Father’s Day – Page 5 – The Review Studio

O’Donnell Moonshine

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.

Mini set £21.90

700ml bottle £26.90

I Want My MTV Game

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Family Life, Father's Day, Games, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Mother's Day, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Winter

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!

Currently £4.48 from Amazon

The Best of British Beer Ice box

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

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).

Why not grab a box ready for the bank holiday!

RRP £26.50 and refills are £19.50

Audio Pro A10 MKII Wireless Multiroom Speaker

Birthday Gifts, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home & Garden, Tech

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.

RRP £220 available from Audio Pro

EcoFlow River 2 Portable Power Station

camping, Days Out, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Summer, Tech

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.

RRP £269 available here

Readly Subscription

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, Books, camping, Christmas, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Summer, Valentine's Day Gifts, Women

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!

by Amazon Wines

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

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.

RRP £6.31

Graffigna Reserve Malbec

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

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.

It goes really well with cheese – especially Blacksticks Blue from Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses.

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!

Alcohol: 13.5%

RRP £9 Available from Sainsburys.

Creative Outlier Free Pro Headphones

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

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

Ritter Sport Nut Selection

Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Valentine's Day Gifts

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.

Get yours quick before the squirrels find them!!

iWALK PowerSquid Portable Charger

Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Mobile Phone, Stocking Fillers, Tech

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!

RRP £34.99 available from Amazon here

FATSO Chocolate

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Vegan

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!

The Genius Star

Birthday Gifts, Children, Family Life, Father's Day, Games, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Mother's Day, Toys

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

Edifier MP230 Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Birthday Gifts, camping, Children, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Summer, Tech

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

This retro style portable speaker from Edifier is probably the easiest I’ve ever set up a speaker. With crystal-clear sound, it’s a brilliant addition to your household or as a gift to someone you love.

The Edifier MP230 Portable Bluetooth Speaker has a battery charge of up to 10 hours with a wooden casing and grill cover to give it a retro 50s/60s portable look. The operating keys on the front are piano-style for on/off, Bluetooth, play/pause and two volume buttons. Speaking of Bluetooth, it was incredibly easy to set up. All I had to do was turn on the speak with the button on the front, use the Bluetooth settings on my laptop, which found it immediately and press Connect. As soon as I played a track on my laptop, it came through the Edifier speaker; no need for any instructions or clicking buttons, adding settings etc, it was easy as pie!

The quality of the sound through the speaker is excellent. There are two 48mm driver units, which create stereo sound and an output power of 20W RMS. Along with Bluetooth, the input modes are AUX, USB-C port and even a TF Card. The size of the speaker also lends itself to being taken on car trips, or even packed in luggage. Measuring 16.4cm × 8.43cm × 10.8cm it can even fit in hand luggage, and weighs just 0.85kilorams (that’s just 1.9lbs!)

The Edifier MP230 Speaker can be charged with the USB port and doesn’t take long for a full charge, so can be connected to a laptop or a wall charging point. As it’s so portable, it can be taken with you anywhere, or left on the shelf in a room. The size would suggest it could go outside easily, which would be great for picnics but I don’t think the wood casing nor the grill would survive getting even slightly damp, and definitely not one for the beach! Set up in a baby’s nursery to play white noise or as background whilst in the garden, the Edifier MP230 would be really useful.

I can’t help but think it would be a great present too. The stylish look to it appeals to anyone who likes design or for grandparents who want something that fits in with their pre-IKEA furniture and is small enough to be discreet on a book shelf. Teenagers will love this though, as it doesn’t take up much room and you don’t even need to be in the room for it to connect to Bluetooth. It’s a brilliant addition to any household as well as being a perfect stereo sound for you online music!

Available from £99.99

Lova Skin Instant Foot Peel Essential Kit Black Edition

beauty, Father's Day, Gifts for Him

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

A foot care set probably isn’t the first thing you think of when it comes to Father’s Day gifts but it’s an incredibly practical present especially for Dad’s that are on their feet all day. Long periods of standing and walking as well as badly fitting shoes can cause hard skin to form and if the men in your life are like the ones in mine, foot care and beauty products aren’t something they even think about!

