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- Best smart speaker - get a little help from Google, Alexa and more
- Listed buildings insurance guide
- Best vacuum cleaners 2022: for squeaky clean floors
- Kitchen wall ideas – 22 ways to style up your space
- Primark is selling a £6 dupe for the H&M doughnut vase
| Best smart speaker - get a little help from Google, Alexa and more Posted: 12 Jan 2022 04:07 AM PST Have you ever wanted a personal assistant? Well with a smart speaker, you can! Affordable and packing a huge amount of power, the best smart speakers allow you to listen to music, call your family without lifting a finger, or simply set a timer for the risotto you’ve got bubbling away. It’s an all-in-one system designed to make your life easier. The main voice assistants are Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri, and which one you choose will depend on personal taste. Each speaker comes with one integrated and, once it arrives, it’s a doddle to set up with an app and your Wi-Fi password. Once you’re acquainted with your new smart speaker, though, don’t be surprised when you’re tempted to set up a whole network of smart devices. There’s no obvious end to what you can do, and the competition between Google, Apple, Amazon and other market leaders such as Sonos means, whichever you choose, they’re constantly being updated with new features. While you can hook up everything from smart fridges to robot hoovers to your smart speaker, they don’t require additional gadgets to work. As seamless as the best wireless speakers, you can listen to music by requesting a song, programming your favourite playlist to start with your morning alarm or – if you’ve got your hands full with dinner – pause or stop music from playing completely hands-free. We’ve looked at some of the best smart speakers on the market right now, rating them on sound quality, style and more. Scroll down to see what we thought. The best smart speakers in 20221. Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen)Best smart speaker overall  Credit: Amazon Platform: Alexa Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Bigger isn't always better. The Amazon Echo Dot, now in its fourth generation, is an incredibly useful smart speaker that won't break the bank. It's also as cute as a button. With a lovely redesign to bring the Dot more in line with Amazon’s flagship speaker, it still won't take up too much room on your desktop. It can function as a diddy voice assistant, playing tunes in the background while you work, offering news updates or assisting with currency conversions on the fly. Alternatively, you can hardwire a Dot into an existing Hi-Fi system, using a single stereo 3.5mm lead, and effectively make your old school Hi-Fi system voice assistant capable. Audio quality won’t blow you away but is relatively fine. In addition to Wi-Fi, it supports Bluetooth streaming, which is helpful if you're watching some catch-up telly on your smartphone but want to boost the volume. 2. Apple HomePod MiniBest smart speaker for iPhone  Credit: Apple Platform: Siri Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
For dedicated Apple users, Apple's HomePod is the best smart speaker you can buy. Android fans are advised to move on because this isn't the droid they're looking for. It can't even be set up without an iOS device. As you'd expect from Apple, the HomePod Mini is beautifully designed. The spherical shape and mesh fabric cover are definitely interiors friendly. Unlike rival smart speakers, there's no Bluetooth onboard, but iOS users won't notice. Pairing an iPhone to the speaker is a doddle. Siri makes for a surprisingly helpful musical assistant, as she not only plays your requests but calls upon Apple's excellent curation and recommendation engine to help you discover new music. This is quite a trick, as music discovery when you only use voice to navigate can be rather difficult – you tend to end up asking for the same old tunes. Ask Siri to play something you like, and you'll more likely than not get a surprising (in a good way) new offering. Neither Google nor Amazon Alexa is quite as switched on when it comes to fresh tunes. 3. Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen)Best smart speaker with display  Credit: Amazon Platform: Alexa Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Amazon Echo Show 5 has had an upgrade for 2021, adding even more to love about the brand’s smaller smart display. The 8-inch screen is ideal for video chats (which we’re all very used to now!) or even following a recipe in the kitchen and, while you’re chatting to friends and family, the camera will pan to follow where you go. Unfortunately, the design of the Show 5 remains slightly bulky, with the screen attached to a speaker that also serves as the stand. On the one hand, the size makes for better audio, but you’ll need to dedicate a space on a side table or counter. Once you have, you’ll get to enjoy all of the features of Alexa with the benefits of a tablet. 4. Google Nest MiniBest smart speaker from Google  Credit: Google Platform: Google Assistant Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Replacing Google’s Home Mini speaker, the Nest Mini looks almost identical but sports some improvements to audio quality. For the initiated, Google’s smallest speaker is a little life-saver, fitting into any décor style and space with its white bottom and mesh top (in a variety of bright colours) disappearing into its surroundings until it’s needed. It’s still not for music fanatics, even though the audio quality has been improved, but it’s recommended for smart home beginners who need an easy place to start. It’s incredible value for money and, in our opinion, remains Google’s best smart speaker for the broadest range of people. All of Google’s smarts in a tiny pebble-shaped package! 5. Amazon Echo FlexBest smart speaker for small spaces
 Credit: Amazon Platform: Alexa Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
A great smart speaker alternative for those struggling to find counter space for yet another device, the Amazon Echo Flex is designed to be a hidden hub that allows your household to use Alexa without the speaker element. Despite not taking up the space of an Amazon Echo Dot or Studio, the Flex still has everything Alexa has to offer. Simply plug it into an outlet and you can include the smart assistant in any room of the house. Amazing for putting in the kitchen for on-demand answers to your cooking questions. It’s also great for making announcements to other rooms in the house when family members are out of earshot, providing you have another Echo device at home. Privacy is still possible, too, with a prominent ‘mic off’ button placed on the front of the device, and the USB ports can be used as an extra charger so you’re not even sacrificing plug space. How to choose the best smart speaker Credit: Amazon How much do smart speakers cost?Smart speakers are available from £45, for a Google Nest Mini or Amazon Echo Dot up to around £200. The important point to remember is that price isn't reflective of smartness. A cheap Amazon Dot is just as clever as its more expensive stablemate, and the same applies to Google. What you're paying more for is