Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
We’re half way through November and I have started to think about all the food and drink required for the Christmas period as well all the Christmas presents I need to buy. With a big family this is quite a task, so I was really pleased to receive a wine tasting kit from Perfect Cellar as this not only offers me the opportunity to try some new wines it will also makes a fantastic gift for all the wine lovers in my family.
Perfect Cellar were founded in 2020 by Moez Seraly and are the UK’s fastest growing, home delivery wine retailer. Working with Master Sommelier Christopher Delalone they aim to introduce their customers to great quality wine in the comfort of their homes, at an affordable price – what’s not to like!!
Whilst I am not a wine expert, I do love a glass of wine and like most people tend to stick to a couple of favourites. The TastingBOX really appeals to me as it offers the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and not only try some new wines but also find out a little more about the flavours, the wine and the food it should be paired with.
Available in two different sizes – three or six servings – each box contains three different Michelin Star level wines from bottles retailing between £20 and £35. You can enjoy each of the three alone or if you want to share, the box of six has two of each wine. To make the boxes letterbox friendly the wine is packaged in strong foil pouches inside small carboard boxes – very much like the packaging of the wine boxes you can buy in a supermarket. There is also a card showing pictures of the bottles of wine along with a little more information about each wine. The card has a QR code linking to detailed tasting notes and background on the wines. There is also an invitation to join Perfect Cellar’s live tasting experiences with a Master Sommelier using an Amazon Alexa, allowing you to learn more about the wine from the comfort of your armchair. The tastings are held in the last week of the each month and if you are not able to attend you will be able to access a recording. There is an email invitation each month so you won’t forget to join!
Of course if you do enjoy the wines you can of course purchase them directly from the Perfect Cellar website.
With a 1 month, 3 month or 6 month option this is a gift that keeps giving and will be enjoyed long after the Christmas decorations have been put back in the attic.
RRP from £26 (3 servings) & £42 (6 servings) available here
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Christmas is a time to ask for that gift you would never buy for yourself, or to surprise someone with a present that they weren’t expecting but similarly love! For me, the Donnerberg Back Massager falls into both categories as I’d seen them around but not ever thought of buying one. Likewise, it is something which I wouldn’t think of giving as a gift.
Read on to see why the Donnesberg Back Massager is perfect for both categories…
The Donnesberg Back Massager sits on the back of a chair so that the user sits with the massager behind them. It’s mains powers so there’s no need to charge it or change batteries and there are four settings; Shiatsu Massage, Massage Intensity (3 levels), Infrared head (2 levels) and Tapping/Percussion. That might sound like a lot of functions but playing with the different functions is part of the fun!
I started by plugging in the massager, which is easy with the UK plug that’s included. That’s all you need to do to get it working! Starting with the Shiatsu Massage, the plates on the machine work extremely hard, giving a deep massage into the different areas of your lower back. There are 10 massage heads in all which work in different directions and patterns to give you a deeper, firmer massage in certain places as well as the infrared heat which helps you relax, but also aids healing. The intensity can be increased with the function buttons, and the infrared heat can be increased too.
The second setting to try out is the Tapping/Percussion. This is a lighter, rainfall-like rhythm which helps relieve tension in the back muscles but with a different pattern. The Tapping/Percussion setting can be used with the infrared heat too, to give a deeper healing. Try using a combination of the tapping/percussion and Shiatsu massage settings to help with your specific ailments and eventually, you’ll work out a session that’s most beneficial to you! There’s a timer on each of the settings too so you don’t spend too long in one place.
The first time I tried out the Donnerberg Percussion Massager I did all the settings and all the intensities going on for more than 20 minutes. This turned out to be a mistake because the next day my muscles were sore and I had bruises! Instead, it’s better to find a medium intensity for your back and work up to the higher intensities over time. You don’t notice how strong the massager is at the time of working it, and it’s usual to find that it’s a bit of a weird sensation at first, until you get used to how deep it can be.
Over a week, the massage became more relaxing as your muscles get used to the sensation and start to relax over time. I haven’t needed to increase the intensity to the maximum level yet but as times goes on there is that option. Interestingly, there are other areas you can use the Donnerberg Massager on. Whilst watching TV, I put it on the floor and rested my feet on it. It’s a very weird feeling at first but once your feet start to relax, and your calf muscles start to melt away, it’s very nice having the vibrations trace through your feet and legs! After a run, this was especially useful as it distracted from the pain but then as the day went on, all the blood rushed to my calves and feet to bring the oxygen.
The Donnerberg Massager can be used on other areas of the body too. Placing your thighs or calves directly onto the massager face and putting it on a low intensity also helps with relaxing muscles and getting rid of aches and pains. The massager has a low noise output too, so you can still watch TV with it running in the background.
The only downside I can see is from having the cable to the mains adaptor. The lead is a few metres long so you can move it around whichever room you’re in but it means you can’t use it outside in the summer easily, and might not be able to use it in every room in the house. Still, it’s great to use whilst sitting up and you can probably use it whilst lying in bed too.
The Donnerberg Percussion Massager is a fabulous toy for anyone who has everything, or if your loved one needs to relax! It’s perfect however for anyone who runs, works out with weights or has a busy life where they need muscle relaxation but probably don’t have the time for a massage. Sit with the Donnerberg massager whilst watching TV and soon the aches and pains will melt away, no matter how active you’ve been!
Disclaimer: We were loaned this bike for the purpose of the review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
I’ve been considering buying an electric bike for a while, my husband is a keen cyclist and when we go out on our bikes I tend to lag behind, so an electric bike sounded the best option as it will enable me to keep up with him on the hills and go that little bit further. I was therefore really pleased when RooDog offered me the chance to try their new Avatar Step through mountain bike.
The first thing I have to say is it is fantastic having a step through bike – being 6‘ tall means up until now I have always had men’s cycles with a crossbar and whilst it has never really bothered me it is so much easier not having to lift my leg over a crossbar when I get on and off!