My husband is diabetic, so it is important that he looks after his feet, he’s not the sort to go to a salon for a pedicure so The Lovaskin Instant Foot Peel Essential Kit Black Edition is perfect for him, it contains everything you need to transform feet from rough and dry to silky soft in under 2 minutes.

The kit contains

1 Instant Foot Peel spray bottle 75 ml Black Edition – 25 applications
1 professional double-sided stainless steel foot file.
1 organic cotton pouch.

The kit is simple to use and there is no need to soak feet first as the product is used on clean, dry feet. Spray the Foot Peel spray 7 times per foot – on the heel, sides of the foot and toes. Once the foot is completely covered leave it for 60 seconds (no touching) and then massage the dry skin off using your fingers. Once you have done that then you can use the rough side of the foot file to remove excess dead skin and then flip the file over and finish off with the fine side. Once you have filed your feet all that is left to do is rinse them and see the difference it has made to your feet.

I thought the spray was incredibly effective and a quick and easy way to treat your feet. The process is very straightforward and so easy to do and the fact that my husband has been finding the time to time to use it shows how good it is! This set makes a great Father’s Day gift and goes well with the traditional socks!!

RRP £59.90 (enough for 25 applications – which is much cheaper than going to the salon for a pedicure)

MoGo 2-Pro Portable Projector from XGIMI

Birthday Gifts, camping, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Home & Garden, Tech

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Disclaimer – The MoGo 2 Pro was sent as a review sample for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

What’s a great Father’s Day gift Dad isn’t expecting? Or what kind of gift could you get him that he doesn’t know he wants yet but when he tries it, will wonder why he hasn’t bought one for himself before!

The MoGo 2 Pro Portable Project from XGIMI has so many feature that I can hardly write them all, but for an overview of what it does, it’s a portable projector and speaker all in one!

With a 120 inch screen, the projector can be used for movies, online content (for example, You Tube) or gaming. It’s compatible with power banks too so you can even take it outside or use it whilst camping. I told you Dad didn’t know he needed it!

As for the technicals, the MoGo 2 Pro Portable Projector supports HDR 10 with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. With an auto focus of ISA 2.0 and an aspect of 1:2:1 it also has Intelligent Screen Alignment and Intelligent Obstacle Avoidance.

The system contains 16GB of storage and 2GB of RAM with a system of Android TV™ 11.0. There’s an impressive 3 different ports (USB type-C, USB type-A and HDMI 2.0) and an AU 3.5mm output port. Bluetooth 5.0 is also included and it works on a Wifi 5 Duel band of 2.4/5GHz.

The whole kit includes a power cable as well as a remote control. It only weighs 1.1kilograms (2.42lbs) which makes it even more portable and I liked the cube shape which also makes it easy to pack if you’re going away. The possibilities are endless with this projector so having never owned one before, I was excited to get it set up and see how it works!

There are instructions included with the projector, but as you take it out of the box you realise it’s actually pretty simple to set up and the screen takes you through it. Start by connecting the power with the power pack provided, then press the on button. The MoGo 2 Pro starts playing music as it asks you how you want to set up, starting with the wifi network and password, then going through the different type of screen adjustments. The pages take you through each option before you get to the Apps page. There’s even an explanation of how the screen adjustment works on the projector too.

The last page of set up already has a TEX app and you can download other Adroid (Google) apps. There’s no need to hook it up to a computer or network, it’s simply connected to the internet, you log into your Google account (which includes You Tube) and you can view any of your saved videos, or go and search for more.

The whole time I was setting up the projector, it was adjusting to the distance from the wall so that it stayed in focus, as well as the horizontal. It didn’t matter how far the projector was from the wall, it adjusted the size of the screen, knew when it was out of focus and kept adjusting so that it was completely clear. As I was thinking of all the movies and programmes I could now watch on the big screen thanks to this projector, it was really exciting to think how it could change how anyone watches TV, especially as I don’t have a projector already. It was like having my own personal cinema!