the quality of the speaker itself. Generally, it's worth investing in a high-performance smart speaker when it’s primarily being used for music listening. For bedside table duties or as a kitchen companion, size and practicality become more important. What can smart speakers do?A smart speaker has multiple functions. For most of us, it's the ability to play music on command from streaming services like Spotify or Tidal, or selected radio stations, that is their biggest attraction. But they can do far more. If you have a lot of smart devices on your home network, an ecosystem as it were, perhaps involving a smart thermostat and lighting, then you can also interact with them, again by voice command. A digital assistant can also be used to relate news, read an audiobook, play games, make size or currency conversions, or – most importantly of all – offer weather reports. You can also even your smart speaker to make voice calls, or as an in-house intercom. If you're feeling blue, they'll tell you a joke too – just don't expect it to be a rib-tickler. They're smart, not funny. Who makes smart speakers?The biggest single maker of smart speakers is Amazon. Its own-brand Echo devices, which use the Alexa platform, come in various sizes and sell in their millions. Google also makes its own smart speakers. Increasingly though, more familiar Hi-Fi brands are releasing smart speakers all their own – names like Sonos, Technics, JBL, LG and Harman Kardon. Remember, if you simply want to stream Spotify from your smartphone to a wireless speaker, you don't need to go smart at all. A regular Bluetooth wireless speaker will do the same job fine. Is Alexa smarter than Siri?OK, now you're getting personal. In truth, there's not a huge difference between any of the digital voice assistants when it comes to smarts. They have a slightly different manner, and can be tripped up by even simple questions, but share basic voice control functionality. We think Siri has an edge over Alexa, but only when it comes to music discovery. Ask Alexa to 'play something you'd like' typically prompts the speaker to play the same old songs. Music discovery isn't her strong point. That said, all smart speaker platforms improve over time, getting sharper and more intuitive in the cloud. The Alexa we listen to today is a good deal smarter than the one we listened to back when the platform first launched. Between you and us, she was a dope… Which is better, Alexa or Google?The best smarter speaker platform is the one that works best for you. Both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant have the ability to front complicated ecosystems of connected products. If your media streamer of choice is an Amazon Fire TV stick, then it makes sense to add an Alexa smart speaker to your network. Like many of the best TVs, they are Android-based, so a Google smart speaker would seem the natural fit. What we don't recommend is mixing the two platforms. Having to wrestle with different wake words ("Hey Google…" versus "Alexa…") gets tiresome pretty quick… What about features like multi-room and Bluetooth?Both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant smart speakers offer Bluetooth connectivity alongside Wi-Fi as standard. In the home, it's often easy to forget just how devices are communicating, as interactions become quite seamless. Streaming from your mobile to a smart speaker is as simple as saying 'Alexa connect my phone" although you'll need to remember to have Bluetooth switched on. Similarly, both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant smart speakers can be used for whole-house audio. Simply need to create a 'Group' of connected smart speakers and then ask your smart assistant to play music to said named group. Is my smart speaker always listening?Yes, your smart speaker is always listening, because it's waiting to react to its 'wake word.' This has led to concerns regarding privacy and security. If you are concerned about Google or Amazon eavesdropping, then the microphone on your smart speaker can be turned off manually. It will then becomes oblivious to your conversations, but you'll need to manually turn the microphone back on for the smart speaker to function. If this aspect of smart speakers gives you cause for concern, then a regular 'non-smart Bluetooth wireless speaker may be a better buy. Additional words by Caroline Preece The post Best smart speaker - get a little help from Google, Alexa and more appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Listed buildings insurance guide Posted: 12 Jan 2022 03:00 AM PST Buying a listed building can mean you live in an interesting piece of history. But owning this kind of building can make finding listed buildings insurance a challenge. A building can be 'listed' when it has special architectural features or is of historical interest and importance. There are around 500,000 listed buildings in England and the idea is that these buildings will be protected for future generations. According to Historic England, the body responsible for designating buildings as listed, all buildings built before 1700 are likely to be listed, as well as most buildings built between 1700 and 1850. There are also some modern homes and properties that are listed because of their special interest. Most people will be aware that they are buying a listed building during the purchase process. If you're not sure, you can double-check via Historic England, CADW in Wales, Historic Environment Scotland, or the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland. Unlike regular home insurance, here's what you need to know about listed buildings insurance. How are listed buildings graded? Image credit: Future plc/David Parmiter All listed buildings are graded according to their importance: In England and Wales, the grades are I, II* and II. In Northern Ireland, the categories are A, B+ and B, which are similar to grades I, II* and II. Only about 2.5% of listed buildings are grade I – these are buildings of the most exceptional interest. About 5.5% of listed buildings are grade II* which means they are deemed particularly important. Most listed private homes will be grade II which means they are of special architectural or historical interest. Scotland's estimated 47,000 listed buildings are split into categories A, B and C. Those in category A are of national or international architectural importance, while category B buildings are either of regional importance or are a major example of a particular period or style. Category C buildings are of local importance, or a lesser example of any period or style. Why do you need specialist insurance for listed buildings?If you own a listed building, you'll have an obligation to keep it as close as possible to its original state. Chris Salmon, operations director of conveyancing specialists Quittance Legal Services, says: 'Owners are not legally obliged to repair their listed property. However local councils are allowed to force owners to repair listed properties according to their statutory listing. It is up to the local council to enforce this, and such enforcement is at the council’s discretion.' This could mean you might need to source rare or expensive building materials and specialist tradespeople for renovations or repairs. This makes insurance more expensive for listed buildings than for standard homes. Phil Cooper, propositions manager for personal lines at NFU Mutual adds: 'Unlike a standard property where rebuilding is relatively straightforward, a listed building is a more complex challenge because you are moving from repair to restoration. This often involves expensive materials and the use of professionals such as architects, surveyors and specialist craftsmen.' What kind of listed buildings insurance do you need?If you buy a listed building, you can buy:
