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UK homeowners can get interest-free or cheap loans for solar or heat pumps

Darren Allan — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 13:09:04 +0000

The UK Government has fired up a new 'Warm Homes Loan Scheme'
It offers interest-free or low interest loans of up to £15,000 for solar or a battery, £20,000 for heat pumps or other renewable heating tech
The cheap loans will benefit from an up-to-5% reduction in interest rates compared to regular loans, with up to 30 years to repay

The UK Government has announced a new 'Warm Homes Loan Scheme' designed to provide either interest-free or low interest loans for homeowners buying solar panels, a battery, or a heat pump (and other renewables besides).

The Guardian reports that energy suppliers such as British Gas and E.On have partnered with lenders (including Homeserve, Tandem Bank and The Money Co-op) to offer the loans.

Those wanting solar panels or a storage battery can get a loan of up to £15,000 (so up to £30,000 for a full system with both). An air-to-water heat pump (meaning one that uses your existing central heating radiators) qualifies for a loan of up to £20,000. Air-to-air heat pump loans go up to £10,000, and a loan for a ground-source heat pump runs up to £35,000.

Only some of these loans will be interest-free, but where interest is charged it'll be at a low level, the Government it has worked with lenders to deliver an "up-to-5% reduction in interest rates from regular loans offered by banks or high street lenders".

The Government also notes that the loan periods can be up to 30 years in some cases, and that "people can shop around for the one that works best".

As well as a loan, some homeowners will still be able to benefit from a grant for a heat pump of up to £9,000 under the current 'Boiler Upgrade Scheme' or BUS (for upgrading away from a fossil fuel heating system). There could be a catch here, though, which I'll come back to shortly.

The Government said: "We know demand for these technologies is soaring, with almost 150,000 solar panel installations in first six months of this year. Heat pump sales also reached a record high in 2025. Our loans will help thousands more households cut their energy bills quickly."

All loan-funded installations will use MCS-certified installers.

Analysis: new loans are welcome — but BUS grants are reportedly changing too

(Image credit: IKEA)

Any financial support for making the move to renewable energy is very welcome for obvious reasons. These systems can be very pricey, as I've found out first-hand — I recently had a solar panel and battery setup installed. If you want a sizeable array and a battery with a higher capacity, that doesn't come cheap, so a loan really helps — and the repayments are subsidized by the savings made on your electricity bill.

I live in Scotland, where I couldn't get a loan of this nature before now, and it's worth noting that this scheme is for the whole of the UK, so those in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can benefit.

What we don't know yet is how many of the loans will be interest-free, as obviously that's the ideal proposition — presumably those will be the shorter-term financing arrangements.

For the low-interest loans, the Government gives an example of a homeowner borrowing £10,000 at 8% over seven years, where the expected repayment would be about £155 per month. With the new loan scheme, we're told they'd save "up to £285 a year on repayments", so they'd be repaying more like £130 per month.

The Government estimates that installing a heat pump, solar panels and battery could help a household save up to £550 per year on energy bills — and with solar export (which is plentiful in the summer), £300 more can be saved. I'd say those figures were right based on my experience (with just solar and battery), and this money offsets the cost of the loan as already noted.

What about the potential catch for the 'Boiler Upgrade Scheme' grant that I mentioned? Apparently in today's budget, chancellor John Healey is reportedly going to scale back these heat pump grants, with hundreds of millions of pounds of potential funding to be cut from its £2.7 billion five-year budget.

Currently a grant typically provides £7,500 towards the cost of a heat pump, but it's viewed dimly as a subsidy mostly used by middle-class homes. The Guardian tells us that the Government is likely to switch to offer the mentioned up to £9,000 grants, but crucially these are supposedly going to be for households in remote areas not connected to the gas network. The idea will be to help those homes transition from very expensive oil heating systems to a heat pump.

Meanwhile, for those not looking at a larger investment in renewables, whether loan-funded or not, plug-in solar remains a fresh and much more affordable option than a full solar install.

The new Amazon Echo Show 16 looks like an iMac and puts Alexa+ front and center in a major smart display redesign

jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol) — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Amazon’s new Echo Show 16 starts at $499.99 and boasts a fresh design
Alexa+ gets a redesigned interface with interactive Cards
You can even get the 16-inch smart display with a NanoMatte finish

Amazon’s new Echo Show 16 looks like a big step forward for its smart displays. With a slimmer design, upgraded audio, and a redesigned Alexa+ interface, it feels like Amazon’s hardware and software are finally working in tandem.

It has a thinner, more modern look, almost mimicking that of an iMac, with a brighter, more vibrant display that can be treated with the special anti-glare NanoMatte coating. It also boasts a redesigned interface that feels tailor-made for the larger screen.

At $499.99 with a standard display and $579.99 with NanoMatte, the new Echo Show 16 is very much a premium smart display. It’s also only available in the United States for now and is up for preorder ahead of a mid-December launch. You can also save by preordering, with $100 off either finish.

Like the refreshed Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11, this Echo Show 16 feels like Amazon’s device design team, led by Panos Panay, has hit its stride. I only spent a handful of minutes with it, but I can already see that the design and software are working in tandem, and this could be the template for future Echo Show smart displays.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Amazon has redesigned the entire build, including the internals, from the ground up, packing everything into an anodized aluminum frame that’s 40% slimmer than that of the Echo Show 15 or 21. The audio team has also built out eight custom micro-woofers on the sides and two tweeters for robust audio. In the demo space, it got pretty loud with no noticeable muddiness. It can also adjust playback in real time using the onboard microphones, sensors, and custom algorithms to ensure sound stays clear.

There are four microphones as well, so Alexa can clearly hear you when you make queries, but they also help if you’re on a video call, letting whoever you’re speaking to hear you without extra background noise. Two forward-facing microphones sit next to the wide-angle 13MP camera, and two are on the rear.

The 16-inch display is Full HD, and I’m especially loving the NanoMatte finish, particularly for a device that might be wall-mounted or used with the separately sold swivel stand. Either way, it could be exposed to varying degrees of natural sunlight, and glare can be an issue with smart displays.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Of course, Alexa — specifically Alexa+ — is central to this, and the Show 16’s new Cards, which organize your conversations with the assistant, offer a new way to interact with and revisit those conversations. Panos described the interface as a combination of user interface and AI, and explained how the two work together.

When you open a Card from a previous Alexa conversation, you’re presented with the original prompt, condensed, alongside jumping-off points on the right and more detailed information next to it. You can easily tap on those suggestions or pull up the original conversation. Alexa's new conversation design is also reminiscent of how conversations are organized in the Siri app. The new look is also rolling out to the Alexa mobile app.

The whole interface feels a bit cleaner, and you can finally choose between different Screen Styles for the Echo Show 16. These include a Family Organizer for calendars and family plans, a Smart Home view for controlling connected devices — think the Echo Hub on steroids — and a Photos option that turns the display into a digital picture frame.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

A more focused Echo Show

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

After spending a little time with the Echo Show 16, I came away most impressed by the cohesive feel of the hardware and software. The slimmer frame, more capable audio setup, NanoMatte display option, and redesigned Alexa+ experience all serve the same goal: making a large smart display more useful in the home.

The new Cards could be particularly interesting as Alexa+ becomes more capable, giving conversations a life beyond the moment you ask a question. And with Screen Styles that cater to different household needs, the Echo Show 16 feels less like a screen that simply sits on a counter or wall and more like a hub for organizing your home.

I’ll need to spend more time with it to see how well those features work in everyday use, but my first impression is that Amazon has made a more considered, cohesive smart display. If the new Alexa+ experience delivers on its promise, the Echo Show 16 could be one of the more compelling examples of where Amazon wants its smart home devices to go next.

Amazon’s new Echo Time has a surprisingly good reason to exist

jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol) — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Amazon’s Echo Time is a smart clock with Alexa+ and a 3.2-inch display
A camera-free design and customizable clock faces set it apart
Sensors and adaptive lighting aim to improve your wake-up routine

Amazon has long offered a wide variety of smart speakers and smart displays, all powered by Alexa, and more recently, many have gotten the upgrade to Alexa+. Now, after several new devices, from Kindles to tablets with a glare-free Nano Matte coating, Amazon has five more, and the most intriguing is the $199 / £184.99 / AU$379 Echo Time.

A device that earns a spot on your bedside table needs to clear a high bar, and the devices team at Amazon, led by Panos Panay, thinks they’ve cracked it with this one. Speaking to press and creators, Panos called the Echo Time the ‘smartest clock in the world,’ and, first and foremost, it's meant to show you the time in a range of ways.

It really presents itself as a more well-thought-out Echo Spot. Rather than a half-circle display, the Echo Time offers a 3.2-inch screen wrapped in what looks like the body of an Echo Dot Max, with woven mesh on the rear, top, and sides. Controls sit at the top, just above the woven mesh, for volume up, volume down, and microphone mute. It does have microphones you can mute, but the Time notably doesn’t have a camera.

That’s a refreshing admission for a device designed for your nightstand and will likely make the Time more popular than the Spot.

Jacob Krol/Future

Instead, Echo Time aims to mix clock skills with Alexa+. Like the previous Echo Spot and the forthcoming Apple HomeView, you can customize it with a range of clock faces and even add mini widgets. I saw several designs that look like traditional clocks, with or without hands or numbers, as well as digital ones and others that use photos.

There are some collaborative designs pulling from famous characters like Harry Potter or the Powerpuff Girls — I am hoping for some Disney, Star Wars, or Marvel ones one day. You can swipe left or right to adjust the clock face and long-press to swipe between and customize them.

It can, as you might suspect, function as an alarm clock, but Amazon takes this a step further, as it can raise or lower the brightness of the display and glow light at the bottom to help with your wind-down or wake-up routine. For instance, rather than blaring a loud horn as your alarm, it can intelligently raise the display brightness and work with connected smart home gadgets, like a smart bulb, to help ease your wake-up. It can gradually raise the brightness like a sunrise, and at night, it could start to dim things and even cut blue light from the display. At night, the display can drop to as low as 0.3 nits, meaning that the glow won’t keep you up and the screen can be viewed without burning your retinas.

It will also utilize Omnisense to find the best time to wake you up if you opt in, which is different from Soli on, say, the Google Nest Hub or the Hatch Sleep Clock with sleep tracking. Echo Time isn’t looking to track your sleep but is using these sensors — room temperature, presence detection, ultrasound for breathing, and proximity — to figure out when you’re in a state of lighter sleep and start to wake you up. From there, when an alarm is set, Alexa and the Echo Time can make the call to sound it earlier.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

And since it’s running Alexa+, you don’t need to be precise with your asks. You could tell Alexa you have an important meeting at 9 AM, so you need to be up by 7:30 or 7:45 AM, and have it figure out the best routine, potentially setting an alarm but also cueing the lights and hopefully easing you into your day.

With its built-in speakers and screen, you can ask Alexa topical questions and even request music playback, and the Echo Time will happily oblige. It seems like a fully capable Alexa smart display, but it’s unlike the rest of the Echo Show or the standard Echo lineup. Echo Time is squarely built around being a digital clock with Alexa capabilities. And that's a good thing.

Instead of trying to be another smart display that does a little bit of everything, it offers a camera-free design, customizable clock faces, and smart features designed to help you start your day or ease into slumber. It's a more purpose-built Echo, and that could be exactly what makes it worth the space on your nightstand.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

At $199.99, it is the same price as the Echo Show 8 and more than the Echo Spot at $109.99. That puts it in an interesting spot in the lineup, and I'm looking forward to spending more time with it soon. Its price puts it firmly in premium smart-clock, smart display territory, so it’ll be interesting to see whether its added features justify the cost over other Echo devices.

Amazon’s also dropping the Amazon Kids Echo Time at $209.99 / £194.99 in Galactic Grape — my favorite — or Cosmic Lime, and it comes bundled with a year of Amazon Kids+. The standard Echo Time comes in Graphite, Glacier White, and Coral Pink for $199.99. Both are available to order now and are shipping now.

Meet the TechRadar Product of the Year 2026 winners

TechRadar — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 20:05:44 +0000

Though 2026 has been a tumultuous time for technology when it comes to price hikes and shortages, the tech that's reached us has been excellent — in fact, it's been a banner year in most areas, just with some downsides for your wallet.

We've already crowned the best tech of the year as chosen by you in our TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards 2026 — but this is where we let our experts have their say.

Our writers and editors chose their favorite products in nearly 100 categories, ranging across all the kinds of products we review. In some cases, we agree with the readers; in lots of cases, we don't. So read on to see which gadgets we rate as being the most impressive of the last 12 months.

Phones & tablets

Phone of the Year

Apple iPhone 18 Pro

Wherever you look, the iPhone 18 Pro excels. It might not have the biggest camera sensor or the longest-lasting battery of any phone on the market, but it does offer a near-unrivaled combination of premium flagship features. From its variable aperture feature and pro-level video capabilities to its phenomenal performance and gorgeous display, the 18 Pro is the Swiss Army knife of 2026 smartphones.

Read our full iPhone 18 Pro review

Phone Brand of the Year

Honor

The Chinese company has brought something competitive to the table at every turn in 2026. The Honor Magic 8 Pro is an extremely capable flagship. The Magic V6 is easily one of the best foldables you can buy. The Honor 600 series offers some serious value for money in the mid-range sector. The MagicPad 4 is an iPad-beating tablet in several ways. And the Robot Phone is, well, the Robot Phone. Honor’s products aren’t globally available in the same way as, say, Apple's or Samsung’s, but those who have tried the brand’s phones and tablets will know about their level of hardware quality.

Phones Innovation of the Year

Honor Robot Phone

Sticking with Honor, it’s hard to see past the Robot Phone as the most exciting Phones Innovation of the Year in 2026. There's been some competition from foldables in this area this year, but Honor deserves credit for bringing something wildly different to the market (in China, at least). Will we ever see the Robot Phone and its fully motorized mechanical gimbal arm in Western markets? I doubt it — but that doesn’t make it any less exciting.

Read our Honor Robot Phone hands-on

Best Value Phone

Motorola Edge 70 Fusion

The Motorola Edge 70 Fusion is in another world for pure value compared to most phones — for example, compared to the iPhone 17e, it costs almost exactly half the price and offers an extra camera, a much larger battery, faster charging, and a higher display refresh rate. The Edge 70 Fusion is not a flashy phone, but it certainly punches above its budget price tag.

Best Mid-Range Phone

Apple iPhone 17

The Apple iPhone 17 is over 12 months old now (it just slips into this year’s eligibility window), and it wasn’t replaced with a successor in September — but it didn’t need to be. With its 120Hz refresh rate, two great rear cameras, powerful A19 chipset, and still-industry-leading Center Stage selfie camera, the iPhone 17 is still the iPhone we recommend to most people.

Best Folding Phone

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the only globally available passport-shaped foldable we’ve tested fully (and that's eligible for this year's awards), and it's earned our pick as the Best Folding Phone of the year. We were skeptical about the practicality of the Z Fold 8’s stumpy form factor, but after living with the phone for a month, we came around to its charming oddness.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z fold 8 review

Best Flip Phone

Motorola Razr Ultra 2026

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2026 (or Motorola Razr 70 Ultra, as it’s called in certain regions) is, for us, the best phone you can buy in this category. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 has better software, a newer chipset, and is slightly more affordable — but the latest Razr Ultra has a larger battery, faster charging, and better cameras. It’s a close-run thing, but this is the flip phone we'd choose.

Best Camera Phone

Oppo Find X9 Ultra

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra is an absolute beast of a camera phone. It boasts a 200MP main lens, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, a 200MP 3x telephoto lens, and a 50MP 10x telephoto (f/3.5) lens, which is a combination that helped it beat the Galaxy S26 Ultra and hold its own against even the Lumix TZ300 and Nikon Z8 in our head-to-head comparisons. It’s heavy, thick, and eye-wateringly expensive, but the Find X9 Ultra is the closest we’ve come to a truly camera-rivaling smartphone.

Read our full Oppo Find X9 Ultra review

Best Gaming Phone

RedMagic 11 Pro

If you’re looking for an unashamedly gamer-y smartphone, it doesn’t get much better than the RedMagic 11 Pro. With its exposed water-cooling system, capacitive shoulder buttons, powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, and gorgeous 6.85-inch OLED display, it’s more handheld console than phone.

Read our full RedMagic 11 Pro review

Best AI Phone

Google Pixel 11 Pro

Even though Google’s latest Pixel series doesn’t bring much newness to the table, it’s hard to argue against the Pixel 11 Pro’s status as the Best AI Phone money can buy. There’s Camera Coach, Magic Cue, Magic Editor, Magic Capture, Rambler, and, of course, system-wide Gemini integration to take advantage of with Google’s latest flagship. If AI is your jam, the Pixel 11 Pro should be your phone.

Read our full Google Pixel 11 Pro review

Best Phone Accessory

DJI Osmo Mobile 8P

Phone gimbals aren’t the flashiest products around, but the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P deserves credit for being one of the best phone accessories money can buy. As we noted in our review, the 8P adds a remote control and even better tracking capabilities to the already impressive Osmo Mobile 8 formula, and as such, it’s an easy recommendation for content creators.

Read our full DJI Osmo Mobile 8P review

Best Tablet

Honor MagicPad 4

The Android tablet market is a real mix of good, bad, and terrible right now, but the Honor MagicPad 4 surprised us by being a genuinely iPad-rivaling slate in testing this year. For a lower price than the latest iPad Air, the MagicPad 4 offers a thin and lightweight design, a stunning OLED screen, an excellent eight-speaker stereo setup, and near-unbeatable update support. Here’s hoping Honor continues its hot streak into 2027.

Read our full Honor MagicPad 4 review

Best eReader

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025)

The last 12 months have seen plenty of great ereaders and digital note-takers come to market, but the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) has become our go-to recommendation for those after an ereader/notebook hybrid. It's pricey, yes, but the Scribe’s 11-inch E Ink Carta 1300 display is a joy to behold.

Read our full Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) review

Cameras & drones

Camera of the Year

Sony A7R VI

Perfect ratings are rare, but the A7R VI earned five stars with its 66.8MP stacked full-frame sensor, image stabilization, new processor and improved subject-detection autofocus, which combine for class-leading quality and performance. Whether you shoot landscape photography or action, the A7R VI can handle it all, and its excellent handling and new and improved battery was the cherry on the cake. Our verdict? "Sony can stop making cameras now."

Read our full Sony A7R VI review

Brand of the Year

Sony

Following a relatively quiet year, Sony has stood out in 2026 with three top cameras and a raft of new lenses. We gave a perfect five-star rating to the Sony A7R VI, which received high praise from our veteran Cameras Editor who said it had "no weaknesses". The A7 V took top spot in our best mirrorless cameras guide, while the RX10 V revived bridge cameras and extended Sony’s lead at the top in this category. Add Sony’s stellar macro lens to the mix and this award was inevitable.

Camera Innovation of the Year

Antigravity A1

The Antigravity A1 was a first-of-its-kind drone, one that can shoot true 360 degree video thanks to its dual camera array. The Insta360-backed company effectively gave us an airborne Insta360 X5, with immersive 8K video recording that sees in every direction. At the launch event, we donned the company’s goggles and followed racing cars around a track, and the whole experience was intuitive — but most of all immersive. You don’t need to worry about framing the shot, because that happens later using Insta360’s clever software, which can frame and compile videos after the fact.

Read our full Antigravity A1 review

Best Beginner Camera

OM System PEN

It was a tight call between the OM System PEN and the Lumix L10, but ultimately we felt that the PEN is the better starting point for beginner photographers, at a much lower price point. Not only is the PEN easy on the eye, but it features image stabilization, a rangefinder-style EVF, a weatherproof body, and a host of clever computational photography modes that smartphone upgrades will feel at home with, and that encourage creativity. A huge choice of lenses and a new weatherproof kit lens complete the package.

Read our OM System PEN review

Best Mid-range camera

Sony A7 V

The mid-range full-frame category is fiercely contested by Canon, Nikon, Sony and Panasonic, but Sony stole back its crown with the new A7 V, in a year that Canon also released the stellar EOS R6 Mark III. Between those two 5-star cameras, we felt the A7 V had the (slight) edge overall; there's nothing to choose in terms of resolution, but the A7 V has a partially stacked sensor for what should be quicker readout speeds, plus snappier subject detection autofocus, wider dynamic range, versatile flip-and-tilt screen, and class-leading battery life.

Read our Sony A7 V review

Best Professional Camera

Sony A7R VI

It’s actually been a quiet year in the professional camera category, but that's probably good for the other companies, because the A7R VI would’ve been hard for anyone to compete with. It ups the bar with a class-leading 66.8MP full-frame stacked sensor that's backed up with the power, speed and pro-grade body that make the camera a formidable tool in any pro photography scenario. We shot landscape, portrait and wildlife photography, and the pro camera thrived in all situations.

Read our full Sony A7R VI review

Best Compact and Instant Camera

Ricoh GR IV

Being intimately familiar with the GR III, we were super excited about the GR IV launch and the upgrades it would bring. A new 26MP APS-C sensor with five-axis stabilization and improved battery life topped the improvements, but we’ll have to keep fingers crossed for next time for the improved build quality, a tilt screen and built-in-flash we wished for. Even still, the GR IV can shoot the best quality photos from a truly pocketable camera, with a dedicated Monochrome edition that came alter to boot. The price hike stung, but no other brand is making a compact like Ricoh is.

Read our Ricoh GR IV review

Best Action and Vlogging Camera

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P

It’s been a busy year in this category, with Insta360 and DJI in particular trading blows. First came DJI's Pocket 4, which was a modest upgrade of the Pocket 3, but DJI had something extra special up its sleeve; a twin-lens gimbal camera Pocket 4P, which would change the game for vlogging. Insta360 then tried to steal DJI’s thunder with its innovative Luna Ultra's twin lenses and removable remote module — but DJI's Pocket 4P feels like the more polished of the two, and the one we have found ourselves turning to more often for shooting stabilized 4K content.

Read our DJI Osmo Pocket 4P review

Best Camera Lens

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art

Lenses is a competitive category year after year, and 2025-2026 was no different, with a top Sony macro optic, Nikon's slimmed down 70-200mm f/2.8 and a number of superb-value Viltrox optics. However, we must recognize innovation and give credit where it's due, which is why Sigma’s first 135mm telephoto lens with a f/1.4 aperture blew us away. Bulky, yes, but we gave it five stars in our review, calling the 135mm F1.4 DG / Art the 'bokeh master' — if you want the dreamiest portraits, look no further.

Read our Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG | Art review

Best Camera Accessory

Insta360 Mic Pro

DJI and Insta360 have been trading blows all year, but it was Insta360’s Mic Pro that was the final piece of the jigsaw for the 360 camera maker’s ecosystem. Insta360 fans using the likes of the class leading X6 360-degree camera, Ace Pro 2 action cam and Luna Ultra vlogging cameras can enjoy all the benefits of direct compatibility with one of the best wireless mics we’ve ever tested — mixing and matching their camera with a third party mic is no longer necessary. And what a mic it was — the Mic Pro has DJI-beating noise cancellation and an eye-catching, customizable e ink display.

Read our Insta360 Mic Pro review

Best Drone

DJI Avata 360

First came the Antigravity A1 drone, and then came the DJI Avata 360, which felt like the more polished and versatile 360-degree drone of the two. Where the A1 has two fixed lenses to capture 360-degree footage, the Avata 360’s twin lenses are mounted to a gimbal which can rotate 90 degrees to switch between regular (front-facing) single-lens and top/bottom facing 360-degree use. The product also joins DJI's existing Avata ecosystem, which already includes superb FPV goggles and motion controller accessories. Bottom line — the A1 came first, but the Avata 360 upped the bar, and it costs much less.

Read our DJI Avata 360 review

Computing

Laptop of the Year

Apple MacBook Neo

If there's one laptop that has made the biggest impact in 2026, then it's the MacBook Neo. When Apple announced its brand-new MacBook earlier this year, along with the impressively-affordable starting price of $599 / £599 / AU$1,049, it sent shockwaves through the industry. That might sound like hyperbole, but by releasing a budget laptop that still features a premium-feeling (and looking) design and without too many compromises when it comes to features and performance, the MacBook Neo shook rival PC makers out of their complacency and got them to up their budget laptop game. We had numerous laptop makers freely admit that they were releasing $600 laptops to challenge the MacBook Neo. For the sheer impact alone, the MacBook Neo has to be our pick as laptop of the year.

Read our full MacBook Neo review

Computing Brand of the Year

Nvidia

Once again, Nvidia has dominated the computing industry this year — all without releasing a new consumer graphics card. While the AI bubble, and Nvidia's role in it, continues to have a huge impact on the computing industry, the company has continued to innovate. DLSS 4.5 brought improved image quality to Nvidia's upscaling tech, while also introducing 6x Multi Frame Generation that can help improve gaming performance, especially on lower-end cards. Nvidia also released RTX Spark, its Arm-based System-on-Chip (SoC) aimed at taking on Apple's M-series chips, especially in regards to creative and local AI tasks. Even its controversial DLSS 5 feature has won over some critics since its announcement.

Best Computing Innovation

Intel Arc G3 Extreme

This year's release of the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip — yes, another SoC, this time one that's been specifically designed for mobile gaming devices by concentrating on graphics performance and power efficiency. So, it's not surprising that it is the beating heart of many of the most powerful and exciting PC gaming handhelds that have come out this year, including the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, Acer Predator Atlas 8, and OneXPlayer 3. They're all expensive, sadly, but they offer truly brilliant gaming performance in even the most graphically-intensive titles, and the Intel chip is why.

Best Value Laptop

Dell XPS 13 (2026)

While we were very tempted to give the MacBook Neo our award for the best value laptop of 2026, we've actually gone for one of the laptops it influenced: this year's XPS 13. In the past, Dell's XPS 13 laptop was a premium thin and light laptop, but Dell relaunched it as an affordable alternative to Apple's laptop, initially targeting the same $600 starting price. This isn't a conspiracy — Dell explicitly compared the XPS 13 to the MacBook Neo when showing off the laptop to us. The reason we're giving the XPS 13 the edge is that it feels like Dell made fewer compromises with its affordable laptop, especially when it comes to backlit keyboard and faster USB-C ports.

Read our full Dell XPS 13 (2026) review

Best AI Laptop

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra

Pretty much any laptop these days ships with some form of AI feature included, even baked into the operating system — but of all the laptops that have come out this year, the Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra is, in our view, the best AI laptop because it doesn't just settle for adding AI features from other companies. Instead, Samsung has included its own Galaxy AI features, which offer additional tools, and work across its laptops, smartphones, and tablets. While not every Galaxy AI feature is a killer app, it shows a level of ambition and investment that many of its competitors lack.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra review

Best Gaming Laptop

Razer Blade 18

Razer has been putting out excellent gaming laptops for years, marrying cutting-edge technology with thin and light designs that banish any memory of big and bulky gaming laptops of yore. This year's Razer Blade 18 is no exception, offering almost desktop-levels of performance thanks to some of the most powerful components on the market today, with up to an RTX 5090 GPU and 128GB of DDR5 RAM. You can throw any game at this thing and it'll handle it like a champ, and its large 18-inch display offers UHD+ resolution at 240Hz, and FHD+ at an incredibly fast 440Hz, for unbelievably slick performance in games.

Read our full Razer Blade 18 (2026) review

Best PC Gaming Handheld

MSI Claw 8 EX AI+

While all the Intel Arc G3 Extreme-powered PC gaming handhelds that we saw at Computex were impressive, one stood out: the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. Not only was it one of the first handheld to come with Intel's latest hardware, but MSI completely redesigned the device itself to make it feel more comfortable and responsive when playing. This bore out in our full review, which highlighted the incredible performance (for a handheld) and the bright and vibrant screen that really made the games look spectacular.

Read our full MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ review

Best Gaming Keyboard

Corsair Makr Pro 75

Reliability, performance, and build quality are all incredibly important considerations in a keyboard, and the Corsair Makr Pro 75 ticks every box. Its Corsair MGX Hyperdrive magnetic hot-swappable hall effect switches are an absolute joy to type on, and the overall build quality is exceptional (if a little heavy). It's expensive, and the software isn't great, but when crowning 2026's top gaming keyboard, there was only one choice here.

Read our full Corsair Makr Pro 75 review

Best Gaming Mouse

Razer Naga V3 Pro

The Razer Naga V3 Pro is an incredibly versatile gaming mouse that, thanks to its swappable side plates that offer gamers two, six, or 12 additional buttons, will appeal to almost any one, no matter what time of games you play. We use this mouse with the six-button side plate (which is easily attached via magnets) for quick access to macros and shortcuts while playing current obsession Planet Coaster 2. The mouse feels very comfortable to use, the 50K optical sensor offers fantastic control and with an 8,000Hz polling rate, even when used wirelessly, this is a mouse that can give you a serious competitive advantage.

Read our full Razer Naga V3 Pro review

Best Gaming Monitor

Alienware AW3426DW QD-OLED

The Alienware AW3426DW is an ultra-wide gaming monitor with a stunning five-layer tandem OLED panel that offers incredible, vision-spanning image quality. It supports Dolby Vision HDR, and a very fast 280Hz refresh rate that makes it a great choice for fast and frantic competitive games. The 3440x1440 (offering a 21:9 ultrawide aspect ratio) offers plenty of detail without putting too much strain on your GPU, and that wider field of vision, along with the fast refresh rate, could make a huge difference when playing.

Read our full Alienware AW3426DW QD-OLED review

Gaming

Gaming Device of the Year

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite

The Arctis Nova Elite is the best gaming headset we've ever tested. It's simply that good. It's not just a headset that has you covered by collecting features you'll find elsewhere altogether either; this is a genuinely individual beast. The design and build are of premium materials: SteelSeries has made a custom Carbon Fiber driver with a brass surround ring for spectacular hi-res audio. Connectivity is all you could ever want in terms of need and convenience, and the whole experience is absolutely fantastic. A world-beater of a gaming headset and device that is peerless.

Read our full SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite review

Gaming Brand of the Year

Asus

With an enormous number and diversity of products being launched by the gaming brand, from first attempts at desktop soundbars to quality PC gaming handheld follow-ups, and more excellent gaming monitors with the latest panels in that you can shake a stick at, Asus has been the hardware brand to beat this past year.

Gaming Innovation of the Year

Nvidia DLSS 4.5

With PC gaming becoming increasingly demanding, DLSS has never been more important, and DLSS 4.5 is one of the biggest leaps forward for upscaling tech yet. It delivers such high image quality and clarity that you can barely tell the difference between Quality and Performance modes, helping supported games like Doom: The Dark Ages and Arc Raiders look better and run better than ever before.

Best Console Accessory

Corsair Novablade Pro

A pleasant surprise in the past year or so's gaming hardware releases, the Novablade Pro leverless fightstick is a fantastic game controller that oozes quality and prioritizes customization to make life easier and better for fighting game players.

Read our full Corsair Novablade Pro review

Best Gaming Service

Amazon Luna

With hardware prices spiraling out of control, cloud gaming has never been a more attractive proposition — and Amazon continues to offer one of the best services in the space. This year saw Amazon Luna games integrated directly into the Prime Video app on Fire TV devices, making it easier than ever to access great games wherever you are.

Read our full Amazon Luna review from 2024

Best Gaming Controller

8BitDo Pro 3

The 8BitDo Pro 3 looks like a small upgrade compared to the Pro 2, but in real-world use, the improvements are simply astronomical. 8BitDo has crammed drift-eliminating TMR thumbsticks, magnetic hot-swappable face buttons, trigger locks, and an extra pair of optional remappable buttons into a versatile, budget-friendly package that is miles ahead of the competition.

Read our full 8BitDo Pro 3 review

Best Gaming Headset

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite

The best gaming headset we've ever tested. The Nova Elite raises the bar for premium, do-it-all, high-end gaming headsets, and this ticks every box from feature set to battery life, and from connectivity to audio quality, design, and build.

Read our full SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite review

Best Gaming Chair

Secretlab Atlas

Secretlab's latest chair is a hit. This practical task chair offers the brand's supreme materials and build quality in a less gaming-oriented format, making it perfect for your work-from-home setup. It's attractive, comfortable, and feature-packed — what more could you ask from your seat?

Read our full Secretlab Atlas review

TV & home theater

TV of the Year

LG C6

In terms of all-around performance, features and versatility balanced with price, the C6 is the best TV around. When we tested it next to its predecessor, the LG C5, it was a noticeable upgrade: one that's rare to come across, and that was helped by LG adding its highest-end image processing. If you want a TV that can do it all, the C6 is that TV. Few TVs have impressed me as much this year as the C6, and that's why it takes the top spot.

Read our full LG C6 review

Home Entertainment Brand of the Year

Sony

Sony released two RGB LED TVs this year after years of teasing, and both of them were best-in-class, and are the TVs that most have me believing that OLED really should watch its back based on where this technology could do. Outside of this, the brand has also produced some excellent soundbars and speakers across the board, including the ground-breaking Bravia Theater Trio wireless LCR system, which is something we've been hoping to see a company make for years.

Home Entertainment Innovation of the Year

Sony True RGB

RGB TVs have been the big buzz of the TV world in 2026, and while it's been a mostly mixed bag, Sony's version called 'True RGB' stands above the rest. While it delivers spellbinding colors and superb brightness, it's the OLED-level black tones that impressed me most. I've tested Sony's two True RGB TVs and it's the best that dark and high-contrast scenes have ever looked on a backlit TV. In terms of innovation, it doesn't get more impressive than this in 2026.

Best Gaming TV

LG C6

For gaming, there's no better option in 2026 than the LG C6. Not only does it have a full list of features — 4K at up to 165Hz, full variable refresh rate support, and Dolby Vision Gaming — and fantastic performance, but it's also available in 42-83-inch sizes to suit all gaming spaces. When I played games on the C6, I had a fantastic time thanks to its buttery-smooth response times and excellent picture quality. There are other great gaming TVs around, but none delivers such a good all-round experience for the same price.

Read our full LG C6 review

Best TV for Sound

Sony Bravia 9 II

While TV sound is often a mixed bag, no other TV delivers better built-in audio in 2026 than the Sony Bravia 9 II. It delivers impeccable detail and clarity with a wide soundstage and pinpoint accuracy. Watching our reference scenes just impressed us across the board — very few other TVs have ever delivered such a level of audio authenticity.

Read our full Sony Bravia 9 II review

Best OLED TV

LG C6

Our TV of the Year is also the best OLED TV of 2026. More premium models may deliver better picture or more features, but none deliver a more complete package that's a significant step above their predecessor for a seriously competitive price. The C6 is a jack-of-all-trades TV that ticks every box a user could need across a wide range of sizes, and no other OLED has impressed me as much as the LG C6 when compared to last year's models.

Read our full LG C6 review

Best Mini-LED TV

Sony Bravia 9 II

RGB mini-LED is the next step in the evolution of mini-LED and no other TV this year does it better than the Sony Bravia 9 II. It delivers fantastic backlight control, OLED-rivaling black tones, vibrant, rich colors and realistic detail. No backlit TV has ever wowed our reviewers more than the Bravia 9 II, and it's an exciting sign for the future of mini-LED.

Read our full Sony Bravia 9 II review

Best Value TV

TCL QM7L/C7L

It really doesn't get better in terms of bang-for-your-buck value than the TCL QM7L (US model) and TCL C7L (UK and Australian version). The new SQD panel delivers great brightness and color, as well as excellent backlight control. Its great for gaming for a near-full suite of features, and it has credible built-in sound. The real highlight however is its price-to-size ratio, where you can get a big screen at a ridiculously affordable price, given how good the picture looks. If you want the best value, the QM7L/C7L is our top pick.

Read our full TCL QM7L review

Best Projector

Hisense XR10

This projector simply creates the most impressive pictures you can expect from a living-room-friendly projector — anything beyond this requires going pro. It's bright enough to work for lit rooms as well as dark-room viewing, and looks fantastic in both cases — and it even has a slick decor-friendly design. Sure, it lacks 120Hz at 4K, but cinephiles won't care — and this is made for cinephiles, make no mistake. Our full review will land shortly.

Best Soundbar

Sonos Beam Ultra

This wasn't the only soundbar this year to earn a rare five-star rating, but it's the one with the most 'wow' factor, because it's hard to believe such an expansive sound is coming from such a small design. The Dolby Atmos effect reaches a scale you'd never expect for a compact bar, and does it with clarity and precision of spatial audio. This feels like a premium bar, but with a mid-range price, and that's why it earns this award.

Read our full Sonos Beam Ultra review

Best Wireless Home Theater Speakers

Sony Bravia Theater Trio

This is product option we've wanted for so long: a wireless LCR system (meaning left, center, right channels) that's as easy to set up as a soundbar, but with the better width and impact that you get from a separates system. And that's what you get here: tons of power, a super-immersive Dolby Atmos experience, and a sense of scale to match a projector screen or giant-screen TV in a way a soundbar can't match. It's the wireless living home theater dream come true, especially with its easy expansion to add rears and subs. Our full review is coming soon.

Streaming

Streaming Service of the Year

HBO Max

Three years on after winning our coveted Best Streaming Service of the Year crown, HBO Max has done it again — and with good reason. Its long-overdue launch in multiple European nations, including the UK and Ireland, and the introduction of new user-friendly features are two such reasons why it was an early contender for this year’s prize. Throw in its unrivaled catalog of unmissable new shows and returning TV favorites, ongoing movie-exclusive partnership with acclaimed indie studio A24, and ever-expanding live sports coverage, though, and no other platform came close to besting it.

Best for Movies

Prime Video

Movie lovers should flock to Prime Video, as it boasts a library of over 20,000 movies in the US. The streaming service regularly adds new movies from Hollywood blockbusters, independent films, and classic cinema across the years, as well as its own Prime Video Original movies. Recent additions include the romantic comedy Love of Your Life and survival horror The Devil's Mouth.

Best for Documentaries

Netflix

Considering Netflix has everything from true crime to celebrity-fronted food documentaries, it's the place to be if you love all things real life. There's plenty of shocking stories of scandals, murders, mysteries and more, as well as lighter options for those in need of some escapism. Whatever you're after, Netflix probably has it. Recent must-see documentaries include a nail-biting series called Worst Neighbor Ever and the shocking Titan: The OceanGate Disaster.

Best for TV Shows

Apple TV was the most awarded streaming service at the 2026 Emmys, with many of its original series being hailed as the best. We’re inclined to agree, considering the quality of Apple TV shows has been consistently excellent across the board. Whether you want a mind boggling thriller like Severance or a horror comedy like Widow’s Bay, there’s plenty on offer for all tastes.

Best Free Streaming Service

Tubi or not Tubi? That’s the question we ask ourselves who should win our annual Best Free Streaming Service of the Year award. Well, this year, it is Tubi. Supported on over 30 devices — the most of any ad-supporting video on demand (AVOD) service — it’s available to every kind of person working to every kind of budget. Add in its movie and TV show catalogs, which number hundreds of thousands of offerings covering numerous genres, as well as its ongoing featuring of myriad live television channels and networks, and it’s the 2026 people’s AVOD champion.

Audio

Headphones of the Year

Apple AirPods Max 2

As we said in our full review, these cans are "doubtless the best noise-cancelling iPhone headphones on the planet" — and we weren't expecting to love them as much as we did. Aside from the USB-C lossless audio and incredible comfort, they also boast some of the best voice capture on any headphones we've ever experienced. This was a really hot year for headphones, the AirPods Max 2 still lag behind the competition for battery life (and the weird bra case continues to mystify) — but that they won out should tell you just how good they are in every other way.

Read our full AirPods Max 2 review

Audio Brand of the Year

iFi

Hi-res specialist iFi isn't afraid of conquering the whole hi-fi market, serving up launches such as the excellent five-star elite iFi iDSD GR2 and the cheap and cheerful Go Cable this year. We love seeing this hard-working visionary outfit in full flow. Whatever level you're at, it's got something for you — and it's hard to look past a brand that hires out London's Tower Bridge, gets its entire team into black tuxedoes, plasters the walls with the word 'Phantom' so it feels as if 007 himself could drop in at any minute and then unveils the most stunning-sounding flagship DAC we've ever heard. Bravo, iFi. For you, the world is not enough…

Audio Innovation of the Year

Cambridge L/R S speakers

Before I heard these speakers, I thought Cambridge had taken a big risk here. Then, I gave them a thorough listen and I knew they were winners. The L/R S is a genuinely active stereo speaker system, so it does not involve a powered primary speaker and a dumb counterpart to make a pair. OK, only the primary speaker receives power, but there are two channels of amplification for each speaker. Then, there's a full DSP crossover which acts as a PWM signal to each amp — and that's before the bespoke four-conductor cable to connect the primary speaker to the secondary! Might we call them over-engineered? Maybe — or you could simply call Cambridge's work ethic ‘admirable’, as I do.