With burly tyres and suspension, it’s designed for on and off-road riding and is incredibly smooth to ride. It also has a twist grip throttle which is really useful, especially when at junctions, giving a quick boost to get me going when I need a bit more power. Despite having an electric motor it is incredibly quiet which is definitely a positive for me, a constant roar would drive me mad when out in the countryside. The gears on my existing bike are quite clunky so I was really impressed with the Shimano 7 speed Megarange gears which give incredibly slick gear changes and are very easy to use. Although there are only 7 gears, with the motor driving me on, this was more than enough to get me up the hills!
The geometry of the Avatar gives a more upright riding position and the frame allows for plenty of adjustment, ample for my 6’ height. I’m at the very top of the height recommendation and it was perfect for me, the seat was high enough and the reach to the handlebars is comfortable for my long arms. I liked the level of adjustment available and after a few tweaks found it very comfortable to ride, the position is well balanced and didn’t put too much weight on either my rear end or wrists. The bike comes with a standard saddle, but RooDog helpfully provided a larger ladies gel saddle, which is an option with all their bikes. This was really easy to swap and I find it much more comfortable to sit on.
On the road, the most impressive trait of the Avatar is the way it powers up hills – we live in a very hilly area – so much so that many pro cyclists train around here – and it really comes into its own when faced with a hill. Hills that I generally walk up are no longer a problem, I can now ride up easily on power level 3 speed and now it’s my husband who is lagging behind me! I found I could get up some of the steepest hills at 10mph whereas before I would puff and pant my way up at around 4mph and invariably need to get off at some point and walk the rest of the way up.
The Avatar has a decent range – up to 30 miles per full charge (on the highest speed setting of which there are 5). I haven’t been using it on full power but to give an idea of range I dipped down to two bars of battery (out of five) after 32 miles of using mainly speed 2 and 3 on hilly terrains.
My first outing was a fairly flat ride so I could get used to the bike and we did 23.42 miles, with 679ft of ascent. Further rides saw 31.82 miles with 1,860 ft and 18.69 miles with 979ft and I’m confident that I can do longer rides and still have enough power left to get me home.
The suspension gives a really smooth ride both on the road and on tracks, on rough surfaces it cushions the lumps and bumps and the bike feels stable and balanced and I feel in control both on fast descents and tight, twisty corners. It is here that the disc brakes come into their own giving really powerful braking that does not fade in wet conditions.
The digital control is smart, sitting nicely on the left handlebar, the LCD-PAS System has a clear digital display with battery indicator, lights, tripometer and the all important speed indicator.
For me, the point of an electric bike is to get assistance when out cycling as I do still want to get some exercise! Whilst you can just turn up the power and ride without any effort I generally have it set on a low power to flatten the hills and give me a “push” away from the junctions. Obviously the less you rely on the motor, the longer the battery will last.
With a 250W rear wheel hub motor, suspension forks and a 10Ah battery, the Avatar isn’t a lightweight bike weighing 22.5kg. Without using the motor, it would be quite a heavy bike but as long as the power is turned on, the extra weight isn’t an issue. We own a motorhome and have a rear mounted bike rack, the weight of the bike is well within the specification but it is always worth checking beforehand. The battery is removable which is really helpful as it makes the bike much lighter when I am lifting it up onto the bike carrier.
Charging is pretty simple, after a ride I just plug in the charger and it takes around 4 to 6 hours to charge from flat. I charge it in the garage but since the battery is removable it can be charged in the house and when we’re away I can easily charge it in the motorhome.
As with all electric assist bikes, the motor cuts out at 15.5mph and the throttle at 4mph so the Avatar isn’t going to turn me into a fast rider but it certainly gives me an edge when we head off into the hills and that’s what I’m looking for in an electric bike. For £1,750 you’re getting a pretty good deal, it has a good motor and fairly sizeable battery so if you want an e-bike that looks decent, and will help you some of the way, this is the bike for you.
All parts are covered by a 2 year warranty, including the battery (provided cared for in conjunction with battery care instructions), motor casing & hub motor and bike frame.
RooDog are a small family business and have been trading for 10 years, like all small businesses they are passionate about what they do and whenever I have spoken or emailed Scott and Tina I have found them incredibly knowledgeable and very easy to deal with. They recently celebrated their 10th anniversary and you can find out more about it by reading their blog post 2023 – Celebrating Our 10th Year in Business – Roodog Electric Bikes
After using the Avatar for the last couple of weeks I am now convinced that an e-bike is a very worthwhile investment, it gives me the extra boost I need to get up the hills and I can still enjoy the scenery without lagging behind. I’m really happy with the Avatar electric mountain bike but if you don’t fancy that style of bike then RooDog have 9 other electric bikes to choose from, so whether you want a folding bike, city bike or even a polka dot one you will find a RooDog to suit.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Christmas is fast approaching and I’ve been having a think what to buy my husband. He’s quite active and enjoys cycling, swimming and walking so the Outlier Free Pro headphones from Creative are perfect for him.
The bone conduction headphones with Bluetooth 5.3 are also waterproof, meaning they are great in the rain and can also be used when swimming. Being able to listen to one of his playlists or podcasts is bound to make his morning swim a lot more interesting. With an IP rating of IPX8, you just need to make sure the microphone is sealed with the included plug and you can swim in freshwater up to a depth of 1.5m for up to 40 minutes. They’re not suitable for salt water so don’t pack them if you’re off to the beach! Obviously, you don’t take your phone swimming, so the headphones have 8GB storage for you to store MP3 files to listen to whilst in the pool. Understandably the sound quality isn’t as good when you are in the water but it’s pretty good and much better than having no music at all!
The headphones are also great for cycling, it’s quite scary the number of cyclists you see wearing headphones or earbuds, they simply can’t hear approaching cars and it’s an accident waiting to happen. The advantage of these headphones is they sit on the bone at the front of your ear and as the noise is transferred through the bone into your inner ear you are able to listen to music but also hear what’s going on around you.
The headphones have the following features
– Bluetooth 5.3
– IPX8 Waterproof
– 8GB Memory Storage
– Up to 10 hours playtime
– Multipoint Connectivity
Weighing in at just 32g they sit comfortably on my head, I’ve used them for several hours at a time and find them much more comfortable than standard headphones or earbuds.