Buildings insurance covers the structure of your home, such as the walls, roof, windows, pipes and fixtures. This type of insurance is there to protect you against sudden, unforeseen incidents. It doesn't cover routine maintenance of a property or any issues that arise due to wear and tear. Contents insurance covers your personal belongings such as furniture, clothes, electronic items, and so on. Aaron Cambden, founder of Fairview Estates, says: 'While there are a number of factors that make a listed building more expensive to insure, some are more important than others. There is so much red tape around listed buildings with anything you do to them which means that you’re likely to run into a few annoyances.’ 'Any repairs that the property might need can be subject to a few rules. Often the repairs need to be in keeping with the style of property. A good example is brick/stonework, if you have very specific stonework that needs to be specially made to suit the building, it may be that your insurer increases the price of your premium slightly to protect their interests.' Many listed buildings have a thatched roof, and this will have implications for your insurance premium. This type of roof can be a fire risk, especially if the property has a fireplace. Thatched roofs are also expensive to repair if damaged by the weather, and generally need replacing every 10 to 15 years. For this you’ve need specialist roof insurance. How do you calculate a property's 'rebuild value'? Image credit: Future plc/Eamon Mcafee When you buy buildings insurance, the insurer will ask the 'rebuild cost' or 'rebuild value' of your home. This is the amount it would cost to totally rebuild your property if it was completely destroyed by a catastrophic event. It's important to input the correct figure. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) says that if your home is made of non-standard materials or has specialist architectural features, its rebuild cost may be higher than its market value. This is the opposite to standard homes where the rebuild price is usually less than the market value. ‘Very simply if you underestimate the rebuild value of your home your insurers may not pay the full cost of repair or rebuilding’ warns Kevin Brown, spokesperson for The Listed Property Owners' Club. ‘If the underinsurance is severe, they may simply cancel the policy and pay nothing on the basis that you have misrepresented the risk to them.' When buying insurance for a listed building, it's a good idea to pay a specialist surveyor with knowledge of historic houses or conservation to calculate the rebuild cost to ensure the figure is correct. How do you buy listed buildings insurance? Image credit: Future plc/Ryan Wicks 1. Shop around for coverSome general insurers don't offer cover for Grade I or Grade II* listed buildings. These account for about 8% of listed buildings and you might have to find a specialist insurer if your home falls into one of these categories. It's easier to find insurance if your home is a Grade II listed building. You should shop around and compare quotes from different insurers. 2. Understand the excessEvery home insurance policy comes with an excess. This is the amount you agree to pay towards any claim you make. The 'compulsory excess' is determined by your insurance company and is the minimum amount required. A 'voluntary excess' is optional and is in addition to the compulsory level. Usually, the higher the voluntary excess, the lower your insurance premium. If you choose to add a voluntary excess, make sure you can afford to pay the total excess should the worst happen. 3. Consider a specialist insurerThe Listed Property Owners' Club recommends that owners of listed buildings look for a specialist insurance policy. There are several reasons for this. 'Firstly, to guarantee that the insurer recognises the property is listed and requires special attention in the event of a claim,’ says Brown. 'Secondly, in the event of a claim that the loss adjusters appointed by the insurers are able to liaise quickly with the Conservation Officer to minimise other damage. ‘ ‘For example, a small hole in the roof of a modern house could create water damage below that may only require some small rectification work by a plasterer. But if the building is listed specifically because of the quality of the internal fibrous plasterwork you need to minimise subsequent damage to avoid significant costs in replicating the plasterwork.' The post Listed buildings insurance guide appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Best vacuum cleaners 2022: for squeaky clean floors Posted: 12 Jan 2022 02:21 AM PST Pick up the best vacuum cleaner for you in 2022 with our reviews of Dyson, Shark, Miele, Beko, and even Henry Hoover. While we have our favourites for pet hair, hard floors, carpets and upholstery, the best vacuum cleaner for you will depend on your home and household. If you’ve got kids and pets to account for, you’ll need a mighty vacuum that can tackle big messes in as little time as possible. That means a model with plenty of power, which usually comes in a corded design. Those in smaller homes or flats will appreciate one of the best cordless vacuum cleaners for covering the whole home on just one charged battery. With a range of attachments for reaching into every corner of your home, cordless vacuums are getting more and more powerful, and some even come with removable batteries to extend their charge time. While you can spend as much as £500 on a seriously premium vacuum cleaner, the best vacuum cleaners in our guide can cost as little as £100. Each and every one of our top 10 picks have been tried and tested by the Ideal Home team to bring you our thoughts on how lightweight, powerful, and easy to use they are. Best vacuum cleaners 20221. Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum CleanerBest vacuum cleaner overall
Cordless? Yes • Immense power Reasons to avoid: • Battery life is good, but not amazing The Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner is one of the best Shark vacuums on the market. It performed consistently across carpet, parquet, hardwood and tiles, and PowerFins lifted huge amount of deep-rooted pet hair from around the dog’s bed leaving a brand-new carpet look. It made the vacuuming process straightforward, requiring only one pass on all floor types, although we found that it ran out of battery on the normal cleaning mode after 31 minutes. Powered LiftAway means you can transform this cordless vacuum by lifting it away from the stick to carry the canister up stairs and out to car interiors. This is great for getting up the stairs, although getting the vacuum assembled once more will take getting used to. The vacuum converts into a handheld which works very well on stairs and upholstery. We really enjoyed the motorized pet tool, which was very effective at picking up pet hair and restoring carpet pile. The LCD display allows you to switch between the carpet brush and hard floor brush with the touch of a button thanks to Shark’s DuoClean, which is a real time-saver for homes with a mix of floor types. Ideal Home's rating: 5 out of 5 stars Read our full Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner review 2. Miele Blizzard CX1Best canister vacuum cleaner