Read our full Cambridge L/R S review

Best Wireless Headphones

Nothing Headphone (a)

There's something so untethered about Nothing's approach to audio architecture and design that it makes these cans downright joyous in their appeal — we actually have the pair with yellow accents (you can call them over-easy eggs if you like, that actually makes me dig them even more). The company upgraded and finessed the audio compared to the original Headphone (1), while keeping the excellent on-ear controls (the roller for volume is a true highlight) stellar battery life, very good ANC and truly useful app — then somehow shaved a load off the price. A deserved winner.

Read our full Nothing Headphone (a) review

Best Wireless Earbuds

Soundpeats H3

These delightfully different, affordable and sonically superb buds from Soundpeats sound better than some buds at twice their price (and at around $129 / £129, they're really quite humbly priced), thanks to their triple-driver array per bud, a secure fit, plus aptX, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless and LDAC support. Audiophile on a budget? Add this name to your list.

Read our full Soundpeats H3 review

Best Open Earbuds

Shokz OpenFit Pro

Our Audio Editor uses these superb, if pricey, open earbuds multiple times per week, and it's hard to look past the personal recommendation. The fit is sports-worthy (aided by extra optional bands in the box, useful for sports that require a different fit, such as tennis) but they're also office-friendly and professional in terms of design — and the excellent active noise reduction is as unusual as it is class-leading. As far as I'm concerned, Shokz served an ace here.

Read our full Shokz Openfit Pro review

Best Value Headphones

CMF Headphone Pro

We knew we loved these minty fresh cans as soon as we slipped them over our ears. Would you expect hearing tests for a personalized sound profile, LDAC support, an excellent volume 'roller' control on the right ear cup, glorious build quality, zealous wireless sound, exemplary battery life and 3.5mm hi-res wired listening for under $100 / £100? The design flair, energetic audio quality and additional perks won this race.

Read our full CMF Headphone Pro review

Best Value Earbuds

JLab JBuds Mini ANC

Look at them! The JLab JBuds Mini ANC's one perceived failing stems from their biggest selling point: because they're tiny enough to fit on a keyring (they are the smallest ANC earbuds on the planet), you might think they're little more than junk. I'm here to tell you emphatically that they are not — in fact, they're so far from junk that you can't lose them. They're the first earbuds to have support for Apple's Find My network. I don't think any rival came particularly close to the value you get here for $39 / £39 — our full review is coming soon.

Best Value Open Earbuds

Baseus Bowie MC2

We think a Labyrinth-era Bowie (that's 1986, to save you the bother of checking) in full Goblin King Jareth regalia would've put these dark, cuff-style open earbuds on without a second thought — and he'd have looked fantastic in them. These cheap clip-style buds often had us wondering whether you even need to spend more on a flagship set from class-leaders such as Shokz or Bose. If all you need is good sound with surprisingly regimented, impactful bass (and you're prepared to forego expensive extras) these Baseus buds are a winner.

Read our full Baseus Bowie MC2 review

Best Wired Headphones

Meze Audio Strada

We're going for a set of stunning racing green closed-back headphones that sound as airy and spacious as open-back headphones, except nobody hears your playlist. As a closed-back option, they're also relatively easy to drive and they're capable of supremely detailed, organized and thoroughly addictive audio.

Read our full Meze Audio Strada review

Best Wired Earbuds

Sennheiser CX 80U

I said it before (because these were your choice too, dearest reader) and I'll say it again: when people ask me, "What's the cheapest way to get better sound from my phone?" my first response is to suggest these delightfully inexpensive 2026-release USB-C wired earbuds. For around $35 / £30 you really cannot do better. You don't get volume controls on the in-line remote and the mic doesn't deliver crystal-clear calls, as our Sennheiser CX 80U review explains. What you do get is acutely nimble but impactful bass, clear mids and sparkling, appealing highs. Pair that with their surprisingly effective passive noise isolation and you’re looking at an incredibly good pair of wired buds for the money.

Best Bluetooth Speaker

JBL Xtreme 5

Do you want a Bluetooth speaker you'll be able to slip into a purse and take to the park for a podcast, or do you want a party-ready beast with a shoulder strap all of its own? Because JBL's Xtreme 5 is in the latter camp, but if that's what you want, you'll be delighted with it. This is one of the best bigger Bluetooth belters we've ever tested — as our five-star JBL Xtreme 5 review will impress upon you at great length. OK, enough talk: let's dance!

Best Wireless Speaker

Denon Home 400

I got a chance to hear this speaker among its siblings (the Home 200 and 600) at launch, and it is my favorite of Denon's 2026 wireless home trio. It is also the best-looking new wireless speaker on the market, for me (it's about the size of a chopping-board rack or bread bin, fitting neatly on shelves and bookcases while serving up delicious sound). Another great feature is that during setup, you are encouraged to list where the speaker is placed — far from a wall, close to one wall or in a corner — within the HEOS companion app. You can then opt for a 'pure' stereo hi-fi mix, or add 'width' to boost the horizontal spaciousness of the sound field. The spatial and directional stuff is a lot of fun to play with and, as our full Denon Home 400 review explains, provided you don't rely on a voice assistant to do your bidding at home (I do not) it's a hugely talented wireless speaker.

Best Portable Audio Player

Astell & Kern PD5

I absolutely get why the TR readership chose Astell & Kern's newest 'entry level' hi-res audio player, called the A&K PD5 (I put 'entry level' in quotation marks because A&K's definition and ours may well differ). And while I've been lucky enough to listen to the May 2026-release flagship Astell & Kern SP4000T, very briefly — and I have to tell you, it's excellent — it is a huge chunk of cash. This option is far more palatable from a purely financial perspective and is still a fantastically gifted DAP. We gave the PD5's wonky, quirky SR35 older sibling a glowing five-star review, and now this glorious successor is here in a more conventional form factor. Our full review is almost here, but here's a spoiler alert: it's good news. I predicted this category would be won by Activo's parent company, and so it has come to pass — the hi-res DAP specialist is truly bossing the quality portable music machine market.

Best Turntable

Fluance RT87

This is a player for the purist, and so it is pretty light on convenience-focused features — there's no built-in phono preamp, for example — but we don’t think that is a bad thing. The Fluance RT87 is designed for someone who is ready to enter a more serious vinyl listening state and is prepared for manual tone arm adjustment and tweaking to make the turntable as flat as possible using the provided bubble level. This means you won't damage your particularly irreplaceable presses when you spin them — that's the kind of person this turntable is aimed at, and it nails that brief.

See our full Fluance RT87 review

Best DAC

iFi iDSD GR2

When we chose iFi as our Audio Brand of the Year, one of the key deciding factors was this phenomenal digital-analog-converter. It's all stunning design, punchy power, exceptional performance, and a brilliant OLED touchscreen for extra features. I love iFi's dedication to K2HD restorative mastering tech, and its fan-fave XBass and XSpace filters. This DAC even has a lower asking price than its xDSD Gryphon predecessor at launch. It would be churlish to ask for much more than that in 2026.

Read our full iFi iDSD GR2 review

Best Stereo Speakers

Dali Sonik 1

While these may be small and budget-friendly, sonically they’re huge and luxurious. Think clear-headed, stunning vocals with more room to breathe than should be possible at this level, plus tangible transients through to a deep, thrumming low-end. They are far from the first of this type of speaker, and they certainly won’t be the last — but they’re emphatically among the best currently on the market, especially at such a wallet-friendly price.

Read our full Dali Sonik 1 review

Health & Fitness tech

Health & Fitness Device of the year

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro

Expensive the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro may be, but the ultimate adventure smartwatch is one of the best devices Garmin has ever produced, building on years of technical advancements. It's a money-no-object powerhouse with amazing build quality: the all-titanium case houses a powerful battery, behind the super-tough sapphire crystal lies a vibrant AMOLED screen, and during my test runs against a heart rate monitor it's consistently accurate. I've been wearing the 43mm version non-stop since getting my testing unit — a clear indicator that it's first in line for valuable wrist real estate this year.

Read our full Garmin Fenix 9 Pro review

Health & Fitness Brand of the Year

Garmin

Garmin has had a strong 2026. It's revamped its cycling range, brought out a few new features such as AI-powered nutrition tracking to justify the cost of its Garmin Connect+ service, and has developed a few extremely well-reviewed gadgets — notably, the screenless Garmin Cirqa fitness tracker and the top-flight Garmin Fenix 9 series, both of which feature in this list to no-one's surprise. It remains the brand to beat in the endurance world, but the Cirqa shows that it's making inroads with the gym crowd too.

Health & Fitness Innovation of the Year

Huawei Watch D3

This watch advances the smartwatch-as-medical-device category further into refinement, boasting more than its signature medical-grade blood pressure cuff technology. With emergency fall detection, blood pressure trends, sleep tracking and six days of battery life compared to the Apple Watch's 24 hours, it's the watch I recommend to people looking for a health-orientated smartwatch for seniors. It's all packed into a sleek Apple-inspired design.

Read our full Huawei Watch D3 review View Deal

Best Smartwatch

Apple Watch Ultra 4

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 retains its crown for another year as this year's top smartwatch. Like every other Apple Watch Ultra model before it, this is an iterative update to an already-excellent watch, rather than a top-down redesign, but did we expect anything else from Apple? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. What has changed is the back of the watch: a redesigned LED Health Sensing System ensures better-than-ever accuracy and more frequent heart rate readings, enabling improved sleep tracking (along with a boost in battery life, as you're less likely to take it off to charge it) and the new Readiness Score.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 4 review

Best Running Watch

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro

The Garmin Fenix 9 Pro is back. The redesigned Maps feature places you right into the middle of things, mimicking your perspective to reduce the glance-to-interpretation delay when you're trying to find your way on long runs, which even the Apple Watch doesn't do. It's a triathlon athlete or ultra marathon's dream watch thanks to its trail features, while its battery life is more impressive than the Ultra 4. Recommended workouts based on your Training Readiness score and Garmin Coach training plans are the icing on the cake.

Read our full Garmin Fenix 9 Pro review

Best Fitness Tracker

Garmin Cirqa

The Garmin Cirqa narrowly beats up the Fitbit Air: even though it's more expensive up-front, the lack of reliance on a subscription service and its tactile button (just click it to start tracking, no messing around with the app) means it's the screenless fitness tracker of choice this year, and the best new fitness tracker overall.

Read our full Garmin Cirqa review

Best Smart Ring

Oura Ring 5

The competition was super-hot this year, but Oura came back swinging with the Oura Ring 5. It's thinner than ever, which is so important in a smart ring, earning top marks for design in our review. Its slickly-orientated app and smorgasbord of metrics justify the ongoing, mandatory subscription, making this a great premium smart ring option.

Read our full Oura Ring 5 review

Best Electric Toothbrush

Suri Core 1.0

The Suri Core 1.0 takes the original Suri brush's elegant, simplified aesthetics and environmental credentials, and manages to cut a few corners to shave some money off the price. A bio-plastic handle rather than aluminium, and a slightly less powerful motor and battery, helps keep the Core affordable. You can still recycle the brush heads for free, and the unit still looks nice and stylish, especially with its slick magnetic mount. Its battery life will last over a month between charges.

Read our full Suri Core 1.0 review

Best Connected Fitness Tech

Withings BodyScan 2

Withings is a brand that's quietly been making excellent health products for years, from discreet hybrid smartwatches to under-mattress sleep analyzers and, well, smart scales. The Withings BodyScan 2, with its handle creating a circular current and offering a comprehensive list of 40 different metrics, is not just its best yet, but our best smart scale at the premium tier. It tracks blood oxygen levels, hypertension risk and estimates your vascular age. And you thought scales were just for BMI!

Read our full Withings BodyScan 2 review

Home tech

Home Device of the Year

DJI Romo P

The Romo P is DJI's first robot vacuum, but you wouldn't know from its performance. It offers the best obstacle avoidance of any robovac we've tested, as well as superb wet cleaning on hard floors, and very good vacuuming on carpet. It gets our seal of approval as this year's best robot vacuum, if your wallet can take the hit.

Read our full DJI Romo P review

Home Tech Brand of the Year

Philips Hue

Philips Hue is the biggest name in smart lighting for a reason, and this year it's become more accessible than ever with the launch of Hue Essential — a range of budget-friendly bulbs and LED strips that are an affordable entry to the smart lighting ecosystem. Meanwhile, power users can enjoy AI-powered lighting tools thanks to the new Hue Bridge Pro, which supports over 150 lights in a single network.

Home Tech Innovation of the Year

Dyson Find+Follow Purifier Cool

The smartest fan we’ve tested this year, the Dyson Find+Follow uses AI to track you as you move around the room, ensuring you’re kept cool and comfortable at all times. It blew us away with its 350 degrees of oscillation, super quiet operation, and smooth air flow — and its voice and app controls make operating it a breeze.

Read our full Dyson Find+Follow Purifier Cool review

Best Home Light Tech

Philips Hue Omniglow Strip Light

The Omniglow uses tiny micro LEDs to produce a seamless gradient unlike any LED lightstrip we’ve seen before — and it looks amazing. Not only are the individual LEDs invisible, it’s also incredibly bright, and looks particularly stunning when flowing from one color to the next in a Dynamic Scene. One of the most exciting smart lights I’ve seen in recent years.

Read our Philips Hue Omniglow review

Best Home Security Device

Aqara Camera Hub G350

It might look like a children’s toy, but the Aqara Camera Hub G350 is a serious home security camera, and one you can trust to guard a whole room thanks to its 360-degree panning. Despite its cute looks, the G350 is packing a 4K wide-angle camera, plus a 2.5k telephoto lens for getting up close. It’s compatible with all the main smart home ecosystems, and you can store footage on an SD card so there’s no subscription necessary. And, for some reason, it has detachable bunny ears. What more could you want?

Read our full Aqara Camera Hub G350 review

Best Robot Vacuum

DJI Romo P

DJI's first robot vacuum is a triumph — the company has put its expertise in obstacle-detection to good use, and the DJI Romo P is the best robovac we've ever tested when it comes to avoiding common hazards. Its cleaning is top-notch as well, with its mopping function proving particularly effective at removing tough spills from hard flooring.

Read our full DJI Romo P review

Best Vacuum

Roborock F25 Ultra

The F25 Ultra packs a lot more cleaning power than your typical wet/dry vacuum, with steam-cleaning, hot-water degreasing, and powerful suction to tackle huge amounts of dirt and water. Its power-assisted wheels make it feel surprisingly nimble too. Perfect for households with pets, children, or both — your floors won't know what hit them.

Read our full Roborock F25 Ultra review

Best Air Fryer

Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer Convection Oven Toaster

This is much more than just an air fryer — it’s a full countertop oven, with an extra-large cooking area that can accommodate an entire pizza or chicken. It cooks astonishingly fast, with 10 dedicated modes, and produced perfect fries, vegetables, quesadillas, and even bagels during our tests. It looks great as well, and you can open the French doors one-handed for easy access.

Read our full Ninja French Door Premier Air Fryer Convection Oven Toaster review

Best Coffee Machine

Meraki Espresso Machine Gen 2

The classiest coffee maker we've tested in the last 12 months, and the one I'd be proudest to have in my own kitchen, the Meraki Gen 2 is a pleasure to use, automating certain parts of the brewing process without taking over, and helping you hone your own barista skills. The results? Sensational coffee, provided your wallet can stand the hit.

Read our full Meraki Espresso Machine Gen 2 review

Best Value Coffee Machine

Philips Baristina

If you're looking for an affordable coffee maker, you can't go wrong with the Philips Baristina — an innovative little appliance that combines the best features of manual and automatic espresso machines. It handles the whole brewing process for you, but without the awkward maintenance of your typical bean-to-cup machine. Look for the version bundled with a milk frother and you'll never bother buying takeout coffee again.

Read our full Philips Baristina review

Best Fan

Dyson Find+Follow Purifier Cool

Dyson's smartest fan to date, the Find+Follow tracks your movement as you walk around the room, and makes sure its airflow is always angled in your direction. The airflow is smooth and quiet, which makes the Find+Follow an ideal choice for night time as well, and the filtration system effectively removes dirt and allergens while it's keeping you comfortable.

Read our full Dyson Find+Follow Purifier Cool review

De'Longhi shrinks its all-in-one coffee maker, while extending its menu with cold-foam recipes

catherine.ellis@futurenet.com (Cat Ellis) — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:41:30 +0000

De'Longhi has updated its All-in-One Combination Coffee & Espresso Machine
The new coffee maker has a smaller footprint and a cold milk frother
It's on sale now in the US for $349.95 (about £260 / AU$500)

De'Longhi has released a new, smaller version of its multi-functional coffee maker, with a 20% smaller footprint and built-in cold-milk frother. The updated De'Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee & Espresso Machine can make espresso, drip coffee, and cold brew, and is available to buy now in the US for $349.95 (about £260 / AU$500; availability outside the US is TBC) direct from De'Longhi and major retailers.

The new coffee maker offers six drip coffee sizes, from a single 8oz mug to a full 12-cup carafe, and a choice of four brewing styles: classic, bold, cold brew, and over ice.

Like its predecessor, the new All-in-One Combination Coffee & Espresso Machine has an adjustable steam wand, with settings for frothing dairy and plant-based milks, while the addition of a retractable whisk-style frother on the side means you can also prepare cold milk foam for chilled drinks.

Other new additions include an adjustable-height drip tray to accommodate everything from espresso cups to travel mugs, and a new front touchscreen display that lets you tweak brew settings and customize your drinks.

(Image credit: De'Longhi)

The machine has a 15-bar pump, and a thermoblock heating system with electronic temperature control for fast heating and consistent brewing temperatures.

We'll be testing the new all-in-one coffee maker very soon to see how it compares with De'Longhi's other machines, and close rivals like the Ninja Luxe Café Mini and Ninja Prestige DualBrew System.

Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus review: brilliant simultaneous vacuuming and mopping on a budget

space2occupy@gmail.com (James Holland) — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 12:14:38 +0000

Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum: two-minute review

The Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus looks like an almost mid-range vacuum. And it largely is. It has an all plastic build, doesn’t come with a bunch of attachments, and really does one thing. But, it does that one thing really well and that is be a wet-dry vac. In fact, when using it to simultaneously vacuum and mop, it picks up anything and everything smaller than a Cheerio. Crumbs of all sorts. Dog hair. Spilled parmesan. Coffee grounds. You get the idea.

Plus, if you compare it to the best wet-dry vacuums, you’ll see that it’s quite affordable, even if it is among the more expensive Bissell models. I do have a few quibbles, such as the fact that there’s an upper limit on the size of the debris it can suck up or the fact that all the debris goes into the same dirty water tank making emptying it a bit of a mess.

Still, for the price, it might be the best vacuum with wet-dry capabilities out there. Just be aware that the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus is the same as the Bissell CrossWave Reach, but comes with a charging base.

The Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus mops evenly and dries quickly. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum: price & availability

List price: $329.99 (about £250 / AU$470)
Launched: September 2026
Available in the US

The Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus comes in at decidedly Bissell level prices. You don’t have to plop down the cash you would for something like the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine and its list price of $949.99 / £599.99 / AU$949. It’s even cheaper than some Chinese models like the Tineco Floor One S7 Pro with its list price of $799.99 / £599.99 / AU$999). Of course, that model does come with a larger capacity and a more impressive display.

Basically, the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus goes for $329.99 (about £250 / AU$470). This price includes the vacuum, the charging tray, two different sample sized bottles of cleaning solution, and a measuring cup for the solution.

It’s a price that I would consider mid-range for a vacuum, though it’s relatively cheap for a wet-dry vacuum. It’s also an expected price point for a higher-end Bissell product (Shark hits similar price points in my opinion). You can get the non-Plus version for $279.99. The only difference is that it comes without the charging tray.

Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum specs

Weight (total):	8.8 lb / 3.99 kg
Weight (body only)	8.8 lb / 3.99 kg
Bin size	450ml (clean tank) / 600ml (dirty tank)
Runtime in Min mode	23 mins
Runtime in Max mode	39 mins
Charge time	4 hrs 35 min
Size (H x W x L)	10.7 x 8.6 x 43.6 inches / 27.2 x 21.8 x 110.7 cm (L x W x H)
Max suction	7AW
Modes	Eco, Hi, Turbo

Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum: design

Dirty water tank contains solid debris too, for better or worse
Has a self-cleaning feature
Can lie flat to get under furniture

The Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus may be an all-plastic build, but it looks durable and cuts a somewhat dashing figure. Not quite a stick vacuum, it’s ever so slightly modular insofar as the handles comes separated from the body. It's also slim at around 4.5 inches across the body.

The power and mode buttons (eco, high, turbo) are on the handles, and are within thumb’s reach during use. The battery indicator, which shows battery life using three LEDs, as well as the indicators showing which mode the vacuum, are all on the body facing you while you clean. There’s also a button here to run the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus’s Clean-Out Cycle — a nice feature for self-cleaning the brushroll after use.

The Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus' LED indicators conveniently face the user to show battery life and current mode. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The 600ml dirty water tank clipped into the back of the body is easy to remove for emptying. When removed, the filter on top pulls right out exposing whatever debris is inside. The one downside here is that, unlike the best robot vacuums that vacuum and mop, everything goes into the same tank. Vacuumed up a bunch of rice and sucked up a spill? You’ll have to empty everything out into the same place.

The dirty water tank on the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus is simple to remove. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The clean water tank is clipped onto the top of the floorhead. Its 450ml capacity is decent, though will require somewhat regular refilling (of water and a cup of one of the included solutions). I do like the exposed look of it, though.

The clean water tank on the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus sit atop the floorhead. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

As far as the rest of the floorhead, it can swivel and has a hinge for the vacuum to lay up to 180 degrees back — essentially flat — to get under furniture. And it has one large tangle-free brushroll that’s removable for cleaning or replacing and can handle just about any hard surface one would mop. Also worth noting is that it’s rated as having a 10.6 inch cleaning path, though when I measured it, I would say it’s actually 9.6 inches. You lose an inch to the plastic bezels on either side.

Lastly, the charging tray that comes with this vacuum is essentially a molded piece of plastic with charging contacts so that if you put it back in the tray after use, it will start charging automatically.

Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum: performance

Great vacuuming except for larger debris
Flawless mopping
Can get pretty close to edges

When I first started using the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus, I found myself struggling to find something to dislike about it. After spending some time with it, that’s still mostly the case.

This is a wet-dry vacuum and mop, and it does both duties concurrently; there's no vacuum only mode, and no opportunity to only get the floor wet. Despite that, I’m going to try and separate these two functions just to give you a better idea of what to expect.

The Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus before vacuuming up a bunch of tea leaves. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

I performed a few tests when vacuuming. I threw a bunch of tea leaves on the floor as well as a bunch of rice. For both sizes of debris, the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus sucked them right up in the first go.

The Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus in process of cleaning up tea leaves. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Because of the way the floorhead is arranged — there’s just the mop brushroll at the front end with a forward-angled silicon liner behind — it isn’t quite as successful on picking rice and similar sized debris when pulling the vacuum back as it can get caught by that liner. However, when pushing the vacuum forward, everything gets sucked up immediately.

The one caveat to that and a valid reason to still keep a regular vacuum around is the fact since the only moving part helping pick up debris is that brushroll, larger pieces of debris like cereal or popcorn will just get pushed around the front of it like a curling puck.

The Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus made quick work of cleaning up ketchup. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

I found basically nothing to complain about its mopping capabilities, however. It lays down an even layer of water and detergent solution that is enough to fully mop whatever area’s been covered. And I found the floor to be dry within minutes after mopping.

I also tested the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus’s mopping by throwing a bunch of ketchup, mustard, and coffee (separately) on the floor. In each instance, whatever was on the floor was removed in one swipe. However, it takes a few passes to remove odors (and they can still persist for a short while).

Thanks to a 180-degree hinge, the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus can easily get under furniture. (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Getting to the edges and corners with a vacuum is a concern, especially one without additional accessories for tight spaces. But that’s not too much of a concern here. I found that going up to edges with this vacuum allowed me to get as close as a quarter inch when moving with the right side towards the wall. With the left side of the vacuum facing the wall or edge, the three quarters of an inch closest to the wall is left untouched, while the front of the vacuum won’t touch that last inch closest to the wall. So, I was able to get pretty close to the wall but the vacuum orientation matters.

Generally, maneuvering the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus is easy. It does want to pull forward so pushing the vacuum in the direction I want to go feels effortless. When pulling back in a typical vacuuming fashion, I do feel some resistance since it wants to go in that direction. Turning is just as effortless thanks to the swivelling floorhead, and the fact that it can lie almost flat means it’s a cinch to get under furniture.

Lastly, the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus is not a quiet vacuum, but is in line with other cordless vacuums such as the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder. On eco mode, it reaches around 64dB. In turbo mode, it gets up to 67dB. And it hits about 65dB during its Clean-Out Cycle.

Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum: battery life

Four and a half hour recharge time
Up to 40 minutes of use on a single charge

Let’s get the bad out of the way. When fully drained, the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus is going to take over four and a half hours to recharge. If you are an infrequent charger, then, first, shame on you, and, second, you’ll have to suffer through what amounts to almost half a day of waiting if you have to charge from empty. That said, that’s actually a normal amount of time for a cordless vacuum to recharge, though I wish the battery was removable.

The good news is that the twenty minutes it lasts on turbo, specifically 23 minutes and 21 seconds, or almost forty on eco mode, 39 minutes and 49 seconds, is more than enough battery life for a regular home. These numbers are about in line with some of Bissell’s other offerings, though not quite up to what we see with the best cordless vacuums.

Because of how well it picks up debris (with the earlier size-related caveats), I was able to clean a 800 square foot area in about ten minutes. I ended up wandering in circles with the vacuum in tow waiting for the battery to die. That’s on turbo. The almost forty minutes on eco mode is more than enough for anyone not cleaning an office building.

Battery life score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum?

Bissell Crosswave Reach Plus scre card
Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	It’s priced lower than a lot of the competition, even if you’re paying extra for the charging tray.	4.5 / 5
Design	Intuitively laid out with some interesting design features including being able to lie flat.	4.5 / 5
Performance	Good vacuuming and mopping, though it can’t quite handle larger pieces of debris.	4.5 / 5
Battery	The battery life is more than enough for use, even if it’s not an impressive length.	4 / 5

Buy it if...

You care about value

At just over three hundred bucks, this wet-dry vacuum punches above its weight. It might not have the capacity or battery life of the competition, but it does a good job at a lower price.

You need to get under furniture

Getting under furniture is always tough with a vacuum. Well, almost always. Thanks to that 180-degree hinge, it’s easy for the Reach Plus since it can lie straight back to get under that couch that’s too heavy to move.

You’re OK with simultaneous vacuuming and mopping

This Bissell is a wonder on all sorts of hard flooring, but its simultaneous vacuuming and mopping is a package deal. You can’t do one without the other.

Don't buy it if...

You need something capable of deep cleaning

The Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus is quite good at what it does, but it’s still a smaller vacuum that can’t vacuum up anything.

You have a whole building to mop

For a typical home — big or small — its 20-40 minute battery life is more than plenty to cover every square foot.

Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum: alternatives to consider

Model	Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus	Dyson V15s Detect Submarine	Tineco Floor One S7 Pro
Weight (total)	8.8 lb / 3.99 kg	8.4lbs / 3.8 kg	21.5 lbs / 9.75kg
Weight (body only)	8.8 lb / 3.99 kg	8.4lbs / 3.8 kg	21.5 lbs / 9.75kg
Bin size	0.600L	0.77L	0.72L
Runtime in Min mode	39 min	60 min	40 min
Runtime in Max mode	23 min	8 min	N/A
Charge time	4 hrs 35 min	4hrs 30	4hrs
Size (H x W x L)	43.6 x 8.6 x 10.7 inches / 110.7 x 21.8 x 27.2 cm	49.1 x 10.6 x 2.1" / 124.6 x 26.8 x 25.3cm	11.89 x 3.82 x 7.68 inches / 30.2 x 9.7 x 19.5 cm
Max suction	7AW	240AW	N/A
Modes	Eco, Hi, Turbo	Eco, Med, Auto, Boost	Auto, Max, Ultra, Suction

Dyson V15s Detect Submarine

The Dyson V15s Detect Submarine comes with quite the hefty price tag, but it’s also, being a stick vacuum, capable of being both a wet-dry vacuum as well as just a regular vacuum. It is, however, better for smaller clean-ups.

Read our full Dyson V15s Detect Submarine review

Tineco Floor One S7 Pro

At double the price, Tineco Floor One S7 Pro might not seem like that great of a deal. However, it comes with almost double the capacity (both clean and dirty tanks) and has multiple modes including deodorize and disinfect.

Read our full Tineco Floor One S7 Pro review

How I tested the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum

To test the Bissell CrossWave Reach Plus, I used it for a couple weeks, testing it on hardwood floors, tile, and marble. I ran it through its various modes as well as using the self cleaning function. For running benchmarks, I ran it from full to empty on both eco mode and turbo mode. And I vacuumed / mopped up tea leaves, rice, coffee, mustard, and ketchup.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

First reviewed September 2026

De'Longhi Magnifica Start review: good coffee, confusing controls

Max Langridge — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 06:00:17 +0000

De'Longhi Magnifica Start: Two-minute review

The De'Longhi Magnifica Start is one of the Italian manufacturer's more affordable automatic bean-to-cup coffee machines, designed to take much of the effort out of preparing fresh coffee at home. It doesn't offer the extensive drinks menu or customization options of more expensive models, but it benefits from the company's LatteCrema automatic milk frothing system, making it a potentially appealing choice for anyone who enjoys milk-based coffee.

The particular model I have on test here, the ECAM220.61.W, offers just four one-touch functions — namely espresso, coffee, latte macchiato and hot water — meaning only three are actually coffee drinks. Other versions of the Magnifica Start offer different selections, so it's worth double-checking exactly which model you're buying.

Despite its relatively basic specification, this Magnifica Start is a good-looking machine, with a smart white finish and a minimalist control panel. It certainly looks like it should be straightforward to operate but, as I discovered, it takes a little time to master.

The controls aren't quite as intuitive as those on some other machines I've tested, such as the KitchenAid KF2, which offers similar functionality but has clearly labelled buttons that make preparing coffee incredibly straightforward. The Magnifica Start's steeper learning curve isn't necessarily a deal breaker, but it's something to be aware of.

There are plenty of positives, though. Espresso shots are consistently well extracted with an appealing layer of crema, and I was impressed by how quickly the machine could prepare them, taking just 30 seconds from pressing the button to the finished drink. I did, however, find that adjusting the grinder to a slightly coarser setting produced a noticeably more satisfying flavor.

The LatteCrema system also impressed me, producing a generous amount of foam with a pleasing texture using oat milk. While I still prefer the finer control offered by a traditional steam wand, it's still a capable alternative for anyone who wants the convenience of automatic milk frothing. The clearly marked milk carafe also takes thesome guesswork out of preparing drinks, while dishwasher-safe components help make cleaning easier.

Honestly, for just a one- or two-person household, it’s easy to recommend the De'Longhi Magnifica Start, especially since its compact design makes it a good option for smaller kitchens, too. It may require a little patience initially, as the brewing adjustments aren’t as intuitive as I would have liked, but the results are worth spending that little extra time at the start to familiarize yourself with the instructions.

De'Longhi Magnifica Start review: Price and availability

Different variants of the Magnifica Start are available in different markets
Model on test available in the UK and Australia; US version comes with an additional preset
List price: $749.95 / £399.99 / AU$799

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The Magnifica Start is the entry-level machine within De’Longhi’s wider selection of automatic coffee makers. Within it, however, there are multiple variants that may look virtually identical, yet offer different features, so it's important to pay attention to the model number.

For example, the exact model number of my review unit is ECAM220.61.W, which is only available in Australia for AU$799, exclusively through De'Longhi's online store. A black variant, with model number ECAM220.63.B, is available at a wider selection of third-party retailers, although it replaces the ‘latte macchiato’ preset on my review model with ‘cappuccino mix’. There’s yet another model that replaces the LatteCrema system with a manual steam wand.

While this particular white model is specific to Australia, similar versions are available internationally. In the US, for example, the comparable ECAM22080B retails for $749.95, but benefits from an additional cappuccino preset, bringing its total number of one-touch functions to five.

In the UK meanwhile, the ECAM220.61.GB is a closely related model finished in dark grey. It offers the same four one-touch functions as the model reviewed and carries a £399.99 recommended retail price.

Given its limited selection of drinks, the Magnifica Start can be compared with the KitchenAid KF2 released earlier in 2026. It, too, has a relatively small selection of presets, although it uses a Pannarello steam wand for milk frothing as opposed to the automatic LatteCrema system on the De'Longhi. The KF2 also adds iced coffee to the mix, although I found the results to be something of a mixed bag.

On price alone, the Magnifica Start is the clear winner of the two. However, I have to mention the Ninja Luxe Café as a viable alternative. It retails for $599.99 / £579.99 / AU$849 (or less as it’s often discounted), and while it might be a more hands-on machine, it offers considerably greater versatility than the De’Longhi, including the ability to prepare cold brew and filter coffee.

There's also the option of moving up, both in price and size, to the De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Next, which retails for $1,099.95 / £649.96 / AU$1,149. It uses a similar brewing system to the Magnifica Start, but offers a more comprehensive selection of drink presets and a colour display for easier navigation.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Value score: 4 / 5

De’Longhi Magnifica Start review: specs

Category	Specification
Type	Fully automatic bean-to-cup espresso machine
Dimensions (HWD)	13.78 x 9.45 x 17.32 inches / 350 x 240 x 440mm
Weight	20.3 lbs / 9.2 kg
Water tank capacity	1.9 quarts / 1.8 liters
Steam wand	No (Includes automatic LatteCrema Hot carafe / Hot water spout)
Max pressure	15 bar
Model number	ECAM22061W

De'Longhi Magnifica Start review: Design

Attractive, compact design with a minimalist control panel
Only three coffee presets on model reviewed, with no dedicated cappuccino or hot-milk function
Clearly marked milk carafe and dishwasher-safe components

No matter which model of the De'Longhi Magnifica Start is available in your location, they’re all identical. The only real differences are whether it uses the LatteCrema system or a steam wand, the color of the machine and the number of drink recipes it offers.

It’s an attractive coffee machine, particularly in the glossy white finish of the model sent for this review. The Magnifica Start has a relatively minimalist appearance, with a predominantly plastic construction and a black control panel providing some contrast. I’d argue it doesn't have quite the same premium appeal as the KitchenAid KF2 and KitchenAid KF3 I've reviewed previously, but I think it looks smart enough for most kitchens.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

It measures 24 x 44 x 35cm (W x D x H), making it a relatively compact appliance for a fully automatic coffee machine. That said, its 24cm width might be a small footprint, but its 44cm depth is worth considering if you have a particularly narrow countertop.

The machine's compact dimensions should also make it a reasonable option for kitchens with low-hanging cabinets. You will, of course, need some clearance above it to remove the lid and refill the hopper, but I didn't find accessing it to be particularly troublesome.

The bean hopper, located on top of the machine towards the rear, can accommodate up to 250g of beans and is covered by a lid that unfortunately doesn't form a completely airtight seal, meaning the beans will lose freshness if left in the hopper for more than a couple of days.

The Magnifica Start also accepts pre-ground coffee via a separate chute on top of the machine, and a measuring scoop is included in the box. While I'd generally recommend using freshly ground beans wherever possible, it's a useful addition if you occasionally fancy a decaf but don't want to empty the hopper of your regular beans.

Another design feature I appreciate is the positioning of the water reservoir, which slides out from the front-right side of the machine. I praised this same arrangement in my De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Next review, and I'm pleased to see it make an appearance on a more entry-level model. It makes refilling the tank incredibly easy, particularly compared with machines that have their reservoirs located at the rear — like those from KitchenAid — and might require you to move the entire machine to gain access.

Future / Max Langridge

The reservoir also looks deceptively small, but holds a generous 1.8L of water, matching the capacity of the more expensive Magnifica Evo Next. The drip tray covers the entire depth of the machine and slides out from the front, along with the internal container that collects used coffee grounds. The latter can hold up to 14 coffee pucks before needing to be emptied — far more generous than the KitchenAid KF4 that I use at home, which can only hold six or seven used pucks before it needs emptying.

On the front, you'll find the removable LatteCrema milk carafe, which attaches alongside the height-adjustable coffee dispensing spouts. It slots into place easily and takes care of milk frothing automatically, removing the need for a separate steam wand. The carafe can be swapped out for a water spout if you wish to pour hot water for a tea instead.

The particular model under test here features De'Longhi's LatteCrema Hot system, although more expensive models, such as the Eletta Explore, can also come with a separate LatteCrema Cool carafe for preparing cold milk foam. Its absence here isn't especially surprising given the Magnifica Start's more affordable positioning.

One feature I particularly appreciate here is the measurement markings on the carafe to indicate how much milk you should add for your chosen drink. This helps minimize waste, especially if you're only making coffee for one person. Interestingly, there are markings for ‘cappuccino’ and ‘cappuccino mix’ coffees, neither of which is available as a preset on this particular Magnifica Start, but is a present for the model sold in the US. The carafe also has an automatic cleaning function, while several removable components, including the drip tray and milk carafe, are dishwasher-safe.

The control panel is similarly minimalist, with four prominent drink icons and separate buttons for adjusting coffee strength and accessing other settings and functions, such as cleaning modes. On the surface, it looks incredibly straightforward, which is exactly what I'd expect from a machine offering such a limited selection of drinks.

However, I didn't find it quite as intuitive as I'd hoped. The layout initially led me to believe I should select my desired drink before adjusting its strength, whereas the machine actually requires you to select the strength first. It's something that becomes easier with familiarity, but I do think the controls could have been better explained.

The Magnifica Start lacks dedicated user profiles, something that I’ve come to appreciate on other automatic espresso machines I’ve reviewed. While you can customize individual drink quantities and adjust coffee strength, there’s only one saved volume setting per recipe.

This means that if two people prefer different-sized coffees, they’ll have to keep adjusting the programmed volumes to suit their tastes. Combined with its limited selection of drinks, I think this makes the Magnifica Start best suited to a single person or couple, particularly if both enjoy similar coffees. Larger households with different preferences would likely benefit from a machine with user profiles and a more extensive drink menu.

Design score: 4 / 5

De'Longhi Magnifica Start review: Performance

Consistent espresso extraction with a good layer of crema
LatteCrema produces impressive milk texture, although a manual steam wand offers greater control
Quick coffee preparation, but some functions take time to master

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

As with any bean-to-cup coffee machine, the most important consideration is how well the De'Longhi Magnifica Start actually makes the drink. Ease of use is a close second, especially for a machine designed to simplify the process of preparing your favourite drinks at home.

My first experience with the Magnifica Start was something of a mixed bag.

Setting it up was relatively straightforward, but I soon discovered that getting it to produce the exact drink I wanted would require some experimentation. My first latte macchiato, for example, dispensed considerably more liquid than I had anticipated, almost causing my cup to overflow.

Part of the problem is that there's no clear indication of precisely how much coffee or milk each preset will dispense, at least not without referring to the full user manual on De'Longhi's website.

While coffee strength can be adjusted before preparing each drink, there's only one saved volume setting per recipe. To adjust the volume of any drink, press and hold its dedicated button for a few seconds until the light blinks rapidly. The built-in grinder will have already kicked into action, which is normal. Once the coffee (or milk if you’re customizing the latte macchiato) reaches your desired level, press the same drink button again and the settings will be saved.