Allow 2 hours for a full charge via a USB-A Magnetic Clip-on Charging Cable which should give 10 hours of playback. The sound quality is really good, it’s not quite the same as a traditional pair of headphones but fantastic for being able to listen to my playlists and podcasts whilst staying aware of my surroundings. I know my husband is going to enjoy being able to listen to music and answer calls whilst on his cycle commute and I’ll be happy knowing he is still aware and able to hear the traffic around him.
These headphones are perfect for those with active lifestyles, offering a whole new way to tune into your favourite music whilst exercising on land or in the water.
Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Who doesn’t enjoy a nice bottle of wine with their Christmas dinner, or cosied up in front of a roaring fire? We certainly do so were delighted to receive a selection of wines chosen by the experts at Kingsland Drinks, which as well as being lovely gifts are the perfect accompaniment to Christmas lunch.
Rosé fans will love the Tourmaline 2022 rosé from esteemed producers, Barton & Guestier. The wine is in a gorgeous tall bottle with a glass stopper and the dry wine has floral, citrus, pear, peach and red berry notes. Best served chilled, the delicious fruity wine is dry and crisp and great with food or drunk whist curled up in front of a fire with loved ones. With a beautiful pink hue this French wine is hard to beat.
ABV 12.5% RRP £26.99 available from Waitrose (currently £18.99)
The South Australian Sauvignon Blanc from The Hidden Sea is perfect for Christmas lunch, we enjoyed this zingy citrussy wine with chicken, but it will go just as well with turkey and if you are having a seafood starter even better as it pairs nicely with seafood. This is a delightful fresh wine and is very smooth and palatable and also works really well as a spritzer with ice and sparkling water. Another bonus is for every bottle purchased The Hidden Sea will remove the equivalent of 10 x 500ml plastic bottles from the sea and recycle them, so perfect for those who want to do their bit for the environment.
ABV 12% RRP £8 Suitable for vegans, available from Sainsbury’s and Asda
Champagne might be out of your budget this Christmas, so a bottle of Prince Alexandre Crémant de Loire is purse friendly. Made in France in the exact same method as Champagne, this sparkling wine is a subtle blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc and boasts a fresh elegant aroma of citrus and white stone fruit with hints of biscuity notes. When I poured it into a tall flute there was a multitude of bubbles that jumped and fizzed and popped satisfyingly on my tongue, served chilled it is perfect for a festive toast.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Do you know a Star Wars fan? Whether they’re a fan of the recent films or a die-hard fan then they’ll love the Original Stormtrooper “Brewing up a Storm -Trooper” gift set from Well Pharmacy. Containing an exclusive Stormtrooper dishwasher safe mug along with a 100ml Shower Wash it is a great choice for a stocking filler or Secret Santa gift.
Well Pharmacy are the third largest pharmacy chain in the UK and have a great selection of Christmas gifts available. If you aren’t able to get to one of their branches then you can buy online with postage starting at £3.95. These are some of our favourites that will make great stocking fillers or Secret Santa gifts.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Christmas is coming and it’s time to start thinking what to buy my teenage son. He spends a couple of hours each day on the bus going to and from college and often listens to music so a new pair of earbuds like the Edifier W320TN earbuds will be the perfect gift for him this year.
Rather than the usual white, these earbuds are in an attractive gloss grey colour, although they’re also available in ivory. Supplied in a smart gift box they come packaged with the usual instruction manual and a USB-C charging cable. They connect effortlessly using the latest Bluetooth 5.3 and are Hi-Res certified.
Many earbuds are supplied with a range of different size silicone ear pieces to ensure a good fit, instead Edifier have designed these to fit without the fiddly silicone sleeves and I don’t know how they’ve done it but it’s almost as if they were custom made. They’re lightweight too so I could wear these for hours without any issues and the battery life wouldn’t stop me either, the earbuds are good for up to 5.5 hours playback and then there is another 22 hours charge in the case!
The earbuds also have an AI Multimodal Adaptive System which combines multiple sounds and algorithms to ensure that users have the strongest noise cancellation, the best sound quality and the clearest calls.
You can just connect them to your phone and start listening to music but it’s well worth installing the Edifier app where lots of settings can be altered. As well as adjusting the equaliser settings and turning on the Hi-Res audio pretty much everything else can be changed, including the touch sensitive controls which are activated by pinching the bottom of the earbud’s stem enabling you to answer and hang up calls, control music playback, switch modes etc.
One feature I especially like is the “wearing detection” feature that turns off the music if you take out an earbud and re-starts when you put it back in – meaning you can have a quick chat and then go back to your music where you left off. I’m also impressed with the active noise cancellation – perfect for those noisy bus journeys and they’re IP 54 rated so won’t get damaged whilst waiting for the bus in the rain!
Disclaimer: We received this product as a review sample but all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Friday night is music night, a chance to sit down and listen to a favourite album or just a random mix of new music on Spotify. This week, I had the opportunity to try out a new speaker – the Addon C5A from Swedish brand Audio Pro.
The Addon C5A is a network connected speaker with Amazon’s Alexa built in. The setup was pretty simple, connect the speaker to power then download the Audio Pro app and follow the instructions,I soon had it connected to my Spotify account and started listening to my playlists.
The sound quality was really impressive, far better than a standard smart speaker can manage. I actually switched between the C5A and my Echo Dot (which to be fair is a fraction of the price) and the difference was amazing. Each instrument was much clearer and more defined and it was a real pleasure to listen to.
We use Amazon’s Alexa a lot in our house, an Echo Dot sits in most rooms and we find them really useful for setting timers, checking the weather and controlling other smart devices. We also use them for playing music and listening to the radio but whilst convenient, the sound isn’t what you’d call high quality, so having the quality of the Addon C5A, together with the functionality of the smart speaker is fantastic and has been appreciated by my whole family who have played a real mix of music this week – we’ve discovered rock,pop, heavy metal and classical music all sound so much better through the C5A!
In addition to the network connectivity you can also connect via Bluetooth (v4), line in on the rear and aux in via a 3.5mm jack on the top of the speaker. A subwoofer connection is provided for those wanting a fuller sound. If you’d rather not use wifi, there is an ethernet connection on the back of the speaker too.
Styling is discrete and modern, a simple panel on the top of the speaker gives access to the main functions along with four presets and a volume control. The microphone for smart functionality is also on the top. At 250mm wide and 150mm high it sits easily on a bookcase and comes in three colours, black grey and white.
