Dyson Supersonic Travel: two-minute review

As the name suggests, the Dyson Supersonic Travel is a scaled-down, travel-friendly version of Dyson's now-iconic Supersonic dryer, redesigned to fit in your luggage. It's 32% smaller and 25% lighter than the original, weighing just 0.7lbs / 330g, and it automatically adapts to any voltage between 100 and 240V without any fiddly switches or converters.

It offers the same 110,000rpm motor and intelligent heat control technology as seen on the full-size Nural, measuring air temperature over 100 times a second to avoid extreme heat damage. You get three heat settings and two airflow speeds, controlled via buttons on the cylindrical head and LEDs show you which setting you're on, at a glance.

The Travel ships with a magnetic smoothing nozzle in the box but is also compatible with any and all existing Supersonic Nural attachments, which is a useful detail if you already own the Nural or if you need a range of alternative nozzles.

In testing, drying was noticeably faster than a typical hotel dryer, and faster than some cheaper, regular hair dryers. It took around four minutes on my fine, mid-length, curly hair and the results were smooth. Dyson is upfront that airflow isn't quite as powerful as its full-size range and it is noticeable, but not a dealbreaker for my hair type. I imagine it will soon frustrate anyone with thicker or longer hair, though.

The price is where things get complicated. At $299.99 / £249.99 / AU$449, the Supersonic Travel sits at the very top of the travel dryer market. The ghd Flight+ does the same basic job, albeit it with some more fiddly controls, for $129 / £79. The most like-for-like is the Dreame Pocket Pro and even that only pushes the price to $159.99 / £149.

By almost any normal dryer standards, the Supersonic Travel is a well-designed, well-built and powerful contender in the hunt for the best hair dryers. It more than holds its own and there are very few sacrifices to make. This performance goes a long way towards justifying the higher cost, but even then it's still a tough price pill to swallow unless you're a frequent traveler.

Dyson Supersonic Travel: price & availability

• List price: $299.99 / £249.99 / AU$449
• Availability: US, UK, Australia

The Supersonic Travel sits at the top end of the travel dryer market – and then some. It's almost three times the price of the GHD Flight+ and twice the price of the Dreame Pocket Pro. In fact, it's not too far off the price of the original Supersonic, which still retails for $399.99 / £279.99 (although is often on sale for less).

It is, however, notably cheaper than its siblings and Dyson's flagship models, the $449.99 / £399.99 / AU$749 Supersonic Nural and the Supersonic r that retails for $549.99 / £449.99 / AU$799.

The Supersonic Travel is available from Dyson, as well as Amazon, Boots and Cult Beauty in the UK; Amazon and Best Buy in the US; and JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman in Australia.

The most obvious budget alternative is the ghd Flight+ at £79 / $129 / AU$159 – a foldable travel dryer with dual voltage, albeit without auto-adapting voltage (you need to use a coin to switch modes) and no wider attachment compatibility.

The Dreame Pocket Pro ($159.99 / £149) is a more interesting comparison: it's lighter (at 300g), similarly auto-adapts to global voltage, and comes with a more generous attachments bundle. It's also foldable, whereas the Dyson model isn't.

Neither the GHD or Dreame models match the Dyson for brand heritage or the intelligence of the heat control system, but both are meaningfully cheaper.

• Value for money score: 3 out of 5

Dyson Travel Supersonic specs

Dyson Supersonic Travel: design

• Classic Dyson-style cylindrical head design
• 32% smaller, 25% lighter than Supersonic
• Three heat settings, two airflow speeds, controlled via buttons on head
• Universal voltage auto-adapts from 100–240V
• Reviewed in Ceramic Pink / Rose Gold with styling concentrator

The Supersonic Travel is unmistakably a Dyson device, from the pink and rose gold accents to the same circular head above a narrow handle.

The biggest difference, visually, is in size. The Travel is 32% smaller (2.7 x 2.8 x 8.7in / 6.8 x 7.1 x 22.2cm) and and 25% lighter (0.7lbs / 330g) than the original Supersonic, but doesn't lose any of the essence. I'd be as bold to say it's the best-looking travel dryer I've ever tested.

Despite the size difference, the dryer still feels well-balanced. It doesn't fold in half like the GHD Flight+ or Dreame Pocket Pro, to name two rivals, but the whole design is sleek and compact enough to drop into a handbag or carry-on regardless. The only thing that really gets in the way is the chunky 6.6ft / 2m cord.

There's no travel case in the box, which at this price feels like a miss, particularly when the ghd Flight+ includes one at a fraction of the cost. Even a bag as standard, to protect what is far from a cheap dryer, would suffice but instead you have to pay an additional $39.99 / £45 for the privilege of a travel pouch.

To account for the lack of handle space on the Travel, versus the larger Dyson models, the controls are more concentrated on the head.

On the back of this cylindrical head, the airflow button sits on the left with the temperature button on the right. Each button has a row of LEDs above it – two lights for high speed or heat, one for the gentler settings. These LEDs also flash white if the filter needs cleaning, and red if there's a fault. The power button is then a slider on the back of the handle and this slider is used to control the cool shot.

If you've ever used a Dyson, these split controls will be familiar but they do take a little getting used to compared to other, standard dryers. To enable the cold air, give the slider a nudge upwards from its 'on' position. It isn't clear or obvious that you need to do this, unless you have an Airwrap and are familiar with how Dyson maximizes the use of its switches, and ended up being one of the only features on the Dyson Travel that didn't feel natural. Also the LEDs are great on paper, because you can see which setting is selected at a glance but given that they're on the rear of the head, it's not as intuitive as it sounds either.

The removable filter cage sits at the base of the handle and pulls down onto the cord for cleaning. You can remove the entire filter and wash it with water and this is a small but welcomed touch. It also means the Travel should last longer, which at this price is a blessing.

In the box is a magnetic smoothing nozzle, and thanks to Dyson's heat shield technology, the surface of this nozzle stays cool to the touch even during use. It's not exactly a wide default attachment range, especially at this price and the fact the Dreame Pocket Pro ships with five attachments.

However, you're unlikely to want to take lots of attachments when travelling, and the Supersonic Travel is compatible with the full Supersonic and Supersonic Nural attachment range, which is super useful if you already own either machine, and semi-useful if you can afford to buy any of them separately.

One thing to note, even though the Supersonic Travel automatically adjusts its voltage based on the country you're in, Dyson recommends using an adapter rated to 1,300W across the full voltage range rather than a universal adapter. It's not a dealbreaker but will help preserve the life of the Travel for longer.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Dyson Supersonic Travel: performance

• Dries faster than a hotel dryer; notably quick for a compact machine
• Intelligent heat control measures air temperature 100 times per second
• Noise level: [XdB] in testing

The Supersonic Travel was tested daily over four weeks, including a trip to San Francisco where the universal voltage got its first real workout.

It's not the fastest dryer I've tested, but it was notably, and surprisingly, powerful for such a compact device. Drying time on my fine, mid-length curly hair ran to around 4 minutes on high heat and high airflow – faster than I expected from a machine this size. If you have thick or long hair, expect to be there for longer but even then, I can promise it will be faster than a hotel dryer and with more heat protection.

Speaking of protection, Dyson's intelligent heat control is one of the reasons the results hold up so well. With temperature measured more than 100 times per second, there's no scorching or uneven heat distribution – just consistent, controlled drying. The finish was always smooth with minimal frizz and enough volume to feel close to an at-home result. Over the review period my hair also felt softer.

The styling nozzle helps further with this. It guides the airflow for precise smoothing and shaping and clicks on magnetically. You can rotate it during styling, which is a bonus if you're trying to get different angles in a cramped hotel bathroom, but it never came loose. It's a delicate balance of movement and security that Dyson is great at across the Supersonic range.

One of the more compelling arguments for the Supersonic Travel's price is the attachment compatibility. Any attachment from the Supersonic or Supersonic Nural range clicks straight onto the Travel's magnetic barrel. This means if you already own either machine at home, you can simply pack whichever attachments you need rather than adapting your routine around whatever comes in the box.

I tested the Travel with the Gentle Air attachment alongside the Nural's Styling Concentrator. The Gentle Air attachment diffuses the airflow slightly for a cooler, softer result. This is useful for fine hair that doesn't need aggressive heat, and is particularly good for a second-day refresh, but I found I didn't have much of a need for it given the Travel's already lower, more gentle airflow.

My favorite attachment to use with the Travel (and any Dyson Supersonic model for that matter) is the Flyaway Smoother. It uses Coanda airflow to attract and flatten stray hairs on a finished style, and it works incredibly well. Especially on fine, naturally curly hair; the difference between a finished blow-dry with, and without it is noticeable. My only complaint is that it's a large attachment which doesn't lend itself well for travelling.

Despite these attachments originally being designed for the larger Supersonic models, the magnetic connection felt as secure on the Travel as they do on the Nural; clicking on with the same snap as on the full-size machine, and rotating smoothly during styling without any loosening mid-use.

Plugged in at my hotel in San Francisco with a country adapter, the Supersonic Travel performed exactly as it did at home. There was no perceptible difference in power or overheating. You can often tell when a dryer isn't performing at full strength when abroad by a drop in noise but this also wasn't noticeable with the Dyson Supersonic Travel. Another pleasant surprise.

Speaking of noise, the loudest the Travel got during my tests was 87dB on high speed, and the lowest was 83dB on low speed. The machine is certainly not silent, but it's comparable to – and in many cases quieter than – the sort of dryer you'd find mounted to a hotel room wall. It also carries over the slightly softer-pitched sound found on the wider Dyson range (of vacuums and hairdryers) which is less jarring on the ears than the decibel rating may suggest.

Elsewhere, maintenance is minimal. The filter cage requires periodic cleaning when the LEDs flash white, which involves removing it, washing it under a tap, and leaving it to dry naturally before reinserting. It's a six-step process that Dyson details clearly in the manual and it's not difficult at all.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

How I tested the Dyson Supersonic Travel

I tested the Dyson Supersonic Travel hair dryer over four weeks on my fine, mid-length naturally curly hair.

I used it as my only dryer at home and took it on a trip to San Francisco. Testing included daily use across all heat and speed settings, use with the styling concentrator on wet and damp hair, and real-world travel use with a country adapter in a US hotel room.

I measured noise levels using the DecibelX app and compared drying times against my usual full-size dryer.

• First reviewed May 2026

Dreame AirStyle Era: two-minute review

The Dreame AirStyle Era is an eight-in-one multi-styler that works as a dryer and creates smooth, curly, bouncy, or straightened styles from a single device.

On paper, it looks like one for TechRadar's best hair styler roundup, and it's the follow-up to the seven-in-one AirStyle Pro, addressing some of that model's most obvious gaps. Namely, adding a diffuser for the first time, and replacing the Pro's flyaway attachment with a U-shaped straightening nozzle.

The auto-wrap curl barrels remain the headline act. The 360-degree airflow draws hair in automatically and produces bouncy, natural-looking curls without the need to manually wind sections around a barrel.

For fine to medium hair, the results are impressive, and at $349.99 / £349 / AU$699 the Era undercuts the Dyson Airwrap by $250 / £130 / AU$150 while producing comparable curl results as an Airwrap alternative. The smoothing brushes perform well too, and the diffuser is a welcome addition for anyone with naturally curly or wavy hair.

The issues are harder to ignore, though. The maximum temperature of 176F / 80C — unchanged from the AirStyle Pro — will be a limiting factor for anyone with thicker or longer hair. You could rope in one of the best hair dryers for that first stage, but that rather defeats the point of an all-in-one tool. The straightening nozzle is also more fiddly than expected, not to mention time consuming.

None of these are dealbreakers on their own, but together they add up to a tool that falls slightly short of its potential. The Era is still the most complete multi-styler Dreame has produced, and the most attractive multi-styler I've tested, and at this price it's a worthy Airwrap dupe, but it needs to be better than it is in a few key areas to make a truly compelling case.

That's the two-minute version; read on for my full Dreame AirStyle Era review.

Dreame AirStyle Era review: price & availability

• List price: $349.99 / £349 / AU$699
• Available: US, Australia and UK
• Launched: May 2026

The Dreame AirStyle Era costs $349.99 / £349 / AU$699 and is available directly from Dreame and Amazon in the US, Dreame in the UK, and from Dreame Australia as well as from several third-party retailers.

It sits closer in price to the $279.99 Shark FlexStyle in the US (which costs AU$499 in Australia), but is more akin in terms of features and attachments to the $599.99 / AU$849 Dyson Airwrap. It's the follow-up to Dreame's seven-in-one AirStyle Pro, which had a higher list price of $399.99 in the US but was rarely sold at that, while the latter's list price is lower in Australia at AU$599.

(There are also other, cheaper Dyson Airwrap dupes, but few come with the auto-wrap curl barrels of these four stylers.)

In comparison to its predecessor, the AirStyle Era swaps the Flyaway Attachment of the Pro for a U-shaped straightening nozzle and adds a diffuser for the first time, addressing one of the glaring gaps in the original's feature set.

It's also had a meaningful upgrade under the hood — the NTC temperature sensor now checks 1,000 times per second compared to 300 on the AirStyle Pro, which in practice means more consistent heat distribution and less risk of spikes that could cause damage.

• Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

Dreame AirStyle Era specs

The UK listing features different specifications than the US page – 28°C/55°C/80°C for temperatures and 50m/s, 57m/s, 65m/s for wind speeds. We tested the US model so use the US figures throughout.

Dreame AirStyle Era review: design

• Pink and bronze colorway with pebbled leather-texture grip
• Eight attachments covering drying, curling, straightening, smoothing and diffusing
• Twist-on mechanism same as the AirStyle Pro but more secure
• Comes with a storage box and bag

The Dreame AirStyle Era follows the same basic design as its predecessor (and all other multi-stylers for that matter) – a tube-shaped dryer onto which you twist different styling heads.

It comes in a single pink colorway, not too dissimilar to the pink Dyson Airwrap i.d, with bronze accents at either end, and a soft pebbled leather-texture grip running the length of the handle.

It feels and looks solid and luxurious, and at 0.64lbs without the cord, it's light enough that your arm doesn't start aching even when working through a full set of curls.

The controls consist of two buttons with LEDs that let you cycle through the two heat settings. and three wind speeds. The cool shot is built into the top of the on/off slider rather than given its own dedicated button, and you enable and disable it by sliding up once for on, and sliding up again for off.

These controls sit at a natural thumb position on the handle and toe a delicate line between being easy to control mid-style and difficult to press accidentally. This is much rarer on stylers than it should be.

At the base of the handle is a removable dual intake filter— an inner stainless steel mesh that keeps fine hair and particles out of the motor, and an outer mesh that prevents tangling.

A small cleaning brush is included for maintenance, and the filter is straightforward to remove and reattach. Attached to this filter is the cord that runs to 9.2ft / 2.8m with a 360-degree anti-tangle swivel at the handle end.

Each of the eight attachments twist on using the same mechanism as the AirStyle Pro, but unlike the heads on the older model, the Era's attachments securely lock into place because they're also magnetic. This was a major complaint in our AirStyle Pro review and I'm glad it's been resolved.

In terms of the attachments, the line-up is as follows:

• Fast dryer: A concentrated nozzle for quick drying
• Straightening nozzle: U-shaped head with dual airflow channels that direct air downward to smooth and straighten without heating plates
• Diffuser: Bowl diffuser with prongs for dry curls without disrupting them
• 32mm auto-wrap barrels (x2): One for left curls, one for right; 360-degree airflow draws hair in to create curls without manually winding sections
• Soft smoothing brush: Spherical teeth designed for fine, fragile, or chemically treated hair
• Hard smoothing brush: Conical teeth for coarser, thicker, or heavily product-styled hair
• Round volumizing brush: Wider tooth spacing to reduce tangling, with perforations to diffuse airflow and create lift at the roots

The two additions — the straightening nozzle and diffuser — address the most obvious gaps in the original AirStyle Pro's feature set.

If you wanted smooth, straight hair or defined natural curls from the Pro, you needed separate tools entirely. The Era fixes that, and the result is a kit that not only covers the full range of everyday styling needs, but it makes it the only styler that can truly rival the Dyson Airwrap in terms of scope and scale.

Elsewhere, everything ships in a leather-textured storage box that keeps the attachments organized and easy to find, plus you get a travel bag if you need something more portable.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Dreame AirStyle Era review: performance

• Fast dryer attachment works well on fine to medium hair; may struggle with thicker, longer hair
• Auto-wrap curling barrels produce good results but swapping between directions is fiddly
• Straightening nozzle is less effective than the flyaway attachment it replaces

I started, as Dreame recommends, by removing most of the water in my hair with the fast dryer attachment. Like all multi-stylers of this type, you need to get hair to around 80% dry before switching to any of the styling attachments for best results, and the fast dryer handled that first stage well enough on my fine, shoulder-length hair.

It's not the hottest of stylers though, and anyone with thicker or longer hair may find themselves reaching for a standalone dryer to get there faster. This was a complaint with the original Pro and hasn't been fixed, it seems.

The auto-wrap curling barrels are where the Era earns its keep. The 360-degree airflow draws hair in and wraps it around the barrel automatically, producing bouncy, defined curls without the need to manually wind sections. The results hold well, and the curls have a natural quality that can be hard to achieve with traditional tongs. The catch is that if you want the curls to go in different directions, you need to physically swap between the left and right attachment. This isn't just tricky, because the attached barrel is hot, but it interrupts your rhythm. The Dyson Airwrap handles this on a single, multi-directional barrel, and once you've used that system it's hard not to notice the difference here.

The straightening nozzle is the most interesting new addition on paper — a U-shaped head that uses dual airflow channels to smooth and straighten without heating plates. It's more intuitive than the flyaway attachment it replaced, while producing a very similar finish, but I found it more fiddly than I'd hoped. You can only smooth small sections at a time and this takes a while, which feels like a step backwards for anyone who relied on the flyaway attachment for quick touch-ups and frizz control.

The diffuser does what it should. For naturally curly or wavy hair, it distributes airflow evenly without disturbing the curl pattern, and the results are noticeably better than using the fast dryer attachment on the same hair type. It's not doing anything the category hasn't seen before, but its absence from the AirStyle Pro was a gap, and it's good to have it here.

Finally, the brushes. The soft and hard smoothing brushes both perform well. The soft brush is gentle on fine or fragile hair, with the airflow automatically redirecting downward when attached to leave your hair feeling smooth. The hard brush handles coarser or more tangled hair well, and separates knots without pulling.

In testing, my favorite brush is the round volumizing brush. It's great for lifting roots and adding shape at the ends and it can even create loose curls.

In terms of noise levels, Dreame claims it produces 76dB, and in testing I recorded 79dB on the highest speed setting. That's slightly louder than the spec sheet suggests although not unreasonable for a tool of this type and it's quiet enough to hear music or have a conversation.

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Dreame AirStyle Era?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Dreame AirStyle Era: also consider

How I tested the Dreame Airstyle Era

I used the AirStyle Era as my main styling tool for a week. During this time I used it to dry my hair, and tested all the different attachments, paying particular attention to the auto-wrap curlers.

I compared the styling results to what I managed to achieve with other similar stylers I've tested – including the Dyson Airwrap i.d. and Shark FlexStyle. I also assessed how easy the styler was to use and the effectiveness of its design and features.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed May 2026

Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender: one-minute review

American manufacturer Cuisinart is known for its range of high-quality kitchen appliances at affordable prices. The Power Blend Immersion Blender follows suit, offering versatility and convenience for less than $70 / £50 / AU$90.

his powerful four-in-one stick blender comes with several convenient accessories and attachments, including a food processor (with a mixing/chopping blade and reversible shredding/slicing disc), a chef’s whisk, a blending shaft, and a prep-and-store cup that makes prepping and storing foods like whipped cream and omelette mix a breeze. It’s even got an ergonomic handle design to make use and maneuvering more comfortable.

The results are impressive, with the Power Blend’s pressure-controlled speed giving you more control over its use and quickly whisking eggs, blending soups, and grating cheese.

However, it’s not without its flaws. This appliance may leave some food unprocessed or blended, and the blenders' pressure controls may not be suited to those with restricted hand or wrist movement (especially when turning it on). These may or may not be dealbreakers for you, depending on your individual needs, but they’re enough to hold the Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender back from a position among our top blender picks.

• £49.99 (about $70 / AU$90) direct from Cuisinart
• Available at third-party retailers, such as Amazon and Costco
• Regularly discounted to £42.99
• Not available in the U.S. or Australia

The Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender is priced at £49.99 (about $70 / AU$90), making it more affordable than competitors such as the Ninja Power Duo Immersion Blender ($79.99, roughly £60 / AU$110) and the Bosch ErgoMaster Series 6 (£99.99, or about $140 / AU$210), which is one of the best blenders on the market. Unfortunately, this product isn’t available in the US or Australia.

Considering the versatility and power of the Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender, it offers fantastic value for money. What’s more, third-party retailers like Amazon and Costco tend to offer a discount, bringing the price down to £42.99 – offering more bang for your buck.

• Value score: 5/5

Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender: specifications

Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender: design

• Comfortable ergonomic handle
• Dishwasher-friendly parts
• Pressure-controlled speed…
• …that can be tricky to use with the unlock button
• Motor can become warm

The Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender has a silver base that houses its motor and an ergonomic handle design that makes it comfortable to use and maneuver – especially if you have restricted mobility in your hand or wrist. Near the top of the handle is a variable, pressure-controlled speed button (with an LED light at the very top indicating the speed) and an unlock/on button.

