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Lily O’Briens Chocolate Elf Berry Bites

Children, chocolate, Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, secret santa, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Here’s a lovely festive chocolate gift from Lily O’Briens. These Chocolate Elf Berry Bites are gorgeous, individually wrapped chocolates have a berry filling, with the texture of cheesecake pieces. Each bite is both chocolatey and refreshing and reminds me of Christmas with the berry flavouring.

These would be great as after dinner chocolates, sitting on the dining table or whilst watching TV after dinner. At £5 each though for the festive looking 8 chocolate bites, they could be excellent stocking fillers or Secret Santa gifts. I’m not sure how you would wrap the box though, the triangular shape makes it impossible to wrap paper round it!

Available from £5 at: https://lilyobriens.co.uk/gifts

The Large Honey Jar Gift Box from Black Bee Honey

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, eco friendly, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, health, Summer, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

I love honey. Honey has had a bad reputation in the past few years with the scandal that so many brands are using sugar syrup instead of honey, and the real honey has become really expensive with climate change making honey harvesting more unpredictable. I am delighted to say that the British honey from Black Bee Honey is homegrown, available to buy in plenty and isn’t as expensive as you might think. Black Bee Honey sent us this completely unexpected gift box of honey.

The gift box contains 4 jars of honey which weigh 227 grams each, so yes, this is a heavy gift box! The honey is sourced from the 4 seasons of the year, which explains why each jar is a different colour and a different texture. For example, spring is light cream colour, and is harvested when rapeseed, hawthorn and plum blossom are in bloom in Somerset, Yorkshire and Northamptonshire. The honey is soft and opaque so suits being used in baking to add sweetness. The summer honey, even though it’s harvested just a few months later, is transparent and resembles more like what we think of as honey. It’s sourced from all over the country in the summer so could come from any source of blossoms and flowers.

I use honey for so many meals and dishes. I make salad dressings from it, use it as a substitute for sugar and even use it for medicinal purposes. I only ever buy British honey because I have ridiculously bad hay fever and I can’t take over the counter medicine without falling asleep at the drop of a hat. So I take British honey every morning in some form, even if it’s just a teaspoonful and it gets rid of 80% of my hay fever symptoms, but can be taken as often as needed throughout the day. With this in mind, I love having honey around and I know my honey flavours! The idea of having seasonal honey is unbelievably useful to someone with hay fever who needs to have the antihistamine properties available throughout the year, depending on what causes the allergy.

As for the taste of the honey – well, it’s real honey! Each jar has a slightly different taste to it above the sweetness, whether it be a slightly more floral, or a delicate blossom flavour. I love this gift as a great idea for anyone who loves honey, or who cooks, has a family of honey lovers or likes using British homegrown products.

Available for £32.95 at: https://www.blackbeehoney.com/collections/the-honey-shop/products/the-4-seasons-large-honey-jar-gift-box

Matcha Tea from The Matcha Yaad

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Matcha lovers will love the range of matcha tea from The Matcha Yaad this Christmas! We were sent some strawberry and peach flavoured premium matcha to try, along with a sample sachet of chocolate (my favourite!) so how did we get on?

Premium matcha from The Matcha Yaad can be used for making matcha tea, or added to smoothies lattes, ice-cream, lemonade, cakes or much more! Try putting it over the top of a dessert like tiramisu or making a milkshake out of it. With a product like matcha, there are lots of different ways you can use it and make dishes more interesting. I first started using it as a tea but then discovered that the best way to use it was as a supplement flavour for other foods, and that’s when I discovered adding it to smoothies and ice cream!

What does it taste like though? Well matcha is usually quite sour tasting, and not easy to drink all in one go. The Matcha Yaad make premium matcha though, so it’s authentic leaves which are infused with a flavour and most of the flavours are naturally sweet so you don’t need to add any sugar or sweetener to it. The flavours of the peach and strawberry come through subtly, but I really enjoyed the chocolate flavour the most! If you’re making up a latte or drink with the matcha, then just add water to some matcha (a tablespoon amount will be enough for one mug) and then add cream, coconut milk or something similar, and blend. An espresso whisk will do the trick, then you can enjoy either on it’s own or add a shot of latte and some ice to make a summer tall drink!

The Matcha Yaad matcha is expensive, but it goes a long way and is for the matcha lover who wants the authentic taste. It has no added sugar and no dairy so it’s suitable for a wide range of matcha lovers too.

All flavours available online for approximately £25 each at: https://thematchayaad.com/

Lonely Planet Secret Wonders of the World – book

Birthday Gifts, Books, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Based on the premise of The Seven Wonders of the World, the Secret Wonders of the World book by Lonely Planet delves deeper into the hidden treasures that are out there, ready to explore. There are 385 places featured in this book, complete with photographs, which give an insight into lands unknown.

For example, there are the Yamal Permafrost craters in Russia, Fantasy Coffins in Ghana and the Winchester Mystery House in California. There’s also sections on specific topics like Tremendous Trees, London’s Oddest Sights and Nerve-Racking Rocks. As you flick through the countries, there are more and more places to visit that are off the beaten track, or are unknown to most travellers. The photos are gorgeous and really give a sense of how amazing some places are which you’ve probably never heard of before and countries you wouldn’t normally think of visiting.

Divided up by geographical region, you can use this book in various ways. It can either be a coffee table book which you pick up and put down at will, or children will love this to discover more about the world. If you’re a traveller, you might like to find out if your next destination is near any of the places mentioned but I think this book is brilliant for travellers who want lots of inspiration. Some of the countries are quite far-flung, so if you like planning for unusual places, this book is for you. There is a mixture of geography, history and nature in this book, plus some really interesting cultural ideas.

The more I flick through this book, the more ideas I get and the more involved in the stories. Some of them I’ve had to go and look up to learn more about them. It’s a fascinating read, and would make a great gift for anyone, but especially children who are interested in the world.