Cordless? No • Outstanding turbo brush performance Reasons to avoid: • It’s pretty pricey for a canister vacuum Miele's first bagless cleaner is available in multiple flavours. These range from a £249 Parquet model designed for hard floors to a £410 Comfort PowerLine with wireless controls on the handle for maximum convenience. We tested the Cat & Dog model, which sits near the top of the range and boasts a turbo brush floor head for whipping up pet (and human) hair, as well as a regular carpet floor head and another for hard floors. It is certainly one of the top pet vacuums on the market. The tube is long but telescopic, making this a good cleaner for tall and short people alike. We loved it for straightforward cleaning power. Its suction is outstanding thanks to a powerful, fast (more than 100km/h) cyclone. The single cyclone design also makes for low noise and controllable power. The cylinder moves smoothly on its castors and perches acceptably on a stair. The handle is comfortable in the hand and the floor head pleasantly manoeuvrable. The hose is extra-long, giving you 10m overall reach from the power socket. Tools (crevice and upholstery nozzles) are stored on board, easy to get to, and the handle has a built-in dusting brush that slides into place when you need it. We were wowed by the cleaning results from the Cat & Dog turbo brush; it left floors spotless. And the canister was easy and fairly dust-free to empty. Cleaning pauses for a few seconds from time to time: frustrating till you realise this is because the machine cleans its own filter. There's also a lifetime HEPA filter to catch the smallest particles. Vacuumed bacteria, allergens and mould spores remaining safely within the filter for the vacuum cleaner's lifetime of the Blizzard CX1. As a result, this vacuum cleaner has British Allergy Foundation approval. Ideal Home's rating: 5 out of 5 stars 3. Vax ONEPWR Blade 4Best vacuum cleaner for most budgets
Cordless? Yes • An amazing value cordless vacuum Reasons to avoid: • Not all tools come included The Vax ONEPWR Blade 4 is a winner when it comes to value. We were impressed by its performance on carpet and hardwood floors alike, and even when it came to picking up pet hair it did a sterling job. The design makes it easy to clean underneath furniture and around corners, and the floorhead rotation means there’s minimal wrist work to pick up dirt and dust. Lightweight and well-balanced, we were impressed by the battery life, which can also be increased by simply buying a backup battery for larger homes. This is also great because it means the lifespan of your vacuum isn’t limited by an in-built battery. Simply dispose of the battery if you think it’s dying faster than you’d like after using it for a year or so, and buy a replacement online. Attachments include a crevice tool and dusting brush, but you can pay extra for the ProKit 2 toolkit, which is useful for smaller tasks such as upholstery and textile. Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 4. Dyson Ball Animal 2Best upright vacuum
Cordless? No • High power and long cord Reasons to avoid: • A hefty option Owners of large homes will love the Dyson Ball Animal 2. It’s got a cable length of over 10 metres and a bagless design for easy emptying. The canister has a push mechanism that makes it easy to eject dirt and dust. In testing we liked how well the Dyson Ball Animal 2 reached even the edges of walls and the corners of a room. It is a bit hefty when compared to a cordless vacuum, but plenty powerful enough to compensate for this. The vacuum comes with a stair tool, combination tool, carbon fibre turbine tool and on-board storage to make it easy to switch between different cleaning modes. Noise wasn’t too bad given the powerful operation and the ball makes it easy to swerve around the room as needed. 5. Beko Powerclean VRT94929VI Cordless Vacuum CleanerBest vacuum cleaner overall
Cordless? Yes • It seriously wowed us in testing with power and attachments Reasons to avoid: • The dustbin is a little small for some homes The Beko Powerclean is easy to use and comes with a range of attachments that will adapt to any home. There are two brushrolls that can be switched out for hard floors and carpets, as well as a crevice tool, mini brush head and dusting attachment. We loved how powerful this vacuum is. It has three speeds, but we found that we never needed to use the maximum strength, even on seriously dusty room and grubby carpets. The battery life is 45 minutes, which held true in testing but does get shorter depending on the strength you choose. The Beko Powerclean is intuitive to use, with a trigger control that sits right under your thumb for easy starts and finishes. Your vacuum path is illuminated by LED lights, and the vacuum even hinges with an elbow attachment that folds down to reach underneath sofas and beds with less bending work for you. This is like Shark’s Flexology function, which we’re big fans of. The price is incredibly reasonable for this Dyson-rival, and we also liked the stand that came included, which made storage straightforward thanks to the on-board tool storage. Our one gripe? That 0.8 litre dustbin fills up fast. Ideal Home's rating: 5 out of 5 stars Read our full Beko Powerclean VRT94929VI Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review 6. Dyson Big Ball Animal 2Best vacuum cleaner for pet hair
Cordless? No • Capable on pet hair and hardwood, with hassle-free operation Reasons to avoid: • If your home is pet-free you may get away with something less hefty Dyson’s clever take on the canister vacuum is a crowd-pleaser. Its party trick is that it sits atop a large ball, for manoeuvrability. It's bagless and the design is colourful. Although the design is visually complex, the ball steers simply. Its cleaning prowess was impressive. You can hear the power as you navigate hardwood and carpet. But some of Dyson's vacuum cleaner design touches impressed. Simple things make all the difference. For example, once you've got the hang of it, the wand and hose pop out of the handle easily and are ready to go. Pneumatic suction automatically swaps over from the floor to the hose. The hose is stretchy, and tools easily attach to switch as you go. Emptying was easy: press the red button at the top of the dirt canister to pop it off the cleaner body, then hold it over a bin and press it firmly to open the bottom. This is good because the button is at the top of the tall canister, so you can lower it well into a wheelie bin: you're further away from the dust. Ideal Home's rating: 5 out of 5 stars 7. Dyson V11 OutsizeBest vacuum cleaner for functionality
