Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
The Coronation is the perfect time to bring out the best in treats. If you’re having a street party, or even just a gathering over the Coronation weekend, why not try something different?
The chocolate company FATSO have created the King’s Ransom Chocolate bar for the Coronation in the special flavour of mint, pistachio and cocoa nibs. I’ve never tried that combination before so along with the fact that the Big Bar chocolate is single origin, Columbian 60% dark chocolate this was going to be an education.
I’m not a fan of pistachio so I wasn’t expecting to like this, but actually, the combination of the flavours means you don’t taste the pistachio or mint on their own, and the texture you normally have with pistachio flavoured chocolate is not the same. There are no ‘chunks’ to work your way through, and the flavours are subtle so you won’t be overpowered by the mint, for instance. The main texture and taste that comes through is from the chocolate, which at 150g per bar is dense and very rich, but not bitter like some dark chocolate. If you’re into the more refined chocolates, rather than the traditional ‘candy’ chocolates you used to buy as children, then this is a gourmet variety which adults will enjoy tasting.
It is worth pointing out here that the quality of the chocolate makes a big difference to your experience. You can taste that it’s better excellence of ingredients, especially with the chocolate which is so smooth that you can’t eat more than a mouthful at a time. It’s very satisfying as both a snack and for the flavours that come through as you eat it, making it something which you can enjoy and yet still don’t need much of to get the full effect.
I hadn’t seen FATSO chocolate before, but the website has a range of flavours including Morn’n Glory (cornflake, toast and marmalade), Nan’s Stash (peanut, toffee and Digestive biscuit) and Home Run (salted pretzel, whole almond and honeycomb). There’s also a bundle of bars available, all online!
Available online from £6.50 at: https://sofatso.com/paytheransom/
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Most of us have never seen a Coronation in the UK so this year is special. Joe & Seph have launched a range of limited edition popcorns to commemorate the Coronation in a few weeks, and we’ve been reviewing them to find out what they’re like!
The two flavours which were sent to us are Bakewell Tart and Salted Caramel. Bakewell Tart, the very British dessert cake made from almond and jam is a British classic, notably from Derbyshire originally. As a lover of popcorn as well as desserts, this was an easy win for me to try and I wasn’t disappointed! The popcorn has a slight almond flavour to it, very similar to the Bakewell Tart which also has the slightly sweet, nutty flavour of almonds but without the marzipan power. I’m not a fan of marzipan so this was a fair test of how well the popcorn would favour. There’s also the sweet cherry jam flavour to the coating too, which blends in well as a delicious dessert-like taste.
The second flavour is Salted Caramel. Probably one of the most popular flavours for cakes and desserts these days, this flavour translates well into popcorn. It’s slightly sticky, and the caramel flavour comes through first, followed by the savoury sea salt. This flavour appeals to those who prefer the sweeter tasting popcorn, and this would work really well with salted caramel ice cream or in place of a dessert.
Both flavours are iconic, and popcorn has come a long way from the cinema-type of buckets we had growing up. If you’re a fan of popcorn or know anything about the Joe & Seph then these are lovely flavours to add to your store cupboard, and I think you’ll be impressed with how likeable they are, as well as different to the normal High Street shelf flavours. As ever, they are very addictive though, so stock up on these flavours whilst they’re still available!
The handmade popcorn is gluten free, has no artificial colours or preservatives and is suitable for vegetarians. Popped in London artisan kitchens, the Joe & Seph’s team have toiled to create the best popcorn they possibly can. Check out their website and social media to find out more about the flavours available, and the snacks they have which can be found in a range of stores or online.
These two flavours of popcorn are great snacks or after dinner instead of a dessert. They would be PERFECT for around the Coronation party table though, it’s just a shame that they are limited edition!
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Since 1999, Bensons the Juicers have been making juice drinks, with a range that includes ice lollies, ciders, pressed fruit juices and juice water. This week they sent us some pressed juices and fruit infused still water, which they call, ‘Joosed Fruity Water.’
With pressed juiced flavours Apple, Mango & Apple and Raspberry & Apple, Bensons the Juicers have a range fit for summer. The bottles, incidentally, are screw top glass bottles of 250ml which are not only recyclable, but can be reused for picnics or storing drinks in the fridge at a later date. Other flavours available include Orange, Mulled Apple & Cinnamon and Elderflower & Apple.
The pressed fruit drinks are deliciously authentic with a slight sharpness to them, which would be expected from a mainly apple-derived selection of drinks. There’s a lot of fruit packed into each bottle, and there’s something very British about these drinks which isn’t surprising when most of the fruit is grown on their Cotswolds farm. The apple juice and mixed fruit juices are great for children, store easily in the fridge (they arrive in crates of 6) and can also be enjoyed with adults as mixers for cocktails and spirits!