The picture remained sharp the whole time my movie played, as well as the audio being pitch perfect throughout. If you have a really good internet connection too it helps, and there was no buffering or loss of sound throughout. I also like how you can play it against any wall, curtain or makeshift movie screen no matter where you are, and the sound of the fan is very quiet so doesn’t detract from the soundtrack. The remote control is super easy to use as well and makes life much easier rather than trying to fiddle with buttons on the machine.

The MoGo 2 Pro Projector changes the way you watch TV and videos, especially if you’ve never had a projector before, and is much easier to use than a TV! Perfect picture, perfect sound and so, so easy to set up that anyone can use it and the whole family can enjoy it. Even Dad…

Video to show the MoGo 2 Pro features: https://uk.xgimi.com/pages/mogo-2-pro?gclid=Cj0KCQjwjryjBhD0ARIsAMLvnF-jlS0VT-o2VOsZ79C22jjQYth6bDMBpZPVGylBW6VL4VNmLr_PpoQaAoy_EALw_wcB

Link to MoGo 2 Pro online:

https://uk.xgimi.com/pages/mogo-2-pro?gclid=Cj0KCQjwjryjBhD0ARIsAMLvnF-jlS0VT-o2VOsZ79C22jjQYth6bDMBpZPVGylBW6VL4VNmLr_PpoQaAoy_EALw_wcB

Available from £529 upwards: https://www.amazon.co.uk/XGIMI-Portable-Projector-Automatic-Alignment/dp/B09MD5YM1P?maas=maas_adg_AA8418F13B9FA3969B7CB325343050E3_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas

Great Newsome Beers Father’s Day Gift Box

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

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

A great choice for Father’s Day is a gift box or hamper, especially one that contains beer! This £10 gift set from Great Newsome Brewery contains two bottles of beer, a beer glass and a natty pair of socks in a presentation box which can be posted.

Great Newsome Brewery was started in Yorkshire in 2007 for the sole purpose of producing good quality British Beer. With their trusty dog Jem nearby (and Jem’s descendants still wagging around today) the team sought to grow the best malting barley and homegrown hops. With special strains of yeast they developed traditional craft beers. No mean feat when you’re so far north in the country. Although the barley is ready in the summer, they product many different beers throughout the year, including a bitter called ‘Yule Do’, available for Christmas!

Although their British craft beers are available in pubs and some shops, their gifts such as the Great Newsome Father’s Day Gift Box is available online. The box contains;

1x Sleck Dust beer (500ml and their best selling blond beer)
1x Old Fergie (500ml classic brown ale)
1x Great Newsome Brewery Beer Glass
1x Great Newsome Brewery Men’s socks, size 7-11 UK

All the items are packaged up in a recyclable cardboard presentation box and can be bought on their website (link below).

As a gift, this is particularly good for posting due to the size (it arrived with us in the post with no damage and was well packaged!) but makes Father’s Day much easier because it’s a whole gift in one. The addition of the beer glass and the socks is particularly useful as it shows a bit more thought has gone into the present, and it’s not just beer on its own. The socks show a fetching portrait of the lovely Jem, the brewery dog mentioned before.

At £10 for the whole giftset I was shocked at what good value it is and how versatile it is as a present. The box doesn’t mention that it’s only for Father’s Day, so it could also be used as a birthday gift or house warming present. It’s a brilliant idea that saves anyone having to put together a gift box for themselves, as well as having some interesting items which Dad, or Grandad will enjoy!

And if Jem looks familiar, she’s the dog featured on the labels and bar tags for all Great Newsome products.

Available for £10 from: https://www.greatnewsomebrewery.co.uk/shop/themed-boxes/fathers-day-gift-box/

Sinzero Low Alcohol Chile Wine

alcoholic drinks, Birthday Gifts, Drinks and Mixers, Family Life, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Him, Spring, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

No one misses out this Father’s Day with the Sinzero range of low and no alcohol wine. The range includes a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Chardonnay, a Rosé and a Sparkling Brut white wine which have only recently been launched in the UK. Whether you’re drinking alcohol or not, each of the Chilean bottles tastes of summer and you won’t notice the difference having low alcohol makes compared to what you find on the supermarket shelves. Each variety has a maximum of 0.5% alcohol.