Cordless? Yes • Easy emptying mechanism Reasons to avoid: • It’s an expensive option The Dyson V11 Outsize wowed us in testing, and it was only that steep price point that held it back from a five star rating. The packaging was entirely plastic-free, which was a big thumbs-up for our appliances editor, and it arrived with 20% battery already loaded up. Perfect for having a quick spin before setting it up to charge. The run time is up to 60 minutes, which is pretty impressive for a cordless vacuum. There are three modes to choose from: Eco, Auto, and Boost, and each one results in a different noise level and suction, although all three settings held up very well in testing. The soft roller head did a wonderful job on hardwood floors, and it comes included in the Dyson V11 Outsize. The vacuum also comes with a charging dock, and will take 4.5 hours from empty to fully charge. Ideal Home's rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 8. Numatic Henry PET200Best budget vacuum cleaner
Cordless? No • Generous 9-litre capacity Reasons to avoid: • Pet hair turbo brush could be larger Henry and its (his?) siblings have a reputation for being workhorses: the cleaner's cleaner of choice, designed and made here in the UK. We put the Harry vacuum cleaner (sometimes known as the Henry Pet) through its paces. Harry boasts a large 9-litre capacity, the same as the Henry HVR200, and it has similar features. It's a bagged cylinder vacuum cleaner with a 10m cable, giving it an overall reach of 13m from the power socket. Its floor head is straightforward, with a lever that you press to go from hard floor to carpet, or vice versa. Build is simple, solid and bombproof: the cord winds up manually, the top clips on solidly, the wand is in two pieces but not telescopic. This vacuum cleaner feels semi-industrial. There is very little to go wrong. Harry also has extra features designed for pet owners. The HairoBrush is a small turbo brush designed to whip up pet hair. And the cleaner's large fabric filter has a built-in MicroFresh activated charcoal layer designed to tackle pet odours. Air is pulled through the HepaFlo bag, which captures even fine particles of dust, then cleaned with the activated charcoal filter for good measure. Harry comes with three other tools: crevice tool, soft dusting brush and upholstery nozzle with slide-on brush. If you clip them together, you can just about carry them all on board thanks to two slots on the back, next to the wheels. But the only way to store the HairoBrush when you're on the move is in the slot where you'd naturally dock the floorhead and wand. A second slot would have been good, so you could stow them at the same time. Also, the Harry vacuum cleaner is too big to sit on a stair. Cleaning power is impressive, however. The floor head was simple but very effective, and Harry the vacuum moved fairly well behind us. Our only criticism with this vacuum cleaner is that, as pet-owners, we'd have preferred a full-sized turbo brush. The HairoBrush is very effective at picking up hair but it seems too small to use as a floor head. Ideal Home's rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 9. SEBO Automatic X7Best upright vacuum cleaner for a professional clean
Cordless? No • Superb cleaning performance on floors Reasons to avoid: • Lacks manoeuvrability The automatic in the name of this upright vacuum cleaner comes from the built-in computer that measures brush action and automatically adjusts the cleaning head height. Move from hard floor to rug and back again and the bottom of the X7 moves up and down for improved performance. We tested the Pet ePower model, which features a smaller stair and upholstery turbo brush for pet hair and an activated charcoal filter to remove odours. It's a bagged vacuum cleaner with S-class filtration, which filters out tiny particles from the air it puts out, much like a HEPA filter. A button on the handle powers it up, but to tilt the handle back and start moving, you need to press the red brake with your foot. A light on the front of the floor head illuminates cleaning. The machine tilts back completely flat to go under furniture. If you click the body up into resting position, to pause or to reach for the wand, the SEBO's brush automatically lifts to protect the flooring. Annoyingly the brush keeps spinning and floor suction continues, which feels like a waste of energy. But we loved that the wand was ready to use immediately, with no fiddling around. Crevice tool and upholstery tool are on board, ready to use too. But there's no storage for the smaller powered turbo brush, dusting brush or the extra-long extension hose for stair cleaning. The extension hose daisy chains onto the built-in hose for a reach of more than 4m. It could stretch further but there's a risk of the cleaner toppling over. The power cable is 10m. Emptying this vacuum cleaner is easy thanks to the bags. And a clever cover on the side of the floorhead pops off so you can slide out the brush roller for easy cleaning. Handling is unusual: the SEBO vacuum cleaner feels solid and weighty in the hand. It wants to clean floors. A lot. It feels like a professional cleaner you'd get in a hotel. But it lacks the nippy manoeuvrability of more modern designs. Build quality is impressive though. The SEBO vacuum cleaner feels as though it could last decades. Ideal Home's rating: 4 out of 5 stars 10. iRobot Roomba 980Best robot vacuum
Cordless? Yes • The joy of a robot vacuum, with plenty of smart features Reasons to avoid: • Docking system can only be plugged in on one side Our top robot vacuum pick is the iRobot ROOMBA980. It’s immensely capable of picking up dirt and dust that you didn’t even know was lingering in your home, and it does all that (and more) with the press of a button. You can pair this vacuum with your smartphone and let it go, or monitor its progress as it maps its way around your home. The battery life is 120 minutes, and you can schedule cleaning for when you’re out of the house so you always have a sleek space to return to. How to buy the best vacuum cleanersOur video below will help you make sense of the options available. Alternatively, read through the buying advice after it to find out everything you need to know about which type of vacuum cleaner you want, how much you need to budget and what features to look out for. How much should I spend on a vacuum cleaner?Budget around £150 for a vacuum cleaner with decent cleaning power. But you can spend twice that or more that on premium models. More money can buy you more powerful cleaning and better tools for stuff like pet hair. Which type of vacuum cleaner is right for me?Upright vacuum cleaners are very ergonomic to push around, so they're ideal for cleaning large floor areas in open-plan kitchens. Their powerful, rotating brushbars are great for picking up hair from pets and humans in thick living room carpets. But they are tall and bulky to store and not so good for cleaning stairs. Cylinder vacuum cleaners are usually smaller and lighter, so they pack away better. The power cable is stored away neatly inside and hopefully there's onboard storage for tools. But they might not have a motorised brush head and capacity may be smaller.