Once I'd figured out the process, I was able to customize the volume of my latte macchiato successfully, and the Magnifica Start remembered my settings for subsequent drinks. However, restoring the original quantity isn't quite as convenient. While it's possible to reset drink volumes to their factory defaults, doing so also resets all other settings and customized recipes. This seems unnecessarily cumbersome if you simply want to undo a change to one drink.

While I appreciate that all automatic coffee machines require some familiarization, I found myself returning to the user manual more often than I'd expected from a machine with such a limited selection of drinks.

There's also an amusing inconsistency in the setup guidance, which recommends preparing several cappuccinos before expecting the machine to deliver its best results. That's perfectly reasonable advice for a machine with a cappuccino preset, but this particular version of the Magnifica Start doesn't have one. It's a minor detail, admittedly, but it adds to the impression that the instructions aren't tailored as carefully as they could be to the individual machine.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Fortunately, when it comes to actually making coffee, the Magnifica Start has proved to be a reliable performer. After preparing several espressos, I found extraction quality to be consistently good, with each shot producing an appealing layer of golden-caramel crema. The results were remarkably similar from one coffee to the next, suggesting the machine has little trouble delivering a repeatable extraction.

I wasn't initially sold on the flavor, however, particularly as I've used the same beans in other machines, including KitchenAid's semi-automatic and fully automatic models, with more satisfying results. Fortunately, adjusting the grinder to produce a slightly coarser grind had a noticeably positive effect, resulting in a more enjoyable espresso. It goes to show that while the Magnifica Start is capable of producing good coffee, some experimentation may be required to get the best results.

The De’Longhi Magnifica Start doesn’t feature any kind of intelligent grind adjustment — De’Longhi does have its own BeanAdapt technology to do just that, but it’s reserved for its higher-end models — so you’ll need to adjust the grind yourself if you’re not totally satisfied with the results.

By default, the grinder is set to position four of seven, which De’Longhi claims “has been factory set to ensure that coffee is prepared correctly”. If coffee is being dispensed particularly slowly, the grind may be too fine, in which case De'Longhi recommends adjusting the dial towards a higher number. You’ll need to turn the grind dial, found inside the bean hopper, towards a higher number. Conversely, if you want a fuller bodied or creamier coffee, then you’ll need to turn the dial towards position one. In either case, the grind dial should only be adjusted when the grinder is in motion, and it takes at least two poured coffees for results to take effect.

I was pleased with the temperature of the finished coffee, which I found to be comfortably hot without being unpleasant to drink. If you prefer your coffee a little hotter or cooler, the brewing temperature can be adjusted through the machine's settings.

What surprised me most, however, was just how quickly the Magnifica Start could prepare an espresso. I timed it at just 30 seconds from pressing the espresso button to the finished drink, which is impressively brisk for a machine that grinds fresh beans for each cup.

It's also relatively quiet in operation. I recorded an average noise level of approximately 69dB using decibelX app in my iPhone in a quiet room and standing right in front of the machine, rising to around 74dB during grinding before dropping to 65dB while brewing. While the grinder is clearly audible, I never found the noise particularly intrusive, especially given how quickly the machine completes the process.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Milk-based drinks take a little longer to brew, as the LatteCrema system needs time to heat up before it can start dispensing milk. Even so, the overall process remains convenient, particularly as there's no need to manually froth milk or transfer it between containers.

Speaking of which, I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the LatteCrema milk frothing system. I've used it on other De'Longhi coffee machines in the past and haven't always been completely convinced by its ability to produce the milk texture I prefer, particularly when using plant-based alternatives.

This time, however, the results have been noticeably better. Using oat milk, the Magnifica Start produced a generous amount of foam with a satisfyingly smooth texture, making for a more convincing latte macchiato than I had anticipated. I achieved similar results with dairy milk too.

That being said, it's worth mentioning that the type of milk used can have a significant impact on frothing performance. If you’re using non-dairy varieties, it’s always recommended to use barista-style versions, as these are generally formulated to produce a more stable foam.

I still prefer the results I can achieve with a traditional steam wand and, while I haven't had the chance to use it myself, a version of the De’Longhi Magnifica Start is available with one. A manual wand gives me far greater control over how much air I introduce into the milk, allowing me to create the finer, silkier microfoam I typically prefer for a flat white.

But manual frothing also requires more skill and effort, and that's where the LatteCrema system makes a strong case for itself. For anyone who values convenience over having complete control of their milk texture, it's a capable set-and-forget solution that produces pleasing results with minimal input.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the De'Longhi Magnifica Start?

De'Longhi Magnifica Start scorecard
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	One of the more affordable automatic coffee machines I’ve tested, although it’s possible to find alternatives that offer features for not much extra cash.	4 / 5
Design	A smart-looking, compact machine that will fit in most kitchens, but its controls will take some time to learn.	4 / 5
Performance	Consistently good espresso after some grind adjustment, quick preparation and impressive automatic milk frothing, although customization could be more intuitive.	4 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a straightforward selection of coffee drinks

If you primarily drink espresso, black coffee or latte macchiato, the Magnifica Start offers those essentials without overwhelming you with dozens of options.

You want automatic milk frothing

The LatteCrema system takes care of frothing milk for you, and its removable carafe has measurements to help minimize waste.

You want a coffee machine that's easy to clean

An automatic milk-system cleaning function and dishwasher-safe components should make routine maintenance easier.

Don't buy it if...

You enjoy a wide variety of coffee drinks

With no dedicated cappuccino, flat white or standalone hot-milk function, this particular Magnifica Start is one of the more limited automatic machines I've tested.

You expect completely intuitive controls

The buttons look simple enough, but understanding how to adjust drink strength and serving sizes requires a little patience.

You want plenty of drink customization

While you can adjust coffee strength and drink length, you don't get the extensive personalization available on more expensive automatic coffee machines.

De'Longhi Magnifica Start review: Also consider

KitchenAid KF2
The KF2 is just as compact as the De'Longhi, and also has a limited selection of drinks, but I found it easier to use. The steam wand is more reliable for producing thick, velvety foam too.

Read my full KitchenAid KF2 review

Ninja Luxe Café
This 3-in-1 machine from Ninja can do espresso, cold brew and drip coffee, all for a similar price as the De'Longhi. It does require more manual input than the fully automatic Magnifica Start, but it's near-foolproof control system will have you experimenting with your morning brew in no time.

Read our full Ninja Luxe Café review

How I tested the De'Longhi Magnifica Start

I tested the De'Longhi Magnifica Start in the TechRadar Australia office kitchen, using it to prepare coffee with Campos Superior beans, a medium-dark blend that’s roasted locally in Sydney, Australia, where I’m based.

I prepared multiple espresso and milk-based drinks to assess extraction consistency, flavour and milk texture, using both dairy milk and barista-style oat milk. I also experimented with the grinder settings to determine their effect on espresso flavour.

I evaluated how straightforward the machine was to set up and use, paying particular attention to its control panel and customization options. I used a measuring cup to check that customized drink volumes were remembered correctly, and recorded the time taken to prepare an espresso, along with noise levels during grinding and brewing.

Meet the TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards 2026 winners — all 100% chosen by you

TechRadar — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 16:55:19 +0000

It's been an excellent year for tech releases, with the arrival of everything from new TV panel developments, to groundbreaking drones, to awesome spatial audio speakers, to a new breed of AI-connected screenless fitness wearable.

It's also been a really difficult year in tech, though, due to the component crisis and rising prices across nearly all products. In the middle of that tension, it only makes sense for us to find out which companies navigated the challenges best by asking the community of tech lovers out there — and so here are the first TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards.

The results are in, so below we've listed the TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards 2026 winners winners in every category, all 100% voted by you!

Phones & tablets

Phone of the Year

Apple iPhone 18 Pro

It’s no great surprise that readers chose the iPhone 18 Pro as the Phone of the Year. After all, this — along with the iPhone 18 Pro Max — scored five stars in our review, which is a rating we hardly ever give out to phones. But with its excellent camera system — complete with genuinely useful upgrades like a variable aperture and pro controls — plus an exceptionally fast chipset, great battery life, beautiful new Burgundy and Glacier colors, and a superb screen and software, the iPhone 18 Pro excels in just about every area. So its five stars, and Readers' Phone of the Year award, are well deserved.

Phone Brand of the Year

Apple

Given that the iPhone 18 Pro won Phone of the Year and that Apple’s handsets are well represented among the other Readers’ Choice award winners below, it’s hard to see how any other company could have won Phone Brand of the Year. Apple might not release as many different models as some brands, but it still has a phone for almost everyone — whether you want a high-end flagship, a top-tier gaming phone, a DSLR alternative, something more affordable, or even, this year, a foldable phone (though the Duo was released too late to be eligible for these awards). And not only has Apple covered most of the bases here, but all of its handsets excel and e with genuine upgrades compared to last year’s models.

Phones Innovation of the Year

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

Given that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 was the first passport-shaped foldable to arrive on the scene in Western markets this year, it's easy to see why readers voted it as the Phones Innovation of the Year. This new form factor makes it even more pocketable than a book-style foldable, but still gives you a large screen when it’s unfolded. The smaller cover screen also makes it perfect for one-handed use when you don’t need the large inner display, and coupled with flagship performance and high–quality displays, this is a great all-round phone — not just an innovative one.

Best Value Phone

Apple iPhone 17e

The iPhone 17e might not be the cheapest phone, but its lower price makes it highly affordable by iPhone standards, and it comes with double the storage of the iPhone 16e without upping the starting price. Plus, with features like MagSafe and an A19 chipset, you’re getting a lot for your money, so it’s no wonder this was voted Best Value Phone. iPhones tend to get updated for many years and hold their value well too, so this isn’t just good value on day one — it should also serve you well for a long time.

Best Mid-Range Phone

Apple iPhone 17

There’s no base iPhone 18 yet, and it’s a testament to just how good the iPhone 17 still is that readers have voted it the Best Mid-Range Phone. Everything that was good about the iPhone 17 at launch still remains so in 2026 — including its powerful A19 chipset, always-on display with ProMotion, and improved cameras. The iPhone 17’s price hasn’t dropped since launch (in fact, thanks to the ongoing RAM crisis, it's actually gone up), but you’re still getting a lot for your money compared to many other mid-range phones.

Best Folding Phone

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

While the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the Readers’ Choice Phone Innovation of the Year, it’s the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra that readers think is the overall Best Folding Phone. This isn’t surprising either, as while the form factor here is nothing new, this is Samsung’s most polished, premium, and feature-packed foldable yet — so much so that it got ‘Ultra’ added to the name. For the first time, the foldable screen is essentially flat, with a near-invisible crease, and the Z Fold 8 Ultra also has a bigger battery, more power, and improved cameras compared to its predecessor, while still being slimmer, making for a phone that lives up to its ‘Ultra’ name.

Best Flip Phone

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8

Samsung is clearly still the king of foldables for now in readers’ eyes, since they’ve also voted the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 as the Best Flip Phone. Arguably, this phone didn’t have much competition outside of the Motorola Razr line, but that doesn’t take away from its achievements, including new Horizontal Lock and Fan Cam features, which make it a major upgrade for recording videos. Coupled with a slightly slimmer design than last year, improved software, and a chipset upgrade, it’s no wonder the Z Flip 8 has flipped its way into readers’ hearts.

Best Camera Phone

Apple iPhone 18 Pro

The iPhone 18 Pro — along with the iPhone 18 Pro Max — have some serious camera upgrades, so it makes sense that readers would have voted this the Best Camera Phone. You’re getting a trio of 48MP cameras on the back, covering wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto (4x zoom) views, and in a rare move for phones, the wide snapper also has a variable aperture. That feature, coupled with new pro controls, gives you more power than ever to take control of your shots. But the iPhone 18 Pro still shines for point-and-shoot photography, too, and its cameras capture more detail than ever before.

Best Gaming Phone

Apple iPhone 18 Pro

The iPhone 18 Pro also takes the Readers’ Choice Best Gaming Phone award, and this makes total sense too, given the sheer amount of power on offer here. The phone has a seriously fast A20 Pro chipset paired with improved thermal management — so it can keep cool and maintain its smooth performance even over a lengthy gaming session. On top of that, the App Store simply has a better selection of high-end games than you’ll find over on Android, and they’re usually well optimized for Apple’s hardware.

Best AI Phone

Google Pixel 11 Pro

Between them, Samsung and Apple have swept almost all of these awards — but not quite all of them, as readers voted the Google Pixel 11 Pro as the Best AI Phone. Despite Siri’s recent AI makeover, this makes perfect sense, as Google has spent the last few years improving the Pixel’s AI features and more deeply integrating them into the operating system. The result with the Pixel 11 Pro is a phone with AI everywhere. You can tap into Gemini from any screen, and new features such as Rambler for voice dictation and Magic Capture for photography bring genuinely useful AI-powered upgrades to this phone's core functionality.

Best Phone Accessory

UGreen Qi2 25W Wireless Power Bank

The UGreen Qi2 25W Wireless Power Bank is a top-tier portable charger with speedy 25W wireless charging, an ultra-compact design, and a lightweight feel. As well as wireless charging capabilities, the model has an integrated USB-C cable for charging your devices or the power bank itself, a USB-C port that supports 30W charging, and even a neat little display. Pair that with high build quality and 13-layer protection for safe charging, and you’re looking at one of the best wireless power banks on the market — and TechRadar readers clearly agreed.

Best Tablet

Apple iPad Pro (M5)

The Apple iPad Pro (M5) is a powerhouse of a slate, with that M5 chip delivering what our review described as “amazing performance.” It also has a sumptuous 11-inch screen, a sleek design, and impressive cameras and software. Whether for work or play, this tablet can handle tasks exceptionally well, so it’s a deserving winner.

Best eReader

reMarkable Paper Pure

This isn’t just an ereader, it’s a lightweight, distraction-free writing tablet that’s portable, comfortable, and — according to our reMarkable Paper Pure review — offers a “flawless writing experience.” So while this isn’t necessarily going to be the best choice to read a novel on, if you’re after an epaper tablet to sketch and write on, this is an ideal choice — so it’s no real surprise this was voted Best eReader.

Cameras & drones

Camera of the Year

Sony A7R VI

From a shortlist that included the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, Sony A7 V, Leica M-EV1 and a trio of five-star DJI products, it was the A7R VI that topped your votes, and it’s easy to see why: Sony gave us highly-detailed images and blazing-fast performance in a single, well-designed model, rounding the package off by debuting its first new battery in almost a decade for class-leading endurance. We rarely use the word ‘perfect’, but for many photographers, the Sony A7R VI mirrorless camera will be just that.

Camera Brand of the Year

Sony

Readers voted the A7R VI as a double winner, the A7 V as the Best Mid-range Camera, the RX10 V as the Best Compact Camera and the 100mm F2.8 macro as the Best Lens winner — so it’s little wonder that the camera giant wins the Brand of the Year vote too. And the accolade is fully deserved; other leading brands have had a majorly quiet year by comparison, besides perhaps the relentless DJI. Sony’s mirrorless camera lineup is looking strong, and its lens range is formidable. If you can afford its admittedly pricey gear, it’s the ecosystem that has it all.

Camera Innovation of the Year

Antigravity A1

Antigravity was a complete unknown before this year, but the Insta360-seeded company burst onto the scene with the world's first 360-degree drone, the A1. Pipping DJI to the post, the Antigravity A1 is effectively an Insta360 X5 that flies, which means it shoots crisp 8K video of every angle, and when paired with the company’s goggles and motion controller, gives a flight experience that’s both immersive and intuitive. The possibilities for this tech are truly exciting.

Best Beginner Camera

Fujifilm X-T30 III

Love Fujifilm’s retro design but can’t stretch to the pricey X100 VI or X-E5? In steps the portable Fujifilm X-T30 III, fitted with the company’s entry-level 26MP APS-C sensor for sharp stills, 6K video with 10-bit color depth, a tilt screen, EVF and a flash. It’s an excellent entry point to the Fujifilm X-mount for photography-focused users, with very few rivals at its affordable price point, besides the recent OM PEN. The X-T30 III is set to become one of Fujifilm's best sellers.

Best Mid-range camera

Sony A7 V

The Sony A7 IV held onto top spot in our best mirrorless cameras guide for years and had only recently lost its spot to the Nikon Z6 III, only for Sony to wrestle it back with the mark IV’s successor. The Sony A7 V feels like the complete camera; its new processor, ‘partially stacked’ sensor and improved subject tracking autofocus deliver a boost in stills and video performance, even if the A7 V has the same 33MP resolution as its predecessor. The A7 V is a true all-rounder.

Best Professional Camera

Sony A7R VI

Of course the readers' Camera of the Year also scoops top prize in its individual category. With Canon doing its business last year, and Nikon remaining totally quiet, the A7R VI really stood out. and it's a solid upgrade of the A7R V, with a bump in resolution from 61MP to 66.8MP, but more importantly it’s a quicker stacked sensor that’s ultimately way more versatile. The completely new battery (for class-leading battery life) and Sony’s best autofocus and design yet add further polish to the Sony A7R VI.

Best Compact and Instant Camera

Sony RX10 V

We didn't see it coming, but nine years after the now-discontinued RX10 IV, Sony revived its series of bridge cameras, and made the best even better. It ditched the Cyber-Shot name and brushed up the Sony RX10 V’s design to feel more Alpha, but ultimately the shooting experience from the same 20.1MP 1-inch sensor and 24-600mm F2.8-4 lens combo is entirely familiar, and it's one that many enthusiast wildlife photographers will love. Add the chunkier battery, better autofocus and faster burst shooting, and it’s an even better, albeit pricier, all-in-one camera.

Best Action and Vlogging Camera

Insta 360 Luna Ultra

DJI was busy priming its twin-lens Pocket 4P camera to attempt to change the vlogging camera game, only for Insta360 to steal its thunder with the Luna Ultra, and what an innovative camera it is. Taking the compact, gimbal-mounted camera formula of the Pocket series, the Insta360 Luna Ultra went one step further by adding a 3x telephoto camera, and fitted the device with a clever detachable remote module, which can control the camera remotely and doubles up as a mic. Never has solo vlogging been easier.

Best Camera Lens

Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS

At 10 years old, Sony’s 90mm macro lens was beginning to look a little dated, and so Sony macro photographers were delighted when the company released an entirely new model with a larger than life 1.4x magnification: the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro GM OSS. Much like the similar Canon 100mm macro lens from 2021, Sony’s doubles up nicely as a portrait lens too, plus it's supported with image stabilization, compatible with teleconverters, and optically it's pretty much flawless.

Best camera accessory

Birdfy Bird Bath Pro

We’ve been reviewing bird feeder cameras for years, but it was the Birdfy Bird Bath Pro that made a splash in 2026 (pun intended). Amid warnings of the part that flat tray bird feeders can play in spreading avian diseases, in stepped this unique bird bath camera, with a more hygienic fountain, and that enabled us to observe a different kind of splashing and preening bird behavior from up close, with the same live feed and app notifications we've come to love from bird feeder cameras. The first generation product needs a little refining, but there's nothing else like it for bird lovers.

Best drone

Antigravity A1

The Antigravity A1 clearly made an impression on readers, picking up its second award here. It’s great to see a company besides DJI entering the drone space, and to do it so well with its first 360–degree drone. The Antigravity A1 shoots 8K video taken from any angle, and delivers an immersive flight experience through its goggles and motion controller. And with firmware updates and new accessories since the product's launch, Antigravity looks like it's just getting started.

Computing

Computing Brand of the Year

Apple

Apple shook up the computing world this year with the introduction of its affordable MacBook Neo, which combined a relatively low price tag with a premium design, all without making too many compromises when it comes to performance. It left Windows competitors scrambling to compete, so we ended up with a range of excellent affordable Windows 11 laptops arriving later — which means Apple had perhaps the biggest impact on computing in 2026, and readers clearly felt it.

Best Computing Innovation

Nvidia DLSS 4.5

Out of all the AI upscaling tech that's been helping PC gamers eke out more performance from their rigs, Nvidia's DLSS is by far the most advanced, and its 4.5 release brings better image quality, while Dynamic Multi Frame Generation does a great job of balancing image quality with high frame rates. Nvidia also added 6X Frame Generation, which allows compatible GPUs to reach incredibly high frame rates.

Best Value Laptop

Apple MacBook Neo

When Apple launched the MacBook Neo earlier this year for $599 / £599 / AU$1,049, it made a huge impact. It was a lower price than many of us were expecting, and no Windows 11 laptop, or Chromebook, that cost similar could compete. Sure, there were compromises to keep the price down, such as a lack of backlit keyboard, slow USB ports and just 8GB of memory, but the overall package offered incredible value for money. So, it was a bit of a shame that Apple increased the price a few months later to $699 / £699, making it less good value. Still, even with the price rise, you won't find a better laptop for the price.

Best AI Laptop

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M5 (2025)

After a few years where it felt like Apple was being left behind, it's beginning to roll out more of its Apple Intelligence (AI) features, and while it's still early days, the results are promising, with many of the tools featuring Apple's signature polish. Because the company has been including its Neural Engine in its chips for years, it actually has a bit of a head start when it comes to on-device AI, and the latest MacBook Pro is a great example of this.

Best Gaming Laptop

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026)

Gaming laptops don't come much bigger and brasher than the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026). It features desktop-grade performance thanks to a mighty RTX 5090 laptop GPU, plus a cutting-edge Intel Core Ultra 9 processor. Its huge 18-inch screen is also fantastic, powered by mini-LED technology, which makes modern games look gorgeous. However, all this power comes with a high price tag.

Best PC Gaming Handheld

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20

While some PC gaming handhelds are going all-in on raw performance with cutting-edge components, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 is more of a refinement of the existing ROG Xbox Ally — but that is actually a bit of a masterstroke, as it means it's cheaper than rivals such as MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. Don't think this is a budget device, however, and the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 features some nice improvements such as an OLED screen that looks fantastic, as well as improved buttons and TMR joysticks.

Best Gaming Keyboard

Turtle Beach Command Series KB7 TKL

The Turtle Beach Command Series KB7 TKL is an unusual gaming keyboard, because instead of a physical numpad, it has a built-in touchscreen that can give you quick access to macros, apps, and shortcuts that can give you a competitive edge. Thanks to its 8K polling rate, it's fast and responsive, and when you're not playing games, it feels great to type on as well.

Best Gaming Monitor

Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF is a brilliant gaming monitor for people who are seriously into their competitive esports, thanks to its incredibly fast 500Hz refresh rate. Matched with ultra-low response times, and you have a monitor that will keep up with even the most frantic of games, and the OLED screen tech makes those games look incredible.

Best Gaming Mouse

Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike

The Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike more than earns its rare five-star rating thanks to its fantastic build quality and lightweight design that makes it feel comfortable no matter what your grip type is. It also features a unique haptic inductive trigger system that lets you fine-tune the mouse buttons to perfectly suit your playstyle.

Gaming

Gaming Device of the Year

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2

The new Stealth Pro 2 headset from Turtle Beach is a fantastic premium headset that builds on everything great about its predecessor. The sound quality is spectacular, of course, but there's now improved battery life and solutions within its dock, a slick new lifestyle-friendly design, and a fantastic microphone all working together at the core of what makes it excel in gaming audio.

Gaming Brand of the Year

Turtle Beach

Gaming hardware behemoth Turtle Beach has released a whole heap of awesome gaming gear and devices in the past year or so, from pushing the boundaries of what a gaming mouse can be, deploying brilliant aesthetics to controllers, all the way to following up one of the best headsets of recent times with a superb successor.

Gaming Innovation of the Year

Turtle Beach MC7

A screen on a mouse?! Outrageous! But also: excellently innovative by Turtle Beach. In terms of changing perceptions about what gaming mice can do, the Command Series MC7 is a brilliant gaming product and should increase the functionality that gaming mice can offer players.

Best Console Accessory

Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race KD3 wheel

Offering a brilliant direct-drive bundle, the KD3 wheel is a fantastic addition to the budget end of the market and offers incredible value for money. The feedback from the 3.2Nm motor, pedal set, and even the aesthetics all play their part in making the VelocityOne Race KD3 a brilliant racing wheel.

Best Gaming Service

Xbox Game Pass

Having its price slashed this year, thankfully, is a big boon to players, and it has meant that Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass subscription still offers good value while also allowing players to jump into the likes of Gears of War: E-Day without paying the full price of a game.

Best Gaming Controller

Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller

This might be the best possible controller for GTA 6. With a delightfully retro pastel aesthetic, this Xbox pad stands apart in a sea of comparatively boring-looking alternatives. It's got beautiful RGB lighting to boot, and competitive specs, including features such as remappable rear buttons and built-in audio controls, to back up the good looks.

Best Gaming Headset

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2

A premium headset that does it all, the Stealth Pro 2 from Turtle Beach is about as close to the full package as gaming headsets have gotten in the past year. It also had a tough act to follow, with its predecessor being so good too, and is worthy of its place as one of the past year's best.

Best Gaming Chair

Secretlab Atlas

Having thoroughly mastered the gaming chair, this year saw Secretlab branch out into something new. The Secretlab Atlas is a strong task chair that's perfect for work, relaxation, and, of course, gaming. The unique design incorporates a fantastic self-adjusting lumbar mechanism, which makes comfortable seating effortless.

TV & home theater

TV of the year

Sony Bravia 9 II

A TV needs to be sensational to stand out from the best TVs of 2026, and the Bravia 9 II is exactly that. Its RGB mini-LED panel delivers OLED-grade contrast and color, but with the brightness of mini-LED — and its audio system means it sounds as good as it looks.

Home Entertainment Brand of the Year

Sony

With multiple gongs in this year's reader-voted awards, it's not a surprise to see Sony pick up the Brand of the Year award too. Sony's focus on making premium products with innovative tech has yielded impressive results across TVs and soundbars, and its RGB technology and wireless speaker systems have been especially worth the wait.

Home Entertainment Innovation of the Year

Sony True RGB

True RGB is Sony's branding for its RGB mini-LED technology. Like other mini-LED displays, True RGB uses a very bright mini-LED backlight to deliver brightness that OLEDs can only dream of. RGB mini-LED takes the tech further, with each LED packing separate, independently controlled red, green and blue diodes instead of a single color. That means much better color accuracy and off-angle viewing. Sony isn't the only company to introduce this tech in 2026, but the way it designed its version has led to the most impressive results.

Best Gaming TV

TCL QM8L

The TCL QM8L is a superb TV for gaming thanks to its support for 4K at up to 144Hz across all four HDMI 2.1 ports, variable refresh rate at up to 288Hz, low latency, and impressive built-in audio as a bonus. We gave it a maximum score for gaming in our review, and said it's "a pleasure to game on" — and clearly the readers agree. This TV is TCL doing what TCL does best: delivering lots of fun for a way lower price than you expect.

Best TV for Sound

Sony Bravia 9 II

It's another win for Sony's flagship, this time for its Acoustic Multi-Audio+ sound system that has two full-range drivers, two subwoofers, two tweeters and a pair of angled beam tweeters to add height. With 80W of power, the Sony Bravia 9 II is impressively loud as well as beautifully detailed, and it sounds terrific in movies and music.

Best OLED TV

LG G6

The LG G6 stood out this year for massively improving its visibility in even very bright rooms, and it set a very high bar for OLED excellence overall this year. The picture quality is outstanding, it's phenomenal for gaming, and webOS remains one of our favorite smart TV platforms.

Best mini-LED TV

Sony Bravia 9 II

RGB mini-LED is spectacular, and right now nobody's doing it quite like Sony. The Bravia 9 II is the best backlit TV we've ever seen, breaking new ground when it comes to color and contrast, but maintaining the realistic, reference look that Sony strives for.

Best Value TV

TCL QM7L

The TCL QM7L is a remarkable achievement, reaching image quality shockingly close to the heights of TCL's flagships for a significantly lower price. Like its award-winning QM8L sibling, it's a superb gaming TV, and it's an excellent all-rounder with a good specification and a generally premium feel.

Best Projector

Anker Soundcore Nebula P1

It looks like you share our view of the Anker Soundcore Nebula P1: it's a lot of fun, and as a package it's hard to beat. The P1 takes the best bits of the much more expensive X1, including its nifty wireless speakers, and boils them down into a much more affordable portable projector package so you can enjoy big-screen fun anywhere.

Best Soundbar

Sonos Beam Ultra

The days when Sonos had the premium soundbar sector to itself are long gone, but the Sonos Beam Ultra puts the company right back at the head of the pack: five out of five stars-good as we detailed in our Sonos Beam Ultra review. It's an Arc Ultra but smaller, delivering superbly detailed and immersive audio in a really small package.

Best Wireless Home Theater Speakers

Sony Bravia Theater Trio

The Sony Bravia Theater Trio is an LCR system, which means it has left, center and right wireless speakers to create a much wider soundstage than the best soundbars alone can deliver. It delivers a powerful, warm and wide sound, and if you add a wireless subwoofer things get even more entertaining. In the world of giant-screen TVs, this is a really tempting option, as our voters clearly felt.

Streaming

Streaming Service of the Year

Netflix

Netflix is always a controversial company, especially when it comes to price hikes — but there's a reason it can get away with all the rises, and that's because it's the best. Its own Netflix Originals continue to excite and delight, it makes smart buys from all around the world, and its documentaries are often superb. Add in excellent parental controls, apps for every conceivable device and a very affordable ad-supported tier and you can see why Netflix is a worthy winner.

Best Streaming Service for Movies

Netflix

Netflix's mix of original movies and bought-in blockbusters in a huge range of genres means there's always some movie magic to stream, whether that's the latest Wallace & Gromit movie (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), Godzilla Minus One, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse or classics such as Jaws. Netflix's current movie catalog features some of the world's most celebrated filmmakers including Alfonso Cuarón, Martin Scorcese, Jane Campion, Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, Spike Lee and many more.

Best Streaming Service for Documentaries

Netflix

Netflix was quick to recognize the power of documentaries to deliver big drama with very low budgets, and its current slate includes a huge range that stretches from the hard-hitting to the heart-warming. From true crime reconstructions to spectacular shows such as American Symphony, Netflix's documentary department is full of must-watch stories.

Best Streaming Service for TV Series

Apple TV

The recently renamed Apple TV, formerly Apple TV+, may not have the massive catalogs of its streaming rivals, but when your line-up includes the likes of Slow Horses, Pluribus, Small Prophets, Hijack, Shrinking, Severance, Margot's Got Money Troubles, Widows Bay and more, it's clear that you're prizing quality over quantity. Apple's one-tier approach is refreshing: there's no need to pay more for ad-free viewing, higher resolution or spatial audio.

Best Free Streaming Service of the Year

Tubi

Like many readers we're big fans of Tubi: it's one of the finest free ad-supported streamers around, with a huge range of entertainment to choose from. Don't expect the very latest hit shows or blockbusters, but the catalog is impressively large and wide-ranging so there's always something fun to watch — and the ads aren't so frequent that they become irritating.

Audio

Headphones of the Year

Apple AirPods Max 2

As we said in our full AirPods Max 2 review, these cans are "doubtless the best noise-cancelling iPhone headphones on the planet" while also being incredibly comfortable and boasting some of the best voice capture on any headphones we've ever experienced. Clearly the readers felt the same way, and like us were able to overcome the fact that Apple kept that weird, weird case…

Audio Brand of the Year

Bowers & Wilkins

There's something undeniably elite, sophisticated and next-level about B&W's products, whether it's the luxurious five-star PX8 S2 headphones, the deliciously expensive earbuds, or its astounding new-generation Diamond-series speakers. Clearly, the readers agreed that the attention to both design and sound here is a cut above the rest.

Audio Innovation of the Year

Cambridge L/R S speakers

We called this set of bijou active speakers "an immediate pound-for-pound market-leader contender" in our five-star review. There are two channels of amplification for each speaker, and a full DSP crossover which acts as a PWM signal to each amplifier, for astounding accuracy, and custom connecter between the speakers for ensuring all of that comes through appropriately. Are they a tad over-engineered? Perhaps — but this is an innovation award, and it seems like that's exactly what the readers responded to.

Best Wireless Headphones

Sony 1000X The Collexion

What better way to mark a whole decade (yes, we feel old too) since Sony's now modern classic 1000X headphones landed than to distill everything that's ever been great about them into a solo, celebratory product? OK, they're the company's priciest set of wireless Bluetooth headphones yet but, as we said in our Sony 1000X The Collexion review, "their luxurious build, detailed sound, and top-tier comfortability help to justify their price tag."

Best Wireless Earbuds

Sony WF-1000XM6

Another Sony winner, and no one can argue with Sony's detailed sound quality. But Sony's buds are also always a leader due to their features, and the Quick Attention option, should someone need a quick word with you have the ANC on, alone is a good enough reason for the readers to have voted for these buds.

Best Open Earbuds

Shokz OpenFit Pro

We were happy to see that, despite their not-insignificant asking fee, these are getting the recognition they so fully deserve. The fit is secure and fuss free (aided by extra optional bands in the box, which are useful for sports), and the excellent active noise reduction is nothing short of class-leading. Read our full Shokz Openfit Pro review for the full match report, but as far as we're concerned, Shokz hit an ace here.

Best Value Headphones

Sony WH-CH730N

There's a strong set of features in Sony WH-CH730N for the money, plus competent sound and a nifty, foldable design. At such a low price, the all-round quality you get here is impressive, and Sony's budget headphones have been popular for years — evidently, the new model is landing with readers as well.

Best Value Earbuds

Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus

Earfun's built up a huge, loyal fanbase owing to its consistently good, affordable earbuds. The Earfun Air Pro 4 do nothing to buck that trend, delivering very good value for money, and premium features. So we're not surprised to see them as the readers' pick, and they're a deserving winner.

Best Value Open Earbuds

Anker Soundcore Aeroclip 2

Yes, we're into second-generation ear cuff-style open earbuds in 2026 and long may they reign! The Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 are a solid upgrade over their predecessors, offering higher-resolution audio, better waterproofing, clearer calls, and a more tailored sound, as we explored in our Soundcore Aeroclip 2 review. They benefit from a bit of extra tuning to sound exciting, but they're a great option for fans of this clip-on design, particularly in the pictured 'Burgundy Red' finish. Very 'new romantic'!

Best Wired Headphones

Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000

A huge win for a set of 58mm open-back drivers and A-T's known wizardry in the game. I'd caveat the win by saying you can't just buy these headphones and expect great sound from your source device — you have to buy a decent amp to drive them too — but we've covered it all in our five-star Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 review. Know this: get them properly powered and, as long as you don't care that other people will hear whatever you're listening to, they'll reward you with some of the best audio quality we've ever heard from headphones.

Best Wired Earbuds

Sennheiser CX 80U

When people ask us, "What's the cheapest way to get better sound from my phone?" our response is to name-drop these cheap 2026-release USB-C wired earbuds. For around $35 / £30 you really cannot expect more. OK, you don't get volume controls on the in-line remote and the mic isn't especially good in calls, as we note in our glowing Sennheiser CX 80U review — but you do get agile bass, clarity through mids and vivid, sparkling highs. Pair that with their surprisingly solid noise isolation and you’re looking at an awesome pair of wired buds for music.

Best Bluetooth Speaker

JBL Xtreme 5

JBL seemingly cannot go wrong when it comes to portable speakers, whatever their size — although it's worth noting that this is a big boy… but the triumph is big too. Truth be told, we've never met a JBL Bluetooth speaker we didn't like quite a bit, but this particular model? This is one of the best portable Bluetooth puppies we've ever tested — as our five-star JBL Xtreme 5 review emphasizes — so it's easy to see why the readers picked it.

Best Wireless Speaker

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker

If your budget can stretch to it, there’s just so much to like about the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, and so little to take issue with — and we're happy that you think so too. In our Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review we appreciated the tall, punchy and well-defined spatial audio performance from a winsome and well-made Wi-Fi speaker.

Best Portable Audio Player

Astell & Kern PD5

Astell & Kern's newest 'entry level' hi-res audio player (we put that in quotation marks purely because entry level for A&K may be different for the rest of us…) is a simple and deserved winner here. The hi-res digital audio player specialist knows what it's doing with quality portable music machines.

Best Turntable

Sony PS-LX5BT

This is Sony's joint-newest Bluetooth record player (the slightly pricier of a new duo), and because the PS-LX5BT features Bluetooth transmission via the aptX Adaptive codec, it'll give you better-quality streams if your receiver is up to it. Because of its onboard phono stage, it can also hard-wire to pretty much any system you care to mention — and to top it all off, Sony's made the whole thing automatic where playback is concerned. See our full Sony PS-LX5BT review for the full scoop on why this is the beginner-friendly player to beat — something the readers clearly agreed with.

Best DAC

Astell & Kern AK HC5

In our full-fat review of the HC5, we praised this little hi-res audio DAC for the spacious detail it brought to our portable music game, its classy build and finish and the fact that it really is portable. Essentially, it gives your phone, laptop or even your games console the audio skills of a top-end hi-res music player.

Best Stereo Speakers

Cambridge L/R S

A double win for the colorful little Cambridge speakers! These little beauties also won our readership's Audio Innovation of the Year gong too, and it means Cambridge's gamble with these all-new active speakers (the smallest and most-intriguing in a new three-strong range) has really paid off. As our Cambridge Audio L/R S review and the awards here prove, they're a winner.

Health & Fitness tech

Health and Fitness Device of the Year

Apple Watch Ultra 4

It's always tough to push the Apple Watch Ultra off the top spot, and readers once again voted it to give it the top price, and that's because it's such a comprehensive best-in-class beast of a smartwatch. While it doesn't look much different from last year's design from the front, the Ultra 4's redesigned sensor array means it can record heart rate readings up to 60 times more often as older models, plus it (finally!) gets a Readiness score. It remains the smartwatch to beat for another year at least.

Health & Fitness Brand of the Year

Garmin

Garmin has had a good year. The hugely popular brand went from strength to strength this year, not only delivering another five-star watch with the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro (among other great adventure- and cycling-focused devices), but also delivering the wearable we named the best screenless fitness tracker of 2026 (and there have been quite a few) — the Garmin Cirqa.

Health and Fitness Innovation of the Year

Google Fitbit Air

Despite hot competition (including the Garmin Cirqa), our readers voted the Google Fitbit Air (which came first) the best health tech innovation of 2026. It was quite revolutionary in the fitness tracker field: up until it landed, the screenless space was dominated by the cripplingly expensive Whoop. The Fitbit Air broke this trend and used the power of Google's existing Gemini AI framework to democratize the AI element, delivering it at a lower price, while keeping the basics nice and cheap for under $100 / £90.

Best Smartwatch

Apple Watch Ultra 4

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 hasn't changed a huge amount since last year (or indeed, since its inception), but it's improving on an already-excellent model with increased battery life and a redesigned health-sensing LED array. This new 'Health Sensing System' takes heart rate readings 60x more often during the day, resulting in what Apple says is the most accurate heart rate detection ever on a wearable. Of course, it's also a fantastic smartwatch with a sumptuous screen and useful features.

Best Running Watch

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro

From a technical standpoint, this may be Garmin's finest watch yet, and the one on every serious endurance athlete's Christmas list. The Fenix 9 Pro takes Garmin's excellent Fenix 8 and adds a brighter screen, an all-titanium nano-moulded case, a new green light for improved visibility, better maps, InReach and Solar options, and loads more. We rated it a five-star triumph in our Garmin Fenix 9 Pro review.

Best Fitness Tracker

Garmin Cirqa

Although the Fitbit Air came first, we labelled the Garmin Cirqa as our ideal 'Goldilocks' tracker: cheaper than the Whoop, but more feature-rich than the Fitbit. Garmin's tracker lasts for over a week and features a tactile button to start-stop workouts and alarms, after which you get a haptic notification. This is a terrific way to interact with a screenless device and get assurance your workouts are being tracked, rather than opening up the app to manually start an activity.

Best Smart Ring

Oura Ring 5

Although there were other smart rings released from the likes of RingConn and Circular this year, the Oura won out again this year simply by virtue of its app's powerful smarts. You do need a membership, but Oura is a premium device, and new health insights along with a redesigned, slimmer ring means it's easy to see why the readers voted it as their pick.

Best Electric Toothbrush

Suri Core 1.0

Suri is the toothbrush company that creates simple sonic toothbrushes with sustainable elements, and it's managed to bring the price down a touch with the Suri Core 1.0, becoming more affordable while retaining its Apple-esque, good-looking design ethos. With the magnetic back attachment and simple dual modes, it's unspectacular, but a free brush head recycling program and a slick look go a long way to making it popular.