Available from £22.99 at: https://shop.lonelyplanet.com/products/secret-wonders-of-the-world?srsltid=AfmBOoqQB2sdJLY_UT-V79luc1FoETwo_kAaQ_fv9fTVw6Tdtxj6O1iz

Lonely Planet – A Kid’s Guide to Japan – book

Birthday Gifts, Books, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for children, Learning, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Toys

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

You don’t have to visit a place to be interested in a Lonely Planet Guide, and the Kid’s Guide to Japan is no exception. The culture in Japan is so unique, it’s worth just buying the book for children to pique their interest, but if you have Japan on your bucket list and are thinking of going, you’ll want to take a peek at this book and get some ideas. It’s not just for children!

The book is full of photos on every page, with stories, history, facts and information such as transport, art (including animé and Hello Kitty), food and geography. There’s a section on Tokyo, and details on cultural references like Geishas, snow monkeys, origami and sumo. At the back of the book, there’s some ‘What’s the Difference?’ Puzzles for children to complete, using photos relevant to Japan.

The whole book is bright and colourful with lots of photos on each page and just as much to read. I would say that this book is aimed at children aged 7-10 years old as there’s a lot of topics to get into and a lot of interesting facts. It would take a while for a child to read the whole book, but if they’re interested in Japan, it’s something they could read over and over and learn all the facts. I learned a lot!

The Lonely Planet Kid’s Guide series also includes books on New York City, London, Paris, Rome and Italy.

Available from £10.95 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lonely-Planet-Kids-Guide-Japan/dp/1837587736

Lonely Planet Travel Tarot

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Learning, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, travel

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Have you ever had your tarot cards read? If you have, then you’ll know that travel features highly in many of the cards. Lonely Planet have combined the original tarot card deck with their travel destinations to give a second dimension to readings.

The Lonely Planet Travel Tarot cards are all of the usual 78 cards you find in a tarot deck, and with the same name but the symbolism is for a place in the world which is named on the card. So the Nine of Cups is Lisbon, Portugal and has a drawing of a Portuguese street. The Justice card is The Hague, Netherlands and The World card is, predictably, Planet Earth! There seems to be a play on the cards and places – for instance, the Devil is Las Vegas and Judgement is New York City.

The set comes with an explanatory book which gives a background to tarot and how it works, how these cards work and some common spreads to do with travel. You can use the tarot cards in the conventional sense, or you can take the places and the pictures of places as a different way of reading them, with the travel theme as a background to each card.

The set is beautifully illustrated and has a very comprehensive guide book to help you understand the cards and how to read them in different spreads. I like how Lonely Planet has related a hobby like tarot cards to something as wholesome as travel, allowing users a way of reading the cards or to learn about the travel destinations. It’s a really fun way to learn the cards or to pass an afternoon reading your own cards or those of your friends.

Available from £16.99 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lonely-Planet-Travel-Tarot-Hinshaw/dp/1837586969/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ABYKWDKKMQX4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.AsobIEq9SL3q1RV47PEj7Bn4b4_dViTTNR-2Ik4y4MTXgEbJ2tZSiPxB3ZLxp5z6E3MzY5XbkmlCROZHAoRj_GAC2Ok2ytaC3sks6LJGMb35m2t8SLNbAD0VmMl3KUAGjfJwez9bcRnTbYchzcoF-VCLP4U65avukJltSl5dSgEikS0gUvu3vwY0JWSKR9e3.P8VHaINOyGocXIENgIi-Eunef69XbOrI3j88haLVmls&dib_tag=se&keywords=lonely+planet+travel+tarot&qid=1787777549&sprefix=lonely+planet+travel+tarot,aps,179&sr=8-1

Bennett Opies Christmas Food Gifts

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for teachers, snacks

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

As Christmas rolls in and you wonder what to buy, Bennett Opies have the perfect gift for food lovers. There’s a huge range of preserved fruits, pickles, cocktail items and ingredients available, there’s almost too much to choose from! We were sent a big box of goodies to sample before Christmas, and trust me, it took a while!

Firstly, there’s the fruits; Opies preserved Peaches in 12 year old brandy, Black Cherries in Kirsch and Baby Pears in Amaretto. The alcohol in the preserving syrup makes these extra special for Christmas and something that brings back memories. The peaches are my favourite, with ice cream added for the sweetness overload. The pears are not something I would usually buy but with the stems still on them, they are particularly pretty for Christmas. The Kirsch soaked cherries can be added to cakes, desserts or fruit salads and add both colour and flavour which again are quintessentially Christmas.

The Cornichons & Onions, Pickled Walnuts and Mini Gherkins are great accomplices to a buffet, or to use on the table on Boxing Day with cold meats or even if you do fish and chips. The Capers and Green Peppercorns are equally great for adding as ingredients (I like adding them to pizza!). The Ginger in syrup, Sliced Lemons and Cocktail Cherries are great for cocktails, and I use them in baking too. Try making a ginger cake with real ginger pieces, or a lemon drizzle cake with lemon slices on top. A fruitcake isn’t the same without a proper cocktail cherry either, and Opies have some great additions to your Christmas. Try some of the range before Christmas, or add them to a hamper as a gift for teachers, neighbours and friends.

All available at: https://www.bennettopie.com/ and with 10% now for new customers.

Vocation Brewery Beers

alcoholic drinks, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Him, Valentine's Day Gifts

Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

High above Hebden Bridge, in an old chicken shed surrounded by the hills and windswept moorlands of the South Pennines, you’ll find Vocation Brewery. It’s not the sort of setting you’d immediately associate with modern craft beer, but founder John Hickling clearly saw something in it. Leaving his job to pursue brewing, he found the combination of fresh Yorkshire water and a rather spectacular landscape the perfect place to make bold, flavoursome beers.

Vocation was a new brewery to me, but sampling beer for a review is hardly the toughest job I’ve ever been given! The first thing that caught my eye was the fantastic designs on the cans, with each beer having its own distinctive artwork. I know plenty of people who buy wine and beer based on the picture on the label so I’m convinced these cans will sell themselves before you’ve even got as far as reading the label!