What features should I look for in the best vacuum cleaner? Image credit: Vax 1. Vacuum cleaner filters – what do I look for?When buying a vacuum cleaner look for HEPA or S-class filters if you have allergies, as these are designed to retain tiny particles like pollen and dust mite faeces. Sealed HEPA filters are most effective as all air goes through the filter, while washable filters will save you money on replacements. 2. Bagged versus bagless vacuum cleaners – which is better?Vacuum cleaner bags cost money but a well-designed bag keeps dust contained. Bagless saves money on consumables, but emptying the dust container can be a pain and not good if the person who does the vacuuming has dust allergies. Cyclonic bagless designs promise suction that's consistent even when the container is nearly full, because the dirt is flung to the sides while the air passes through the middle. 3. Are there special vacuum cleaners for pet hair?Most vacuum cleaners have motorised turbo brushes that pick up pet hair effectively. Special pet models are optimised for this and often also have a mini turbo brush for cleaning furniture and the car. 4. How important is vacuum cleaner hose and cable length?A long vacuum cleaner hose is important if you have stairs. The length of the two together dictates reach: a long reach means you rarely need to unplug and move to a new socket. 5. What vacuum cleaner tools do I need?A vacuum cleaner crevice tool and a brush for upholstery/dusting are handy as a bare minimum but our pet peeve is vacuum cleaners that don't incorporate tool storage. The tools need to be on hand or they're of no use. 6. Can you explain a vacuum cleaner’s EU label?The European Union has set a limit on vacuum cleaner power, so new models are more eco-friendly than ever. The compulsory label will give you ratings not just for energy efficiency but also cleaning performance on hard floors and carpets, how much dust is emitted and noise levels. The post Best vacuum cleaners 2022: for squeaky clean floors appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Kitchen wall ideas – 22 ways to style up your space Posted: 12 Jan 2022 12:00 AM PST Adding decor to your kitchen can sometimes seem a bit overwhelming, as it’s such an important space in your home. So when looking for kitchen wall ideas, it’s easy to get a bit lost. Luckily, we’ve got plenty of ideas to inspire you, so that your kitchen can have just as much personality as the rest of your home. From paint, to wallpaper, lighting to artwork, there are plenty of ways to fill the wall space in your kitchen, it’s just about having the confidence to go for it! And your kitchen wall decor ideas don’t have to become huge projects or costly endeavours, some of our ideas are super simple and can be created in just an afternoon with the smallest of budgets! Kitchen wall ideasAs the heart of most homes, kitchen walls should be just as prominent in our thoughts when it comes to decoration as that of the living room and bedroom walls. Yet our kitchens are often the room we consider least when it comes to wall decorations. It’s perhaps thanks to the dominance of kitchen cabinets and tiled splashbacks that many are afraid to add decor to kitchen walls – but we say fear not, it’s all about finding the right balance. Our eclectic kitchen ideas are sure to brighten up your blank walls and help add a touch of personality. 1. Embrace bare brick Image credit: Future Plc/Veronica Rodriguez An exposed brick wall makes for cool decor in it’s own right! Perfect for period and contemporary homes alike, either strip it back to the originals, or if the bricks aren’t in good shape, or you want to make a feature of an internal wall, opt for brick slips. Brick slips are thin slices of brick that can be added retrospectively to walls, to create the look of a bare brick wall. To stop your brick wall looking too cold and bare, bring some life to it by hanging and displaying an array of houseplants along it, in a variety of colourful pots. 2. Make a display of boards Image credit: Future Plc/Simon Whitmore Got an impressive collection of wooden chopping boards? Then make a display of them to create stand-out kitchen wall decor, plus free up cupboard or surface space. Use screws fitted into wall plugs for your heavier boards, but for lighter, smaller ones, you could just use some transparent plastic hooks, or some brass nails that easily tap into the wall. Play around with the orientation of the boards, so some are hung upside down, to create a stylish and whimsical display. 3. Fill your wall with open shelving Image credit: Future Plc/Colin Poole If you have lots of glaswware, crockery and cookbooks, make a display of them by opting for open shelving that covers an entire wall of your kitchen. Not only will this mean everything you need is easily to hand, but it will also create an impressive display on your wall, and one that can easily be changed to suit your style. Worktop to ceiling shelving can easily be built by a carpenter, or even yourself if you’re a dab hand at DIY. Add even more colour and personality to your kitchen wall, think about painting the shelves in bright colours to match your flooring or tiles, or even pop some wallpaper at the back of each shelf too. 4. Light up your wall with neons Image credit: Future Plc/Colin Poole Forgo traditional wall lights in your kitchen and opt for something that sparks a bit more personality and fun, like a neon light. Letters, words, slogans or even a line from your favourite song look super cool lit up in neon. Think about choosing your lights in a colour that will really pop against the wall behind it and don’t be afraid to go BIG! 5. Super-size your shopping list Image credit: Future Plc/Joanna Henderson Make a giant shopping list or meal planner to display on your kitchen wall, by hanging a roll of brown kraft paper. Use a length of dowl or a wooden baton to support the roll of paper and hang on the wall with leather drawer pulls. Position the roll of paper so that it can be unrolled and written on, and use bulldog clips to