Best Connected Fitness Tech

Withings BodyScan 2

Withings' top-flight smart scale is this year's best connected tech entry, which offers so much more than just weight. The retractable handle enables the scale to run currents through the whole body, taking heart rate readings and cardiovascular snapshots in addition to all the usual metrics and a new 'vascular age' metric. Its accurate, reliable, and usable by the whole family with multiple profiles.

Home tech

Home Device of the Year

Philips Hue Essential

The Philips Hue Essential series is an affordable entry to smart lighting that doesn’t compromise on quality. Philips Hue Essential bulbs and LED strips are compatible with all devices in the Hue ecosystem, but work equally well on their own, with brightness, color reproduction, and responsiveness that rivals smart lights costing several times the price.

Home Tech Brand of the Year

Philips Hue

It's been an epic year for Philips Hue. At one end of the scale, the brand has made smart lighting more accessible with the budget-friendly Hue Essential series of bulbs and LED strips. At the other end, the new Philips Hue Bridge Pro lets power users connect over 150 lights in a single network and delivers exciting AI features — with lots more on the horizon. Smart lighting has never been so exciting.

Home Tech Innovation of the Year

Philips Hue Essential

If you like the idea of installing smart lights, but have been put off by the price, the Philips Hue Essential series is for you. This innovative collection of smart lights offers all the best features of the Philips Hue system without the hefty price tag, meaning that it's a game-changer for people put off by the price of whole-home smart lighting in the past.

Best Home Light Tech

Philips Hue Essential

Another win for Philips Hue Essential, though this one was inevitable given its other victories here. The Essential light range is affordable and versatile, offering brightness, color, and smart functionality that belies the products' modest price. In side-by-side tests, it’s hard to differentiate between these and their premium counterparts, and they’re fully compatible with automations, scenes, switches and sensors through the Philips Hue app. A perfect entry to smart lighting.

Best Home Security Device

TP-Link Tapo C660

When it comes to home security cameras, the TP-Link Tapo C660 checks off everything on our wishlist: easy installation, extra long battery life topped up with a solar panel, crisp 4K footage, and no subscription necessary to store it all. It’s remarkably affordable too, and if you have a large property, a multi-camera bundle will let you watch over it from all angles. For peace of mind, it's unbeatable.

Best Robot Vacuum

Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai

The ingenious Spot+Scrub Ai is designed to tackle stubborn dried-on stains that other robovacs can’t handle, using artificial intelligence to identify troublesome dirt and then mopping it repeatedly until it’s gone. Its self-cleaning is exceptional too, and overall it’s an excellent choice for little-and-often cleaning that will keep your floors looking immaculate.

Best Vacuum

Dyson V10 Konical Cordless Vacuum and Auto-Empty Dok

A winning pair — the ultra-light and super-maneuverable Dyson V10 Konical funnels hair to the center of the brushroll to prevent it wrapping around the spindle, while the Auto-Empty Dok removes all the hassle and mess of emptying the vacuum’s dust cup. A perfect duo for allergy-sufferers and pet-owners alike.

Best Air Fryer

Ninja Crispi Pro Glass Air Fryer

The Ninja Crispi Pro’s standout features are its clever glass cooking dishes, which let you store, cook, and serve food with no mess or hassle. The air fryer cooks quickly and quietly, whether you’re crisping up a few fries or roasting a whole chicken, and the dishes are a cinch to clean in the dishwasher when you’re done. Air frying should always be this easy.

Best Coffee Machine

Lavazza Assoluta

The Lavazza Assoluta takes the guesswork out of making espresso with a clever system that scans the barcode on your coffee beans, then tweaks the machine’s brew settings accordingly. Its built-in milk frother prepares creamy lattes and macchiatos without the need to master a steam wand, and its drinks menu is fully customizable. Want an extra shot in your cappuccino? No problem!

Best Value Coffee Machine

Philips Baristina

The Philips Baristina makes brewing espresso with fresh beans just as simple as using coffee pods. It handles dosing, grinding and extraction for you, and its ingenious design with a removeable portafilter handle makes it a cinch to clean compared to a typical automatic coffee maker. A perfect entry-level espresso machine — and accessibly priced, too.

Best Fan

Dyson Hot+Cool HF1

This compact fan will serve you well all year round, offering effective cooling during the summer and efficient heating during the colder months. It’s supplied with a remote, but we were most impressed by the Dyson Hot+Cool HF1's mobile app, which made setting timers and schedules a breeze — and even let us pre-heat a room so it was cozy when we arrived home.

Amazon's early Black Friday deals include up to 60% off Blink, Ring, Fire TV, and more — I've picked the 16 best offers

james.pickard@futurenet.com (James Pickard) — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 13:47:18 +0000

Black Friday is on the horizon, but Amazon isn't waiting until next month to kick off this year's deals season. Several strong offers are already available across its range of own-brand smart home devices, so I've gathered the top 16 offers here if you're in the mood for some early shopping.

• Browse all of today's best deals at Amazon

Some of the best deals are found on smart home tech from Ring and Blink, including some super-cheap doorbells and cameras. One highlight is this Blink Mini 2K+ for just $16.99 (was $39.99), which is a very low price for the latest version of a handy and feature-rich indoor security camera.

Another standout to me is the brand-new Fire TV Stick 4K for $29.99 (was $59.99). That's a very early 50% discount on the upgraded version of Amazon's popular streaming stick, which offers a cheap way to add smart features to a TV and get easy access to all the major streaming services, such as Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, and more.

Some of these offers end soon, so it's perhaps worth snapping those up if you want to bag them now. Although, with Black Friday about to get underway, it wouldn't surprise me if a lot of the deals return in a matter of days — or stay this low for the whole of next month's sales period.

Top 16 early Black Friday Amazon devices deals

Ring

Wired Doorbell 2K

Ring

Battery Doorbell 2K

Amazon

Fire TV Stick 4K

Blink

Mini 2K+ Indoor Camera

Blink

Wired Doorbell 2K+

Blink

Battery Doorbell 2K+

Blink

Outdoor 4 Camera

Blink

Mini Pan-Tilt Camera

Ring

Wired Doorbell 2K Plus

Ring

Battery Doorbell 2K Plus

Blink

Outdoor 4 and Wired Doorbell 2K+ System

Amazon

Fire TV Cube

Amazon

Ember 32-inch 2-Series Smart TV

Amazon

Ember 50-inch 4-Series Smart TV

Amazon

Fire HD 8 Tablet

Amazon

Fire HD 10 Tablet

Lavazza MilkEasy Plus review: affordable frothing made easy

harry.padoan@futurenet.com (Harry Padoan) — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 11:30:00 +0000

Lavazza MilkEasy Plus review

As my millennial colleagues often say: "you don’t wanna see me before my morning coffee". And there's truth to that: having a cappuccino on first waking has become something of a ritual for me; it's more effective than an alarm clock for getting me up and doing anything useful, at least. And since getting my hands on the Lavazza MilkEasy Plus, making a quick drink every day has never been so easy.

As the name suggests, the Lavazza MilkEasy Plus is an incredibly simple to use, and it’s ideal for anyone who wants to whip up a cold or hot caffeinated beverage at home. It comes with four settings: hot milk, foamed milk, hot cappuccino, and cold cappuccino. I’ve tried all of these out over a month-long period of testing, using both dairy and plant-based milks. Should you get one for yourself? Here’s my verdict.

Straight off the bat, something I love about the MilkEasy Plus are its controls. A single backlit button enables you to cycle through the four different modes. Just select your preferred option, wait a few seconds, and the frothing will begin. This makes it an accessible option for anyone — no matter their level of technical or coffee know-how.

(Image credit: Future)

Elsewhere, the included instructions are clear and concise, and after an initial clean cycle, all you have to do is plug the machine’s dock into a power outlet, place the MilkEasy Plus on top, and you’re good to go.

This model comes with a magnetic whisk that easily slots inside the MilkEasy Plus — no awkward installation required. The fact that it's magnetic means that it’s also easy to remove and clean. I was able to scrub the entire device in mere seconds, and while some pesky milk residue can stick to the sides of the MilkEasy Plus, it’s really easy to get off. The whisk and lid are also dishwasher-safe, although the main chamber needs to be hand-washed.

So yes, the MilkEasy Plus is a joy to use, but how does it perform? Well, I was really happy with the results every single time. With dairy milk in cappuccino mode, it whisked up a delightfully thick, creamy foam, which delivered a rich, satisfying flavor.

With foamed milk, I was impressed once more, both with dairy and plant-based milks. All those plant-based baristas will be pleased to learn that this this model is "approved by Alpro", and when using oat milk, this machine really shines. The smooth, velvety texture of the foamed milk was impressive given the modest price of this model, although it did take a good three minutes to prepare.

This wasn’t a big issue for me, as I set the foaming cycle in motion before drawing an espresso shot from my Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg machine, meaning I wasn’t left waiting. But if you want the speediest performance possible, this might not be the best option for you.

Not surprisingly, the hot milk and cold cappuccino modes produced similarly effective results with dairy and plant-based milk. And I was struck by how quiet the MilkEasy Plus is in use — you won't have to worry about disturbing any friends or family members if you’re making a late-night decaf coffee.

Coffee made with oat milk (in foamed milk mode) Future

Coffee made with semi-skimmed milk (in hot cappuccino mode)Future

While I had an overwhelmingly positive experience with the MilkEasy Plus, I do have a couple of minor quibbles that are worth a mention.

Like a lot of rivals, the markings for quantity on the inside of the cup are a little difficult to read, and I found myself having to angle the machine to see the maximum fill line when adding milk. My other critique is that the MilkEasy Plus doesn't have a handle, so it can be slightly awkward to handle while pouring. This isn’t a major problem, and it’s still easy enough to grip, but a handle would have taken things up a notch.

Still, this model's build quality is impressive, especially given its relatively low £79 / AU$119 (about $100) list price. The quality of the MilkEasy Plus’ results, its user-friendly controls, and easy cleaning all combine to make it a top-tier option. And while a steam wand will always be superior for latte art, this model is tough to beat for casual coffee drinkers like me.

(Image credit: Future)

Lavazza MilkEasy Plus review: price & release date

Priced at £79 / AU$119 (about $100)
Released in July 2026

The Lavazza MilkEasy Plus was released in July 2026, and is available in the UK, a number of European markets, and Australia. It isn't available directly in the US, but could conceivably be imported.

This is a relatively budget-friendly model, coming in at £79 / AU$119 (about $100), making it cheaper than some of our favorite picks such as the Smeg Mini Milk Frother (£99.95, about $140 / AU$210) and the Dreo Baristamaker ($99 / £119.99, about AU$150).

Lavazza MilkEasy Plus review: specs

Dimensions	4.3 x 4.3 x 8.2 inches / 110 x 110 x 208mm
Minimum capacity	3oz / 90ml
Maximum capacity	6oz / 180ml
Motor	460W
Modes	4

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Lavazza MilkEasy Plus?

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if…

You want hot and cold frothing
The Lavazza MilkEasy Plus has both hot and cold foaming capabilities, and produces great results across the board. Just press the backlit button, select your preferred type, and your milk will be ready in minutes.

You want a simple and easy-to-clean machine
The Lavazza MilkEasy Plus is very easy to clean. The transparent lid and whisk can be placed in the dishwasher, and the main chamber can be hand-washed in a matter of seconds. The dock can’t be submerged in water, though, so wipe it clean with a wet or dry cloth instead.

Don’t buy it if…

You want to do latte art
The MilkEasy Plus produces thick, creamy results, but it perhaps lacks the close-control that a steam-wand provides for doing latte art.

You want the speediest performance around
While the MilkEasy Plus is a smooth, quiet operator, it’s not the speediest performer around. It took a good few minutes for a foamed milk cycle to finish. For more instant results, you may want to look elsewhere.

Lavazza MilkEasy Plus review: also consider

Smeg Mini Milk Frother
This machine shares a lot of similarities with the MilkEasy Plus. It's simple to use, produces thick hot or cold foam that would work well for regular or iced cappuccinos, and it can be cleaned in a matter of seconds. Its compact and sleek design also helps it to stand out from a lot of the competition. Read our full Smeg Mini Milk Frother review.

Dreo Baristamaker
While the Dreo Baristamaker is on the bulky side, we were really impressed by its consistent results, quiet operation, and ease of use. If you want a higher maximum milk capacity, this is a great alternative to the MilkEasy Plus. Read our full Dreo Baristamaker review.

How I tested the Lavazza MilkEasy Plus

(Image credit: Future)

I spent one month testing the Lavazza MilkEasy Plus, using it as a key part of my coffee-making setup almost every day. I tried all four of the frothing modes, and made sure to use whole and semi-skimmed milk, as well as oat milk to assess consistency across different types. I used the Lavazza MilkEasy Plus alongside my Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg capsule coffee machine for this review.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing gadgets here at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve tested everything from home products such as the Dreo Smart Misting Fan 516S to Dolby Atmos soundbars, like the Marshall Heston 120.

Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
First reviewed: October 2026

YouTuber makes a fully functioning solar cell at home using a microwave

David Nield — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 15:50:51 +0000

A new YouTube video shows the process of making a solar cell
Low-cost, household items and tools are used throughout
The solar cell works and get reach up to 5% efficiency for conversion

We've heard of DIY solar before, but this is next-level: YouTuber Dr. Semiconductor has been able to create fully functional solar cells, using low-cost household materials and items, which can reach up to 5% efficiency.

That's a long way short of professional solar panels of course, but if you check out the video (via Interesting Engineering), you'll see it's all done without the industrial-scale facilities and instruments usually involved. In fact, you too could do this at home.

Everything included in the video has been sourced from retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, and eBay, and with fairly standard tools — including sandpaper, household solvents, a repurposed PC cooling fan, and a 3D printer.

There's a full guide online if you do want to try this yourself, and while some technical capabilities are definitely needed, it's a fascinating science experiment to try out (even if you're not going to be saving on your electricity bill anytime soon).

Microwave manufacturing

Standard solar panels use silicon semiconductors doped with phosphorus to create the electrical boundary that converts light into energy, and Dr. Semiconductor followed the same principles here, starting with a p-type silicon wafer sourced from Amazon.

The YouTuber then turned to a microwave kiln, widely available at retailers but more typically used for arts and crafts projects. It sits inside a standard microwave and converts microwave energy into heat.

That heat was used to diffuse phosphorus into the silicon wafer, but temperature control was crucial: too much and the silicon melted completely. Around 1,000C (1,832F) was necessary to get the silicon and phosphorus fused together.

With some further refining and the addition of soft metal contacts, the solar cell was complete, and tested via a multimeter. What's more, Dr. Semiconductor says there's lots of room to improve on the process — so expect future follow-ups.

Amazon announces five new Blink home security cameras

rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies) — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:32 +0000

Amazon is launching five new Blink security cameras
This includes its farthest-reaching camera yet, and its first pan-tilt-zoom device
All five models are available to preorder in the US, with international availability yet to come

Amazon is refreshing its range of Blink home security cameras with five new models, introducing the company's first-ever 4K, spotlight, and pan-tilt devices, which are now available to preorder in the US.

The first two of Blink’s new models are new additions to its existing XR lineup — one being the walkie-talkie-looking Blink Frontier XR+, a device built for larger homes in remote locations and the company’s ‘farthest-reaching camera yet’. It’s available to preorder in the US now for $199.99, which includes a Sync Module XR+.

(Image credit: Amazon / Blink )

Unlike standard homes, properties with long driveways and surrounding land, or even job sites that are far out from the main building are more difficult to surveil. Amazon has designed the Blink Frontier XR+ to reach these faraway areas without it having to be close to the main hub, and can reach areas up to 7,000 feet away from the main hub with a clear line of sight, but requires a Sync Module XR+ to achieve this.

The other device coming to the XR lineup is the new Blink Outdoor 2K XR+, which also requires a Sync Module XR to push beyond standard Wi-Fi range. Blending 2K video with 1080p resolution, the camera packs a 115-degree field of view and can reach 800 feet away from the Sync Module XR with obstruction, or up to 2,700 feet with nothing in the way.

Likewise to the Blink Frontier XR+, the Outdoor 2K XR+ is handy for keeping an eye out on extended driveways and gates, and can be preordered now for $149.99 (which also includes a Sync Module XR).

(Image credit: Amazon / Blink)

Not only is Blink launching its farthest-reaching camera, it’s also releasing its inaugural 4K device. The Blink Mini 4K+ ($79.99) is a compact model built for both indoor and outdoor use, fitted with a 115-degree field of view and dual-band Wi-Fi 6 that’s ‘built to capture detail that lower-resolution cameras miss’, Amazon shares.

While it packs standard home security features such as two-way audio, you’ll need to sign up for a compatible Blink subscription plan to take advantage of features such as Smart Alerts with person and vehicle detection.

The new $109.99 Blink Spotlight Cam 2K+ marks another first for the maker of the best home security cameras, being its first battery-powered spotlight camera that uses hi-res video and built-in illumination to boost surveillance quality after dark. Its wireless setup gives you more flexibility placement-wise, allowing you to place it in the areas you feel need added surveillance.

(Image credit: Amazon / Blink)

Lastly, Blink is launching its first pan-tilt-zoom device with the Mini Pan-Tilt 2K+, the cheapest model in the new lineup at $49.99. Designed for both indoor and outdoor monitoring, Blink’s first pan-tilt camera has 350-degree pan and 115-degree tilt for wide viewing angles, but it doesn’t just capture a static frame — it follows action at the same time. That said, if you want to use it outdoors, you’ll need a Blink Camera Outdoor Adapter, which is sold separately.

(Image credit: Amazon / Blink)

As mentioned, all five devices are available to preorder in the US now, and customers in Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, and New Zealand can also preorder the Blink Mini 4K+ and Blink Mini Pan-Tilt 2K+. As for the Blink Frontier XR+, Blink Outdoor 2K XR+, and Blink Spotlight Cam 2K+, these will be available in Canada, but we don’t know when they will be available internationally.

9 compact portable coffee makers for a reliable caffeine hit wherever you go

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 04:00:00 +0000

For caffeine addicts, a dedicated coffee machine is a worthy investment. But that's very much an at-home setup — what about when you're out and about? Sometimes, a great local coffee shop will satisfy your cravings, but that's no given. If you're serious about your caffeine hit, best to arm yourself with a sturdy, portable coffee maker that leaves nothing to chance.

There are a handful of brands that dominate in this market. One is AeroPress, which shot to popularity with its innovative design that aims to combine the best bits of French press, pour-over, and espresso brewing. The original model's compact, plastic build makes it pretty travel-friendly, but now there's also a smaller 'Go' version with an integrated travel cup and filter-paper holder.

Wacaco makes a range of sturdy, hand-powered brewers that deliver an espresso with a rich crema. You release a front button and then press it in to extract the coffee — your squeezes turn into 18 bars (261 PSI) of stable pressure inside the capsule. Don't have the means to boil water up separately? The OutIn does the heating part for you. It's USB-C rechargeable and works with capsules or ground coffee. This one's also great if the manual part poses a problem for you: it starts brewing at the press of a button, with no pushing or squeezing required. (Dreame has a similar self-heating portable machine on the way, but it's not on sale yet.)

One final system it's worth drawing attention to is the Rok Presso. This looks a little bit like a two-armed corkscrew, although it's rather bigger in real life. You add ground coffee, press down on the arms, and rather than pulling up a cork, the mechanism below produces a shot of espresso. It's not the most portable option here, but as a power-free, streamlined alternative to a traditional machine it's intriguing.

Scroll down for a closer look at all of these, plus more options for on-the-go coffee that won't disappoint.

Compact coffee kits

WACACO

Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker w/ Case

AeroPress

Go small portable coffee maker

WACACO

Minipresso GR2 Portable Coffee Maker

OutIn

Nano 2 Portable Electric Espresso Machine w/ Self-Heating

ROK

Presso Smartshot Manual Espresso Maker

Bodum

Travel Press mug

OutIn

Mino Portable Espresso Machine w/ self-heating

AeroPress

Original Coffee Press

La Cafetière

Brewstir 2-In-1 Tea and Coffee Infuser

12 days of nerd-friendly Advent calendars — from rubber ducks to Funko Pops

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 22:00:00 +0000

Chocolates are all well and good, but these days there are plenty of Advent calendars that hide something a little exciting — or unexpected — behind their little cardboard doors. Fans of tiny little beauty products or miniature candles are well catered for, but what about the nerds, hmm?

I've had a good old hunt around for what I think are the best nerd-friendly Advent calendars you can buy. Lego's advent calendars are an established annual delight, but I discovered that Funko Pop also makes a wide range of calendars with dinky figurines to suit various fixations. There are calendars for stationery addicts, Japanophiles, and puzzle-breakers.

While snack preferences can transcend social groups, I couldn't ignore the appeal of 12 days of artisan cheese (and associated condiments), nor the lure of Red Bull's Advent calendar variety pack. The latter contains a standard can for each of the 24 days leading up to Christmas — although it's perhaps advisable to spread out the drinking a bit more than that.

Scroll down for 12 days of Advent calendars for every kind of nerd.

Countdown time

Funko

Pocket Pop! Universal Horror Countdown Advent Calendar

sugoimart

30 Nights of Japan Advent Calendar

Red Bull

Variety Pack Advent Calendar

Hasbro

Clue Advent Calendar

Funko

Pocket Pop! Pokémon 24-Day Countdown Calendar

Met

Museum Favorites Advent Countdown, Second Edition

Joyfy

Countdown to Christmas Rubber Duck Advent Calendar

Papier

24 Day Stationery Advent Calendar

Murray's

12 Days of Cheese countdown calendar

Lego

Star Wars Advent Calendar

Funko

Pocket Pop! Marvel Advent Countdown Calendar

McSweeney's

2026 Advent Calendar

Last orders! Breville’s Birthday Sale ends in 24 hours – save an extra 10% on already-discounted espresso machines with our exclusive code

Max Langridge — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 03:19:58 +0000

It’s been a busy month for coffee machine maestro, Breville. Not only did it celebrate International Coffee Day at the start of the month, but this October is also the company’s birthday month. And to mark the occasion, you can save up to AU$550 on a range of top-performing espresso machines.

And that’s not all, as you can save a further 10% on discounted models with our exclusive Breville coupon code. Alternatively, you can use our exclusive promo code sitewide on the complete range of Breville appliances.

You’ll need to hurry though, as the Breville Birthday Sale comes to a close at 11:30pm AEDT 21 October.

Breville is, of course, responsible for some of the best coffee machines in Australia, and as a result, it can make choosing the ideal model for your household a little bit trickier. To help guide you to cafe-quality coffee at home, I’ve picked out some of my favourite models below. All of them have received an initial discount, and I’ve listed the final price after our 10% discount code has been applied.

Barista Express Impress (BES876): was $869 now $719.10
The Barista Express Impress is one of the true standout models in Breville's repertoire. Key to its success is the Impress tamping lever, which ensures you apply the same tamping force to your ground beans each time for optimal results. It also benefits from smart dosing, which will automatically correct the grind size if the machine detects the previous espresso was under- or over-extracted.View Deal

The Barista Touch is a great choice for anyone who wants to see the drink they're hoping to make. A large colour touchscreen dominates the front panel, with a drinks menu to swipe through. Making adjustments to your coffee is a breeze, and combined with a compact integrated grinder, tamping functionality, auto-dosing, and auto milk frothing, and even Thermo Jet technology for quick heat-up times, it's practically foolproof.View Deal

The Oracle Jet is no doubt an investment, but one that's well worth it if you take your coffee seriously. It too gets a large colour touchscreen, making it easy to select and see whatever drink you want. It will grind and tamp for you (and give intelligent feedback), and can steam milk (including non-dairy) automatically too. Plus, it heats up and is ready to use in seconds. View Deal

If it's a more simple coffee maker you're after, then the Bambino Plus deserves your attention. It make look basic, but it's rather intelligent, and can take care of most of the coffee making process for you. Grind some beans into the porta filter (you will need a separate grinder), insert it into the group head and use the one-touch controls to brew. It also has a hands-free milk texturing system for expertly frothed milk, while ThermoJet technology means the machine is ready to use in seconds. There's very little you need to do other than simply enjoy the results.View Deal

The Barista Express is about as iconic as they come. It has everything one needs for cafe-quality coffee at home, including built-in grinding, dosage control and a hand tamp. You can also customise the water volume and temperature for the perfect espresso. While it's available in various colours, the three different shades of black work out to be the most affordable once our coupon code is applied. View Deal

The Oracle is one of Breville’s older machines, but it still more than holds its own against newer alternatives. It boasts automatic grinding, dosing, tamping and milk texturing, while its dual boiler means you can extract espresso and foam milk at the same time. View Deal

Apple’s HomeView costs $299 / £299 / AU$449 — but that doesn't unlock all of its best features

Graham Barlow — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 16:37:11 +0000

Apple’s new AI-powered home hub, the HomeView, is officially shipping on November 13. Featuring a 7-inch touchscreen, and coming in wall-mounted or tabletop versions, the new must-have Apple device seems a snip at just $299 / £299 / AU$449 — but that price doesn't reflect the true cost of accessing its best features.

One of the things that really makes the HomeView unique is that it recognizes your face, then adapts its display so you see your personal content in apps like Messages, FaceTime, Calendar, Reminders, and Find My. It’s a great feature, because having to keep logging in manually all the time would be a real time-consuming turn-off for a device that’s used by all the family.

But a note on the Apple newsrooms page about HomeView says “Apple HomeView setup and multiuser support require a compatible iPhone or iPad running the latest software.” It goes on to say that “Personal Context requests require a paired Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad running the latest software version with Siri AI turned on and set to a supported language.”

(Image credit: Apple)

You need a modern iPhone or iPad

Apple’s wording features two overlapping statements. A compatible iPhone or iPad is required to set up the HomeView, but one that runs Apple Intelligence is required for Personal Context requests. In practical terms, you need an iPhone 15 Pro, any iPhone 16 or newer model, an A17 Pro iPad mini, or an M1-or-newer iPad. The standard iPhone 15 does not qualify.

The Apple HomeView isn’t useless without those devices — it can still answer general-knowledge questions, control compatible smart-home products, and offer improved music discovery. However, it won’t be able to process requests involving personal information, such as finding details in Messages or Calendar and taking actions across apps, which require a modern iPhone or iPad. Siri AI must be enabled, and the HomeView and paired device must use a supported language.

But there is one even narrower requirement: customizing Siri’s expressiveness and speaking speed requires an iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone Air, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Duo, or an M4-or-newer iPad with at least 12GB RAM. Obviously, that's a small voice-personalization feature, not the threshold for ordinary Personal Context requests, but it’s still worth noting.

@techradar
♬ original sound - TechRadar

The complete Apple AI home costs considerably more

When we look into the HomeView’s smart-home features, which are part of Apple’s wider smart-home ecosystem, things get even more complicated. With a compatible HomeKit Secure Video camera, Apple Intelligence can do the following, genuinely useful, things:

Summarize recorded activity: Instead of merely saying “Motion detected,” the Home app can describe what happened, such as a person leaving a package or a dog entering the garden.
Search recordings conversationally: You can search using requests such as “Show me when the parcel was delivered”, or, “When did the children get home?”, rather than manually scrolling through clips.
Connect related activity: The Home app can group or surface significant moments captured across different cameras.

Once again, an Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhone or iPad is required — this time to set up and enable the camera-intelligence features. Apple says footage is processed locally by the home hub or using Private Cloud Compute, rather than simply handing the analysis to the paired iPhone.

The complete list of what you need for these features to function is: a HomeKit Secure Video-compatible camera, HomeView or another compatible Apple home hub, an Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhone or iPad, and an eligible iCloud+ subscription. In other words, simply buying a HomeView alone does not give you the AI camera summaries or searchable recording history.

iCloud+ plans start at $0.99 / AU$1.49 for 50GB of storage a month, then $2.99 / AU$4.49 for 200GB and $9.99 / AU$14.99 a month for 2TB. Recorded HomeKit Secure Video footage is retained for 10 days, and does not count against your normal iCloud storage allowance.

Of course, you can still view a compatible camera’s live feed and receive basic accessory notifications without paying for recorded history, but you need that iCloud+ subscription for HomeKit Secure Video storage, and for AI features that analyze and search those stored recordings.

At $299 / £299 / AU$449 the HomeView therefore doesn’t independently provide the complete experience Apple demonstrates. Owners of an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 or another qualifying device may already have everything they need for Personal Context. But people using a standard iPhone 15 or an older model could discover that their new household AI device is considerably less personal unless they upgrade their phone too.

That may suit Apple perfectly: HomeView isn’t just another product, but another reason to keep every device in your home relatively new, compatible and attached to an Apple service. For buyers who haven’t studied the footnotes, however, the difference between what HomeView can do alone, and what Apple shows it doing, could prove frustrating.

Fuse Energy reveals UK's first plug-in solar and battery system combo

alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake) — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 16:09:48 +0000

The UK’s Fuse Energy has announced a plug-in solar product
It combines solar panels with a 2.5kWh plug-in battery
It’s due on sale next year, provided plug-in batteries are made legal

With energy prices soaring thanks to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, you might be looking to plug-in solar panels to help cut your bills. To that end, the UK’s Fuse Energy has just announced the country’s first plug-in solar panels that come with an included battery, so you can harvest your own energy and store it for when it’s needed most — though the combination isn't yet legal in the UK.

The Jules by Fuse scheme lets you plug up to four 500W solar panels into a standard socket and use them to collect solar energy. This can be stored in the included 2.5kWh battery, with the Fuse app deciding when to store power and when to start using it from the battery.

Fuse frames the device as a handy product for people who a renting, living in an apartment or whose house roof is not suitable for solar panels. Instead of requiring scaffolding and a suitable home structure, the panels and battery can be placed on a balcony, mounted on a wall or placed in a garden.

That means accessing solar energy and storing it at home need not be limited to homeowners living in properties with suitable roof spaces. That said, there is a catch to be aware of with Fuse’s new initiative.

Waiting to clear the legal hurdle

(Image credit: Fuse Energy)

As we noted earlier, you can’t get one of Fuse’s Jules setups installed today, as they’re not technically legal in the UK yet. Fuse says that the first deliveries of the product are “expected post legislation approval in 2027,” so if you’re interested, all you can do for now is pre-order one using Fuse’s waitlist.

Once the relevant legislation is passed and the Jules does become available, Fuse says it will cost £577 and will save you around £180 a year in electricity bills, meaning it’ll be paid off in a little over three years. In contrast, Fuse says that standard rooftop solar panels can set you back between £7,000 and £8,000, plus scaffolding and installation costs.

The big difference with plug-in solar kits — which only became legal in the UK in August 2026 — is Fuse’s inclusion of a battery in its Jules setup. This can make a real difference because it lets you power your house using the energy you’ve collected even when the sun isn’t shining, keeping you juiced up in all conditions.

(Image credit: Fuse Energy)

Rival provider Octopus Energy is planning similar home battery products called the Nook Cube (2kWh) and Nook Colossus (5kWh or 10kWh, expandable to 30kWh) — also due to launch in 2027. Octopus’s own plug-in solar panels have repeatedly sold out since going on sale, although they don’t come with their own batteries.

While we’re waiting for battery legislation to pass, it’s a good idea to read up on the existing rules surrounding solar batteries and panels, as they’re not as simple as you might think. Hopefully things will become clearer next year, when the likes of Fuse and Octopus are confident that plug-in batteries will have passed the legal hurdles in their way.

Lavazza Tabli review: eco-friendly coffee tablets make quick, delicious espresso

catherine.ellis@futurenet.com (Cat Ellis) — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Lavazza Tabli: 30-second review

Coffee pods are out, and tablets are in. Recently, Keurig announced that it was killing off the K-Cup in favor of compressed coffee tablets, but it wasn't the first to the punch. Italian coffee company Lavazza had debuted its own coffee tablets and brewer — the Tabli system — months before, and it's excellent.

The main appeal of Tabli's compressed coffee pucks (called tabs) is their minimal packaging — there's no metal or plastic pod that needs to be recycled after each brew or worse, end up in landfill. Using ground coffee or whole beans is a much less wasteful way to prepare an espresso, but it takes longer, and while it's a fun hobby for some of us, not everyone is interested in getting into the technicalities of brewing a balanced shot.

Each of Lavazza's tabs provides exactly the right amount of coffee for a single serving, so there's no weighing required, and no loose grounds to make a mess of your counter. The whole process is just as clean and simple as using coffee capsules, but without the empty capsules to dispose of at the end. It seems like such a simple idea that it's surprising it hasn't hit the mainstream before — and the results are very impressive.

I've become quite picky during my years reviewing coffee machines, and the Tabli system produces a better-tasting brew than any coffee capsule I've tried. Its app compatibility is a nice touch too, but the ease of use and flavor are what really count — and they're both truly impressive.

(Image credit: Future)

Lavazza Tabli: price and availability

List price $129 / £199 for the machine alone
Available as a bundle that includes a milk frother and coffee tabs
Tabs are competitively priced and cheaper than Nespresso

The Tabli coffee machine has a list price of $129 / £199. That's between AU$190 and AU$380, though the Tabli system isn't available in Australia yet. There are also bundles available that include the Lavazza MilkEasy frother and several boxes of Tabs for much less than all the components would cost separately.

Although it's not the cheapest single-serve coffee maker around, bear in mind that unlike some of its rivals, the Tabli system won't sting you with the price of coffee in the longer term. Bosch Tassimo machines, for example, are very cheap, but the pods are some of the priciest around.

A box of 12 Tabs costs £5.89 in the UK, which is about 49p per drink. You can also pick up a multipack of eight boxes for £40, which brings the cost per drink down to 42p.

Things are slightly more expensive in the US, where you can buy a four-pack of boxes for $48, meaning each drink costs $1. That's still very reasonable, though. For comparison, Nespresso Vertuo capsules cost between $1.40 and $1.60 each.

Value score: 4.5/5

Lavazza Tabli: specifications

Name	Lavazza Tabli
Type	Tablet coffee maker
Dimensions (W x H x D)	6.5 x 12.9 x 15.4 inches / 16.5 x 32.7 x 39cm
Weight	9.9lbs / 4.5kg
Water reservoir capacity	40.58oz / 1.2 liters
Milk frother	No (but can be bought with a standalone one)
Bars of pressure	15 bar
User profiles	None

Lavazza Tabli: design

Sleek, modern aesthetic
Minimalist controls
Available in three colors

The Lavazza Tabli is a sleek-looking single-serve coffee maker that comes in three colors: graphite black (shown here), sand white, and walnut brown. The top panel has four buttons — power, single shot, double shot, and lungo — and slides back with a smooth motion to reveal the small chamber resembling the bottom of a manual espresso machine’s filter basket, where you’ll place the compressed coffee pod.

There are also warning lights that will alert you if the used tab collection bin has been removed or needs emptying, if the water tank needs filling or hasn’t been properly inserted, and if the machine needs descaling.

(Image credit: Future)

At the very back of the top panel, you’ll notice a flashing blue light, which indicates that the Tabli machine is ready to connect to your phone via Bluetooth. Once it’s connected, the blue light will remain steady — but more on that later.

Unlike some other Lavazza coffee machines, such as the Assoluta, the Tabli doesn’t have its own milk frothing system. However, if you’re a fan of lattes and cappuccinos, the Tabli is available bundled with a standalone frother that works extremely well. My colleague Josh Russell has just finished testing it and will be publishing his review very soon.

The Tabli has a small drip tray that’s just the right height for an espresso cup. If you want to brew into a larger cup or mug, just slide the tray out to make room. Behind the tray, you’ll find the bin into which the Tabli machine drops used coffee tabs. The tabs don’t break apart, keeping mess to a minimum, and are caught in a basket so they’re not left sitting in water.

(Image credit: Future)

Unlike most other coffee makers I’ve tested, the Tabli dispenses dirty water into this bin after rinsing itself rather than expelling it into the drip tray — a tidier solution that keeps the front of the machine clean.

The Tabli’s removable components aren’t dishwasher-safe, but they’re easy to hand-wash, and since this machine doesn’t have an integrated milk frother, there’s minimal maintenance necessary. Just keep the bin and drip tray clean, and follow the descaling instructions periodically.

Design score: 5/5

Lavazza Tabli: performance

Very simple to use
Much better coffee than most single-serve machines
App works well, but Google Home connectivity does not

Using the Tabli is just as simple as any ordinary capsule coffee maker: place your chosen tab in the recess under the lid, slide it closed, and pick the type of drink you want. A minute later, your drink will be ready to enjoy.

Coffee tabs are given a strength score on a scale of 1-13, and although there are currently only six types available, if the system proves successful, I'm hopeful Lavazza will increase its range.

There aren't any of the elaborate flavors you get with Nespresso or Tassimo pods; all Tabli tabs are made using nothing but compressed coffee, with no additives, and in my opinion that's no bad thing.

(Image credit: Future)

I've tried three Tabli varieties during testing. Qualità Rossa and Qualità Oro both produced a smooth-tasting, easy-drinking espresso, while the Espresso Ristretto was a little punchier — but not at all bitter.

None of them had the astringent taste I associate with most coffee capsules, and their taste is much more like a drink made with freshly ground coffee beans. The espresso also has a good layer of crema that beats what I've come to expect from single-serve machines.

(Image credit: Future)

The Lavazza Tabli has a smartphone app, which you can use to operate the machine remotely and create custom drinks. After installing the Tabli app, you’ll be prompted to create an account and then connect your coffee maker. This was quick and easy; the app will request permission to search for nearby devices, then locate the Tabli machine without the need to scan any QR codes. The first time I connected to the machine, I was prompted to grant access to my calling history and contacts, but it seems this was a temporary bug. Following an app update, I disconnected from the Tabli machine, then restarted the process, and the prompt did not appear.

The app is nicely designed, and the brewing options are presented front and center. You can choose from the machine's three brewing options or create your own, give it a name, and save it for quick access in the future. You can adjust the volume and temperature of the drink, which is particularly useful if you enjoy an Americano in the morning. Because the machine uses prepared coffee tablets rather than ground beans, if you want to change the taste any more, you’ll need to pick a different type of coffee tab,

Future

Naturally, the app allows you to order more tabs (as well as other Lavazza products), but you have to scroll down to find the store — it’s not thrust in your face, which is refreshing.

The only issue I encountered involved the coffee maker’s smart home connectivity. The Tabli’s box advertises compatibility with Google Home and Alexa, but during my tests it sadly didn’t work. I was able to connect the Tabli machine to Google Home easily enough, but although Gemini could turn it on, it couldn’t start brewing. Nor could I use voice commands to choose different drinks, as described in the Tabli’s manual.

However, I’m not certain whether this is an issue with the Tabli or with Google Home and Gemini, which aren’t known for their flawless reliability. The Tabli app works exactly as intended, but don't count on being able to brew drinks using voice commands through a smart speaker.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Lavazza Tabli?

Lavazza Tabli score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	Not the cheapest single-serve machine, but bundles are great value and coffee tabs are very reasonably priced for better value in the long term,	4.5/5
Design	Modern design with clean lines, which is easy to clean and maintain. Simple user interface.	5/5
Performance	Brews delicious coffee and is very easy to use. App works well, though smart home functionality does not.	4.5/5

Buy it if

You hate the waste of coffee capsules

Talbi tabs are made from nothing but ground coffee, and their packaging is almost entirely cardboard, with just a thin layer of plastic over the top of the carton.

You want tasty coffee without mess

Tabli tabs are pre-measured and ground, and they don't leave residue or crumbs on your fingers. They produce a smooth, easy-drinking espresso.

Don't buy it if

You really want to experiment

Tabs are made from pre-measured and ground coffee, so you can't tinker with brew options like you can with whole beans.

You really want smart home connectivity

Google Home didn't play nicely with the Tabli during my tests, though I'm not sure whether that's an issue with Lavazza's software or Google's platform.

How I tested the Lavazza Tabli

I tested the Lavazza Tabli for three weeks, using it instead of my usual manual espresso machine. I used filtered water in its tank and used three different Tabli tab varieties. I experimented with brewing coffee remotely and creating custom drinks using the apps. I connected the coffee maker to Google Home and attempted to operate it using typed and spoken commands. I cleaned the coffee maker at the end of each day following Lavazza's instructions.