At the bottom of the base is an attachment release button, with attachments able to be inserted and locked in with ease. This versatile immersion blender comes with three main attachments: a blending shaft, a 950ml food processor, and a chef’s whisk. In addition, the appliance comes with a canvas storage bag to keep all the bits in and a convenient 700ml prep-and-store cup and lid – though the cup lid did come unstuck a few times for us.

The blending shaft comes with a protective blade guard, allowing it to be used in glass, enamel, and non-stick vessels, while minimising splashing, which we found very effective. It also comes with a blade storage cover to allow the shaft to be safely stored. The full-sized chef’s whisk is attached to the base with a detachable gearbox and works a treat, especially when combined with the prep-and-store cup.

The food processor features a lid with a decent-sized feed chute (that could fit a large carrot vertically) and pusher, with a reversible slicing/shredding disc and mixing/chopping blade included and easily inserted into the work bowl.

To turn the appliance on, you need to press the unlock button while pressing the speed control button, before releasing the unlock, a bit like the mechanism seen on some lawnmowers. While this is a great child-safe feature, it took us a few tries to start the blender initially. Even when we’d worked out the system, holding both buttons simultaneously was uncomfortable, especially as you need to be mindful of the pressure you’re applying to the speed control.

While testing the chef whisk feature with some eggs in the prep-and-store cup. While trying to apply enough pressure to turn the blender on, we accidentally applied too much, resulting in our raw eggs splattering all over the kitchen.

This brings us nicely on to cleaning. Certain parts of the Power Blend are dishwasher safe: the food processor bowl, pusher, chopping/mixing blade, slicing/shredding disc, and prep-and-store cup and lid. However, the blending shaft and food processor lid need to be hand-washed, and the base should be wiped down. While the blending shaft and base are fairly easy to clean, the food processor lid is less so; it can't be immersed in water, so cleaning inside the feed chute is somewhat challenging.

Another issue we found with this stick blender was the heat the motor emitted when blending soup. We used the appliance for about two minutes, occasionally stopping and starting, and the handle was warm to the touch, suggesting the motor may be overheating. As such, we recommend not using this immersion blender continuously for too long or taking breaks if the handle begins to get quite warm.

• Design score: 4/5

Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender: performance

• Quickly blends chunky soups
• Convenient mini food processor attachment
• Impressive whisking
• Uneven cutting and some food left unprocessed

The first thing we tested was the Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender’s blending shaft attachment. After boiling a chunky 1L of homemade vegetable soup (with carrots, onions, cauliflower, potatoes, and a leek) until the veg was soft, we let it cool before blending on a medium-to-high pressure.

After around two minutes of blending, the soup was pretty smooth, but a few rebel chunks of cauliflower remained. As mentioned previously, at this point, the handle began to heat up, so we didn’t want to push it any more.

Next, we tested the chef’s whisk attachment. While the whisk seems quite flimsy, it’s pretty impressive. After cleaning up our prior disaster – and becoming more mindful of how sensitive the pressure controls are – we applied minimum pressure to our remaining eggs (mixed with milk and herbs) and had perfectly whisked eggs in a matter of seconds. It was so quick, we didn’t have time to whip out our phone and time it.

The food processor was equally impressive, though it isn’t without its flaws. We tested the mixing/chopping blade first, adding all the ingredients for a saag paste (including garlic, wilted spinach, veggie oil, spices, and coriander). It took around 30 seconds to make the paste, but it was loud: around 88 to 90 decibels. While most of the paste was mixed well, there were some less mixed parts at the bottom, under the blades, though it wasn’t enough to be a dealbreaker.

We also tested chopping a red onion with this blade, chopped into large chunks. It only took three or four short, one-second pulses of high-speed power to chop the onion. However, this was also loud – between 90 and 94 decibels – the cuts were largely uneven. We were impressed that the results weren’t overly wet, as we’ve seen when chopping onions with other powerful food processors.

Next, we tested the shredding/slicing disc, beginning with shredding (or grating) 50g of mature cheddar cut into rectangular blocks to fit the feed chute. While the cheese was grated in under 10 seconds, there was a lot of unshredded cheese on top of the disc.

We also experienced this using the slicing disc with a large carrot. While it took less than five seconds to slice the carrot, the slices were uneven, and there were some unsliced carrot remnants on top of the disc afterwards.

Overall, the Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender performs well, offering a lot of versatility and largely impressive results – but it does come with a few quirks that may irk some more than others.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender: also consider

If you're not sure whether this is the right blender for you, here are two other options to add to your shortlist.

How I tested the Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender

I tested the Cuisinart Power Blend Immersion Blender by preparing a wide variety of foods, including eggs, curry paste, and vegetable soup. I also used its food processor attachment to shred cheese, and chop various vegetables, and compared the results with those from a dedicated food processor. I cleaned the blender thoroughly after use, following the manufacturer's instructions. For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar.

First reviewed June 2026.

Blueair Mini Restful air purifier: two-minute review

The Blueair Mini Restful Sunrise Clock Air Purifier is a three-in-one device — technically a four-in-one if you include the built-in USB charger — that combines an air purifier, a sunrise alarm clock and a wake-up light in a single unit. It launched as part of Blueair's Sleep collection with a clear USP: rather than cluttering your nightstand with separate devices, one appliance handles the air quality, the light and the alarm. If you've been browsing the best compact air purifiers for a bedroom, the Mini Restful sits in a category of its own.

The purification uses Blueair's HEPASilent technology, which captures 99.97% of particles down to 0.1 microns — finer than a standard HEPA filter — and my hayfever symptoms were noticeably more manageable on mornings after I'd had the Mini Restful running.

It runs across three fan speeds plus a Night mode, covers rooms up to 33m² / 355 sq ft, and is QuietMark certified. The brand claims noise levels of 21dB on its lowest setting whereas my own tests averaged 32dB, much of which was ambient.

In reality, it's whisper quiet and I could easily run it through the night without disturbing my sleep. I even forgot to switch it off a lot of the time because it's so quiet, I didn't realize it was still running.

What makes it stand out most from other purifiers I've tested is the wake-up light: a circular ring below the touchscreen display that brightens gradually over 15–30 minutes before your alarm time. This is designed to mimic natural sunrise, and you can also choose from multiple alarm sounds via the app, including birdsong, soft tones, and rainfall.

This wake-up light is impressively bright for its size and the whole appliance's design is attractive enough for you to actually want on your bedside table. I tested the Blueair Mini Restful in summer so while it helped rouse me gently, it's hard to judge exactly how effective it would be in the depths of winter, say, when a more gentle wake-up is most needed.

At 11.8in / 30cm tall and just 2.36lbs / 1.07kg, it sits comfortably on a standard nightstand, and the USB-C port at the back means it can charge your phone too, saving you even more space by eliminating the need for a separate charger.

My biggest complaint about the Mini Restful is the Blueair app, which doesn't quite live up to the rest of the device's performance. When it works, it's great — intuitive and clean. Yet there's no way to track air quality levels, and during my review period there was often a lag between adjusting settings and the device responding. This became frustrating quickly. The connectivity dropped completely three times during the four weeks of tests and I had to fully reconnect to my Wi-Fi and phone.

For anyone who suffers from allergies and has been meaning to try a sunrise alarm, the Mini Restful makes a compelling case that one device can do all of it well. But even if you already own one of the best air purifiers on the market and a separate sunrise alarm, the Mini Restful makes a strong argument for consolidating. It will definitely feel like an upgrade.

Blueair Mini Restful air purifier review: price and availability

• List price: $199.99 / £169
• Available in the US and UK

The Blueair Mini Restful is available directly from Blueair US and Blueair UK, as well as from Amazon US, Amazon UK, Walmart and John Lewis. It has a list price of $199.99 / £169, which converts to about AU$280, but at the time of writing it's not available in Australia.

On purification alone, it's easy to find cheaper options. Blueair's own £79 Blue Pure Mini Max, the £59.99 GoveeLife Smart Air Purifier Lite and the £149.99 Levoit Core 300S are all strong compact options that cost less and if all you want is cleaner air in a bedroom, any of those will do the job well. However, none of them has a sunrise alarm or wake-up light. Nor do they charge your phone.

In fact, there is no direct equivalent on the market — no other purifier currently combines HEPASilent filtration with a built-in sunrise alarm and wake-up light in a single bedside device. This means the real question isn't how it compares to other purifiers, but whether it's cheaper and better than buying two separate devices.

On that measure, it mostly wins. The Hatch Restore 3 ($169.99 / £220) is widely considered the best standalone sunrise alarm clock you can buy, while a compact bedroom purifier like the Levoit Core 300S adds another $99 / £90 on top. That's $260 / £240 for two devices that take up more space, require two separate apps and two separate power outlets. The Mini Restful does both jobs for $199.99 / £169 in a single unit that sits comfortably on a bedside table.

The trade-off is that neither function quite matches what a dedicated device delivers. The sunrise graduation isn't as smooth as the Hatch Restore 3, and the purification coverage is limited to spaces up to 33m² / 355 sq ft. If you need serious room coverage or a flawless sunrise simulation, you'd be better served buying separately. But for a standard bedroom and anyone who wants to simplify their nightstand, the value case is very strong.

Replacement filters cost $29.99 / £24 and need changing every nine months — a running cost worth budgeting for, even though it's in line with most other comparable purifiers.

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Blueair Mini Restful air purifier specs

Blueair Mini Restful air purifier review: design

• Compact and attractive enough to earn its place on a nightstand
• Soft woven fabric exterior
• Touchscreen display doubles as clock face
• Controls can feel awkward at table height

The Mini Restful is one of the better-looking air purifiers I've had in my bedroom, which matters more than it might sound.

Most purifiers are designed for corners and shelves where nobody has to look at them. They're functional, but they largely earn their keep by blending in. The Mini Restful is instead designed to stand out, and Blueair has clearly put effort into the aesthetic. The woven fabric exterior, which is available in Coastal Beige or Midnight and can be removed and cleaned, feels closer to an Alexa speaker than a home appliance. For comparison, the Levoit Core 300S — a purifier I rate highly for performance — is a plain white cylinder that would look out of place on my nightstand.

At 11.8 inches / 30cm tall and 6.7 inches / 17cm across, it has a similar footprint to a bedside lamp, albeit slightly more imposing. It's taller than I had expected for something described as a bedside device and it's not as compact as I'd like (the Blueair Blue Pure Mini Max, for instance, is shorter and lighter) but it does fit comfortably. I could fit the purifier and my phone charger on my nightstand without it feeling cluttered.

At 2.36lbs / 1.07kg, it's also light enough to pick up and move without any effort. The cord runs neatly through the base and plugs into a standard outlet, and at the back there's a USB-C port for charging your phone overnight. This is easy to reach without having to move the unit, and it's one of those small additions that makes a real difference to how the product fits into a bedside routine.

All of the controls sit on the top of the device, arranged around a circular touchscreen display. The display shows the time, current fan speed and filter status at a glance, and is the main interface for adjusting settings manually. It's responsive and readable in low light and the icons are intuitive — power, fan speed, display lock and purification mode are all clearly differentiated. I found I could adjust settings without turning the main light on after the first few days of use. The display can also be locked via the app if you want to prevent accidental changes overnight.

Just below the display is the light ring — a circular band that serves as both the wake-up light and a soft night light. It's a smaller lit area than you'd find on a dedicated sunrise alarm like the Hatch Restore 3, which uses its entire face as a light source, and I was skeptical that such a narrow ring could produce enough light to actually wake me. It did, and it looked elegant doing so.

Setup is straightforward. The Mini Restful arrives in a simple box with the device, a cord and a plug — thread the cord through the base, attach the plug, remove the plastic cover from the filter inside and you're done, in under two minutes.

From there you download the free Blueair app, create an account, and connect the device to your home Wi-Fi. The whole process took me around five minutes, and the app walks you through each step clearly. It's here that you'll set your alarm times, choose your wake sounds, adjust the sunrise duration, and create purification schedules.

The one ergonomic issue I found is that having everything on top means you need to lean over to adjust anything manually when the unit is at table height. It's a minor inconvenience rather than a dealbreaker, and in practice I used the app for most adjustments after the first week, but it's not ideal. Overall, this is a product that has been designed with the bedroom specifically in mind, and it shows in almost every decision Blueair has made.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Blueair Mini Restful air purifier review: performance

• Powerful purification even on lowest settings
• Near-silent on Night mode and speed 1
• Wake-up light impressively bright for its size
• Sunrise graduation can be abrupt

The Mini Restful has two jobs to do — clean the air and wake you up gently — and it approaches both with more conviction than I expected from a device of this size.

I tested it over four weeks as my primary bedroom purifier and alarm clock, running it every night and monitoring air quality via the Blueair app each morning. I also measured noise levels at each fan speed using a decibel meter, and ran the sunrise alarm as my sole alarm throughout the review period rather than keeping a backup.

Starting with the purification. The HEPASilent filtration captures 99.97% of airborne particles down to 0.1 microns, which is finer than a standard HEPA filter, and covers dust, pollen, pet dander and most common allergens with ease. I suffer from hayfever and the review period coincided with peak pollen season, which gave me a useful real-world test. On mornings after running the Mini Restful through the night on speed 1 or 2, I noticed a genuine difference: less of the throat tightness and eye irritation I'd normally get.

To test the purification speed specifically, I sprayed deodorant directly at the unit for five seconds on both the lowest and highest settings, then timed how long it took for the air quality reading in the app to return to normal. On the lowest setting it took around 45 minutes to fully clear. On the highest setting it took just 12 minutes — a significant difference. The app's air quality history chart, which shows readings over the past 24 hours and 30 days, is useful for tracking these changes and gave me a clear picture of how conditions shifted.

On noise, the Mini Restful is super quiet. Blueair claims 21dB on the lowest speed; my measurements put it at around 32dB. This sounds like a huge difference but the purifier is almost inaudible, even in a quiet room. Speed 2 registers around 35dB, which produces a gentle white noise that actually helped me sleep rather than disturbing me. Speed 3 is noticeably louder at around 48dB — not unpleasant, but enough that I wouldn't choose to run it while trying to fall asleep. The Night mode handles the transition well though, stepping the fan down to its quietest setting automatically, and I left it on this mode for the majority of the review period.

Blueair says the Mini Restful works best in rooms between 14–33m² / 151–355 sq ft, which will cover most standard bedrooms. I tested it in a medium-sized room and found it kept up well, with the air quality sensor registering improvements within 20–30 minutes of switching on after a day with the windows open. It won't cope with large open-plan spaces — for that you'd need something with considerably more power, like the Dyson HushJet Compact — but for a bedroom it's more than adequate.

The wake-up light is the more interesting part of the performance story. The light ring is small relative to a dedicated sunrise alarm but on its highest brightness setting it lit the room enough to wake me without the alarm sound triggering at all on several mornings. The three manual brightness levels via the touchscreen are useful, and the app's slider control allows finer adjustment if you want to dial it in precisely.

The issue is with the graduation. The light is supposed to brighten gradually over 15–30 minutes before your alarm time, mimicking a natural sunrise. For the most part it does, and on the mornings it worked as intended the experience was gentler than waking to a conventional alarm. But on several occasions — I counted at least six across the four-week review period — the light jumped to full brightness abruptly rather than easing up to it, which is jarring. It doesn't ruin the experience entirely but it stops the Mini Restful from matching the consistently smooth graduation of a dedicated wake-up light. If the sunrise simulation is the primary reason you're considering this, that inconsistency is worth noting.

Elsewhere, the alarm sounds themselves are pleasant and varied — birdsong, soft tones, rainfall — and the volume is adjustable via the app.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Blueair Mini Restful air purifier review: app

• Required for full setup and alarm customization
• Doesn't show air quality levels
• Clean, well-organized interface
• Lag between app and device is frustrating
• No HomeKit, Alexa or Google Home support

Despite a small number of flaws, I can barely fault the hardware of the Blueair Mini Restful. The same can't be said for the app though, sadly.

Firstly, the Blueair app isn't optional. You can use the touchscreen to turn the device on and off and cycle through fan speeds, but doing anything of note, such as setting alarms, choosing wake sounds, adjusting the sunrise duration, creating purification schedules and checking air quality history, all require the app.

This is great when it works. The interface is clean and logically laid out, with the device status and filter life all visible without having to dig through menus. Setting a sunrise alarm takes seconds: you pick a time, choose a sound, set the brightness duration between and you're done.

The filter replacement reminder is useful; the display lock feature is a sensible addition for overnight use; and the scheduling tools are flexible enough to set different purification levels for different times of day.

However, knowing how to view live air quality readings isn't obvious, and I ended up having to Google for help. Even then, you can only see the current outdoor air reading (via the Outdoor air section on the homepage) and not a live, room-by-room chart.

Then there's the problem with lag. There was a consistent, frustrating delay between adjusting a setting in the app and the device responding throughout almost the entire review period. This could be anything from a few seconds to almost 30 seconds on occasion. Switching fan speeds via the app often took longer than just tapping the top of the unit, which defeats part of the point of having remote control in the first place.

What's more, during my four-week review period the connection dropped completely three times, requiring a full reconnection through the app each time. I'd find myself checking the app before bed to make sure the alarm was still set and the connection was still live, which is exactly the kind of friction a product like this should be eliminating.

The absence of any smart home integration is also a real gap. There's no HomeKit support, Alexa skill or Google Home compatibility, which means the Mini Restful exists entirely within its own ecosystem. For anyone who controls their bedroom environment through a smart home setup — lights, heating, other devices — the Mini Restful sits outside all of that. It's not a dealbreaker, but it's a limitation that feels out of step with both the price and what other, similar connected bedroom devices offer.

Blueair has clearly invested in the app's design and the range of features it offers, and the bones are good but the execution needs a lot of work.

• App score: 3 out of 5

Should you buy the Blueair Mini Restful air purifier?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Blueair Mini Restful air purifier: also consider

If you're not sure whether the Blueair Mini Restful is the right air purifier for you, here are two other options to consider:

How I tested the Blueair Mini Restful air purifier

• Tested over four weeks as purifier and alarm clock
• Used the sunrise alarm as my sole morning alarm
• Measured noise levels at each fan speed with a decibel meter
• Tested purification speed by spraying deodorant at the unit and timing air clearance
• Monitored air quality data via the Blueair app

I used the Blueair Mini Restful as my main bedroom purifier and alarm clock for four weeks, running it every night and monitoring the air quality readings in the app each morning.

To test purification speed, I sprayed deodorant directly at the unit for five seconds on both the lowest and highest fan settings, then timed how long it took for the air quality reading in the app to return to normal.

I measured noise levels at each fan speed using a mobile phone decibel meter and ran the sunrise alarm as my sole morning alarm throughout the review. I also tested the app's scheduling tools, the USB-C charging port and the manual touchscreen controls.

Read more about how we test.

First reviewed May 2026

Dyson HushJet Mini Cool: review

Dyson’s engineers are experts in airflow — whether in vacuum cleaners, fans, or hair dryers — and the HushJet Mini Cool puts that power right in your hand. It’s a portable cooling fan that you can hold, wear around your neck, attach to clothing or a bag strap (if you buy one of the optional clip accessories) or stand upright on your desk — and it really works.

Shortly before testing the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool, I got my hands on the Shark ChillPill — a rival handheld fan that was released at approximately the same time. I was impressed by the ChillPill’s cooling ability, which is supplemented by a misting attachment and a metal cooling plate — but in terms of sheer power, the Dyson absolutely blows it away.

This mainly comes down to two factors: the fan’s powerful motor, which can reach up to 65,000rpm (compared to just 25,000rpm for the ChillPill), and the shape of the HushJet nozzle, which concentrates the airflow so it’s all directed right at you. Even on the lowest setting, you can really feel it; dial it up to maximum and it’s as powerful as some hairdryers I’ve used.

The sound is not unlike a miniature vacuum cleaner, but the HushJet shape works to eliminate the annoying higher frequencies that might irritate colleagues if you use it in the office, or fellow passengers on a busy commuter train. There’s even a hint of Dyson’s signature ‘bounce’ sound when you turn it off.

Accessories like a clamp (so you can attach it to gym equipment) are available to buy separately, but you get a neck strap included with the fan as standard. Slide this onto the fan (it has notches that allow it to slip past the control buttons), adjust the cord to a suitable length, rotate the fan’s head so it’s pointing towards you, and you’ll enjoy a cooling jet of air on your chest, neck and face, hands-free. Extremely handy if you’re taking stuffy public transport.

Dyson claims that the HushJet Mini Cool can run for up to six hours on its lowest power setting, but during my tests it significantly outperformed that figure, lasting almost exactly six and a half hours on a full charge.

It’s hard to fault the HushJet Mini, but a couple of things stood out during testing. Firstly, it’s easy to accidentally cover part of the air intake grille with your hand when holding the fan, which I’m sure affects its performance.

Secondly — and this is only my personal opinion — the Stone/Blush colorway makes the fan look like an exfoliating facial brush at first glance (not unlike the Braun Facespa Pro) which is a strange thing to wear around your neck and might raise a few eyebrows.

Dyson HushJet Mini Cool: specifications

Dyson HushJet Mini Cool: price and availability

• Launched May 2026
• Available globally
• List price $99 / £99.99 / AU$169

Dyson announced the HushJet Mini Cool on April 9, 2026, and it was available to buy globally a few weeks later. It has a list price of $99 / £99.99 / AU$169, which is very reasonable for a powerful personal fan. For comparison, the Shark ChillPill, which went on sale just a few weeks earlier for $149.99 in the US, or £129.99 in the UK (which converts to about AU$210, though at the time of writing the ChillPill isn’t yet available in Australia).

The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool has been in high demand since its launch, and at the time of writing (June 2026) it’s often sold out in Dyson’s official online stores. The Stone/Blush colorway is sometimes the only one available.

