Cat Ellis

Cat Ellis

Homes Editor

Cat is TechRadar's Homes Editor, covering smart home tech, kitchen appliances, vacuums, haircare and more. She's been a tech journalist for 15 years, having worked on print magazines including PC Plus and PC Format, and is a Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) certified barista. Whether you want to invest in some smart lights, find your ideal hair styler, or pick the espresso machine of your dreams, she's the right person to help.

Articles by: Cat Ellis

Split image of three fans: one tower fan, one handheld fan, and one desk fan

11 powerful fans from £40 to £100 to keep you cool during the upcoming heatwave, from big brands like Dyson and Meaco

By Cat Ellis published

There's another heatwave on the way, so pick up one of these budge-friendly fans to keep yourself comfortable.

Ground coffee in portafilter, automatic espresso machine dispensing espresso, and caffe latte in glass cup

The best coffee maker 2026: espresso and filter made easy

By Cat Ellis last updated

Updated Coffee makers you can rely on for consistently great results, whatever your preferred brew style.

Breville the Juice Fountain cold juicer

The best juicer: tested for juice yield, smoothness, and ease of use

By Cat Ellis last updated

Updated Our expert team have juiced buckets of produce to bring you this list of the very best centrifugal and cold press juicers around.

T3 Afar hair dryer folded, with card bundled and nozzle detached

This travel hair dryer is so good, I gave away my full-size one and never looked back

By Cat Ellis published

Mini dryers aren't just for vacations — pick the right portable and you'll want to use it every day.

Split image of Ezviz peephole camera installed in door, and footage captured by the camera in the Ezviz app

I installed this brilliant peephole camera in 10 minutes, and it's a great subscription-free alternative to a video doorbell for renters and apartment-dwellers

By Cat Ellis published

If you live in an apartment or rented house, this clever little camera gives you all the best features of a video doorbell without damaging your door.

KitchenAid KF4 espresso machine with coffee drinks on kitchen counter

The KitchenAid KF4 brews a beautifully balanced espresso thanks to its Intelligrind system, but its iced drink menu left me cold

By Cat Ellis published

KitchenAid's latest fully automatic coffee maker is extra compact and makes an excellent espresso, though its 'iced' drinks leave something to be desired.

Aeropress manual coffee grinder

AeroPress has made the best manual coffee grinder I've ever used — and it's not even close

By Cat Ellis published

This premium portable grinder doesn't just look great, it also grinds beautifully, however you prefer to make your coffee

Coffee dripping into carafe, cup of drip coffee, and hand adjusting brew settings on drip coffee maker

The best drip coffee maker: delicious, fuss-free coffee, fast

By Cat Ellis last updated

Updated Drip coffee machines that will deliver consistently delicious, well brewed coffee - tested by us.

KitchenAid KF4 espresso machine evaporating water from system

I test a lot of espresso machines, but the new KitchenAid KF4 has one of the smartest features I've ever seen — and it'll stop your coffee maker from getting gross

By Cat Ellis published

Automatic coffee makers can get pretty gross, but KitchenAid's latest model can evaporate all the water inside to keep itself fresh.

Ninja Luxe Café Mini Plus Espresso Machine on kitchen counter

Ninja just gave you a good reason to upgrade your coffee maker, with a new compact version of the Ninja Luxe Café that's perfect for small kitchens

By Cat Ellis published

The Ninja Luxe Café Mini Plus is a semi-automatic espresso machine that offers almost all the same features as its full-size counterparts, for a lower price.

A collection of portable health and wellness devices in a hotel room in a tropical location

Look and feel amazing on vacation with these travel-friendly hair dryers, stylers, red-light devices and fans — picked by TechRadar's Homes Editor

By Cat Ellis published

Look flawless, not frazzled on your summer vacation with my pick of the best beauty gadgets for travel.

Spot+Scrub Ai robot vacuum

'Elon Musk said he thinks humanoid robots will be in many homes in three years, and I agree with him.' I sat down with Jake Dyson to hear his predictions for AI and robotics in your home — and why you shouldn't throw out your stick vac just yet

By Cat Ellis published

Dyson's Chief Engineer says robots will be in homes within the next three years — but you shouldn't throw out your stick vacuum just yet.