weigh it down. Buy now: Östernäs leather handles, £12 for 2, IKEA 6. Add wooden panelling to create a feature Image credit: Future Plc Another kitchen wall decor idea is to add wooden panelling that can be painted in a shade to match your cabinets. Tongue and groove planks are easy to attach either individually or in ready-made panels. Once attached to the wall and painted, add a peg rail and shelf to create space to display crockery and accessories, giving your kitchen wall a striking new look. 7. Celebrate the written word on walls Image credit: Future Plc/Rachael Smith The main star of this sophisticated grey kitchen is the paragraph art work. You can never go wrong when quoting Winnie the Pooh and friends – it’s a classic for feel-good and motivational messages. An understated piece of text is a great way to add a touch of personality to the walls in kitchens and dining rooms. It’s an ideal conversational piece that works well in the small kitchen above. 8. Look to a chalkboard to offer flexibility Image credit: Future Plc/Tom Meadows Painting a section of wall with chalkboard paint allows you to create a feature wall, but one that is interchangeable. Use a chalkboard pen to create a menu-inspired artwork one day then fill the space with a motivational quote the next. The natural feel of a chalkboard allows the freedom to change how you create a feature wall to decorate your kitchen. It’s a simple way to bring character to a pared-back kitchen scheme. 9. Frame your favourite wallpaper Image credit: Malcolm Menzies/ Pluck Kitchens This stunning kitchen lighting idea is an artwork in itself and creates a focal point in the kitchen. If you’re unsure how to wallpaper a feature wall but love a wallpaper design, try framing small sections instead. Framed samples of vintage wallpaper makes for interesting alternative artwork that can tie in colour choices that feature throughout the rest of the kitchen. Plus it’s a cost-effective way of making artwork work harder. 10. Welcome a sign Image credit: Future Plc/David Giles A sign toasting to wine is welcome in any kitchen. Turn your bare kitchen walls into a tribute to a wine bar with the help pf a reclaimed or vintage-style sign, as has been done in this Scandi kitchen. A fabulous idea, as building a home bar becomes one of the most popular DIY jobs in recent years. 11. Captivate with a large wall clock Image credit: Future Plc Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak, a large wall clock helps to keep track of time while adding decoration to walls. In an open-plan kitchen that’s frequented by all the family, a clock becomes invaluable, because they say time flies when you’re having fun! This functional but attractive solution helps to ensure time doesn’t get away from you. Buy now: Brass Skeleton 80cm Wall Clock, £40, Dunelm 12. Serve up a large-scale wall mural Image credit: Future Plc/Dominic Blackmore Make a statement by going large with your chosen design. A 3D Trompe L’oeil design will go a long way to add humour and a talking point to a family kitchen-diner. Great for a smaller section of wall, a neutral background fills the rest and really lets the images pop, bringing them to life. Stylist tip: Think of your eye line. Position the mural so it sits just above the level of the table, so none of the detail is lost. Buy now: Dandy Spoons Wallpaper Mural, from £40, Surface View 13. Inject personality with photos Image credit: Future Plc/Lizzie Orme Adding a personal touch, such as family photos, is also a welcome way to make any room feel comforting. This kitchen wall in bold blue provides the perfect backdrop for displaying a simple string of printed pictures. The people and places that hold fond memories of fun times and travel offer an ideal conversation starter. To add further decoration and colour, the same wall is decorated with colourful cookbooks, retro soup cans upcycled into plant pots, slogan artwork and curios from beach-combing. This is a great DIY kitchen idea that doesn’t cost the earth and offers a montage of memories. 14. Mount plates to display Image credit: Future Plc/Mark Bolton Plates mounted to the wall can be cool. The roundness of these beautiful plates complements the bulbous kitchen island lighting idea, while the pattern breaks up the plainer elements of the kitchen. These artisan woven plates help add a beautiful element of texture to the wall, with texture playing a key role in emerging home decor trends. You can buy smart adhesive discs to secure to the back of any decorative plate, allowing you to hang it with a concealed hanging. Buy now: 4″ Disc Adhesive Plate Hanger, £2.94, Amazon 15. Stick to a theme Image credit: Future Plc/Polly Eltes From the wall decor to the china, create real impact by choosing a theme – such as a coastal one. This popular maritime theme is popular for kitchens, given the seafood element that ties in seamlessly in a room where you prepare and serve food. 16. Add accent colour with statement wall art Image credit: Future Plc/Mark Bolton A single piece of statement artwork can help to add bold accent colours to the space. If your kitchen colour scheme is that of on-trend dark grey or navy, you might be looking to lift the colour palette with hits of bright colour. One statement artwork is enough to do that in abundance. As this fine example shows, the expressive wall art jumps off the wall to add an element of decorative flair. 17. Embrace a gallery wall element Image credit: Futuer Plc/Davide Lovatti To give the kitchen unprecedented style credentials a gallery picture wall is the ultimate in wall decor. This can be easily achieved on a budget thanks to the handy IKEA picture ledges. Simply mount one or two together to create a unique display space for all manner of prints and decorative items. The beauty of using a picture ledge means you can mix things up and rearrange the displays whenever the mood takes you. As opposed to making holes in the wall to hang each frame independently. Buy now: Mosslanda Picture Ledge, £5, IKEA 18. Make peace with coordinating colours throughout Image credit: Future Plc/Rachael Smith Even a busy kitchen can still sport decoration on the walls. The key is to coordinate colours to prevent the scheme from feeling overwhelming. A fine example is this cheery wooden peace sign which uses mixed materials to effortlessly tie in the colours that run throughout the kitchen. From the rusted tone of the exposed brick and leafy greens of the plants to the striking blue on the walls. The artwork adds interest to the wall but offers an element of camouflage due to its coordinated colours. 