If you’re not planning to use your fan on the move, and want one specifically for your desk, take a look at the Dyson Cool CF1 Desk Fan, which is just as quiet but can move a larger volume of air, oscillates and has a remote control, making it a better choice if you’re sitting still (possibly working from home). It has a list price of £249.99 (about $340 / AU$470).

Dyson HushJet Mini Cool: Design

• Unique shape for a portable fan
• Nozzle focuses airflow and reduces noise
• Neck strap and charging base included

Dyson devices often look slightly unusual, taking the most practical shape for their function regardless of how vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, or, in this case, fans have traditionally looked. The HushJet Mini Cool is no exception — with its slim, tubular body and angled nozzle (which is the same shape as that of the Dyson HushJet Compact Purifier), it looks nothing like other personal cooling devices, but it’s a shape that works. The body of the fan is comfortable to hold, and the nozzle can be turned to direct the airflow exactly where it’s needed.

The HushJet Mini Cool is bladeless (like Dyson’s larger fans), ensuring the airflow is smooth rather than choppy, and its honeycomb-like mesh keeps dirt and debris out of the mechanism — though it's also supplied with a soft velvet carry case to protect it on the move.

The HushJet Mini Cool comes in three colorways: Ink/Cobalt (dark blue), Stone/Blush (soft pink, as shown here), and Carnelian/Sky (red and pale blue). Personally I prefer the latter option, which is the most striking, and it seems I’m not alone — at the time of writing all colors are selling out rapidly, but Carnelian/Sky seems to be the one disappearing from the virtual shelves quickest, followed by Ink/Cobalt.

The tubular shape, with a flat end, means that you can easily stand the HushJet Mini Cool on your desk while you work. If you’re planning to use it all day, it comes with a charging base, which provides extra stability regardless of whether the USB cable is plugged in or not.

Whichever color you choose, the fan’s case has a satin finish that feels pleasantly smooth and cool in the hand and is resistant to fingerprints, with contrasting colors for the nozzle and buttons. Dyson’s car never took off, but the company’s designers took the knowledge they gained about finishes and materials, and applied it to beauty products — which explains why they look so smart.

A row of five small white LEDs show the current power setting, and represent the battery level when the fan is charging..

Should you buy the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if

Don't buy it if

Dyson HushJet Mini Cool: also consider

If you're not sure whether the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool is the right fan to keep you cool, here are two other alternatives to consider.

How we tested the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool

• Tested for a week
• Used on trains, in the office, and at the gym
• Tested battery on lowest power mode
• Measured volume with decibel meter app

I spent a week testing the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool in various locations, including trains to work, at the office, and in the gym. I compared its performance directly against that of the Shark ChillPill.

I measured its noise level with a decibel meter app on my phone, and tested its battery life by fully charging it, then allowing it to run on the lowest power setting until it switched off. For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar.

First reviewed June 2026.

IMOU AOV PT: two-minute review

Founded in 2015 as a spin-off from the Chinese surveillance giant Dahua Technology, Hangzhou-based IMOU has quickly become a major player in the value segment of the smart home market. A few months ago, I looked at the IMOU Cell 3C, another budget outdoor security camera. I liked the model, but it was a lot more basic than this model (and much cheaper, too).

For starters, the AOV PT features a separate, rather than the integrated solar panel found on the Cell 3C. For many set-ups this is an important distinction because often the best place for a camera, such as under an eve or in a porch, is the worst place for a solar panel. Having a separate panel means it can be located up to four metres away in a sun-drenched spot using the long USB-C cable provided.

Whereas most battery cameras stay in a deep sleep until a PIR is triggered, this latest IMOU features the company’s Always-On Video (AOV) technology — hence the AOV moniker. It’s like a sort of low-power mode where the camera records a frame every two seconds continuously, creating a low-frame rate timelapse of the entire day. Then, when the AI detects a human or vehicle, it ramps up to full-speed 3K (5MP) recording. Particularly clever is the smart tracking option which means once the pan-and-tilt camera detects movement it will follow the ‘target’ as it moves around. It’s all a bit Big Brother-y maybe, but useful if you want to track certain individuals or vehicles.

Usually, where security cameras manufacturers make their money is in selling you a monthly subscription to store your video footage in the cloud. Not only is this a potential cybersecurity risk, it can also get very expensive (I’m looking at you Ring). Even the average price of a subscription is £5 (about $7 / AU$10) a month, which I think is a bit excessive for basically storing your video clips.

With the IMOU AOV PT not only is a MicroSD card slot provided for storage, but IMOU has even thrown in a 32GB MicroSD card gratis — it’s a really nice touch, especially if you're always scrabbling around for a card to record onto! If you want more storage, though, the device can support up to 512GB. Alternatively, it is possible to sign-up to one of IMOU’s subscription plans (see details below).

Usefully, in addition to a MicroSD card, the IMOU also comes with a 4G SIM. This enables you to control the camera via the IMOU Life app without it having to be hooked up to the home’s Wi-Fi. IMOU provides a modest 100Mb of data (with a trial offer for a 6GB plan). However, for those monitoring properties where Wi-Fi connectivity is either non-existent, or at best patchy, it’s a potential game changer.

On the downside, though, the camera only supports the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi frequency rather than the higher 5GHz Wi-Fi frequency which is better for faster data transfer.

Designed to be mounted permanently outdoors, the IMOU boasts an IP-66 weatherproof rating for heavy-duty waterproof protection. It also comes with two reasonably powerful spotlights, a built-in microphone and speaker for two-way communication and a siren for warding off intruders (though this isn’t the loudest). There’s also a clever smart night vision feature so that when the camera detects an object, the spotlight is automatically activated, and recordings are displayed in color.

IMOU AOV PT: subscription options

Basic Plan: Covers seven days of event history and basic AI detection, between £2.59-£3.50 ($4-$5 / AU$5-AU$7) per month or approximately £30 ($40 / AU$70) a year.

Plus Plan: Offers 30 days of event history, enhanced AI detection, and sharing with up to 20 users. Costs around £5.99 ($9 / AU$12) per month or £60 ($80 / AU$110) per year.

See https://www.imou.com/uk/imou-protect for more details

IMOU AOV PT: price and availability

How much does it cost? IMOU AOV PT, $170 / £129 / AU$260

When is it available? Since December 2025

Where is it available? UK / US / Australia

Chinese firm IMOU is known for its competitively priced home security products. This one is no exception. OK, it’s quite a bit more expensive than the IMOU Cell 3C we reviewed which also comes with a solar panel. But then the AOV PT offers so much more and is still under £150.

In fact, when you consider the package includes a separate 5W solar panel, a pre-installed 32GB MicroSD card, and a 4G SIM card, the IMOU AOV PT is actually really very good value for money. That’s not to mention other useful features such as 360-degree field of view thanks to the pan-and-tilt camera and smart tracking so you can monitor the movements of intruders!

Compared to 4G rivals from Arlo or Reolink, which often require separate purchases for solar panels or storage, the IMOU really is a cost-effective, all-in-one solution for those needing off-grid security. Best of all is that you don’t need to pay for a monthly subscription — although that option is available from around £3 a month if you want it. Instead, you can store video clips on the MicroSD card provided or upgrade to one holding 512GB (these are now widely available for under £50/$50).

• Value score: 5/5

IMOU AOV PT: design

• Pan-and-tilt design
• Separate solar panel
• IP66 waterproofing

It’s fair to say that the IMOU AOV PT won’t win any security camera beauty competitions. Built for utility rather than stealth, it comprises a not particularly attractive black pan-and-tilt camera inside a large white plastic housing, plus a separate lightweight solar panel designed to tilt up to 45 degrees for maximum solar gain.

Installation isn’t the easiest either. Because of its weight and the way it protrudes from the wall, it requires a very secure mount. It’s not a camera you can casually stick up with a couple of small screws. Instead, you’ll need the full four-screw bracket provided (plus wall plugs if drilling into brick) to prevent it from vibrating in the wind or feeling flimsy.

For added protection/security the camera snaps firmly into the mount and can only be released by pressing a button underneath the unit. Here you will also find a rubber flap covering the power on and the USB-C input for connecting to the solar panel and for recharging the camera (it comes with an integrated 1000mAh lithium-ion battery).

For our set-up we installed the camera on a wooden summer house/home office with the solar panel located nearby and angled towards the sun (the app tells you when it is receiving power from the panel). However, 4m of cable is provided if you need to locate the solar panel a bit further away to capture the sun’s rays. Thankfully, the solar panel is much simpler to install than the camera but the two units together do take up quite a lot of space, compared to other designs.

Finally, one slightly odd aspect of the design is the panel for the MicroSD card and 4G SIM card slots. Located at the back of the camera lens, this can only be accessed with a Phillips screwdriver. Perhaps it’s to deter casual thieves from easily stealing the MicroSD/SIM cards, or maybe to provide further protection from the elements?

• Design score: 4/5

IMOU AOV PT: performance

• 360-degree field of view
• 3K resolution
• Color night vision

When it comes to performance, the IMOU AV PT is one of the best I’ve reviewed — especially at this price level. When it comes to functionality, it’s difficult to imagine any other cameras matching it. However, what’s impressive is that it combines this functionality with very good performance too. For example, the 3K image quality is crisp enough to identify faces at a distance, and the full-color night vision is excellent, using two bright spotlights to illuminate intruders.

What I particularly like is the pan-and-tilt camera which effectively gives the camera a full 360-degree view, much wider than most cameras which are limited to a maximum of around 150 degrees. Either you can move it around using the left/right, up/down keys on the app or you can use the ‘smart tracking’ option in the menus so that it tracks movement automatically.

During testing it was great fun, picking up neighbours on balconies, even family members walking close to the patio doors inside the kitchen. However, I could see it would have a serious function too if ever I was burgled, capturing the culprit as they approached the house and closing in on their physical details.

Any criticisms? Well, a few, but they are minor. Firstly, it is worth bearing in mind that the ‘smart tracking’ option really does drain the 10,000mAh battery. During a day of heavy testing, it dropped 11% in just 24 hours, even with some additional solar power from the panel. For long term use it’s probably best to switch it off completely or limit the use of the camera to certain hours of the day.

Using the app, recording times can be set for each day (so the camera only records footage at night) or you can quickly put it into ‘privacy mode’ where the lens turns around completely so you can’t record. It’s also possible to set areas where you don’t want to record, such as a neighbor’s garden or a busy main road using the ‘activity zone’ option.

As with many security cameras, one small bugbear is that the IMOU AV PT is a little too sensitive, creating a few false alarms. Not only can this get a little bit annoying after a while (getting an alert every time a bird flies past), it can further drain the battery. Finally, while the siren works effectively enough, it’s certainly not the loudest we’ve ever heard.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the IMOU AOV PT?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

IMOU AOV PT: also consider

If you're not sure whether the IMOU AOV PT is the right camera for you, here's how it stacks up against two of its rivals.

How I tested the IMOU AOV PT

• I used the camera outdoors for seven days
• I set it up myself using the fittings provided by the manufacturer
• The security camera and solar panel was installed on the outside of my summer house/office

I am forever climbing up and down step ladders changing over outdoor security cameras on my summer house, so much so that the neighbours must think I’m paranoid about getting burgled. This is the latest in a long line of solar panel cameras I’ve looked at recently and I think one of the best so far.

I really enjoyed the smart tracking feature, watching the camera following the movement of family members and my dog Poppy, as well as the occasional glimpse of neighbours standing on a balcony. If I had the device for a long time I would probably switch this off as it is a major drain on the battery as well as being overly intrusive (although less so than using the pan-and-tilt camera in the house).

I can also see the benefits of the 4G SIM. While my Wi-Fi is generally OK in the garden, thanks to a Wi-Fi repeater near the back door, there are many homes especially in rural areas where this option could be a game-changer.

First reviewed May 2026

Shark PowerDetect Speed: one-minute review

The Shark PowerDetect Speed is a very capable cordless stick vacuum with a great auto empty base, but like other high-powered cordless vacuums a lack of battery life means it can’t replace a main vacuum.

It did a great job picking up fine dust and larger debris in our tests on carpet and hard floors, has good edge cleaning, and can easily be moved around the house making it an ideal occasional cleaner.

It's a premium product from an established vacuum brand, but when compared with Dyson it's significantly more affordable, making it a good choice if you want top, reliable performance without the high price.

Battery life is a major concern though, as it didn’t last 11 minutes on the highest power setting and took over five hours to recharge the battery, limiting its practicality.

Shark PowerDetect Speed: price and availability

The PowerDetect Speed launched in the US and UK in April 2026 costing US$499.99 and £499.99 for the Clean & Empty version that comes with an auto empty charging dock (although it is worth noting the US version comes with an extra Pet Multi tool that the UK version doesn’t). It was released in Australia in early June 2026 for a retail price of AU$799.

This places it at the premium end of the scale for vacuums, although it is significantly cheaper than the Dyson Gen5detect models it is competing with, making it feel very good value for money when comparing spec with spec.

The build quality is good, it feels capable of handling the rough and tumble of everyday cleaning and it has a good set of features you would expect of a top of the line vacuum including floor and dirt detection. The addition of a dock that empties and charges the vacuum is a godsend and real standout at this price point.

The PowerDetect Speed is also available without the auto empty dock for $429.99 or £429.99, which come with an extra upholstery tool in the US or pet tool in the UK. This version hasn't been released to Australia at the time of writing.

• Value score: 4/5

Shark PowerDetect Speed: specs

Shark PowerDetect Speed: design

• Simple, functional design
• Place to store accessories
• Dirt detect feature not shown on the floorhead

While a vacuum cleaner is very much a practical product rather than a statement piece it is nice for it to look at least smart in a subtle way if you do have to have it visible and Shark has done a decent job with the PowerDetect Speed. The grey and blue metallic finish feels mostly focused on blending into the background and any out-there accents have thankfully been limited to the orange roller in the floorhead.

The auto empty dock is also unfussy but does include one of my favorite features of this entire product in the shape of two small notches at the back of the dock for storing the included accessories. This is such a small thing, but after years of trying to find where in the house the kids have hidden the crevice tool this time, it is hugely appreciated.

The body of the vacuum is similar to the older PowerDetect model but it is slightly smaller, lighter and they have swapped the trigger button for a second button on the back of body. This is a definite improvement as it was easy to accidentally change modes with the trigger button, especially if vacuuming at different heights such as cleaning the stairs.

The PowerDetect Speed does lose 0.5kg on the previous version and comes in under Dyson’s Gen5 Detect by around 300g, but that said, this is still a bit of a chunky vacuum cleaner and may feel like a bit of a workout to push around for some, Rivals like the Dreame R20 weigh in almost a whole kilo lighter so if lightweight is top of your priority list it may be worth looking elsewhere.

It's controlled using two buttons on the back of the body, which also has a screen to show you what mode you are in, how much battery you have left and whether the vacuum is currently detecting dirt where you are cleaning. This is done through a color coded arc around the top of the screen with a dark purple color indicating it is picking up a lot of dirt which then progressively goes paler until it goes white indicating the floor is now clean.

I will go into more detail about the PowerDetect feature later but I do have a gripe about how this is presented. In the previous PowerDetect model this color-coding was also shown in lights at the back of the floorhead so you could see cleaning performance as you cleaned without taking your eyes off where you were moving the floorhead. With it only on the back of the body of the vacuum you now have to keep moving your eyes from one to the other which is definitely a step backwards.

The floorhead uses one roller with anti-wrap elements and a light that switches from regular white light on carpet to a blue UV light on hard floors for highlighting dirt. This works well although I’m not sure the UV light really provides a significant improvement over a regular light.

Depending where you are you will get different accessories with US customers getting a crevice tool and pet multi tool and those in the UK only getting a crevice tool, but the slightly better version that includes a sliding duster to it. The pet multi tool did OK at picking up cat hair, although no better than the regular floorhead and generally just caught them in the bristles rather than picking them up directly. Where it was most useful was as a wider cleaning path than the crevice tool when vacuuming a car.

• Design score: 4/5

Shark PowerDetect Speed: performance

• Dirt Detect works well
• Excellent fine detail and debris pick up
• Handles pet and long hair well without tangling

It is straightforward to use with only the two buttons for one and off or to change mode — which unless you are trying to maximize battery runtime, you shouldn’t need. The attachments are easy to snap into place or detach using the large buttons and the whole vacuum can fold in half for storage away from the charging dock.

It maneuvers well and while it might not be quite as smooth as the Dyson equivalent or as light as some other rivals it is easy to steer around furniture. It also is able to bend the wand so you can run the cleaner under low furniture reaching hard to clean spots. This is a nice bonus and may be ideal for some homes but I personally didn’t find myself using it day to day.

Emptying the vacuum is one area where it really stands out, you simply pop it back on top of the charging dock when you are done — or more likely when it has run out of battery but more on that later — and the base sucks all the dust out into its own larger two-liter bin. This obviously will need emptying itself, but the shape (and the fact you will have to do it less often) makes it much easier to do this without making a mess.

The detect part of PowerDetect comes from the four ways it adjusts suction power to optimize cleaning by detecting the floor type, amount of dirt being sucked up, whether it is close to the edge of a room and what direction it is traveling. This means all you need to do is move the vacuum around and it will change its cleaning modes, with the dirt detection also letting you know whether certain sections are worth some more attention through the color coding display on the handle.

When I first used this dirt detection I was a bit skeptical that it was still picking up debris where it claimed it was but the dust bin would time and again prove me wrong. At first this felt like an amazing feature, but later when combined with the battery life, having to go back and forth over the same bits of floor made me start to wonder if ignorance was bliss.

In the cleaning tests the Speed struggled a bit in low suction mode with one pass leaving quite a bit of fine dust and larger debris on both carpet and hard floors. Moving it up to full suction did much better with it picking up almost all the fine dust on the hard floor and, aside from some scattering of the rice, most of the debris on the next pass.

Edge cleaning was a similar story at both low and high power, with it doing very well on high for hard floors. It still needed the crevice tool to get the finest material but it did as well as I have seen from a stick vacuum.

Hair pickup was also excellent handling long and pet hair well without any sign of tangling on the floorhead brush.

It’s not quiet but at around 70-75 dbs (somewhere between traffic and a busy restaurant) on maximum power it's not the loudest either. The auto empty base creates a similar level of noise as it flushes the dust from the cleaner, but this is a pretty quick process.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Shark PowerDetect Speed: battery life

• Less than 11 minutes on boost mode
• Long recharge time
• Spare batteries not yet available

My sticking point with the PowerDetect Speed is the battery life as, when testing on full power, it only managed a paltry 10 minutes and 38 seconds. While the variable speed in dirt detect mode will allow you to get a bit more cleaning out of a charge, I often found it would last less than half an hour. Couple this with a recharge time of 5 hours and 19 minutes and it severely limits its practicality as a main vacuum for anything but a small apartment.

This is a common problem for high powered stick vacuums as they try to keep the weight of the batteries down, but it is one of the shortest run times and longest charge times I have tested making it a bit of a challenge even thoroughly vacuuming the car on a single charge.

While you can switch out the battery, I wasn’t able to find a way of buying a spare battery online with the cordless vacuum battery available through Shark’s website only compatible with older models. If one is made available expect this to come with a hefty price tag, the older model batteries cost an additional $87.99 in the US.

• Battery life score: 3/5

Should you buy the Shark Poweretect Speed?

The answer is going to depend heavily on the size of your home and how you plan to use the cleaner. If this is going to be your only vacuum it’s barely going to get through a studio apartment before it needs a recharge. If you are looking for a convenient cleaner for spot cleaning it is superb both in terms of performance and ease of emptying, all while being a step cheaper than the Dyson equivalent.

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

How I tested the Shark PowerDetect Speed

I tested the PowerDetect Speed for over a week in day-to-day use as well as specific tests picking up fine dust (tea) and larger debris (rice) on hard floors, carpet and around room edges. Battery life was tested on the highest power setting and lowest, as well as checking the time it took to fully charge from empty.

I tested the Speed in different cleaning scenarios including vacuuming stairs, a car and a variety of floor types.

First reviewed May 2026

Dyson HushJet Compact Air Purifier: two-minute review

The Dyson HushJet Compact Air Purifier is Dyson's first dedicated small-format air purifier, and it's a notable departure from what's come before. Unlike the imposing, bulky tower fan-purifiers of old, the HushJet has been engineered to better fit into your home — or at least, that's the idea.

Yes, it's smaller than Dyson's current range, but it's far from tiny. It fits on a desk and kitchen countertop, but not comfortably or subtly, and its design makes it stand out rather than blend in. The black and blue colorway I tested looks out of place wherever you put it, while the star-shaped HushJet nozzle, which is inspired by jet engine aerodynamics, looks as industrial as its name suggests.

There are few controls on the device itself and Dyson is relying on people using the MyDyson app to monitor air quality and adjust settings. Thankfully this isn't a chore because the app is super intuitive and simple. Plus you also have the option to control everything with you voice, via Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri, if you'd rather not pick up your phone.

Also, in day-to-day use, the Auto mode does most of the heavy lifting anyway. Intelligent sensors monitor air quality in real time and ramp the fan speed up or down as needed, which in practice means the HushJet spends most of its time running almost silently in the background, only surging when something pollutes the air.

Inside the purifier, the electrostatic filter captures 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. This includes dust, pollen, pet dander, and mold spores. The activated carbon filter then takes care of gases and odors, including cooking smells and NO2 from gas hobs. Both filters come pre-installed, which makes setup refreshingly painless, and they have long shelf lives. The electrostatic filter lasts up to five years, while the carbon filter should only need to be replaced once a year, keeping the running costs down.

