Category: Birthday Gifts

Lily O’Briens Chocolate Luxury Collection

Birthday Gifts, Children, chocolate, Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, 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.

Lily O’Brien’s is an Irish chocolate company. You wouldn’t think that most of the ingredients are locally sourced but Mary Ann O’Brien, who started the company in the 1990s, wants to keep it as local and indigenous to Ireland as possible.

The Chocolate Luxury Collection box is a firm favourite of chocolate lovers and available all year round, but especially at Christmas. The box contains the flavours Zesty Lemon, Crispy Biscuit Crunch, Dart & White Duet, Gianduja, Truffle Decadence, Coffee &Almond Biscotti, Rapturous Raspberry, Sea Salted Caramel and Caramelised Biscuit Bliss. 

As a family, we can all enjoy this box because it has such a range of flavours but they’re also child friendly.  The Sea Salt Caramel flavour is a particular favourite of mine because of the flavour, but I also like the Zesty Lemon, which has the texture of the little lemon meringue pieces on top, which pop in your mouth as you eat them!  You can taste the quality of the chocolate as you eat them, they’re very more-ish and easy to eat, but not too rich that you can’t enjoy more than a few at a time.  You may find that you are fighting with other family members over them though…

Available for £12.50: https://lilyobriens.co.uk/luxury-collection-270g

Women’s LIFA Merino Midweight Crew Base Layer from Helly Hansen

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, Family Life, Fashion, Fitness, Gifts for Her, hiking, Mother's Day, National Walking Month, Sport, Winter, Women

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 am loving these base layers from Helly Hansen now that it’s colder in the mornings! I work from home most of the time, so a run or going to the gym in the early hours is imperative and it’s much colder at 7am than it is by lunchtime, even in September. The Helly Hansen base layers are designed for extreme temperatures, but thanks to the merino wool in these tops, they’re super soft to wear at home too, especially in the cold.

The 40 year history of LIFA Merino Base layers at Helly Hansen have a unique construction of 2 layers which include a 100% merino wool exterior layer, to wick away the moisture as well as keep you warm.  The LIFA Stay Warm Technology layer which is closest to the skin was designed by Helly Hansen and keeps you more comfortable. 

These are a size XL and they fit me at a size 16. I like how they’re long sleeved as well as high neck to wear under ski suits or jackets but you can just as easily wear them to pilates or yoga, although they’re likely to keep you a bit too warm unless your yoga studio is particularly frosty!  They’re so unbelievably soft though that you can wear them round the house and doing the school run. Despite being made of merino wool, they’re super thin though, so a jacket on top or even a jumper if you’re especially cold will help keep you warmer still.

Available in a range of colours, the are in Opal Green and Hot Pink.

Women’s LIFA Merino Midweight Crew Base Layer, £90 – https://www.hellyhansen.com/en_gb/w-lifa-merino-midweight-crew-49378?color=634565 

Women’s LIFA Merino Knitevo 3/4 Trousers from Helly Hansen 

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Family Life, Fashion, Fitness, Gifts for Her, hiking, National Walking Month, Sport, Winter, Women

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 winter sports, Helly Hansen has it all, including bright blue, 3/4 length activity trousers for winter sports such as skiing, hiking and outdoor pursuits. 

These are in size XL, which is suitable for size 16, or 35” waist. A length of 3/4 means that there’s enough stretch that they come down to just above the ankle, so you can wear them with winter socks, or they fit under a ski suit easily.  The colour design means you can team it with almost any other blue or black and wear these trousers around the house or for running errands. 

The LIFA Merino Knitevo 3/4 Trousers are made of merino wool outer shell to help wick away moisture but to also give a softness of fabric, and keep you warm. There’s an elasticated waist and no buttons or fastenings.  There are panels on the back of the legs for managing sweat (great when you’re in the car too) and there are ribbed ankles which help keep the shape long term, especially as the material is really elasticated all over. These are lightweight trousers, but not the lightest on the market so you can wear them on their own or with a ski suit on top. They’re mega comfy though and I love this blue colour for the winter!