Starting with the Sinzero Chardonnay, which is both vegan and alcohol free, the unmistakeable sharpness of Chardonnay is still there, with a slightly fresher, fruiter scent and after taste. This makes a great accompaniment to food especially white meat and fish and doesn’t have the acidic flavour you’re used to with some Chardonnays, probably because it’s from Chile. I’m reliably informed it only has 20 calories per glass too!

The Sinzero Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon tastes of vanilla but has a fragrance of strawberries, redcurrants and summer berries. I loved this one on its own, not with food but it goes particularly well with lighter meals like Italian pasta, it is a lovely lunchtime wine. The Sinzero Chliean Cabernet Sauvignon is also award winning, with 96 points and a gold medal in the IWSC.

Sinzero Chilean Rosé is a great wine for BBQs and works swimmingly with pasta, cheese and lighter dishes. I can also be drunk on its own and is also vegan and less than 25 calories per glass. It’s crisp, floral and fruity, just like a rosé should be!

Finally, there’s the Sinzero Chilean Sparkling Brut. We saved this for a family birthday as everyone could drink it, regardless of age or what medication they were on! The sparkling, crisp wine goes with anything or can be drunk on its own as the celebratory drink it is meant to be. Like all the other Chilean wines, it is light and fruity plus has less than 0.5% alcohol. Perhaps a good sparkling for family celebrations, especially as it’s got a slightly sweeter taste?

I didn’t know non-alcohol and low alcohol wines could be so tasty, let alone light and refreshing like the Sinzero line. I’m looking forward to seeing what other varieties they bring out in the future!

All Sinzero products are available via DryDrinker.com;

Sinzero Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon from £11.25 p/ bottle

Sinzero Chilean Chardonnay from £11.25 p/bottle

Sinzero Chilean Sparkling White Wine from £13.76 p/bottle

Sinzero Chilean Rosé from £11.99 p/bottle

Oxford Rye Whisky Easy Rider

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

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Oxford Rye Whisky Easy Rider makes a fabulous Father’s Day gift. Whether Dad is a seasoned whisky drinker or just likes to keep a bottle for special occasions throughout the year, this is a great choice.

Oxford Rye pride themselves on making easy-to-drink spirits, with this batch of whisky being their 7^th of Oxford Rye Easy Rider. Based in Oxford, as the name suggests, the distillery has worked hard over the last decade to create the best environment for growing crops which produce the best spirits. Easy Rider is blended from 9 different casks including American Oak to give it that authentic Southern State aroma. The result is a blend which is sweet, rich and not too smokey, leaving the 50% ABV to work its magic. The aroma is slightly fruity, with a sweet aftertaste and subtle finish. It would work perfectly as an after dinner drink, or mixed with soda for an afternoon drink in the sunshine.

The Easy Rider is perfect for making an Old Fashioned cocktail (or to give it its proper name, the ‘Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail’) and the recipe can be found on the Oxford Rye website: https://www.theoxfordartisandistillery.com/blogs/cocktails/how-to-make-a-wriggly-old-fashioned

WRIGGLY OLD FASHIONED INGREDIENTS

60ml Oxford Rye
10ml Wriggly Monkey beer sugar syrup (see below)
10ml Triple sec or Cointreau
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash Orange bitters
Orange twist (to garnish)

WRIGGLY OLD FASHIONED STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE

Chill an Old Fashioned glass by filling it with crushed ice.
Add all the ingredients apart from the orange bitters to a mixing glass or tin, and stir for at least 30 seconds and then a little more.
Discard the ice and add a large ice cube to the glass.
Pour the cocktail into the glass and dash the orange bitters over the top.
Garnish with the orange twist

You don’t often find whisky distilled in the UK, and there isn’t much of a history to it apart from in the Highlands of Scotland, but Oxford Rye are blazing the way with creating a new type of whisky and traditions, based on heritage grains. In addition to heritage, they are building a sustainable way of creating the best possible whisky they can.