The jet engine design isn't just an aesthetic choice, it means that the HushJet can channel purified air into a "focused, high-velocity stream" that covers rooms up to 100m2 / 1,076 sq ft. Most homes won't need this, but it's reassuring to know that you can place this purifier anywhere in your home and it's got you covered. These numbers would be impressive for any air purifier, let alone one this size.

At $349.99 / £349.99 / AU$549 the HushJet is a significant investment, especially when you consider that it's a purifier only, with no fan or heating function to justify the spend. However, if clean air is a priority and you want the best compact air purifier on the market right now, it's hard to argue with what Dyson has built here. It sits at the top of its category, and in my tests it earned its place, but if that's beyond your budget check out our guide to the best air purifiers.

Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier review: price and availability

• List price: $349.99 / £349.99 / AU$549
• Available in the US and UK

Dyson's HushJet is available in the US, UK and Australia direct from Dyson, as well as Best Buy and Walmart in the US, AO and Very in the UK, and JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys in Australia.

At $349.99 / £349.99 / AU$549, this is an expensive purifier by any measure. To put that into context, the Blueair Blue Max 3250i – our pick for best air purifier overall – is less than half the price, at $169 / £169. Even the Dyson Purifier Cool PC1, a larger purifier-fan combo from Dyson's own range, is only $100 / £100 more, and it adds fan functionality on top.

What you're paying for with the HushJet is essentially the miniaturisation of Dyson's purification technology, combined with the new HushJet nozzle and its impressively quiet operation. I believe its performance justifies a large part of this premium but there are very capable, significantly cheaper rivals that tick just as many boxes.

• Value for money score: 3 out of 5

Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier specs

Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier review: design

• Smaller than previous Dyson purifiers, but not truly compact
• Minimal on-device controls
• Industrial aesthetic

Dyson has become famous for its distinctive, often divisive, design choices, and the HushJet is no exception. Like most Dyson products, it's sleek, cylindrical and well-built, but also striking and bold — especially its star-shaped HushJet nozzle top, which is inspired by the aerodynamic principles of jet engines, and doesn't look like anything I've ever tested.

Whether that's a good thing will depend on your taste. In my house, it divided opinion: my partner loved the look of the black and teal colors, but I didn't. I found it too much for an appliance that's supposed to sit quietly in the background.

That tension between form and function runs through the whole design. Dyson calls this purifier 'compact', and relative to the brand's own range – which includes the towering TP09 or the enormous Big+Quiet – it is. But in absolute terms, at 18.5in / 47cm tall with a 9in / 23cm diameter, it's larger than the name implies. I tried it on my desk, on a bedside table and on my kitchen counter, and it felt imposing on all three. It ended up on the floor in most rooms, which undermines the compact pitch somewhat. For context, the Levoit Core 300S is half the height and is more subtle.

I typically like to move my purifier into different rooms, depending on my needs (for example, I put it in the kitchen when I'm cooking steak, or I put it in my son's room at night when the pollen count is high) and while the HushJet is technically portable, its missing carry handle makes moving it a little awkward.

On-device controls are minimal by design. There's a small LCD screen that shows air quality data — using a color-coded line graph — and current settings above a row of three physical buttons. These buttons cover most of the day-to-day changes you'll need:

• The fan button on the left lets you cycle between Night mode, the three on-board fan speeds, and Auto mode.
• The power button in the center turns the purifier on and off.
• The information button on the right cycles through the current PM2.5 levels, current PM10 levels, the state of the on-board filters, and the Wi-Fi details.

If you want to set schedules, change Auto mode's target particulate level, access the seven other fans speed, or access any other more detailed settings, you'll need to download the MyDyson app. You can also control the purifier using your voice and the HushJet works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri.

This is also where you can learn what each of the air quality colors mean:

• Good (green): very low level of microscopic particles
• Fair (yellow): moderate level of microscopic particles
• Poor (orange): high level of microscopic particles
• Very poor (red): very high level of microscopic particles
• Extremely poor (pink): extremely high level of microscopic particles
• Severe (purple): severe level of microscopic particles

Setup across the board with the HushJet is painless. Both filters come pre-installed, and connecting to the MyDyson app took me less than 30 seconds. It's one of the easier Dyson products I've set up, and it starts purifying the air immediately.

• Design score: 3 out of 5

Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier review: performance

• Auto mode reaction times are unmatched
• Whisper-quiet on lower settings
• Limited app granularity
• Less impressive on smoke than VOCs

Given its price, and the fact it only covers purifying, the HushJet's performance needed to blow me away (excuse the pun) and thankfully it did.

I have a large open-plan kitchen-diner, as well as a substantial loft room, and even when the HushJet was placed on the opposite side of the room to where I was cooking, or spraying deodorant, its fans captured and cleared the particulates with ease.

During my aerosol tests, in which I sprayed deodorant at the purifier for five seconds while it was in different purification modes, the fan consistently took the air quality from as high as Severe to Good in less than a minute and a half. The low fan setting, unsurprisingly, took the longest at 1 minute 23 seconds (on average); the medium fan setting handled the particulates in 1 minute 2 seconds; and the high fan cleared the air in just 50 seconds. These speeds are unheard of in all my years of testing.

I also lit a match and let it burn out directly in front of the unit. Within three seconds, the HushJet had detected the drop in air quality and increased its fan speed. The app showed levels spike to purple before the purifier cleared the air entirely in four minutes. For comparison, the Blueair Blue Max 3250i, our top-rated overall pick, took 20 seconds to register the same drop, although it cleared the air slightly faster at two and a half minutes. Both are fast; the HushJet's sensing is simply quicker.

The one test where the HushJet was less convincing was dust. Emptying a vacuum cleaner's dust canister next to the unit hardly moved the dial at all. Granted, the vacuum in question was the Dyson Cyclone V10, which has its own filtration system, which may have captured most of the harmful particles before they reached the HushJet's sensors. But it was a less emphatic result than the smoke and VOC tests.

In terms of noise, Dyson advertises the HushJet at ranging between 24dB and 42dB. During my own tests using the DecibelX app, the lowest I recorded was 29dB on Night mode, with 55dB at the top end, on high. This is still whisper-quiet at the lower end, while the higher end is roughly the volume of a light conversation. What's more, the sound is soft rather than sharp ,which makes the HushJet sound even quieter in real-world use. So much so, I could have the HushJet on in the bedroom at night, with Night mode enabled or without.

Other good news is that the Auto mode's quick reaction times mean the unit rarely stays at full power for more than a few minutes.

When it comes to air purification, the HushJet uses a two-filter system: a 360-degree Electrostatic filter that captures 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, and an Activated Carbon filter for gases and odors including cooking smells, pet odors and NO2 from gas appliances.

I suffer from hayfever and during my review period I noticed a difference in my symptoms on days when I had the HushJet running. I can't say it got rid of them entirely, but on days when the pollen count was high and the HushJet had been running in my bedroom overnight, I woke up feeling better than I'd expected.

I didn't run the HushJet constantly during my review period. My typical pattern was to run it overnight in the bedroom on Auto mode, and then move it to the living room during the day when the pollen count was high or when I was doing anything likely to kick up dust. Over the course of testing, the electrostatic filter didn't register any degradation. Even after four weeks, it's still showing 100%.

The activated carbon filter, which promises a one-year lifespan, dropped to 96% so this will need replacing much sooner. A replacement electrostatic filter costs $64.99 / £50 while the carbon filter costs $44.99 / £35. This is worth factoring in but you won't need to spend extra for a while after purchase.

Overall, the HushJet does exactly what it promises. Its Auto mode is smart, its filtration is fast and its the quietest purifier I've ever tested. It's not perfect but in terms of performance, it comes incredibly close.

• Performance score: 5 out of 5

Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier review: voice control

• Easy to set up
• Works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri

Once the purifier is connected to your home Wi-Fi, it can connect to any Amazon Echo, Google Home or Apple Siri device on the same network at the press of a button through the MyDyson app. This app doesn't give you voice command prompts to get you started – like the Dreo app does – instead you'll need to go to the dedicated assistant app to learn how to speak to the HushJet.

That said, as soon as I got the hang of it, voice control quickly became my preferred way to control the HushJet day-to-day. I have an Amazon Echo in my bedroom and being able to ask Alexa to turn the purifier on or off, adjust the fan speed or check the air quality without reaching for my phone made a difference to how often I interacted with it.

On mornings when the purifier was downstairs, I could ask Alexa to kick the purifier up a level to remove the smell of my son cooking toast even while I was in the loft. Elsewhere, you can ask Google, Alexa or Siri to turn the purifier on and off, ask for a specific speed, set the purifier to a certain mode and check levels.

Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier review: app

• Offers a range of control options
• Color-coded design is intuitive and simple to use
• Near-live air quality data

The MyDyson app is one of my favorite things about the HushJet, and is one of the better companion apps I've used for home appliances. It's clean, well-labelled and easy to navigate from the first time you open it.

The home screen shows an image of your HushJet above the main menu, which includes Controls, Data and Insights, How To, and Product Settings.

Below the image are the quick-access controls for Auto mode and fan speed, plus an on/off toggle, a Night mode that dims the LCD screen on the device and quietens the fan, and a Timer option.

Your current air quality reading displayed in Dyson's color-coded system sit below this panel, followed by the Schedule option. This scheduling function lets you set the HushJet to run at specific times. I set it to run on Auto every morning before I got up, so the bedroom air was already clean by the time I woke up.

In the Data and Insights section you can see the air quality graphs broken down by PM2.5 and PM10 readings, all presented in the same color-coded scale. The current reading updates every 30 seconds, but the graph only shows average readings in 15-minute intervals. You can swipe back to see historical data but it doesn't reveal very much and lacks the granularity I'd like.

Elsewhere, the app doubles as a support hub, with how-to videos, filter life tracking, and the option to buy replacement filters directly. It's a small touch but a useful one, and you're unlikely to forget to replace the filters when the app is actively telling you when it's due. In Product Settings, you can connect the purifier to Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri, set the time, data and location data and manage the Wi-Fi connection. There's also the option to enable/disable continuous monitoring which is what's needed for the Auto mode to work effectively.

If there's one criticism, it's that the app is essentially non-optional. Anyone who prefers physical controls may find the HushJet frustrating to live with but for those comfortable with app-based control — and I'd argue that's most people buying a £350 / $350 / AU$549 smart purifier — it's an excellent companion.

• App score: 5 out of 5

Should you buy the Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier

• I used the Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier and its partner app for four weeks
• I stress-tested it using different substances
• I experimented with different speeds, modes, and settings

I tested the Dyson HushJet Compact in my home over four weeks, during peak hayfever season. I used it primarily in my bedroom overnight on Auto mode, and moved it to the living room and kitchen during the day to test its response to different real-world air quality changes.

To test purification, I carried out a range of specific tests: lighting a match to create smoke, spraying deodorant to introduce VOCs, cooking on a gas hob to generate cooking fumes and PM10 particles, and emptying a vacuum cleaner dust canister to test dust response. For each, I monitored the HushJet's reaction time – how quickly it detected the change in air quality – and its clearance time – how long it took to return readings to normal. I tracked all air quality data via the MyDyson app.

Noise levels were measured using the DecibelX app across all fan settings. I also tested the voice controls by connecting the HushJet to an Amazon Echo while using with the MyDyson app daily.

Read more about how we test.

First reviewed May 2026

Hoover HF3 DynamicClean: one-minute review

DynamicClean is Hoover’s latest crack at the mid-range tier of cordless stick vacuum cleaners, and for the most part it's a great effort.

Weighing in at just 5.6lbs / 2.54kg, it's one of the lightest cordless sticks you can buy, which makes it pretty easy to push around and carry between floors. The 150 AW motor delivers good suction across carpet and hard floors, and Hoover's Anti-Twist brushbar technology keeps hair from wrapping itself around the roller, which means easier maintenance in the long run.

You also get HEPA filtration built in, which is a top selling point for anyone with allergies or pets, alongside LED headlights on the floorhead, three power modes, and a wall-mounted charging dock. It's a well-featured package for the money, and on carpet in particular it delivers surprisingly good cleaning results for the money.

Where the HF3 shows its mid-range roots is in the build quality and the battery. The whole thing feels a bit cheap in places, the bin is narrow enough to make getting your hand inside a challenge, and the headline 60-minute runtime only applies if you stick exclusively to Eco mode. Switch to standard or turbo and that number drops fast. It’s worth being aware this probably won't cover a whole house in one charge for most people.

Still, at its current price, the HF3 DynamicClean offers a lot of vacuum for not a lot of money, and the cleaning performance itself is hard to fault at this level.

Hoover HF3 DynamicClean: price and availability

• List price £179.99 (about $250 / AU$340) from Hoover Direct
• Currently on sale at around £129 from Hoover Direct and Argos
• Pet variant available with mini turbo brush

The HF3 DynamicClean is available now across UK retailers, though at the time of writing it's not sold in the US or Australia. Its list price sits at £179.99 (about $250 / AU$340), but you'll almost certainly find it cheaper. At the time of writing, both Hoover Direct and Argos had it listed in the sale for £149.99, which is a really good deal for what you're getting.

That's significantly cheaper than a comparable Shark cordless, which will typically set you back £200 or more for similar features, and it's a fraction of what you'd pay for a Dyson. If the anti-hair wrap tech is the thing that appeals, the Shark equivalent costs nearly double.

The Pet variant, which adds a mini turbo tool for upholstery, is also available for a bit more (£199.99) if you have furry housemates.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Hoover HF3 DynamicClean: Design

• Extremely lightweight and easy to handle
• Inoffensive colorway that blends in
• Feels a bit cheap and has nowhere to store attachments

The HF3 is a slim, upright stick vacuum that's harmless looking but doesn't exactly scream style. It's got a slightly boxy, utilitarian look, but the minimal light grey and black colourway should at least go with any house deco style. Sure, it's not the sleekest-looking machine out there, but at least it doesn't take up much room. And while it's not that premium feeling, it's perfectly fine looking and won't embarrass you if it's wall-mounted in plain sight.

At 2.54kg, this vacuum is feather-light in the hand. Pushing it around open floor space takes virtually no effort, and carrying it upstairs is a one-handed job. That weight is a plus if you've got multiple levels to cover or if you're buying for someone who finds heavier vacuums a struggle.

That said, while it's nimble enough on open stretches, I found it can feel a bit stiff when you're trying to get into trickier spots, like around chair legs or into the gap between the sofa and the wall. It doesn't have the same fluid manoeuvrability as some pricier cordless sticks I've used.

Despite not being quite as nimble as the likes of a cordless Dyson or Shark, the floorhead steers around reasonably well, and the double-edge cleaning design means it can pick up dust along both its left and right sides, so it cleans along skirting boards and wall edges regardless of which direction you're pushing it.

There are also LED headlights on the front to light up dust under furniture, and the self-standing feature lets you park it upright mid-clean without it toppling over, though I did see some online reviews mention the head can lock into position when using it at odd angles on stairs, triggering an auto-shutoff. I didn't experience this myself, but it's probably something you should be aware of.

Where the budget price of this device really shows is in the build quality. I'll be honest, it feels a bit cheap in hand. The integrated dusting brush and crevice tool have that thin, hollow plastic quality that doesn't inspire long-term confidence, and there's nowhere on the unit to store the latter either. It just has to live in a drawer somewhere until you need it, which is minor but still annoying.

As for the bin, its 0.7-litre volume is a decent enough size, but the opening is narrow, so getting your hand in to clean around the central filter cone can be a fiddle if you don't have particularly small fingers.

• Design score: 3/5

Hoover HF3 DynamicClean: features and performance

• Strong suction, though not quite Dyson-level
• Anti-Twist tech delivers on its promise
• Battery life and noise are the weak spots

The HF3's brushless motor does an all-round good job for a vacuum at this price. On carpet, it pulls up dust, crumbs and fine debris with a good level of suction. Hard floors are handled well too, with the floorhead transitioning smoothly between surfaces without needing you to manually adjust anything.

I must add that while the suction is great for the price, it isn't quite on the level of some cordless Dyson vacuums I've used. It does leave the odd bit behind here and there, particularly on higher-pile rugs, where a Dyson would have performed much better. For the price difference, that's expected, and the HF3 is still perfectly good for everyday cleaning. Just don't expect it to compete with something two or three times the price.

Hoover's Anti-Twist technology is the headline feature here, and it works well. Over my testing period, I didn't find a single strand of hair wrapped around the brushbar, which — if you've ever owned a vacuum without this — is worth the entry price alone. The brushbar itself also pops out easily for cleaning, keeping maintenance to a minimum

The HF3’s three power modes (Eco, Standard and Turbo) give you some flexibility in how you use the battery. Eco mode is gentle but best for lighter cleaning and will get you closest to that 60-minute runtime claim. Standard mode, which is what you'll likely use most of the time, is rated for around 30 minutes and delivers a decent clean.

As for Turbo mode, this cranks things up a notch, being ideal for stubborn patches. However, this mode burns through the battery fast, offering around 15 minutes of use at best, in my experience. This is the HF3's biggest limitation. That 60-minute figure Hoover promises is only really achievable in Eco mode with the handheld configuration, which isn't how most people are going to use a stick vacuum day to day. On Standard mode with the floorhead attached, you're realistically looking at 25 to 30 minutes, which probably won't cover a whole house in one go unless you live in a one or two bedroom flat.

Another niggle is the vacuum’s noise. For something this compact and lightweight, the HF3 is surprisingly loud. It's not unbearable, but it's noticeably louder than I was expecting — you certainly won't be using it while someone's on a call in the next room. Nevertheless, there are plenty of other positives to help negate this.

The HF3’s LED display on the handle, for example, works well – showing you the current battery percentage and which mode you're in at a glance. It's not a touchscreen, just a simple readout, but it's handy for knowing exactly how much juice you've got left.

The HEPA filtration is another of the vacuum’s strong point. Hoover claims it captures 99.9% of dust and allergens, and while I can't exactly verify that figure in my kitchen, it's a reassuring spec for anyone with allergies or asthma. The filter is washable too, which should save you money on replacements over time.

• Features and performance score: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Hoover HF3 DynamicClean?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Hoover HF3 DynamicClean: also consider

How I tested the Hoover HF3 DynamicClean

I used the Hoover HF3 DynamicClean as my main vacuum cleaner for several weeks across carpet, rugs and hard floors. I tested all three power modes, used the handheld conversion for stairs and upholstery, and assessed the build quality, bin emptying, wall dock, battery life and day-to-day usability throughout.

First reviewed: April 2026

Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night: two-minute review

The Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night is the company’s most advanced rotary shaver, and in this Ryan Gosling-friendly Project Hail Mary edition, it arrives wrapped in a layer of space-age storytelling about aerospace-grade engineering, longevity and precision.

Underneath the launch theatrics, though, this is a serious flagship shaver. Philips’ Triple Action Lift & Cut system trims hair down to a Sphynx cat-like 0.08mm, while NanoTech Dual Precision blades and 360-degree flexing heads are designed to stay close to the skin across awkward contours like the jaw, chin and neck.

An LED pressure-feedback ring around the shaving head changes colour as you shave, showing whether you’re applying too much or too little pressure. It sounds like a gimmick until you realise it’s training you out of bad habits.

That matters because most electric shaver irritation comes not from the blades, but from you mashing the thing into your face like you’re trying to sand a table. The light ring gives immediate feedback, while the GroomTribe app adds more detailed pressure and motion guidance if you want to get forensic about your morning shave.

Performance is excellent for a rotary model. It’s close, smooth and particularly good across contours, with enough flexibility to handle difficult areas without repeated punishment passes. Foil shavers may still edge it for absolute closeness, but few feel this forgiving.

Battery life offers 60 minutes of runtime, good enough for a fortnight of taming facial follicles, with a one-hour full charge and a five-minute quick charge for emergencies.

The wider bundle also includes a UV Power Charger, Quick Clean Pod, precision trimmer and three-in-one DeepClean Massager, so this feels more like a grooming system than a single shaver.

The Project Hail Mary collaboration is mostly cosmetic. You get themed packaging and a theatrical unboxing, but the shaving experience itself is unchanged from the standard i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night model.

Still, if you’re buying fresh and want one of the most capable rotary shavers available, this is an impressively polished option.

Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night: price and availability

• List price: from $499.99 (without movie tie-in)
• Launched March 2026
• Available in the US and UK

The Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night sits firmly at the premium end of the electric shaver market.

Availability varies by region and retailer, but it’s widely sold online through major electronics and grooming outlets, with discounts often available. This Project Hail Mary variant (XP9406/93) appears as a limited-edition bundle, though the core device is shared with other i9000 Prestige Ultra models, and the Night & Day edition without the sci-fi tie-in retails at $499.99 (about £370 / AU$690)

Philips attempts to justify the cost with a considerable accessories bundle, including a three-in-one deep clean attachment for cleaning, massaging, and priming the skin for moisturising.

That said, ongoing costs are worth factoring in. Replacement shaving heads and cleaning cartridges aren’t cheap, and the included cleaning system nudges you toward regular refills.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night: specs

Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night: design

• Premium, reassuring build
• LED pressure ring gives real-time feedback
• UV Power Charger makes the bundle feel flagship

Philips knows how to make a top-end shaver feel expensive, and the i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night doesn’t disappoint. The handle feels solid, balanced and nicely weighted, with an ergonomic grip that makes it easy to control even when shaving wet.

The triple rotary head design, made from aerospace industry steel, is familiar Philips territory, but the smaller, flexible heads help the shaver maintain contact around the jawline, neck and under the nose. It looks technical without tipping into medical device territory.

The standout design feature is the LED ring around the shaving head. It changes colour as you shave to indicate pressure, and it’s much more useful than a light-up grooming gadget has any right to be.