First reviewed October 2026

Dreame’s self-heating travel espresso machine is a winner

catherine.ellis@futurenet.com (Cat Ellis) — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Dreame is well known for making some of the best robot vacuums and hair stylers around, but it also has a sideline in coffee machines — and they're every bit as good as the rest of its appliances. This week I'm testing its new portable espresso machine, the Dreame Ecceluxe Go, and I think this pint-sized brewer is going to be my new favorite travelling companion.

Of course, there's no shortage of travel-friendly coffee makers available, from the classic AeroPress to the hand-pumped Wacaco Nanopresso. The problem is, they all need to have hot water on hand, which isn't always feasible. Who wants to set up a camping stove and kettle for one drink — and who has the patience?

The Ecceluxe Go eliminates that problem by heating the water itself. It's a smart idea: a single shot of espresso only needs a tiny amount of water, so a portable Li-ion battery and compact heating elements are sufficient to bring it to temperature.

(Image credit: Future)

The device comes in a classy carry case that holds the machine itself (about the size of a small thermos) and a collection of adapters for brewing three different types of coffee pods or grounds. Whether you prefer Nespresso Classic, Dolce Gusto, ESE (Easy Serve Espresso), or freshly ground beans, the Ecceluxe Go has you covered.

Each adapter twists onto the bottom of the brewer, and a flexible cap lifts off the top to reveal a small water reservoir with fill lines to help you add the correct amount. All done? Open the little legs on the bottom of the adapter, place the whole assembly on top of the clear coffee cup supplied in the box, and you're ready to begin.

(Image credit: Future)

The only control on the Ecceluxe Go is a small touch-sensitive LED display. Hold your finger against this for three seconds to power it on, then select one of its two programs. P1 is for brewing with cold or ambient-temperature water, and P2 is for brewing with water that has already been heated. Once you've made your selection, wait three seconds and coffee-making will commence.

The brewer's miniature water tank contains a temperature sensor, and as it heats, you'll see the temperature displayed on its little screen (in centigrade) start to climb. This will take a couple of minutes (it's using a very small heating element), but once the water's good and hot, it will be forced through your coffee preparation of choice, and you'll have a delicious shot of espresso to enjoy, wherever your adventures have taken you.

(Image credit: Future)

I'm testing the Ecceluxe Go with all four coffee types for my full review, which will be published in a couple of weeks, and so far I'm impressed. The flavor is milder than usual, but still tasty and well-suited to drinking as a plain shot.

Dreame doesn't currently have a release schedule for the Ecceluxe Go in the UK, but it's scheduled to arrive in the US, Portugal, and Spain by the end of the year.

Withings is charging smart scale users $100 for a basic health data feature

alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake) — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 22:00:00 +0000

Withings users must now pay a hefty premium to sync data to Apple Health
The change requires a $100 annual subscription to Withings+
Customers are incredibly unhappy with the move

The whole point of using a health and fitness tracker, one would think, is to be able to analyze your data in order to understand your own well-being. New users of Withings’ smart scales, however, have just been stung with an extortionate annual subscription if they want to enjoy that privilege.

As noted on the Withings forum, the company has decided to lock the ability to sync your wellness metrics to the Apple Health app behind a paywall. And this isn’t just some token fee either — you’ll be charged a whopping $99.99 a year. All to do what has always been free (and what many rivals still offer at no cost).

Withings apparently justified the move to the forum poster by citing unspecified “privacy measures” and an “AI connector.” Yet syncing data to Apple Health using the HealthKit framework doesn’t require any server-side processing or hefty AI lifting that might justify such an expensive fee. Instead, the paywall simply gives the impression of being an opportunistic revenue booster.

The post on the Withings forum described the move as a “silent and incredibly anti-consumer change” and pointed out that anyone who signed up on or after October 13, 2026, would be subject to it. Existing users won’t be forced to pay, but that’ll come as little consolation to everyone else.

A controversial move

(Image credit: Getty Images)

It’s safe to say that the optics don’t look good for Withings, and users have been understandably upset at the move. The original poster on the Withings forum labeled the change “an obvious cash grab” that “ruins the hardware experience and destroys the trust in the brand,” adding that “We shouldn't have to pay a subscription to access our own health data.”

On Reddit, users echoed that dissatisfaction, saying “$99 a year is a real joke” and, about Withings’ decision-makers, “They are digging their own grave.” Another Redditor asked, “Why would I ever buy another Withings product, let alone recommend the products to other people, if you have to pay a subscription to access your own data?”

A Withings representative tried to explain that the $99.99 Withings+ subscription includes other features — including “An improved Health Assistant” and “Better-priced access to medical services” — but no user seems to care about any of that. The main concern is the decision to lock a fundamental feature behind a paywall when said feature appears to require no additional costs on Withings’ part.

Given the strength of the customer reaction already, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Withings backtrack and unlock Apple Health syncing in the near future. With many users already saying they’ll either ditch their Withings devices or abstain from buying one in the first place, the ball is firmly in Withings’ court.

The Wyze BodyScan smart scale redefines what is possible at a budget price point

paulo.n.hatton@gmail.com (Paul Hatton) — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Wyze BodyScan smart scale: One-minute review

Over the years, Wyze has released a number of high-profile smart products across a range of different industries. They began with cameras but have expanded their range to offer vacuums, lights, locks, and a collection of affordable smart scales.

The Wyze BodyScan sits just underneath their most premium offering, the BodyScan Ultra, and is the brand’s most affordable 8-electrode BIA (which stands for bioelectric impedance analysis, the method many smart scales use to scan users’ bodies) scale. Offering segmental muscle and fat analysis across a user’s arms, legs, and torso, the BodyScan is more capable than almost all other smart scales at this price point.

As for its positioning in the market, the best smart scales for home users range from $20 for the Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale all the way up to $599.95 / £449.95 / AU$895 for the Withings BodyScan 2. The BodyScan sits just above Vitafit’s offering and sets itself apart with segmented body composition reporting.

The BodyScan boasts a very impressive 4.7-inch LED screen, which displays seven different metrics, including weight, BMI, bone mass, protein, and body water percentage. The display is one of the largest you’ll find on any smart scale, elevating the user experience well beyond the $84.98 price tag.

The remaining metrics, including protein, basal metabolism, and subcutaneous fat, are displayed in the Wyze app. Unfortunately, because the app covers all Wyze products, it’s not a dedicated smart scale platform. The interface provides little more than a presentation of the metrics in both data and graph form. When compared to the premium Withings app experience, the two are worlds apart.

The BodyScan smart scale offers an incredible amount given the small price tag and delivers all the health metrics that most everyday users could ever need. The scale offers only a little more than the basics, but it does those basics without fuss and without stress. If you were to also invest in one of the best smartwatches, then you’d have a great all-round solution for measuring your health progress.

Wyze BodyScan smart scale: Specifications

Component	Wyze BodyScan smart scale
Price	$84.98 USD / £111 GBP / $210 AU
Metrics	17 essential metrics, including body weight, BMI, body fat, muscle mass, and basal metabolism.
Dimensions	11.81 x 13 x 1.49 in / 300 × 330.2 × 37.8 mm
Weight	4.18 lbs / 1.90 kg
Material	Plastic, Silicone, ITO-Coated Glass
Display	4.7-inch Color LED
Battery	4 x 1.5V AAA
Connection	Bluetooth 5.0

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

Wyze BodyScan smart scale: Price and availability

$84.98 USD
Only available in the US
Budget-friendly

At just $84.98, the Wyze BodyScan scale is one of the most affordable on the market, especially if you’re looking for segmented muscle mass and body fat with a high level of accuracy. The app experience and build quality leave a little to be desired, but at this price point there’s nothing better.

If your budget is even tighter and you have no interest in segmented data, then the Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale, for around $20, is currently our best budget pick in our best smart scales buying guide. The scale delivers accuracy that we were “blown away” by across a varied set of metrics, including weight, BMI (although you can calculate this yourself at home, the scale does it for you), bone mass, basal metabolic rate, and more.

Value score 5/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

Wyze BodyScan smart scale: Design

Large 4.7-inch LED display
Cheap and basic handlebar construction
Solid glass base

Let’s begin with one of the main highlights of the BodyScan scale, the huge 4.7-inch LED display. I was so surprised to see a screen of this size that I had to check the price point again. In fact, this is the largest of all displays of any scale featured in our best smart scales guide, and for under $100, its inclusion is even more impressive.

The display is located at the top of the base unit and is big, bright, and super clear even when viewed from six feet away. The benefit of packing the display into the base rather than into the handlebar, like the Withings BodyScan 2, is that they can make it significantly larger and thereby display more information at once. As a result, I found myself opening up the app a lot less compared to other brands.

To keep costs down, Wyze has stripped out a number of additional premium features found on the BodyScan Ultra, but the most noticeable compromise is actually the budget material choice and the basic construction quality of the handlebar. The plastic is cheap, it feels lightweight, and it lacks a locking mechanism, so it won’t automatically stay in position when you’re waiting for measurements to be calculated.

I was glad that these issues don’t translate over to the main base unit. Thanks to a solid plastic base and a thick ITO-coated glass panel, I was left confident that it would stand the test of time. My only issue with the base is an aesthetic one. For some unknown reason Wyze has inserted a protruding plastic rectangle into the middle of the glass, which breaks the otherwise sleek design of the panel.

Design Score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

Wyze BodyScan smart scale: Features

17 body composition metrics
Seven of these metrics are displayed on the scale itself
Syncs with Apple Health, Health Connect, and Fitbit.

The Wyze Bodyscan covers 17 body composition metrics. Seven of these are displayed on the 4.7-inch LED display: Weight, Body Fat Percentage, BMI, Muscle Mass Percentage, Bone Mass, Protein, Body Water Percentage.

These metrics and the 10 remaining ones are displayed in the Wyze app. These are Muscle Rate, Physical Age, Lean Weight, Visceral Fat, Basal Metabolism, Subcutaneous Fat, Fat Mass, Skeletal Muscle Mass, Segmented Muscle Mass, and Body Fat.

Beyond measurements, the Wyze Bodyscan syncs with Apple Health, Health Connect, and Fitbit. It also recognizes up to eight users automatically and has a nine-month battery life.

Features Score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

Wyze BodyScan smart scale: Performance

Comparable results to the industry-leading Withings BodyScan 2
Simple but basic app experience
Managing multiple users is a bit of a hassle

Given the sub-$100 price tag, I didn’t expect very much from the Wyze BodyScan. Not only were my expectations exceeded with regard to design and features but also with overall performance. Despite not having any bells and whistles, the BodyScan manages to do all the basics incredibly well.

The overall experience of using the scale is a positive one. The large display presents seven of the most common metrics, which means most users won’t need to check the app each time they step off the scales. However, when you do find yourself drilling down into the metrics, you’ll discover a very basic app experience. Data is clearly laid out, but there’s no analysis or health advice, as is found in the Withings app. On the plus side, there’s no subscription either.

Part of the reason for the basic app experience is that it handles all Wyze product types and has a significant interface bias towards its cameras. The positive of that is that if you’ve bought into the Wyze ecosystem, then you’ll be able to manage all your smart devices in one place.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

Unfortunately, the app issues don’t end there: there’s no support for a multi-user profile, so other family members will have to download the app on their own phone. That’s fine for other adult members or older children but not if you’re wanting to track the health of your young child.

More positively, when compared to the Withings BodyScan 2 and the RunStar 8E SmartScan Pro, the scale delivered accurate results. This was especially true for the key metrics of weight, BMI, muscle mass, and body fat. There were only two metrics with issues, and those were body water and basal metabolism.

Thanks to the electrodes in the handlebar, the BodyScan is capable of reporting body composition across five separate segments. Measurements are overlaid onto a body graphic within the app, so it’s quick and easy to see where imbalances are located.

The overall speed of the unit was good, with weight being calculated in a matter of seconds and the remaining 16 metrics taking less than 20 seconds. This is about the same length of time as most other scales we’ve tested.

Performance score: 4/5

Wyze BodyScan smart scale: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	One of the most affordable smart scales for body composition segmental reporting. Fantastic value for money.	5/5
Design	An impressively large and bright LED display, but the overall build quality is lacking.	4/5
Features	An excellent set of health-tracking features that are rarely found at this price point.	4/5
Performance	Generally accurate measurements, but the app is too basic for serious users.	4/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

Wyze BodyScan smart scale: Should I buy?

Buy it if

You want to address muscle mass imbalances

The Wyze BodyScan is one of the most affordable ways of getting body composition reporting.View Deal

You need a large-format display

At 4.7 inches, the BodyScan’s color screen is great for those who are slightly visually impaired. View Deal

Don’t buy it if

You want a premium app experience

The Wyze app offers basic reporting and simple graphs but nothing more.View Deal

You need a scale that’s going to last decades

The build quality is no surprise given the budget price. More robust scales exist but you’ll have to pay a premium for themView Deal

Also consider

RunStar 8E SmartScan Pro

A DEXA-verified smart scale that records 28 metrics instead of 17. The downside is that it’s more than double the price.

RunStar 8E SmartScan Pro View Deal

Withings BodyScan 2

The Wyze BodyScan is budget and basic. If you’re interested in a full cardiometabolic assessment, then the Withings BodyScan 2, which delivers advanced features in abundance, is a great choice.

Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale View Deal

How I tested the Wyze BodyScan smart scale

I used the Wyze BodyScan smart scale in my bathroom for several weeks. Each time I used the scale, I measured all 17 available metrics, which enabled me to track accuracy over time as well as whether it was susceptible to fluctuating results. Because of the lack of multi-profile support through one account, I didn’t use the scale with my children.

First reviewed: October 2026

Mova V70 Ultra Complete review: a full-featured robovac let down by subpar performance

sharmishta.sarkar@futurenet.com (Sharmishta Sarkar) — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 03:35:08 +0000

Mova V70 Ultra Complete: Two-minute review

If you've never heard of Mova as a brand, you're not alone as it was initially only available in select European and South-East Asian countries. The brand, which is owned by Dreame Technology, is now expanding and is supposed to be value-focused side of the company — although you'd be hard pressed to believe that when its latest flagship robot vacuum costs upwards $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$3,000.

However, the Mova V70 Ultra Complete brings everything you expect from such an expensive robovac, including some industry-first features that are now being adopted by other brands. This includes suction that's a whopping 42,000Pa at its maximum, as well as the impressively long reach of the side brush and mopping arm (12cm and 17cm respectively). I even love the fact that it eliminates the need for dust bags by using a tank you can clean out every now and then while still remaining as hands-free as possible.

It's also arguably the quietest robot vacuum I've tested, even at maximum suction — so quiet, in fact, that I had to check it was actually cleaning during my testing. Yes, it was.

It's vacuuming prowess, however, isn't a good reflection of its listed suction power, particularly on carpets. Case in point: it failed to pick up a mix of oats, tea and chia seeds from a mid-pile carpet even after two passes on its Max (or second-highest) suction setting. Hair pickup at the same setting is also not that great, but bump it up to Max+ (which significantly impacts battery life) and I found my carpets looking a lot better, with even bits of thread cleaned up. The mixture of pantry essentials, however, still remained and I needed to use my Dyson V15 Detect to clean up the leftovers.

Moreover, the extra reach the side brush promises isn't consistent. For example, I expected it to remain extended as long as the V70 was traversing along a room edge, but it repeatedly retracts, leaving dirt along some sections of a room edge. The timing of the extension while cleaning around furniture legs is also off, with the side brush opening up either just before or just after it gets to a chair leg.

The extending mop arm, however, performs better, but even it retracts along some sections of a room edge, but the bot is close enough for edges and areas around furniture to be mopped, if not vacuumed.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The Mova V70 Ultra Complete uses dual rotating mop pads that, in my opinion, aren't as good as rollers. It made a bigger mess of some spilled soy sauce in my kitchen, which a roller mop doesn't as these are constantly washed with fresh water while the robot vacuum is cleaning. I also found that for hard floors to even seem damp, waterflow rate needs to be set to high.

It's also disappointing that, for an expensive robot vacuum, the docking sequence takes a few tries. In the four weeks of testing, I had to replace the bot in the dock manually twice, but at all other times, it took 2-3 attempts to correctly roll itself back in for self-cleaning and charging.

The companion app is near identical to the Dreame one, but can be slow to load and respond (at least on iOS, which is what I use). And, like its counterpart, some settings are tucked away in submenus, so you need to spend some time going through it all.

While there are features to love here, it's disappointing that they don't really come together well enough to make a complete package, especially when it has to the potential to be one and blow the competition out of the water. For its high asking price, it's a hard one to recommend.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Mova V70 Ultra Complete review: Price & availability

First unveiled in May 2026 in Europe, followed by an August launch in the US
Available in bigger markets, like the US, UK, Europe and Australia
Investment pricing of $1,299 / £1,219 / AU$3,299

The very high $1,299 / £1,219 / AU$3,299 retail price of the Mova V70 Ultra Complete might make you balk but, given its feature set, it shouldn't be all that surprising.

Then again, it's a competitive price when you take into account other flagships recently released, including the $1,699 Roborock Saros 20 Flow (which is unavailable in the UK at the time of writing, but is a lot cheaper at AU$2,499 in Australia) and the Dreame Aqua20 Ultra Roller going for £1,299 / AU$3,299 (unavailable in the US at the time of publication).

All the aforementioned new flagships have different feature sets to justify their high asking prices, but we're yet to try the last two competitors ourselves. Given the results of my testing in this review, however, the Mova V70 Ultra Complete doesn't deliver on its promises as it should, making it a tough sell at its very high price point.

Instead, opting for slightly older models like the Roborock Saros 10 or Saros 20, even the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra, would be the better buy, especially if you can get them at a discounted price.

However, I should note that the Mova V70 Ultra Complete doesn't use dust bags, minimizing your ongoing costs. Plus there's a complete set of replacement brushes and three additional pairs of mop pads in the box, meaning you can go a very long while without needing to buy any replacement parts, adding some additional value to the initial cost.

The only ongoing purchase, if you wish, would be a mopping detergent and/or wood floor-care solution. Only the former is supplied, but Mova recommends you only purchase its proprietary detergents to avoid damaging the appliance and voiding warranty.

• Value score: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Mova V70 Ultra Complete review: Specs

Max suction:	42,000Pa
Robot size:	13.8 x 13.8 inches (35 × 35 × 8.8 cm)
Robot height:	3.4 inches (8.8cm)
Dock dimensions (W x D x H):	16.5 × 18.0 × 18.5 inches (42 × 45.8 × 47 cm)
Mop type:	Dual spinning discs
Max threshold clearance:	Double layer thresholds up to 3.5 inches (9cm)
Dust bin volume (base):	2L
Water tank volume:	4L (clean), 3.5L (dirty)
Base functions:	Charge, empty dust, wash mop pads, dry mop pads, self-clean

Mova V70 Ultra Complete review: Design

Clean, modern design with no dust bag
Retractable LiDAR turret
Extending side brush and mop arm with industry-leading reach

These days, if you've seen one premium robot vacuum, you've essentially seen them all. The Mova V70 Ultra Complete isn't, at least at first glance, very different from nearly every other set-and-forget alternative on the market, although there are some design elements you won't find elsewhere just yet.

Robot design

The first, and arguably the Mova V70 Ultra Complete's headline act, is on the bot itself — the MaxiReachX mechanism for the side brush and a mop arm. What this means is that for both vacuuming and mopping, the bot has quite the reach, extending 12cm and 17cm respectively. This is not only good for edge cleaning and sweeping into room corners, but it also allows the bot to clean around furniture legs that most other robovacs don't necessarily do well.

The efficacy of the cleaning, however, is a different story, with the side brush extension not quite timing itself right when around furniture and not remaining fully extended when traveling along a wall (or room edge). As you can see from the video clip below, the side brush opens just before it actually gets to the chair leg — when the bot 'sees' the furniture' — then retracts.

I do worry about the longevity of the side brush arm, though, as I found it often scraps against a wall or skirting board, which means it could suffer from wear and tear with constant use, potentially cracking or breaking. While it could still be usable, any jagged edges of the broken plastic could scratch walls. In the four weeks of almost daily use I put the Mova V70 Ultra Complete to, there has been no issues, but the sound the extended side brush makes while scraping has often made my jaw clench.

The mop arm, however, does often stay extended longer but, again, not as consistently as I had expected, retracting when the bot gets close enough to a skirting board to not need the extension.

Mova promises that the dual circular mop pads can apply 15N of downward pressure and, in combination with their spinning, should apply a little elbow grease when mopping but, in reality, that's asking for too much from any robot vacuum cleaner.

What I do appreciate is that the mop pads attach magnetically and they're left behind automatically in the dock whenever the V70 needs to vacuum, so there's no fear of dirty dampness transferring on carpets. That said, you can set the bot to vacuum carpets first anyway, so it really doesn't matter either way.

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

Most of its other features are similar to what you'll get with other premium bots, including its retractible navigation turret that allows it to roll under low-lying furniture. However, I should note that I often found the turret elevated when it was knocking against the underside of cabinets, and the bot itself isn't the thinnest on the market — at 8.8cm, it doesn't have as good a clearance as, say, the 7.98cm of the Roborock Saros 10R.

The Mova V70 Ultra Complete also features robotic legs that allow it to climb up to 9cm in two shallow steps, plus dual anti-tangle bar brushes that definitely don't require manual intervention to keep clean. I should mention, though, that during my testing, hair got badly entangled with the large wheels and the side brush, which were difficult to cut away.

One small point of difference on the bot compared to others is that along with lit buttons on the turret, the Mova V70 features a thin bar of blue light when it's powered on. It gives the otherwise white bot a slightly ethereal look in my opinion.

Dock design

The white and silver dock is quite standard on the outside but, instead of housing a dust bag inside, there's a 2L box with a filter that holds up to 100 days' worth of dirt. This means there are no ongoing costs for replacing bags and you're also reducing waste in the bargain. The dust tank, as Mova calls it, is washable, but it also gets dried out after every use, thus reducing the build up of odors and a bacterial or fungal ecosystem within.

Like the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra, the dock also houses a detergent dispenser with two compartments — one for a standard mopping soap, the other for either a pet odor neutralizer or a wood floor-care solution. You will need to use the app to enable the use of these as they're not set to flow into the clean water by default.

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

Both water tanks are under a lid, keeping them out of sight. Moreover, the lids on each tank clip on tightly, so odors from the dirty mop water don't escape in case you forget to clean it out regularly.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

Mova V70 Ultra Complete review: Performance

Hard floor cleaning is good, but carpet vacuuming is disappointing
Excellent navigation and obstacle avoidance
Auto docking requires multiple attempts

Say what you will about the Mova V70 Ultra Complete — and I do have a lot to say about its performance — but the one thing I love about it is how quietly it goes about its work. When vacuuming, even at its Max+ (its highest suction setting), the V70 did not hit more than 66dB on the Decibel X app, when others can average around the 80dB mark at similar settings. Understandably this isn't a very scientific method of measuring sound, but it's a good way to compare.

Even the dock isn't as loud as similar models, with auto-emptying of the onboard bin being easily be missed if you aren't paying attention.

How does it actually clean, though? Let's get into the crux of the matter.

Vacuuming

With up to 42,000Pa on tap, the expectation that the Mova V70 Ultra Complete would be able to ace my tests was high. And while it does vacuum well, especially hard floors, its edge cleaning isn't as good as I hoped it would be. That's due to the fact that, during use, the automatically extending side brush doesn't remain stretched as the bot is rolling along a room edge but, instead, retracts after a few seconds.

In fact, at one point in my tests, the bot moved away from a room edge, leaving behind dirt — a mixture of oats, tea from a tea bag, chia seeds and freeze-dried raspberries to emulate different debris sizes — that most other premium robovacs I've previously tested have successfully cleaned up (see video below).

Otherwise, it tackles regular daily vacuuming well enough on hard floors even at mid-suction settings, but it's a different story on carpets.

While I don't expect side brushes on any robovac to be as effective on carpet as on hard floors, I had hoped that on Max suction, the same mixture of oats, tea, chia seeds and bits of fruit would be easily tackled but, as you can see from the photos below, the V70 left behind a lot even after two passes. Bumping up to Max+ helped only marginally, but debris still remained on the carpet and I had to use my cordless vacuum to clean up the rest.

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

Hair pickup on carpets in the Max setting also wasn't as impressive as I had hoped — around 80% — but it was about 98% when bumped up to Max+. Given this performance, I found leaving the vacuum setting at Max worked best for regular jobs, but occasionally used the Max+ setting when a carpet needed a little extra work. And that's disappointing from such a premium flagship that boasts high suction.

Mopping

The Mova V70 Ultra Complete, however, is slightly better at mopping room edges as I found the extending mop pads stayed open for longer periods of the bot sensed room edges, corners and furniture legs.

Mova says it applies a downward pressure of 15N but, in real-world use, that doesn't translate for any robovac as there's never enough vibrations to emulate 'scrubbing'. So I can't blame the V70 for not being able to clean up a drop of dried up curry on my kitchen floor.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The same downward force also doesn't work along room edges, which I tested by sprinkling a few crystals of charcoal-infused sea salt under my kitchen cabinets and moistening by adding a few drops of water. The tiny black spots remained where they were even after two mopping sessions at high waterflow rates.

Where other premium robovacs have been able to successfully clean up small spills of liquid, like soy sauce, I found that the V70 made more of a mess, spreading the dark liquid across a larger section of floor until I ended its task to prevent the stain from expanding further (see video below).

That said, I was impressed by how well the bot identified furniture legs while mopping and the extending mop pad was able to clean a full 360º around each leg in both my dining and living rooms.

It doesn't, sadly, negate the overall performance of the mopping which, like the vacuuming is disappointing. If you don't have a messy household, though, what the V70 does do will leave you with clean floors — something a far less expensive robovac will also give you.

Here's the good news: the Mova V70 Ultra Complete has impeccable navigation skills with very good obstacle avoidance. Throughout the four-week testing period, not once did the Mova V70 Ultra Complete deviate from its prescribed path, whether that was a quick clean with wider zig-zags or a tighter grid for deeper cleaning.

It also never got lost when told to do a room or zone cleaning, finding the path of least resistance wherever it needed to go, even if there were obstacles in its path.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Speaking of which, the Mova V70 Ultra Complete promises to recognize up to 300 different obstacles, and that includes cables and your pets. For the most part, it gets them correct, although there were instances when it didn't quite recognize some items. For example, a large charging brick on the floor was picked up as a shoe, and that's OK.

All obstacles, even smaller pieces of furniture that you may not have added to the map get picked up and they're marked in the app. Just tap on any of these grey icons and a small diagram and name of the item is shown, along with accuracy of recognition.

The one thing it definitely struggles with is docking on its own — every single time, it took the bot two to three attempts to automatically engage docking. In the four weeks of testing, I was asked to manually replace the bot back in the dock for charging and self-cleaning.

Self-cleaning

Dock performance itself isn't bad, with self-emptying of the onboard bin into the dust tank quite good, leaving only the barest layer of very fine dust sticking to the plastic sides of the smaller box inside the bot. And, as I've previously mentioned, this self-emptying isn't as loud as I've experienced with other robovacs, and I appreciate that.

Like the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra where the dust bag is dried with warm air, the Mova V70 Ultra Complete also dries out the dust tank. However, it takes 5 hours to do so compared to just 3 hours on the Dreame. It's also a lot longer than the V70 takes to dry out the mop pads, which is 3 hours as well. I'm not entirely sure why the dust tank requires more time, and while the additional power consumption is unlikely to make a significant dent in your energy bills, it could become inconvenient if you run the robovac daily.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Mop pad washing is impressive as well, with even dark soy stains being 95% scrubbed away. The good thing is the circular pads can be removed and washed in the machine or soaked in a stain-removing solution to return them to pristine condition.

The wear and tear on the pads, however, is a little more than on other robovacs that use spinning pads. I've spotted bits of fiber stuck on the textured wash tray after only five mopping runs, so it's a good thing that Mova supplies three additional pairs in the box.

Dock maintenance is very easy as well, with the dust tank easy to empty and wash, and access to the tanks is minimal effort.

Battery life

The Mova V70 Ultra Complete uses a 6,400mAh battery pack like many premium robot vacuums and its runtime is quite standard, depending on the suction setting, of course.

For example, when doing a full-home clean on the Max (penultimate) setting in an area approximately 45sqm / 484sq ft, it drops from 100% to 44% when vacuuming only, and 100% to 32% when vacuuming and mopping at the same time. In both cases, dynamic suction was engaged when it detected carpets (which automatically boosts suction slightly).

When I ran it on Max+ (its highest suction) for approximately 20 minutes, battery life dropped from 100% to 82%, but that was nonstop cleaning with no dynamic suction engaged and no need to return to the dock for self-emptying.

This is, of course, based on a smaller test space, so bigger homes might not get a full clean on a single charge, and the one time in my testing when battery dropped off entirely with a task incomplete, the bot didn't pick up where it left off once there was sufficient battery even though I made sure it was toggled on in the app.

• Performance score: 2.5 / 5

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Mova V70 Ultra Complete: App support

Almost identical to the Dreamehome app with similar navigation and setup
Mostly easy to understand, but some settings need a little digging
App can be slow to load and respond

Given that Dreame Technology owns Mova, I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised to see that the MOVAHome app is identical to Dreamehome, with only minor differences, like the color scheme on the home page.

And I do mean identical as the entire bot setup and the settings, plus all the navigation, is the same. Since I've previously used a Dreame robovac, the learning curve needed for me to get around the MOVAHome app was small, but first-time users will need to spend a little time going through every setting to ensure they've got the V70 set up to how they want it, including toggling carpet-first for a 'global clean' and selecting detergent use if necessary.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

However, the MOVAHome app is a little slower compared to the Dreame one, and that includes editing the map as well which, on iOS, was a little tedious to do. So much so, that I decided to not divide the study from the entry hallway in mine. Adding the rug to my living room was a heck of a lot fiddlier than on the Dreamehome app, while it took three attempts to add wall-to-wall carpet to the bedroom on the Mova app.

Once everything is set up just the way you like, though, the MOVAHome app becomes easy to use, and you'll only likely need to select the cleaning type and the space. Setting up scheduled runs isn't hard either, as is creating custom cleaning routines. All in all, it's a clean app, just one that might require some initial time investment to wrap your head around.

• App support score: 4 / 5

Mova V70 Ultra Complete review: Score card

Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	As one of the most expensive models in the market, and given its performance issues, it's hard to recommend.	3 / 5
Design	It's a good-looking appliance with an easy-to-maintain design.	4.5 / 5
Performance	It can handle daily hard floor cleaning, but the tougher jobs are, well, tough for it.	2.5 / 5
App support	It's not a bad app, but it will require a little time investment up front to find all the right settings.	4 / 5

Should I buy the Mova V70 Ultra Complete?

Buy it if...

You don't like the idea of replacement dust bags

While there are some self-emptying cordless vacuums that don't need dust bags, there aren't many robovacs that have adopted the same ethos. So, if you're keen on reducing waste and save on ongoing costs, the V70 can help you do that.

You have high thresholds

The Mova V70 Ultra Complete can climb two shallow steps of approximately 4cm each, with a total clearance of 9cm. So if you have high room thresholds for a robovac to get past, the V70s robotic legs will get over them.

Don't buy it if...

You want value for money

While you get plenty of replacement parts in the box and don't need to buy dust bags, the V70 Ultra Complete is still expensive and its subpar performance means you'll be better off considering a cheaper flagship.

You have mixed flooring

The V70 Ultra Complete will handle daily cleaning easily on hard floors, but tougher jobs, especially on carpets, aren't up to expectations.

Mova V70 Ultra Complete review: Alternatives

I like that the Mova V70 Ultra Complete brings some good features to the market but, given its performance during my testing, there are other models I would consider instead.

Roborock Saros 20

If you're after a flagship released in 2026, then this one scored well in our tests and we called it "formidable". From being able to handle uneven floors to thick carpets, this is one to consider if money is no object.
Read our full Roborock Saros 20 review for more information

Dreame Aqua10 Ultra

It's now been succeeded by the Dreame Aqua20 Ultra, but that means this model can be had at a discount, making it excellent value. It's what I use in my own home and it's been reliable and excellent at cleaning for nearly two years.
Read my in-depth Dreame Aqua10 Ultra review to learn more

How I tested the Mova V70 Ultra Complete

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I used the Mova V70 Ultra Complete three times a week for four weeks in my one-bedroom apartment that has mixed flooring and an internal cleaning area of approximately 45sqm (484sq ft). The mixed flooring includes wall-to-wall mid-pile carpet in the bedroom, tiles everywhere else, plus a mid-pile rug in the living room.

While many of the cleaning runs were for regular upkeep of the floors, I put the Mova V70 Ultra Complete through some of TechRadar's standard tests. For vacuuming, this included sprinkling oats, tea from a tea bag, chia seeds and pieces of freeze-dried berries on carpets and hard floors to emulate different debris sizes.

Since I don't have a pet, I collected strands of my long hair and spread them on the bedroom carpet, walked over them for a couple of days to ensure they were embedded in fibers, then ran the V70 on two different high suction settings to test results. I even used pieces of thread on carpets to enhance visibility of pickup.

For mopping tests, I poured a little soy sauce and dropped a dollop of mustard on my kitchen floor, but kept the waterflow rate high.

I regularly checked the onboard dustbin to ensure self-empty was good, while also washing the dust tank once. I tested the wash-board cleaning feature once during this time.

I also ensured I went through everything the app had to offer, comparing it to the Dreame alternative which I use regularly anyway.

I've tested several robot vacuums in the last 10 years and, having witnessed their rapid evolution, I've built a solid knowledge base to help me compare different models.

My favourite manual espresso machine of 2026 is now available with a huge 43% discount — there’s just one minor catch

Max Langridge — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 03:04:30 +0000

I love a good coffee machine, and appreciate the benefits of fully automatic and manual styles. I use the former type at home myself since it makes the morning orders for my partner and me as easy as possible. If I really had my way though, I’d choose manual, as it opens the door to a lot more experimentation, and the KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine would be right at the top of my wishlist.

If you’re considering a manual espresso machine for your home (especially now that some cafés and coffee shops are charging more to reconcile the loss of card surcharges), I think it should be top of your wishlist too. The good news is that it’s now received a 43% discount on Amazon, which beats its October Prime Day price. The only slight caveat is that this huge discount only applies to the black model.

It’s a great-looking machine, don’t get me wrong, it just might understandably be a little tricker to match with kitchen decor compared to the porcelain white model, for example.

Semi-automatic espresso machine: was $999 now $566
Beating its AU$699 Prime Day price by some margin, this is a great opportunity to nab a highly capable bean-to-cup espresso machine. It brews a delicious coffee — just as soon as you’ve experimented and dialled in the best settings for your beans. It also has a steam wand for frothing all types of milk.View Deal

I gave this espresso machine five stars in my KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine review. One of the standout features for me is its flat-bottom portafilter, which makes tamping the ground coffee beans an absolute breeze. The portafilters that come supplied with most other machines feature a couple of spouts, so you need to rest them on the edge of your counter, which can be cumbersome and messy.

Not so here. You can place the whole portafilter down on a flat surface, allowing you to apply a good amount of pressure to tamp the coffee down.

Another benefit is its ability to quickly heat up, so you could be drinking your coffee in a matter of minutes, while smart dosage control ensures the same amount of coffee is delivered each time — you will just likely need to experiment for a bit with your beans. There’s a line in the portafilter basket to indicate the ideal level once the coffee is tamped, giving you some assistance if you’re new to the whole process.

And if you take milk with your coffee or you want to try your hand at some latte art, the steam wand works wonders. Plus, it has the inherent ability to play nicely with dairy and non-dairy milks, as you can shut it off whenever you want.

This is a fantastic price for a fantastic machine, and given I can’t guarantee how long it will last, I encourage you to consider it if your home is crying out for a top-performing model.

Lego's 2026 Advent calendars are selling out already — here are this year's 6 new sets

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Lego's 2026 Advent Calendars are here, and there are six new sets to explore. The Lego City calendar is the traditional option, centered around Santa's workshop, with elves, toys, Mr and Mrs Claus, and snowman figurines. The box transforms into a scene onto which the completed models can sit — a perfect addition to your Holiday decorations.

Marvel and Star Wars fans are catered for, too, with calendars that include fan-favorite characters with a festive twist. There's Doctor Doom angrily enjoying his candy cane, Spider-Man on skis, and Mandalorian, Moff Gideon and Grogu all sporting Holiday sweaters.

Finally, there are a couple more child-focused options; a festive-themed Lego Friends calendar, and a Disney calendar that turns into a board game. The latter includes princesses and their sidekicks kitted out in their holiday best (Cinderella's Gus has antlers), plus buildable scenes like a gingerbread castle and train set.

If you head to Amazon there are also a number of previous years' calendars still available to purchase — including some classics like the Harry Potter sets. Because they're just numbered 1-25 they'll work just as well this year as the year they launched in.

Lego's Advent calendars have proven themselves reliably popular year-in, year-out, and some of the 2026 sets are already showing as sold out in some places. So although it might feel a bit premature to be planning for the holidays in mid-October, now is actually quite a smart time to buy. Scroll down for a roundup of your Lego Advent calendar options available to buy now...

US Lego Advent calendars

Hop straight to the UK calendars

Lego

Marvel 2026 Advent Calendar 76340

Lego

Star Wars Advent Calendar 2026 75456

Lego

Disney Princess 2026 Advent Calendar 43298

Lego

Friends 2026 Advent Calendar 42698

Lego

City 2026 Advent Calendar 60510

Lego

Countdown to Christmas Jigsaw Puzzles [NO MINIFIGS]

Previous years' calendars

LEGO

Disney Frozen Advent Calendar 2025 43273

LEGO

Disney Advent Calendar 2024 43253

Lego

City Advent Calendar 2025 60475

LEGO

City Advent Calendar 2024

Lego

Harry Potter Advent Calendar 2025 76456

Lego

Harry Potter 2019 Advent Calendar 75964

LEGO

Star Wars 2025 Advent Calendar 75418

Lego

Friends 2023 Advent Calendar 41758

UK Lego Advent calendars

Hop back to the US calendars

Lego

Marvel 2026 Advent Calendar 76340

Lego

Star Wars 2026 Advent Calendar 75456

Lego

Friends 2026 Advent Calendar 42698

Lego

City 2026 Advent Calendar 60510

Previous years' calendars

LEGO

Guardians of the Galaxy 2022 Advent Calendar 76231

Lego

Harry Potter 2025 Advent Calendar 76456

Lego

City 2025 Advent Calendar 60475

LEGO

Disney Frozen 2025 Advent Calendar 43273

Lego

Friends 2025 Advent Calendar 42668

Jura launches the C9 bean-to-cup machine with a mild, ready-to-drink 60C mode

catherine.ellis@futurenet.com (Cat Ellis) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 22:00:00 +0000

The new Jura C9 can brew coffee at 60C so it's ready to drink immediately
It has a menu of 17 drinks, which are customizable via the screen or app
It's on sale for £895 direct from Jura and third-party stores

Jura has just launched a new compact bean-to-cup espresso machine that brews coffee at the ideal drinking temperature, so they're ready to enjoy straight away.

The Jura C9 is a follow-up to the C8 and has an expanded menu of 17 different drinks, plus a new milder style of coffee brewed and served at around 60C, which is widely regarded as ideal for coffee-drinking. This brew style also uses a smaller dose of grounds for a smoother, lighter taste.

If you want to go beyond the standard menu, the C9 offers seven grind sizes, three brewing strength options, and three brewing temperatures. You can create your own custom coffees using the C9's 2.8-inch colour display, or through Jura's JOE app, which also lets you brew drinks remotely.

Compact size, full flavour

Although the C9 is one of Jura's smallest coffee makers, measuring 10.2 x 12.8 x 17.2 inches / 26 x 32.5 x 43.7 cm (W x H x D), it has a full-size brewing unit, and uses Jura's Pulse Extraction Process (PEP), which aims to optimise the time the coffee grounds remain in contact with the water.