Dad will love this new twist on a traditional whisky with the bonus of it being distilled in the UK and not like any other brand out there.

The Guards London Dry Gin

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

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Gin isn’t always associated with Dad for Father’s Day but there’s no reason why Mum has to have all the fun! The Guards London Dry Gin from Hawkridge Distillers was developed by an ex-Guard to be exceptionally smooth and let’s face it, it appeals to Dads, doesn’t it?

Made in Great Britain, it was inspired by a serving officer in the Guards between 2021 and 2022 and has the branding of the Household Division with the busby helmet but also the distinctive red tunic for a label. The Household Division is made up of five regiments of the Foot Guards and are some of the most decorated in the world. You might recall seeing them at the recent King’s Coronation and they’re a common sight around London.

The distinctive busby fur helmet of the guards adorns the top of The Guard’s gin bottle, complete with chin strap chain to make it look more authentic! Although a gimmick, it makes for an interesting centre piece or gift for someone who was in the guards.

The gin itself is exceptionally smooth. At 40 ABV it’s bound to be, and this is a gin for gin lovers after all. It’s won the London Spirits Competition Gold place in 2023 and I’m sure it will win more as the year goes on. It’s well bodied with a slightly sweet after taste, so goes well with any mixer.

It’s worth noting as an added bonus that some of the proceeds from each bottle sold will go to regiment charities, supporting veterans and their families.

The Guards London Dry Gin makes a beautiful gift for Father’s Day, especially for any vetrans or anyone interested in the military. Gin lovers will be more than happy with The Guards too!

Available from £39.99 at: https://hawkridgedistillers.com/product/the-guards-london-dry-gin/

myFUJIFILM Photobook

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home & Garden, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Valentine's Day Gifts

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

Father’s Day will soon be here, and you may (or may not!) have started thinking of a gift for your Dad. Beer and chocolate always go down well but sometimes it’s nice to find a gift that means a little more and photo gifts are great as anyone receiving one is bound to appreciate the thought that has gone into creating it.

myFUJIFILM have a fantastic selection of products on their website that would make a superb Father’s Day gift including #photobooks, mugs, water bottles and #prints. The website is simple to use with a page dedicated to Father’s Day gift ideas. Each gift has plenty of images so you can get an idea of what the finished product will look like, and prices and delivery times are clearly indicated. Once you have selected your gift it is easy to create your masterpiece, simply choose the photos you love and myFUJIFILM will transform them into a personalised gift that you and your family can enjoy for years to come.

I created a photobook which was very easy to do – there are plenty of different options on the size, shape and look of your book, you can choose rectangular or square, hard or soft cover, matt or gloss paper and there are different size options too. Everything about the book can be edited, there is the option to add backgrounds, change the layout and add text to personalise your photobook.

I found it very easy to add photos and once the photos are uploaded you can either use the “Auto Fill” option to add the photos to your book in one go or add them manually. The “Auto Fill” is much quicker and you can still alter the layout but it does make it harder if you wanted to group certain photos together on one page.

Once you are happy with your design it is time to place your order, the process is nice and easy and you can add multiple copies of the same gift which will be great at Christmas. Once the order had been placed I received a confirmation email and a second email once my products had been dispatched, which also including tracking information.

myFUJIFILM have gifts for all budgets so take a look at their website where you will be able create a gift of precious memories, use the code LOVEDAD40 to get 40% off all personalised gifts.

Wahl Colour Trim Stubble & Beard Trimmer

beauty, Christmas, Fashion, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, Valentine's Day Gifts

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

Father’s Day is just over a week away and we have some great last minute gift ideas for you. My husband likes practical gifts and will be thrilled with the Wahl Colour Trim Stubble and Beard Trimmer which will be a very useful for keeping his beard tidy.