Press too hard and it tells you. Ease off too much, and it tells you. Hit the sweet spot, and it effectively rewards you for shaving like an adult. Even Barbie movie Ryan Gosling could get to grips with it.

There’s also a colour LCD on the handle, showing battery status, travel lock and app connection. It’s clear and useful, though the pressure ring is the display you’ll actually pay attention to while shaving.

The accessories are substantial. The UV Power Charger sanitizes the shaver head while charging, while the Quick Clean Pod handles cleaning and lubrication. The 3-in-1 DeepClean Massager feels more lifestyle than essential, but it does broaden the package into skincare territory.

As for the movie tie-in, it’s mostly in the packaging and presentation. The sci-fi styling and engineered unboxing experience are fun, but once the shaver is on your bathroom shelf, the movie connection fades into the background.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night: performance

• Comfortable rotary shave
• LED pressure guidance improves technique
• Strong across awkward contours

The i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night is excellent to use, with multiple shaving modes prioritising speed, comfort or a more thorough pass — and the LED pressure ring is central to that.

A lot of premium shavers promise smarter shaving, but this is one of the few where the smart feature is visible and useful immediately. The colour-changing ring helps you maintain the right pressure in real time, which is particularly helpful around the neck, where it’s easy to overcompensate and cause irritation.

It also makes the learning curve shorter. Rotary shaving requires a different technique from foil shaving or wet shaving, and the i9000 gently nags you into better habits.

The LED ring uses a simple color system: green means you’re spot on, orange means ease off, and blue/purple means stop being so timid. It sounds basic, but it quickly trains you into better habits. After a few shaves, you stop thinking about it, which is usually a sign that a feature is doing its job.

Closeness is impressive, and while I can’t verify the 0.08mm figure with lab equipment, the results are consistently close and clean. It’s especially good at following face contours, where cheaper shavers often leave patches that require repeated passes, and subsequently irritation.

The NanoTech Dual Precision blades cope well with mixed growth direction, and Philips says the system is designed for one, three or seven-day beards. In practice, it’s at its best on daily or every-other-day growth, but it still handles longer stubble better than most rotary rivals.

Comfort is the bigger story. The Hydro SkinGlide coating helps the heads move smoothly over the skin, while the pressure ring discourages the sort of heavy-handed shaving that usually causes redness. Used properly, it feels controlled rather than aggressive.

The GroomTribe app won’t be for everyone. Not everyone wants to Bluetooth-pair a shaver before breakfast. But its pressure and motion insights do make sense here, because they support the same behaviour the LED ring is encouraging on the device itself.

Wet shaving with foam or gel works well, and the shaver is fully washable, so cleaning under the tap is simple. The Quick Clean Pod is more convenient, though, especially if this is going to be your main shaver.

Foil rivals such as the Panasonic Arc6 and Braun Series 9 Pro may still win for absolute closeness on short, straight stubble. But the Philips counters with comfort, flexibility and a more forgiving feel around awkward facial geography.

Unlike foil shavers, where multiple brands compete at the top end, the rotary market is effectively dominated by Philips — meaning the i9000 Prestige Ultra’s biggest competition comes from earlier Philips models rather than direct rivals.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night: also consider

How I tested the Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night

• Tested over two weeks
• Used for wet and dry shaving
• Tested with daily stubble and longer growth

I used the Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night as my main shaver over two weeks, testing it on stubble, longer growth and more awkward areas around the jawline and neck.

I tested the LED pressure-feedback ring during normal shaving to see whether it made a meaningful difference to technique, and used the GroomTribe app to compare its guidance with the feedback on the shaver itself.

I also tested the UV Power Charger, Quick Clean Pod, precision trimmer and 3-in-1 DeepClean Massager to assess whether the wider bundle adds genuine value or simply makes the box look more expensive.

Find out more about how we test, rate, and review products at TechRadar.

IKEA Varmblixt LED lamp: two-minute review

IKEA's color-shifting Varmblixt smart lamp, with its donut-shaped frosted glass diffuser, makes a striking focal point. It's easy to operate using the switch included in the box, and it casts a soft glow whether you use it on a table or mounted on a wall.

The Varmblixt was designed by Dutch artist Sabine Marcelis and comes with a preset palette of pastel hues designed to complement its curves. Pressing the button on its remote once will turn it on, and double-pressing will switch to the next shade in the sequence.

This works well straight out of the box (and handing it to visitors so they can change the mood lighting during dinner is fun), but the Varmblixt really comes into its own when used with the IKEA Home Smart mobile app. This lets you choose from a much larger range of colors, adjust the lamp's brightness, and link it to other IKEA smart devices such as motion sensors and scroll wheel switches.

You can even incorporate it into a mix-and-match smart home setup using the Matter protocol. To do this, you'll need IKEA's Dirigera smart hub, so be prepared for that extra expense if you want to use the Varmblixt's smart capabilities.

Connecting the Varmblixt to the Home Smart app wasn't quite as straightforward as it should have been and involved some trial and error. You should be able to link any IKEA smart home device by scanning the QR code on the item or its packaging, but the app failed to connect to the Varmblixt (or the Bilresa switches I later used to control it).

I eventually found that I could get around the problem by waiting for the connection failure notification to appear in the app, then selecting the option to connect without Bluetooth. The lamp and switches were then linked to the app without a hitch.

Once your devices are linked, IKEA's app is extremely simple to use and is a good introduction to smart home tech. Unlike the Philips Hue app, which gives you granular control over every switch and light in your home, linking a device to IKEA Home Smart works immediately, with a limited but useful set of options.

Once you've linked the Varmblixt lamp, you'll find that you can pick from a much broader palette of colors, although the hues selected by Sabine Marcelis are highlighted so you can find them easily. Alternatively, you can use a color wheel to choose the shade you want.

The lamp doesn't offer as many colors as a Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance bulb, but its smooth shape and frosted diffuser mean it's effective at setting a mood with indirect lighting.

You can even set the Varmblixt to change colors on a schedule. The default 'adaptive' option changes the light temperature during the day, so it becomes cooler during working hours and warmer in the evening when you want to unwind, but it's also possible to create your own timed color changes.

When you connect a controller to the Varmblixt, there's no need to spend time configuring what each button should do; again, it works right away. When I linked it to a Bilresa dimmer switch, I found that the wheel was pre-programmed to control the light's brightness.

Overall, the IKEA Varmblixt lamp is a pleasure to use, and a real conversation-starter when you have guests. App setup can be a bit fiddly and requires IKEA's smart home hub, but it works very well with the remote alone.

• Performance score: 4/5

IKEA Varmblixt LED lamp: price and availability

IKEA first showed the Varmblixt smart lamp at the CES tech show in January 2026, and the donut-shaped light went on sale in the US and Europe in March of the same year. It's not available in Australia at the time of writing, but it might be released more widely later in 2026.

It's priced at $99 / £55 (about AU$140), which is about standard for a color-changing smart lamp without additional features like music or media synchronizing. For example, the Govee Table Lamp 2 is $69.99 / £69.99 (about AU$100).

However, if you want to use the smart functions and choose from a wider array of colors, you'll also need IKEA's Dirigera smart hub, which costs an additional $109 / £70 / AU$129, so you'll need to be sure that you want to invest in IKEA's wider smart home system first.

• Value score: 4/5

IKEA Varmblixt LED lamp: design

This is a new take on the original donut-shaped Varmblixt lamp, which was released in 2022. This lamp (also designed by Sabine Marcellis) had a glossy orange surface that cast warm light into the room. The 2026 Varmblixt replaces this with a white frosted glass diffuser and cycles through a palette of pastel colors selected by the designer.

The Varmblixt lamp has a flat base so you can use it on a table, and a hole in the backplate so you can mount it on a wall (though be aware that it's a wired lamp, so you'll need to place it near an electrical outlet).

The lamp is wired and is supplied with one of IKEA's standard Bilresa remote controls, which takes two AAA batteries (not included).

• Design score: 5/5

Should you buy the IKEA Varmblixt LED lamp?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

IKEA Varmblixt LED lamp: also consider

How I tested the IKEA Varmblixt LED lamp

I tested the Varmblixt lamp with the remote control included in the box, switching between all the preset colors, and then connected it to the IKEA Home Smart app using a Dirigera hub. I used all the color and scheduling options in the app, comparing it with a Philips Hue Wall Washer lamp. I also tried controlling the lamp using an IKEA Bilresa dimmer switch with a scroll wheel.

First tested April 2026

Hoover HL2 TurboStyle: one-minute review

The Hoover HL2 TurboStyle is a budget corded upright that's clearly been designed for people who don't want to think too hard about their vacuum cleaner. It’s one of the best upright vacuum cleaners for those that just want something that picks stuff up, doesn't cost much, and won't break their back carrying it upstairs. At under 5kg it's one of the lighter corded uprights you can buy, and the 850W motor delivers consistent suction that doesn't fade the way a cordless stick does when the battery starts dropping off.

Hoover's Anti-Twist brushbar technology works well in practice, keeping hair from wrapping around the roller in a way that genuinely saves you the grim job of cutting it free every few weeks, and the dual-speed setting means you can dial the brushbar back for hard floors without it scattering debris everywhere. The LED headlights are also a nice touch for spotting dust under furniture, and the push-and-lift handheld mode makes it easy enough to get at stairs and upholstery without detaching half the machine.

Where the budget shows is in the build quality and the finer details. The plastic has that slightly hollow feel that makes you handle it a bit more carefully than you probably should have to. There's no app, no sensors, no clever features – which is fine if you don't want any of that, but it does mean you're paying purely for cleaning performance and not much else.

For the price, the HL2 TurboStyle does the fundamentals well and the suction holds up across carpets and hard floors without any complaints. It's not that exciting to look at but it does what it promises as a sensible, no-frills upright. If that's all you're after, look no further.

Hoover HL2 TurboStyle: price and release date

• Available now in the UK priced at £169.99 RRP, currently on sale at £129
• Also available from retailers such as Currys
• Colours: Pastel Pink, Teal

The HL2 TurboStyle is only available in the UK, where it sits at a very accessible price point. The standard Home model is available in pastel pink or teal colourways and has an RRP of £169.99 (about $230 / AU$320). However, at the time of writing, it’s currently priced at £129 (about $180 / AU$240) either direct from Hoover or Currys. The Pet variant (which adds a mini turbo brush for upholstery) can be picked up for £179.99 (about $240 / AU$340).

For context, that's significantly cheaper than a cordless Dyson, which will set you back at least £300 / $400 / AU$600 for something entry-level, and around the same price as a lot of budget cordless sticks that'll give you 20 minutes of runtime before needing a charge. If you're happy being tethered to a plug, the HL2's price is hard to argue with.

• Value score: 4/5

Hoover HL2 TurboStyle: design

• Lightweight and nimble for a corded upright
• Bin release button is far too sensitive
• Color choices could do with a rethink

The HL2 is a compact, slim upright that doesn't look like much out of the box, and that's OK. It's not trying to be anything it’s not – it's a mid-range vacuum cleaner that gets the job done with very little faff. At under 5kg, it's noticeably light for a corded machine, and the swivelling floorhead makes it easy to steer around furniture without needing to do that awkward three-point-turn you get with bulkier uprights.

The eight-meter working radius is generous, too. I was able to do most of a room without having to unplug and move to a different socket, which takes the annoying part out of a corded setup. The cable itself is long enough that I stopped thinking about it after a while (apart from needing to move it out of the way to change direction).

Build quality is where you start to see why this machine has the price point it does. The main body is fine, sturdy and sensibly laid out, but the attachments feel a bit cheap. The crevice tool and dusting brush have that thin, hollow plastic feel and while nothing broke during testing, I’m not sure if it would survive being bashed around over time.

The bin is a good size at 2.5 liters, and the one-click emptying is supposed to make disposal straightforward but in reality I found the release button to be a little too trigger happy. On one occasion, when I was carrying the bin across to the kitchen, the button rested gently on my hand and the hatch popped open spilling the entire contents across the floor. It's a design quirk that will likely catch you out at least once.

As for the colours, I tested the teal version, which is inoffensive enough. The pastel pink is clearly aimed at a specific buyer, and fair play. But I do think a simple black, dark grey or more neutral option would go better with any home, and it feels like Hoover missed a trick not offering one.

• Design score: 3.5/5

Hoover HL2 TurboStyle: features and performance

• Impressive pickup, especially on carpet
• Anti-Twist tech works well with hair
• Push-and-lift handheld mode is useful but basic

After trying it across multiple floor types, I found the HL2's 850W motor does a genuinely good job. When running it over a high-pile wool rug that I'd already gone over with my Dyson cordless, the Hoover pulled up a surprising amount of extra lint, dust and general debris that the Dyson had clearly missed. There's something to be said for the raw, consistent power of a corded motor, and the HL2 reminded me why uprights still exist.

There are two brush bar speeds, controlled by a rocker switch on the floorhead: one for hard floors and one for carpet. The carpet mode is pretty aggressive, digging into the pile with enough energy that you can see it lifting as the vac passes over it. Meanwhile, hard floor mode dials things back so you're not flinging dust around. It's a simple setup that works well, but it’s worth flagging how a lot of modern, premium models have sensors which can detect a change in floor type and switch between these modes automatically. This is definitely missed here.

Hoover's Anti-Twist technology does a good job, too, as I didn't end up with any hair wrapped around the brush bar during my testing period. The LED headlights on the floorhead are a nice touch as well, lighting up darker areas under the sofa and bed where dust loves to hide.

The push-and-lift conversion to a handheld is perfectly functional, too. You press the button, lift the main unit off the base, and you've got a handheld vac for stairs and above-floor work. It's fine for quick jobs, but the unit is a bit unwieldy for extended handheld use, and the stretch hose, while reaching two metres, doesn't give you quite as much flexibility as a proper dedicated handheld.

For day-to-day use, the HL2 is pleasingly smooth to push around. There's very little effort needed to glide it up and down, and the swivel head handles corners and furniture legs without too much fuss. Suction is consistent throughout, which is the benefit of being plugged in, and I didn't run into any blockages, overheating or performance dips during testing.

If there's a complaint about performance, it's that the HL2 doesn't really do anything beyond the basics. There's no auto-adjust for floor types, no dirt sensors, no display showing you anything useful. That's expected at this price, but it does mean you're relying entirely on your own eyes and judgement, which, after using smarter vacuums, can feel a little old-school.

• Features and performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Hoover HL2 TurboStyle?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Hoover HL2 TurboStyle: also consider

How I tested the Hoover HL2 TurboStyle

I used the Hoover HL2 TurboStyle as my main vacuum cleaner for several weeks across carpet, rugs and hard floors in a multi-level home. I tested it alongside my regular Dyson cordless to compare pickup, used the handheld mode on stairs and upholstery, and assessed the build quality, bin emptying, storage and day-to-day usability throughout.

First reviewed: April 2026

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver: two-minute review

The Laifen P3 Pro is positioned as a compact electric shaver perfect for travel, and it's immediately reminiscent of the Panasonic Swipe Right we reviewed last year: a small, blocky design with a three-slot shaver head, waterproofing, and USB-C charging.

It's almost suspiciously similar to the Swipe Right, in fact, though it feels a bit more premium. The body is constructed of precision-machined aluminum and comes in either the default alloy or 'space gray' colorways, with a small window on the front that shows the motor at work. Both the transparent top cover and the shaver head attach magnetically with a satisfying snap, and the charging port is concealed seamlessly in the base with a small lid. It's almost as if Apple designed an electric shaver.

Unlike Panasonic's effort, though, the P3 Pro eschews any fancy touch technology for the ol' reliable: a simple button. Hold to turn it on and off, and click to activate the shaver once it's turned on. Easy as pie, and instantly fixes one of our biggest issues with the Swipe Right — nobody needs finicky touch controls for something as simple as a travel razor.

However, like many compact shavers, the P3 Pro is ill-suited for anyone with a large beard. The lack of a trimmer head or any other special attachments (which feels like a significant omission, considering how easy it is to remove the standard shaver head) means that while trimming a beard is technically possible, it's a slow and ineffective process. For stubble, though, it absolutely blasts through and provides an impressively smooth finish for a dry shave.

The only other downside here is the price. I'll dig into it further down in this review, but needless to say, Laifen has unfortunately followed Apple in pricing as well as design ethos. This is a damn expensive product, though I have to concede that the premium design and performance do justify the asking price.

In short, I fully expect to see our esteemed editors put the Laifen P3 Pro in the 'best travel' slot of TechRadar's best beard trimmer and electric shaver roundup, and will be having some stern words with the Home Tech team if it doesn't make an appearance somewhere in that list.

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver: price & availability

• List price: $179.99 / AU$249.95 (about £173)
• Launched: September 2025
• Availability: US, Canada, Australia, and Europe (UK import only)

The Laifen P3 Pro originally launched in late 2025, and is available directly from Laifen in the continental US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. UK shoppers do get free EU shipping, but you'll have to buy in Euros as Laifen only maintains a generic European site, not a UK-specific one.

Pricing varies somewhat between regions. In the US, it's a steep $179.99, and the EU price of €199.99 converts to an even more expensive £173.34 at the time of writing, while the Australian price of $249.95 is a little more affordable after conversion and US sales tax.

It's undeniably quite a lot of money for an electric travel shaver — even a very high-quality one like this. Nonetheless, I don't want to knock it down too much for this; it really does feel like a high-end product that's built to last, and if you've got the dough, it's a worthy purchase.

• Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver specs

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver review: design

• Very compact and sturdy design
• Waterproof and easy to clean
• Parts attach magnetically

Aside from the (mildly pointless) visual flair of the motor window, the P3 Pro has a pretty straightforward design. It's very compact, small enough to easily fit in the palm of your hand, meaning it can be carried in a bag or even a pocket. The cap that protects the blades attaches magnetically and doesn't seem to be at any risk of falling off in transit.

The shape is perhaps not quite as ergonomic as some of the best electric shavers (which are commonly shaped to fit into your grip), but this is ultimately just a byproduct of how small the P3 Pro is. When using it, I found it fitted comfortably in my hand; granted, my hands are quite large, but I think you'd need extremely tiny palms to struggle here.

The aluminum casing makes it a little weightier than some competitors, but I didn't find that to be a problem, and the brushed metal finish offers sufficient grip even with damp hands. The entire unit feels very durable and well-constructed.

Underneath the glass motor window is a pair of LED icons that indicate whether the razor is turned on or set to 'flight mode' (meaning that it won't activate unless you hold down the button). The single control button is responsive and has a nice, satisfying click to it.

With an IPX7 waterproof rating, the P3 Pro is technically safe to be completely submerged in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. I can't see any rational scenario where that would be necessary, but the point is that you can safely use it in wet environments; no need to worry about moisture damaging it.

Once the USB-C port is sealed with the attached tab, you can simply remove the triple-blade head and wash both parts under running water (though it should be noted that you'll need razor oil to re-lubricate the blades if you wash them with soap or other cleaning products, and this isn't included). I found washing it to be remarkably easy after use, and simply rinsing it thoroughly without soap was perfectly sufficient after a regular shave.

It's genuinely really difficult to find a single design flaw here, really. As I mentioned earlier, the magnetic blade head lends itself to swappable units, and a proper beard trimmer attachment would've been a very welcome addition here, but overall, the P3 Pro is exceedingly well-designed for its intended purpose.

I would maybe note that it could benefit from having slightly more in the box. I won't mark Laifen down for the lack of attachments (after all, this is supposed to be a super-compact travel shaver), but it would've been nice to see a small brush or some blade oil included here. The charging cable is also only USB-C to USB-C, meaning you'll need an adapter if you want to charge it from a regular wall outlet. In truth, though, this is mostly nitpicking on my part; I honestly really love the design of the P3 Pro, and it really feels like a premium device in the hand.

• Design score: 5 out of 5

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver: performance

• Gentle even on thicker stubble, but won't work on full beards
• Wide-angled head provides a nice close shave
• Where does the hair go??

OK, I'll be completely honest here: I have a full beard, and the Laifen P3 Pro is simply not designed to deal with that. I did find that it was ideal for eradicating stubble on my neck and cheeks, and it was at least somewhat capable of tidying up the edges of my beard, but the latter was a slow process and lacked the precision of a proper beard trimmer. Nonetheless, I was pretty cautious; I get the feeling this thing could've happily cleared off my whole beard if I actually went straight for the skin.

With that knowledge in hand, I enlisted the help of my father, who maintains a clean-shaven look but has been known to let it get a bit scratchy. His report was glowing; week-old stubble came off swiftly and with virtually no irritation, resulting in a shave as close as you'd expect to get from a larger electric shaver.

It's not particularly noisy (it was far quieter than the cheap old Philips B1216 trimmer I usually use for beard care), and the dual 12,000RPM motors do a great job of cleaving through thicker stubble. The head has a wide-angle foil design - similar to the Panasonic Swipe Right I mentioned earlier in this review - that helps cover more skin and provides a closer shave.

Although Laifen officially designates the P3 Pro for face and neck use, that flatter head design means you could feasibly also use it for other parts of the body, too - provided the hair you're dealing with isn't too thick. I didn't deign to shave my armpits or legs during my testing period (I don't need to be more aerodynamic, sorry), but I reckon a lot of users would be able to use it for this if so inclined.

The battery life is reported at an impressive 100 minutes, and I tested this by turning it on from a full charge and leaving it running with a stopwatch. Yes, this was a fairly annoying process — it's quieter than some electric razors, but it's certainly not silent — but I'm pleased to report that it ran dry at just shy of 93 minutes, which I'd say is close enough considering that a daily once-over takes barely a minute or two. It's certainly longer than some bulkier competitors can muster, which is stellar performance for such a small device.