Visually, the C9 is very similar to that of the C8, with a glossy black finish and wave-patterned water tank and cup grille. Its front panel is curved like those of the company's flagship models — including the Jura J10 I tested last year, and the Jura E10 I will be reviewing in the coming weeks.

The C9 is available to buy now direct from Jura and from third-party stores for £895.

15 spooky but cute IKEA finds I'd use to give my home a creepy Halloween makeover

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:30:00 +0000

Halloween is fast approaching, and my home is — embarrassingly — still very much in Summer Mode. That's all about to change, though, because I've just discovered IKEA's 2026 Halloween range. It's packed with spooky-but-cute ornaments, tableware, and soft furnishings at the kind of affordable prices you'd expect from the Swedish homeware titan.

I've combed through the whole range to pick out the 15 spooky standouts I'd have in my own home this fall. There's a jelly sweet-scented candle with three ghosts creepily emerging from the wax, a lidded bat bowl ideal for stashing candy, and a creepy spider tea light holder that threatens to trigger my arachnophobia.

This year's repeated motif is the hands-raised ghost, and I'll be welcoming him into my home in various forms: a twinkly string light, a snuggly monochrome throw, a purple-glowing table lamp, and even a door mat. Scroll down to see all my personal picks from the IKEA Halloween collection.

IKEA's Halloween 2026 collection

IKEA

Kustfyr LED ghost Hanging Decoration

IKEA

Kustfyr Cat Door Mat

IKEA

Kustfyr Ghost candle, jelly candy-scented

IKEA

Kustfyr LED pumpkin Table Decoration

IKEA

Kustfyr Spider Tealight Holder

IKEA

Kustfyr LED ghost Light Chain

IKEA

Kustfyr Pumpkin Tin With Lid (set of 3)

IKEA

Kustfyr LED Table Lamp

IKEA

Kustfyr Artificial Wreath - Indoor/outdoor

IKEA

Kustfyr Paper Bag (set of 12)

IKEA

Kustfyr 8in Side Plate (set of 4)

IKEA

Kustfyr Ghost Throw

IKEA

Kustfyr Bat Bowl With Lid

IKEA

Kustfyr Tealight Holder

IKEA

Kustfyr Ghost Door Mat

Shark's latest and greatest 4.5-star-rated vacuum with an auto-empty dock just got a mega £200 discount on Amazon

james.pickard@futurenet.com (James Pickard) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:06:09 +0000

It seems bizarre to get excited about a vacuum cleaner, but when you find one that makes the job of keeping your home tidy so much easier and effortless, the impact it has is hard to overstate. I had that experience when I purchased my first Shark vacuum, so when one of the manufacturer's latest and best vacuum cleaners gets a huge £200 price cut, I have to shout about it.

That's why I'm here to call out the Shark PowerDetect Speed on Amazon for £319.99 (was £519.99). This is the record-low price for two specific colourways of the vacuum, and only a little shy of the previous biggest discount we've seen on this model during Prime Day.

The Shark PowerDetect Speed is a top-tier option, too, as it's a new and upgraded version of the vacuum that sits atop our buying guide in this category. It also received an impressive 4.5 stars in our review for its exceptional cleaning power, convenient auto-empty function, and useful dirt detection features.

As far as investments in a vacuum go, it's obviously a big one to make, but as someone who bought a Shark vacuum five years ago, which is still going strong, it could be a worthy buy to help keep your home clean with far less hassle.

Save £200 on the Shark PowerDetect Speed

The latest Shark PowerDetect Speed Cordless Vacuum is one of the manufacturer's latest and most advanced options yet — and it just got a healthy £200 discount on Amazon. With powerful suction, invaluable anti-hair wrap tech, a convenient auto-emptying dock that traps dust and debris, and multi-surface capabilities, we found it's a complete solution to keeping your home clean. Battery life did disappoint a little, but it was still good enough to be awarded an impressive 4.5 stars, so it's easy to recommend while there's a big price cut on the highly-rated vacuum.View Deal

If I were looking to upgrade from the older Shark Stratos model I'm currently using, this would easily be my top pick. That's mainly for the convenience of the auto-empty dock, which helps keep dust and debris trapped instead of potentially flying everywhere when it's tipped into the bin.

On top of that, the PowerDetect Speed keeps all of the fantastic features that make other Shark vacuums so good at cleaning around the home. Namely, it's the anti-hair wrap tech that saves me time unclogging the brush roll every so often, the strong suction power that works across multiple surfaces, and useful extras like lights to show up dust and a flexible wand to get into hard-to-reach places.

Cheaper models that drop some of the nicer-to-have extras, like the auto-empty dock, are also on sale right now. For example, I'd also recommend the Shark PowerPro Pet Cordless on Amazon for £199 (was £299.99), as an alternative if you have a smaller budget.

Philips Hue lights just got a big Matter upgrade in Google Home

David Nield — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Google Home is adding local Matter support for Philips Hue lights
It should mean faster response times and offline access
There are other improvements in the latest app update as well

There's a new upgrade rolling out for Google Home and Philips Hue lights that might not sound all that significant at first, but will actually make a notable difference to functionality — and I'm keen to get it installed on my own system as soon as possible.

The upgrade in question is local Matter support. And as per a Google (via 9to5Google) report, it means there should be faster response times if you're controlling your Philips Hue lights via the Google Home app. It should also mean the connection works even if your internet goes down, as long as the local network is still operational.

Even better, the update should be applied smoothly and seamlessly in the background, so you don't even need to repair your lights. Just look out for an update to Google Home appearing in the Android or iOS app store.

While the Philips Hue app offers more in the way of features, I like controlling my Hue lights through the Google Home app, because all my other smart stuff is in there too — so faster responses and offline support are very welcome.

More upgrades and fixes

The Google Home Speaker (Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

There are a bunch of other minor improvements coming to Google Home as well, including updates for the Gemini for Home early access program. Conversations will now end more naturally, Google says, and weather temperature units will be more consistent.

Gemini is also getting better at understanding when "stop" actually means stop — as in, you're trying to stop media playback or an alarm, rather than just bringing a conversation to a close. Plus, requests for "relaxing music" or similar will now open up a proper media player app, rather than switching to ambient sounds (like rain or white noise).

The Google Home app gets a few tweaks in terms of drag-and-drop stability and more prominent smoke and CO alarm messages, while third-party controls for lights, plugs, and switches have been revamped. Various camera fixes have been added too.

With Matter more generally, Matter hubs should be more responsive and more reliable via Google Home. All in all, it seems the platform is finally starting to find its feet again, after several months of frustrating bugs and user complaints.

Google releases new firmware update for older Nest speakers

rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 11:22:38 +0000

Google has a new firmware update on the way for previous-gen Nest speakers
The changes include audio streaming upgrades and fixes to smart home controls
You'll need to be signed up to the Google Home Preview Program to update your devices

Google may be sunsetting its Nest smart-home brand as it makes room for new hardware, but the tech giant isn’t leaving its older smart speakers out of the firmware-update equation.

If you’re still glued to your Nest speaker from years ago, you’ll be happy to learn that Google is currently testing a new firmware update, version 3.79.550760, through the Google Home Preview Program, which you’ll need to be signed up to if you want early access.

While an exact release date hasn’t been announced, the upcoming changes could seriously upgrade the overall performance of older devices.

As per Google’s release notes, the Nest Audio, Nest Mini, Google Home, and Google Home Mini are getting a roster of improvements across audio, smart-home control, and more. The Google Home Max and Google Home Speaker, the company’s latest audio device, are also getting some bug fixes, but are being left out of the wider updates — so we’re assuming that these devices are already running this firmware.

In addition to general performance and stability improvements, there’s a slew of audio improvements on the way, including fixes to media streaming and volume, which could do wonders for boosting your music playback experience. At the same time Google is polishing smart-home controls, a fix that we’re guessing will enhance the synergy between voice commands and the smart home devices that are connected to your speaker.

Finally, the company is rolling out setup and connectivity improvements on Wi-Fi issues and ‘Google assistant entry experience improvements’. This is likely a reference to Gemini, which Google is making the flagship voice assistant for its smart-home tech as it releases new devices.

While some reputable tech brands kill off widely-used, albeit previous-gen devices as a way to push users to upgrade to newer models, Google hasn’t completely forgotten about the devices that put the company on the smart home map. Just a few weeks ago Google unveiled a big Home update for video doorbells, security cameras, and Automations, so it’s not just smart speakers that are getting all the attention.

As mentioned, if you want to make the most of Google’s upcoming smart speaker upgrades, you’ll need to be signed up to the Google Home Preview Program. If you’re not already enrolled, just head to the Google Home app and open Device Information. Select Preview Program, and you’ll be able to sign up if you’re eligible. If you are, the firmware update will install overnight.

Smeg’s new 50s-style MultiGrill bakes waffles, presses paninis, and even opens into a BBQ

catherine.ellis@futurenet.com (Cat Ellis) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Smeg has launched a new three-in-one countertop electric grill with interchangeable plates for different cooking styles — all in a smart, 1950s-inspired package.

The new Smeg MultiGrill has two heating plates and can be used open or closed depending on the dish you're preparing. In Contact mode, the MultiGrill cooks quickly and evenly, with heat from both sides, for foods like burgers, sandwiches, and grilled meats. Oven mode gives you four adjustable height settings, so you can cook more delicate dishes like fish without the upper plate making direct contact. Finally, BBQ mode lets you open the grill completely flat for double the cooking space, with heat only from below.

It also has three preset modes — Panini, Waffle, and Burger — with customizable times and temperatures, and comes with four plates (one smooth, one grill, and two waffle plates), plus a measuring cup for pouring waffle batter.

All plates are made of aluminum with a non-stick ceramic coating, making them dishwasher-safe, and the grill has a removable fat-collecting drawer for easier cleanup after cooking.

Simple searing

Each plate can be adjusted to between 60C and 230C, with a dedicated Sear mode to give an intense burst of heat (above 250C for 30 seconds) for rapidly browning and caramelizing the outside of meat while keeping the inside tender.

The temperature and cooking mode are displayed on an LCD display, and all functions are controlled using a pair of simple dials.

It's available for £299.95 direct from Smeg., in either black or cream. I'll be testing the Smeg MultiGrill soon and will be interested to see how it performs compared to other multi-function countertop cookers — as well as Ninja's new Belgian waffle maker.

I've tried Apple's HomeView, and it could help me do more at home without reaching for my iPhone

jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 21:00:00 +0000

It’s been a big week for Apple Home. The entirely new HomeView is the company's first smart display, and it seems purpose-built as a stationary, in-home hub for Apple’s ecosystem. Meanwhile, refreshes to the HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K promise to bring Siri AI to other devices around the home.

I’ve already written at length about HomeView, and why it’s the smart display and home hub I’ve been waiting for. Now, I’ve had the chance to spend more time with it. Not quite enough time for a full review, and I haven't tested it in my own home yet, since all my hands-on time has been in Apple’s demo space. But I’m still optimistic about what it could offer.

I already have a connected home of sorts. For me, though, it’s still very fragmented. I have HomePods, HomePod minis, and Apple TV 4Ks, but I mostly use them for quick questions, timers, taking calls, or media playback. I’ve also tried Echo Shows, Nest Hubs, and myriad other smart home gadgets like cameras, bulbs, and sensors, but none of those has really stuck, because they aren’t part of my core ecosystem.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Amazon’s ecosystem is heavily focused on commerce and shopping. That’s not necessarily a complaint, but the experience can also feel cluttered with targeted ads, and privacy concerns can be a sticking point.

Given Apple’s broader commitment to privacy and its carefully curated user experience, HomeView could help it carve out its own smart-home category. For people already invested in Apple’s ecosystem, it removes some of the friction that has kept other smart displays from becoming a central part of the home.

With an Echo Show or Nest Hub, someone who primarily uses Apple’s suite of services may have to move photos to another platform or service if they want to display them. The same goes for calendars, calls, and even music, depending on the services and features being used. And those devices don’t integrate with your iPhone the same way an Apple-made display can.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but when a smart display is something you might buy for a family member, a parent, or a friend, those differences can make for a less cohesive experience.

When you factor in the setup, the effort required to get everything working together, and the ongoing upkeep, some of the convenience promised by an Echo Show or Nest Hub starts to diminish. That’s what I’ve encountered in my own experience.

HomeView could help solve that disconnect. While the wall-mounted options seem like a less compelling value proposition to me, I can easily picture the speaker-base version sitting on a kitchen island or side table and becoming the household's hub device. And if you already know Apple’s ecosystem and its software, the learning curve should be much less daunting.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

I’d seen HomeView before, but this time I got to interact with it, starting by swiping between its different faces; I almost called them watch faces, and for good reason.

HomeView feels like an Apple Watch on steroids, with a supersized, customizable watch face essentially plopped onto a display. That’s not a knock. The interface feels familiar, and is easy to get the hang of.

I especially like the Snoopy face, which offers a fun way to keep an eye on what’s happening throughout the day. You can check the weather as it rolls in, see an upcoming calendar event, or simply glance at the time with a little help from Snoopy and Woodstock. You can also go for something more functional, with modular faces that pack in widgets, or, as Apple calls them, complications, for things like your calendar, reminders, and the weather.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Swipe past those faces, and you arrive at the HomeView home screen. And for once, Apple’s answer to a shared household device isn’t to force you to buy one for everyone in your home. HomeView can recognize up to six people, effectively switching between their individual accounts and surfacing what matters most to each person while keeping their personal information private.

In my case, I could see myself having a HomeView setup that brings together quick controls for my thermostat, the weather, a rotating selection of photos, and, of course, a Bruce Springsteen playlist. The idea is that HomeView can surface a personalized experience when it recognizes you, with your iPhone playing a role in that process.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Privacy is central, too. If I open Messages, respond to someone, and walk away, HomeView locks the app when someone else approaches. It’s a small but important example of how Apple is thinking about a shared screen: convenient when it’s yours, but not an open book.

HomeView doesn’t feel exactly like iOS, iPadOS, or watchOS. Instead, it feels like a combination of all three, with familiar elements pulled together into something designed for a display you interact with throughout the day. App icons are larger, and I’d expect the interface’s emphasis on glanceable information to be particularly useful here. Widgets, in particular, seem designed to put the details you need front and center.

Swipe up, and you’ll find the App Drawer. There’s a selection of built-in apps, but notably, no App Store. I’m actually a fan of that approach. I don’t want to be glued to HomeView; it shouldn’t become another blue-light-filled screen demanding my attention. Instead, it should be actionable and glanceable, helping me get things done without becoming another device I have to manage.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Apple has a selection of core apps ready for HomeView, including Home, Intercom, Music, News, Photos, Safari, FaceTime, Messages, Calendar, Alarms, Timers, Find My, Podcasts, Reminders, Settings, and Weather. Developers can’t build dedicated apps for HomeView, but Apple can bring compatible experiences over from the iPhone. That includes apps such as Apple TV, Audiobooks, Apple Music Classical, and News.

There’s a distinction here: some of these experiences are effectively extensions of the iPhone, rather than apps running independently on HomeView. And while Apple supports third-party media apps that work with CarPlay, I wouldn’t count on specific apps such as Spotify arriving until Apple or the developers confirm compatibility. Still, the approach makes sense for a home hub. I like the idea of a curated selection of apps rather than hundreds of downloads competing for space and attention.

Music is one area where HomeView already makes a strong impression. Album artwork looks great on the display, and you can follow lyrics in real time. The built-in speakers also deliver clear, crisp, vibrant audio, although the volume wasn’t quite as powerful as I’d hoped during my time in Apple's demo space.

Even better, music doesn’t disappear into the background when you switch tasks. If you swipe over to another app, such as a cooking feature, a makeshift Dynamic Island appears at the top of the screen, giving you easy access to music controls. It’s a thoughtful touch that makes HomeView feel less like a collection of separate apps and more like a device designed around the way you actually use your home.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Smart home control is another central part of HomeView’s value proposition. Rather than opening the Home app on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, this is a dedicated device designed to make controlling your home a more immediate, everyday experience. The Home app has been customized for the display, with larger touch targets and key information highlighted, and it looks nice.

You can move around elements within the app or bring them into other parts of the interface, adding controls as complications on your chosen clock face or widgets on the home screen. That flexibility means you can make HomeView work for the way you live, whether you want quick access to a few favorite accessories or a more comprehensive overview of your home.

The interface is the same whether you opt for HomeView on its speaker base or mount it on the wall. The latter does come with a trade-off, though: you lose the speakers in the base and have to pay separately for the wall mount. That makes the wall-mounted setup feel like a less compelling deal, at least to me.

Still, I can see the appeal of turning HomeView into a dedicated control panel near the front door, where it could become a natural first stop when you arrive home. It also feels like Apple is catering to people who have already invested in wall-mounted iPad setups for smart-home control.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

You can interact with HomeView directly through its touchscreen, which reaches up to 500 nits of brightness and can dim as low as 0.3 nits — the lowest brightness Apple has engineered for a display. But touch is only part of the experience. Four built-in microphones are designed to pick up your voice while reducing background noise, whether you're making a FaceTime call or asking Siri for help.

Siri is central to the experience, and it’s clear that HomeView is designed with Apple's new Siri AI capabilities in mind. My time testing them was brief, and I sometimes had to repeat a request, but I was able to ask Siri to handle basic smart-home controls, start routines, and play music, as well as tackle more involved requests.

On my Mac, I enjoy typing to Siri for several tasks, including creating calendar events based on what's on my screen, but on the iPhone or iPad, I use it for multistep or topic-specific tasks. It is not always the fastest, but it is night and day over the former.

During my time with HomeView, I saw a similar approach in action for more complex questions. I saw a demo of Siri being asked what time someone was landing at an airport, then asked when that person would arrive home if they took a train. After a few seconds, Siri answered by drawing on information from Messages, its broader knowledge, and estimated transit times.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

It was a brief demonstration, but I could immediately see how useful this could be for quick questions and more involved requests. For instance, my friend Benjamin and I love sharing music. If I missed a song he recommended, I could imagine asking Siri to identify that Chuck Berry track while cooking dinner or getting on with something else around the house.

That’s where I think HomeView could really distinguish itself from the ever-popular Echo Show. Amazon's displays can connect to a range of services and smart home devices, but for someone already invested in Apple, they remain part of a separate ecosystem. HomeView, by contrast, is designed to work with the devices, services, and information you already use. If Siri can reliably bring all of that together, HomeView could be considerably more useful than a smart display that simply answers questions or controls a few connected devices.

That integration extends to moving between devices, too. When I get home, I could transfer whatever I'm listening to on my iPhone simply by tapping it against the front of HomeView. That's iPhone Handoff, and it's a brilliant implementation of a feature that makes the most of Apple's hardware working together. The same idea extends to calls, episodes of content, and even Safari webpages, making it easier to pick up where you left off without having to start over on another device.

An ambient smart display, rather than another screen demanding attention

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

A few other details from my brief hands-on stood out. For one, HomeView doesn't have notifications, and I actually like that decision. It means there's less reason to linger in front of the display or constantly check it for updates. Instead, HomeView feels like an ambient device, designed to be useful when you need it and easy to ignore when you don't. It's arguably Apple's strongest implementation of that idea yet, and it already feels more purposeful than StandBy on the iPhone.

It still has familiar Apple touches, of course. You can pull down from the top-right corner to access Control Center and quickly reach key settings. The built-in 12-megapixel camera, which recognizes users and serves as the main lens for FaceTime, can also make HomeView double as a mirror. Who knows, perhaps the Photo Booth could return and find a home here, too.

I still need to spend more time with HomeView, and in my own home, before I can say whether it delivers on all that promise. But after getting hands-on with it, I'm even more convinced that Apple is approaching the smart display from the right angle. Rather than giving me another screen to manage, HomeView looks set to bring together the devices, services, and everyday tasks I already rely on. And for someone who's been waiting for Apple's smart home to feel more connected, that's an exciting prospect.

Of course, Siri AI still needs to deliver on that promise, but after the long wait, it's encouraging to see Apple finally moving in the right direction.

@techradar
♬ high like heaven - adore & Blu DeTiger

New add-on for Octopus heat pumps gives you air conditioning for just £500

Darren Allan — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:05:21 +0000

Octopus Energy has revealed the Cosy cooler add-on
It's a unit that works with the Cosy heat pump to transform your central heating system into air conditioning
A unit cools one room and costs £500, with multiple units needing a higher-tier Cosy heat pump — trials are underway now

Update, October 15: Octopus told us that its press release inaccurately stated that the Cosy system will chill water and pump it through your home's central heating pipes. Instead, the system draws in warm air from the room, removing the heat with a heat exchanger, and blows the cooler air back into the space.

The heat it removes is then transferred through your heating pipework to the outdoor Cosy Heat Pump, which releases it outside. Octopus says this means the system can actively cool a room without needing an exhaust duct — and also that the water in the pipes stays at a temperature that won't cause condensation or dripping radiators. We've also added a "preliminary product rendering" to the story below.

Original story follows...

Octopus Energy has developed an add-on for its heat pumps which means that central heating can be transformed into an air-con system for the increasingly hot British summers.

The invention is called the Cosy cooler — following the same branding as the Cosy heat pump — and it's just been launched, with trials having begun in UK homes (and offices), and more testers being sought via Octopus' official form.

The Cosy cooler is the size of a "tall kitchen bin" at 72cm tall, with a width of 43cm, and depth of 35cm. It simply connects to the existing central heating radiator pipework (and heat pump), taking about three hours to fit (with no "major" building work needed, Octopus assures us).

The system chills the water going through the radiators, and it also takes in warm air from indoors, cooling it using a heat exchanger, then circulating that chilled air back out into the room. So there's a double whammy of cooling here, and one unit can cool a single room, or you can run two to three units in different rooms (although you'll need a higher-tier Cosy heat pump to run multiple Cosy coolers).

Okay, so what's the damage for staying cool next summer? Octopus expects to sell these cooling units for £500 to £600, which is a lot less than a full air-con system, of course (which run from £2,000 upwards, as the energy provider notes).

Octopus says this is a "preliminary product rendering" of the Cosy Cooler device, and that the "final design may change before the product is launched next year". (Image credit: Octopus / Adobe Firefly)

Greg Jackson, who is CEO and founder of Octopus, commented: "Sadly, British homes need to be ready for freezing winters and increasingly hot summers." He added that: "The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has helped give the industry the confidence to invest, innovate and drive costs down — and Cosy cooler is the latest result of Octopus ingenuity."

Octopus recently launched plug-in solar kits, too, and they've sold out twice now, but more kits are on the way, we're told. That's another piece of the puzzle that could help keep your heating (or cooling) costs down.

Cosily chilled

(Image credit: Octopus Energy)

This is a clever idea and one that will doubtless grab the attention of anyone who suffered in the heat of the past summer in the UK (and that's a lot of people, no doubt).

The climate in this country seems to be shifting radically, and the heat of the last summer led to portable air-con units and fans selling out in many cases, with prices of the devices which were left in stock spiraling rapidly upwards.

There's probably going to be a lot of interest in these Cosy cooler units, seeing as they provide what sounds like a much more comprehensive cooling system than what you'll get for £500 or so in the way of a portable air-con device.

Octopus is aiming to sell these Cosy coolers to customers next summer, but for now, as mentioned, what's happening is that you can apply for a trial. If you want to do that, head to the official page here, but obviously bear in mind that you need to be running the Cosy heat pump. This isn't a standalone product, rather it works off the existing heat pump (and note that it's a prototype currently).

If you want more than one cooling unit — so you want to cover perhaps your bedroom as well as your living room — then it sounds like you'll need one of the beefier Cosy heat pumps, too (they come in three flavors: Cosy 6, 9 and 12).

New Eufy E10 Window Camera offers 2.5K resolution and subscription-free storage

rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 11:37:09 +0000

Eufy's new home security camera sticks to your window to let you monitor the outside view from inside
It's $79.99 / £69.99, subscription-free, and offers 2.5K resolution
The only drawback is its power cable, which might restrict where you're able to place it

Eufy’s new security camera isn’t just a small, handy smart home tool that removes the hard work from installing security devices in outdoor spaces — it’s also affordable and, crucially, subscription-free.

Hot on the heels of the Eufy Video Doorbell S4, the first video doorbell with VR viewing, the Eufy E10 Window Camera is the latest device in the lineup, priced at $79.99 / £69.99 each, or $149.99 / £129.99 for two. It’s already available in the US, with UK pre-orders set to ship from November 6; it's listed as "coming soon" at Australian retailers, with pricing TBC.

Unlike many of the best home security cameras, the Eufy E10 Window Camera is a compact device at 2.69 x 2.69 x 1.65 inches. It's designed for window placement, and sticks easily to glass, allowing you to monitor your driveway and front garden from inside your home, so there are no mounting tools, hard labor, or wall damage involved.

Features-wise, the camera, which offers smart integration with Alexa and Google, offers a detailed 2.5K resolution, with what Eufy describes as a ‘wraparound’ design. In addition to its 25-degree adjustable downward-tilt mechanism, which minimizes empty upper-frame space and allows you to capture ground-level footage, the camera also comes with anti-reflection stickers to prevent glare from windows or other sources of light that may obstruct the view.

The Eufy E10 Window Camera is also completely subscription free — a feature that more users are starting to look for in their smart-home devices.

(Image credit: Eufy)

Instead of charging you a monthly fee to store security footage (as rivals such as Ring and Blink do), Eufy’s security camera supports microSD cards up to 256GB. Additionally, the camera supports 24/7 video recording, with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz dual-band Wi-Fi for a reliable and steady connection.

Eufy’s new security camera is simple, but effective — and it doesn’t compromise on smart features for its size either, supporting an AI identification model that distinguishes between people, pets, and vehicles.

The only real downside here is that the Eufy E10 Window Camera is wired, which limits where you can place it — you’ll have to mount it on window that's within range of a power source. This also means you’ll have a wire running from your window, which isn't ideal for keeping things discreet.

On the device’s product listing, Eufy says it’s seen a high demand for its new window camera, and as a result it will be processing orders on a first-come, first-served basis.

Braun OptiBrew Pro review: traditional drip coffee with a twist

Karen Freeman — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 16:03:41 +0000

Braun OptiBrew Pro: two-minute review

The Braun OptiBrew Pro does even more than you might expect from a drip coffee maker. It makes five different coffee styles: Regular, Bold, Over Ice, Cold Brew, and Coffee Shot. There are seven different brew sizes: 8 ounces, 10 ounces, 12 ounces, 16 ounces, 20 ounces, a six-cup half-carafe, and a 12-cup full carafe. The Coffee Shot setting is not technically espresso but has a similar strength. This setting yields about three ounces of highly concentrated brew, perfect for making lattes and cappuccinos. A built-in milk frother tucks away when not in use.

The machine comes with a reusable filter, though you can use a cone-shaped #4 paper filter if you prefer. It also comes with a double-sided coffee scoop, so you can measure out the precise amount of coffee you need for each brew size and style.

The large, easy-to-read touch screen lets you set up your brew. You can adjust for high altitude and/or hard water if needed. Set up auto-brew for a specific time and you'll have freshly brewed coffee waiting for you when you wake up in the morning. The keep warm feature can keep your coffee warm for up to four hours at the temperature of your choice. You can also reheat cold coffee that way.

Cleanup is easy, and most of the parts are dishwasher-safe. The Braun OptiBrew Pro is easy to use, and it produces excellent coffee in a variety of styles.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Braun OptiBrew Pro: price and availability

Available for purchase on Braun's website, Target, and Williams-Sonoma
Retails for $199.95 (roughly £151.10 GBP, $287 AUD)
Only one colorway: black and silver

The Braun OptiBrew Pro is available on Braun's website as well as other retailers such as Target and Williams-Sonoma. It comes in just the one colorway which is black with silver accents. The retail price is $199.95 (roughly £151.10 GBP, $287 AUD).

Braun OptiBrew Pro: specs

Name	Braun OptiBrew Pro
Type	Manual/Drip
Dimensions	6.9 x 14.6 x 11.8 inches / 175 x 370 x 300 mm
Weight	10.14 lbs / 4.6 kg
Brew styles	Regular, Bold, Over Ice, Cold Brew, and Coffee Shot
Milk frother	Yes
Coffee bean grinder	No

Braun OptiBrew Pro: design

Many features in compact machine
Comes with everything you need
Easy to use and clean

The Braun OptiBrew Pro is well-designed and has a lot of features for a compact drip brewer. The large and easy-to-read touch screen lets you set up whatever sort of brew you'd like. It comes with a reusable filter, but you can also use a #4 paper cone filter if you prefer.

Karen Freeman / Future

The Braun OptiBrew Pro has a large capacity water tank on the back, which you can remove for easier filling if you like. The tank is marked with brew sizes so you can always be sure you have enough water in the tank for the size coffee you're making.

Karen Freeman / Future

The milk frother tucks neatly away on the left side; simply swing it out to use it. Pressing the top of it turns it on, let go to turn it off. Twist it to the unlock symbol to remove the frother for cleaning. It's the only part that's not dishwasher-safe, but it's easy enough to wash up in the sink.

Karen Freeman / Future

When you're making a single serving of coffee rather than a carafe, you can pull out a built-in platform that puts your mug close to the filter. This helps avoid any splattering and minimizes your coffee's contact with air. It's just the right height for a regular-to-large mug or a small-to-medium travel mug.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

The included coffee scoop is two-sided, with one side being larger than the other. The user guide has a chart that tells you how many larger or small scoops to use for each brew style. This chart is a good guideline to start with, of course you can use more or less coffee to your personal tastes. The handle of the coffee scoop can be used as a coffee bag clip.

Karen Freeman / Future

Other features include a keep-warm plate, which you can set for up to four hours, that you can also use to rewarm cold coffee. The OptiBrew has an auto-on feature so you can set up your coffee the night before.

If you wish to pause the brewing mid-carafe to grab a cup, you can easily do that by switching the lever in front from "coffee" to "stop."

Additionally, you can adjust for high altitude and water hardness if you need to. You can even adjust the beep tone if you like.

Design score: 5/5

Braun OptiBrew Pro: performance

Straightforward and simple to use
Feature-rich
Makes delicious coffee

I tested out lots of different brew styles, all of which made some delicious coffee. There's something on the menu for everyone.

Regular coffee

I started by making a half carafe of just regular drip coffee. I made it "bold" style, which is how I like it. I also used the maximum amount of recommended coffee, which was four big scoops. This came out great, nice and strong. Some carafes spill as they pour, but this one is well-designed and doesn't do that. I tested the brew pause feature by switching the lever from "coffee" to "stop" during brewing, poured myself a cup, and then switched the lever back to "coffee." Very little coffee dripped out while I was pouring a cup (maybe a drop or two) and when I switched the lever back, brewing continued as expected.

Karen Freeman / Future

Regular coffee: single serving

I tried out some different single sizes of regular coffee, using the coffee dosage chart in the user guide. Each time I chose the maximum coffee dosage and selected the "bold" setting. I made a 12oz mug and a 16oz travel mug using the built-in platform. Both came out great.

Karen Freeman / Future

Regular coffee: auto-on and keep-warm

If you want to have your coffee hot and ready for you when you wake up in the morning, use the auto-on feature. I tested this out and it worked perfectly. You can set the keep-warm feature to your desired time, up to four hours, so it will still be warm when you go for a second or third cup later. All of this worked exactly as expected. You can even set how warm you want your coffee to stay. I used the medium setting and found the coffee to be plenty hot even hours later. Hot enough that I had to blow on it before drinking. The red indicator light under the warming plate lets you know it's hot.

Karen Freeman / Future

Cold brew

The Cold Brew setting takes a bit longer and brews the coffee at a lower temperature. It took about 12 minutes to brew 8oz of coffee. I found the brew to be quite smooth and tasty. I tasted it before adding ice and noticed that it was definitely lukewarm rather than hot. This minimizes ice melt. This feature was a real highlight for me, and rather unexpected for a drip coffee maker.

Karen Freeman / Future

Brew Over Ice

If you don't have the time to wait for Cold Brew, the Brew Over Ice setting gets you to iced coffee in about 1/3 the time. It took about four minutes to brew an 8oz cup. However, I found it a little bitter, so for me the extra time for the Cold Brew setting is worthwhile.

Future

Coffee shot and milk frother

To make a true espresso, you need an espresso machine, which uses pressure. This is a drip machine, so you can't make a real espresso. However, the Braun OptiBrew Pro does make an ultra-concentrated brew they call a Coffee Shot.

Frankly, I found it too strong to drink on its own, but it makes a great base for latte or cappuccino-style beverage. I used the milk frother and made myself a sort of cappuccino. Now, the frother only froths, it doesn't heat the milk, so the user guide suggests microwaving your milk first if you want hot foam. I did that and it worked out fine. I used 2% dairy milk and the foam was copious and quite sturdy. It even stood up to vigorous stirring. My drink was delicious! And the frother was easy to detach and wash afterwards.

Karen Freeman / Future

Performance score: 5/5

Should you buy the Braun OptiBrew Pro?

Braun OptiBrew Pro score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	While I think the features make the OptiBrew Pro worthwhile, it's more expensive than your average drip brewer.	4/5
Design	Tons of features are packed into a machine with a relatively small footprint.	5/5
Performance	The OptiBrew Pro does everything it claims and does it extremely well.	5/5

Buy it if

You just want good coffee

At its heart, this is a drip coffee machine that makes excellent drip coffee.

You want a lot of different brew styles

It doesn't just make a carafe of drip coffee, it makes a variety of single serve sizes, has two different methods for iced coffee, and even brews a highly concentrated coffee shot for espresso-style drinks. It also froths milk for a cappuccino type of beverage.

You want some more fancy features

Set your coffee up in advance with the auto-on feature. Keep it warm or reheat it with the adjustable-temperature keep warm feature. You can adjust for high altitude or hard water. Even change up beep tone if you like.

Don't buy it if

It's too pricey

You can find a simple drip coffee maker without the bells and whistles for about a tenth of the price.

You want true espresso

Though the OptiBrew Pro makes a highly concentrated coffee shot that you can use like espresso for your frothed milk beverages, it isn't technically espresso. You need an espresso machine for that.

You are looking for an automatic bean-to-cup machine

There is no built-in grinder. You have to measure and scoop your ground coffee into the filter yourself. This is not an automatic or even semi-automatic machine, it's a manual machine.View Deal

Braun OptiBrew Pro: also consider

Ninja AutoBarista Pro Fully Automatic Espresso Machine

Want lots more bells and whistles? This automatic machine makes drip coffee, iced coffee, espresso, and milk-based drinks. Go from whole beans to cup with the touch of a button.

Check out my Ninja AutoBarista Pro Fully Automatic Espresso Machine reviewView Deal

Cuisinart Grind & Brew

Not only is this one a little cheaper than the Braun OptiBrew Pro, but it has a built-in coffee bean grinder so it can take either whole beans or ground coffee. It makes a tasty brew that stays hot for hours. However, it lacks some of the other features such as a milk frother and a cold brew option.

Read our Cuisinart Grind & Brew review.View Deal

How I tested the Braun OptiBrew Pro

I made and drank lots of coffee! I brewed a half carafe and a full carafe. I made single serve brews, both the 12oz and 16oz sizes. I made iced coffee two different ways: Cold Brew and Brew Over Ice. I made a Coffee Shot and added it to 2% milk that I had microwaved and then frothed with the built-in milk frother. I made both regular coffee and decaf. I utilized the auto on, keep warm, and pause during brewing functions. I cleaned the filter, filter holder, and milk frother after every use.

First reviewed October 2026

Aldi's new home heating range includes £50 Dyson dupe and a budget dehumidifier

rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:22:00 +0000

Aldi is launching three new home heating appliances on October 18
The highlight is a £50 Dyson fan heater dupe
Aldi is also launching a compact dehumidifier and ceramic tower heater

The days are getting shorter and the weather is getting much colder, which can only mean one thing — Aldi is replenishing its Specialbuys middle aisle with three new budget-friendly devices in its Home Heating Essentials range, arriving in stores October 18.

The first, and arguably the stand-out, product is the new Dyson-like bladeless fan heater. At just £49.99, it makes a solid affordable alternative, saving you the best part of £300 compared to if you opted for a premium option like the Dyson Hot+Cool HF1 for example.

I say this every time there’s another major device restock, but Aldi’s own devices aren’t exact replicas, and there’s a reason why they’re affordable. They’re not as well-built or feature-packed as devices from premium brands, but they do come with handy features that cover the basics, which is why we can’t help but love them.

As far as its new Ambiano bladeless fan heater goes, it’s designed for both heating and cooling, though I imagine the former would be mostly used as we settle deeper into the winter months. Available in black or white, the fan offers three heat settings and eight fan speeds with a 9-hour timer, so it’s totally customizable to suit your needs.

It becomes increasingly difficult to effectively dry clothes inddors in colder conditions, which can also lead to condensation and mould growth — and Alid’s new £44.99 Ambiano dehumidifier could save the day. Compact in size allowing for easy movement between rooms, the 2.2 litre dehumidifier has a 24-hour timer function, overheat protection, and a 10-colour night light.

(Image credit: Aldi)

Not only does ambient air drying take longer during the colder months, but this can lead to condensation and mould growth in your home, which can affect air quality. While models from reputable brands such as Maeco can be bigger in size and therefore extract more moisture, they’re not the friendliest of appliances price-wise. Though Aldi’s version is on the compact side, it’s still a sub-£50 device that could really help reduce those heating bills.

Lastly, Aldi’s standalone Ambiano ceramic tower heater is the cheapest of the new devices at £19.99. If you’re looking for another way to cut down this winter’s heating bills, it could be a good alternative to a dehumidifier or fan heater.

Aldi’s product listing says this appliance has the capacity to quickly warm a space, with an oscillating function to boost heat circulation and on-appliance adjustable settings for added customization. The main difference compared to a standard fan heater are the ceramic plates — their electrical resistance changes with temperature, giving these heaters self-regulating properties can make them the safer option. You can read more about the differences between fan and ceramic heaters in our explainer.

As mentioned, Aldi’s new Home Heating Essentials range is coming to stores on October 18. The retailer also states that prices online may vary from those in-store; and, as with every Specialbuys launch, each device is subject to availability.

9 things we learned from the big Apple 'Welcome Home' event

David Nield — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:45:00 +0000

After treating us to the grand unveiling of the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo handsets in September, Apple returned in October to launch some notable device upgrades in the smart home and streaming categories.

There are refreshed versions of the Apple TV 4K and the HomePod mini, plus an Echo Show-style smart display called the HomeView. The HomeView is evidence of a renewed focus on the smart home from Apple, as are the devices being made by LG Electronics and Schneider Electric that the HomeView can connect to.

We've also got Siri AI rolling out across the board, which in theory should mean more intelligent and more useful AI conversations. Here's our full recap of what was announced, with links to specific articles if you want to read more.

1. The HomeView is Apple's first smart display — and it comes in two versions

It's like an Echo Show for Apple fans (Image credit: Apple)

Apple just jumped into smart displays: the HomeView is a competitor to the Amazon Echo Show and the Google Nest Hub, giving you a 7-inch screen that lets you control smart home devices, chat to Siri AI, play music, and much more. You can choose between a HomeView on its own rotating stand, or a HomeView designed to be wall-mounted.

A curated list of Apple apps can run on the HomeView, including Calendar, Safari, FaceTime, Weather, and Apple TV. If you like what you see, the HomeView costs $299 / £299 / AU$449 in Silver, Starlight, Rose Pink, or Space Gray. Preorders are open today, with sales and shipping starting on Friday, November 13.

@techradar
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Read the full story: I've seen Apple's HomeView smart display in action — it looks like the Apple Watch and classic G4 iMac had a baby, and it could make the Echo Show irrelevant

2. You need an iPhone or iPad to use the HomeView

Before you put your cash down for Apple's new smart display, read the small print. You need to have an iPhone or an iPad handy to set it up, and these connected mobile devices also provide a lot of the HomeView's personalized context — your messages, appointments, reminders, podcasts, and playlists for example.

3. The Apple TV 4K has finally been refreshed (with a big price hike)

A new Apple TV 4K for 2026, any takers? (Image credit: Apple TV 4K (2026))

We're pleased to see the launch of a brand new Apple TV 4K, but less enthused about the increased price: the new model will set you back $299 / £299 / AU$449, up from $199 / £199 / AU$299 (Wi-Fi) and $249 / £249 / AU$399 (Wi-Fi and Ethernet) for the old models, which are no longer going to be on sale from Apple.