The cans of fruit water are still water, each of 250ml but arrive in cases of 24. You can either order a whole case of either Apple flavour or Blackcurrant and Apple or a mixed case of both. The water is similar to cordial but with the added bonus of actually being one of your 5-a day! Each of the flavoured waters was quite sweet, so I made sure I had them with a meal and that they had been in the fridge for a while to be cold. On the outside of the can it says ‘shake me, I’m still’ which I did for the first can but I did find that even though it wasn’t carbonated, the drink went everywhere, and left a sticky residue, so I made sure not to shake up the second can!
Both drinks had their own merits and were totally different. The pressed juices were more for children or to have as mixers with alcoholic drinks as they are richer and more filling. The still waters were great for taking out and about and for adults to have as one of their 5-a-day and to keep hydrated. As summer comes around, these pressed juices and water drinks will be invaluable!
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Thankfully, it has become well known in the last few months that all types of bathroom wipes aren’t good for the environment. They cause blockages in your own domestic plumbing but beyond that, the wipes cause devastation to the wildlife once they are released into the reservoirs, rivers and seas. They may say they’re disposable, but many are not.
MyPura Baby Wipes are NOT disposable via the toilets in homes and plumbing system across the UK. They are however, designed to be more environmentally friendly in many other ways, so there is less guilt about using them once you throw them away. Made of 99% water and organic aloe vera, they don’t have any plastic content and therefore are 100% compostable and 100% biodegradable, so landfill isn’t a problem.
Each pack contains a generous 24 wipes and perfect for baby, they are perfume and alcohol free. Alcohol often dehydrates the skin, so with the aloe vera, they help to hydrate baby’s skin and can be used by you too. Brilliant for taking off make up! I was particularly pleased to see that the packaging is 100% recyclable and the wipes are verified vegan and Allergy Friendly too.
Do they work though? I particularly liked the MyPura wipes because they could be used on me as well as children, and they didn’t have any scent that put me off or made me feel self-conscious. Sometimes when you use wipes on your face, there’s the alcohol smell or a fragrance left behind that you’d rather not be smelling all day, and these MyPura ones don’t have that. They’re also really efficient because they are made of aloe vera and a high content of water, so don’t dry out as soon as you take them out of the packet. The packet is also really handy too as it seals up again quickly after use!
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Being a bit behind with the times, I don’t own any Bluetooth headphones. I’m still on the wired earphones which came with my iPod, even though I know I could use wireless headphones on any of my gadgets! Edifier sent us the W820NB Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones from their extensive range for us to try this week, and so far, I’m impressed!
The first thing you notice about the headphones is the noise cancelling. I put them on around the house and the ambient noise from the road outside and the planes overhead was eliminated – they really are noise reducing, even without anything playing on them!
The controls on the headphone are on/off switch, volume up/down and a Bluetooth button. With such simple controls, it was very easy to set them up to sync with my laptop, so much so that I didn’t actually need to read the instructions. All I had to do was turn on the headphones and press the Bluetooth button until the light flashed. My laptop found the headphones within a few seconds of being set to ‘discoverable’ so it didn’t take much effort at all. I was able to play anything from my music online, streaming or YouTube onto them.
The sound quality is excellent. With the headphones also being noise reducing, it was a surprise to hear how good they were with stereo sound and I couldn’t fault them. I had to use a combination of the laptop sound as well as the headphone volume buttons to get the volume as high as I wanted it, but that’s only a matter of practice. The range was also excellent with there being no disconnection on the Bluetooth wherever I was in the house which made a difference. The headphones are nice and lightweight as well so can be taken on holiday (they’re perfect for flights or working out) and have a titanium diaphragm for longevity.
To skip to the next song or ahead in a podcast for instance, you hit the volume button up/down and hold, the Power button is for pausing. The headphones can also be used for taking calls by Bluetooth although I haven’t tested this yet. Using the Multi-function button (with the Bluetooth symbol next to it) you can change between noise cancelling, gaming mode and use it for Bluetooth pairing.
My only gripe with the headphones are that they don’t come with a bag or pouch of some kind so that you can transport them easily or put them in an overhead locker on a flight. There is a cable which comes with them for charging, but you won’t need to charge them very much as there’s a 49 hour playtime on each charge. The cable is a USB connection so will charge from most sockets if not your computer.
The more I play with these Edifier headphones the more I like them, and am surprised by how good they are. I have found several times when I can walk around the house with them connected via Bluetooth and still listen to my laptop, tune into a radio station or eventually be on a call and not lose any of the quality I’m used to with more expensive, wired headphones.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own
Easter treats don’t need to be made of chocolate and the Toomies Spin & Hatch Dino Eggs from Tomy will make an eggcellent gift and delight younger children this Easter.
