We live in an era plagued by excessive choice. Once decision fatigue sets in, shopping for household necessities can become an energy-zapping chore.
Is it best to invest a tenner or £100 on a workhorse kitchen knife that will last? And what is the right amount to spend on a replacement for a kaput television, when similar-looking sets with equally incomprehensible model numbers can cost anywhere between £600 and £6,000?
Given purse strings have been tighter than ever in recent years, many of us are less inclined to splurge on impulse buys without seeking some assurance first: perhaps consulting well-researched friends, family or colleagues, or flicking through customer reviews online, while wondering if they’re fake or incentivised in any way. Scouring consumer guides such as Which? is another tried and tested avenue before committing cash.
Property newsletter
Inside Britain’s most exclusive homes, plus what’s really going on in the property market.
Sign up with one click
Which? tests more than 3,500 products across 140 categories annually, awarding about 650 with a coveted Best Buy or Eco Buy accolade. Last year, Which? added a new category to its list of award winners: Just Buy This. It boils down the experts’ options into a single choice that ticks the most important boxes. Lisa Barber, tech editor at Which?, describes them as “shortcuts to the good stuff”, with “tonnes” of research behind each pick.
Barber adds: “Finding a reliable, high-quality product that won’t break the bank can feel impossible. That’s why we created Just Buy This. From a new television to a kitchen knife, a toothbrush, or even gardening gloves, these are the recommendations that our experts trust. Whether you’re ready to buy right now or just looking for ideas, this guide is for you.”
The next batch of Just Buy This recommendations across home, garden and tech products were announced today. There’s one catch: you can only see these recommendations if you are a Which? subscriber. However, The Times has been granted an exclusive sneak peek of 11 products from the full list of 20. Hopefully these will make your shopping decisions easier this spring and summer.
Essentials
1. Viners Assure chef’s knife, £3.84
The Rayware Group
This blade was the second-best kitchen knife tested by Which?, being pipped to the top spot by a knife costing £109. It has a grippy handle and a lightweight stainless steel 20cm blade, which “stayed razor-sharp and managed to chop garlic and slice squash with ease, despite its snub nose,” according to Jackie Gallego, Which?’s home editor. Rating: 94/100
cooksmill.co.uk
2. Amazon Basics AA rechargeable batteries, £5.25 for a pack of four
“These Amazon batteries have proper staying power,” Gallego says. “While they won’t last as long as some rivals on a single charge, they do maintain their capacity, even after hundreds of cycles. They also don’t leak energy excessively when not in use. This makes them a brilliant blend of performance and value — and they’re ideal for high-drain items such as a games console controller.” 77/100
amazon.co.uk
3. Ordo Sonic+ electric toothbrush, £39.99
Why spend three figures on an electric toothbrush when Ordo’s sleek Sonic+ does the job just as well for a snip of the price. This is the cheapest Best Buy toothbrush tested but also one of the best. The battery life is impressive too, with testers finding it lasts as long as 12 weeks between charges, assuming two minutes of brushing twice-daily. 77/100
johnlewis.com
Garden
4. Darlac Compact pruner, £15 (reduced from £20)
“A big green thumbs-up for the Darlac Compact pruner,” says Ceri Thomas, Which?’s gardening editor. She describes these pocket-sized lightweight secateurs as “rapier-like”. Their Japanese high-carbon steel blades make light work of deadheading and are strong enough to withstand all but the toughest pruning jobs. 94/100
ocado.com
5. Draper plastic 9l watering can, £15.95
Lugging around a poorly designed watering can be a real pain. Draper’s affordable 9L version (there is also a 5L version for £11.95) has a streamlined shape and two easy-to-grip handles that don’t get in the way of the tap when you’re filling it up. 94/100
mytoolshed.co.uk
6. Cadac Safari Chef 30 HP barbecue, £140
Neither bulky nor prohibitively expensive, Cadac’s Safari Chef is a reliable go-to when cooking for a crowd outdoors. Expect a quick heat-up and even cooking results from this South African-branded barbecue, Which?’s “best portable gas barbecue”. 81/100
argos.co.uk
7. Showa 370 Floreo gardening gloves, £6.99
Forget fancy leather versions — these durable, grippy gloves are the pair the Which? gardening gurus reach for daily. Ceri Thomas praises the way they keep your hands dry and protected, while washing well without going stiff as a board. And of course at this price, “it’s OK when you lose one in the compost heap”. 67/100
aylettnurseries.co.uk
Technology
8. TP-Link Deco X50-PoE Mesh wifi booster system, £229.99
“Mesh systems offer superior range to wifi extenders — and because they’re effectively extra routers, they typically offer faster network speeds too,” Lisa Barber says. While more expensive than a typical wifi extender, this TP-Link model’s speed and range is ideal for covering a whole home. 85/100
amazon.co.uk
9. Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air portable projector, £429
Use this portable projector for alfresco World Cup screenings this summer: it doesn’t need plugging into the mains and will last for two and a half hours on a full charge. The Which? testing squad rates its picture and sound quality, plus its automatic adjusting and focusing function. 77/100
richersounds.com
10. Soundcore Liberty 5 noise-cancelling earbuds, £73.99
Released 12 months ago, Soundcore’s wireless in-ear headphones (available in black, white, apricot or blue) are a solid purchase at a relatively modest price. They are easy to connect and comfortable during exercise, with excellent noise cancelling. A full charge will give more than seven hours of battery life. 73/100
amazon.co.uk
11. Samsung QE50QN80F Neo TV, £599
Enjoy a richly detailed picture from this 50-inch “cracker of a TV”, which costs far less than most high-end OLEDs. Its sharp-sounding audio quality is stamped with five stars: “impressive for a TV at the lower end of the size range,” Barber adds. 71/100
petertyson.co.uk
Visit which.co.uk/justbuythis for dozens more expert recommendations and to access an exclusive offer for Times readers — until May 15, save £60 on a digital annual Which? subscription: £29 for the first year.
Comments are closed.