We started with Extra Time (4.8% Extra Pale Ale) – £4.25, which is a proper summer beer. It’s pale, bright and refreshing, with Idaho 7 hops bringing soft apricot and stone-fruit flavours, followed by a hit of citrus and a clean finish. There’s good flavour without it becoming heavy, making it very easy to drink. This would be cracking with a barbecue, particularly grilled chicken, sausages or burgers, and the fruity character works nicely with a mature cheddar too.

Next came The Lure (6% NEIPA) – £5.25 The underwater-themed can is really eyecatching while the soft, hazy New England IPA inside is full of tropical fruit, the Mosaic, Citra and Galaxy hops bring mango and other tropical notes, while the grapefruit and lime add a sharper edge. This is the beer I’d pair with something with a bit of heat: spicy chicken, tacos, a curry or anything fresh from the barbecue.

Fiesta (5.4% Cactus & Lime Lager) – £4 was my favourite of the bunch. This new lager is the one I would reach for on a sunny day. Crisp, clean and easy to drink, it starts with the fresh zing of lime peel before the infusion of cactus brings a touch of herbal notes. I love the Mexican-inspired cactus design on the can and this gives a clue to the best foods to pair it with – Mexican dishes being the obvious choice. It goes well with tacos, fajitas and nachos, but it goes just as well with spicy chicken, grilled prawns or something from the barbecue. Anything with lime, chilli or a little heat is going to get on very nicely with this beer.

Dry Humour (6% Brut IPA) – £5.50 is a completely different proposition. Bright, crisp and dry with a sparkling finish that makes it a refreshing summer drink. Nelson Sauvin, Hallertau Blanc and Citra hops bring citrus, tropical fruit and gooseberry. It’s an interesting beer because it feels a bit wine-like at times. .

Food-wise, this is the one I’d reach for with seafood. Fish or prawns dishes would work well because that dry finish helps cut through richer flavours. It’s a beer with a bit of sophistication about it, but thankfully without taking itself too seriously.

The final beer we tried was The Surrealist (5.5% Belgian Witbier) – £4.25, a fresh Belgian-style wheat beer brewed with orange peel and coriander. The orange brings a gentle sweetness while the coriander adds a subtle spiced note. It’s lighter and more delicate than some of the others, making it a good choice for lighter meals.

It works really well with grilled fish, roast chicken or a salad as there’s enough flavour to complement the food without overpowering it, which is exactly what you want from a beer with a meal.

What impressed us most was the variety. Every beer had its own personality, from the fruity, easy-drinking Extra Time to the tropical punch of The Lure, the sharp freshness of Fiesta, the dry complexity of Dry Humour and the citrusy character of The Surrealist.

And that’s the mark of a good brewery. You don’t want five beers that taste vaguely similar. You want each one to give you a reason to reach for it. Vocation certainly does that. I really enjoyed these beers and while I’m not going to pretend there was any hardship involved in drinking them, these beers proved that good brewing is about more than simply putting hops and water in a can. Get the flavours right, pair them with the right food and you’re sorted!

HungerHub – The Kitchen in a Bucket

Birthday Gifts, camping, Family Life, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home & Garden, Summer, travel

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of the review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

We really enjoy the outdoor life and so when I heard about HungerHub – The Kitchen in a bucket, I was very intrigued.

The brain behind HungerHub is fisherman Stewart, who, like us, knows all too well the chaos that comes with outdoor cooking. There’s always an endless list of things to pack, and by the time you’ve got the cool box, stove, pans, plates, mugs and cutlery packed into different bags, there’s a very good chance something will be left behind.

So after years of buying outdoor cooking gear that was either expensive and disappointing or cheap and, well, even more disappointing, Stewart decided enough was enough. He wanted one grab-and-go solution that would let him cook a proper breakfast by the river, complete with bacon, eggs, toast and decent coffee. So, rather than simply moaning about it, he built the HungerHub. Everything comes neatly packed into one sturdy 17 litre container which is easy to carry and contains pretty much everything you need to cook a meal, apart from the gas bottles and food.

All we needed, then, was somewhere to put it through its paces. With a promising forecast for the weekend, we loaded the car with our camping gear, headed to a local campsite, pitched the tent and got straight down to the important business of cooking.

The HungerHub really does contain pretty much everything you need, and then a little bit more. Two side trays hook securely onto the main body of the bucket, creating sturdy metal shelves for the two gas stoves. Heat deflectors sit on the shelves beneath the stoves, helping to protect the surface while you cook.

The stoves connect to standard camping gas canisters – Campingaz, GoGas and similar brands are all compatible. Once everything is connected, the built-in click igniters make lighting the stoves quick and straightforward, which is particularly handy when you’re hungry and have already started thinking about breakfast.

The set has been very well thought out and includes cups, plates, cutlery, frying pans, a kettle, two stoves, salt and pepper grinders, a chopping board and a selection of cooking utensils. Most of it is surprisingly decent quality too. The cutlery is metal, the stoves have piezo ignition and the plates are sturdy melamine rather than the sort of flimsy plastic that bends if you look at it too aggressively.

There is one weak link, though, and unfortunately it’s the cups. They are very basic plastic ones and, for us, they let the rest of the kit down. I’ve already swapped mine for a couple of decent metal cups because, quite frankly, I’m not prepared to let my morning tea acquire the unmistakable flavour of plastic.

The bucket itself is sturdy enough to double up as a handy little tabletop once the stoves are set up, while the chopping board sits neatly inside the lid. And despite the fact that the bucket is packed surprisingly full, there’s room inside the kettle to stash a few tea bags, a bag for rubbish or other small essentials.

We cooked a delicious thai green curry with noodles in the frying pan, enjoyed numerous brews as well as a proper cooked breakfast. Having two stoves makes preparing a meal much easier, as you can have one pan cooking away while the kettle boils or something else is bubbling on the second burner. The whole setup is very impressive considering it packs neatly into one bucket, and we were surprised by just how much we could cook with it. From breakfast through to dinner and endless cups of tea in between, the HungerHub proved itself to be a very useful bit of camping kit.

As well as using this for camping I can actually see this becoming a permanent resident in the boot of my car. That way, wherever I end up, I’ll always have the means to stop, fire up the stove and brew a decent cup of tea.