The five brightly coloured eggs (blue, green, pink, purple & orange) sit in a plastic incubator and to hatch the eggs you simply take the lid off the incubator and press the yellow button to make the eggs spin, the faster you press the quicker it goes until it pops and the shells go flying. Inside the eggs you will find 5 cute dinosaurs – Stegosaurus, T-rex, Triceratops, Pterandon and Raptor which rattle when you shake them, adding to the excitement.
There is so much to learn with this toy, the plastic eggs are bright, vibrant and bold and are a great way for children to learn their colours as well as helping with logic and fine motor skills. Our mini reviewers loved watching the eggs spin and hatch and we also spent time learning the names of the dinosaurs. The eggs are also perfect for Easter egg hunts – our mini reviewers enjoyed hiding them all over the house!
The Spin & Hatch Dino Eggs are a nice Easter themed gift which will provide hours of entertainment this Easter and for many years to come.
Suitable for children aged 12 months to 4 years
RRP £14.99 available from Amazon,Argos, The Entertainer, John Lewis, Next Online, The Range, Selfridges, Toymaster, Tesco, The Works and other independent toy shops
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Whenever I buy Joe & Seph’s Popcorn, my friend Lisa always asks me, “Have you got any more of that posh popcorn?” so when we were offered the Joe & Seph’s Ultimate Night In Gift Box, I knew we had to review it!
The box is priced at £12.50 with three different flavours of popcorn; Salted Caramel, Caramel & Belgian Chocolate Popcorn and the slightly different Milk Chocolate Popcorn Bites. The Bites are different because they are cups of chocolate with a piece of popcorn set in them. These were particularly nice because the chocolate and popcorn worked together well, and we had them in the fridge as little snacks to eat throughout the day! The chocolate was particularly good quality too which made them more of a treat.
The Salted Caramel and Caramel & Belgium Chocolate Popcorn were for us to enjoy after dinner on a Friday. Both of the flavours are favourites of mine so I was keen to try them. The Salted Caramel is not as ‘salted’ as you might think, but more caramel. I love Joe & Seph’s popcorn because it’s not sticky at all, and the Salted Caramel flavour is no exception. You can pick it up and hold the popcorn without it melting in your hand or feeling sticky which makes it much easier to handle as well as easier to share. The quality of the popcorn itself is much better than your cinema popcorn because there are minimal kernels and unbaked pieces of corn. In fact, there’s no un-popped corn pieces at the bottom of the bag, so all you get is proper, fluffy popcorn!
The Caramel & Belgium Chocolate Popcorn was my favourite of all the flavours. Layered in a light coat of chocolate, you can taste the Belgium chocolate straight away, and the second flavour is the delicate caramel. The see-through grab bags are easy to share, but just as easily pour into a bowl due to the shape of the bag.
The Joe & Seph’s Popcorn Ultimate Night In Gift Box arrives in a presentation box to your doorstep, after being handmade and packed in London, but the boxes can be sent to anywhere in the country. Ordering on the website, you can also add a 60 character message, which makes it a great gift for anyone who loves popcorn, chocolate or snacks in general. I think this Ultimate Night In Gift Box works as either a Girls’ night in with some Prosecco, a movie and a bit of gossip, or as a gift for a teenager’s birthday, along with the Amazon gift card they all crave!
Disclaimer: we received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Our mini reviewers had an early Easter treat this week when we received the Easter Celebration Set from Sylvanian Families. Presented in a beautiful Easter themed pastel coloured box the set includes two bunnies called Serena & Romeo Marguerite who are both dressed in beautiful Easter outfits complete with matching marguerite brooches and Easter bonnets. The set also includes a selection of Easter accessories, eggs and sweets so the bunnies can have a festive Easter egg hunt.
Serena is wearing a beautiful yellow and green dress and pink hat and Romeo is wearing a purple suit with a matching hat. The clothes are well made and can easily be removed and our mini reviewers, who already have a collection of Sylvanian family figures, loved swapping the outfits around with their other figures. They also enjoyed having an Easter egg hunt with the bunnies, one would go out of the room whilst the other put the sweets in the three mini Easter eggs and then come back in and look for them.
As a parent, the thing I love about Sylvanian Families is that the toys encourage children to use their imagination and it is lovely watching and hearing the escapades the figures get up to!! I used to love collecting and playing with my Sylvanian Family figures (which I still have ) and it is lovely to see my children enjoying them too.
Our mini reviewers loved this set and gave it a huge thumbs up! It is a great addition to their ever growing Sylvanian families collection and will provide hours of entertainment for them over the Easter holidays.
Aimed at children aged 3 and above this set would make a lovely Easter gift. It is available from the Sylvanian Familes website here
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Anyone looking for chocolate gifts will love the PLAYin CHOC organic chocolate range. Made from Peruvian Cacao it has no dairy, no gluten, no nuts and is totally vegan. The business was started by Maya back in 2016 when she wanted to create dairy-free chocolate using the simplest ingredients; cacao, coconut and vanilla. Maya also wanted to promote awareness about the planet’s biodiversity and offer an ethical alternative, so all of the PLAYin CHOC products are plastic free.
