myOurReview

KitchenAid KF4: two-minute review The KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF4 is a new addition to the company’s lineup, and though it looks very similar to earlier models like the KF3 and KF6, it’s considerably smaller and a great choice for compact kitchens. It also offers particularly good noise shielding, and during my tests it proved quieter than its siblings when grinding and brewing. It has the same Intelligrind system as KitchenAid’s larger machines, making it easy to achieve the correct dosage for your chosen coffee. With just a few manual tweaks of the grinder (which can be adjusted via a dial), you’ll soon be enjoying consistently delicious, well-extracted espresso. The KF4’s automatic milk system lets you use that espresso in delicious lattes and cappuccinos, and while it’s optimized for dairy, it worked perfectly well with barista-style oat milk as well, producing foam that w...

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. (Image credit: Future) 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 Chi...

Philips Café Aromis 8000 Series: two-minute review The Philips Café Aromis 8000 Series is a premium automatic coffee maker that works brilliantly by itself, and even better when paired with the Philips HomeID mobile app. The Café Aromis offers a huge menu of over 50 different hot and cold drinks, and encourages you to tinker with brew settings to achieve the flavor you prefer with your chosen beans. You can do this via the large, bright touchscreen, or better yet, through the mobile app, which guides you through your options with an interface styled like an AI chatbot, and saves your preferences to your profile for quick access later. You can even start brewing remotely through the app. Once you’ve got the brew settings nailed down (including tweaking the grind size using a dial inside the bean hopper), you’ll enjoy consistently delicious hot and cold drinks, with thick and creamy hot or cold mil...

The Fitbit Charge 5 is a powerful fitness tracker that picks and mixes the best features from all of Fitbit’s other devices. It has the on-board GPS of the Fitbit Versa 3 , the slim design and bright AMOLED screen of the Fitbit Luxe , and the stress-measuring app of the Fitbit Sense . It's a huge upgrade from the Charge 4, and if you're starting to get serious about your workouts (whether that's running, gym work, or a combination), it's an excellent option. Its heart rate monitoring is particularly impressive, making it a good choice for anyone with an interest in HIIT or spinning. When you're not working out, you'll benefit from smartphone notifications that can be read, opened on your phone, or dismissed with a quick tap, plus convenient call alerts so nothing important ends up going to voicemail. There are contactless payments through Fitbit Pay, and you'll receive regular reminders to get up and stretch, and reflect on the previous day's achieve...

One-minute review The Lumie Bodyclock Active 250 is a wake-up light and alarm clock that aims to rouse you gently with a simulated sunrise that increases in brightness over a period of time, with pre-programmed nature sounds to ease you into wakefulness. How well it works will depend on how heavily you sleep. Heavy sleepers will be able to snooze through the earliest stages of the sunrise and be woken gently as the brightness increases, but the illumination increases in steps rather than gently fading up, so those who sleep more lightly may find themselves startled awake by it. Similarly, the sounds (including a running river and birdsong) are very short, and loop after just a few seconds, which can become irritating rather than relaxing.  We found the 'sunset' feature more useful, dimming the light over a period of time so you're not tempted to stay awake playing on your phone for too long. It's a good way to wind down at night (particularly when paired with a boo...

One-minute review The Renpho Eye Massager is an interesting idea – a headset with a row of soft cushions over each eye, which gently inflate in series to provide a rolling massaging sensation. The compression is intended to relieve dry and tired eyes (whether it’s from staring at a screen for too long), promote circulation, and encourage relaxation. You can also opt for gentle heat during your massage, and vibration on your temples. There’s even soft music and nature sounds available at the touch of a button, or you can connect your phone to the headset’s built-in speakers via Bluetooth and listen to your own playlist. The physical sensation is very pleasant (particularly on the lower intensity settings), but it’s hard to relax when the headset is so loud. The eye pads inflate with a mechanical groan (around 50dB according to Renpho), then deflate with a sigh. It’s almost as loud as the music emitted by the headset’s speakers, and is hard to ignore. That said, Renpho is an establi...