RRP £199

Yale Linus Smart Lock 2

Christmas, Family Life, Home, Home & Garden, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Everything is controlled from your phone nowadays and the Yale Linus Smart Lock 2 is no exception. Using a smart lock on your door and the app on your phone, you can open your door remotely, give permission for someone else to open the door or open the door with your phone still in your pocket.

I have to advise at this stage though, that the Linus Smart Lock only works with lift-to-lock doors and those with at least 3mm of the barrel protruding. It means it works on newer doors only and probably on US/European newer doors especially, so check whether it’s compatible with your door before you buy it. The link at the foot of this page gives some good background as to how the Linus Lock is installed and should give you an idea if it will work with your door or not.

The premise of the Linus Lock is that you fit it to your existing door lock and your phone can unlock it using the Yale app. This means you need to install the Linus Smart Lock on both the inside and the outside of the door and connect it to your wifi, then register it with an app on your phone where there are various options of how to unlock the door. To install the Linus Lock, you don’t need a professional and the whole kit includes everything needed including the batteries.

The mounting plate has to be installed first. It isn’t stuck to the door lock but a mounting plate is placed over the lock face and tightened to stay in place. Once the lock has batteries placed inside, you need to put the key in the lock and make sure that it can turn freely. The lock then fits over the mounting plate and key and is tightened again. It should turn the key easily when you manually turn the lock.

Once physically set up, you need to register the lock and add it to the Yale Home app on your phone. The Linus Lock is compatible with Samsung phones and you can register it using the QR codes.

As long as you have the correct type of lock, and the key turns in the lock properly, the Yale Linus Smart Lock 2 works brilliantly. For hands-free access, the lock can detect your phone in your pocket and unlock the door automatically. If you have an Air BnB property and need to give access without being there, or give access for a limited time, then this solution really works. For anyone who needs carers, this is also an excellent way of granting access and in combination with the Yale Smart Doorbell, you can see whoever is coming into your house, and being able to grant them access when needed.

Available from £103.99: https://yalehome.co.uk/yale-linus-l2-lite-smart-lock/

Yale Smart Video Doorbell

Christmas, Family Life, Home, Home & Garden, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

You hear a lot about these gadgets. So I was quite pleased to be able to try one out. Hands up though – I’m a bit old school. I love my old fashioned mechanical, battery powered chiming doorbell that you can hear from the bottom of my garden. Do I really need to come into the 21^st century with a video one? Find out later!

Opening the box it is pretty obvious what everything is. The doorbell itself is quite large and heavier than I thought. It would definitely need a sturdy fix at the front of the house to hold it in place.

The doorbell comes with a welcome leaflet (which tells you to download the app for instructions!), a charging cable, mounting options, a packet of screws and another packet with a little hook in.

After downloading the Yale Home app I was told to charge the camera first. After a couple of minutes it was flashing a green light which I took to be fully charged.

The app had instructions on installing a new device. Quite straightforward as it used QR codes to identify what I had and the serial number. Then it was just a case of following the online instructions and choosing names for both my house and the video doorbell. I’m assuming this is if you had several doorbells or another Yale device that uses the Home app.

It could also be the case that you could connect to another person’s doorbell, for example, at an elderly parents house? This could be useful so you could help them with callers at the door. After set up there is an option to share by email the device info with someone else.

I had to allow permissions on my phone, connect it to my home wifi and decide whether I wanted full screen notifications when the doorbell was rung. I had no idea whether I wanted full screen or not, so a bit of help as I went along would have been useful. I opted for yes – wasn’t sure how I would know someone was at the door otherwise? I was also glad to see that the app did give me the legal bits about filming etc. But, living in a terrace house near the road, I can’t see how I could avoid occasionally filming someone coming down my neighbour’s path.

I was then ready to receive callers, or so I thought. First I had to decide how I fixed the doorbell to my front porch. This is where it became a little apparent that it may have been designed with modern or American houses in mind. As the doorbell was large and heavy, my options were stick it on or fix it with screws. My house was built in 1929 and I have a upvc glass front door, surrounded by brick. It didn’t really fit anywhere comfortably. If I drilled into the brickwork, it wouldn’t cover the front step clearly. I fiddled around with it and opted for sticking it to the doorframe. It was a tenuous fit but hoped it would stay up.

Another thought occurred to me – how do I remove it to charge the doorbell? It was fixed pretty securely so can’t be tampered with. Then it became apparent what the other packet was for – a little release hook which wasn’t obvious. On the plus side, you do get a notification on the Yale Home app if the device is tampered with – as we found out when trying to release it from it’s fixing.

So, you’re asking, did it work? On first trying it I could hear the caller, when I answered it, but they couldn’t hear me. The app had microphone permissions and my phone volume was turned up. It took me about 20 minutes of googling and fiddling with the app, until by chance, I turned the doorbell volume from level 5 to level 10 (max). Then I was heard.

Was the film capture useful? Possibly – it was quite grainy and dark, but my door is under a porch. This photo was taken in the early evening on a very sunny day – so it would be worse in the winter months. But you can see who is there.

The app also records the footage and all activity for you. Once I’d spent a little time with it, I managed to enable the detect motion option and ensure the settings matched the activity expected at my front door. I don’t have any other relevant gadgets, but the Yale Video doorbell works with Amazon’s Alexa and other devices. And there are subscription options if you want to store the footage etc.

However, it totally relies on having your phone on you, looking at it so you know the doorbell has been rung and having the volume on your notifications on (which I don’t). Inside the house there is no ring or chime, it’s just a camera connected to your phone. You can buy a ‘chime’ to add to the doorbell, so it rings inside the house, but at a cost. I would have thought this would be useful and should be included as standard. You have no idea if you can hear it everywhere inside until you buy it.

However – I do think there is a market for this. If you are glued to your phone and check every little ‘ping’ it could be useful and fun – there is something to be said for video calling from your house. If you are in a block of flats with a communal door, this could be useful on your flat door in case someone wanders in and you want to check it’s a valid caller. If you have elderly relatives, you could answer the door for them, screening who is allowed into the house especially in the case of scammers.