Beyond how award winning this chocolate is (It has won the Great Taste Award in 2022 for both their dark and milk chocolates, among other accolades), the range is something to behold in terms of fun. Just a quick look at their website and you can see the chocolate gift boxes available, all of which include their winning chocolate, but also have models which children can build based on the theme of the gift box. There’s Endangered Animals, Woodland Animals, Dinosaurs, Rabbits and a Christmas box. There’s some lovely 12 and 24 day advent calendars available at Christmas time too!
For the adults, PLAYin CHOC also have 60gram tablets of 6 pieces of chocolate. We were sent the Peruvian Cacao Milk Chocolate and Peruvian Cacao Dark Chocolate to try. Each chocolate is wrapped in compostable material (it looks like plastic but it’s not) so you can store them easily or even add them to a lunchbox for a quick chocolate treat.
My favourite was the Dark Chocolates. You can really taste the cacao in them, and there’s a strong flavour from the coconut as well. I really enjoyed the fact that there were no added extras to the chocolate, it’s a chocolate lover’s worse nightmare to be deterred from the real chocolate by additives, preservatives and unnecessary flavourings. The dark chocolate has a stronger chocolate flavour,, but the milk chocolate is milder if you’re not a big fan of dark.
If you’ve never tried PLAYin CHOC, have a look at their website for chocolate for both chocolate for the kids, as well as yourself!
Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review however all thoughts and opinions are our own
It’s Mother’s Day on Sunday and whilst we all want to find the perfect gift there’s no need to spend a fortune to show you care and these fantastic gifts from Swizzels are a fantastic inexpensive way to treat Mum.
What’s better to say I love you than a huge chocolate Love Heart? This giant Love Heart looks just like the traditional love heart sweet, just a lot bigger and made of 100% milk chocolate. With ‘FOR YOU’ surrounded by the iconic heart we all know and love it makes a lovely gift for Mum.
The iconic Sweet Shop Favourites Gift Box includes a selection of some of the UK’s most well-loved sweets: Refreshers, Drumstick, Love Hearts, Parma Violets, Double Lollies and Fizzers. As soon as you open the box the familiar scent of ‘childhood’ brings back so many happy memories and the hardest part is choosing which one to have first! My favourite is the Refreshers bar – what is yours?
Disclaimer: we received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
I have a very sweet tooth so was really pleased when Fox’s Biscuits asked if we would like to try their new Party Rings Choc Minis.
It’s funny how food can stir up memories – whenever I see Party Rings it takes me right back to my childhood, visiting my Grandma, where the biscuit tin in the pantry was always full of Party Rings – well, at least it was when we arrived…….
The thing I like most about Party Rings is the satisfying crunch when you bite into them and these mini Party Rings are just as crunchy as the original biscuits. The choc minis are lovely and chocolatey and great for snacking on.
I love the individual bags of party rings, they contain just the right amount of biscuits for a cheeky afternoon snack and at only 92 calories per mini bag will stave off the hunger without piling on the pounds.
I like to keep a few packets in my bag for emergency snacks, on the pretext they are for the children but in reality I might just keep them all for myself!!!
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
If you’re unable to eat chocolate due to being lactose intolerant, have an allergy to nuts or are vegan, you used to struggle to find chocolate on the High Street. Nowadays, there are a lot more options available to you though including NOMO chocolate. No More Missing Out? That’s their slogan. Does their chocolate live up to it though?
We were sent a selection of different flavoured chocolate Easter Eggs and Easter character chocolates. Although not necessarily aimed at children, anyone can enjoy them but we are also treated to an Egg & Lolly character egg for very young children. All of the chocolate are vegan and free from egg, nut, dairy and gluten.
The adult Easter egg flavours included Cookie Dough, Orange Crunch and Caramelised biscuit. Each Egg weighs 160 grams and has an extra Bunny included in the egg. The chocolate is listed as ‘an alternative to milk chocolate’ which is slightly darker than conventional milk chocolate but not bitter like dark chocolate is. We particularly enjoyed the Orange Crunch chocolate which had a distinct flavour of orange with a slight texture to it which added an interest to the confectionary. The Cookie Dough flavour is similarly textured and very sweet whilst the caramelised biscuit is as grown-up as it sounds with crunchy biscuit pieces and the sweetness of the caramel. The added bunnies (a character chocolate, each one weighing 30 grams) are similar milk chocolate substitutes but just as tasty!
The Egg & Lolly character Easter Eggs are also vegan and free from egg, nut, dairy and gluten. The 92 grams cute little eggs are perfect for younger children who won’t know the difference between milk chocolate and these free from eggs. Inside the egg there’s a chocolate lolly to enjoy, as well as some fun activities for children to do over the Easter holidays.