Women’s LIFA Merino Knitevo, £110   https://www.hellyhansen.com/en_gb/w-lifa-merino-knitevo-3-4-pant-49511?color=290002

Women’s Alphelia Gloves from Helly Hansen

Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, Fashion, Fitness, Gifts for Her, hiking, Mother's Day, National Walking Month, Sport, Winter

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.

We might not want to think about it yet but winter will be here, and some of us will be skiing in that time. Even if you don’t ski though, a snug pair of ski gloves goes a long way in the cold! I have had ski gloves for several winters now and I won’t be without them. Helly Hansen have a range of gloves for women including these Alphelia gloves in the colour snow.

The Aphelia glove have 4 layers of material for keeping your hands cold in extreme and prolonged lengths of time in the cold. The outer shell fabric is waterproof but also breathable thanks to the Helly Tech professional layer underneath which wicks away moisture whilst exercising. Perfect for outdoor sports where you work up a sweat in winter. There’s also insulation layers underneath and then the soft lining.

To wear these gloves, I have a size Large but my hands are really little for an adult, but these are a bit snug. I would say to go up a size at least if you want lots of room or if you have long nails! The gloves come over your wrists and are elasticated, with a snap clasp to hold them together. There’s also a lead to attach them to your ski suit.  Even if you don’t ski though, these gloves will keep your hand toasty warm in winter, or if you are exposed when taking the pram out, running, driving or just walking the dog, they’re a must have for about 4 months of the year!

Women’s Alphelia Gloves, £120 https://www.hellyhansen.com/en_gb/alphelia-glove-67637?color=290002

Edifier R20BT Speakers

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Tech

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

The Edifier R20BT speakers are a compact pair of desktop speakers designed to give your laptop, tablet or PC monitor a worthwhile sound upgrade without taking over your desk. If, like many of us, you have been relying on the rather tinny speakers built into your monitor, these are certainly worth considering. 

The R20BTs feature 2.75-inch full-range drivers, with each speaker producing 2.5W for a total 5W RMS output. That might not sound particularly impressive on paper, and I certainly wasn’t expecting them to turn my desk into a nightclub, but they actually produce surprisingly good sound for such a compact set.

The MDF cabinets help reduce resonance and distortion, while the bass reflex ports do their best to add some much-needed depth to the lower frequencies. The result is clear, enjoyable audio with considerably more presence than the speakers built into most laptops and monitors.

The first thing I did was plug them into my Android phone (as it was the first USB-C device I thought of) and the sound came through immediately. It was very easy to connect, with no complicated setup required.

Connectivity is one of the R20BT’s strengths. You can use USB plug-and-play for both power and audio, Bluetooth 6.0 or the 3.5mm AUX input, so there is plenty of flexibility depending on what you are connecting.

As I have come to expect with Edifier speakers the Bluetooth pairing was completely painless. The speakers support multipoint pairing, allowing two Bluetooth devices to be connected which is great as I can switch between my phone and laptop without having to go through the whole pairing process every time.

There is also an app, of course, because apparently these days even a pair of speakers needs its own software. The EDIFIER ConneX app and TempoHub desktop software allow you to customise the sound and lighting, including choosing between three built-in EQ modes: Classic, Dynamic and Vocal, or creating your own EQ settings.

Personally, I found the app more of a nice extra than a necessity. Most of the everyday controls are conveniently located on the speakers themselves.

The touch control panel gives you access to the power, volume and input selection, as well as the ambient lighting. The lighting effects can be customised to suit your setup and, thankfully for anyone who doesn’t want their desk looking like a small music festival, they can also be switched off completely.

The speakers are impressively compact, measuring just 12.1cm deep, 8.3cm wide and 17.7cm high, so they don’t demand much desk real estate. A 1.8m cable between the speakers also gives you plenty of flexibility when positioning them, while the 1.5m USB cable provides a decent amount of room for connecting them.

THe speakers are available in either black or white and with their smart, understated appearance they will fit easily into most home-office or entertainment setups.