If you’re a Yale household with more gadgets in the range, the app might make more sense and have more appeal as a ‘complete’ range of technology. In our house, it will take more time to get used to it.

Available from £139.99: https://yalehome.co.uk/smart-video-doorbell-grouped/

Yale doorbell, video doorbell, smart doorbell, smart video doorbell,

#YaleDoorbell #VideoDoorbell #SmartDoorbell #SmartVideoDoorbell

Easymark Bookmark

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Do you read a lot? Or pick up a book to read and then put it down without marking the page? How about returning to chapters to re-read them? With any of these scenarios, the Easymark Bookmark can help you. The Thinking Gifts page marker sits on the corner of a page unnoticed as you continue to read, but allows you to return to that page later, thanks to the design of the bookmark corner. This design is of a cactus, but Thinking Gifts have lots of designs to choose form, and you can purchase multiple Easymarks for lots of different reading books, or if you want to mark lots of different pages within a book. They’re easily transportable too, and if you leave them in a book and put them back on the bookshelf, they stay exactly where they are but don’t take up too much space or damage the spine of a book.

At only £3.99 they’re a great stocking filler or Secret Santa plus you can stock up on them and make up a gift from a range of items, especially if it’s for a book lover who would want a set of books and something like the Easymark Bookmark to finish it off. There are some lovely other designs for all ages too.

Available for £3.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/easymark-bookmark?option_values=6998825782e9b570bdbce5e0

Flexilight Classic Book Light

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stationery, Stocking Fillers, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

This is a brilliant gift for anyone who reads, and not just book lovers. The Flexilight is a bookmark and book light in one, allowing you to read anywhere thanks to the built-in light at the top of the page marker.

The Flexilight Bookmark is ultra slim to be a bookmark, but the neck can be tilted towards the pages so that you can angle the light at the top to be able to read whatever size book you are looking at. The LED light has 8 lumens of bright light and comes with the 2 batteries needed, but you can change the batteries in the future if you need to.

This is a great Secret Santa gift , especially as it’s only £8.99 at the moment, and it’s great for children who like to read in the back of the car, or under the bed covers at night. Imagine having this in a sofa cushion den under a blanket and being able to read in secret? This is a great stocking filler, and any age can use it!

Available from £8.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/flexilight-original-book-light?option_values=6674d2bac7b00e129da33980

Penmark Ruler Bookmark

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stationery, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

The Penmark Ruler Bookmark caught my eye because it’s multifunctional. Not only is it a pen, but it’s thin enough that it can be a bookmark too. Additionally, the decoration on it is that of a 10cm or 4 inch ruler. Not only that, but the Penmark comes with two refills and already comes with an ink cartridge.

I know I would use this in the office when I’m running about and trying to find a pen for my notebook – this fits into the pages nicely and won’t get lost. If you’re in an industry where you need a ruler too, this is an exceptionally good gift. It’s brilliant for a stocking filler or Secret Santa, or just for putting in your handbag because it’s so light and easy to carry around.

Available for £4.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/penmark-pen-bookmark?option_values=6877767922f3c885a0ca472b

Plusheez Phone Holder

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Toys

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

I have the perfect P|usheez gift for you! This ocean-inspired clown fish is not only a desk toy, but it is designed to prop up your phone too. Whether you’re charging your phone, on a call or trying to read something, the Plusheez Phone Holder can prop up your phone either vertically or horizontally.

I kept the Plusheez on my desk at home, so that I could take a call on my mobile and have it facing me and the microphone could pick up my voice whilst I was on my laptop. It works just as well with video calling too, so that you’re hands free. The fact that Plusheez is a soft toy is also great for phones because it doesn’t mark or damage them in anyway with grippers or anything that secures phones in place like a tripod does. If you’re like me and need to have something on the desk to distract your hands when you’re on a long, boring call, the Plusheez toys are great for that too, and they don’t make a noise when you drop them or play with them!

The Plusheez are really great toys that have a use, anyone can use them. Fabulous Secret Santa or stocking filler gifts too.

Available from £10.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/plusheez?option_values=66790eb201bc075225ebaaed

Tile Wireless Phone Charger

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

This pretty tile is more than just for decoration, and it’s not a coaster either! The Tile Wireless Zip Charger from www.thinking.gifts uses a USB-C cable to connect to either your laptop, a plug or any compatible device (which could even be your car if it has a USB-C plug). If you place your phon over the centre of the tile, the light changes to red and charging starts. It even works through a phone cover, depending on the material. Once fully charged, the red light turns blue.

The Tile Wireless Phone Charger works with Apple iPhones, Samsung and many major phone brands, and also works with Apple Airpods. The Tile is really light weight, and uses a normal USB-C cable so if you’re packing for work or for travel, you don’t need that many cables. It’s really lightweight too, and is only 12cms by 9cm in size.

This is a brilliant Secret Santa gift or a Stocking filler for teenagers or anyone who spends a lot of time on a laptop and needing to charge a phone on the go. It looks so pretty too!

Available from £14.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/zip-charger-wireless-phone-charger?option_values=6717a072ed44ba45f5ca297b

Napiers

beauty, Birthday Gifts, camping, Family Life, Gifts for Her, hiking, National Walking Month, secret santa, Summer

Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Summer is made for getting outside, whether that means hiking over hills, cycling along country lanes or spending weekends under canvas. After a few hours of walking, hauling kit around and generally expecting my legs to perform as though I’m still 21, though, a bit of recovery is definitely required. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been putting a selection of products from Scottish herbalists Napiers through their paces.

Napiers has been around since Duncan Napier founded the brand back in 1860. Scotland’s oldest herbal apothecary combines traditional herbal remedies with natural skincare and wellbeing products, all with that unmistakable old-school apothecary feel. There’s plenty to choose from, whether you’re looking for something to soothe tired muscles, deal with summer bites or simply give your bathroom shelf a bit of herbal sophistication.

The company still operates from Bristo Place in Edinburgh, where it all began, and Duncan’s great-granddaughter, Lynda Napier, continues the family legacy with her husband Eric. Hstorian, Eric has even written a biography of Duncan Napier’s life and work, so this is very much a family business with some serious history behind it.