Setup is performed in the app but there is little need for it after that. Extra functions that are available are timers, treble and bass control etc. It is also possible to group multiple speakers into stereo pairs or into groups that enable music to be played around the whole house.
Overall, I am really impressed with the Addon C5A it is a premium speaker in both sound and looks. Whilst it’s not the cheapest, with a list price is £170, it’s certainly a worthy investment if you like quality sound and build.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own
It’s the same every year – what do we buy the men in our lives? Male grooming is big business and beards are very much in fashion so the Wahl Aqua Blade 10 in 1 Multigroomer will make a great Christmas gift for all those men who like taking pride in their appearance.
Wahl are well known for their hair clippers and this small re-chargeable trimmer has 4 interchangeable heads and 16 guide combs allowing you to trim, shave, edge clip and detail. It can be used for haircuts, beard trimming, shaving, body grooming and it even has a head for removing unwanted ear and nose hair.
It’s quite compact and feels comfortable in the hand due to the sides of the trimmer having ribbed rubber, allowing for a good grip when using it wet. This is Wahl’s closest trimmer shave at just 0.2mm and the extreme precision ground T-blade keeps beard lines sharper for longer. The finished cut is excellent as the blades are sharp meaning they don’t tug or pull when cutting. My son was very impressed with it and found it was excellent for trimming his beard and around his ears as it is less cumbersome than his own clippers.
The trimmer has an impressive run time of 180 minutes meaning you won’t need to charge it if you’re away for the week. The LED battery indicator tells you when the battery is running low and the quick charge feature is very useful if you forget to charge your trimmer, giving 3 minutes of cordless use from a 1-minute charge.
The storage pouch keeps everything together nicely, there’s lots of bits in this set so it’s good to have a pouch to keep it in as it will prevent losing bits in the bottom of the drawer or the bathroom cabinet.
This is a great set for anyone who likes to do their own hair at home or those who like to keep hair tidy in between visits to the barbers. Easy to use and with a long charge this set would make the perfect gift for any man in your life this Christmas.
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Marshall are at it again with their state-of-the art, high end speakers and headphones, this time with the Minor iii wireless, Bluetooth earbuds.
With 25 hours of wireless playtime, these are the classy headphones you would expect from Marshall and I was VERY excited to be testing them. I don’t usually use wireless earbuds but having tested the Marshall speaker a few months ago, I knew what the quality would be like for these headphones and how I would likely learn to use them.
The first aspect you notice for the headphones are how sturdy they are and how famously Marshall they look. With the snakeskin-esque charging case and raised ‘Marshall’ white lettering, it’s instantly recognisable as the iconic brand. The case opens and closes with robustness, revealing the headphones inside. The charging case is powered with a USB C charging lead which comes with the set. You don’t need anything else to begin using them and thankfully, there was a little bit of charge in the headphones when I took them out the box to set them up!
Inside the box packaging there is a Quick Start Guide which gives you an easy reference of how to set them up. There’s no downloading of any apps or software and no need to use any website. Instead, connect them to your device (in this case it was my Apple MacBook Pro) by turning on the Bluetooth and opening the Apple Settings. To make the headphones discoverable, you just press and hold the button underneath the case, with the headphones still in it. There’s a tiny LED light on the front of the case just above the Marshall logo. When it flashes blue, you know that the headphones are pairing with your device. That’s all you need to do for them to work and link to your device!
The headphones snap into the charging case magnetically so you don’t have to make sure the connections are in the right place for charging. Lifting them out, there’s R/L on them and that’s pretty much all you need. As soon as I take them out of the casing, Music (the jukebox app on my Apple laptop) opens and recognised that I have switched on the headphones. It’s only when I put the second headphone in my ear that I can use the touch controls to start playing music directly from the laptop. One tap to play or pause, or receive or end a call… two taps to skip forward or reject a call… three taps to skip backwards. Now, I found this quite difficult to master for several reasons. When you tap, you are assuming where the stem of the earbud is (and the same tapping applies on both earbuds so you can use either hand) and therefore miss quite often. So when I wanted to tap twice, I would often miss and therefore only hit the stem once, thereby only pausing the music and not skip forward. I would suggest practicing with music before you use the Minor iiis for calls – otherwise you run the risk of accepting a call with just one tap rather than rejecting with two taps!
The quality of the Marshall Minor iii headphones is excellent, as you would expect. I was able to pick up the background static on older songs originally recorded onto LPs. The balance between both headphones is also true to the original recordings and there’s a formidable bass there too. From another person’s perspective, when you have the headphones in you can hardly hear the sound. These headphones are great for commuting or for when you don’t want someone else to know what you’re listening to! I also liked that they don’t vibrate when they’re in your ears. That’s important to protect your ears, and your balance and shows a high quality of workmanship on headphones that don’t have loose working parts. Rattling will get annoying very quickly, and end up damaging the structure of your ears.
The only gripe I have with them is that you can’t change the volume through just the headphones. You have to go back to the device to change how loud they are which makes it slightly annoying when you are either out and about and have to fix your phone, or when you need to keep going back to a laptop and changing the volume. It’s the same with other settings like the balance of sound, bass or treble. There is no control for them either on the headphones or on a device so you take these headphones as they come.
The price of £119.99 is very reasonable for the quality of these headphones. They’re not extortionately expensive and can be used for either music or phone calls so they’re versatile, and both for work and home. The ease of setting them up makes them all the more appealing compared to cheaper brands, and I love that they’re so sturdy and in the charging case they can be put in any pocket, handbag or hand luggage. Strong enough casing and manufacturing that they won’t get squashed easily, although I wouldn’t try it, they are probably stamp proof too!
The Marshall Minor iii is the next generation of high quality headphones, with superb sound, easy usability and flexibility for a long time to come.
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
I had heard of Host Your Own Race Night from friends who have played it before and explained what a fun idea it was and how it worked, so when I was given the opportunity to test it, it seemed like the perfect Saturday night in with the family!