It holds its charge remarkably well when not in use, too. I actually received this shaver more than two months ago and didn't have a chance to review it immediately, yet it was still at near-full charge when I finally unboxed it. The USB-C cable offers fast-charging, which can get you about eight minutes of shaving from just three minutes plugged in. If it's completely drained, you'll get a full charge in around 45 minutes.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Laifen P3 Pro: also consider

How I tested the Laifen P3 Pro

• Used it periodically over the course of a month
• Used by both myself (bearded) and my dad (clean-shaven)
• Tested in both wet and dry environments

I used the Laifen P3 Pro regularly throughout January, about twice a week on average, mostly to tidy up the stubble on my neck beneath my main beard. Once I realized that it would be poorly suited for beard trimming, though, I enlisted the aid of my visiting father, who used it daily for three days and agreed that it delivered a great shave.

During testing, I ran the battery down to empty to test its longevity, cleaned it multiple times, and used it both dry and in the shower. While I mostly used it with only water or no moisture whatsoever, both my father and I also tested it out with off-the-shelf shaving foam, and found that it performed well regardless.

• Read more about how we test
• First reviewed April 2026

Shark SilkiPro Straight review: two-minute review

The Shark SilkiPro Straight is a wet-to-dry hair straightener that combines a dryer fan, ceramic plates and three interchangeable combs in a single product. It launched in February 2026 and costs £249.99 in the UK and $249.99 in the US.

At this price, it's the most affordable entry in the growing wet-to-dry styler category. It's significantly cheaper than the GHD Duet Style at £379 / $429 and the Dyson Airstrait at £449.99 / $499.99, plus it's the only one of the three to include a range of attachments and accessories as standard.

It isn't the most intuitive styler. The grip takes some getting used to, and the location of the combs requires some deliberate – at times awkward – positioning. Working in small sections is non-negotiable if you want a consistent finish or you don't want to trap your hair and pull it out with each pass.

If you can get past this, though, the results are great. The SilkiPro consistently made my fine, mid-length, naturally curly hair look shiny and frizz-free when used in Wet mode. This mode is designed to dry and straighten your hair straight from the shower.

It's not the fastest entrant in our best hair dryer list, taking as long as 8.5 minutes for a standard styling session. As a result, it's unlikely to save you a lot of time compared to drying and straightening separately, but it is more convenient. Dry mode works well enough as a finishing step, but it's technically a glorified ceramic straightener, and a large, awkward, and clunky one at that.

The three interchangeable combs are where the SilkiPro really earns its crust, especially if you have curly or coily hair. The wide-tooth comb rough-dries and detangles from the roots on very wet hair; the gentle comb gives a softer, more natural straight; the precision comb delivers a sleek, flat finish. No competitor offers anything like this, and it feels like a feature designed with natural hair in mind, rather than an afterthought.

Elsewhere, the Shark SilkiPro's motion-sensing auto-pause, which cuts airflow after three seconds when you stop moving, is useful in theory but annoying in practice. It interrupts the rhythm, and the constant shift in noise levels as the airflow speeds up, slows down, and stops gets old quickly. At 70dB on high, it's obviously louder than a non-airflow straightener but quieter than a full-power hairdryer.

For fine or straight hair, there are simpler, cheaper tools that will do the same job as the Shark SilkiPro. However, for curly or coily hair where wet-to-dry styling genuinely changes the routine, it's a well-priced, well-equipped choice.

Shark SilkiPro: price & availability

• Price: £249.99 (UK) / $249.99 (US)
• Launch date: February 2026
• Availability: UK / US

At £249.99 in the UK and $249.99 in the US, the SilkiPro Straight is the most affordable entry in the growing wet-to-dry straightener market, by quite some margin.

It's sold directly from Shark as well as third-party retailers, including Amazon and Boots. It's currently available in two colors, called Plum Satin and Rose Petal in the UK, and Rose and Plum in the US. A Turquoise Wave model is also in the works.

Both the UK and US versions ship with the styler plus three attachments: a wide-tooth comb, gentle comb, and precision comb. The UK model also has a heat-resistant storage pouch in the box, but the US version doesn't.

At this price, the SilkiPro Straight is almost half the price of the Dyson Airstrait at £449.99 / $499.99, and more than £100 cheaper than the £379 / $429 GHD Duet Style, which are the most like-for-like 2-in-1 stylers to the Shark SilkiPro. All three take hair from wet to dry, but they go about it slightly differently.

The GHD Duet Style uses heated plates with airflow to deliver the glossiest finish of the three. The Dyson Airstrait has no plates and instead sends high-pressure air through narrow gaps to straighten the hair for a softer, more natural result.

The Shark uses the same plates-plus-airflow approach as GHD but undercuts both it and the Dyson on price. And it's the only one to include interchangeable combs.

The SilkiPro Straight does enough to justify its price, particularly for anyone with curly or coily hair who'd genuinely use the wet-to-dry features every day. If you already have fine or straight hair, you may not see the full value of all of its features – and a cheaper dryer and/or straightener will suffice – but you will appreciate the all-in-one design for a lower price than its rivals.

• Value score: 4.5 / 5

Shark SilkiPro: specs

Shark SilkiPro review: design

• Larger and heavier than a regular flat iron
• Three interchangeable combs for different hair types
• Split controls for airflow and temperature

There's very little that's subtle about the Shark SilkiPro Straight, from the color to its shape and features.

The top of the body looks like a conventional flat iron with ceramic plates controlled by a hinge, but the chassis is noticeably wider to accommodate both the comb track that runs along the side and the air vents that direct airflow down through the plates.

The main part of the handle sits just below the hinge and just above a vented grille, and the control buttons are stacked along the side of the lower body into two rows.

Along the top row is where you select the SilkiPro's three airflow settings, cycling through them in order. Below this is the button to cycle through the three heat settings, and the wet/dry mode toggle sits at the bottom alongside the gold power button. On the opposite side of the arm is a lock switch that keeps the plate closed when being stored.

The specific temperatures of the plate's heat settings depend on whether you're in Wet or Dry mode.

• Wet mode: 212-248F / 100-120C
• Dry mode: 320-428F / 160-220C

In Wet mode, which is designed for use on hair that's at least 70% dry after rough-drying from the roots, the plates run between 212F / 100C and 248F / 120C.

Dry mode, which is used for finishing and touch-ups on already-dry hair, runs the plates much hotter – between 320F / 160C and 428F / 220C – and works like a conventional ceramic straightener.

I reviewed the Plum Satin model, which has a two-tone purple/lilac matte body with gold cool-touch strip, gold-toned ceramic plates, and a matching cord. It's a fun, if slightly cheap-looking, mix that stands out in a sea of traditionally white-and-black stylers, but won't suit everyone.

On first glance, I assumed the two-tone design was purely aesthetic, but it acts as a reference point when styling your hair to show which direction the air is flowing.

The three combs – wide-tooth, gentle, and precision – clip into a track that runs along the back of the tool, locking in with an audible click. When attached, they sit flush to the styler, which not only keeps them close to the plates but doesn't add more to the chunkiness of the overall design. As they only sit on one side of the styler, you need to be very deliberate about how you hold and use the SilkiPro. This can take a lot of getting used to.

Swapping between the combs is easy, although Shark stressed you shouldn't change combs immediately after using Dry mode, as the hot plates may burn your hands.

In terms of weight, at 1.72lbs / 780g, the SilkiPro is heavier than a standard flat iron, and you can feel it, particularly during longer styling sessions.

The swivel cord helps reduce wrist strain, and the cool-touch gold strip gives you a reliable place to grip, but with such a small handle and a top-heavy design, it's not the most comfortable styler to maneuver.

• Design score: 3.5 out of 5

Shark SilkiPro review: performance

• Delivers smooth, frizz-free results quickly
• Auto-pause airflow can be annoying
• Dry mode doesn't offer more than a conventional flat iron

Although it looks simple enough, the SilkiPro Straight isn't the most intuitive styler to use.

Its larger size and the specific location of the combs and airflow mean the grip and positioning don't come naturally. You also have to work in small sections to make sure you not only get a consistent finish, but also don't trap hair outside of the plates. Once you've mastered all that, it's a great styler, if a little slow and awkward at times.

In Wet mode, the mix of airflow and plates does a good job of drying and straightening at the same time, with impressive results on my naturally curly hair. Even without a comb attached. It gave me shiny, sleek and frizz-free hair every time, but having to meticulously move around your head in small sections means it's not a quick job.

During my tests, it took as much as 8.5 minutes to dry my entire head of fine, mid-length hair on the fastest airflow and heat setting. For comparison, most dryers I've tested average around five minutes.

The wide-tooth comb is the best place to start on very wet hair, rough-drying the roots while stretching and detangling before you begin straightening. Switching to the gentle or precision comb for the straightening pass creates a clean finish.

In addition to angling the airflow so it blasts up at the roots, and thus adds volume, you can also use the SilkiPro like a standard dryer. Without any hair inside, close the plates to activate the air, and angle the flow at your roots or anywhere you want to quickly blast away water.

Dry mode works well as a finishing step for smoothing flyaways, but at that point, it's effectively just a regular straightener – albeit a larger, less comfortable one.

A built-in HeatSense sensor reads the plate temperature 1,000 times per second and automatically adjusts the heat based on how much moisture remains in the hair, applying less heat when it's wetter and more as it dries.

Shark goes quite hard on the benefit of its motion-sensing auto-pause feature, which cuts airflow after three seconds when you stop moving it. In theory, this sounds great. In practice, it's annoying. Pausing to clip away a finished section is enough to trigger the auto-pause, and the interrupted rhythm gets old quickly. Not to mention the constant change in noise levels between the motor sound when the plates are open, the airflow noise when the plates are closed, and the constant on and off of the auto-pause.

Speaking of which, noise is reasonable for a tool with a built-in fan. It's obviously louder than a straightener that doesn't have an airflow option – averaging at 70dB – but it's quieter than most hairdryers, even at full power.

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

How I tested the Shark SilkiPro review

I tested the Shark SilkiPro Straight over four weeks, using it as my go-to styling tool on both wash days and when I wanted to style second-day hair.

I tried all three combs across a range of scenarios, starting with the wide-tooth comb on freshly washed hair to rough-dry and detangle from the roots; moving to the gentle comb for straightening, and finishing with the precision comb on dry mode to lock in the style.

I tested the 2-in-1 styler on damp hair at varying levels of dryness to get a sense of how the heat-sensing plates worked, and paid particular attention to how the results compared to my usual two-step routine of hairdryer followed by straighteners. I also tested it on dry hair in ry mode alone, using it as I would a standalone flat iron.

Throughout, I noted how easy it was to use, noise levels using the DecibelX app, and the finish and hold.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed April 2026

Melitta AromaFresh Therm Pro: one-minute review

The Melitta AromaFresh Therm Pro has one big advantage over most drip coffee makers: a built-in grinder. This means one less appliance on your kitchen counter, but also that you’ll wake to fresher, better-tasting coffee on using the machine’s timer to begin brewing automatically first thing in the morning. At least, that’s the theory.

In practice, however, I found the coffee maker’s ceramic grinder ground coffee unevenly. Drip coffee is much more forgiving than espresso when it comes to the consistency of the grind, but the irregularity surprised me.

It’s unfortunate, because the AromaFresh Therm Pro is otherwise a very good drip coffee maker. Its thermal carafe keeps even a small quantity of coffee hot for hours. In addition, it has an excellent drip-stop function that prevents leaks after you remove the carafe, and it’s remarkably quiet during both grinding and brewing.

I like the idea of the AromaFresh Therm Pro, and if it had a better grinder it would be easy to recommend. As it is, however, I think you’d be better off using a standalone grinder and a simpler, cheaper machine in which to brew it. Take a look at our roundup of the best drip coffee makers for some great options.

Melitta AromaFresh Therm Pro: price and availability

• List price: £289.95 (about $390 / AU$550)
• Available in Europe, but not the US or Australia

The Melitta AromaFresh Therm Pro is available direct from Melitta and from a handful of third-party retailers, with a list price of £289.95 (about $390 / AU$550). There are several similar-looking coffee makers in the AromaFresh series, but this is the one with the model number 1030-11, so make sure to check before buying.

At the time of writing (April 2026), the AromaFresh Therm Pro is available in Europe, but not the US or Australia.

That price is about standard for a home drip coffee maker. For comparison, the Sage/Breville Luxe Brewer Thermal (which is a similar drip coffee maker that has a cold brew mode, but no grinder) costs $349.95 / £249.95 / AU$579.

• Value score: 4/5

Melitta AromaFresh Therm Pro: design

• Built-in grinder
• Smart-looking design for a modern kitchen
• Too tall to fit underneath wall cabinets

The Melitta AromaFresh Therm Pro is a smart-looking drip coffee maker, with a matte black finish and a brushed stainless steel pitcher. It has a small footprint (10.6 x 10 inches / 26.8 x 25.2cm), which makes it handy for kitchens where countertop space is at a premium; however, the grinder on top of the brew basket means the whole machine stands a towering 18.23 inches / 46.3cm tall.

That’s much too high to fit under my standard-height kitchen cabinets, and even if I could just about slide it underneath, I wouldn’t be able to open the bean hopper. This coffee maker will only really work on counters with nothing above them (like a kitchen island).

The hopper has a tinted plastic lid, which allows you to see how many beans remain without allowing in too much light (which will degrade the quality of your beans), and a dial on the top allows you to set the grind size.

The hopper matches the water tank, which can hold enough water for up to eight small cups. The tank is removable, which is always a welcome feature because it means you don’t have to pour water with the machine in situ and risk spillages. The AromaFresh Therm Pro’s tank doesn’t have a handle, unlike those of some other machines I’ve tested, but its oval shape is easy to grip, and it has a detachable lid to keep your water fresh.

The AromaFresh Therm Prod doesn’t have a hot plate to keep your coffee warm after brewing; instead, it has a double-walled insulated carafe with a smart brushed stainless steel finish – which I personally prefer, since it doesn’t alter the taste of your drink by allowing water to evaporate, or overheating it.

The machine is controlled using a set of simple buttons on the right-hand side, underneath the water tank, which allow you to set a timer, adjust the aroma (settings 1-5), and program the number of cups (1-8). It’s important to ensure this number matches the amount of water in the tank. The machine will use all the water it has, regardless of which setting you choose, so you need to use the correct amount to get the right ratio of coffee to water.

• Design score: 3.5/5

Melitta AromaFresh Therm Pro: performance

• Grind size is uneven
• Very quiet in operation
• Carafe is well-insulated

The biggest selling point of the AromaFresh Therm Pro is its integrated grinder. Usually, when you’re setting up a drip coffee machine before bed and setting a timer to start brewing in the morning, you have to add scoops of ground coffee to the filter basket and leave it overnight. This means the coffee’s flavor compounds start to degrade, and it won’t taste quite as good when the machine begins brewing the following day.

Instead, the AromaFresh Therm Pro takes whole beans, and grinds them only when it’s ready to brew. This should mean better flavor first thing in the morning; however, in my tests, this didn’t quite work as I’d hoped.

I started out using the middle grind setting, and brew intensity three out of five, but found that my brewed coffee didn’t taste as full-bodied as I'd have liked. Upon examining the brew basket, I found that the coffee grounds were surprisingly irregular, and very dry, suggesting that the water had passed through them very quickly, despite me folding over the seamed edge of the Melitta filter paper as instructed in the manual.

I opened the ceramic grinder and cleaned its burrs with a small brush to ensure there was no debris getting in the way, and reduced the grind size to ensure the next dose of coffee was finer, so would take longer for hot water to pass through. This yielded a better flavor (as did turning the brew intensity option all the way up to five), but the coffee was still unevenly ground. Drip coffee is a lot more forgiving than espresso if the grind isn’t ideal, but I was still surprised at how chunky it was.

The machine was very quiet when both grinding and brewing coffee, which is a real bonus if it’s going to start working by itself while you’re still waking up. During my tests it briefly reached a maximum of 75dB during grinding, but averaged 65dB, which is similar to a normal conversation. It was around 45dB while brewing, which is quieter than an ordinary refrigerator.

The drip-stop feature worked extremely well, with not a single drop of coffee escaping the machine after I had removed the insulated carafe. The carafe retains heat very well; after two hours, half a pot of coffee still measured 158ºF / 70ºC, which is ideal for drinking. A full pot stays hot even longer, so you can prepare a brew at the start of the day and savor it throughout the morning. However, I did find that the shape of the jug meant I had to turn it almost upside down to pour out the last half a cup.

The Melitta AromaFresh Therm Pro is an excellent idea, and extremely easy to use, but it’s really let down by the quality of its built-in grinder. Given the choice, I’d opt for the Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal with a standalone coffee grinder instead, which would be available for a similar price during a sales event.

• Performance score: 3.5/5

Should you buy the Melitta AromaFresh Therm Pro?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Melitta AromaFresh Therm Pro: also consider

If you're not sure whether the Melitta AromaFresh Therm Pro is the right drip coffee maker for you, here are two other well-rated options to consider:

How I tested the Melitta AromaFresh Therm Pro

I used the Melitta AromaFresh Therm Pro instead of my usual drip coffee maker for two weeks. I used Melitta’s own conical filter papers (folded according to the instructions in the manual), and my regular decaf coffee beans. I used fresh, cold tap water (again, as instructed in the manual), and made sure that the amount in the tank matched my chosen brew quantity.

I measured the noise emitted by the machine in operation with a decibel meter app on my phone, and used a thermometer to check the temperature of brewed coffee in the insulated carafe.

I washed the carafe and brew basket by hand using warm water and dish detergent, and ran a rinse cycle to clean out the coffee maker at the end of each day.

First reviewed April 2026

T3 Aire 360: two-minute review

It's only been two years since T3 first launched the Aire 360 which was, at the time, the world's first ceramic air styler and it's quickly become one of the best hair dryers on the market. That hasn't stopped T3 revamping and relaunching the styler as what it's calling the "next-generation" T3 Aire 360.

Like the original, the new Aire 360 is a ceramic air styler designed to dry, smooth, and curl hair in a single tool. It launched in the US in March 2026 at $349.99 and is due to launch in the UK towards the end of the summer.

At $349.99 (about £260 / AU$490), the next-gen model is $50 more than the original and the headline upgrades are dual voltage, a shorter handle and a lighter base. Thankfully, the styling system itself that made the original so good has stayed the same.

The CeraGloss ceramic curling barrels remain the tool's best feature: they consistently create bouncy, glossy curls that hold well into the next day. Especially on my fine hair. The ceramic coating makes a visible difference here, not just to the finish but to style longevity. Plastic-barrels just don't come close.

The SoftAire concentrator dries faster than its compact size suggests too. My fine, mid-length hair was ready for styling in just over three minutes, even though the wand shape of the base makes directing airflow at the roots awkward and uncomfortable at times. T3 recommends starting with hair that's around 80% dry before moving to the attachments but this means very little in reality. It takes a fair amount of experimentation (and patience) to get the very best results but the Aire 360 still creates "good enough" styles, even while you're on this learning curve.

The oval brush takes the most practice of the four attachments, which was a surprise given that it's effectively just a hot brush. However, its large size coupled with the 1.3lb / 590g weight of the base feels awkward at times. Its bulk will also only likely suit mid-length to long hair and short hair styles may not see the full benefit.

All that said, the rewards outweigh the effort. The oval brush turns even fine hair into voluminous styles that are hard to achieve with a round brush alone. Elsewhere, at 71dB, the Aire 360 isn't loud and isn't quiet; it's comparable to most standard hair dryers I've tested.

Compared to its closest rivals, the case for the T3 Aire 360 is strong. Not only does it undercut its most like-for-like, ceramic air styler the Shark Glam, it also sits well below the Dyson Airwrap range while matching, and at times bettering both, in terms of performance. If you're buying a multi-styler for the first time, or even looking for an upgrade, you could do a lot worse than this flagship styler.

T3 Aire 360: price & availability

• List price: $349.99
• Available: US only / UK coming summer 2026
• Launch date: March 2026

There are currently two versions of the T3 Aire 360 on sale.

The original launched in 2023 at $299.99 / £249.99. This is currently the only model on sale in the UK. In March 2026, T3 launched what it's calling the next-generation Aire 360 in the US. Since launching the next-gen version, the original has been discontinued in the States and we're assuming that when it eventually comes to the UK later this year, the original will also be removed there, too.

This review covers the next-generation model, which costs $349.99 for the Standard bundle, or $359.99 for the Diffuser version. It's sold directly from T3 as well as Sephora and Amazon in Satin Blush or Milk Grey colorways.

For $50 more than the original, you're getting a lighter, redesigned base, a shorter handle and dual voltage for international travel. The styling system itself – the CeraGloss ceramic barrels, Aire 360 airflow technology, SoftAire concentrator and oval brush – is the same as before.

At this price, the next-generation T3 Aire 360 lands in the thick of what's become a competitive (and growing) multi-styler market. The closest like-for-like in terms of price is the Shark FlexStyle that also retails for $349.99. However, the FlexStyle lacks the ceramic barrels of the T3 version.

To get the same ceramic design and finish, as well as range of attachments, you need to pay an extra $100 for the $449.99 Shark Glam. The Dyson Airwrap is the most expensive alternative, ranging from $549.99 / £399.99 for the Origin up to $749.99 / £579.99 for the latest Co-anda 2x. The most like-for-like comparison is the Airwrap i.d. at $649.99 / £479.99, which adds Bluetooth connectivity and personalized curling options on the Dyson app.

If you already own the first-generation Aire 360, and rarely travel abroad, there's limited reason to upgrade. However, if you're buying a multi-styler for the first time, this is the model to get because it represents considerably better value than the Dyson and Shark alternatives without sacrificing much on results.