The heritage doesn’t stop with the ingredients. Napiers’ packaging is very traditional, with dark glass bottles and classic apothecary-style labels that give the products a rather lovely old-world feel.

The Napiers Magnesium Body Gel (RRP £19.99) is just what you need after a long day cycling or walking. The gel contains high-strength magnesium (500mg per 5ml), aloe vera, lavender and vitamin E and the lightweight, non-greasy gel is designed to be massaged into tired muscles. I found spending a few minutes massaging it into my tired legs in the evening made a real difference to my tired legs. It absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave my legs feeling sticky, while the gentle herbal fragrance is very relaxing.

There are plenty of things I love about camping, but midges definitely aren’t one of them! Fortunately, Napiers also sent me their Bugbuster Outdoor Body Spray (RRP £9.99) and I made sure that was in my bag on our recent camping trip to Brecon Beacons.

The water-based herbal spray combines citronella, lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint and Highland bog myrtle and the fresh botanical scent is a lot nicer than the harsh chemical aroma of many traditional insect repellents. It’s quick and easy to apply, a few sprays before heading out for an evening around the campsite or setting off on an evening walk was enough to keep the evening bugs at bay. The bottle is small enough to slip into a pocket or rucksack, so it’s always close at hand when the insects start making an appearance.

Of course, even the best outdoor preparation doesn’t guarantee an entirely bite-free adventure and when I received a bite from a horsefly, the Napiers Bite Ease Post Bite Comfort Serum (RRP £12.99) proved its worth. Made with calendula flower extract alongside tea tree, lavender and peppermint essential oils, it is designed to soothe skin after an insect bite. The 50ml bottle fits nicely in my rucksack pocket and is a very useful addition to our walking and camping kit. It will definitely be coming on our annual Scout camp, which, being beside a river, always attracts plenty of hungry bugs!!

Our summers involve plenty of walking, so the Napiers Foot Recovery Skin Cream (RRP £19.99) has had plenty of opportunity to prove itself this year. My feet always need plenty of attention after spending a day in walking boots, and this rich cream was a real treat for them. Coconut and jojoba oils are combined with cooling chickweed, comfrey and calendula, alongside lavender, peppermint and rose geranium and the foot cream smells lovely and fresh and herbal, while the rich texture feels particularly comforting after covering many miles. I’ve been applying a generous layer in the evening before popping a pair of cotton socks on and then leaving it to soak in overnight. When I wake up my feet are lovely and soft ready for another day of walking over the hills and dales.

These four products are all you need to care for your skin when you’re spending lots of time outdoors, The Magnesium Body Gel takes care of tired muscles, Bugbuster helps tackle the flying brigade, Bite Ease deals with the aftermath and Foot Recovery gives hardworking feet some much-needed TLC. What I particularly like is that they don’t feel like products designed to be hidden away in a bathroom cabinet. They’re practical enough for a rucksack, but with the botanical ingredients, beautiful fragrances and traditional apothecary feel, they bring a touch of beauty-editor luxury to outdoor life. Because spending time in nature is one thing, but there’s no reason you can’t come back from the hills smelling fabulous and feeling considerably less battered.

Sous Chef Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Summer

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Described as a rich, complex flavour, the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena from Sous Chef is a must have for a kitchen. To either use it yourself or give as a gift, it is a luxury that once tried, you can’t do without.

Made from grapes which are aged for 12 years, the balsamic vinegar has a thick consistency which is used predominantly in Italian cooking. This is pricy at £23.99 a bottle, but once you use it in cooking, you miss the quality when you try other brands. I use balsamic vinegar a lot – on cheese, pasta, with bread and pizza and as part of a salad dressing. Italians use balsamic vinegar in everything, which is something we could all learn from!

The Sous Chef Balsamic Vinegar of Modena has a rich, sticky flavour to it, with the oak tones coming through thanks to the way it is aged in barrels. The quality of this balsamic vinegar can be tested by using it on its own with bread or a burrata and being able to savour the quality. I tried this on a burrata and in pasta to give a rich edge to it, and it works brilliantly. You’ll find yourself looking for dishes to cook just so that you can use the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.

Available from £23.99: https://www.souschef.co.uk/products/sous-chef-balsamic-vinegar-of-modena-igp

La Favourita Pesto with Genovese Basil

Christmas, Food & Drink, Summer

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Treat yourself this Christmas to some genuine Italian pesto.

Boxing Day, and after all the festivities, food and drink, you just want something simple and easy to cook. Pasta with authentic Italian pesto is perfect, and everyone loves a good pasta dish! The La Favourite Pesto is made with Genovese basil DOP. The Genovese area grows the highest quality of basil, hence the Protected Designation of Origin status. I didn’t realise that the best quality part of the basil plant is only the top plant and La Favourita hand pick the basil, which is grown with natural fertiliser too, which explains the fuller taste.

Opening the jar, the Mediterranean aroma of the basil pesto overwhelms you, as your senses register that it’s lunchtime and the pasta is gently bubbling on the stove. You can taste that the pesto is lovingly made because it has very few ingredients and uses a high quality olive oil. You can also taste the pine nuts and cashews in the sauce, which goes well on pasta or with a beautiful tomato, which are ripening about this time of year. There’s a beautiful, herby flavour to the La Favourita Pesto which reminds you of Italy every time you open a new jar.

Available from £8.99 at: https://www.souschef.co.uk/products/la-favorita-pesto-with-genovese-basil-dop

Two Farmers Lightly Salted Crisp Drum

Children, Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, snacks, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

For lovers of crisps, you can’t beat a drum, literally, of crisps this Christmas! Two Farmers, the Herefordshire based farmers, use local potatoes to create these local, lovely and sharp crisps in a 500 grams tin. It opens like a paint pot, with the lip having to be prised open (I used the back of a spoon) but it can be sealed up again when not in use. That’s handy, because 500 grams of crisps is a lot! It’s the equivalent to more than 4 of the big bags of potato chips you get in the supermarket, but this isn’t a brand that you would find in the supermarket, nor the format that you’re used to.