Host Your Own Race Night is a board game based on betting on horse races. Instead of having to go to a race meeting, the game is hosted at home with the use of 2 DVDs of 32 races. As a team, you choose which race you want to play, then you are given a Race Form Guide to study the form of each horse and then you place your bets using the race cards provided. At the end of the race, check the results and the winner collects their winnings in the form of (albeit fake!) ‘cash’! At the end of the game, the person with the highest amount of cash wins!
The races are hosted on a dry-wipe board and the pen is included so you can use the board and the race cards over and over. I would have a rag or something similar handy so that you can clean the board between races easily. You might not have a DVD player any longer so hunt one down before you invite others to come over and play, but some laptops with CD/DVD drives can still play them.
The game instructions are easy to understand and it’s a game for the whole family from teenagers up to grandparents. Kids will love the fake money too! The game is set for more than 2 players and I would say that this is great for about 6 players ideally. It is a betting game though, and you probably shouldn’t encourage smaller children to play so the starting age of 14+ years makes sense. You can play just a couple of races or all the 32 races and make a night of it, plus the races are reasonably short so you can stop and start the game for interruptions. This would be a good game for New Year’s Eve for instance, where you might not want to watch TV but you do want to switch it on and off for different celebrations etc.
It’s great fun, and some family members get really involved in it whilst others are more passive and play for the game rather than the amount of winnings. It’s how much you bet on each horse in each game that makes the game different each time. You don’t need to be a horse racing expert to know how to play or be able to enjoy it, but horse race followers will love it!
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Clean Co are the specialists in creating non-alcoholic spirits, starting with their famous Clean Gin and Clean Rhubarb Gin. Now, they have ventured into other spirits including this Clean Co Rum – a spiced spirit which is also non-alcoholic but with the Caribbean flavour of rum.
Clean Co Rum Alternative has won the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) bronze award in 2021 for its vanilla on the palate and pineapple and raisin on the tastebuds. It’s certainly a welcome alternative to the other non-alcoholic spirits that don’t have much depth, taste or mix very well with other drinks to make cocktails.
Clean Co Rum Alternative has a dry, vanilla taste with smokey fruitiness that’s. typical of rum. There’s a slight sugar taste in there too which gives it the fuller flavour of a spirit and it’s delicious with a cola drink or mixed into a cocktail thanks to the added Jamaican spices. You can also try it with ginger ale and lime to give a different skew on its tropical flavours.
The good news is that Clean Co Rum Alternative is also vegan, has no sugar at all and is only 12 calories per 50ml serving. It has less than 0.5% ABV which classifies as non-alcoholic and is lactose free too.
This is a great gift for anyone who is into spirits but doesn’t necessarily like rum yet, so that they can try it and supplement cocktails at home with an authentic rum flavour. Rum lovers, especially those doing Dry January, will love having the rum flavours and none of the alcohol to feel guilty over!
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
It is lovely to go out for cocktails with friends but as we all know it’s not a cheap night out. Luckily staying in is the new going out so our evenings out at cocktail bars have now been swapped for the comfort of friend’s houses, thus enabling us to still enjoy our girlie cocktail nights but in a more purse friendly way.
This weekend we’ve been trying some O’Donnell Moonshine which in a nod to the history of moonshine is bottled in cute glass mason jars. The brand, who have featured on Dragons Den, was created back in 2016 after founders August Ullrich and Philip Morsink took a road trip through America learning more about the Prohibition era when the production and sale of alcohol was illegal. Alcohol production went underground, becoming known as Moonshine, as it was made at night to reduce the chance of discovery. The alcohol was stored in mason jars before being handed over to smugglers called ‘bootleggers’ who then sold it on.
Fascinated by the history surrounding Moonshine the friends decided to create their own at home and O’Donnell Moonshine was born.
We have been sampling the following flavours – Very Cherry, Blood Orange, Tough Nut, Sticky Toffee and the new Passion fruit which is lovely and refreshing, especially with some fizz and ice. The Very Cherry is very nice on it’s own and I think it will be a lovely addition next time I make an almond Tart.
The liqueurs are delicious on the rocks or can be topped up with some fizz to produce a delicious ‘spritz’ drink. They also make lovely cocktails too, our favourite was the Passion Fruit Moonshine which went down really well with my friends this weekend – here’s the recipe if you want to try making it yourself?
30ml Passion Fruit Moonshine
60ml Vanilla Vodka
1tbsp Lime Juice
1tbsp Simple Syrup
Prosecco optional served alongside
One thing that O’Donnell pride themselves on is that their Moonshine is vegan friendly and allergen free so they can be enjoyed by everyone.
The 20ml mini sets consisting of 4 x 20ml bottles make a lovely gift and are perfect for sampling the flavours before you commit to a larger bottle – which I guarantee you will once you’ve tried them! They also make lovely gifts too.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Bank Holidays are a great opportunity to get together with friends and this weekend we have been reliving our youth and reminiscing about music of the time with the I Want My MTV card game from Ginger Fox Games.
The game covers music from the 80’s, 90’s and 00’s and is great fun to play, especially in teams. There are a good mix of questions with categories including In What Year?, MTV 80’s Party Anthems Compete the Title and the questions are a mix of trivia and music videos.
The aim of the game is to answer the music based questions to win pieces of a MTV jigsaw. There are two categories of question on each card and the player can choose which category they prefer. There are 4 questions on each card and if they answer them all correctly they choose one of 4 jigsaw pieces that make up the MTV logo. The winner is the team who completes the logo first.
If they pass or give an incorrect answer the other players can try and take control of the card by shouting “I WANT MY MTV”. It’s one of those games that is best played in teams and there’s a slight twist in the game to make it more fun.
There are questions for everyone in the box so whether your era is the 80’s, 90’s or 00’s and you love rock, pop or boybands there’s plenty of questions to challenge everyone. So, if you can remember who sang that iconic anthem in the 80’s? What was the name of the first album released by the popular 90’s band xxx? Or which music video featured a custard pie battle? then you’re well on your way to collecting your puzzle piece!
Disclaimer: we received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own
It’s been a wet summer but today the sun made an appearance which was great timing as we had friends round to watch the football. After the match we enjoyed a few craft beers in the sun, which were kept nice and cold in the Best of British Beer Ice box.