• Value score: 4.5 / 5

T3 Aire 360 Next-Gen: specs

T3 Aire 360: design

• Slim, lightweight base with a shorter handle than the original
• Four twist-and-lock attachments
• Three heat settings plus cool shot, three speed settings

As has been the case since the Dyson Airwrap put the multi-styler category on the map, the next-generation Aire 360 looks more like a curling wand than traditional hair dryer.

It has a slim, cylindrical shape that, at 1.3 lbs / 590g is almost half the weight of the original Aire 360 and on par with the Airwrap i.d. The handle has been shortened, compared to the original Aire 360, and this makes the whole styler more balanced, even when the attachments are in place.

The styler comes in Satin Blush and Milk Gray; the Satin Blush leans into what's become a crowded market of blush-toned tools but the Milk Gray model that I reviewed is more traditional and understated. I was worried the glossy, plastic finish would pick up fingerprints but it's slightly dusty rather than shiny which makes it easy to grip without leaving marks or smudges.

All of the controls run down the front of the handle: the top button cycles through the three speed settings; the middle button controls the three temperatures including the Cool shot function, and the power switch sits just below.

Each are within easy reach during styling but don't get in the way, which means you don't have to worry about knocking them mid-session. The heat and speed buttons also sit ever-so-slightly below the surface of the handle, too, meaning every press needs to be deliberate.

At the base of the handle are two LED indicators that show which voltage the styler is running at – 110 V or 220 V – and the filter sits on its own with a magnetic cover that twists off easily. Albeit a little too easy sometimes, mid-style.

The Standard Aire 360 ships with four attachments. The Diffuser bundle adds a ceramic diffuser to the mix. You can get the diffuser with the styler for $359.99 or buy it after the fact for $29.99.

• SoftAire drying concentrator: Softens the airflow for fast drying; works like a traditional blow dryer nozzle but is more compact and directional.
• 2 x CeraGloss ceramic curling barrels (left and right): These use a mix of airflow and ceramic heat to wrap hair and create curls.
• Oval brush: SmoothGrip bristles and T3's CeraGloss ceramic surface smooth and lift. It sits somewhere between a round brush blowout and a hot brush.
• Ceramic diffuser: Gently disperses airflow over natural curls and wave patterns.

All of these attachments twist and lock onto the base with a single hand movement and stay in place until you flick the unlock switch on the rear of the handle. The two curling barrels are handed, one for each side of the head, and both have T3's CeraGloss ceramic coating designed to hold the heat more than plastic rivals.

The SoftAire concentrator is small and nozzle-shaped, doing a similar job to a traditional blow dryer concentrator but more compact. The oval brush is then the chunkiest of the four, with SmoothGrip bristles on a ceramic surface. This is designed to smooth and lift at the roots but the size will suit mid-length to longer hair better than shorter styles.

Everything packs neatly into the included vegan leather tote, which is one of those details you don't think much about until you're trying to travel with four attachments and a styling base.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

T3 Aire 360 review: performance

• Fast and gentle drying
• Curling barrels produce bouncy curls that last well
• Oval brush delivers a smooth, lifted finish but takes practice

The Aire 360's central promise, that it can style hair with airflow and ceramic heat rather than direct, damaging heat, is bold but for the most part, it holds up.

The SoftAire concentrator, which is where most sessions begin, dried faster than I had expected from something so compact; knocking most of the moisture out of my fine, mid-length hair in just over three minutes on the highest heat and speed setting. The wand shape takes some getting used to for just drying; directing airflow at the roots with any precision requires a bit more wrist work than a traditional dryer.

T3 recommends starting with hair that's around 80% dry before moving to the styling attachments but in reality, it's hard to know exactly what this means. If your hair is too wet, it can take a while to get the best finish, but if it's too dry, the style won't hold.

From my tests, I found that hair that's no longer damp but which still feels slightly cool when you run your fingers through it is about right. It's also worth working in sections, and if you're unsure, err on the side of slightly wetter rather than drier.

The styler itself runs warm rather than hot. My hair felt noticeably less frazzled after drying than it does with a traditional dryer and the airflow is powerful enough to be useful but not so aggressive that it sends fine hair flying in every direction. This is a balance that's harder to strike than it sounds.

The curling barrels, which are the Aire 360's best feature in my opinion, are easy to use once you've got the hang of which barrel best suits which side of your head. One barrel makes curls wrap from your face, while the other wraps them towards your face and while this sounds simple, it makes a big difference to the look you're trying to achieve.

To use each one, you move the styler towards a section of hair and the airflow does the wrapping; pulling the hair towards and around the barrel. You then hold the hair in place for around 10 seconds, depending on your hair type, how tight you want the curl and how damp the hair is. It takes a session or two to get the positioning and timing right, particularly on fine hair where letting go too soon can loosen the curl before it's set.

Once you've found the right rhythm, though, the results are impressive: bouncy, glossy curls that look natural and which last well into the next day on fine hair. This is undoubtedly down to the ceramic coating on each barrel. Ceramic holds heat better than plastic and this makes a noticeable difference to the finish; there's a shine to the curl that holds rather than dropping to a frizzy wave by mid-afternoon.

I had expected the oval brush to be the easiest attachment to use but it also required a bit of practice and technique to get the best results because the positioning and size make it awkward to move around your head.

On my fine, mid-length hair it smoothed well and added a lifted, voluminous finish at the roots that's difficult to achieve with a traditional round brush alone, unless you're skilled at blow-drying. The ceramic surface again adds a shine that lasts, and the SmoothGrip bristles are gentle enough that they don't snag or pull.

In my experience, it works best on hair that has a little more moisture than is needed for the curling barrels, for example, and it also rewards the kind of tension and wrist action that takes a few attempts to get right and which can ache after a while. Its large size was also ideal for my hair length, but it will likely have limited benefits to short hair styles.

Noise-wise, the Aire 360 runs at an average of 71dB, it's not offensive but it's not subtle either which is on par with most standard hair dryers.

Across the board, the Aire 360 rewards patience. The first session is unlikely to produce the results you're hoping for, and fine hair in particular needs some experimentation with heat and speed settings before you land on the right combo.

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

How I tested the T3 Aire 360

I tested the next-generation T3 Aire 360 over three weeks, using it as my go-to styler on both wash days and when I wanted to refresh second-day hair.

I have fine, mid-length naturally curly hair, which gave me a good sense of how the tool performs on hair that needs both volume and definition, without being weighed down.

I worked through all of the attachments across a range of scenarios starting with the SoftAire concentrator to rough-dry freshly washed hair, moving to the curling barrels to style, and using the oval brush on days when I wanted a smoother, more polished finish rather than curls. I tested the curling barrels on hair at different levels of dryness and paid particular attention to how well the curls held across different heat and speed settings. I also used the oval brush on both damp and dry hair.

Throughout testing I noted how easy each attachment was to use, how long the results lasted into the following day, and noise levels using the DecibelX app. I didn't test the ceramic diffuser, which is sold separately.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed April 2026

Ultion Nuki 2025: one-minute review

The Ultion Nuki 2025 is what happens when a smart lock starts behaving like a complete security product.

At a glance, it’s doing the same job as 2023’s Ultion Nuki Plus: pairing Brisant Secure’s Ultion 3 Star PLUS cylinder and UK-specific door furniture with Nuki’s Smart Lock Pro and platform. In practice, though, this version looks more cohesive, feels quicker to respond and is better aligned with how people actually use a front door every day.

Built-in Wi-Fi removes the hassle of extra bridges. Matter support makes it much easier to fit into a wider smart-home setup. The improved motor means locking and unlocking feel quicker, quieter and less clunky. While the overall design is cleaner and more refined than previous models.

Just as importantly, there are sensible fallbacks everywhere. You can still use a physical key, operate it manually from inside, and include a biometric keypad or keyfob if you want different ways in.

Factor in the comprehensive Nuki app, featuring geofenced Auto Unlock and remote time-limited access for guests, and it all adds up to a smart lock that feels less like a gamble and more like a must-have front-door upgrade.

Ultion Nuki 2025: price and availability

• List price £299
• Optional extra upgrades
• Available from Ultion and Amazon

The Ultion Nuki 2025 is priced at £299 and available in white/steel, black/steel, or chrome/steel finishes. At the time of writing, this particular smart lock is only sold in the UK.

It’s available from Ultion direct or Amazon, along with a suite of optional extras, including a fob for £49, fingerprint keypad for £145, and auto-lock sensor for £55.

• Value score: 4/5

Ultion Nuki 2025: specifications

Ultion Nuki 2025: design

• Slimmer, cleaner Nuki Smart Lock Pro form factor
• Seven external colourways with a 20-year anti-corrosion guarantee
• Installs in minutes, no drilling required

The Ultion Nuki 2025 redesign goes further than a cosmetic refresh. The physical foundation is Brisant Secure's Ultion 3 Star Plus cylinder — a precision-engineered unit built around a molybdenum core that's 25 per cent denser than iron.

It carries anti-pick, anti-bump and anti-drill credentials, meets Police Preferred specification, holds Master Locksmiths Association approval, and is backed by a £5,000 burglary guarantee, which Brisant says it has never had to pay out on.

External handles are available in seven colourways with a 20-year anti-corrosion guarantee. Adjustable brackets mean installation requires no new holes. The internal handle comes in black, white, or chrome.

Brisant quotes a four-minute full installation, which is accurate in practice if you have a standard British cylinder lock on your door. If so, it’s a simple case of following the step-by-step guide to remove your old cylinder lock (scarily with one screw) and replace it with the new one.

From there, you simply screw in and attach the Ultion smart lock furniture around it, including the new interior handle and Nuki Smart Lock Pro unit.

The complete unit is a genuine departure from its predecessor. Where older versions were boxy and deep, this latest generation’s cleaner and slimmer form looks like it belongs on a door rather than clamped to one.

The integrated rechargeable battery charges via a magnetic USB-C cable that attaches cleanly, though a fully universal USB-C port would have been the neater solution.

• Design score: 4/5

Ultion Nuki 2025: performance

• Built-in Wi-Fi, no hub or bridge required
• Matter over Thread for wide smart home compatibility
• Noticeably faster motor than previous mode

What immediately distinguishes the Ultion Nuki 2025 from its predecessor is responsiveness. Commands that previously involved a perceptible pause now execute almost instantly. This applies both via the native Nuki app and through third-party systems. It's one of those improvements you don't fully appreciate until you've lived with the old version.

Built-in Wi-Fi means no bridge and no additional hardware. The Nuki app handles everything from access logs and configurable lock speeds to geofenced Auto Unlock and time-limited guest codes. It's a well-developed platform backed by state-of-the-art encryption, comparable to online banking.

It would be silly for a smart lock not to take its own security seriously, but just in case, the Ultion Nuki 2025 is advertised as achieving the highest AV-TEST available (level 3), and also carries a BSI Kitemark for good measure.

Matter support operates over Thread rather than Wi-Fi once enabled, which theoretically improves both battery efficiency and response speed.

The optional Fingerprint Keypad (£145) adds biometric and PIN access from outside. It’s a luxury addition, but a tempting one for unlocking your door akin to a smartphone. Time-limited guest codes work well, as my cleaner will attest.

The Keyfob (£49) is the simpler option: one button, either direction. Physical key override from the outside remains available throughout, which should be considered non-negotiable on any smart lock that replaces your primary cylinder — something many brands overlook.

An LED ring around the central button communicates status at a glance: off when locked, the top segment flashing every 1.5 seconds when unlocked, and red when errors or a low battery occur. It's a small but useful touch that lets you avoid reaching for your phone.

The motor offers three speed settings — Gentle for quiet, unhurried operation; Standard for a balance of speed and noise; and Insane for maximum locking speed when you need it. Most users will never leave Standard, but the option is there.

Auto-lock is available via Lock 'n' Go, which latches the door after a set interval following unlock. The app sensibly flags if your door requires the handle to be raised before latching, so you know what to expect before you commit to the feature.

• Performance score: 5/5

Should you buy the Ultion Nuki 2025?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Ultion Nuki 2025: also consider

If the Ultion Nuki 2025 isn't right for you, here are two alternatives worth considering.

How I tested the Ultion Nuki 2025

• Installed the Ultion Nuki 2025 as my primary door lock
• Tested via the Nuki app over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
• Connected to Apple Home and tested all smart home integrations
• Used the Fingerprint Keypad and Keyfob across daily entry and exit scenarios

I installed the Ultion Nuki 2025 on my front door and used it as my primary lock for the duration of testing, replacing both the existing cylinder and handle hardware. Setup was completed using the Nuki app, before adding the lock to Apple Home.

All advertised features were tested in daily use, including Auto Unlock geofencing, Lock 'n' Go, the programmable inside button, and variable motor speeds. The Fingerprint Keypad was installed externally and put through its paces across repeated entry and exit scenarios, including time-limited guest codes. The Keyfob was tested as a standalone exit method.

I paid particular attention to responsiveness compared to the previous Ultion Nuki Plus — specifically, command lag via the app, status update speed in Apple Home, and keypad reaction time. Physical key override was verified throughout.

The lock was also stress-tested, including door-handle raise requirements and low-battery notification behaviour via the app.

For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar.

First reviewed April 2026

Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam: two-minute review

Founded in 2009 by a team of engineers in Shenzhen, China, Reolink has grown into a global provider of smart, yet affordable, security cameras. A little while back I tested the Reolink Altas PT Ultra and was really impressed with the 355-degree pan and 90-degree tilt camera, though the design was a little bulky. This recently launched Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam is very different though.

While it doesn’t feature a rotating pan-and-tilt camera (instead it features a fixed lens with 150-degree field of view), it does boast two large LED panels capable of delivering up to 1,000 lumens of brightness. It’s also quite a bit cheaper than the Reolink Altas PT Ultra, currently retailing for around £85. Of course, the cheaper price tag does involve some trade-offs, not least the lower video resolution. Whereas the Reolink Altas PT Ultra offers 4K ultra high definition, the Solar Floodlight Cam is restricted to 2K (1440p) resolution. However, for the vast majority of people, 2K video resolution is more than adequate.

Designed to be placed on the outside of the property with a clear view of the sky at a height of around 2.5 to 3m, the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam is reasonably easy to install. In the box there’s a mounting bracket with screws and wall plugs, as well as — unusually — a mounting wrench for tightening up the bracket.

Before installation, you will need to charge the unit using the USB-C cable provided and pair the camera with the Reolink app using the QR code on the back of the unit. Helpfully, the camera supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi frequencies and it tells you when it is successfully paired with your home network.

Unlike some apps, which can be confusing to navigate, the Reolink app offers everything you need within a reasonably clear interface. You can select the different types of object you want the camera to detect (human, animal, vehicle or other) and set a schedule for when you want recordings to happen (for example, switch off during the day if you know family members are going to be around). You can also exclude certain parts of the frame, which is handy if — like me — you are setting the camera up in a back garden and don’t want to record activity from your next-door neighbour’s property.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to use the Reolink app, the device can be fully integrated with Amazon Alexa, allowing you to view live video feeds on screen-enabled devices such as an Echo Show (though we didn’t test this facility). You can even control the floodlights using your own voice via the Alexa app.

In addition to two powerful spotlights, a very loud 110dB siren is provided to help deter burglars. Alternatively, it’s possible to set your own custom audio tone if the alarm is triggered such as whispering ‘pssst’ to get intruders to look at the camera for better facial recognition.

Not only can the brightness of the LED spotlights be adjusted depending on your preferences, it’s also possible to adjust color temperature depending on whether you want your intruders to be bathed in a cold ‘blue-ish’ light or a much warmer yellow light.

Two-way audio is provided for communications with sound coming from a large-ish speaker on the bottom of the unit next to the PIR sensor and waterproof connections for the USB-C cable and Micro SD card.

Footage can be recorded either to the MicroSD card (up to a maximum of 512GB) or you can subscribe to Reolink Cloud to store footage in the cloud – see details below. This facility also includes AI Video Search so you can quickly find footage using natural language. For example, type ‘man wearing a red T-shirt’ and in the UK it will bring up the postman coming to the door and anyone else wearing a red T-shirt!

Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam: subscription options

Reolink Cloud, Single Device Plan: Up to 30-day cloud video history, one camera, 16GB cloud storage, AI video search. £2.71 (about $3.50 / AU$5) per month.

Reolink Cloud, Standard Plan. Premier Plan: Up to 30-day cloud video history, up to 5 cameras supported, 30GB cloud storage. £2.87 (about $4 / AU$6) per month.

See https://cloud.reolink.com/cloud-plan for further details

Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam: price and availability

• How much does it cost? Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam £85 UK, $US99, $AUD169
• When is it available? Since March 2026
• Where is it available? UK/US/Australia

First announced at CES 2026 in early January, the Solar Floodlight Cam is one of a number of devices Reolink is planning to release this year. Others include a 24MP triple lens outdoor camera (the OMVI X16 PoE) and an interesting Reolink AI set-top box designed to add AI functionality to non-AI cameras.

What’s more, the Floodlight Cam is also one of the cheapest outdoor cameras you can buy with local storage (although you will have to fork out for your own Micro SD card). Whereas some companies keep hardware prices relatively low by tying you into a subscription even for basic functionality, the Reolink offers a best of both worlds’ solution - cheap hardware combined with local subscription-free storage.

Nor is just about the money. For those worried about the security of cloud-based storage, local storage is a far safer option (providing the burglar doesn’t steal the camera with the MicroSD card inside, of course). However, there is always the option of taking out a monthly subscription if you so choose.

Whereas some manufacturers will charge you over £10 a month for basic functionality, at least Reolink Cloud is relatively cheap. Subscription prices have even come down since I last reviewed a Reolink product around 18 months ago. You can now get 30-days of recordings stored in the cloud for less than £3 a month. The cloud subscription also includes AI video search for finding recordings using short descriptions.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam: design

• Unique triple cube design
• Fixed solar panel
• IP66 waterproofing

Most outdoor security cameras comprise either one or maybe two main elements. There’s usually the camera itself plus a solar panel which is either mounted on the camera or housed in a separate device and connected via a USB-C cable. The Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam is unusual in that it really comprises four elements of similar size and shape.

First there’s the main cube where the fixed camera lens and PIR are located. Then there are the two flexible LED lights that sit either side like big flappy ears. Finally, there’s the solar panel, which sits on top of the main unit.

Usually if the solar panel is integrated it can be moved manually towards the sun (or in the case of the innovative Baseus Security S2 the panel actually rotates with the movement of the sun). But that’s not the case here. Instead, the solar panel is fixed which means you will need to install the camera somewhere that is relatively sunny to ensure additional power.

Initially I had worried that the unusual cube design might make the Solar Floodlight Cam feel a bit more flimsy than some of the more conventional tubular shaped models. However, this white unit feels well-built and comes with IP66 waterproofing.

Underneath the camera are two weatherproof sockets (one for external power from a USB-C cable and one for power on/off and a MicroSD card slot). Also provided are a PIR dome motion sensor and large speaker. Finally at the back of the camera sits a metal ball joint that connects to the mounting bracket to provide ultimate flexibility when it comes to angling the camera.

• Design score: 4/5

Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam: performance

• Powerful 1,000-lumen illumination
• 2K resolution
• Color night vision

When it comes to performance it’s fair to say that the Reolink is solid rather than spectacular. Images from the 2K (1440p) camera lens aren’t the sharpest I’ve seen, certainly nowhere near as good as those from its stablemate, the Reolink Altas PT Ultra. However, where it comes into its own is its ability to capture footage in near total darkness. Virtually every night I tested the camera it captured wildlife in my garden, including several foxes and even a hedgehog! Thankfully no human intruders though.

Whereas some security cameras have apps that are very difficult to navigate, Reolink’s are generally very easy to use. Underneath the main image there’s a timeline where you can scroll through captured footage — useful if you missed the push notifications on your phone. Each of the clips is categorized for easy reference with an image of a running person for an intruder, pawprint for animal or a circle for other sighting. This makes it much easier to find relevant footage.

As with many security cameras, I found the lens on the Reolink Solar Floodlight camera a little too sensitive at its default setting of 80. For example, sheets hanging on a washing line were routinely triggering alerts. As a result, I found it necessary to reduce the sensitivity to around 50 so it didn’t capture every minor movement.

Alternatively, if you want to use the camera for creative, rather than security purposes, there’s an innovative time lapse setting. This can be set up to capture images at set intervals of between 10 seconds and six hours and also includes different pre-sets including one for construction — handy if you are tracking the progress of a building project.

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam?

Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam: also consider

If you're not sure whether the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam is the right device to protect your home, here are two other options you should consider:

Should you buy the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam?

Buy it if

How I tested the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam

• * I used the camera outdoors for 10 days
• * I set it up myself using the fittings provided by the manufacturer
• * The security camera was installed on the outside of my summer house

I installed the Reolink camera on the front of my summer house which also serves as a small gym and an office during the summer. Because the building is made of wood it makes it simple to install cameras using the screws provided, whereas if it was on a brick wall I would have to use a drill and the wall plugs provided for installation.

As the solar panel is fixed and the ideal location for the camera is under the eaves of the summer house I had worried that the solar panel would be ineffective. But, remarkably, after 10 days of testing (admittedly many of them actually sunny for a change), the camera’s battery is still at 100% charge. Part of the reason is that I turned the sensitivity of the camera down to reduce the number of false alerts. I also reduced the brightness of the spotlights so as not to annoy the neighbours with too much light pollution every time an alert is triggered.

Narwal Flow 2: two-minute review

I’ll be the first to tell you that I have had a hate-love relationship with robot vacuums. However, over the years, I’ve watched as the technology has improved, resulting in better mapping, improved object avoidance, and exciting features. This is why I was all too glad to test the Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum.