You do get more for your money though. The upgrades here include a new Siri Remote that can make a sound when you're trying to find it, Siri AI on board, a faster processor, and three far-field mics for more "hey Siri" voice control options. Preorders are opening today, with a shipping and on-sale date of Friday, November 13.

Read the full story: New Apple TV 4K finally brings HomePod Dolby Atmos surround sound and a Siri Remote you can’t lose — but its price has been hiked to $299

4. The new Siri Remote works with older Apple TVs

The fourth-generation Siri Remote that comes with the 2026 Apple TV 4K — the one that can make a sound when you're trying to find it, and can be tracked down using Precision Finding on the latest iPhones — is compatible with older Apple TV models too.

That means it'll work with the Apple TV HD and previous Apple TV 4K models. It'll be available to buy separately, but we're still waiting on pricing details.

5. You can pair the new Apple TV 4K with four HomePod speakers

(Image credit: Apple TV 4K (2026))

One of our favorite new features on the Apple TV 4K is the ability to pair it with up to four HomePods as its audio system.

That could be four 2nd-gen HomePods, four HomePod mini 2s, or two of each, it's up to you. Naturally, that could be a pretty pricy combo if you're starting from scratch though — an Apple TV 4K and four HomePod mini 2 units would cost $895 / £895 / AU$1,365, for example.

Still, you're still able to use a single HomePod or a stereo pair with the new Apple TV 4K as well, just like before.

6. The HomePod mini 2 is here, but it doesn’t have Siri AI (yet)

Your color choices for the Apple HomePod mini 2 (Image credit: Apple)

Considering the first HomePod mini launched in November 2020, an updated version was well overdue, and it's now arrived. It comes with a speedier chipset, and a modest price bump to $149 / £149 / AU$229. Preorders are open now if you want to put your money down, with the speaker shipping and going on sale on Friday, October 30.

You've also got new colors to pick from — Green and Pink models are available, alongside the previous White, Midnight, and Blue (Yellow and Orange get dropped) — and the LEDs on top of the speaker can change color to match the artwork of whatever you're listening to. Siri AI is supported as well, but it's coming in a future software update (there's no confirmed date yet).

Read the full story: The HomePod mini 2 is here, but while the upgrades are subtle, the price hike isn’t — and you'll have to wait for Siri AI

7. There’s no Siri AI update for the second-gen HomePod

(Image credit: Future)

While the HomePod mini 2 will get the all-singing, all-dancing Siri AI update eventually (Apple hasn't set a specific date), the 2nd-gen HomePod launched in 2023 won't be getting the smarter AI.

Apple hasn't yet said why, but presumably the on-board processor just isn't fast enough for the extra demands of the AI.

8. Apple has co-designed new smart home gadgets with LG and Schneider Electric...

The Apple Home Collection includes security cameras (Image credit: Apple)

It's fair to say Apple's smart home ambitions have been limited somewhat by a lack of compatible gear — there's just not the range of products you get that work with Google Home or Amazon Alexa for example — but improvements are coming. A new doorbell and smart lock, plus cameras, sensors, and thermostats, are on the way.

These new gadgets are appearing under the label of the Apple Home Collection, though these are actually joint efforts between Apple and both LG and Schneider Electric. It means if you do buy a new HomeView smart display, you're going to have a wider choice of smart home devices to connect it to, and more hardware is likely to be in the pipeline.

Read the full story: Apple Home is getting a new doorbell, cameras, and smart lock — but Apple isn’t making them

9. ...but you won’t be able to buy them everywhere

When it comes to the availability of the Apple Home Collection, these devices might not be sold as widely as we might like.

Shipping is scheduled for December across the board, but it looks like the LG Door Lock will only be available in the US and Canada, while the doorbell and cameras are limited to the US and the UK — at least for now.

The Apple HomeView is the smart display I’ve been waiting for

jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Having largely stayed out of the smart-home space until now, Apple today jumped in with both feet, unveiling the Apple HomeView, its first smart display — introduced alongside the Apple HomePod mini 2, a new Apple TV 4K, and a range of smart-home devices — including a video doorbell — produced by partner brands LG and Schneider Electric.

The Apple HomeView is a modern, cute 7-inch Liquid Retina display and smart-home hub that enables you to use the touchscreen or Siri AI voice commands, to control connected devices, play music, check the weather and more.

@techradar
♬ high like heaven - adore & Blu DeTiger

There are two models: a version with the display sitting atop a speaker unit (shown at the top of the page), to which it's attached by an adjustable arm that enables you to tilt and rotate the display; and a screen-only model that's designed to be wall-mounted.

(Image credit: Apple)

The HomeView starts at $299 in the US, £299 in the UK, and AU$449 in Australia, with preorders opening today (October 13) ahead of a November 13 on-sale date.

It comes in familiar Apple colors: Silver, Starlight, Rose Pink, and Space Gray. That price is actually more competitive than I expected, given that rumors had pointed to a price around $350.

While $299 is still $100 more than the Echo Show 8, Apple is clearly pitching the HomeView as its alternative to Amazon's devices — and if you’re already in the Apple ecosystem, there are some compelling reasons to consider it.

As for the hardware, you get a 7-inch Liquid Retina display, a 12MP Ultra Wide Center Stage camera, a four-microphone array, and a multi-driver speaker system in the model with the speaker unit.

Apple’s A18 processor powers the HomeView, though the platform is not iPadOS, tvOS, or iOS — it’s all-new HomeView Software.

The HomeView has features that can rival the likes of the Amazon Echo Show or Google Nest Hub. And when it comes to the former, it might have the edge for two key reasons: privacy, and integration with the Apple devices you already use every day.

As the rumors and reports suggested, HomeView is reminiscent of the iMac G4 of yesteryear, but feels more refined. It starts with a face you can set to a variety of clocks — think an Apple Watch face or the screensaver interface on an Apple TV 4K — and some will feel familiar if you’ve used an Apple Watch, though with distinct differences.

(Image credit: Apple)

Snoopy is back with fresh adventures, and the Flow face is reimagined here so that, rather than simply grooving like a lava lamp, its colorful shapes respond to what the camera up top sees. You can add complications such as your calendar, to-do lists, and weather, with information adjusting from a general view to more specific details as you approach.

The HomeView can recognize up to six family members using its integrated camera, which helps it personalize the experience for whoever is interacting with it. Each family member can customize their own face, apps, and widgets, and here the interface resembles iOS, even to the degree that you can tint the icons.

The similarities extend to privacy, too. Apple says personal information stays personal, meaning another family member shouldn’t be able to walk up to HomeView and access your messages or see who you’re texting.

Siri requests aren’t recorded, according to Apple, and personal data isn’t stored directly on HomeView itself. It also has no ads, unlike the Echo Show, which makes it feel more like part of your home than a billboard on your kitchen counter.

You'll need an iPhone or iPad to set it up, and doing so unlocks much of the HomeView’s personal context.

(Image credit: Apple)

You won’t find an App Store on the HomeView. Instead, Apple curates the experience around the apps and features it thinks make sense on a shared home display. Those include Apple’s own apps and services, such as Messages, Music, Weather, Reminders, Calendar, Safari, Find My, FaceTime, Apple TV, Podcasts, News, and the Home app.

Apple also shared that select third-party media apps that already work with CarPlay will be supported, potentially bringing more of your favorite audio services, such as Spotify, into the experience.

You can’t just download whatever you want, but Apple has clearly thought about how people will use HomeView throughout the day, whether that’s for checking the weather, catching up on messages, playing music, or controlling connected devices.

(Image credit: Apple)

Siri is central to HomeView, and the integration with Apple’s broader ecosystem is where the experience starts to feel more ambitious than a typical smart display.

HomeView can draw on personal context to help with requests that go beyond simple commands. During a demonstration, I saw how it could help find a recipe a friend had recommended, or one your mom had sent, or pull up a song a friend had texted you about.

It can also handle more involved requests. For example, you could ask when your dad’s flight lands, work out how long it will take him to get from the airport to your apartment, and then look for brunch recommendations. Rather than treating each question as a separate task, HomeView can use context to help connect the dots.

It’s not just about asking Siri to turn on a light or set a timer; Siri AI on HomeView seems purpose-built for personalized, multi-step assistance — much like what Apple promised with the next-generation personal assistant.

(Image credit: Apple)

The HomeView isn’t just a screen with a speaker attached. Apple has built a more considered audio setup into the device, with two custom drivers for high notes in the screen, alongside a down-firing woofer and two other force-canceling woofers in the base of the speaker-mounted version.

During a kitchen demonstration, I heard a Bad Bunny track playing on Apple Music, and HomeView got impressively loud without distorting. Lyrics appeared on the screen, too, making it feel like a natural fit for a kitchen island or another shared space where music is part of the routine.

The speaker-mounted version feels especially suited to the kitchen, where you might angle the screen toward yourself while cooking, then turn it toward someone else when they walk in. As mentioned, there’s also a wall-mounted option, with audio tuned specifically for that placement, though I didn’t get to demo music on that model.

(Image credit: Apple)

One of the more practical features is how HomeView works with your iPhone. If you’re looking at a recipe on your phone, you can tap or bring the phone close to HomeView to hand it off to the larger screen. You can also switch a FaceTime call or music in the same way.

With a recipe, Safari can show the important details, including ingredients and step-by-step instructions. You can work through the recipe as you go, with timers available along the way.

Siri AI adds another layer. You could ask it to add ingredients to a shopping list, set a reminder, or help find a nearby grocery store for something you need. It’s the kind of connected workflow that makes sense on a display designed to live in a shared space, rather than one that’s just a smaller tablet sitting on a counter.

The HomeView also feels like a natural extension of Apple’s smart-home ambitions. The Home app enables you to control compatible lights, thermostats, door locks, and cameras, while smart home widgets put your most-used controls closer at hand.

You can receive doorbell alerts and view live camera feeds, with support for up to nine camera views at once. Existing Apple Home-compatible and Matter-compatible devices will work with it, naturally, giving HomeView a clear role as a central smart home hub.

The HomeView will arrive ahead of Apple’s new Home Collection, a range of smart home products made in collaboration with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric, that are expected to arrive in December. These will include a video doorbell, a smart lock, and various security cameras and sensors.

(Image credit: Apple)

As mentioned, you can choose between speaker-mounted or wall-mounted versions of the HomeView. The wall-mounted option feels like a replacement for touch controls for an automated home system — the feel will be similar to a smart thermostat, too.

The speaker-mounted version feels much more like a communal, catch-all device. Both versions have their appeals, but you will need to give this some thought before you buy.

The HomeView has fewer features than some rivals, and as mentioned it’s not an entirely open software experience. I think that’s a two-fold decision: it enables Apple to deliver a compelling, well-thought-out experience built around what HomeView is designed to do at launch, and to put privacy front and center.

The HomeView will be central to controlling your smart home, but it also ventures closer to being a personal assistant around the house, thanks to its integration with Apple’s broader ecosystem. The HomeView isn’t a standalone device in the traditional sense given that it requires you to have and iPhone or iPad, but if you’re already invested in Apple’s ecosystem it could also mean that you're reaching for your iPhone a little less.

It’s taken Apple a long time to enter the smart-display category, but after seeing HomeView in action, I think the wait has been worth it. This feels like one of Apple’s strongest new category entries in quite some time. Apple has used its ecosystem strengths to give HomeView a clear purpose: a shared display that still feels personal, a smart-home hub that doesn’t require you to reach for your phone, and a genuinely useful extension of the Apple devices you already own.

The Echo Show has been a familiar fixture in the smart home for years. But now Apple has finally arrived on the scene, with a product that feels distinctly Apple — and if you already have an iPhone at the center of your life, I can see the HomeView making a lot of sense.

The HomePod mini 2 is here, but while the upgrades are subtle, the price hike isn’t

jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Apple's HomePod mini 2 freshens the smart speaker with new colors and a few new tricks
The top LED glow can now mirror the colors of album artwork
The smart speaker will get Siri AI in a future software update

Techtober is marching on in a pretty big way, and this week it's Apple leading the pack. Alongside its first-ever smart display, the HomeView, Apple is also upgrading the speaker that serves as the entry point to its smart-home lineup.

The HomePod mini 2 is a refresh of the smart speaker that’s been a workhorse in Apple's lineup since it launched in 2020. For this second generation, Apple isn’t changing much: there are new colors, a better processor under the hood, and a new trick with the glowing LED on the top, though Siri AI is coming… but only via a future software update.

It also comes with a notable price hike. In the US, the first-gen HomePod mini jumped from $99 to $129 in June, and now the HomePod mini 2 costs $149.99 — so that's a 50% upgrade over the price the original cost just five months ago. It’s up for preorder now, and will begin shipping on October 30. It's priced at £149 in the UK, and AU$229 in Australia.

(Image credit: Apple)

Looks-wise, the HomePod mini 2 is still about the size and shape of an tennis ball, but with a flat top and bottom. Alongside White, Blue, and Midnight, new arrivals Green and Pink aim to offer a fresh pop of color. Fans of Yellow and Orange, which were options for the first HomePod mini, will likely be missing those — myself included.

Still, I’m a fan of the fresh Pink here. I saw it demoed in a stereo pair alongside the pink iMac, and there’s definitely some Cupertino synergy here. Beyond the fresh paint jobs, the HomePod mini 2 will still ship with a color-matched cord and USB-C power plug.

Apple

Under the hood, Apple has made the jump from an S5 chip to the S10 chip, which premiered inside the Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3, and third-generation SE.

The new chip will be faster for processing, and will also improve connectivity, allowing for improved latency when the HomePod mini 2 is used as a dedicated speaker for a Mac — a new capability for this model. It can also be grouped with other HomePods as a surround sound setup for the new Apple TV 4K.

(Image credit: Apple)

The S10 chip will also power a forthcoming free update to bring Siri AI to the speaker. When it does arrive, you can opt into the new, more personalized Siri through the Home app on your iPhone. The update will apply to your account, and if you’re in a shared household, other users will be able to make the jump too.

As with the Apple HomeView, you’ll need an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence and the new Siri, and that has recently connected to your Wi-Fi network. Once enabled, you can ask for more personal information from Siri, whether that’s finding a song your friend texted you, pulling information from your calendar, or handling any number of other tasks. There will be a bit of a wait for these Siri features, though, with no confirmed date.

The other big change is a fun one. The HomePod mini 2’s top is still a circular touch surface with LEDs underneath, but it's been updated. No, it’s not a full Liquid Retina display as on the HomeView, but the LEDs are more precise, and can now color-match the album art of whatever you’re listening to.

Think of the colorful glow in the iPhone’s Dynamic Island when a Now Playing widget is active. Whether you’re listening to Apple Music or Spotify, that color-matching effect can now translate to the top of the HomePod mini 2.

It’s a neat update, though the lights don’t get all that bright. In a demo, they matched the blues, whites, and violets of Olivia Rodrigo’s latest album while it was playing.

Potentially more interesting is that it works with soundscapes, too. I currently have two original HomePod minis on my nightstands, and use rain sounds to fall asleep, so the idea that the new model can visually reflect the pitter-patter of raindrops is intriguing. In a dark room, that gentle glow could be a soothing touch.

(Image credit: Apple)

Aside from that, the HomePod mini 2 still offers the same rich, vibrant, and surprisingly loud playback experience for audio, podcasts, and other content. It’s again powered by a full-range driver, and dual passive radiators.

It sounded pretty great in the demos, and I’m especially pleased that two of these can be combined with a pair of second-generation HomePods for a full surround sound experience with the Apple TV 4K. You can of course also pair this HomePod with any other AirPlay speakers or the HomeView, too.

Apple is taking preorders for the HomePod mini 2 now, with shipping from October 30. That’s right before Halloween, and while Orange isn’t in the lineup anymore for a pumpkin look, you'll be able to ask Siri to serve up some spooky tunes.

Apple Home is getting a new doorbell, cameras, and smart lock — but Apple isn’t making them

jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

The Apple Home Collection is a new set of smart-home devices made by LG Electronics and Schneider Electric
The new devices have been designed in partnership with Apple
The smart locks, video doorbell, and sensors, among other devices, are designed to work seamlessly with Apple Home

While there are lots of smart-home of gadgets that work with Apple Home — or HomeKit, as it was once called — Apple has never really taken the next step of designing and building its own devices, like doorbells, sensors, thermostats, and locks. That’s still the case, but alongside unveiling the Apple HomeView smart display, with features that clearly make it a smart home hub, the tech giant is also moving into the smart-home device space, in collaboration with partner brands.

Rather than simply certifying devices for Apple Home — and those options aren’t going away — Apple has been working with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric to design and build several devices that will serve as a new flagship standard for gadgets in Apple's ecosystem. They'll start shipping in December.

The new doorbell, indoor and outdoor cameras, thermostats, and various sensors represent a set of gadgets that not only work seamlessly with Apple’s home hubs — Apple TV 4K, HomePod, HomePod mini, and the new HomeView — but also integrate with the broader Apple Home ecosystem, allowing Siri to be central to controlling them.

All these new devices look and feel modern and well-made. Take LG Electronics’ Video Doorbell, for example: it’s a wired option priced at $249 in the US and £229 in the UK. It’s a sleek, matte-silver cylinder with a classic doorbell button, microphones, a speaker, and two cameras. One camera faces outward to give you a view of who’s at your door or what’s happening on the street, while the other faces downward, so that you can see whether a package has been dropped off.

There's also an LG Door Lock, which will work in the United States and Canada, and conforms to the deadbolt lock standard in North America. This is priced at $199. Like the recently launched Ring Smart Lock, it supports UWB — ultra-wideband — and Apple Home Key, so as you approach the door with your iPhone or Apple Watch, it can sense your arrival and automatically unlock the door. You can also enter a code using the keypad, or slide the panel to the side to use a physical key.

(Image credit: Apple)

Another potentially over-engineered, but pretty sleek, option is LG’s Indoor Camera. This cylindrical camera sits in a mini drum connected to an arm, and when you set it not to be in use — such as when you arrive home, or according to a schedule — it swivels downward so the lens faces the floor. There’s no physical shutter here, but it’s a unique and visible approach to privacy, and you can also activate it on demand with a button on the top. It’s priced at $199 in the US and £179.95 in the UK.

(Image credit: Apple)

These are just three of the devices in the collection. LG is also making an Outdoor Camera, with or without a floodlight, while both LG and Schneider Electric offer smart thermostat s, and Schneider Electric is making a variety of sensors. It’s likely that these are just the start of a much larger range, but they cover some of the basic building blocks of a smart home.

(Image credit: Apple)

While these new devices aren’t made directly by Apple, this partnership arrangement is similar to how Apple worked with LG on the original UltraFine 2K and 4K monitors for MacBook Pro users, or how Belkin has become a featured partner for accessories such as the MagSafe mount that lets you use your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac.

I think it’s also a tell about exactly where Apple wants to play within the smart home. For instance, there are no smart lights here, likely because a handful of lighting brands already support Apple Home, from Nanoleaf to Philips Hue.

As mentioned, these new devices won’t launch until December, with exact availability still to be confirmed, but I’ll be curious to see how they perform.

(Image credit: Apple)

One unique aspect of these devices is that you'll be able to set up and pair them much like AirPods or an Apple Watch. You’ll see a splash screen appear on your iPhone when you bring it close to the device, whether that’s a doorbell, camera, thermostat, sensor, or smart lock.

That’s a slicker approach than the sometimes-arduous process of setting up other smart-home devices. It’s also clear that Apple is building on the foundations of the Matter standard, and making that experiences feel more seamless within its own ecosystem.

Don't wait for Black Friday — I’ve found 6 coffee machines with steep discounts worth shouting about

Max Langridge — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 05:55:10 +0000

As an experienced deals hunter, I was fully under the impression that, following the recent Amazon Prime Big Deal Days event, we wouldn’t be seeing any particularly noteworthy discounts on coffee machines until Black Friday.

Having recently checked Amazon’s listing, however, it seems I’m very much in the wrong. I like to think that doesn’t happen often, of course, and on this occasion I’m more than happy to be told otherwise.

Yes, I’ve found some superb discounts on some of my favourite espresso machines that either match their Prime Day price, or actually beat it. The Nespresso Vertuo Creatista at AU$697 is a couple of dollars cheaper, while the Sunbeam Origins Sense at AU$475.15 is over AU$80 less than what I saw during Amazon’s recent sale.

There are a few other coffee machines with big discounts right now, which you can view below. And as ever, make sure to view the full selection on Amazon for something that might be more to your liking. And while I’m on the subject of coffee machines, I have to remind you that Breville currently has a birthday sale live on its website, and TechRadar readers can save an extra 10% on already discounted models thanks to an exclusive coupon code.

Vertuo Creatista capsule coffee machine: was $1099 now $697
We rate the Vertuo Creatista as the best Nespresso machine out there thanks to its use of the Vertuo pods, which come in a range of cup and mug sizes and an integrated milk frother. It performs exceptionally well, too, and will brew your morning cuppa in no time at all.View Deal

Origins Sense Espresso Machine: was $799 now $475.15
This attractive bean-to-cup espresso machine from Aussie brand Sunbeam brews a fine espresso. For me, however, its headline feature is a thermometer built into the steam wand and four temp settings for various dairy milk alternatives, so you can get perfectly texturised milk with ease. It also sports a built-in conical burr grinder for precision grinding, and it has easy, one-button cleaning.View Deal

Origins Dual Espresso Machine: was $999 now $575.45
I’ve not used this exact Sunbeam model, but if it’s anything like the Sense above, you’re in for a treat. The main feature of this model is a dual-boiler system, meaning you can pour an espresso and steam milk at the same time, saving you valuable time in the morning.View Deal

Rivelia (EXAM44057W): was $1599 now $1099
Now available for AU$180 less than Prime Day, this is a great price for an excellent, compact bean-to-cup coffee machine. It scored a full five stars in our De’Longhi Rivelia review, due to it being able to consistently serve up a delicious coffee. There's plenty of customisation on offer, so you can tweak the various preset recipes and it uses the brand's LatteCrema technology for expertly frothed milk — it includes carafes to create hot and cold milk foam.

Also available in black for the same price.View Deal

Vertuo Pop+ w/ Aeroccino. 3: was $349 now $189
The Nespresso machine is a slightly larger version of the highly popular Vertuo Pop. The main difference is a larger 1.1L water tank (compared to 600ml with the Pop) and the water tank can be moved to help you better accommodate the machine in your kitchen. Elsewhere, it uses the extensive Vertuo capsule range, with five different coffee sizes.View Deal

The KitchenAid KF8 makes brewing a delicious coffee easier than ever. A large, colourful display makes selecting a drink simple as can be, and the automatic brewing process is quiet as a whisper. It also caters to plant-based milk drinkers. The lowest price is on the black model, but a couple of other colours also come in under AU$2,000.View Deal

4400 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine: was $1199 now $799
As mentioned earlier, this machine did go lower in price during Prime Day, but it’s pleasing to see it’s maintained a sub-AU$800 price tag in the week since. I consider it to be an excellent bean-to-cup espresso machine, as it can make 12 coffee-based drinks, all of which are served perfectly time after time. Plus, it's a great option for smaller households due to it having 2 customisable profiles. However, I have to admit that I wasn't too fond of its milk foaming skills in my LatteGo 4400 Series review.View Deal

The Ninja Crispi Microwave is an incredibly versatile air fryer and microwave combo that will transform the way you cook

johnmccannfreelance@gmail.com (John McCann) — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Ninja Crispi Microwave: 30-second review

The Ninja Crispi Microwave combines the power of an air fryer with the speed of a microwave. It sounds like an almost impossible feat, yet Ninja has seemingly done the impossible with one of the most versatile kitchen appliances around.

Things get off to a good start out of the box. One of the common frustrations with microwaves are their controls, and how it feels like you need an engineering degree to understand how it all works. Not with the Crispi Microwave. A brief flick through the instructions, and you’ll be off, with easy to use buttons and modes to help you cook the food you want.

The included glassware dish with removable crisper tray, and the rails its slides onto in the microwave, are great additions for air frying and FusionCrisp cooking. And when microwaving you don’t need to worry about any rotating turnable. You get the whole surface of the microwave cavity to place your food, allowing you to cook more at once.

(Image credit: Future)

Then there’s the actual cooking. Whether I was air frying, grilling or baking, or using one of the many microwave presets, the Crispi Microwave delivered great food every time. And to really unlock the power of this appliance, FusionCrisp uses the best of both cooking technologies, for wonderful moist in the middle, crispy on the outside cooks.

If you’ve got the space on your counter, and are looking to consolidate the number of appliances in your kitchen, the Ninja Crispi Microwave is an excellent all-rounder.

Ninja Crispi Microwave: price and availability

Ninja Crispi Microwave price: $449.99 / £359.99 (about AU$650)
Available in the US and UK, in multiple colors

The Ninja Crispi Microwave price is $449.99 / £359.99, which compared to a traditional countertop microwave is exceedingly expensive. However, this isn’t just a microwave. It also has a built-in air fryer, and with Ninja’s FusionCrisp Technology you can cook food with both systems in the same process.

There are a few other air fryer microwaves on the market, and comparing the costs here sees the Ninja competitively priced against its competition. The Samsung Combi Smart Microwave is a touch cheaper, Smeg’s is considerably more, while IKEA offers a budget-friendly option.

You can buy the Ninja Crispi Microwave directly from Ninja, and via third party retailers in the US and UK. It’s not available in Australia.

I’ve seen the Crispi Microwave discounted in the US by around $50, but at time of writing I’m yet to see any discounts in the UK. It’s always worth shopping around though.

Interestingly, in the US you get the choice of four colors; black, silver, Cyperspace (blue) and Stone Gold. In the UK, Stone Gold isn’t available, leaving you with three options.

Value score: 4.5/5

Ninja Crispi Microwave: specifications

Review Model	MW101UK
Number of cooking programs	13 (8 microwave, 5 air fry)
Cooking programs	Microwave (popcorn, potato, defrost, soup, deverage, frozen veg, porridge, soften butter) Air Fry (air fry, max crisp, air roast, air bake, air grill)
Extra functions	5.2L cleancrisp glassware and crisper tray
Smart control	No
Wattage	2000W
Capacity	5.2L
Temperature range	120C - 240C
Time range	1 - 60 minutes
Dimensions	44.6cm (D) x 51.6cm (W) x 35.8cm (H)
Dishwasher-safe	Yes (glassware and crisper tray only)
Weight	18.6kg
Colours	Cyberspace, Silver, Black

Ninja Crispi Microwave: design

Premium, modern design, with cookbook in the box
Slightly bigger than a standard microwave, but needs more clearance
Internal light is dim, front is a dust and fingerprint magnet

The Ninja Crispi Microwave is a smart looking appliance, with a modern aesthetic, clean lines, and chunky dials and buttons.

Considering the additional air fryer tech squeezed inside the Ninja Crispi Microwave, it’s not hugely oversized. At 44.6 (D) x 51.6 (W) x 35.8cm (H) it’s bigger than my current unit, but it’s not aggressively massive.

While that’ll be good news for those hoping it will fit where their current microwave resides, you need to take airflow into consideration. As this product also has an air fryer built into it, you need to allow for a minimum of 12 inches (30.5 cm) of clearance above the unit for adequate airflow and safe operation.

Future

That meant I couldn’t place the Crispi where my current microwave was, as the wall mounted cupboard above it didn’t allow for enough space for air to flow safely. I’m fortunate to have open countertop space in my kitchen, allowing me to place the Crispi - but if you have a smaller kitchen, or limited countertop space this is something you need to consider before purchasing.

If you do have a suitable space for the Crispi to reside, you’ll find it comes with various warnings when you open the packaging and look through the paperwork.

One of the main warnings is to not operate it when empty, as this can apparently damage the unit.

Future

Unlike a traditional microwave, there’s no rotating platform inside. Instead there’s a glass service that you place dishes on, and you need to be careful when cooking is finished as this surface can be very hot.

What that does mean is you get a bigger cooking surface area compared to a turntable (up to 20% more, according to Ninja), with the ability to place dishes across the entire base of the microwave.

The quick start guide and recipe book included in the box will get you up and running quickly though, and these offers are better than some manufacturers - I’m looking at you, Philips.

The smart, modern design looks good on the counter top, but the glossy door and instrument panel are an absolute dust and fingerprint magnet. You’ll need to keep a microfibre cloth handy if you want to maintain a clean look.

(Image credit: Future)

Press the large door release button, and it swings open nice and wide, going beyond 90 degrees to give you plenty of space to move things in and out. It’s especially welcome when sliding the hot glassware tray out.

That glass tray is included in the box (along with a removable, metal crisper tray), and at a capacity of 5.5 quarts / 5.2 liters Ninja says it can hold an 8lb chicken, or four slices of pizza

And the runners that hold the glassware near the top of the cavity when in air fry or FusionCrisp mode have a nice party trick. Slide the glassware most of the way out, and it’ll drop into a small groove on the runners.

This angles the tray slightly towards you, allowing you to mix, stir or turn your food without the glassware sliding all over the place or needing to remove it completely. Your oven racks might well have a similar feature, and I was pleased to see the inclusion here.

(Image credit: Future)

Plus, Ninja has included a childlock feature on the door release button, preventing curious little hands from reaching up and simply popping the door open when cooking. To enable child lock, grab a Philips-head screwdriver and turn the switch on the side of the door release button. You will then have to press this side switch and the main door release together to open.

Another thing I like are the buttons, which have great tactility and feel premium under finger. They’re clearly labelled and are relatively intuitive - though you will need to refer to the manual initially while the process of getting the right settings becomes engrained.

As an example of how good the controls are, I was able to change the clock time on the microwave with ease, something that can’t be said for many microwaves I’ve used in the past.

Future

Something that hasn't shone so bright is the light inside the microwave. It’s a little dim, even when you have the door open. When it’s closed, it’s not easy to see your food due to the heavy tint on the door as well as the under powered light.

The Ninja Crispi Microwave offers an array of cooking modes. There’s the traditional microwave option, allowing you to quickly reheat food, cook microwave meals, and pop some popcorn. Press the microwave button, set the time and hit go.

But there’s more here than first meets the eye. Hit the microwave button twice and you’ll get an illuminated selection of additional sub modes; defrost, beverage, popcorn, potato, soup, soften butter, frozen vegetable, and porridge. This makes for quicker and easier cooking for some of the core things you use a microwave for.

Then there’s the air fryer mode, which itself also has a few sub-options to choose from. If you’re familiar with Ninja’s air fryers these will be familiar; air fry, max crisp, air roast, air bake, air grill.

Then there’s a third mode, FusionCrisp. Ninja claims FusionCrisp takes the best part of microwaving and air frying, and combines them, giving you food that retains moisture, cooks quickly, but doesn’t go soggy.

Design score: 4/5

Ninja Crispi Microwave: performance

Brilliantly versatile as an air fryer and a microwave
FusionCrisp mode combines the best of both
Good enough to replace multiple appliances in your kitchen

The performance of the Ninja Crispi Microwave is impressive. Whether you’re air frying, microwaving, reheating, baking, grilling or softening butter (yes, it really has its own dedicated setting), this appliance delivers.

I used a combination of FusionCrisp and Air Fry to make a family-sized portion of mac and cheese. I added macaroni, water, milk and oil to the glassware and cooked it on the FusionCrisp mode for 25 minutes. I then added cheese and finished it with eight minutes in air fry mode for a lovely golden top.

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The pasta was cooked well to an al dente bite, while the cheese oozed throughout the dish and provided some exceptional cheese pull highlights.

I dipped into the supplied cook book again when it came to sorting out a sweet treat, and I baked a moist, spongy chocolate cake using the FusionCrisp feature. I mixed the batter and poured it into the glassware, selected FusionCrisp for 15 minutes, then air fry for five minutes, and hit start.

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The Crispi Microwave then got to baking, doing the quarter of an hour FusionCrisp cook first and then seamlessly switching to air fry for five minutes to finish the cake off. And thanks to the size of the glassware, the cake was large enough to last us a whole week.

And for a quick lunch fix I utilized the FusionCrisp mode once again to cook myself a baked potato. 14 minutes microwave, followed by a 10 minute air fry and I had a soft fluffy centered potato with a crispy skin in under half an hour. For those of you who enjoy an extra crispy skin on your potato, I'd recommend air frying for an additional 10 minutes.

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I always enjoy air fryer chicken wings, and the Ninja Crispi Microwave didn’t disappoint. Lightly tossed in oil, salt and pepper, my wings cooked for 35 minutes at 200C on the air fryer mode. The result? Wonderfully crispy skin and succulent meat. It was so good, I immediately cooked a second batch.

Another air fryer classic is homemade fries, which I cooked at 200C for 20 minutes. Although the power of the Ninja Crispi Microwave meant I stopped after 16 minutes as outside was looking well cooked.

It turned out they needed a couple more minutes to make them extra crispy, and they were well cooked and nice and fluffy on the side. Depending on how thick you cut your fries, you’ll want to keep an eye on how they’re cooking before the time is up.

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Digging into the freezer I wanted to see if the Crispi Microwave could deliver when it comes to frozen fries, and I selected the Max Crisp setting on the Air Fryer mode. The recipe book that comes with the unit has numerous tables with settings and cook time for lots of different foods, and it suggested I cooked the frozen fries for 15 minutes.

However, I found they needed an additional five minutes to get to a good level of crisp. Once done though, I was treated to crunchy fries with fluffy centers — just bear in mind you might need to cook them for longer.

Future

As a big pizza fan, I love using an air fryer to reheat leftover slices, and the Ninja Crispi Microwave is a great option. Unlike a traditional microwave where your reheated slice is left limp, Ninja suggests heating the slices as you would in a traditional microwave first, then switching to air fry mode for five minutes to finish them off.

I dutifully followed these instructions, laying the slices on the crisper tray in the glassware, and sliding it into its elevated position. The results were slices which looked, felt and tasted almost as good as they did when they arrived fresh in the box the night before.

Future

You’ll be pleased to learn that despite not having a rotating platform, the microwave mode functions exactly how you’d expect. Reheating left over mac and cheese and warming up pasta sauce worked well.

The soup sub-mode allowed me to select the quantity of soup I was heating (in liters) and the Crispi Microwave adjusted the cook time to suit.

I melted butter using the soften butter sub-mode with no burning, while the popcorn sub-mode did a good job of popping the kernels in my sweet and salty bag in the two minute duration it set itself to.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Ninja Crispi Microwave?

Ninja Crispi Microwave report card
Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	It’s pricey for a microwave, but when compared to other countertop microwave - air fryer combinations the Ninja Crispi is competitively priced for what is a premium appliance.	4.5/5
Design	Modern, premium design with great features and handy child lock on the open button. It is on the large side though, needs plenty of space for air circulation, the light inside is a touch dim, and the front is a dust and fingerprint magnet.	4/5
Performance	Impressively versatile in all cooking modes, the Crispi Microwave takes everything in its stride with excellent results across all foods.	4.5/5

Buy it if

You want to consolidate kitchen appliances

With a versatile air fryer mode, traditional microwave, and Ninja’s unique FusionCrisp setting, there’s an awful lot of ways to cook, bake, grill, air fryer, reheat and more.

You’re cooking for a family

The sizable cooking capacity inside the Ninja Crispi Microwave means it’s possible to cook an entire chicken, or multiple side dishes at once. If you have a family, the size here will be a big plus.

You want ease of use

With multiple useful preset modes, controls that don’t require an engineering degree to work out, no annoying rotating platform, and dishwasher safe accessories, the Ninja Crispi Microwave makes cooking almost effortless.

Don’t buy it if

You’re happy with your current air fryer

If you already own an air fryer, and are happy with its performance, but need a microwave, there’s no need to upgrade Ninja Crispi Microwave. Save yourself some money and go for a microwave that’s a third of the price.

You have limited counterspace

The Ninja Crispi Microwave is on the larger end of the microwave scale, and coupled with the fact it needs decent air flow space around it, small kitchens and worktops with low hanging wall cabinets might not be suitable.

You want to steam food

The one function the Crispi Microwave doesn’t have is steam. For that, you’ll want to look at the Samsung Combi Smart Microwave or the Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam air fryer. Both have their limitations compared to the Ninja, but if steaming is your thing they’ll be the better bet for you.

Ninja Crispi Microwave: also consider

Samsung Combi Smart Microwave

Combining a number of different kitchen appliances in one, it impresses with the oven, grill and microwave functions, but air frying is slow and not as effective as a dedicated machine. It's impressively easy to use, and the option of app control (something the Ninja doesn’t offer) will appeal to some.

For more information, check out our full Samsung Combi Smart Microwave review

Ninja Crispi Pro

This countertop air fryer is super-sized for families and entertaining, allowing you to make hot and crispy goodies for up to 10 people at once. Its 6-in-1 cooking modes bring extra versatility - although there’s no microwave function.

For more information, check out our full Ninja Crispi Pro review

How I tested the Ninja Crispi Microwave

I used the Ninja Crispi Microwave for several weeks
I cooked a variety of food, including fries, cake, popcorn, chicken and potatoes
I tested the various cooking modes, and the cleaning process

I used the Ninja Crispi Microwave for a number of weeks at home during my review testing period, cooking a wide variety of food and testing out the various functions and modes that this appliance offers.

I baked a cake, air fried fries and chicken wings, reheated pizza and pasta, popped popcorn, warmed up soup, baked crispy potatoes, and even tested the “soften butter” setting.

I hand-washed the glassware and crisper tray, and put them through a dishwasher, while running a damp cloth around the interior of the microwave to ensure cleaning and maintenance was easy.

First reviewed September/October 2026

Worx's Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E is well worth a punt for efficient lawn care on a relative budget

Derek Adams — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E review: two-minute review

(Image credit: Future)

The extraordinarily dry summer of 2026 has not been kind to UK-based lawn mower reviewers, but thankfully the grass has finally sprung back to life and given me the opportunity to put this mostly excellent Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E though its paces.

On paper the Euro-spec Vision Cloud WR306E sounds wonderfully simple, but I found the initial setup procedure a mite clunky, with various stages of connecting and configuring that required a lot of patience before everything started working as expected. Let's just say that it wasn't the effortless drop-and-mow experience of the TerraMow V1000 I reviewed earlier this year.

Despite these initial shenanigans, this bot has turned out to be a very reliable lawnsmith indeed. Its vision system allows it to recognize the shape of a lawn and avoid obstacles, while accurate cloud-based RTK satellite positioning helps it maintain its bearings without relying on any additional RTK aerials, let alone traditional boundary wire. And then there's the included Cut-to-Zero side module, which tackles one of the biggest annoyances with robot mowers — the uncut strip of grass they usually leave around the edges.

Yes, I do miss having a remote motorized cutting height function but, in the main, this model has impressed me with its excellent navigation and ability to stay on the lawn without veering off into the borders. I've also been chuffed by its accurate obstacle avoidance and generally excellent cut quality — and all for a snip under £900.

Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E review: price & availability

How much does it cost? £899 (about $1,190 / AU$1,710)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? UK and Europe

The Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E is a UK and Euro-spec model so if you're shopping in the USA where gardens are generally much more expansive, your closest alternative is the 1/4 Acre model which retails at Amazon for $984.48

At around £899 in the UK, the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E sits in the mid-priced tier of robotic lawn mowers. Your best online store choice for this particular model is Amazon where it sells for £899. If you live in Europe, the WR306E is also available for roughly the same price in Euros.

In terms of competition, £899 puts the WR306E against some serious alternatives, namely the TerraMow V600 and Segway Navimow i108E, which are currently selling for roughly the same price. Alternatively you could drop down a notch to the 500m² version of this mower — the WR305E — which sells for just £699 in the UK and €594 in some parts of Europe. The WR305E doesn't ship with the Cut-to-Zero edge-cutting module though it will accept the module if bought separately for around £100 from Worx UK.