You can also buy the NOMO Easter Bunny separately. At 30 grams, the chocolate bunnies are also vegan, dairy free, gluten free etc and are filled with flavoured truffle in either Orange Crunch or Cookie Dough like the Easter Eggs.
Dairy free, Gluten free and egg free chocolate has come a long way in the last few years, and for anyone who needs a ‘free from’ diet, NOMO Chocolate Easter Eggs and Bunnies are so similar to the real thing, you won’t know the difference!
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review but all words and opinions are our own
This giant Swizzels milk chocolate Love Heart will be a favourite with both young and old this Valentine’s Day. It is styled as a traditional love heart sweet, just bigger and made of 100% milk chocolate. With ‘FOR YOU’ surrounded by the iconic heart we all know and love it makes a lovely gift for a friend or loved one.
Created with the aim of encouraging people to share the love this Valentine’s Day it costs only £2.49 from Home Bargains and the Swizells website so why not share the love and treat a few friends and loved ones this year?
To coincide with Valentine’s Day, Swizzels have also launched a #BeYourOwnValentine competition giving people the chance to win the Valentine’s Day of their dreams- why not take a look and enter here .
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
The Linking, Thinking Picture Game!
Link Logo, the board game from Tomy, can best be described as a mixture of the TV quizzes Only Connect and Catchphrase. Borne from the game LOGO, Link Logo uses pictures to create a game with trivia questions which can be played by the whole family. Based at ages 12+, it can be played in two teams or with just two players.
The teams sit opposite each other with the flip chart in the middle. Each team can see the other team’s questions (they are different questions for each side) and for the group of logos, or pictures, you have to guess the link. Underneath, there are the answers to the other team’s pictures, followed by questions to ask about their selection, and of course, the answers! Each team uses the pegs to score.
To give you an idea about the type of questions, (but to not give away the game!) you can see on the front that there are 6 pictures; a penguin, lion, planet, the solar system, a bus and an outdoor picnic. The question asks you to find the link and to name each product. If you’re stuck already, then the answer is that they are all chocolate bars! The other team then asks questions about the pictures, such as, “Which one of these relates to a Batman villain?” Once you have worked out the link, or had to be told, you can usually get the answer to the trivia questions pretty easily. Some of the answers are real ‘kick me’ ones, where you instantly realise you should have known the answer as soon as you find it out!
There are a total of 60 booklet sheets in the game, so it doesn’t take more than a couple of hours to play depending on how much time you chat in between the rounds. It’s the type of game that when you’ve played it once, you will probably remember the answers for a while so you can’t keep playing it over and over with the same people. Likewise, if one person has played it, then they’ll be at an advantage everyone else. Maybe if that’s you, you can work out how to compare the game and keep score instead of take part.
It’s easy enough to understand and follow along as it’s just about reading the text on the booklet binder and then keeping score using the score pegs. Most of the questions could be answered by teenagers but we did find that there were a few which were more based on older generations, or were a bit advanced such as some which related to American logos and items.
It’s a lovely gentle game for the family to play together, and. The photos make it easy to follow. It often creates great conversation between the teams, and each other too.
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Families are always looking for more wholesome ways to connect and have fun, so Tomy’s board game Triggle is a gem for the winter months. Based on 2-4 players (but you could play in teams) it is aimed at 8 years and upwards and has a remarkably simple objective; to create triangles.
The starting board consists of pegs arranged in a geometric pattern. Each player chooses one of the colours of pegs (there are 21 pegs for each player) and the elastic bands are divided out between everyone playing. Taking it in turns, each player add one rubber band to the board, suspending it between any two posts in any direction. The only ‘rules’ are that the line created by the band must be straight, and it must stretch across 4 post only and touching at least one other rubber band.
Once a player creates a triangle with their rubber band, they can claim it as their own by placing their coloured peg inside it. A triangle consists of only one single space.
The game ends whenever there are no spaces left on the board to claim, or one of the players uses up all their pegs. An alternative to the full game is for each player to have a set amount of rubber bands (for instance, 10 or 20) and the players play until there are no more bands left. Whoever has the most pegs placed on the board is the winner.
This is a remarkably easy game to follow and learn the rules for, and can keep the whole family entertained. We found that playing with just two, and especially two adults or older children was exceptionally easy and allowed for conversation throughout. There was no need to remember where you were in the game, so it was easy to talk, or walk away and come back after dinner if you needed to. It also doesn’t last for hours and hours where you feel compelled to complete the game. It also didn’t require point scoring or writing anything down as you can just count up the number of pegs visible, and there’s no need for remembering characters or complicated rules!
If you are in a group who don’t speak English or have limited vocabulary, this is a great mind teaser puzzle, and if you lose the rubber bands, they can easily be replaced. Instead of using the pegs, you can use any other type of counter from another game, so there’s longevity too. I found that after a while, some of the younger children (under 12 years old or so) were able to make up new games of their own, or liked making patterns in the board after the game had finished, so there was endless entertainment to be had over the school holidays.