My only gripe is that they’re powered from a USB-C port rather than the more common USB-A. I know this is the direction we’re heading in but my laptop only has a single USB-C port and that is in use for charging. Maybe the solution is to supply a simple adapter that could allow connection to an alternate power supply? 

Verdict

Overall, the Edifier R20BT speakers are a neat little pair of speakers that offer a noticeable improvement over built-in laptop and monitor speakers without taking up too much desk space.

The sound quality is better than you might expect from such compact speakers, while Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C audio, AUX and multipoint connectivity give you plenty of options for connecting your devices. The EQ settings, app controls and customisable lighting are useful extras, although you certainly don’t need the app for everyday use.

For anyone looking for an affordable, compact sound upgrade for their desk, the R20BTs are a very capable little package. They may not shake the windows, but they don’t need to. They’re designed to make everyday music, videos, gaming and general computer use sound considerably better, and they do exactly that.

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

 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.

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

GNAW Handcrafted Chocolate

Birthday Gifts, Children, chocolate, Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, 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.

Chocolate has always been a popular treat, and gift, but nowadays it’s taken on a life of it’s own with the new phenomenon of handcrafted chocolate. Combine that with the new novelty flavours and higher quality ingredients which are available, and you have a completely new genre of food connoisseur, similar to wine or coffee experts.  GNAW Handcrafted Chocolate sent us a box of chocolates to review, and by box, I don’t mean your supermarket box for Granny on a Sunday, but a box that can be delivered through your door and contains 6 slabs of chocolates, each of them weighing 80 grams and of all different flavours, we couldn’t resist!

The GNAW chocolates arrived in a letterbox sized box and contained 6 bars; Dark Chocolate 70%, Dark Chocolate with Raspberry, Milk Chocolate New York Cheesecake, Milk Chocolate Honeycomb & Caramel, Milk Chocolate Popcorn & Peanuts and Milk Chocolate Lemon Drizzle. The bars are wrapped in paper labels with a ‘foil’ inside cover in an old-fashioned style, but all the packaging is actually recyclable. The chocolates don’t contain any palm oil and the packaging tells you if they are single origin ingredients too, which in the case of the Lemon Drizzle, the single origin is Colombia.

You might be thinking that these are unusual flavours for a chocolate? Well, they are! They represent a small selection of all the flavours that are available online in their shop; https://www.gnawchocolate.co.uk/collections/milk-chocolate-bars which has a lot more dessert-inspired flavours as well as everyday milk chocolate and dark chocolate bars.  They are especially good if you like something slightly different to just chocolate, or if like me, you skip dessert and instead have a piece of chocolate instead. 

How do they taste? Well, of course, I had to taste a piece of every chocolate bar we were sent, purely for research purposes… the dark chocolates are 70% so they are darker in colour and taste but still sweet enough to eat as a snack. The added raspberry is a treat because it sweetens the dark chocolate a little bit. The milk chocolate bars are a little less traditional but all have a theme of being slightly sweeter than the chocolate itself. The Lemon Drizzle has a hint of lemon but the added texture of tiny biscuit pieces. New York Cheesecake also has subtle biscuit pieces but you can taste the cheesecake filling as the flavour develops. Honeycomb & Caramel reminds me of a famous triangular brand of chocolate, so it’s a more familiar taste but I love having the chewy texture in a chocolate bar. Finally, the Popcorn & Peanut is a strange combination which is more about the consistency than the taste, until it evolves after a few moments.

I think my favourite chocolate was the Dark Chocolate Raspberry because of the juxtaposition of sweet raspberry and the dark chocolate. I don’t think there are any that I wouldn’t buy again, but I am very tempted by the other flavours on their website too!

Available online at: https://www.gnawchocolate.co.uk/collections/chocolate-bars

JLab JBuds Mini Wireless Ear Buds

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, 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.

