Helen McCue

Helen McCue

Freelance contributor

Helen is a freelance writer who specializes in kitchen and home appliances, and has written for some of the biggest home-related titles around. She has been reviewing small appliances, including blenders, air fryers, and vacuums for more than 15 years. When she's not busy testing the latest food and home gadgets, she enjoys DIY and gardening.

Articles by: Helen McCue

The side view of the iRobot Roomba i3 Plus

iRobot Roomba i3 Plus review

By Helen McCue published

This robot vacuum handles the vacuuming and it empties itself, but is the automatic emptying feature worth the extra cost?

A medium rare rib eye steak, sliced to show th pink center on a wooden board

I cooked steak in a Ninja Foodi and I’ll never go back

By Helen McCue published

Fed up of over-cooked steak? The Ninja Foodi turned out to be the best method we’ve ever used for cooking meat, and here’s why you’ll want to start using one too.

Instant Pot Duo Crisp & Air Fryer on a kitchen countertop

Instant Pot Duo Crisp and Air Fryer review

By Helen McCue last updated

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp and Air Fryer offers a multitude of cooking methods but how does it stack up against rivals from Breville and Crock-Pot?

An Instant Pot Duo Nova surrounded by ingredients for a beef chilli

Instant Pot Duo Nova review

By Helen McCue last updated

A slight upgrade on the Instant Pot Duo, but is the Instant Pot Duo Nova worth the higher price tag?

The Instant Pot Pro on a kitchen countertop

Does an Instant Pot use a lot of electricity?

By Helen McCue last updated

If you’re wondering whether an Instant Pot is worth the space on your countertop, we’re looking at whether it can save you money on your electricity bills to earn a spot in your kitchen.

The Instant Pot Pro on a kitchen countertop

Instant Pot Pro review

By Helen McCue last updated

Want more from your Instant Pot or looking to upgrade? This is the most premium model without an air fry lid.

The Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 SmartLid multi-cooker with ingredient ready to cook a chicken curry

Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 SmartLid Multi-Cooker review

By Helen McCue published

The smallest of Ninja’s SmartLid multi-cookers packs in plenty of handy features, but it’s pricey.

RThe Ninja Foodi 15-in-1 SmartLid Multi-Cooker with all its accesories

Ninja Foodi Max 15-in-1 SmartLid Multi-Cooker review

By Helen McCue published

Best in Class

This new Ninja is one of the best multi-cookers we’ve reviewed, but it comes with a high price tag.

The Ninja Foodi Blender & Soup Maker HB150UK having just been used to make carrot and corriander soup

Ninja Foodi Blender & Soup Maker HB150UK review

By Helen McCue published

Recommended

From blending smoothies to making smooth or chunky soups, this is a useful two-in-one appliance.

The Eufy HomeVac H30 Mate laying on a window sill

Eufy HomeVac H30 Mate review

By Helen McCue last updated

This neat little handheld vacuum is perfect for quickly picking up spills or for vacuuming hard to reach spots.

A woman making a healthy green juice in a juicer surrounded by vegetables

Which is healthier: Juicing or blending?

By Helen McCue published

If you’re trying to choose between a blender and a juicer for healthy fruit and vegetable drinks, here’s what you need to know about which is healthiest.

The Bagotte DB-001 juicer next to a bowl of fruit ready to be juiced in the appliance

Bagotte DB-001 Juicer review

By Helen McCue last updated

The Bagotte DB-001 is budget centrifugal juicer, which out-performs some more premium models but has its limitations

The Amzchef Slow Juicer ZM1501 with its accessories on a kitchen countertop

Amzchef Slow Juicer ZM1501 review

By Helen McCue published

This slow juicer is a budget-friendly option, so we put it to the test to see how well it performs

a Juicer being used to juice fruit

Centrifugal juicers vs cold press juicers: which should you buy and why?

By Helen McCue published

Centrifugal juicers and cold press juicers use different methods to extract juice, but does it really make any difference, and which is best?

Blender full of fruit and vegetables on a kitchen countertop surrounded by more fruit and veg

Are blenders healthy or do they destroy nutrients?

By Helen McCue published

Blended smoothies are a great way of increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, but are these drinks as healthy as you think or does the blending process damage nutrients?

A juicer on a kitchen countertop surrounded by fruit

How healthy is using a juicer, and why you shouldn’t give-up juicing just yet

By Helen McCue last updated

Thinking about investing in a juicer but worried that enjoying juice regularly isn’t healthy? Here’s the lowdown on how to boost your health with this kitchen appliance.

The De’Longhi Dinamica Plus with a cup on its drip tray ready to pour an espresso

DeLonghi Dinamica Plus coffee maker review

By Helen McCue published

An expensive coffee maker that does all the hard work for you, but is the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus worth the high price tag?

A woman making a healthy green juice in a juicer surrounded by vegetables

How to use a Juicer: Save time and money juice extracting at home

By Helen McCue published

From different types of juicers to whether you should peel fruits, here’s our guide on how to juice at home.

De'Longhi Dedica Style EC685 being used on a kitchen countertop

DeLonghi Dedica Style EC685 review

By Helen McCue published

It might be small, but this espresso machine comes can froth milk and make a great coffee

KitchenAid High Performance Series Blender KSB6060 on a kitchen countertop

KitchenAid High Performance Series Blender KSB6060 review

By Helen McCue published

This premium KitchenAid blender has plenty of muscle, but it’s very big and not without its faults

a Juicer being used to juice oranges and surrounded by fruit

How to clean a juicer, and why you absolutely should do it regularly

By Helen McCue published

If you like the idea of fresh juice at home, but the fiddly cleaning puts you off, read our guide on how best to clean your juicer.

Woman using an immersion blender to create a sauce

Jug Blender vs Immersion Blender: which is right for you?

By Helen McCue published

Not sure if an immersion or a jug blender is best for? Discover the differences between the two to help you choose.

KitchenAid K150 blender on a kitchen countrop with a pile of fruit and vegetables ready to be made into a smoothie

KitchenAid K150 Blender review

By Helen McCue published

The entry-level blender from KitchenAid is ideal for those new to food preparation appliances

Breville the Fresh & Furious with fruit ready to make a smoothie

Breville the Fresh and Furious blender review

By Helen McCue published

Does Breville’s most affordable blender match up to the higher priced models?

Kuvings B1700 on a kitchen countertop with a bowl of fruit and vegetables

Kuvings B1700 review

By Helen McCue published

This is the entry-level juicer from Kuvings, a decent slow juicer at a more affordable price than its other models.

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