Triggle isn’t really a game you grow out of and can be picked up by anyone. It’s definitely a “thumbs up” from us as a family game.
January is not only Dry January, but the beginning of the year is a time to try new things and for many of us, to become healthier! Jamu Wild Water have these 100% Natural and Zero Sugar waters to tempt you into the healthier side of living in 2023, and sent us some of them the try.
The waters come in 250ml sized cans in three flavours; Natural Sparkling Raspberry, Natural Sparkling Blood Orange and Natural Sparkling Lemon. As the name suggests, they don’t contain any sugar or artificial sweeteners and each have added Vitamin C and zinc. Not only are they made with natural fruit flavours but with nourishing botanicals and are gently fizzed so you can attempt almost anyone with their texture or taste!
The Natural Sparkling Raspberry flavour is slightly sweet from the raspberry and elderberry fruits, with the root flavouring of the Marshmallow Root Extract coming through. It’s probiotic too, giving your gut a better nutrient from the probiotic root it contains.
The Natural Sparkling Blood Orange flavour contains chicory root for probiotic health, and the flavour comes from the sweet blood orange and Echinacea, which has immune boosting properties.
Lastly, my favourite is the refreshing Natural Sparkling Lemon with the invigorating citrus flavour from lemons, and added nettle and dandelion extracts, the combination of which is used traditionally to relieve inflammation, boost immunity and aid digestive health.
Suitable for the whole family, they will be particularly useful in flu season and when the kids don’t want to drink just water. The 100% recyclable cans means that Jamu Wild Water can be taken out on car journeys, picnics or even to school. Can’t wait until after Dry January to find out what else it can be mixed with too!
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review but all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Christmas is fast approaching and this gaming headset from Edifierwould make a perfect present for the gamer in your family – young or old!
Made of a grey plastic with leatherette ear cups and a lined headband this headset has a really good feel – they certainly don’t feel cheap and are light on the head and comfortable for long periods of gaming.
With any headphones the quality of the sound must be the most important feature and with a pair of 50mm titanium drivers and Hi-Res audio this headset does not disappoint. The earcups provide plenty of insulation from external sounds and music is clear over the whole frequency band.
Three different cables are provided enabling easy connection to a variety of devices. USB-C can be used to connect to most modern smartphones and tablets, A standard Type-A USB cable allows connection to PCs and PS4 consoles whilst a standard 3.5mm jack is provided for connection to pretty much any other device. At 1.2m long they might not be long enough for everybody but can easily be extended / replaced.
For gamers a good microphone is essential and the microphone on this headset works well. It includes a noise cancellation system to give better clarity and when not in use it easily stows away inside the earcup.
The headset has four controls, on the left earcup is a mute button for the microphone and a scroll for volume control. On the rear of the right earcup are controls to switch between gaming mode and music mode and also to control the RGB LEDs. Different colours can be selected and a long press turns them off completely.
These controls are all dependent on power taken from the USB connection which does mean that they do not work when using the 3.5mm jack.
I have worn these for quite some time and find them very comfortable and the refined styling with the ability to turn off the LEDs appeals to me, I had intended to give these to my teenage son but I don’t think I want to part with them now!
I do have one niggle to mention but it is only minor – the controls on the left earcup are well positioned but on the right earcup the controls are positioned right where I hold the headset when taking it off meaning I’m always pressing buttons by mistake.
Overall I am very impressed with these headphones, they are lightweight, comfortable to wear and the sound quality is excellent and at £69.99 are excellent value for money.
Disclaimer – We received this toothbrush for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.
Did you know that 90% of gum disease and cavities are caused by incorrect brushing? In fact only 1 in 10 people actually brush their teeth correctly (that’s pretty worrying isn’t it!).
Luckily the OCLEAN X Pro Elite is also one of the smartest brushes on the market with a fantastic battery life of up to 35 days and Qi Quick Charge technology enabling it to fully charge in just 3.5 hours!
The X Pro Elite certainly knows its stuff when it comes to oral hygiene and it can help you improve your brushing technique via the Oclean app! The app connects to the X Pro Elite via Bluetooth and gives you derailed analysis of your toothbrushing technique.
Using an ingenious AI algorithm, the X Pro Elite analyses the way you brush your teeth and recommends how you can improve your technique, using a dental model on its 0.96-inch touch screen display which enables you to develop good brushing habits with its 4 modes and 32 intensities for clean mode.
To ensure its users get the deepest clean possible, the X Pro Elite’s motor spins at the speed of sound, delivering a maximum of 42,000 rpm that helps you reach and defeat difficult plaque and stain build ups with ease.
OCLEAN’s new self-developed WhisperClean™ technology also means that the toothbrush emits just 45dB when operating at maximum power: a drastic decrease compared to it’s more pricey big name competitor’s (55-65 dB).
