gifts for nan – The Review Studio

Contigo West Loop Mini Travel Mug

Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, Days Out, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, hiking, Home, REUSABLE, secret santa

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

Let’s take a moment to appreciate all of those friends and family who buy us Christmas gifts which are both stylish and practical. With the Contigo West Loop Mini travel mug, you could be one of those gift-givers because Contigo have come up with this excellent design of travel mug that will make anyone happy!

The Contigo West Loop Mini travel mug is designed to fit into outdoor pockets or be able to be carried snugly thanks to its curvy design. It keeps drinks hot for p to 4 hours or cold drinks are cold for up to 14 hours due to a clever design with BPA-free stainless steel. It’s dishwasher safe as well, including the lid which twists off and reveals 470ml of drinking space – the size of most coffee mugs.

The most ingenious design of the Contigo West Loop Mini is the 100% leak-proof seal. If you play around with the lid, you find that there’s a spring release autoseal (marked ‘AUTOSEAL’) which when pressed, release the sip cover so that you can drink. When it isn’t pressed, the West Loop Mini is completely sealed so that it doesn’t spill anywhere. That means you can use it in the car, put it in a bag or rucksack and not only will it keep the heat of the drink but it will not leak at all. You can see by the sturdy design of the lid and the inner spring that it’s really effective and when I tested taking it out into the garden, there was indeed no spill no matter how much I threw it around! This would be great for when you’re out with the children or if you’re into real outdoor pursuits in all weathers.

The team at Contigo were also generous enough to send me what I consider a luxury – a proper tea infuser! For those of us who appreciate loose tea, this is a fabulous addition you don’t normally find in travel mugs. Once the loose tea is put inside the stainless steel strainer, the infuser fits inside the lid before you affix the lid in place. Perfect for having the West Loop Mini full of boiling water, then you can add the already filled infuser to the mug and allow the tea to brew. No more stewed tea when you go out!

Contigo have thought of everything with this travel mug, and there are other products in the Contigo range such as the water bottle which has similar clever designs. The Contigo West Loop Mini comes in 5 different colours (the one featured here is the liquorice design) and sizes.

Available on sale from £24.99 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Contigo-Autoseal-Stainless-Leakproof-Easy-Clean/dp/B07TRG2RGH/ref=sr_1_5?crid=10N00O7XWBK&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ogA6XhsejKBbFGmkCasxzOXzSCx29RM-0uVZYE8lOLFz7qAzDuDzdktzKHqhIp3r9qmIxhzLB7E-ry8Yg9FHPTxXNAzqcAJeyeviFR8CZch-QogxE_O5yyfIAQfFlHb1gGXRpZEbTm6NdFmJdGXHQCPGhIKTbt6hA3NAaznjAz-vODrevzmiXzj3NyQPduKjoL-f2BFd1J3RMmITfKlELJ4vBUEMoWoJ8_DOprMcMcRNKGE1voWwPKlRVfQqoQG6YRItmMv2USIWdP5p_H-yvi3dulsawpgipU6sfXMGvjE.I9HFuC3mx6yte5i-trYQXRlOZJFFsiZunzc7tUooUNo&dib_tag=se&keywords=contigo&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1730636284&s=sports&sprefix=contigo%2Csports%2C74&sr=1-5

Tea Infuser £15.99 At: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Contigo-Infuser-strainer-stainless-dishwasher/dp/B084C25JMQ/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2BWY8VOYMITXI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.SCRFxTLti8pkQw7yg8bFVAlfG4qU32VNabvQjZjyTx3pFvmNSKQE7IdNQfuZzVV432WZc1nks_BhQEJlXeq1flfHLg4Gldudz0gMEZ63sOk7x5TeZ_MD_d9YZRc9v5foD4rWDYMFzaXMzE_IlYJapkmaTjD9OGxpGD_nM6IZIznyiBc8z3kByLO7Zxp49Pha0cQeQ7JdGfsOIWrtRN9Hrr8nzNHpyMQcrmNjmgAZ8oLdZlhlhAK4XzZEVBIu8mAhM8Eee0UOGtAzLMZnYYq6h20wAQxg5xQSC4e6K3ksyIE.T6hoMdPPp0fa-inAPsOEa2Uc_lDoYEr350cK0fo8nQ8&dib_tag=se&keywords=contigo+infuser&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1730636581&sprefix=contigo+infuser%2Caps%2C60&sr=8-5

Steccato Set of 4 Dinner Plates

Birthday Gifts, eco friendly, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Mother's Day, Plastic free, Valentine's Day Gifts

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

These Steccato dinner plates which are part of a much bigger collection at Spode, remind me of al fresco dining in Italy, or your favourite posh Italian restaurant back home. Made of Earthenware, these plates are 28 centimetres in diameter and have the traditional cobalt blue striped design. The timeless artwork and deep colour of gorgeous blue is a scheme which never go out of fashion.

The Steccato Dinner plates are made in England and are dishwasher, microwave, freezer and oven safe. So whether you are making a fancy meal from scratch or just heating up leftovers in the microwave or oven, Spode have covered your back and made life easier with these super durable plates. You can see how each plate is made with quality in mind, and their robustness is a beautiful quality that will keep these dishes contemporary and relevant for a long time to come.

The plates are part of a whole set of Steccato ware which instantly lift a table and give a sense of style. There are also sets of similar designs which you can mix and match to your taste, so that there’s more interest on the table, or you can build your crockery set over time with different statement pieces and arrange them for your celebrations.

