Christmas – The Review Studio

Tower Cavaletto Mirage Kettle and 2 Slice Toaster

Christmas, Family Life, Home, Home & Garden, kitchen appliances, 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 Tower Cavaletto Mirage Edition a very elegantly designed matching kettle and toaster set. If you are modernising your kitchen appliances, then this kettle and toaster should be very serious contenders!

The Mirage Cavaletto Set by Tower came in matt black. Very upmarket looking and would match most modern kitchens styled in white or grey. They both felt very light weight and a little flimsy, surprising for Tower, but once in situ, this wouldn’t be a problem.

To the actual test – does the kettle fill easily, heat water and pour adequately? The answer is yes. Fill from the spout or lid and the actual spout is nicely shaped so there’s no splashes or random water dripping out. The kettle does have some nice features. A clear capacity indicator that’s easy to read. Below this is a small digital display near the base where you can set the heat temperature, from 40 to 100 degrees, in increments of 5. This is also the on/off and was a little fiddly to use and would take a little getting used to. It also shows you the current temperature as it heats up and after it has boiled. Very useful if you walk away for a few minutes. If you are a herbal tea or matcha drinker you can get water at exactly right for these brews at around 80 degrees, with no more guessing. Additionally, coffee should be brewed at about 90 degrees, so this kettle lets you choose the right temperature per beverage, with a little research! It also has a keep warm feature for those of us who may need a second cup.

The only downside I found was that the kettle is very wide at the base and narrow at the top, a design feature that means that the minimum amount of water they tell you can boil is 0.8L. This seems wasteful. However, on the box it states that it can boil 1 cup of water in 45 seconds. So I tried and it can without the minimum water cut off kicking in. I’m not sure therefore whether the minimum is 0.8L?

Overall though I found this to be a very good kettle and I liked the digital readout/display.

Now to the toaster. Confession time – I love toasted things. I bought crumpets, toasting waffles, rye bread, mini pancakes and pitta breads to test. The toaster itself looks quite high tech. It has a digital readout and control panel, countdown timer and options for white bread, bagels, G/F, muffins and waffles! It also can defrost frozen breads, reheat items and has variable ‘browning’ levels from 1 (light) to 6(very toasted) on the control panel. The panel is at one side of the toaster and illuminates when in use. I found you had to keep the panel to ne side, which was a little awkward to read, as the electric cable was too short to have the panel front facing and towards you.

I toasted a waffle, some wholemeal bread (using the white bread option), pancakes, multi grain crumpets and frozen pitta breads. Like all toasters it took a little time to get the hang of how much it toasted and what level to set. Hands up – I burnt a piece of bread and the first crumpet was a bit too soggy. But it really didn’t take long to have a feel for how to set the browning levels and what function to use for say pittas and crumpets, which weren’t an identified option. And it coped really well with the frozen pittas. My current toaster tends to dry them out if I put them in frozen. The Tower Cavaletto toasted them perfectly.

Finally, a toaster that properly toasts. And a kettle that can heat water at the correct temperature for different drinks. In conclusion I would highly recommend this toaster if you like all things toasty like me. The kettle, only if you drink anything other than builder’s tea/coffee.

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

Lily O Briens Chocolate Christmas Desserts Collection

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

We love having some chocolates after Christmas lunch, sitting in the living room and watching TV. It’s amazing how much chocolate you can eat even though you’ve had the biggest meal of the year…

Lily O’Brien’s bring you chocolate by the box year round, and especially at Christmas you can sample their festive range. The Lily O’Brien’s Christmas Dessert Collection contains 8 different dessert flavours in their selection which includes dark, milk and white chocolate. The flavours included are; Key Lime Pie, Lemon Posset, Hazelnut Torte, Black Forest, Orange & Cranberry Panettone, Festive Carrot Cake, Spiced Latte and Creme Brûlée.

Each flavour is subtle, with an added texture such as dried cranberries on top, or a soft flavoured centre. The Lemon Posset has crunchy meringue pieces on top whereas the creme brûlée has caramelised sugar on top, to mimic the crunch when you dive into a full sized dessert creme brûlée with the back of your spoon.

The little cup-like chocolates are easy to eat, and there’s several of each variety in the box. These are great as presents or to add to a hamper, but I think the Lily O’Brien’s Christmas Dessert Collection is best saved for Christmas Day with the family. Which one is your favourite?

Available from £15 at: https://lilyobriens.co.uk/gifts

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.

Lily O’Briens Chocolate Elf Berry Bites

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

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

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

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

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

The Large Honey Jar Gift Box from Black Bee Honey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Matcha Tea from The Matcha Yaad

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lonely Planet Secret Wonders of the World – book

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lonely Planet Travel Tarot

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bennett Opies Christmas Food Gifts

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vocation Brewery Beers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yale Linus Smart Lock 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yale Smart Video Doorbell

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#YaleDoorbell #VideoDoorbell #SmartDoorbell #SmartVideoDoorbell

Easymark Bookmark

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

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

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

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

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

Flexilight Classic Book Light

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

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

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

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

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

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

Penmark Ruler Bookmark

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

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

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

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

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

Plusheez Phone Holder

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tile Wireless Phone Charger

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sous Chef Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

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

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

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

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

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

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

La Favourita Pesto with Genovese Basil

Christmas, Food & Drink, Summer

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

Treat yourself this Christmas to some genuine Italian pesto.

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

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

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

Two Farmers Lightly Salted Crisp Drum

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

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

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

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

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

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