The Two Farmers Herefordshire Crisps which we were sent from Sous Chef are lightly salted and ooze a cleaner flavour than other crisps. These are prefect for sharing, thanks to the size of the tin, plus they can be used with dips, thanks to their light flavouring. The tin also means that they don’t get crushed in transit, so I found that the crisps were bigger and there was less ‘dust’ at the bottom of the tin. They stay nice and fresh too thanks to the metal container and resealable lid.

These are great for watching TV on Christmas Day, and after the festive season, you can clean out the tin and use it for storing Christmas decorations!

Available from £15.00: https://www.souschef.co.uk/products/two-farmers-lightly-salted-potato-crisps-in-sharing-tin

Nonni Premium Electrolytes

Drinks and Mixers, Fitness, Food & Drink, health, National Walking Month, Sport, Summer

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own

Electrolytes have traditionally lived in the world of sports bottles with many of these drinks created for people who spend their weekends running marathons, cycling up mountains or knowing exactly how many grams of protein they consumed before breakfast. Nonni takes a rather different approach, with the focus being on everyday hydration rather than sport. It’s the UK’s first lower-salt sparkling electrolyte drink, designed for the bits of life that happen in between the gym sessions and heroic athletic achievements – the afternoon slump, a day at the beach, sitting in the garden, an evening when you fancy something grown-up but don’t want alcohol. Basically, those moments when you want to feel a little better without turning hydration into a full-time hobby.

Nonni isn’t a medical product and it isn’t trying to be a sports drink. It’s a premium sparkling drink with electrolytes, created for busy, ordinary lives and busy brains. And perhaps that’s what makes it so appealing. It takes something as simple as keeping hydrated and makes it feel enjoyable rather than clinical or worthy. There are no grand promises and no requirement to put on Lycra. Just a chilled can, some fizz and a rather more sophisticated way to keep the fluids topped up.

There’s two different flavours available, Sicilian Lemon with Garden Mint and Green Lime and Pomelo Grapefruit with Green Lime and Pink Himalayan Salt. These are not your standard fizzy drinks, they feel considerably more grown-up, with proper grown-up flavours rather than the usual sugar-and-artificial-fruit assault on your taste buds.

The Sicilian Lemon is particularly good on a hot day. It has a sharp citrus zing that wakes you up, while the garden mint comes through with a fresh finish that stops it becoming too tart. Serve it straight from the fridge if you’re impatient, or pour it over ice with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint if you want to pretend you’re at a very expensive spa rather than sitting in the garden

The Pomelo Grapefruit is a little more adventurous, bringing together the tartness of grapefruit with the citrusy sharpness of lime. It’s the sort of flavour combination that makes you stop after the first sip and think, ‘that’s a bit different,’ before immediately going back for another.

With 670mg of electrolytes, under 50 calories, low sugar and no artificial sweeteners, it’s made for summer. Take it to a picnic, stick a few in the cool box for the beach, crack one open at a barbecue or pour it over ice in the garden. And if you’re avoiding alcohol, it makes a much more grown-up alternative to the usual soft drinks, while the flavours are good enough to double up as a mixer if you fancy adding a little something stronger.

The beauty of Nonni is that it makes hydration feel less like a chore and more like a treat. There’s no Lycra required, no need to own a smartwatch and absolutely no obligation to go anywhere near a treadmill. Just open the can, sit in the sun and congratulate yourself on making an excellent lifestyle choice without actually having to do very much at all.

RRP £9.99 for a box of 4 cans

Casdon Ice Cream Parlour Playset

Birthday Gifts, Children, Family Life, Gifts for children, Summer, Toys

Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

When the weather outside is hot and the words “I’m bored” have already been uttered approximately 47 times before lunchtime, finding ways to keep children entertained during a heatwave can feel like a full-time job. Luckily, Casdon came to our rescue with their Ice Cream Parlour Playset, bringing a little bit of ice cream shop magic into the playroom.

The colourful set gives children everything they need to open their very own frozen dessert empire and crucially during a heatwave, there is absolutely no need for actual ice cream. It’s all the fun just without the sticky fingers, melted ice cream and children bouncing off the walls after consuming way too much sugar.

The playset lets children take on the role of ice cream shop owner, serving up their imaginary creations to family and friends. They can scoop, stack and decorate their pretend treats, taking orders and generally behaving as though they have just secured the franchise for the world’s most successful ice cream chain. And it’s not just generic pretend ice cream either. The set includes some familiar Wall’s favourites, including dark chocolate and white chocolate Magnums, plus Solero, Twister and Calippo lollies. They look remarkably like the real thing, but these will never melt! There are even some clever little details that make them extra realistic – the Calippo can be pushed up as though you’re eating it, while the tops come off the Magnums and Soleros, making it look as though someone has already taken a bite.

We think the Casdon Ice Cream Parlour Playset is a lovely way to keep little ones entertained, it encourages imaginative play, gives children the chance to create their own games and, importantly, provides something they can enjoy away from a screen. We love the little details that make the ice creams feel so realistic, and there’s plenty here to keep children coming back to their imaginary ice cream shop again and again. It’s also a great one for playing together, whether that’s taking turns being the customer, serving up increasingly ridiculous ice cream combinations or simply sitting back while your child proudly announces today’s specials. And while you might eventually find yourself ordering your seventh Calippo of the afternoon and wondering where your imaginary money has gone, at least nobody is covered in melted ice cream!

RRP £30

GRUBBY Plant-Based Meal Kits

Family Life, Food & Drink, Home, Subscription Boxes, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

There are loads of meal box ideas out on the market now, many of which are aggressively advertised. I’ve tried a few of them but I don’t have a subscription myself, so I was happy to try out Grubby. As a plant-based meal box, it is suitable for both vegetarians and vegans and can be used by anyone. We were sent a selection of 3 meals, each for 2 people. The meals were; Risi E Bisi with Crispy Tempeh Lardons & Basil, Fiery Jerk Tempeh Tacos with Pineapple Salsa and Roasted Radish, Tenderstem, Orange and Avocado Poke Bowl with Spicy Mayo.

The hot weather meant it was a perfect time to prepare and cook vegan food!