The Colour Trim Stubble & Beard Trim is a small, re-chargeable trimmer that comes with eight different guides, a blade guard and the usual cleaning brush, comb and clipper oil. Also included is a zip up case to keep everything together.

Uniquely the guides are all colour coded and this isn’t just for show, it is a lot easier to find the right guide once you know the colour so there is no more rummaging around in the bag for the correct size – just remember your colour, snap it onto the blade and you’re off!

The guides come in half sizes from 1.5mm to 13mm (#½ to #4) giving you plenty of choice when grooming your beard. So, whether you want a close cut or something a little longer you can easily achieve it with this set.

Although much more compact than a standard hair trimmer with just a 2.5cm cutting width, the trimmer feels comfortable in the hand and whilst made of plastic the sides of the trimmer are ribbed and allow for a good grip. It has a good weight and a quality feel that I’d expect from Wahl and is backed by a 3 year warranty.

Wahl have chosen to not fit lithium batteries to this trimmer so it is best to fully charge it before use and then re-charge once the power starts to drop. You can’t overcharge it so leaving it plugged in overnight is fine. Wahl say to expect around 60 minutes of trimming from a full charge but if you do run out it can be used whilst plugged in.

A nice touch is that the instructions include directions on how to remove the battery for when it comes time to re-cycle the trimmer.

RRP £32.99 but currently on offer at £21.99 at Wahl here

Sponge Baby Brownies

Birthday Gifts, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Vegan

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

Everybody loves cake and with Father’s Day just over a week away it is the perfect opportunity to treat your Dad to some delicious brownies from Sponge.

Sponge are an online cake shop who make the most fantastic cakes which are suitable for any occasion. They have a great selection which includes large cakes, sharing cakes, pinata cakes, brownies as well a range of letterbox cakes which fit nicely through your letterbox, removing the need to factor in a trip to the post office to collect your cake. The cakes from Sponge are incredibly well packaged in a sturdy cardboard box so there is no need to worry about the cakes arriving in less than perfect condition – very important when you are buying them as a gift.

The Father’s Day Baby Brownie Gift Box contains 4 delicious brownies (choose from standard, gluten-free, or vegan) as well as gift wrap and a card.

The brownies are miniature versions of the popular full sized brownies and the gift box includes the following flavours

Raspberry & White Chocolate

Chocolate Orange

Triple Chocolate

Hazelnut Praline.

The brownies are nice and thick and are incredibly moreish! Soft and fudgy, they are full of flavour but not too dry like some brownies tend to be and the toppings make then just that little bit more special. Delicious hot or cold they have been a big hit in our house and just the thing to spoil Dad with on Father’s Day.

A pack of 4 costs £13.25 and cakes can be delivered all over the UK with next delivery if you place your order before 3pm.

Purchase them from Sponge here

Read our other Sponge reviews – Coronation Pinata Cake, Chocolate Cake, Mother’s Day Tea Hamper, Valentine’s Gift Box

Britains New Holland T7.300 LWB Blue Power and John Deere Kids Giant Floor Puzzle

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for children, Gifts for Him, Stocking Fillers, Toys, 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.

Some men are notoriously difficult to buy presents for, a lot of my family are farmers and with no time for hobbies and days out this tends to rule out a lot of traditional Father’s Day gifts. The one present I know will go down well is a tractor and whilst I can’t stretch to a real one, a Britains tractor from Tomy is definitely the next best thing. Britains 1:32 die-cast replica models are incredibly well made and I haven’t met a farmer yet who doesn’t have at least a couple on the shelf.

Farmers tend to prefer a particular brand of tractor and in my family it’s New Holland, the T7.300 LWB Blue Power tractor is a favourite, it is designed for high power yet is still compact sized. It has a power output of 280hp which can be boosted up to a maximum of 300hp so it certainly packs a powerful punch. The new flagship model from Britains captures every detail of this impressive machine, we have the removeable Horizon Ultra cab which allows you see the intricate details of the interior, big soft feel tread tyres along with a working steering wheel and detailed die cast body. The front wheels turn easily and pivot up and down so they can be driven over uneven ground and it has a front A frame hitch and rear tow hitch, which is compatible with other 1:32 scale models so you can attach whatever trailer or implement you need.