“The smallest fit ever” is what the packaging on the JLab Mini JBuds claims and we’d have to agree! Even the casing is smaller on these diddy earbuds, which are perfect for children or those with smaller ears.  The ear buds are 30% smaller but the case is 50% smaller than other ear buds, which also makes them easier to carry, especially in pockets. They’re so small in fact, that at just 3.3 grams each and a total of 18.5 grams for the case, they make an ideal keyring or can be worn as a charm on your phone. 

The JBud ear buds pack a punch though with a 6mm dynamic driver speaker for audio and an output of 103 ± 3dB.  The battery life is around 20 hours when fully charged, which is impressive amount of play time with such small headphones. It takes between 1.5 and 2 hours to charge depending on how you charge the case, which is a USB-C port and comes with the C to C cable. The ear buds connect to Bluetooth 5.3 (the most recent version) and have approximately 30 foot range.

These are especially great for children because of their size and they also connect really easily to devices when in ‘find’ mode. There’s not very many settings on them either, and the 4.5cm length case is easy to handle and keep on children in their pockets, rather than having to hand them to someone else or carry a bag with them.  They’re a great price too, either as a gift or as a stocking filler and they’re currently on sale at £29.99 on the JLab website below!

JLab JBuds Mini Wireless Ear Buds for £39.99 at: https://www.jlab.com/en-gb/products/jbuds-mini-true-wireless-earbuds-teal

JLab Pop Party Ultra-Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Summer, 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.

Here’s a great gift for the teenagers or when you’re travelling – a portable Bluetooth speaker that lights up and connect to other JLab speakers to create a wall of sound!

Imagine being out on a picnic, or camping, and having a team of these JLab Pop Party Bluetooth speakers all playing the same music at the same time from the same device. Each of the speakers lights up so that not only can you find them easily amongst all your stuff, but as night falls, you can see each other in the glow or red, green and blue lights.  They each have 8 hours of power in them; enough for a whole day outside or a night time party.  The JLab Pop Party Ultra-Portable Bluetooth speakers are only £24.99, and make excellent birthday gifts, stocking fillers or gifts for children and teenagers.

With 5 watts power and a 2 year warranty, the speaker is only 7.55 inches tall and has a 2 inch driver and 2 inch woofer. It has various mounting options and a detachable magnetic loop, which you can hold in one hand or mount on a bicycle handle or in the backseat of a car. It has IP55 waterproofing so you can take it outside (it’s rain protective, not water protective so you can’t submerge it!) It’s lightweight so you can carry it in hand luggage or just over your wrist.

Charging is with a C to C cable in the USB-C port and takes around 3 hours to fully charge. Syncing is with Bluetooth 5.3. There’s approximately 30 foot range of connectivity. You get the most out of t he RGB lights if you use the JLab App to control the frequency, pattern and create the light show from it.

This is the first time I’ve seen these ‘Pop Party’ speakers and ever got to use them. They’re really useful for just taking out for the day and for children to play with in the garden or for teenagers to take out with them.  The sound quality is excellent and connection to my phone was super easy one I turned on the speaker and it was ‘findable’.  The JLab Pop Part Ultra-Portable Bluetooth speaker is ultra-easy to get along with and use, making it a perfect gift for anyone!

JLab Pop Party UltraPortable Bluetooth Speaker for £24.99 at: https://www.jlab.com/en-gb/products/pop-party-ultra-portable-bluetooth-speaker-black?srsltid=AfmBOoqK6kuF00xfCjWpXLHOKF0Unr3Tr9WJdnI1K9qK1ksBeALP11zW

Eyeam Daily SPF NoTox Daily Face Cream

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Women

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’d never heard of the company Eyeam before, so when they offered to send us some SPF NoTox face cream, I had a look at their website to see what it’s all about. Turns out, this is a British company with an holistic approach to beauty through using pure products, small batches and using the body’s connections. Their Four Pillar approach bridges the mind, body, spirit and skin to bring out the best in women. Even more interesting, is that Eyeam is run almost completely by women FOR women. Their website is fascinating to find out more about the science and spirit behind their approach to wellness and skin care.