The Xpro Elite also benefits from a wall-mounted holder which was easy to attach to my bathroom wall and it helps to keep it dry to prevent the growth of bacteria.
The OCLEAN X Pro Elite is available to purchase online for RRP £74
Disclaimer- We received the Chicco Balance Bike for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.
Riding a bike is something everyone should be encouraged to do as it not only keeps us fit but it’s also a more eco friendly mode of transport which is a great benefit for our planet.
Learning to ride a bike can be quite daunting for children, when I was learning I had a set of stabilisers which gave me some confidence to ride.
Bikes have really come on in leaps and bounds since I was a child and balance bikes seem a popular choice amongst parents.
A balance bike is a two wheeled bike which helps children develop the necessary balance on two wheels. Acting as a comfortable stepping stone to a real pedalled bicycle.
The child uses their feet to propel themselves instead of pedals which gives them a greater sense of balance whilst riding.
With Christmas fast approaching I can see the Chicco Balance Bike being well received by any lucky recipient.
This super stylish balance bike not only looks awesome in it’s 3 available colours (Green Rocket, Pink Arrow and Red Bullet) it feels very robust and safe!
Suitable for ages 2-5 years the Chicco Balance Bike will give your little one the confidence to take up bike riding.
With grippy adjustable handle bars, a soft non-slip saddle and anti-puncture wheels the Chicco Balance Bike will develop your child to switch to their first real bicycle without any difficulties or fear.
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
If you’re looking for an electric toothbrush, you will be astounded at both the range available and the price of them! Oclean have launched a reasonably priced toothbrush at less than £25 which is both rechargeable by USB and sonic. They sent us one this week to try out.
The Oclean Flow toothbrush has everything you would expect but at that surprising price. It has Sonic Technology, so that’s sonic speed to the brush oscillation which is 38,000 strokes per minute. It has 5 easy to use brush modes (Morning, Night, Standard, Whitening and General) with a 2-minute smart timer. Flicking through each of the modes is just at the touch of the one on/off button so there isn’t anything complicated to learn or read up about in order to get your routine. You can even do two of the modes back-to-back if you want to go the extra mile.
The toothbrush comes with one brush head which is made of DuPont bristles. I liked the bright orange bristles, which make it much easier to see in the dark mornings! They also act as an indicator to let you know when the brush head needs replacing.
Charging is easy with the USB Type-C lead which comes with the toothbrush. The Type-C port is at the base of the toothbrush which is accessible from a lid which flips open. You know when there is 10% or less charge left in the toothbrush because the round button flashes red to indicate it needs charging. One single charge can last up to 25 weeks though with morning and evening brushing.
When using it, the instructions give you a warning that it may make your gums tingle if you haven’t used an electric toothbrush before, but as I usually do, it wasn’t a problem for me. I liked the firmness of the bristles and how easy it is to use especially with just one control button and nothing too complicated for late at night or early in the morning. The same goes with the 2-minute timer so you don’t have to think much. My teeth were left clean and fresh afterwards, as you would expect!
It is surprising that this brush is so cheap and that it’s aimed at adults and teenagers because it’s rather sophisticated for what it can do, but easy to use. I think most children would be able to use it easily, and the white look and packaging makes it universal for everyone. Perhaps good for taking on holiday, especially with such a long charge amount and the ability to charge from a USB outlet? It’s a fabulous present for anyone and looks like it’s a lot more expensive than it is!
Disclaimer – We were loaned this item for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.
Are you struggling to treat the tech lover in your life this Christmas?
Look no further as the XGIMI Elfin Projector is a wonderful gadget and bound to be received well by any lucky recipient.
Projectors have certainly come a long way in terms of design and user ability since my childhood. Gone are the bulky space taking projectors and in their place are a new generation of slimline devices.
Elfin’s slim, lightweight design is similar in size to a standard book and can be transported easily in a bag wherever you go.
As a family of keen campers, we think the Elfin would make a welcome addition to our camping kit as it takes up minimal space, and would be a great way to entertain us all by providing some much needed relaxation during the evenings at the campsites we visit. The idea of a movie under the stars after a fun day’s camping really excites our children.
The XGIMI Elfin Projector was really easy to set up (remote control takes 2 x AAA batteries which were not included) and the user manual was easy to understand and came in a variety of languages.
The Elfin doesn’t come with a stand as standard but this can be bought separately for £72 from XGIMI.
Elfin’s Intelligent Screen Adaption (ISA) technology automatically optimizes your display in seconds meaning more time for movies!
1080p, 800 ANSI Lumens provides a crystal clear and vividly colourful visual experience for anyone watching thanks to its super powerful lens.
Choosing the right place to protect your movie is important. A patterned wallpaper wouldn’t be suitable so a plain wall is perfect. Our walls are a latte colour and this didn’t affect the colours at all, which was brilliant.