Value score: 4 / 5

Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E: specs

Max lawn size	600m²
Navigation	V-SLAM stereo vision AI + Cloud-based RTK
Auto mapping?	Yes
Cutting width	7 inches / 18cm
Cutting height adjustment	1.2-2.4 inches / 30-60mm, manual
Edge cutting?	Yes, with included Cut-to-Zero module
Drivetrain	Two-wheel drive
Charge time	80 mins
Maximum slope	30% / 16.7 degrees
Multizone management?	Yes
Obstacle avoidance	V-SLAM + AI
Connectivity	Wi-fi + Bluetooth
Security	WiFi + GPS tracking
Noise	58dB
Waterproof	IPX6
Rain sensor	Yes
Weight	25lbs / 11.4kg
Dimensions	23 x 11 x 18 inches / 57.6 x 28.3 x 45.7cm
Product code	Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E

Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E review: design

Camera and RTK-based navigation
Cuts grass in parallel stripes
Comes with a unique edge cutter
Excellent battery system

(Image credit: Future)

The specific model I received for this review is the WR306E which has a lawn range of 600m² and comes with Worx’s efficient Cut-to-Zero module for precise edge cutting. However, you can also purchase this model’s cheaper stablemate — the WR305E — which retails for £300 less and features an 'optional' edge cutting module and a slightly smaller area range of 6,458 sq ft / 500m².

The acutely angular Worx Landroid Vision range adopts a very unusual design in that it’s difficult to tell the front from the rear. And even when you suss it by noticing which way the camera is pointing when operating, the front position of the drive wheels, the sloping design of the rear and the position of the RTK receiver still make it look like it’s actually going backwards. It continues to flummox me every time.

While I’m on the subject of body design, the Worx’s myriad of tight angles also make it trickier to wipe down and keep clean in the long run. Unlike other models on the market that have simple rounded shells, this one is full of tight nooks and crannies. It’s not a deal breaker but I think I prefer a more streamlined look than the Landroid Vision Cloud's Star Wars-style aesthetic. But each to their own.

Like all good modern bots, the Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E is IPX6 rated for weather resistance, and comes with a control display on the unit, a big red ‘stop’ button for bringing it to an immediate emergency halt, a rain sensor and, perhaps a little disappointingly, a manually adjustable cutting height dial rather than the usual app-controlled motorized method.

Let’s take a look at the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E’s features in detail.

Drive system

Many two-wheel-drive robot mowers are driven by the rear wheels with one or two small castor wheels at the front. However, this configuration can make it tricky when manually mapping a lawn using the RC control method because the front castors tend to pitch it off course when they hit a small dip. By contrast, this model has front-wheel drive using two large, ribbed wheels to pull the mower along and that means it's much easier to steer when mapping near the edge of borders or creating virtual multi-zone pathways.

The Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E can scale inclines of up to 30% (16.7 degrees), which is about average for a two-wheel-drive model. Nevertheless, if your lawn has steep inclines that are beyond the scope of this model, perhaps consider the similarly-sized Mammotion LUBA Mini, which has the ability to scale gradients of up to a whopping 80% (38.6 degrees).

Score ref: 4/5

Cutting system

(Image credit: Future)

The Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E is equipped with a 7-inch / 18cm three-blade cutting disc that slices grass like a pair of scissors, leaving no ragged edges when examined at macro level. Furthermore, this model also features the company's new twin-bladed Cut-to-Edge system, a dedicated offset cutting module that allows the blades to reach much closer to the lawn’s edge than a conventional centrally-mounted cutting disc. This means less manual trimming with a line strimmer afterwards and a much tidier-looking finish around borders, paths and flowerbeds.

One contributory factor to this model's lower-than-average price is the omission of an app-controlled motorized cutting deck, and that is something I most definitely miss. Instead, you will need to adjust the WR306E's cutting height directly on the mower by turning its big orange dial to your preferred height.

The Landroid Vision Cloud's unique edge cutter works very effectively. At least it did on my lawn (Image credit: Future)

Unlike most other mowbot models equipped with motorised decks that can be set to cut in 5mm increments – and even 1mm increments in the case of the Mammotion LUBA 3 – the Worx only offers four cutting heights in 0.4-inch / 10mm increments, from 1.18 to 2.3 inches / 30mm to 60mm. The same applies to the Cut-to-Zero module's cutting height which can be adjusted to three different heights: 2, 2.4, and 2.8 inches / 50, 60 and 70mm.

For me, it's not so much the hassle of having to visit the mower to change its cutting height but the fact that I can't select my favorite midway cutting height of 1.37 inches / 35mm, which I consider to be the sweet spot for a healthy sward, at least in the UK.

Like all good modern robot mowers, the Landroid Vision Cloud's intelligent scheduling means it can make frequent, relatively small cuts rather than attacking long grass in one go. This regular mulching approach leaves fine clippings on the lawn to decompose naturally while leaving more space in the green waste bin for other garden refuse.

Moreover, this mower also cuts your lawn in pseudo parallel stripes. However, the combination of the robot's single centrally-located rear trolley-style wheel and the two large ribbed driving wheels on the front does tend to create a slightly less appealing three-line stripe. It's not a deal-breaker, but I much prefer the more natural-looking stripes created by four-wheeled robot mowers like the Mammotion LUBA range.

Score ref: 4/5

(Image credit: Future)

The Worx WR306E uses a combination of cloud-based RTK positioning and sophisticated camera-based navigation to find its way around the lawn without relying on traditional boundary wires. RTK provides highly accurate satellite positioning, helping the mower understand exactly where it is so it can maintain a consistent mowing pattern across the lawn.

Its V-SLAM (Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) dual camera system, meanwhile, continuously looks at the ground ahead while identifying the boundaries between lawn and non-lawn areas such as flowerbeds, paths and borders.

The Worx WR306E can initially map a lawn in two ways: automatically or manually by steering the robot around the lawn’s perimeter using the virtual RC controls in the Worx Landroid app. During its initial mapping run, it builds up a picture of all mowable areas by using its vision system to recognize where the grass ends. So, rather than charging blindly towards a border and into the lupins, it recognizes the boundary and adjusts its route accordingly. In essence, the camera provides the visual intelligence while RTK handles the positioning accuracy.

The WR306E also supports multi zoning so if you have two or three lawns that can be easily reached by the mower with no obstructions like steps or gates in the way, simply select the zone feature and steer it from one zone to the next and the robot will follow that path from thereon in. And if your lawn has any perilous areas like ponds or steep drop-offs, you can easily add no-go zones where necessary.

Score ref: 4.5/5

Obstacle avoidance

(Image credit: Future)

The Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E has an excellent obstacle avoidance system that uses its onboard camera and AI to recognise most common garden hazards, including people, pets, toys, plant pots and garden furniture, allowing the WR306E to alter its route rather than blundering into them. Thankfully it doesn't treat leaves and other small pieces of garden debris as obstacles or it would never get the job done.

Score ref: 5/5

Battery system

(Image credit: Future)

Almost all robot mowers come with built-in batteries that can cost a packet to replace if they develop a fault (very feasible, especially after winter storage) or have come to the end of their useful lifespan. That is not the case with any of Worx's robot lawn mowers because, in a stroke of genius, the company has elected to stick to the convenience and cost-effectiveness of its tried-and-trusted PowerShare battery system which works across a huge range of Worx-branded cordless garden and power tools.

Hence, if the Landroid Vision Cloud's 20V 4.0Ah lithium battery has an unlikely hissy fit and stops working altogether, you can either use another PowerShare battery from your Worx grass trimmer or leaf blower, or simply buy a new one for around £64. To put this into perspective, a new Mammotion LUBA 3 battery will set you back between £276.66 to £363.66, depending on the specific capacity or model variant.

Score ref: 5/5

Security

(Image credit: Future)

Security is an important consideration with a robot mower that spends much of its life unattended in the garden, so the Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E has several measures designed to discourage unwanted interference.

Firstly, its connection to the Worx Landroid app locks it to the user's Wi-Fi and Worx account, rendering it useless to any opportunist thieves. GPS-based positioning, meanwhile, helps keep track of where it is. And if the mower is lifted or moved unexpectedly, its security function will trigger an alert and prevent unauthorized use by requiring the user's security pin code.

Score ref: 4/5

Design score: 4.5 / 5

Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E review: performance

Accurate navigation around lawn boundaries
Reliable obstacle detection
Decent parallel mowing patterns
Convoluted set-up process

(Image credit: Future)

Setup

Most modern robot mowers are very easy to unbox and set up by simply locating a suitable space for the charging station, plugging it into the nearest outdoor wall outlet and syncing the robot to one’s Wi-Fi and manufacturer account. The first part of the Landroid Vision Cloud’s set up went as smoothly as expected, but unfortunately it all went a bit pear shaped the moment I started to connect the robot to my Wi-Fi and the Worx Landroid app.

It’s been difficult trying to recall the full sequence of events, but the setting-up process went from fairly straightforward to downright annoying in a very short space of time. And most of the problem was down to the front-end user interface which displays various meaningless codes, icons and LCD patterns on the robot’s screen interface.

After connecting it to my Wi-Fi by stabbing at buttons on the robot’s LCD display, it mysteriously said ‘IDLE’ on the screen, so I restarted it. It then jumped in early to supposedly update the firmware without me having reached that part of the process. I watched and waited a few minutes but when nothing happened, I restarted it again and then received an error code like something from a Windows operating system in the late 1990s. I can’t remember how I resolved the error code but it went back to idle again, so I restarted it a third time.

At this juncture I should admit that I rarely follow instruction manuals and I also have a habit of not waiting long enough for computers to do their thing. Out of frustration, I also occasionally perform restarts when they might not be required.

Anyway, after taking a well-earned tea break for 10 minutes, I noticed an auto mapping button had popped up on the app screen so I tapped it, and off it went to start mapping the perimeter. I'm still not sure what caused the installation issues but it's been running smoothly ever since.

I’ve set up a lot of robot mowers over the most few years and, while this model was nowhere near as complicated as the Husqvarna 305E Nera I reviewed in 2025, I think that Worx could make things easier by overhauling the front-end user experience.

Score ref: 3.5/5

Cutting and usability

(Image credit: Future)

In performance terms, the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E has proved to be an extremely impressive bit of kit, particularly when it comes to staying where it's supposed to and not wandering off into the rose garden. The parallel cutting approach is also a big advantage over this model’s haphazard, pinball-style 2024 predecessor, the Landroid Vision M600, which I reviewed for TechRadar's sister publication T3.com, and the result is a more uniform finish and much better lawn coverage.

I was also surprised by how efficient the Cut-to-Edge module was at dealing with solid borders. The closest other robots have managed to get to our solid flower bed border is about four inches but this model manage to cut to within an inch in some places and that's a major plus in its favor.

Admittedly, the majority of my testing was on a patchy lawn ruined by the long summer drought of 2026, but on those areas where the grass had fully recovered, the Landroid Vision Cloud performed as well as the vast majority of robot mowers I've reviewed. Yes, the stripes it left in its wake weren't as aesthetically pleasing as those created by the Mammotion LUBA range, but I don't consider this a deal-breaker because, well stripes are stripes, and the fact it does them at all is cause for celebration.

In my tests, the Landroid Vision Cloud's obstacle avoidance system did a very good job of steering around objects in its path, including a very small flower pot that flummoxed an EGO robot mower I recently reviewed. It’s battery consumption was excellent, too, with plenty of juice left in the can after completing a cut of my modest 1,851 sq ft / 172m² lawn.

(Image credit: Future)

During several months of periodical testing — mostly during the UK's drought period — the Landroid Vision Cloud's RTK and V-SLAM navigation system has been rock solid, failing only once to find its charging base. But that was because I'd moved the base four feet to the right. Once I'd placed it closer to the base, it received the signal and has not had any trouble docking since.

While I don't think this model is as completely fuss-free as the TerraMow V1000 or its cheaper sibling, the V600, I still think it's up there with the best for reliability, rock-solid obstacle avoidance and dependable navigation. And while the Landroid Vision Cloud's stripes aren't quite as attractive as those created by the LUBA range, I really don't think you'll be disappointed.

Score ref: 4.5/5

Performance score: 4 / 5

Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E review: Worx Landroid app

Comprehensive lawn management features
Colourful interface
Some settings aren't immediately obvious

(Image credit: Future)

The colorful Worx Landroid app is the main control center for the mower, giving you access to a surprisingly wide range of functions. From the home screen you can start, stop and schedule mowing sessions for different days, monitor battery level, mowing progress and the mower’s current location, though this streaming function is usually about five seconds behind real time.

The app is also where you create and edit no-go zones, set up multiple lawn areas and define paths between them. However it took me a while to find the map section which is buried under My Map in the general information menu — along with all the stuff about the device's settings, firmware updates, support — instead of on the home screen.

For this reason I don't think the app is especially intuitive and feel it could do with a few tweaks to make it easier to navigate and find particular settings. I've also noticed that the robot is pretty slow to respond to commands in the app so give it time before you start stabbing at icons on the screen.

App functionality: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E?

Section	Notes	Score
Value for money	It’s a wee bit pricey, but excellent performance, wire-free convenience and smart navigation justify the investment	4/5
Design	Compact, modern and practical, the Landroid Vision Cloud’s design prioritizes function over unnecessary frills	4.5/5
Performance	The Landroid Vision Cloud’s excellent cutting and precise navigation deliver consistently impressive mowing performance	4/5
App functionality	A feature-packed app, but its confusing layout does complicate menu navigation	3.5/5

Buy it if

You want wire-free operation on a budget

Wireless operation greatly simplifies lawn management

You want lawn stripes

Excellent cutting delivers a decently neat finish

You have a cluttered lawn

This model sports excellent obstacle avoidance

Don't buy it if

You want completely fuss-free setup

Initial setup can feel unnecessarily complicated

You want to adjust everything via the app

The lack of a motorized cutting deck adjustment limits flexibility

You require a wider cutting width

Consider a model like the Mammotion LUBA 3 instead

How I tested the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud WR306E

(Image credit: Future)

Despite my delayed tests brought about by a UK drought, I finally managed to find some patchy grass on my lawn to give this robot a good series of closely-inspected tests between its general scheduled tasks.

I first noted how well it automatically mapped my lawn before setting a cutting height of 40mm and noting how accurately it went up and down the lawn and how closely it cut to the edge. No issues there. I also added some obstacles to see how well it fared against previous models I’ve had on my lawn and it passed that test with flying colors.

Reviewing robot mowers can be a time consuming business — especially when they behave in strange ways — but I have to say that this one has been very reliable with no disconnections or unusual border excursions to report. However, I think that Worx needs to work on the setting-up process which turned out to be a relatively frustrating experience.

First reviewed October 2026

A wakeup light is my secret weapon against dark and depressing mornings — here are 9 worth picking up as we head into autumn

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The mornings are just starting to draw in, and if the idea of waking up to darkness fills you with doom and gloom, perhaps it's time to invest in a sunrise alarm clock (sometimes called a wakeup light). The idea is simple: these lamps are designed to brighten gradually in the morning, to rouse you gently from your slumber in a way that mimics the sun.

They're also meant to help you dodge that groggy feeling you get when you're awoken aggressively from deep sleep, so you're more alert and better equipped to tackle the day. I've tested a few sunrise alarms, and can confirm they're a whole lot gentler and more soothing than an aggressive phone alarm bleeping you awake.

There's a wide range of options on the market. At the cheapest end of the scale you'll find wakeup lights that just have a basic, brightening setting. More advanced options let you choose the duration of brightening and can offer a range of sounds to go with the light; Lumie's priciest options offer a massive range of sounds, from rainfall to kittens purring, cafe noises, tree frogs and even ping pong. My top tip is not to pick a noise that might naturally occur in your bedroom — I chose birdsong, and mistook seagulls having a midnight chat for my call to start getting ready for work.

Many sunrise alarms also have features to help you drop off peacefully on those dark winter evenings. Look for a sunset feature — which dims gently over a period, to help you wind down — and white noise options, if that's something that helps you drop off. If you're hunting for an all-in-one solution, a number of models have radio built-in too.

Lumie's Bodyclock range is one of the most popular sunrise alarm lineups. I've tried a couple of these and was impressed, but they're not the only option on the market. Scroll down for a roundup of well-reviewed wakeup lights from respected brands including Philips Hue, Beurer and Hatch.

Rise and shine

Lumie

Sunrise Alarm

Lumie

Bodyclock Shine 300

Lumie

Bodyclock Spark 100

Lumie

BodyClock Glow 150

Hatch

Restore 3

Philips

Wake-up light

Philips

SmartSleep Sleep and Wake-up Light

Beurer

Wl75 Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock

Dreamegg

Sunrise Alarm Clock

Lumie

Bodyclock Luxe 700

Our top coffee makers of 2026: every model that's wowed us in our tests

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 21:00:00 +0000

Our coffee machine testers have been well and truly spoiled this year. We've reviewed 11 different models so far, and there hasn't been a dud among them. Below, I've rounded up all the coffee makers we've put through their paces, and if you hit the View Details button, you can see a summary of exactly what we thought of each one, plus a link to read the full, in-depth review. If you're thinking of investing in a new machine (perhaps in the upcoming Black Friday sales?) this would be a great place to start your research.

There were three standouts, all scoring a perfect five stars. There's a KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine that combines serious brewing skills with a stunning design (let's not pretend that looks aren't important here). For those hunting for their first bean-to-cup machine, the Philips Baristina is well worth a look — our resident coffee queen Cat Ellis insists it "makes brewing with whole beans as simple as using coffee pods".

If your taste levels exceed your coffee-making know-how, the Philips Café Aromis espresso machine could be your new best friend: it has a chatbot-style assistant that listens to your exact preferences (however finicky) and adjusts the necessary settings to deliver the perfect brew for you.

Scroll down for a full roundup of the coffee machines we've tested so far in 2026 — plus exactly what we thought of them. Note: you'll only be able to see product cards for the coffee machines available in your region.

Caffeine kings

Philips

Cafe Aromis 8000 Series Bean to Cup Coffee Machine

Read our full review

Pros

Gorgeous design
All components feel solidly made
Consistent brewing results
Prepares hot and cold drinks
Detailed customization options
Excellent mobile app experience

Cons

Ground coffee hatch has a tendency to steam up
Needs to cool down completely before preparing cold drinks

KitchenAid

Semi Automatic Espresso Machine With Burr Grinder

Read our full review

Pros

Controls are easy to master
Grinder is quiet in use
Flat-bottom porta filter is a stroke of design genius
Excellent espresso shots and frothed milk
Very good looking

Cons

Expensive for its feature set

Philips

Baristina

Read our full review

Pros

Simple to use, even for beginners
Much easier to clean than most bean-to-cup coffee makers
Smart, sleek design
Very reasonably priced

Cons

Grind size can't be adjusted
No steam wand (although there's an optional standalone milk frother)

Ninja

AutoBarista Pro

Read our full review

Pros

Makes coffee and espresso beverages to your specifications
Very easy to use
Grind iQ takes the guesswork out of your settings
Create up to two user profiles
Two separate bean hoppers
Chute for pre-ground coffee

Cons

Fairly expensive
Big and heavy
Coffee isn't super hot
You have to do regular maintenance

Meraki

Dual Boiler Espresso Machine with Grinder

Read our full review

Pros

Stunning, pro-looking design
High-end, sturdy accessories
Smart features augment but don’t replace manual coffee making
Extracts delicious, consistent coffee

Cons

Undeniably expensive for a manual machine
CoffeeSense only useful for Meraki beans

Keurig

K-Mini Mate

Read our full review

Pros

Compact, at just four inches wide
Effortless to use and clean
Wide range of K-Cup pods available
Rich, flavorsome brews

Cons

Some dripping and splashback
Water tank needs refilling after each brew

Keurig

K-Crema

Read our full review

Pros

Quick, flavorful coffees
Various cup sizes available
Pressure mode offers creamier, richer brews
Easy to use and clean
Wide range of K-Cups available

Cons

Coffee splashes
Less crema on light and medium roasts

Lavazza

A Modo Mio Smeg

Read our full review

Pros

Very simple to control
Exceptionally quiet
Compostable capsules
Capsules widely available

Cons

Gloss finish attracts fingerprints
Pods are compostable, but have to be taken to a collection point

Ratio

Four Coffee Machine

Read our full review

Pros

Simple to use
Easy to produce consistent results
Can brew small batches
Sharp, attractive design

Cons

Water tank is slightly odd-looking
Decent flavor but not exceptional
Not the cheapest for what it is

Lavazza

A Modo Mio Desea

Read our full review

Pros

Produces consistently delicious espresso
Remarkably quiet at just 50dB
Capsules offer a great choice of coffees at a very reasonable price
Compact and lightweight

Cons

Milk system works better with dairy than plant-based milk
You can only make one milk-based drink at a time

KitchenAid

KF4 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with Iced Coffee

Read our full review

Pros

Brews consistently well-extracted espresso
Smart-looking, compact design
Clear interface
Thick, silky foamed milk
Easy to clean and maintain

Cons

'Iced' coffee is brewed at a lower temperature, but is still hot
User profiles only support four custom drinks each

Channel your inner star baker with IKEA’s new pastel pink and cream bakeware

catherine.ellis@futurenet.com (Cat Ellis) — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Are you feeling inspired by The Great British Bake Off this weekend — or The Great British Baking Show as it's known in the US? Want to try cooking up something new? Me too, so I was delighted to find a fun new collection of pretty pastel bakeware at IKEA this week. There's everything from measuring jugs to bundt tins, all in lovely shades of candy pink and cream.

Below you'll find all the best items in the new Baktider range, along with a few extra goodies in co-ordinating colors to finish the look in your kitchen. Prices start at just $2.99 / £2 for a sweet pink side plate, and most pieces are under $10 / £10, so it won't cost much to give your baking space a complete overhaul.

For more options, take a look at IKEA's whole selection of bakeware, or just peruse the Baktider collection in more detail. And if you need to catch up with the latest events in the tent, here's how to watch season 17. On your marks, get set… bake!

The sweetest bakeware

IKEA

Vardagen Pot With Lid

IKEA

Baktider Fluted Ring Cake Mould

IKEA

Baktider Muffin Mould

IKEA

Vardagen Casserole With Lid

IKEA

Baktider Cake Pan

IKEA

Baktider Cake Platter With Lid

IKEA

Baktider Kitchen Utensil Set

IKEA

Havsgadda Side Plate

IKEA

Baktider Square Cake Pan

IKEA

Raskog Trolley

IKEA

Baktider Measuring Jug

Vacuums, hair dryers… toothbrushes? I asked Jake Dyson how the brand decides what gets to be a Dyson product

ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton) — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 01:00:00 +0000

It had been a while since Dyson had genuinely surprised us with a product launch, but then the brand unveiled its first toothbrush. Dyson is already a familiar name in personal care, thanks to its now well established hair-styling gadgets, so a move into oral care wasn't entirely left-field. Still, when the CameraJet made its debut, it was still quite the swerve – taking Dyson from the dressing table to the bathroom sink.

The first product has to be radically different... otherwise we wouldn't consider it
Jake Dyson

When I caught up with Jake Dyson — son of founder, James, and Dyson's chief engineer — at the brand's Unveiled event, I wanted to know what prompted such a move. And, more broadly, how a brand might end up with such a twisty, turny product roadmap.

(For clarity, throughout this article I'll be using "Dyson" to mean the brand, and "Jake" to mean the person.)

So, if a toothbrush can become a Dyson gadget, is there anything that couldn't be? "No, it doesn't," Jake declares. "It has to be radically different."

He expands: "The first product has to be radically different, and have performance claims, and a difference against a competitor by a magnitude; otherwise, we wouldn't consider it."

Remember when every hair dryer didn't look like this? (Image credit: Future)

In short, the brand isn't interested in having a go at anything; it wants to make a splash in markets that have grown stagnant. The launch of the first Dyson Supersonic hair dryer in 2016 is a great example — it blew new life into a market that had barely seen change in decades.

And the CameraJet is far from your average toothbrush. It's kitted out with a camera that will stream a live view of the inside of your mouth back to you, and is trained to recognize gaps in your teeth and shoot water/mouthwash at them, to take care of flossing. Whether or not it enjoys the success of the Supersonic remains to be seen, but it certainly checks that "radically different" box.

Striving for perfection

The potential to shake things up is essential, but before a new-category product is launched, other criteria must be met. "It's got to work properly," asserts Jake. "I mean, we probably could have launched [the CameraJet] two years ago, but it wouldn't have hit every gap perfectly, and that's not acceptable."

If we're going to go into a new area, then we'll do that knowing that we've got more products behind it
Jake Dyson

It's unfortunate then that shortly after our conversation, reports of CameraJet faults began rolling in from early adopters. Dyson has blamed this on an isolated production issue that's now under control, so I'll give the company the benefit of the doubt in this instance.

Barring any further hiccups, you should expect more unusual oral care products to also be hitting the market before too long; Jake's third golden rule is that you never launch with just one product. "If we're going to go into a new area, then we'll do that knowing we've got more products behind it," he tells me.

When pushed if he means further iterations, he clarifies the brand aims for "expansion in that category, quite quickly", and confirms it will start with a roadmap of multiple products.

Doubling up

Breaking new markets is an expensive business, but Jake is savvy about not wasting effort. "I think you try not to do things twice that take an awful long time and a lot of investment," he says. "You try to use it again in another product."

He talks about innovations that the brand wants to "platform". A great example is the shrunk-down mechanics and battery system that Dyson developed for its Airwrap, and which also appears in its Supersonic r hair dryer. A version of it is used in the brand's new hot brush, and it also features in the PencilVac and now the PencilMop.

Dyson's shrunk-down mechanics are now used across multiple products (Image credit: Future)

As for exactly how the innovations make their way across team lines, it isn't a defined process. "It happens naturally. You cross-pollinate, you join the dots. 'If we put that with that, we could do this.'," says Jake. "And as a company, we're getting much better at predicting that before we do it."

He explains that this cross-pollination will also sometimes highlight the gaps that Dyson needs to fill. "It makes us realize there are other technologies we need to develop ourselves — which we are, behind the scenes — to enable us to go into those new areas and do something better than anyone else."

What "radically different" products might be on the horizon at Dyson? I'll be watching with interest.

Dyson product tour

Here's a quick rundown of some of Dyson's newest releases — hit the View Details button to read more about each one.

Dyson

R1 Nurovi Dry

Dyson

R2 Nurovi Wash+Dry

Learn about the R3 model (not yet on sale): "It will light up your home like a bowling alley" — Dyson's new Nurovi robot vacuum has a UV light to show up invisible spills, but I'm not sure I'm ready to see what's on my floors.

Dyson

CameraJet

Review: This game-changing toothbrush offers liquid flossing, precision-brushing, and a camera that doubles as a dental endoscope — I tried it for a week.

Dyson

Spot+Scrub Ai Robot Vacuum

Read our full review

Pros

Good hardware
Great at little-and-often cleaning
Excellent self-cleaning
Smart obstacle avoidance
Auto vacuuming works well
Bagless design

Cons

Some navigation issues
Unreliable self-empty
Loud in every mode
Large vacuum and dock
Hair wrap on roller
Transparent bins display dirt

Dyson

HushJet Mini Cool Fan

Pros

Powerful concentrated air flow
Runs for up to 6.5 hours on a single charge
Stylish, unusual design
Significantly cheaper than closest competitor

Cons

Air intake holes are easy to cover with your hand when holding

Dyson

Supersonic Travel

Pros

Fast drying for a compact dryer
Impressively light
Universal auto-voltage (100–240V)
Intelligent heat control
Compatible with Supersonic Nural attachments

Cons

Reduced airflow versus full-size
No travel case included
Only one attachment in the box
Price sits at the very top end of the travel dryer market

Dyson

PencilWash Wet Floor Cleaner

Read our full review

Pros

Extremely lightweight
Comfortable and easy to use
Effective wet and dry cleaning
Super flexible articulated floorhead
Compact size is ideal for small homes

Cons

Costs the same as a good wet/dry floor cleaner
Doesn't reach right to the edge of baseboards
Dirty water tank can be messy to empty

Dyson

HushJet Purifier Compact

Read our full review

Pros

Super fast reaction times
Whisper-quiet
Covers very large rooms
Easy-to-use app
Five-year electrostatic filter life

Cons

Expensive for purifying only
Larger than its 'compact' name suggests
Very limited on-device controls
No carry handle

Dyson

V16 Piston Animal Submarine

Read about the regular version in our review

Dyson

PencilVac Fluffycones

Read our full review

Pros

Ultra-light and extremely compact
Very nimble and maneuverable
Soft rollers excellent on hard floor
Compression maximizes bin capacity
Lasers illuminate hidden dirt
Useful screen counts down runtime

Cons

Not the most powerful suction
Angled floorhead awkward for edges
Not suitable for carpet
Still rather a small bin
Particles get stuck in bin casing

IKEA’s LED Christmas tree and matchstick lamp have landed for festive duty

alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake) — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 16:24:21 +0000

IKEA has launched a new range of Christmas lights and lamps
It includes an unusual Christmas tree and a matchstick floor lamp
Both can be augmented with the addition of smart plugs

Not everyone wants a real Christmas tree during the winter holidays, especially when getting one means cleaning up an ungodly amount of pine needles come the season’s end. If you’re one of those folks, you might be interested in the latest offering from IKEA, which takes the form of a Christmas tree made almost entirely from LED lights.

That means no branches and certainly no messy pine needles. Instead, the 150cm STRÅLA tree ($40 / £25 / AU$50) is simply comprised of a central spine and a selection of string LED lights descending from its apex down to the ground.

(Image credit: IKEA)

The result is what might be called a minimalist, post-modern take on the traditional Christmas tree, which IKEA says can be used both indoors and outdoors.

This tree, which comes with 180 diodes, might not fit into every living room or be to everyone’s tastes. But what might be more appealing is another addition to the STRÅLA range, this time taking the form of a floor light arranged as three large wooden matchsticks, with the red tips serving as soft lamps for your living space.

(Image credit: IKEA)

That potentially makes it a quirky addition to your room and an eye-catching talking point at Christmas time. It’s not trying to replace your Christmas tree and is more of a fun addition than a dedicated centerpiece.

This floor lamp is also dimmable in two steps, so you can use it as more of a cosy, accent light rather than your living room's lighting star.

Now add some smarts

(Image credit: IKEA)

While neither STRÅLA light has much in the way of smart home functionality, you can add that into the mix by combining them with a smart plug — for example, IKEA does its own with the GRILLPLATS ($8 / £7 / AU$13) range, which are compatible with the Matter smart home protocol and the IKEA Home app.

For true smart home control, you'll also need some kind of hub (either IKEA's DIRIGERA, or an Amazon Echo, Google Nest, or Apple Home hub that's both Matter compatible and acts as a Thread border router). But add one of those, and you can set your lights to a schedule or switch them on or off remotely.

That could help save you money over the Christmas period, but can also help the lights mimic your presence while you’re out celebrating with friends and family. Use automation timers and you can create the impression that someone is home at different times, even if you’re not.

When paired with a smart home hub, smart plugs can also open up voice commands (with the assistant dependent on which platform you've gone for). This is especially fun during the holiday season, when you can set up your lights to be activated by a phrase such as “Merry Christmas."

Christmas is still a couple of months away, but it’s always a good idea to get your planning started early. With IKEA’s new festive lights, you’ve got a few more options when it comes to decorating your home for the holidays.

'Smart' coffee makers are the perfect example why there's a privacy revolt happening

Carrie Marshall — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:14:53 +0000

Do you know what data your smart devices can access?
All kinds of devices now expect to be allowed online
Think before you buy: does this need to be smart?

Your smart TV might not be the only smart device that's leaking your data: your coffee machine might be doing it too. A US man has gone viral after spotting his parents' Keurig coffee machine transmitting a terabyte of data in just 10 days, and here at TechRadar we've just had a Lavazza coffee machine ask for access to our contacts and call logs.

What's going on? Should I be worried about my dishwasher's Wi-Fi too?

In the case of the Keurig, the massive data transfer appears to have been because of a bug. Posting on X, IT expert Nomad said he disconnected the device because "It’s not worth keeping an IOT [Internet of Things] device connected that has the capability of bugging out and causing saturation like this did."

As for our Lavazza, we've asked the company its app wants those specific permissions — and why its smart features don't seem to work even after it's connected. Starting a brew using the machine's own app proved impossible, and when we asked it to brew us an espresso via Google Home as instructed in the manual, we were informed that the coffee maker "doesn't support selecting specific drink types like espresso through smart home commands".

As the song goes, we ain't seen nothing yet. With ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI rolling out across all kinds of tech, there's potential for real privacy problems. We have contacted both companies for comment and will keep you updated when we have more details.

When smart devices are too smart

In the US, Consumer Reports has been cautioning users about smart appliances for some time. Earlier this year it warned: "Increasingly, home appliances that rely on mobile apps for key functions and that collect data on you — whether you like it or not — are becoming the standard. That means that when you buy a new product, in whatever category you choose, internet features and companion apps needed to operate them are much harder to avoid."

I've experienced this myself: my home heating boiler has an app, as does my dishwasher. Both were awfully keen to gather data that had nothing to do with heating my home or washing my pots and pans. And that's just the data the apps were openly asking about. Consumer Reports' Steve Blair said he found a dryer that was sending the equivalent of 135,000 text messages per week to its manufacturer. "What does a dryer have to say at that volume?" he asked.

There are benefits to connected devices, of course. I like my smart home stuff. I had an Instant Pot whose app could download slow cooking instructions for specific dishes, and I like being able to remotely pre-heat my hybrid car when it's cold outside.

But there are downsides too, and I think the biggest one isn't sinister surveillance: it's accidentally opening doors for bad actors. As a rule, appliance firms aren't famed for their software expertise or website security and that means there's a risk of data ending up where it shouldn't, or of exploits that can target your device or other devices on your network. That means the less access a device has, the better.

I'm in agreement with Consumer Reports here: it recommends thinking about data security before purchasing any connected product. "Does your fridge need to be connected to Wi-Fi? Ask those questions." It recommends setting up a separate network on your router purely for smart devices; that way, if they are compromised, the attackers aren't on the same network as your laptop or your phone.

As for Nomad, he's regretting going public about his parents' chaotic Keurig. "I always dreamed that I would be remembered for the weird printers I designed and the cool stuff I've worked on at Prusa," he says. "I wanted a legacy of creativity and chaos. I am now most known for a rogue coffee machine. I don't even like coffee 🫠"

I always dreamed that I would be remembered for the weird printers I designed and the cool stuff I've worked on at Prusa. I wanted a legacy of creativity and chaos. I am now most known for a rogue coffee machine. I don't even like coffee 🫠October 8, 2026

IKEA's new alarm clock charges phones and checks temperature and humidity

David Nield — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:07:44 +0000

The Stengrönska is an affordable new alarm clock from IKEA
It can charge your phone and display temperature and humidity data
For now it's only available in IKEA stores in Japan and China

On top of all its other home goods, IKEA has a new alarm clock for your consideration — and the gadget goes beyond the standard duties of telling the time and making sure you drag yourself out of bed in the mornings.

It's called the IKEA Stengrönska (via Notebookcheck), and it's wide and short and flat: 17 cm x 16 cm x 3.6 cm (6.7 inches x 6.3 inches 1.4 x inches). That's partly so you can put your phone on the alarm clock and use the Stengrönska as a wireless charger.

Two other cool party tricks that the device brings with it are temperature and humidity readings, so you can keep tabs on your bedroom environment and make sure everything is set up just right for the best sleep possible.

The screen comes with an adjustable backlight and shows the time in a 24-hour or 12-hour format, with the date and day of the week also on display. You can set up to three alarms, with volume settings you can configure as needed.

More well-being

Up to three alarms can be configured (Image credit: IKEA)

There's an all-important snooze function here, though it seems to be fixed at nine minutes. If you know you absolutely have to get up at a certain time you'll need to do some quick math to work out how many nine-minute intervals you've got left.

Around the back we've got toggles for the alarms and the volume dial, as well as a USB-C port, so you can charge up a nearby gadget with a cable as well as using the top of the Stengrönska as a wireless charger.

IKEA is positioning it as a preferable alternative to using your phone for alarms and checking the time: "you can reduce your reliance on your mobile phone," reads the official blurb, which means "less screen time — more well-being!"

The only downside is that the device is only on sale in Japan and China for now (the Japan price is ¥4,999, about $32 / £24 / AU$45). We've asked IKEA about international availability, and will update this article if we hear back.

Apple's 'Welcome Home' event will be on October 13 — and I’m very intrigued

jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:35:30 +0000

Apple has posted a teaser for its 'Welcome home' event on October 13
A launch event for new smart home tech has been rumored this month
Rumors suggest we could see a new 'HomePad' smart home controller

Apple has more than just the iPhone Duo arriving in October, it seems. The Cupertino-based tech giant has announced another product launch for October 13, playfully captioning it 'Welcome Home.'

For the Apple Home — or Apple HomeKit — faithful, this is especially exciting. The teaser for October 13, 2026, not only has some warmth to it, but it also tees up the long-awaited, much-rumored refresh of its existing Home devices.

The video depicts a stitched artwork of the Apple logo in the classic shades, with 'Welcome Home’ inscribed underneath it. It certainly feels like Apple is hinting at something home-related.

Welcome home. October 13. https://t.co/ChelGSDOTIOctober 8, 2026

Apple's smart home tech includes, most obviously, the HomePod mini and full-sized HomePod, its smart speakers that play music, ring with alarms, handle calls and FaceTime calls, and bring Siri into the home. But it also extends to the Apple TV 4K box, a streaming box that brings Apple’s own services and other major streamers to the big screen. It’s been quite some time since those were all updated or unveiled.

Rumors suggest new versions are coming, not redesigns or rethinks, but more power under the hood to let Siri AI work on the devices. It wouldn’t just bring them up to the level of competing Amazon Alexa and Google smart speakers, but would make these devices a lot more capable and bring parity to how Siri works on other Apple devices.

It’s likely that a new HomePod mini could sport a fresh coat of paint, but the processor change under the hood will be the real power boost. The same goes for a new HomePod or Apple TV 4K.

The other question surrounds the much-rumored smart display from Apple. It might be called the ‘HomePad,’ as leaks have suggested — but whatever its name, the teaser video posted by Greg Joswiak (Apple’s SVP of Marketing) suggests it could arrive at the event. ‘Welcome Home’ certainly hints at a new category, and the video’s stitched Apple logo and tagline certainly feels like a pretty deliberate tease for a brand-new device landing.

Based on the rumors, the HomePad will likely combine an iPad with a HomePod or HomePod mini, offering a 6-inch display mounted to a base and running a new OS. Siri AI is expected to be the main control method and central to the experience, and it’s likely why it’s only arriving now, since the upgraded assistant launched last month alongside iOS 27.

According to rumors, you’ll be able to use the HomePad for smart home control, topical or specific questions with Siri, viewing photos or videos, taking FaceTime calls, and even opening other apps. Like an Echo Show, it’ll apparently tailor the experience for each person, which is essential for a home device.

Most recently, a fresh report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman teases that Apple might drop some smart home accessories, like a thermostat, smart deadbolt locks, sensors, and cameras, in partnership with LG. Essentially, LG-made devices purpose-built for Apple Home that will likely fit very well into the existing ecosystem and work with these new devices.

A long overdue refresh

Apple Prototype Robot Lamp (Image credit: Apple)

We’ll need to wait and see what Apple unveils to know exactly what it is packing. The super-cute, robotic smart home display is still likely a good way out. Though, I can’t be the only one who wants a smart display that resembles the Pixar Lamp, right?

As someone who currently uses HomePod minis, HomePods, and Apple TV 4Ks around my home, this refresh feels long overdue. These are products that have become pretty integral to how I use Apple at home, but they’ve also felt like they’ve been waiting for their next chapter for a while now.

And when it comes to the rumored smart display, I’m particularly bullish on the idea. Apple’s stance on privacy, combined with how tightly its products already work together, could make this a really compelling home device. Even something as simple as displaying photos from Apple Photos is a nice play. I can also see the appeal of having a display that works seamlessly with your iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac, while knowing who is using it and tailoring the experience accordingly.

That’s ultimately what makes this rumored HomePad so interesting to me. Plenty of smart displays already exist, but Apple has a chance to make one that feels less like another screen in your house and more like a natural extension of the Apple devices you use every day. Of course, I’m also hoping it sounds good enough to blast some Springsteen on.

The good thing is, we don’t have long to wait, as Apple’s set this event for October 13, 2026. Let me know what you’re most excited to see get the ‘Welcome Home’ treatment in the comments.