Best Of British Beer was founded back in 2011 by husband and wife team Will and Gill Sherwin with the intention to make it easy for drinkers to enjoy that ‘hard to find’ beer. Like all good food and drink companies the story began at home with their shed becoming the storeroom and their dining room table their packing bench. The company has grown over the years with over 50 million bottles and cans of beer sold to date!
Their latest idea to help you enjoy a summer beer is the creation of innovative packaging for their craft beers – slightly oversized, the box leaves room for ice to be added providing the perfect solution to an alfresco beer.
Unlike normal cardboard beer packaging the Ice box is made from water resistant cardboard, meaning it doesn’t go soggy when filled with ice and removes the need to lug a bulky cool box with you to keep your beer cold. All you need to do is pop out the cardboard top, fill with ice and it will keep your beer at the perfect temperature. At the end of the night simply pour away the water, flatten the box and you’re ready for the next party.
The reusable cardboard box is made from sturdy eco friendly materials and is also perfect for festivals when you might have to carry your gear quite a way or is also great for a trip to the beach.
Available directly from Best of British Beer it comes complete with six craft beers (or lager if you prefer).
We received the speaker as a review sample but all words and opinions are our own.
Music is important to me, I enjoy sitting down in an evening and listening to a playlist through the stereo in our living room. Most of the time though, I’m listening to music whilst doing other things, working in the office or cooking and eating in the kitchen. In these rooms I’m limited to how to listen, I can wear headphones or just listen to music through the speaker on my phone but it just isn’t the same as listening on a proper sound system. This is where a wireless speaker comes in. The Audio Pro A10 MKII is a high quality speaker that connects to my network and allows me to stream music from anywhere in the house. It is part of the Audio Pro Multiroom system so can be combined and grouped with extra devices to play music across the house. It supports AirPlay2 and Google Cast along with Audio Pro Multiroom.
With a sophisticated dark grey cloth finish and metal controls (also available in light grey) the Scandinavian design fits discreetly in any room of the house and standing 193mm high and 140mm across it isn’t too large to get in the way. It feels high quality and weighs 1.5kg.
Setup of the speaker is easy with an app though although once it’s connected the speaker can be used on its own. There are three ways to connect, a direct connection over wifi is the main one but it’s easy to connect a phone using Bluetooth 5.0 or other music sources through a 3.5mm jack. On the rear of the speaker is a threaded socket allowing the speaker to be wall or ceiling mounted.
I mainly use Spotify for my music and once setup the speaker simply appears in the list of devices. For radio I’m a BBC fan so use their iPlayer app so I can use casting to send the radio onto the speaker. For all its good looks the sound quality is obviously the most important feature of any speaker and the A10 does not disappoint. It easily fills a room with music without a hint of distortion and though you’re never going to shake the foundations with a small speaker it is certainly good enough for me and I’d be happy listening to this anytime.
I mostly use my phone to control the music but there are a number of buttons on the top panel allowing you to play/pause, change the source or volume and four presets. I liked how these work, just start playing a Spotify playlist then hold the button. The playlist can be recalled at any time with just a press of the button. The only obvious missing feature is a skip button but it isn’t a major omission.
Using the app gives access to a few more features including a sleep timer, alarm clock and adjustment of the bass and treble.
Overall, I love the Audio Pro A10 MKII speaker, it is easy to link to my phone and has wonderful sound quality and would be a great addition to any home.
Disclaimer: we received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
We just can’t get away from tech these days, whether it’s a trip to the beach or camping in the Lake District. It seems we can’t do without our gadgets.
We can all pretty much manage for a day without a charger but if we’re away for longer, then we’re going to need power. Now, a small battery pack will charge a phone but what about bigger devices that require a mains supply?
The River 2 from EcoFlow is a really compact portable power station, the smallest in the EcoFlow range, with a 256Wh capacity and 300W output. The size of a shoe box, it only weighs 3.5kg so is really easy to include when packing for a weekend away or trip in the car.
It is well built, with a flat top so it is easy to pack when travelling. The handle is mounted on the rear of the device which helpfully leaves room for any cables coming out of the back.
Included in the box are two charging leads, a mains charging lead (no adapter required) which takes only an hour to fully recharge the battery, and a car adapter that plugs into the solar connector on the back. Optionally it can be changed through the USB-C connector or for a truly portable option a solar panel can be connected too.
We enjoy going away in our motorhome and much prefer the more remote sites, often with no mains hookup. The sites are peaceful and quiet, but we do sometimes miss a main supply. We do a lot of cycling when we’re away and depending on how far we have ridden my e-bike will need charging, but up until now I have had no way to charge the bike with only a 12v supply. The battery on my bike is 250Ah so using the fully charged River 2 to charge the bike means I can do more cycling when we are on sites with no mains power. I’ve used it to charge my bike a couple of times and founds it only changed up to 90%, I’m not sure why but to be honest 90% is certainly good enough and means I can get another couple of days cycling in when we are away.
A while ago we bought an electric cool box which is great for keeping food and drinks cool when going out with the family. The only problem is whilst I can plug it in when driving, once we’re there we just have to hope it stays cool, with the EcoFlow River 2 I can now leave it plugged in (when set on low (20w) you get 7 hours of use) meaning the drinks are still cold when we get back to the car after a day out.
The EcoFlow River 2 can also be used as a UPS, it has a 30ms switchover so most devices will not notice a power cut and whilst it might not run a PC for too long, it will at least give you time to save your work before shutting down.
I’m going on Scout camp in a few weeks and the EcoFlow River 2 is definitely coming with me, lighting is usually a mixture of small headtorches and large gas lamps but it will be much easier to use a 240v LED flood light. If it works well, I might look at getting the optional solar panel for a daytime recharge whilst we are on camp.
It’s a great device once you know its limits. You’ll not be able to run anything that draws more power such as a cooking device, heater or kettle but for all your tech and low powered devices it’s great. There is a good selection of outputs too, in addition to the 240v socket there are 2 USB-A, 1 USB-C and a 12v “cigarette lighter” too.
I’m really impressed with the EcoFlow River 2, although it is the smallest model in the range, it has a real quality feel and doesn’t lack features. It is controllable with the mobile app using bluetooth or wifi, can be charged in 4 different ways and by using Lithium Iron Phosphate technology, the battery can be discharged 3000 times and should provide years of use.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
It’s holiday time again and we’re off in the motorhome. We love our road trips but living in such a compact space does have its challenges, the most difficult perhaps – clutter! It is so easy to take too much stuff and with limited space you end up constantly moving it from the table to the bed and back again!