The box came with each meal wrapped in a different, labelled brown bag, complete with recipe cards for each meal. The meals contain all the main ingredients plus the dressings and wet ingredients like vegetable stock, mayonnaise and paprika. The only items you need are standard staples such as vegetable oil. Unfortunately, one of my portions was damaged in transit, but I had spare in the kitchen cupboard. It explains why the recipe cards aren’t very clean in the photos though!

The recipe cards are easy enough to follow. I did find that their estimation of how long it takes to prepare and then cook each meal was underestimated. There was plenty of food there though for each of the meals, even though they were suppose to be for just 2 people, I actually found I was able to make 3 or even 4 portions out of the ingredients given, and still had spare veggies left over for the rest of the week.

Each of the recipes was yummy though! They may be vegan, but there’s a lot of taste there thanks to the expert addition of tamari, siracha sauce and other flavours. Even if you’re not vegetarian, you can make the meals and add your own protein, they really are that flavoursome though, that they can be a whole meal on their own. I think my favourite was the poke bowl, which was so easy to arrange and contained a whole range of flavours.

https://grubby.co.uk

BabyBjörn Pocket Pouch for Baby Carrier

Baby, Family Life, hiking, travel

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned since having children, it’s that you can never have too many hands. Unfortunately, I’ve yet to discover where to buy the extra pair, so anything that makes life even a little bit easier gets a very big thumbs up from me.

BabyBjörn has been making life with little ones that bit easier since 1961 and is probably best known for its brilliant baby carriers. The Pocket Pouch for baby carriers was launched in Autumn 2024 and it’s such a simple idea but solves the age old parenting niggle – where do you put your essentials when you’re not going far and don’t want to carry a big baby bag?

The BabyBjörn Pocket Pouch is designed to fit all BabyBjörn baby carriers and is the perfect place to keep those little essentials you need close at hand. It has two handy straps on the back with press-stud fastenings, making it quick and easy to clip onto the baby carrier belt and remove when you need to.

It’s also small enough to pop straight into your baby bag, so you can keep everything together and simply grab the pouch, clip it onto the carrier and off you go. No more transferring all those little essentials from one bag to another every time you head out. One less thing to remember, which when you’ve got a baby, is always a win!

The pouch is surprisingly spacious inside and easily fits a phone, keys, tissues and snacks. The zip is easy to open and close, which is particularly useful when you’re trying to retrieve something one-handed while holding a baby. It’s made to sit nicely on the waist stap of the baby carrier so everything stays neatly tucked away but, importantly, still within easy reach. And when you’re out with a baby, having the thing you need exactly when you need it can feel like a minor parenting miracle.

BabyBjörn has also thought carefully about the fabric. The pouch is made using the safe fabrics developed by BabyBjörn, with the company developing most of its own textiles in-house. This means they can keep a close eye on quality and make sure the fabrics have the properties needed for products designed to be used around little ones.

The pouch is easy to clean too, it can be machine washed at 40°C on a gentle cycle and dries quickly. Just don’t put it in the tumble dryer or iron it.

Small yet incredibly practical, the BabyBjörn Pocket Pouch is one of those accessories that makes you wonder how you ever managed without it.

The Pocket Pouch is available in four neutral colours, Light Beige, Grey, Light Grey and Black and has a RRP of £19.90.

Osprey Daylite Hanging Toiletry Kit

camping, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Mother's Day, National Walking Month, Stocking Fillers, travel

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

I’m a big fan of wash bags with plenty of pockets and compartments because there’s nothing more annoying than rummaging through a dark, messy washbag looking for your toothbrush, when you’re already late for breakfast! The Osprey Daylite Hanging Toiletry Kit is my kind of washbag, offering plenty of storage without turning the whole thing into an unnecessarily complicated piece of luggage.

With a 4-litre capacity, there’s enough room for everything you need for several days away, while the zipped compartments keep your toiletries neatly separated and easy to find. There’s also a washable liner, which is particularly welcome because, sooner or later, something in a wash bag will leak. It’s one of the immutable laws of travel, somewhere between forgetting your phone charger and discovering the hotel hairdryer has the power of a tired mouse.

As soon as I started filling the Osprey Daylite Hanging Toiletry Kit for my holidays, it was obvious that it had been designed by people who actually travel. There are plenty of different sized pockets so that everything has its place, and there’s enough flexibility to accommodate a decent collection of toiletries without having to play Tetris every time you pack.

The hanging loop is one of my favourite features. Bathrooms in hotels, hostels and campsites aren’t always blessed with acres of useful worktop space, so being able to hang the bag from a shower rail, hook or door handle is incredibly handy. It also means you can see everything at a glance rather than balancing your toiletries precariously on the edge of the sink.

There’s a deep zipped pocket at the top, with a smaller zipped mesh pocket in front of it, while the lower section has another large zipped compartment and two open mesh pockets. These are particularly useful for shower gel and shampoo, keeping them easily accessible when the bag is hanging up in a shower cubicle.

This is also a washbag that can take some abuse. I stuffed it to the point where common sense suggested I should probably stop, then subjected it to the sort of aggressive tugging normally reserved for a stubborn tent zip. It coped brilliantly. There was no strain or fraying on the stitching or fabric, while the zips glided smoothly throughout testing.

The Osprey Daylite Hanging Toiletry Kit is a simple piece of kit, but it’s one that gets the important things right. It has plenty of storage, keeps everything organised, takes up relatively little space and can be hung wherever you need it. Whether you’re heading off for a weekend camping, travelling around the country or simply escaping to a hotel for a few days, it’s a very useful addition to your travel kit.

Why we like it

Plenty of pockets and compartments without becoming unnecessarily bulky or complicated
4-litre capacity gives you enough room for toiletries for several days
Hanging design is perfect when bathroom space is limited
Adjustable strap can be looped over hooks, shower rails, doors or drawer handles
Washable liner makes cleaning up inevitable leaks considerably less painful
Robust construction stood up well to being stuffed and tugged during testing
Made using bluesign® APPROVED, 100% recycled materials

Available in Black and Tan Concrete and has a RRP of £30