Dyson HushJet Mini Cool fan in woman's hand

The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool is the powerful personal fan you won't want to live without this summer — and it's surprisingly reasonably priced, too

By Cat Ellis published

Editor's Choice

Wear it, hold it, or keep it on your desk — this stylish portable fan will keep you cool anywhere your summer takes you.

People's hands adjusting Hive Thermostat (left) and Google Nest Learning Thermostat, which are number four and number one in our guide respectively

The best smart thermostat 2026: the easy way to make your heating more efficient

By Cat Ellis last updated

Updated We've tested the best smart thermostats from top brands to find the smartest ways to heat and cool your home.

Coffee beans in hopper, latte macchiato, and person's hand using bean-to-cup coffee machine

The best bean-to-cup coffee maker 2026: quick and convenient espresso machines tested

By Cat Ellis last updated

Updated We've tested the best bean-to-cup coffee makers to find the best options from De'Longhi, Breville, Ninja, Gaggia and more.

Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-In-1 Vac & Mop in green and bronze, in dock in hallway

Tired of your ugly robot vacuum? Shark has a solution — designer robovacs in chic colors that blend with your decor rather than standing out

By Cat Ellis published

The new Luxe Collection gives one of Shark's best robot vacuums a new look, with subtle colors and coordinating metallic accents you won't want to hide.

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Dyson HushJet Mini Cool Fan and Shark ChillPill fans on marble-effect table with accessories

Dyson HushJet Mini Cool vs Shark ChillPill: in the battle of the portable fans, there's a clear winner

By Cat Ellis published

When it comes to price, accessories, and sheer power, there's a clear winner in the battle of the portable fans.

Montage of three Amazon Echo speakers

The best Alexa speakers 2026: top smart speakers to control your home

By Cat Ellis last updated

Updated From Amazon to Sonos, these are the best smart speakers to bring the AI-powered Alexa into your smart home.

Ninja AutoBarista Pro and Ninja Luxe Cafe coffee maker on kitchen counter with varios coffee drinks and loose coffee beans

Ninja just launched an automatic espresso machine, but should you choose the new AutoBarista Pro or go for the cheaper Ninja Luxe Café? I'm here to help

By Cat Ellis published

Pick the right Ninja for for your kitchen

Ninja AutoBarista Pro coffee maker on kitchen counter, with person's hand pouring milk out of pitcher

Ninja has solved the biggest, most disgusting problem with home coffee makers, and as a barista, I can't believe nobody thought of it earlier

By Cat Ellis published

Automatic espresso machines can easily become a breeding ground for mold, but the new Ninja AutoBarista Pro has a case fan to stop that from happening.

A collection of smart home devices on a dark blue background with light rays and starbusts, and a badge in the top right corner reading 'The Little Life'

Smart home tech for renters — from locks to lighting, 9 great upgrades that will improve your life without annoying your landlord

By Cat Ellis published

The Little Life Enjoy the convenience of smart home technology and still get your deposit back with these DIY-free smart devices.

Philips Cafe Aromis Series 8000 coffee maker on kitchen counter with coffee and house plant

I spent two weeks with the gorgeous Philips Café Aromis espresso machine, and creating delicious custom coffees has never been so much fun

By Cat Ellis published

Editor's Choice

Even if you have no barista experience, Aromis has a chatbot-style assistant that will help you tweak the brew settings until your coffee tastes perfect.

Split image of three capsule coffee makers

Want great coffee, fast? I'm a trained barista, and these are my top 4 capsule coffee makers from Nespresso, Keurig, and more

By Cat Ellis published

Capsule coffee makers get a bad rap, but if you choose the right one, you can enjoy great-tasting drinks at home in two minutes flat.

The Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp shines a multicoloured aurora effect onto a slanted ceiling.

The best smart lights in 2026: light up your life with smart bulbs and lamps

By Cat Ellis last updated

Updated We've tested the best smart light bulbs and light panels from all the big brands including Philips Hue and Nanoleaf.

Ducati Barista M3 1926 Limited Edition Carbon Fiber coffee maker

Ducati is celebrating its 100th anniversary by launching a $2,000 Nespresso machine — and it's even stranger than it sounds

By Cat Ellis published

The more I learn about the Ducati Barista M3 1926 Limited Edition Carbon Fiber, the stranger this luxury coffee maker sounds.

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