We both love reading and before any trip stock up on a few magazines. I like tech and model making but might pick something different just for a change. My wife likes food and gardening magazines, but it does mean that wherever you try to sit there is a magazine in the way!
This time I’m going to avoid this problem entirely by not taking any magazines with me, but I won’t miss out because I have a Readly subscription that allows me to pick from a massive number of different magazines and read them on my tablet or phone.
There is a huge choice, my usual favourites are there but there are also titles that I might not normally choose and they’re all available for one monthly price.
Sometimes we struggle for internet (we do choose so out of the way places to camp) but that’s not a problem either, we can download magazines to the tablet and read them later. Once we’re done, delete the files and start again.
I wasn’t too sure how I’d take to reading on a screen, but I found it to be brilliant, the pages are rendered in a very high quality and if I needed larger text the page zooms easily. I was just as impressed with the app on my phone! Whilst the screen is not a big as my tablet, many magazines use an “Article View” that re-formats each article for better reading on a mobile device. All the content remains the same, but it is presented in a more natural scrolling experience.
With over 7000 titles available it could be easy to get lost, but each publication is categorised and once you find a magazine you like you can add it to your favourites. Not only are the current editions available but many magazines have back issues too, one of the magazines I occasionally dip into is The Magpi, looking at that the back issues are available back to August 2018 which will keep me going for a while!
At £9.99 per month, a Readly subscription isn’t much more than some magazines and allows you to read as many as you like without worrying if you’re going to enjoy them or not, just move on and download another!
There is currently an offer on the website where you can try it for a month free of charge – perfect for summer holiday reading!
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
by Amazon has launched it’s first collection of wines from the finest vineyards across the world including South Africa, Argentina, Chile, France and Australia. The selection of 10 wines are very reasonably priced, costing between £6-£10, have been selected, tried, and approved by a master of wine. Available from Amazon they are available in 75cl, 3L or a case of 6 bottles.
They sent me a bottle of the Australian Chardonnay to try and as it was National Cheese & Wine Day it seemed the perfect opportunity to open it and try it.
The white wine is lovely and crisp and alive with a myriad of fruity flavours, with citrus and white peach as the dominant flavours combined with a zesty fresh acidity. We drank it with roast pork and it went down a treat!
This Chardonnay presses all the right buttons for taste, value for money and food friendliness and is available to buy from Amazon so you don’t even need to leave the house to purchase it! I really enjoyed this wine and will certainly be purchasing some more as it will be perfect for summer barbeques.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
National Cheese and Wine Day occurs annually on the 25th of July so we couldn’t let the occasion pass without sampling some delicious cheese and wine.
Graffigna Reserve Malbec is a red wine from the Uco Valley of Mendoza in Argentina. When you pour the wine into a glass it is a gorgeous deep red colour and the wine is smooth and easy to drink. You can taste a hint of black cherry and plum and it leaves a wonderful tannic aftertaste without being overpowered by the tannins.
I thoroughly enjoyed drinking the Graffigna Reserve Malbec wine, the taste was smooth, the colour delightful and it looked great in the glass. Highly recommended!
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
I’m a great fan of the noise cancellation technology that you get with earbuds and headphones but there is one massive, and potentially dangerous, problem – you can’t hear what is going on around you. Whilst it isn’t a problem if you’re sitting in your living room or on public transport listening to music, wearing them out and about can be a problem.
I am a cyclist and a real issue on cycle paths is riding up behind pedestrians who are listening to music and completely unaware of your arrival, not even hearing your bell. Even worse is the cyclist who wears noise cancelling headphones – they’re just asking for trouble!
Bone conduction headphones are one option – they’re not new but this is the first time I have had the opportunity to try a pair and I was keen to see what they are like, especially when I discovered the Outlier Free Pro headphones from Creative Labs are waterproof and had the potential to make my twice weekly morning swim just that little bit more interesting.
The headphones have the following features
– Bluetooth 5.3
– IPX8 Waterproof
– 8GB Memory Storage
– Up to 10 hours playtime
– Multipoint Connectivity
Rather than sitting in or over your ear, these headphones sit on the bone at the front of your ear and the noise is transferred through the bone into your inner ear, leaving you able to hear other sounds at the same time.
Weighing in at just 32g and with adjustable transducers they sit comfortably on my head, I have worn them for several hours at a time and not had a problem with discomfort. A full charge takes 2 hours using a USB-A Magnetic Clip-on Charging Cable and should give 10 hours of playback. I haven’t managed to get quite that long, but I do tend to have the volume turned up which will affect battery performance. Sound quality is really good, not quite the same as a traditional pair of headphones but certainly good enough for my ears! When out and about I tend to listen to podcasts and the radio rather than music and for this they are perfect. It’s great to be able to listen to the radio whilst on my cycle commute and still hear the traffic!
These headphones are waterproof, and with an IP rating of IPX8, are suitable for swimming (as long as the microphone is sealed with the included plug) in freshwater up to a depth of 1.5m for up to 40 minutes. Unfortunately they’re not suitable for salt water, so no swimming in the sea when wearing them. Now you probably don’t want to take your phone with you whilst swimming, so they have 8GB storage for you to store MP3 files to listen to whilst in the pool. It seemed really odd keeping my headphones on when I got in the pool but after a couple of minutes I got used to them and it made my 30 minute swim a lot more stimulating as I kept pace with the music. It is worth noting that the headphones should only be used for 40 minutes at a time which is fine for me but perhaps not for more serious swimmers. The sound isn’t high quality when you are in the water but it’s certainly a lot better than not having any music to listen to.
Another advantage of them being waterproof is I can wear them when I’m out on my bike knowing it won’t damage the headphones.
I’m really impressed with these headphones, they have exceeded my expectations and whilst I’ll keep my standard headphones for music listening these open up a whole new way to listen whilst out and about.
