completely new style of coffee brewing. An upgraded version of its C8, the JURA C9 has 17 speciality drinks, and comes with a new Light Extraction Process which makes coffee at a ‘gentler’ temperature.

As a self-confessed caffeine addict, I’m terrible at waiting for my coffee to cool down enough for me to drink it. Oftentimes, I either burn my tongue or I wait too long for it to get cool that I end up drinking lukewarm – or even cold – coffee.

But the new JURA C9 seems to solve this problem. With its new Light Extraction Process, the JURA C9 brews light and milder coffee at 60 degrees, so it’s at the perfect temperature for you to drink straight away – and without burning your tongue, most importantly!

Alongside its new extraction process, the JURA C9 offers 17 speciality drinks, including flat whites, cappuccinos and cortados. The light brew function can be used on all these drinks, although as a fully automatic machine, the JURA C9 can also pick your settings for you.

The integrated Professional Aroma Grinder of the JURA C9 is extremely impressive. It comes with seven grind settings, 10 strength levels and three brewing temperatures, so you can customise every aspect of your grind. This can all be selected via the 2.8-inch colour touchscreen, where you can also choose your drink, milk foam and milk alternatives.

The design of the JURA C9 is similar to its other automatic coffee machines, including wave-shaped patterns on the side and water tank, a cup grill, and a concave front. It comes in a stylish piano black colourway with silver accents.

I’ve always found JURA coffee machines to be a bit chunky, but the JURA C9 has everything packed away inside the compact coffee machine, including the tank at the side and grinder at the top. It’s also compatible with the J.O.E. app so you can personalise recipes and profiles, and make drinks remotely.

The JURA C9 is available to buy for £895 at JURA. At almost £900, it’s definitely not a cheap coffee machine, but with plenty of coffee options available, and a high quality design, the JURA C9 is likely to last for years.

Apple's HomeView smart home hub has proved popular since it launched last week, with pre-orders selling quickly and the general reception to the design being positive. Even the price seems reasonable.

However, some have since pointed out a couple of additions that could have made it even better, such as a screen that turns to face you and a larger display.

Well, according to Bloomberg's resident Apple expert, Mark Gurman, that could be exactly what we're getting with the next generation. He believes that Apple "is on track" with a larger, robotic version of the hub.

In his latest PowerOn newsletter, Gurman claimed that Apple is looking to release a "souped-up" version with a nine-inch screen. It'll be the same design and, we assume, square aspect ratio but will be bigger.

In addition, he revealed that behind it will be a robotic arm that works with Siri AI to identify who is talking in the room and turn the display to face them. It will be able to swivel a "full 360°".

"Imagine a FaceTime call where the screen follows uoi as you move around the kitchen," he wrote in the newsletter.

This sounds more like the sort of robotic assistant we've all imagined at one point or another. It doesn't sound like it'll have wheels or any other to move around, but you could theoretically give the automated HomeView a face.

The new HomeView won't replace the existing model, it'll be a higher-end device, claims Gurman. He suggested it'll be called something like "Apple HomeView Max" or "HomeView Ultra".

The latter ties in with other devices we're expecting to see at some point, such as the much-rumoured MacBook Ultra, which could be revealed next week. Media have reportedly been invited to LA to see new MacBooks and iPads.

Smart refrigerators are becoming more and more common, but the Samsung Family Hub remains one of the best options on the market. They provide far more than just a simple WiFi connection to control basic functions remotely. Through the touchscreen display, you can manage other smart devices, check the weather forecast or your calendar, play music, watch TV and much more.

I’ve been testing the Bespoke AI Side-By-Side Family Hub, 9-inch model. This is a 621-litre fridge-freezer, split virtually to allow for one-third freezer (220l) and two-thirds fridge (401l). It offers all-around cooling, with metal cooling plates to retain the temperature and offers a Power Cool and Power Freeze option to blast cold air through either side to quickly drop the temperature.

I was excited to use the Family Hub, as my home is not short on connected devices and having a central hub in the kitchen could be a great way to manage them. However, after more than a month of using this smart fridge, it’s not the display that excites me most.

Price and availability

Released in 2025, the Samsung Bespoke AI Side-By-Side Refrigerator Family Hub 9" was originally priced at £2499 in the UK, which is around $3330 in the UK and A$4794 in Australia. However, it’s now reduced by £500, making it as low as £1999 in some places. Models in the US and Australia differ slightly.

My one true crush

Now, I know a water dispenser is nothing new. I remember having one growing up that you could even fill with squash and dispense it inside the door with a push-up, optic-like nozzle. However, the water dispenser on the Samsung Family Hub fridge is next level.

It offers a plumbed water and ice dispenser in the freezer door, which allows it to dispense water or ice on demand without having to refill it. A water purification canister sits between the fridge and the water supply, so both ice and water are purified. This can be easily swapped out when it’s time, with a reminder from the display to do so.

The large compartment in the back of the freezer door holds plenty of ice ready for dispensing, and will keep making more as needed (or stop overnight, so as not to disturb). There are three settings on the dispenser: a water setting, an ice cube setting, and a third for crushed ice.

Now, if you’re a fan of cocktails, having instant access to crushed ice is a game changer. From margaritas and mojitos to daiquiris, Moscow mules, and watermelon smashes, these drinks level up when you use crushed ice rather than your standard ice cubes.

