AQUAPHOR Water Filter

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

Whether it’s reducing plastic, filtering out toxins or eliminating heavy metals, a kitchen water filter jug benefits the whole family. AQUAPHOR ‘Filters every drop’ of your home tap water to reduce limescale and help create delicious drinks and taster food when cooking.

The jugs are designed with a slimline look which fits into the shelf of the fridge door. The massive jug holds 3.2 litres and has a battery-free filter indicator in the lid, which is flip-top to make it easier to fill. The custom filter, known as the AQUALEN is made of an ion-exchange filter material containing extra fine coconut shell carbon and efficient ion-exchange beads. As with most water filters, you need to soak the filter in water for 2 minutes first, then run water through the reservoir twice before being able to drink the water safely on the third filter.

The filter, which can last for 200 litres, filters out organic compounds, iron and heavy metals, as well as removing limescale which causes hard water. The lid of the ‘Fresh’ water just that we tested has a cartridge replacement counter.  This gives an indication of the quality of the filter from 100% when it’s installed, down to zero percent when it needs changing. New cartridges can be found on the AQUAPHOR Amazon site (below).

The AQUAPHOR Fresh, which we tested, was ample size for a family, with us being able to fill it up and use about 3 times a day, and that was with cooking too.  It’s easy to pick up and easy to fill up too, and the cartridge replacement counter is really useful in a busy household.  The water tastes pure and when you hold it up to the light it certainly looks clear too. I’ve tried it in the kettle a few times after having cleaned the limescale from inside, and it hasn’t furred up the mechanism yet so the hard water must be removed during the filtering process.

No one in my house has complained about the taste of the water, which is always a bonus! If you’re not used to filling up a jug all the time then that can get a bit of getting used to, but we always have a jug of water ready to go.  The filters aren’t that expensive and you can buy them in bulk but they do last a long time so you can buy 6 at a time on Amazon and forget about buying anymore for a while.

AQUAPHOR is a great alternative to under sink filters, not least because they’re cheaper but they rival anything else on the market, and you know that you’re getting purer, cleaner water than what comes out of the tap.

Wade Capri Pasta Bowls

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

Some people prefer completely practical presents for Christmas, and Wade Pottery is an excellent example of a gift you wouldn’t buy for yourself, but would secretly like someone to buy for you at Christmas!

This set of 4 Capri Pasta Bowls from Wade are made in England by Wade Pottery. Measuring 22.5 centimetres in diameter, they are both dishwasher and microwave safe. The bold Mediterranean pattern is based on an original hand decorated Wade design and is part of a larger set by Wade, available online. The Capri bowls are deep coupe shaped and easily stacked Earthenware with glaze, which gives them more durability. 

Having used these bowls for weekend pasta night, they are large enough for a main meal or can accommodate a salad, noodles or even cereal if you wanted! They stack nicely, clean quickly under the tap or fit into the dishwasher. The Capri design is a classic which will last for years and one which you can add to, or give as a gift, time after time.

There’s a 1 year guarantee on these bowls with an optional 2 years extra guarantee when you buy. 

From £59.99: https://www.wadepottery.co.uk/bowl-sets/capri-pasta-bowl-set