Homes and Gardens

Having previously reviewed a Window Vac and lots of Vacuum cleaners, this was left to last of the three products I requested to review at the recent Karcher open day. The reason is it’s a new tool to me and is definitely not for a child to use.

Most Karcher cleaning items use water – at least in part – to facilitate cleaning. Not this one as it is their entry into the vacuum market. Like a number of recent releases it uses the wand principle with the motor at the top of the wand.

Four years ago I saw Kärcher’s earliest entry into the Window Cleaning market the WV 50. So here is the 2017 version unusually with a lower number than the original at WV 5. This is the top of the range of the three currently available units.

The Karcher VC5 Premium is a compact, versatile and powerful mains powered upright vacuum cleaner which has been designed with the modern home in mind where storage space is at a premium.

I get the occasional chance to test items from LIDL and as in the case here they sometimes arrive in time to tell you about them before they go on sale in their stores. Here a hand blender that not only is the basic thing but comes with extra attachments for other tasks.

Y-Cam has been producing home security cameras for a while. There latest offering is what I am scrutinising here. It is the EVO, possibly the easiest camera I have even setup. This unit is intended to be used indoors only and it is powered by USB.

It is rare for me to start with the price; £20 for a food mixer on a stand is I think unique, so I asked to review one. You could probably get a basic hand held offering for this price but certainly not one with a set of beaters a set of dough hooks as well as a large stainless steel bowl and stand.

Having last week told you about a mattress cleaner from Hoover; here I get to dust off my ironing board to test out one of their latest group of irons. Certainly this is a far different product from a standard iron that resides in the back of one of my cupboards.

Yes you read it correctly, Hoover have brought out a cleaner specifically for cleaning of mattresses. While those of us that have mattresses that can be turned I am sure few of us – and certainly not me – have previously taken a Hoover to a mattress.

I must admit that I passed through my DIY phase several years ago as other matters became more prominent in my life. Maybe, however, this period of getting my hands dirty might have been extended if I had access to a kit such as the subject of this next review.

While some other companies may have a wider choice of models from more companies AO have a big plus in that they offer next day delivery by their own vans, you are rung on the day and yes they deliver when they say they will. Another plus their prices are very keen.

At this time of year a lot of people just forget their gardens, nothing much grows even the weeds call a truce. So here something for those who cannot leave well alone a garden blower to move those leaves around and regiment them in neat piles.

Coffee Machines have always been popular with Gadgetspeak readers and none more so than those produced by Nescafe Krups. However it’s been quite a few years since I could get my hands on one and they certainly have changed a lot.

The more people you ask the same question, the more varied the answers are likely to be as can be seen with this report.

This machine uses pod coffee from Lavazza and they do a huge range so you should find at least one you like, it also has a fool proof milk frother jug as part of the unit now there is no longer an excuse not to have a perfect Cappuccino at home.

The Ambiano Premium Stand Mixer, ref. 68007, will go on sale in Aldi stores nationwide and online as one of the company’s “specials” on 20th October. It is a solidly build traditional food mixer which comes with extra accessories to increase its versatility.

Making a change from the usual diet of Bluetooth speakers, this next product relies totally on an audio lead connection.

A simple thing that I am sure we all have at least one of, this however is something different as it is a lot taller than most, it is very solidly constructed and I see that it comes with a ten year guarantee and it still costs only £10.

Salter does not just makes scales, it also produces a gift set that includes a set of scales.

The Salter Precision Bowl scales model 1083 BKSSDR provide a most useful tool to enable a cook to measure ingredients both easily and accurately.

Not in itself a new item but apart from the normal screw fitting style available for this sort of Wi-Fi bulb this unit also comes with bayonet fittings far more often found in UK home and because these bulbs are thicker after the thread they often will not fit into wall fittings.

This is possibly the simplest way to clean your carpets, the technology means they dry a lot quicker, the one problem you are left with is where you put all the furniture while this product does what it does for you and your carpets.

A gift that anyone wanting to get into baking will appreciate, a flat surface 5kilo kitchen scale, an instant read thermometer and a timer. Best of all they all match so even the kitchen that has them in will look smart before cooking starts.

While it is a pod coffee machine the Bosch Tassimo Joy can dispense other hot drinks and unlike most coffee machines it accepts coffee from a range of manufacturers and so if you have a favourite coffee shop brand and they do a Tassimo pod then you can have your fix at home.

The Salter Kitchen Gift Set contains the digital tools -- scales, timer and thermometer -- needed to assist a cook to obtain consistent results

The Wilko milk pan will be appreciated by those who like hot milk on their breakfast cereal or a hot milky drink at bedtime.

Five a day is the mantra for ‘fruit and veg’ but then all the things you like do not count so not your potatoes even when they are steamed. However if you make your items up into a smoothie or drink they do count and this makes it easy.

It is time to give my home a good cleaning while checking out a Hoover vacuum cleaner.

How many entities share your bed? The answer might surprise you. Did you know that an average mattress can be home to 10 million dust mites? The reason why dust mites choose this type of habitat is that they thrive in the warm, moist environment engendered by such a location.

A few weeks ago I had a gas problem, when I realised it was going to take a while to fix I started to look around for other ways to keep warm in the mornings, at this time of year the afternoons are not a problem and nor are the evenings.