19. Mix things up Image credit: Future Plc/Polly Eltes If your kitchen has the wall space to allow it, why not mix things up? Use every wall to add a touch of embellishment with a mix of every element. A style tip is to keep the walls in a neutral shade to stop the space feeling too busy and cluttered. But also to give more prominence to the decorations you wish to showcase. In this Shaker kitchen the blue low units and a busy patterned floor help to anchor the room, making sure that the wall decor doesn’t steal the limelight. 20. Dominate one wall with design prints Image credit: Future Plc/Darren Chung As you’d find in an art gallery, use one plain wall – preferably neutral in colour – to align matching framed prints. Artwork in a kitchen space can welcome a point of interest. Using decorative artwork can help to add uncommitted accent colours that can be changed as and when the mood takes you. Art is a great way to coordinate a colour scheme through kitchen accessories, such as tableware or appliances. 21. Set the scene Image credit: Future Plc/David Brittain One way to really use a wall for decorative purposes is with a mural or large-scale sticker depicting a scene. Painting wall murals has become increasingly popular in recent years, with homeowners getting creative with masking tape to do the job. Even using leftover paint can help to make this a budget-friendly option for wall decoration. However if you want the look without the effort or commitment of painting a mural, there are many brilliant sticker solutions to do the job – with no mess or fuss. The best places to try for wall sticks are Wayfair and Etsy, both have an extensive range to suit all tastes. 22. Add cheer with simple artwork Image credit: Future Plc/Jon Day There’s no saying the artwork has to be ornately framed to hold a presence. Here, a simple poster adds a nostalgic touch to a corner of the kitchen. The zesty lime print helps pack a punch when it comes to adding accent colours. It ties in with the coloured kitchen accessories too, which helps to lift the brilliant white kitchen. This unusual kitchen splashback idea is also like a work of art in itself – decorative yet practical. What is wall decoration?Quite simple it’s anything hung from a wall that adds a decorative element. Whether it be a piece of captivating artwork, a metal sculpture-style piece, or even a length of fabric like a wall-mounted rug – anything goes. If you can safely and securely attach it onto walls, it can welcome a decorative touch. Wall decoration can help to add colour where necessary, it can add a colour inject for an all-white colour scheme or act as an accent colour in a bolder navy kitchen for instance. Wall decoration can help to add texture too, to break up the blank canvas of a bare wall. What should I put on my kitchen wall?That all depends on the style and scale of the kitchen in question. As we’ve shown from our ideas above, if you can wall-mount it then it’s fair game to consider as kitchen wall decoration. But there are lots of ways to decorate your kitchen walls, from panelling, to tiling, painting or artwork. It’s all about getting creative and turning your vision into reality. With kitchens often being the hub of the home, it’s a space you can have fun with and show some personality in too. So what are you waiting for, time to get decorating!
Additional words: Holly Walsh The post Kitchen wall ideas – 22 ways to style up your space appeared first on Ideal Home. |
| Primark is selling a £6 dupe for the H&M doughnut vase Posted: 11 Jan 2022 11:00 PM PST Dupe alert! Primark will soon be selling this stylish circular vase. And it looks very similar to the Instagram-famous ones from H&M Home. The Primark doughnut vase however, is just £6 – that’s half the price of H&M’s version. The discount store’s circular vase is ideal if you’re decorating on a budget and looking for those all-important finishing touches. Primark doughnut vase Image credit: Primark We’re always on the lookout for a bargain for our homes, whether it be at a car boot sale or in Primark’s homeware section. The Primark doughnut vase will be available from early February, so keep an eye out for it in-store. It’s obviously more cool-toned than the one we’ve all seen on Insta (pictured below). But with its blue speckles, it could work well among grey, white or blue room ideas. It would be great for displaying some fresh eucalyptus, dried flowers, or pampas grass, available at Amazon. Equally, we think it would look lovely in a bathroom with its soft curves.  Image credit: H&M Home Alternatively, you could simply display it among books, trinkets and other living room shelving ideas. The H&M Home vase is 20cm wide and 21cm tall, and the opening is 3.5cm. Meanwhile, the Primark version is slightly larger at 22 x 23cm, with a depth of 7cm. If you want to make more of a statement, you could always get a larger version from H&M for £24.99.  Ceramic vase, £12.99, H&M Home  Image credit: H&M Home The H&M Home vase is immensely popular – a quick search of #hmvase on Instagram will bring up thousands of images of it styled in interiors lovers’ homes. It’s also available in pink if you’re less into neutrals. The Primark doughnut vase and a fresh flower subscription would make a fabulous gift for friends or yourself. Because we firmly believe you can never have too many vases. Which would you go for? The post Primark is selling a £6 dupe for the H&M doughnut vase appeared first on Ideal Home. |
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