Available for £80 for 4 at: https://www.spode.co.uk/steccato-set-of-4-dinner-plates

Sophie Conran Lavandula 3 Bowl Tray Set

Birthday Gifts, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Mother's Day, Plastic free, Women

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

This beautiful table set of three porcelain bowls and a tray from Sophie Conran are perfect for Mother’s Day.

The set arrived very well packaged in a beautiful light purple gift box from Sophie Conran’s Portmeirion collection. The bowls, which are about 5 centimetres high, sit in a similarly decorated porcelain tray which can be used on a table for snacks, nuts or dips for entertaining, or even sit on Mum’s bedside table for rings, earrings or her smartwatch.

The bowls and tray each have a delicate lavender design in lilac and green at the bottom with a glazed finish and tactile circular texture from manufacturing. The outside of the tray is completely white so you can’t see a design until you finish the snacks inside! The tray is decorated more heavily with the lavender flowers adorned at the bottom of the tray and the same concentric circles from manufacturing. The three bowls sit snugly on the tray, or you can use the bowls and the tray separately for your table.

All of the pieces are oven, microwave and dishwasher safe and can also be used to store items in the freezer. With these robust characteristics, you can tell that these exceptionally well-made porcelain pieces won’t chip or crack easily and will last a long time. The lavender pattern won’t be for everyone but with the bowls filled you don’t see much of the flower pattern, just the outside of the bowls, only to discover the artwork on the inside.

These are a lovely set of bowls and tray that make a beautiful present, but will last a lifetime too. If not for Mother’s Day, then a birthday, wedding gift or new home gift would be ideal and the options for how you use them are endless.

Available for £53.50 at:

https://www.portmeirion.co.uk/sophie-conran-lavandula-3-bowl-tray-set

Spode Creatures of Curiosity Travel Mug

Birthday Gifts, eco friendly, Family Life, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Home, Mother's Day, Sustainable, Valentine's Day Gifts, Women

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

Mother’s Day gifts are always hard to source especially if you veer away from the chocolates, flowers and wine tradition. Spode have a fabulous range of gifts for Mum, Nan or Aunty which are slightly unusual but very usable. Like most Spode products, they are hugely decorative and decadent and not something your Mum is ever likely to buy for herself.

Take for example this Spode Creatures of Curiosity Travel Mug. Made of ceramic, as you would imagine a Spoke piece would be, it’s a 0.31 litre travel mug that’s decorated in a beautiful dark floral pattern with curious snakes, bugs and pink roses. The cup itself is very hardwearing and both dishwasher and microwave safe. The silicone lid needs to be hand washed, but the manufacture makes it easier to place over the mug and doesn’t spill easily when knocked about in transport. As the ceramic mug is well constructed and robust, it holds the heat of your beverage really well and for a long time. It doesn’t burn your hands when you hold it, so no need to add a sleeve to carry it around. You can use it for cold drinks too of course!

At 15 centimetres high it fits into most car and buggy cup holders and has real longevity compared to the plastic mugs. The ‘curious’ pattern is a real talking point because it’s so beautifully detailed and very feminine, unlike most sports travel mugs that don’t have any character. This is not a mug to use whilst jogging; it’s more for long walks in the park, taking the dog out with friends or keeping warm on long car journeys. The baristas will love this too because it’s so easy to heat up and to put the silicone lid on quickly. It’s a classy piece that Mums or Nans who love their hot tea or coffee on the go and want something with more of an occasion to drink it!

There’s also a matching laptop sleeve and water bottle as part of the Spode Creatures of Curiosity collection.

Available from £15.50 at: https://www.spode.co.uk/creatures-of-curiosity-travel-mug

Innoteck Kitchen Pro Electric Kettle

eco friendly, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Home & Garden, Mother's Day, Plastic free, Women

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

Innoteck are the kitchen pros with all sorts of appliances such as air fryers, coffee makers, sandwich makers and kettles. Along with their appliance range they also have small kitchen items like bamboo chopping boards, baking trays and even photo frames. We were sent the Innoteck 1.7 litre electric kettle as a Mother’s Day gift to review to see how we liked it. We did!

The kettle comes in 4 different colours – green, white, grey and the version we were sent is black and each colour has a corresponding toaster too. The outside of the kettle is textured which makes the black body more interesting and far more stylish than the old-fashioned plastic kettles that used to adorn the worktops of kitchen but added no aesthetic.

The Innoteck Kitchen Pro stands apart from other kettles, not just because of its stylish, timeless design but because because it’s BPA-free and therefore not toxic. The main body of the inside of the kettle is made of metal with stainless steel accents and for anyone who is following the plight of plastics in the ocean, you’ll know that it’s not only the fish and wildlife who are suffering from ingesting plastic but also the human effect of eating small plastic particles when they enter the food chain. Heating water to high temperatures with plastic kettles is one of the ways microscopic plastic particles end up in our bodies.

With that information, you can see why more and more appliance makers are turning to stainless steel machines, as well as making them more recyclable.

The Innoteck Kitchen Pro kettle takes hardly any time to boil, at less than 2 minutes for a full kettle. The instructions ask that you don’t put less than 0.5 litres of water in to protect the element but the kettle can take 1.7 litres of water in all. It’s also got a circular base, which makes it easier for people like me who are left handed and need to move the kettle around to get to. The electric lead is around 50cm long too, and conveniently the element has an overheating guard if you don’t manage to fill the kettle with enough water before you switch it on and will switch it off without sufficient water.

This is a nice gift for anyone and will be used for a very long time on a daily basis in most households. Mum, or Gran, will love it for Mother’s Day.

Innoteck Kettle available for £27.99 at: https://innoteck.co.uk/product/1-7l-black-kettle/