We were sent the Eyeam Daily SPF face cream. Boasting a SPF of 20+, it’s called NoTox because it has pure ingredients and is non-comedogenic, meaning it doesn’t clog your pores.  As a daily cream, it can be worn under make-up, is free from fragrances and protects against UVA and UVB rays. It also gives Polyphenol-rich antioxidant peptide protection and actives. As we’ve had a lot of very sunny weather recently, it was easy to try this daily moisturiser in very direct sunlight!

The Eyeam Daily SPF 20 cream is very thin when you dispense it. It’s only slightly less thin in consistency than single cream, but it’s very rich so you don’t need too much. I found that it takes a while for it to blend into the skin. It leaves a slight white gloss over your skin until you rub it in and settle. I believe this is to do with the SFP and creating that barrier between your skin and the sun’s rays. Once it’s blended into your skin, it has a tiny bit of sheen to it, which give a nice glow in the sunshine, with the knowledge that your skin is protected. It can be used as a primer though, where you can apply make-up on top and it acts as a base.

It lasted all day during the summer heat. It left my skin plumper all day, with a slightly waxy texture but not anything that meant my make-up slid off. It felt like a barrier cream that moisturised at the same time, but not like a film, more like a base.  It certainly worked as a SFP as well, with no colour getting to my face the whole time I’ve worn it, and I’ve been wearing it daily for a few weeks now.

There are lots of other items available on the Eyeam website, all of which are made in the UK in small batches to ensure quality.

Available online for £59 at: https://eyeamworld.com/products/daily-spf-notox?_pos=1&_psq=Notox&_psid=a47aaa7c1&_ss=e&_v=1.0

TrueStart Ground Coffee Cafetière & Coffee Gift Set

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, coffee, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, secret santa

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 some sacred things in this life, and the first cup of coffee in the morning is probably high up on most people’s wish list!  What better gift to buy a caffeine lover than a whole set of coffee and a cafetière too, all in this pretty presentation box, ready to wrap and hand over.

TrueStart have a range of coffees available by both strength (strong, smooth, decaf, half cafe) and type (instant, coffee bags, ground, beans etc). They also have a starter packs, gifts packs and accessories, so a natural progression at Christmas time is to have a Coffee Starter Pack. You can create your own starter pack too, which is what we were sent when we received this cafetière (in grey but blue is available too) and two coffees. I chose the TrueStart Super Blend coffee with a strength of 8, and the TrueStart Energising Colombian ground coffee with a strength of 7. I can’t stress how cute it is to have the box arrive with the handle of the cafetière as the handle to the gift box, making it easier to carry!

The glass cafetière has 1 litre capacity, which is enough for 8 cups of coffee and has a stainless steel finish. It needs to be hand washed because the glass is delicate, so not suitable for the dishwasher nor the oven.  It’s a lovely, classic design which comes in both grey and dark blue so suits many kitchens. I have a pet peeve with cafetières that they’re either too small and you can’t get enough cups out of them, or they’re too big and therefore just functional and don’t look pretty enough for modern kitchens. This one looks lovely though, and would sit nicely on any worktop.

We tried both coffees (multiple times!) in our house. We chose stronger coffees with more aromatic tastes so the Super Blend and Energising Colombian were perfect for us. They both had a strong, bold taste which lasted throughout the whole cup of coffee, and because you can make up to 8 cups in one cafetière, we were able to drink a second cup quite quickly afterwards and each cup kept it’s integrity.  Delicious!

If your’e not used to a cafetière, this is a great starter pack, and they’re really easy to use and keep clean. In fact, I would say it’s the most fun way of making coffee, and you can alter the strength of the coffee easily depending on how much you add to the jug.  I loved the coffee, which is carefully selected and curated by the TrueStart coffee company since 2015 who take coffee very seriously. It’s a great size for a gift as well, or for students going off to university and needing the whole kit that’s the right size for their room.  The ability to choose which coffee you want also makes it perfect for gifting and I will be looking at these as gifts at Christmas too!

Available from £30.00 at:

https://www.truestartcoffee.com/products/ground-coffee-starter-pack