Alternatively, a projector screen can be used. We used our own projector screen outside to see how well the projector would work and it was perfect! The projected images were again crystal clear, and it felt like we were watching a TV.
The integrated Android TV™ delivers 5000+ apps, including Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, and Disney +. It was really easy to download these apps with a few clicks of a button and all that I needed to do was log in to my accounts.
Sound wise the Elfin didn’t disappoint, its two 3W built-in Harman Kardon speakers really enhanced our viewing experience with high-quality surround sound.
Overall I am really impressed with the XGIMI Elfin Projector and have really enjoyed using it, it’s an amazing piece of tech!
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
I am loving the TCL 30+ Smartphone that was sent to me this week! I am usually an iPhone user and have been for about 10 years so having never tried an Android phone before, I didn’t know what to expect.
TCL 30+M Smartphone
Firstly, the phone looks like a smartphone. Its screen is 16cm height and 7.5cm wide whilst less than 1cm thick, comparable to other smart phones and at 184g it’s lightweight too. The screen isn’t too big for my little hands (and they are little!) and like other smartphones, it’s touchscreen.
If, like me you don’t like reading instructions and just want to get started with setting it up, then it’s easy. You don’t need a SIM card to get started and luckily the phone is already slightly charged so you can take it out the box and start the settings straight away. It doesn’t take that long to set up either. The phone asks you which wi-fi network you want to use so I chose my home network just to get started. Using the QR reader on the phone, it set up and sync-ed with my wifi easily. Next, there was the security which included a ‘pattern’ to open the phone and then the fingerprint recognition. This takes a few minutes as the phone has to build up your profile slowly. You can choose to open the phone with a PIN or face recognition though if you prefer.
There are ample apps already installed or more you can download yourself
Other settings which you can choose are your search engine preferences, G Pay (so you can checkout with your phone for payments), other additional apps like YouTube, Google Drive etc and setting up your Gmail account. It also makes it easy for you to transfer your old apps and data (including photos) from an old device to the TCL 30+.
I particularly liked the ‘Hey Google’ voice recognition. I used this a few times when my hands were full to do things like set up an alarm (the alarm noise was surprisingly soothing!) and ask questions which I was easily able to do from a distance.
Once the phone was set up, I started using it to see how it compared. There are actually 3 cameras; the main camera (50MP), plus two more cameras on the back to give a wider field of view. There’s also a video lens with features such as Steady Snap, Portrait Mode, Movie Mode, Stop Motion and various Filters. Additionally, there’s a 13MP ultrawide camera at the front of the phone, for taking selfies and video. It has features such as Face Beautification, Auto Capture and Touch to Capture.
The cameras are great quality, and to test them, I took the same photo (below) on both the TCL 30+M and my iPhone X. There’s not much difference, you can see that the quality is similar although perhaps slightly better on the iPhone when it comes to detail. The colours are less saturated on the TCL too.
iPhone X image compared to…the same subject on a TCL 30+M phone
There is 128GB of memory on the phone (which is the same as the new iPhone 13 Pro) and the ability to add a MicroSD card up to 1TB. If you prefer not to use a card though, the phone can link up with your Google Drive and you can store all your photos, files and apps on the cloud so there isn’t a huge need for an SD card unless you really want one.
There are so many features that it takes a while to find your way around all the apps etc but once you do they work brilliantly. The box contains a charger and Type-C cable which are the quickest way to charge the phone. The battery life is much longer than my iPhone too, lasting days instead of just 1 day so there isn’t a big need to keep charging it. The phone also comes with a clear plastic cover, a SIM card pin and a device bag.
If I had never owned a Smartphone before, then I would be overwhelmed by all the apps and what was on offer, but I think I would get used to using it very quickly. As much as I hate to admit it though, I can see why people prefer the Android over an Apple iPhone. A lot of the work is already done for you, it’s consistent (and I think easier to use) with a PC and all the modern features you want with a phone are there. You don’t even need to buy extra accessories like a phone cover.
As with every product, there are pros and cons. This is not an exhaustive list, but just a few things I’ve noticed after using the TCL 30+ for a couple of weeks:
Pros
The battery charges quickly and lasts for days!
Easy to set up
Lots of cameras with filters already installed
Already installed with loads of apps including Google apps and social media
More in-depth apps like Weather that also features satellite images, news etc
Cons
Not 5G
Takes a while to register fingerprint security when you pick it up
Response time is slower than I would like when using apps – they take a while to load up or to load more information
At a fraction of the price of an iPhone (currently £159 on Amazon) there are few reasons not to use it, especially if you prefer Androids or aren’t already a Smartphone or Apple user. This would make a fantastic Christmas gift for a teenager, or for anyone who wants to be able to access all of the apps, features and smartphone technology we’ve all come to expect!
The Review Studio 