Currently priced at £34.45 on Amazon I know plenty of farmers who would love to receive one of these on Father’s Day!

For younger farmers the John Deere Kids 36 piece giant floor puzzle is a great activity to do with Dad on Father’s Day. Measuring 3’ x 2’ this jigsaw features a fantastic countryside scene and the large pieces are nice and sturdy and easy for little hands to pick up without bending or tearing. The pieces slot together nicely and the picture is bright and vibrant. Our mini reviewer loved this jigsaw completing it three times in a row before I dragged them away to have tea!

As well as being great fun to do jigsaws are a great way to develop hand eye coordination and fine motor skills and conversation too, our mini reviewer talked nonstop about what each character was going to do on the farm!

RRP: £13.99 available from Amazon

Lottie Shaw’s

Birthday Gifts, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Him

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

It can be tricky coming up with the perfect Father’s Day gift but if your Dad has a sweet tooth then a delicious tin of biscuits and cakes will go down a treat and if you are lucky he might even share them with you!

Lottie Shaw’s is a Yorkshire family business that began 100 years ago with Lottie’s great aunts, Mary & Edith Harrison. When Lottie’s parents were running the business Lottie spent a lot of time in the bakery enjoying the treasured family recipes and decided to revive one of her favourites – The Yorkshire Parkin cake. This cake was traditionally enjoyed at bonfire night and Lottie, convinced the cake was a winner then created the Lottie Shaw’s brand.

If you look at their website, you will see that Lottie Shaw’s have lots of fantastic gifts and the Cyclist’s Treat Tin will make a perfect gift for anyone who enjoys cycling. The individually wrapped flapjacks are perfect for putting in your pocket when out cycling and will give you a welcome energy boost when you are climbing those hills. The tin has a beautiful decorative card sleeve depicting a couple of cyclists enjoying the countryside which has been drawn by Yorkshire artist Eleanor Tomlinson. I especially like the detail in the picture, look closely and you’ll spot a couple of Lottie Shaw’s biscuit wrappers! Open the tin and you will find a souvenir card along with a selection of Lottie Shaw’s award winning treats and the all important Father’s Day card.

The cakes and biscuits inside the tin are

5 x Yorkshire Parkin biscuits 135g

4 x Triple Chocolate Biscuits 140g

2 x Millionaire Shortbread 70g

1 x Traditional Oat Flapjack 100g

1 x Oat Flapjack with Chocolate Chips 100g

All the cakes and biscuits are individually wrapped and have nice long best before dates – although there was no chance of them lasting that long in our house! They all looked delicious, the hardest part was deciding which one to try first! In the end we decided to try the triple chocolate biscuits and settled down with a cup of tea! The biscuit was nice and chocolately and just melted in my mouth and I was unable to stop at just one!!

My favourites had to be the flapjacks which were flavoursome and incredibly moreish – they were moist and satisfyingly crumbly.

I love Parkin but had never tried a Parkin biscuit before and these Yorkshire Parkin biscuits absolutely scrumptious, they have the warming, spicy flavours of ginger, black treacle and syrup along with the flecks of oatmeal that I love in the cake but are in a biscuit form. My husband described them as a cross between a ginger biscuit and a Hobnob which sums them up quite nicely and of course they are great for dunking in a cup of tea!

I was extremely impressed with the Cyclist’s Treat Tin, all the treats were absolutely delicious and I think it is a lovely gift to purchase for someone special. I really like that it came with a Father’s Day card and the beautiful illustration which I have already framed.

At a cost of £19.95 it’s an excellent price for such a fantastic gift and I would definitely recommend it for your loved ones.

Lottie Shaw’s gifts range from £12.95 for Letterbox treats all the way through to £100 for seriously good large baskets and all gifts come with a personalised gift card.

If you subscribe to their newsletter you can also get 10 % off – what are you waiting for!!