Narwal introduced its 2026 flagship robot vacuum in January, which resulted in a lot of buzz. It’s not the first robot vacuum to have dual cameras, but the way they work with the LM OmniVision AI Model feels like a big leap forward.

During testing, I observed the Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum recognizing the dirtiness of a floor and adjusting the suction and mopping capabilities. Plus, its ability to 'smart clean', or recognize which areas of your house need deeper cleans, and avoid and identify obstacles is next to none. Although I don’t have pets or babies, the Pet Care Mode and Baby Care Mode are quite cool because they let the Flow 2 find your pet (and play with it), switch to quiet mode near cribs, and avoid crawling zones.

Overall, I found the Narwal Flow 2 ’s smart capabilities very impressive, and its customization capabilities within the app particularly convenient. Its mopping capabilities are its best feature, and when paired with vacuuming, it does a great job of cleaning all floor types — though it doesn't fare as well with edge or corner cleaning. The suction capability wasn’t strong enough to pull super-fine materials like flour from a thick rug, but it did better than other robot vacuums I’ve tested. I would have also liked it to be half an inch shorter so it could fit under my kitchen cabinets.

The Narwal Flow 2 stands out in other ways too, such as its ability to climb over high thresholds, app and voice controls, and video feeds. The dock automatically empties the dust cup, and washes and dries the roller mop with hot water and hot air. I still think you’ll need a vacuum and a wet-dry vacuum on hand for deeper cleans or to reach spaces the robot vacuum can’t go, but the Flow 2 will do a stand-up job at keeping your home pristine between deep cleans.

The Narwal Flow 2 launched in the US in April 2026, with a premium price tag to match its high-end cleaning features. There are plenty of other great robot vacuums that are more affordable (even ones with cameras), but most don’t have the AI capabilities of this model, which really set it apart from the competition.

Narwal Flow 2: price and availability

• Price: $1,499 / AU$2,999 (about £1,100)
• Special price at launch: $1,099 (about £810 / AU$1,500)
• Launch date: April 2026
• Availability: US; from June 2026 in Australia

The Narwal Flow 2 launched in the US on April 13, 2026, with a UK release expected at a later date. Australian availability is from late June 2026. Although the list price for the robot vacuum and the base is $1,499, those who buy it during the launch can snag this combo for $1,099. It’s available directly from Narwal and Amazon, but may expand to other third-party retailers later.

The robovac will set you back AU$2,999 in Australia.

The price makes sense considering that the Flow 2 is outfitted with high resolution cameras, a roller mop, and superb AI capabilities that lets it recognize shoes, cords, pets, and toys, and adjust the cleaning settings depending on the type of dirt, debris, or spill. The dock also has hot water and hot air-drying capabilities — something that lesser models lack. We consider the Narwal Flow 2 to be a premium buy since it costs more than $800 / £650 / AU$1,000.

Our review model came with cleaning solution and one extra dust bag. Accessory replacements are available from Narwal.

Now the question remains, is this model worth $1,499 / AU$2,999? Considering all the features and control users have through the app, I would say yes. I just wish the edge and corner cleaning had matched my expectations. Perhaps an update will improve both settings soon.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Narwal Flow 2: design

• Circular robot vacuum and a self-emptying and self-cleaning base
• Anti-tangle mopping roller brush
• Dual high-definition cameras with a wide view

The Narwal Flow 2 is a black, circular robot vacuum that’s about 13.5 / 35cm inches in diameter and has the capability to lift over thresholds. At 3.7 inches / 9cm, the robot vacuum is relatively tall, and even though it can fit under my couch and baker’s rack, it doesn’t fit under my cabinets.

It has a small rotating brush along the bottom edge that sweeps debris toward the zero-tangling floating brush, where the robot vacuum uses 30,000Pa to suck up debris. The Flow 2 uses a crawler mop for edges; think of it like a roller map that has been flattened so that it’s wide, long, and rotates, using 12N downward pressure to clean floors. The crawler mop can extend 1.8 inches / 5cm from the side.

The robot vacuum comes with a black base that’s 20.5 / 36cm inches tall, 14 inches / 36cm wide, and 17 / 43cm inches deep, and a cord that is 4.8 feet / 1.5m long. Separate clean water and dirty water tanks sit on top of a tank that holds the cleaning solution. Both the robot vacuum and the dock have filters.

The dock also features a dust bag that can last up to 120 days, and colored ambient lighting, which can indicate different things like when there is problem with the robot (eg flashing red lights).I

n addition to LED lights on the robot vacuum itself, the Narwal Flow 2 has dual 1080p cameras with a 136-degree field of view. The robot vacuum uses cameras and AI to recognize objects or pets and either avoid them or note them on the map, captures video and photographs, and provides deeper cleanings.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Narwal Flow 2: performance

• Climbs tall thresholds and avoids objects well
• Solid job at vacuuming and mopping
• Truly hands-free experience and easy-to-use app

I had no issue connecting the Narwal Flow 2 to Wi-Fi or the app. The robot mapped my house in 35 minutes. I had to split and merge a few rooms, but that was simple enough.

As part of my testing, I utilized the robot vacuum like anyone else might – letting it clean my entire house multiple times, directing it to specific rooms (like the kitchen after dinner), or to an area where I’d made a mess (like near my sewing machine). In doing this, I found that the vacuuming and mopping capabilities of the Narwal Flow 2 were solid. The water output was perfect, and by that, I mean my floors weren’t too wet and they dried very quickly.

One of my favorite aspects of this robot vacuum is the roller mop. Some brands opt for circular mop pads that spin, however, I always thought such pads just moved wet dirt and other materials around the floor before the robot had a chance to return to the base to wash the pads.

The Narwal Flow 2 has a roller map that’s wide (almost flattened), and as it rotates, the robot sends clean hot water to the mop so that it’s cleaning the mop as it cleans your floors. A 12N downward pressure of the roller mop also aids in removing stubborn or heavy messes. If the robot vacuum recognizes a significant spill, it will also return to the base to clean the roller before returning to clean the floor again.

The robot easily climbed my thresholds – some of which are two inches / 5cm high – and avoided a lot of objects. In fact, I felt like it stayed too far from objects and edges at first, so I adjusted the cleaning to 'meticulous' within the app and was happier with the results.

I also watched it avoid low overhanging areas like my kitchen cabinets. At least the robot vacuum had the ability to extend the roller mop 1.8 inches / 4.6cm under the cabinet. Still, it wasn’t far enough to clean fully under the cabinet, so I had to use a vacuum to reach under there.

The robot vacuum got stuck once on my bath rug, which has fringe, but that was the only object that it ever has any issue with. it avoided cords and shoes, and even noted them on the map.

While I could customize the suction power of the vacuum, I liked to keep it on Smart so that the suction adjusted based on the floor type and whether the robot sensed dirt or a mess. I liked that the robot vacuum used the LED light in low light areas to clean better. The Narwal Flow 2 didn’t do well with suctioning large objects like medium-sized leaves from my poinsettia plants. This isn’t that big of a deal as most robot vacuums (or vacuums) don’t do well with suctioning larger items.

Although I used the app most of the time to direct the robot vacuum, occasionally, I used one of the 34 voice commands. Sometimes I had to use the app because the commands are limited. For instance, I could tell it to clean my living room, but I couldn’t say, “Clean up the living room and the hallway.” Combining commands wasn’t possible.

The robot vacuum took three hours to clean my entire 1,600-square-foot house, dropping to 31 percent in terms of the battery. In fact, the battery was only at 50% at the 2-hour cleaning mark. It took four hours to fully charge the robot vacuum, which is quick in my opinion.

Overall, I was very happy with how well Narwal Flow 2 kept my house clean of dirt, debris, and kitchen scraps. That said, after running some cleaning tests, there are some areas where it could improve.

Cleaning tests

To begin my testing, I placed ground coffee, flour, and dried flower petals on my kitchen laminate floor and on my living room rug and utilized the vacuum-only feature to see how well the robot could suction different materials. I even made sure to sprinkle ground coffee under my kitchen cabinets, along the edges of my kitchen, and in the corners. Here’s what I observed.

In the kitchen, the robot vacuum increased suction automatically when it went over the flour and the dried flowers, but not over the coffee. It suctioned all of the coffee, all but one flower petal, and most of the flour. Unfortunately, the wheels of the robot vacuum moved a thin film of the flour around on the floor. Where it didn’t succeed was suctioning coffee from the corners, edges, and under the kitchen cabinet.

To be fair, the robot couldn’t fit under the kitchen cabinet. When it came to corners, the robot vacuum suctioned coffee completely in one corner, but not the other. It failed quite miserably with suctioning coffee grounds along the edges.

As for the suction test on the rug, the robot vacuum automatically increased the suction to 'super powerful' when it recognized the material. On the first pass, the robot vacuum picked up some coffee grounds and flour but all of the dried flower petals. I also placed slightly damp poinsettia leaves on the carpet, and the robot vacuum did not pick them up but unintentionally moved them off the rug.

I was disappointed at first, until the robot vacuum went over the coffee and flour three more times – without me instructing it to do so. By the end, 98 percent of coffee grounds had been suctioned. A lot of the flour had been picked up, minus a small amount that had been pushed into the rug. In the end, I thought the suctioning capability on rugs was better than most robot vacuums.

For the final test, I used the vacuum and mop features on my laminate floor. I covered the floor with flour, coffee grounds, a spilled glass of water, chocolate sauce, soy sauce, wing sauce, and creamer. The Narwal Flow 2 cleaned up the wing sauce, soy sauce, water spill, coffee grounds, and flour in a single pass. I was surprised by how smoothly it picked up the chocolate sauce since it’s a tough substance that dries quickly. (I test wet-dry vacuums and even many of them have issues with cleaning slightly dried chocolate sauce in two passes or more.)

When it came to the creamer, the robot vacuum recognized it as a 'spill', which meant it cleaned it up in a single pass then returned to the dock to clean the mop. It then repeated this two more times — cleaning that area and returning to the dock to clean the mop — before it moved on. The floor was not sticky by the time the robot vacuum had finished.

I also placed coffee grounds under the cabinet, in the corners, and along the edges to see if the mop and vacuum combo would result in better cleaning capabilities. When the robot vacuum passed near the cabinets, it extended the mop to the side, and while it picked up a bit, unfortunately, the roller mop couldn’t extend far enough to pick up half of the coffee grounds under the cabinet

When it came to corners, the robot vacuum had the same results using the vacuum and mop as it did during the suction only test. It cleaned edges better with the mop than without it, but the results weren’t as good as I’d hoped. One edge was cleaned very well but a lot of coffee grounds were left along another edge.

To sum it all up, I’d advise utilizing the vacuum and mop features on hard flooring to maximize the cleaning process. The Narwal Flow 2 does an average job edge and corner cleaning. When it comes to carpets, it can pick up a lot of debris, though for the finest materials like flour, you’ll probably need a more powerful vacuum.

Maintenance

When it comes to the Narwal Flow 2 , there isn’t much maintenance you’ll need to do daily or weekly. It took 16 uses of the robot vacuum before I was informed to refill the water tank and empty the dirty water tank.

I would suggest going through the app when you first start using the Narwal Flow 2 to set up the maintenance how you see fit. Head to the “Dock” section and choose what kind of mop drying intensity you prefer (silent, strong, or smart), as well as how often you want the dust bin to be emptied (every time of execution or when the robot determines it needs to be emptied). You can even choose the noise level of the dust emptying.

The base cleans the roller with 140-degree hot water and dries it completely with hot air. The dust bag holds up to 120 days’ worth of debris. In the future, Narwal may roll out a reusable dust bag. The debris filter is washable and should be cleaned once a month. You’ll need to remove the bottom tray of the base and clean it out once or twice a month as lots of debris and dirt accumulates there.

Within the app, you can keep an eye on which accessories need to be replaced and/or how much longer they will last. For instance, the zero-tangling floating brush on my testing robot is still good for another 144 hours of use.

• Performance score: 4/ 5

Narwal Flow 2: app

• Easy app with fantastic 2D and 3D mapping and insights
• Cleaning customization options (AI clean, vacuum and mop, vacuum then mop, vacuum, mop, and room customization)
• Video features and control through app

I had an easy time using the Narwal app to set up the Narwal Flow 2 . Although there is a 3D mapping option, I preferred using the 2D option and had an easy time labeling the rooms and seeing things like rugs on the map. I ran into some issues trying to split my living room and study on the map. The rooms have a wide doorway with pocket doors, so I understand the robot thinking they are the same room, but when trying to split them, the map says in doing so the rooms are “too small.” This is odd considering that my bathroom is about a sixth the size of each of those rooms and it was considered its own room on the map.

I tried to set up my corridor as a no-go zone (the floors are not sealed and can’t be mopped), but unfortunately, when I did this, the robot vacuum wouldn’t pass the corridor to clean the bathroom. Thankfully I was able to go around this with the room customization feature which allows me to customize the type of cleaning I want for each room. Therefore, I designed the corridor to be a vacuum-only space so that the robot vacuum would be able to reach the bathroom where I have it designated to be vacuumed and mopped.

Within the app, I can choose to clean the whole house, certain rooms, or even specific zones within those rooms. I can also customize this further by informing the robot vacuum to vacuum and mop, vacuum then mop, vacuum only, or mop only.

One of my favorite features is the Navo assistant that sits below the map offering insight on the cleaning or information that’s relevant, like if the vacuum has gotten stuck. If you click it, the assistant shows you the voice commands that you can use with the robot vacuum and lets you adjust the language and voice tone.

The Dock button informs users of the dust bag status and touch-on-demand features like dock dust emptying, dust bag dry and disinfecting, mop washing, mop drying, and adjusting the ambient lighting effects.

Users can watch a live video from the cameras on the Narwal Flow 2 . You can record or take videos, control the direction of the robot, and direct the robot to clean. There is also a Cruise feature that takes photos on a specific route through your house and stores them in the app.

On top of scheduling cleanings and monitoring the cleaning history, you can also adjust the cleaning settings, from the suction power to the mopping humidity, coverage precision (smart, standard, and meticulous), and set things like intensive corner cleaning, priority cleaning for carpet, intensive carpet cleaning, intelligent room splitting and rewashing of the mop, high altitude mode, child lock, do not disturb feature, obstacle avoidance strategy, and smart object detection. It’s also here where you can set up your Narwal Flow 2 with Alexa, Google Home, or Matter.

The Pet-friendly Mode section is very extensive. Users choose which pets they have (cats, dogs, or both) and designate either easy cleaning in specific pet areas or enhanced cleaning in areas that were missed because pets were present. It also allows you to find your pet and/or “play” with your pet by attracting the pet to the robot with a specific sound.

• App score: 4.5/5

Narwal Flow 2: specs

Narwal Flow 2: should you buy it?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Narwal Flow 2: also consider

If you're not sure whether the Narwal Flow 2 is the right robot vacuum for you, here are two other options to think about.

How I tested the Narwal Flow 2

I tested the Narwal Flow 2 for two weeks on my laminate and historic wood floors and medium-to-large pile rugs. To review all the vacuuming and mopping capabilities, I conducted several tests with various materials (water, chocolate syrup, soy sauce, coffee grounds, and flour) on different types of flooring to see how well the robot suctioned and cleaned the floor. This included testing different features like spot cleaning, video capabilities, mapping, voice commands, and so much more.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed March 2026

If you want to get looks, clip a Maxell Wireless Cassette player to your backpack and watch the astonishment roll in. My coffee guy could barely contain himself: ''Wow, classic! Boy!" I walked away with coffee, a bagel, and a smile on my face.

At the office, a small crowd gathered around to examine it. All men in their 30s, 40s, or 50s, they recognized the iconic shape and buttons. "What a blast from the past," smiled one. Another pointed and asked incredulously, "It works with Bluetooth?" Yes, I told them, it does, though there's more to that story.

I spotted the "Remix" Maxell Wireless Cassette Player a few weeks back and, though I quickly discovered we'd written about it (or a Maxell very much like it), I wondered if we'd tried it out.

Its appearance on Amazon is part of an ongoing trend: analog, retro gear. Gen Z, in particular, is cozying up to film cameras, physical books, vinyl records, and record players — actually record players that connect via Bluetooth to some very nice speakers.

So, I'm not surprised that this Bluetooth-ready cassette machine exists, but unlike the resurgence of vinyl, I didn't think that cassette manufacturing was similarly on the rise.

I was wrong. One report claimed that cassette tape production surged 400% between 2015 and 2023.

But the truth is, I never see cassettes in the wild. Sometimes I see a guy trying to hand me a CD mix in Manhattan, but even that's rare. There are, though, by some estimates, 30 billion cassette tapes in circulation, and even if just a fraction of them are still with consumers, I bet people are itching for a chance to listen to them again. The Maxell model is not alone, by the way. There's also, among others, this very retro-looking Bluetooth Miko model.

When I decided to buy one of the $99 players from Amazon, I quickly discovered that they're in demand: a 5-to-6 week wait was predicted.

By the time it did show up, I'd all but forgotten about it.

Price and availability

The Maxell Wireless Cassette Player launched in February 2026 and costs $99.99. It is not currently available in the UK.

Specs

Design and setup

Despite being designed for media made 40 years ago, the Maxell player has a pleasing modern look, with a mostly white, composite body and a band of silver/gray running around the edge that leads you to the simple gray buttons (Fast-forward, Rewind, Play, and Stop) and to the, volumne wheel, ports and tiny Bluetooth button on the side. It's a less fussy design than you'll find on the pricier, $160 player from GenZ (talk about an on-the-nose brand name)

There's also a large clip on the back so you can slip the player on your belt or backpack. I tried both, though settled on the backpack — more on that in a bit.

The face of it has the classic capsule-shaped cutout so you can see your tape and maybe a little bit of the album name. There's a small lip on the right side that you use to flip open the cover so you can slip in a tape. I tried opening the player by putting two fingers on the lip side and my thumb on the other. That was a mistake. It flips open easily with just one finger tip.

Because the entire face of the Maxell Wireless Cassette Player is the cassette door, you can't seat it on its base when you want to load a cassette — the bottom edge will get stuck or make the whole thing tip over. It's not a big deal, but I do wonder if there was a better way to make that cover.

As with virtually all cassette players made over the last 50 years, the cassett slips in top first and with the exposed tape facing up.

Connecting and playing

I was not a mix-tape guy, but I used to have a small collection of audio cassettes that I played in my old Hyundai's built-in cassette player. Since that car was gone, I had to go searching for my old box of tapes. I found it under a layer of dust, but the cassettes were in relatively good condition.

I had an old Carly Simon album, the original Broadway production of Chess cast album, some personal recordings of my CBS News Radio appearances (hear me talk about how Internet Explorer 4 might finally overtake Netscape!), and The Traveling Wilburys. You might not know that band name, but back in 1988, they were one of the original super groups, comprising Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, and George Harrison. I loved that album.

I slipped in that last tape and then plugged in a pair of wired headphones (just to see if the thing worked). It does not ship with headphones or a charging adapter, but you do get a USB-C charging cable.

There's also no power switch or button. Instead, if you hit any of the three main buttons and it just starts, winding, rewinding, or playing. I pressed play, which was quite satisfying, I must admit, and heard the quartet's instantly identifiable sound coming through my headset.

Bluetooth connectivity turned out to be somewhat more challenging.

Making the connection

Directions for Bluetooth connectivity are relatively spare, and it's in moments like this that you realize just how spoiled we are by ever-present screens.

The only indication of the player looking for and establishing a Bluetooth connection is a tiny blue light. It flashes in search mode and stays on when the connection is established.

My goal was to connect the Maxell Wireless Cassette Player to my Apple AirPods Pro 3. The Maxell manual instructs you to put your Bluetooth device in pairing mode and then press and hold the Bluetooth button on the player to put it in pairing mode. That's it. They should find each other.

They did not.

No matter what I tried, I could not get the AirPods Pro connected. At one point, though, I thought I heard a sound from my TV in the next room. After 30 minutes of trying, I walked into the living room and turned on my LG C5 OLED TV. Then I placed the Maxell cassette player in front of it and hit play.

Yep, it had connected to my TV.

On the bright side, I could hear the music, but I also didn't plan to take my TV with me.

Take 2

,The next day I took the Maxell player with me to work and, while sitting on the train, I was able to successfully connect to the AirPods Pro. My guess is there was just too much Bluetooth crosstalk in my house.

Maxell claims that after the first connection, the headphones should automatically connect to the Maxell Player. Sometimes that was true, but not consistently.

For my walk to work, I put the Maxell Wireless Cassette Player on my belt. Unfortunately, it could not connect to my AirPods. So I moved it up to a backpack strap that put it inches from my head.

Bingo.

It worked, and I listened to clear, rich audio with great highs, excellent mids, and good-enough lows. The connection, though, was not always solid. It literally broke if I turned my head the wrong way. Even so, I enjoyed the experience and the reactions.

Battery life

Maxell rates the player for 11 hours of playback wired and 8 hours using Bluetooth. I unboxed it and started using it, and have yet to charge the player. Again, though, the lack of a screen means I have no idea how much juice is left

Listening to cassette tapes is not just analog; it's a serial experience. Songs are lined up sequentially on tape. You can't jump around or see either what you're playing or what's coming up. Oh, and if you want to hear the rest of the album, you must remove the tape, turn it over, and slip it back into the player.

Mostly, I didn't mind this. I also don't care about the lack of recording capabilities. I don't plan on creating new cassette tapes. Though it was fun rediscovering tapes I last played when I was in my 30s, hearing my youthful, recorded voice opining on the state of the browser wars, and the young voices of my now adult children. None of that would've been possible without the $99 Maxell Wireless Cassette Player, and it's worth it just for that.

First reviewed April 2026