With the Samsung Family Hub fridge, you simply select the crushed ice option and push your glass against the rear panel under the nozzle to let the crushed ice fill your cup. No more separate ice crushers or a tea towel and mallet.

Even if cocktails aren’t your thing, having the two ice options on demand here means that you can always make a cold drink without having to worry about filling ice trays or buying those shop packs of ice.

Family Hub display

Now, for most people, I know the Family Hub display is the main reason for buying this fridge – it was certainly the first thing I looked at – so let me go into a little more detail on what it offers.

The 9-inch horizontal display was a change for the 2025 edition of Samsung’s range, as a more subtle alternative to the 21.5-inch model. Both options were designed to offer deeper integration into the smart home ecosystem through Samsung’s SmartThings. Its usage is divided into four main areas: food, home, family communication and entertainment.

The main dashboard provides a mix of functions, including the change to add products inside your refrigerator and browse recipes with full cooking guidance. A fridge manager feature lets you control the temperatures and modes for your fridge freezer, while the SmartThings option lets you control other devices.

By swiping up from the bottom, you can access the app dock for the most used apps, as well as the full list of apps. These include a web browser, YouTube, Spotify and Ring, along with meal planner, memos, shopping liars, calendar, weather, timer, Map View, SmartThings and Bixby.

Bixby is Samsung’s virtual assistant, used across all its smart devices. From the Family Hub, you can access Bixby via the dedicated app or by voice, using the “Hey Bixby” wake word. While Samsung Galaxy devices can now also use the Google Gemini assistant, there isn’t that option on the Family Hub fridge.

This model doesn’t have the AI Vision Inside function, which uses an internal camera to recognise the food, so items have to be added to your contents list individually. So while it’s a lovely idea to keep track of every item’s best-before dates and use them to create recipes, the process of adding takes far too long.

Open sesame, I mean, Bixby!

The other great feature of this fridge is the auto-open door feature. Touch sensors on both the fridge and freezer doors can be lightly tapped to engage the function, which then fully opens the door. Opening fridge doors often takes a bit of a pull, due to the suction of the seal keeping the cold air inside, so this makes it so much easier.

It’s a function I wasn’t sure I needed – if you have a hand free to tap, surely you can just open it – but once I turned it on, I used it all the time. What I like about this automatic door function is that you can still open it manually if you want. It takes a few seconds for the door to open and then to swing out, so if you’re in a rush, opening it manually is much quicker.

In addition to using the touch sensors, you can also open the fridge doors using your voice. Saying “Hey, Bixby, open the fridge door”. The assistant takes a few seconds to think about the task, but then complies by opening the door, as if by touching the sensor.

The only downside, apart from the delay while it thinks through the command, is the fact that it opens both the fridge and freezer doors at once. Handy if you’ve just got the shopping and are replenishing both, but for use while cooking, it would be good to be able to do one or the other.

Should I buy the Samsung Family Hub refrigerator?

This Samsung refrigerator is not only a great-looking device, but it’s one of the best fridges I’ve used in a long time – and I’ve used a lot. There’s plenty of space for all of your fresh produce, including nice big door pockets for all your drinks.

Both the fridge and freezer sections are extremely well chilled and the airflow keeps the temperatures even and the produce ventilated. I’m also a big fan of the two giant vegetable trays in the bottom of the fridge.

When it comes to smart controls, the 9-inch display is useful without being too in-your-face. It provides all the information you need, though the Ring app feels a little glitchy, and general operation can seem a little slow compared to a phone or tablet. I’d love to see this display updated to a full Android setup, complete with Google Gemini, as I think it could work a lot better.

As for my favourite part, the ice dispenser, this makes the fridge for me. Filtered water and ice on tap with no refilling, plus crushed ice straight from the machine, to make those perfect cocktails. What more could you ask for?

Especially at its new discounted price, the Samsung side-by-side family hub refrigerator is a great choice.

CurrentBody has launched its third-generation LED face mask, designed for anyone looking to tackle several skin concerns with one device. It joins the Series 1 and Series 2, both of which have become popular options in the best LED face mask market.

The biggest difference is that Series 1 focuses on red light therapy, whilst Series 2 adds a third wavelength and an improved fit. Series 3 takes things a step further, featuring 750 LEDs and six different wavelengths into one mask, with the added bonus of being able to customise treatments through an app.

Priced at £499.99 or $569.99, the Series 3 is available to buy from CurrentBody's website now.

The mask includes all three wavelengths found in Series 2, plus blue (415nm), green (532nm) and yellow (590nm) light. These additional wavelengths are designed to target the appearance of blemishes, uneven skin tone and redness.

The big new feature is MyDose technology, which you can access through the accompanying app. This lets you choose which wavelengths individual LEDs use, with the mask calculating the treatment dose for you. If you'd rather not adjust the settings yourself, there are also four clinician-approved preset modes to choose from.

Series 3 is also part of a wider range of personalised LED devices, including a matching neck and décolletage mask. CurrentBody also offers a face-and-neck kit for £854.99/$971.99, giving users the option to extend their LED routine beyond their face.

Christmas is getting closer by the day, and the latest retailer to show off its festive range is ProCook. We already love this brand for its coffee machines and cookware sets, but there's something about a Christmas collection that gets us even more excited, especially when it's filled with new and interesting finds.

I saw the collection in person last week and have picked out my favourite pieces below. Even better, some of them are currently included in a 20% launch offer, so there are a few bargains to be had alongside the festive inspiration.