RRP £159.99 but currently on offer at £89.99 on the Creative website here
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Ritter Sport are a German chocolate brand who make distinctive square chocolate bars that come in a wide range of fillings and flavours. In celebration of World Chocolate Day they sent me a box of their delicious nutty chocolate bars to try, with instructions to keep them squirreled away as the nutty treats are just too tempting for the local squirrels!
With the trademark Ritter Sport logo in the middle, the 100g bars feature images of chocolate coated nuts along with the green 100% certified Sustainable Cocoa Sourcing logo. On the reverse is the ingredients and nutritional information.
Opening the packaging, I was presented with a chunky bar of chocolate with 16 segments, each imprinted with the Ritter Sport logo. When I turned over the bar, I was pleased to see plenty of whole nuts, each segment had a least 1 and some even had 3!
Naturally sweet and with a satisfying crunch, hazelnuts and chocolate are a winning combination. All three varieties – Whole Hazlenuts, Dark Whole Hazlenuts and White Whole Hazlenuts – were absolutely scrumptious. I enjoyed the creaminess of the milk chocolate with the hazelnuts but my favourite was the dark chocolate bar as the bitterness of the dark chocolate contrasted nicely with the nut creating an incredibly moreish treat.
The Honey Salted Almond bar offered a satisfying crunch and the sweetness and saltiness created a real explosion of flavour in my mouth.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
It’s holiday time and we’re off exploring the beautiful countryside in Somerset. We’ve got everything packed, including all our tech – it’s surprising just how many items need charging. A quick look shows two phones, two smart watches, earbuds, a camera, the GPS for my bike and a couple of rechargeable bike lights. That’s a lot of charging cables and there are only two USB sockets in the motorhome.
To make things easier, I’m trying out a USB power bank from iWALK. The PowerSquid has a capacity of 9000mAh and offers quick charging to compatible devices. Its name comes from the fact that it has three built-in charging cables that are permanently attached, looking like the legs of a squid. With micro USB, USB-C and Lightning, many devices are covered but for complete coverage there is of course a standard USB socket too. Charging is via USB-C and a USB-C cable is included.
Mine is white but black and pink models are also available, it weighs 200g and feels really well made. A small LED display gives the percentage charge and also shows if fast charging is being used.
With multiple outputs the PowerSquid is able to charge a number of devices at the same time and it can also take on a charge at the same time, this was perfect in the motorhome where USB sockets are limited. It is also capable of offering fast charge to compatible devices with 5v, 9v or 12v offered on the USB-C and USB-A connector. It can charge a Samsung S22 up to 50% in 30 minutes and was able to charge my phone around one and a half times on a full charge so it will be great for weekends away. The cables all clip neatly into the casing so no more tangled cables in your bag.
It is compatible with iPhone 14/14 Pro Max/iPhone 13 Pro Max/13 Pro/13, Samsung Google Pixel & Apple HomePod devices.
I am really happy with this power bank, it is going to be indispensable when travelling both in the UK and abroad. My teenage sons have already been eying it up so that’s their birthday presents sorted too!
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
I am a real chocoholic and don’t need much of an excuse to eat chocolate, so I am really enjoying the lead up to World Chocolate Day on the 7th July.
I love discovering new chocolate brands and one I hadn’t come across before is FATSO who use a Columbian family owned business and co-operative called Luker as their sole chocolate supplier. The company are 100% ethically driven and they grow delicious, sustainable cocoa that has been awarded the highest chocolate classification, FINO DE AROMA. They also work closely with a network of farmers, alliances and communities to improve social welfare, biodiversity and farming practices.
So with such great credentials the big question is, what does the chocolate actually taste like? Well, that’s very easy to answer. Absolutely delicious!!
We tried two different bars – the King’s Ransom (Mint Pistachio & Cocoa Nibs) and Home Run (Salted Pretzel, Whole Almond & Honeycomb).
One of the things that really surprised me about the King’s Ransom bar (and I really know it shouldn’t) is that it had such a wonderful minty flavour rather than the strong synthetic representation of mint we have become accustomed to in cheaper brands. The minty flavour together with the crunchy texture of the pistachio and cocoa nibs made this a delight to eat.
The Home Run bar is a 60% cacao bar with generous chunks of salted pretzel, whole almonds and honeycomb. This winning combination of flavours complement each other and it is easy to pick out all the flavours, the saltiness of the pretzel takes away some of the bitterness of the dark chocolate and sweetness comes from the honeycomb. Nuts add a satisfying crunch to this bar.
The quality of FATSO chocolate is exceptional and it’s definitely the best I’ve tasted in a quite a while. One taste and you will see that their chocolate is a world apart from something you might pick up from the supermarket. At £6.50 for a 150g bar it is on the expensive side but you are paying for a quality product here – just keep it out of the way of the children and savour every piece!
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
We’re on the last few weeks of the summer term and on the countdown to summer holidays. Travelling with children can be incredibly stressful so if you can keep then entertained it makes the journey a lot more pleasant for everyone! In the run up to the summer holidays I am always on the lookout for compact games that I can pop in my bag to keep the children entertained, whether they are on a plane, car, hotel room or caravan.
We were recently sent The Genius Star from The Happy Puzzle Company which can be played solo or as a 2 player game. The game is great fun and will not only keep them occupied whilst travelling it is also fun to team up to play together as a family in the evenings.
Inside the box are two plastic star shaped grids, two sets of 11 multi-coloured wooden shapes, two sets of seven blocker pieces (triangles) and seven dice (a mixture of six and eight sided). The game is very easy to play, simply roll all the dice and place a blocker piece into the triangle matching the seven numbers that appear on the dice, then race your opponent to fill every other space on the grid using the 11 shapes. There is also an added twist with the ‘Golden Star’ which allows you to score a double win by solving the puzzle with the ‘Golden Star’ Apparently only 57.4% of the puzzles have a solution that includes the ‘Golden Star’ so this adds to the challenge!
The game is good for STEM learning using skills including problem solving, critical thinking and logic skills to complete the puzzle.
Each game is reasonably quick but with 165,888 possible combinations you do sometimes play a round that takes a little longer to complete, especially if you try to use the ‘Golden Star’ but that just adds to the fun. With so many different combinations this is a game that will keep children (and adults) entertained these holidays.
The Genius Star is suitable for ages 8 to adult and has an RRP of £19.99
The Review Studio 