Expert Reviews Product of the Year Awards 2020: The best of everything

It will take more than a global pandemic to stop the Expert Reviews team. Over the past year, we’ve adapted our testing routines to suit this new remote working world, driving our loved ones and housemates insane with makeshift benchmarking solutions and towering piles of review samples. We’ve been working tirelessly from home to bring you unbiased coverage of more products than ever before.

After all, we’ve never been so dependent upon the products in our home. Our smartphones, laptops, TVs and coffee machines have become such an important part of our lives. You want to be sure you’re investing your money in quality products you can rely on, and independent, balanced advice has never been more crucial.

To that end, we’ve been busy choosing our absolute favourite products of 2020. From robot vacuums to air fryers, hair dryers to Bluetooth speakers, we’ve tested more products and covered more categories than any ever before, as well as crowning an overall winner that we feel stands out as a true game-changer.

This is a celebration of the success stories of the year, and a chance for us to guide you to the products that we truly believe you’ll love.

Welcome to the Expert Reviews Product of the Year Awards 2020.

Products of the Year 2020

Winner | Google Pixelbook Go | £829

We’ve seen plenty of glitzy, powerful laptops launch over the past year but none stick in the memory quite like the superlative Google Pixelbook Go. Marrying simple, yet eminently practical and portable design with great performance and battery life that lasts and lasts, the Pixelbook Go is a brilliant laptop.

It’s not just the best Chromebook we’ve seen this year, either; it’s also our favourite laptop overall. It’s a real breath of fresh air with its instant-on and responsive touchscreen, and its brilliant keyboard makes it a joy to use. It’s beautifully made, too; the perfect machine for carrying around in your bag and working on the move or equally working from home at the kitchen table. Indeed, the Pixelbook Go is so good we’d encourage anyone to consider buying one, even if you’ve never considered using a Chromebook before. It’s a worthy Product of the Year winner.

Phones

Premium Phone

Winner | Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus | £999

The middle child of Samsung’s 2020 S-series trio, the Galaxy S20 Plus is a meaningful leap forward in terms of Android innovation. Representing the next era of Samsung flagships, the Galaxy S20 Plus’ 8K video recording – a first for the entire smartphone industry – the generous-sized 120Hz screen and internal upgrades to Samsung’s top-end Exynos chipset all add up to create one of the most feature-rich smartphones we’ve ever reviewed.

Highly commended | iPhone 11 | £729

Apple’s ever-popular iPhone returns, and the iPhone 11 opens the door for a bucketload of improvements. Its list of positives are plentiful: the iPhone 11’s battery life has seen a huge boost, its performance is unmatched, and it comes out swinging in regards to camera quality. Make no mistake, the iPhone 11 is Apple’s most refined smartphone yet.

Value Phone

Winner | Samsung Galaxy M31 | £245

The Samsung Galaxy M31’s trend-setting battery life is more than worthy of earning the top spot in the value category. A fraction of the cost of the latest flagships, the Galaxy M31 has the best battery life we’ve ever tested, lasting more than 30 hours on just a single charge during our video-playback test. The Galaxy M31 is a hugely important release, and it excels in other areas, too: the screen is exceptional for the price, as is the quadruple-camera arrangement.

Highly commended | Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 | £200

Xiaomi raises the budget bar again with the launch of the Redmi Note 9. Incredible value for money, the Redmi Note 9 is the latest in a long line of feature-rich flagship beaters from Xiaomi, with speedy internals, a long-lasting battery and a wonderful suite of cameras. With luxury features you wouldn’t expect from a budget smartphone, the Redmi Note 9 is worthy of commendation.

Mobile Network

Winner | EE

Once again, EE proves that it’s not impossible to find a mobile network that offers the complete package. Aside from the blazingly fast speeds we’ve come to expect, EE boasts the best coverage in the UK, an accolade that also extends to its growing 5G mobile network. Pair that with a glowing customer-satisfaction report from Ofcom and some very enticing extras – including free access to a host of streaming services – and it’s easy to see why EE is still our favourite mobile network.

Highly commended | Vodafone

Vodafone has clawed its way onto our awards list by being the absolute best way to get into 5G. With better coverage than Three and cheaper contracts than EE, Vodafone is ideally positioned to serve the growing number of early adopters out there – and its overall performance has improved markedly over the past year, too.

Audiovisual

TV

Winner | LG CX | £1,699

We didn’t think last year’s LG C9 could be beaten but, with the CX OLED, LG has done just that. The LG CX’s colour accuracy is truly exceptional, and its pixel-level control allows it to achieve perfect black, resulting in spectacular levels of contrast and vibrancy for HDR movies and shows. And with support for VRR, ALLM and 4K at 120Hz playback, it’s a top choice for gaming too.

Highly commended | Samsung Q95T | £1,799

Samsung’s Q95T is the best 4K QLED you can buy. With its improved local dimming algorithm, HDR movies and games look punchier than ever on the Q95T, exhibiting greater clarity of detail in both dark and bright scenes. Like the CX OLED, the Q95T is also ready for next-gen consoles.

Soundbar

Winner | Sonos Arc | £799

We could use any number of superlatives to describe the sound produced by the Sonos Arc, but none would quite do the soundbar justice. The Arc functions admirably as a standalone bar, but can also slot seamlessly into an existing Sonos multi-room ecosystem, should you want to put that Dolby Atmos support to even better use. And with full Google Assistant and Alexa compatibility, the Arc even doubles as a smart speaker when your TV is off. Truly the best soundbar on the market today.

Highly commended | Denon DHT-S216 | £200

Don’t be fooled by the price: the Denon DHT-S216 is a remarkable soundbar that foregoes the bells and whistles of its more expensive rivals in order to produce the best, most immersive sound possible. DTS Virtual:X technology helps the Denon immerse you in the onscreen action.

Bluetooth Speaker

Winner | Bang & Olufsen A1 (2nd gen) | £200

The B&O Beosound A1 smoothes the rough edges of its predecessor and cements its position as our favourite premium Bluetooth speaker. It does this by gaining IP67 dust and water resistance – a crucial feature for any portable speaker – while hanging on to the superb audio quality, remarkable battery life and dashing good looks that made its predecessor, the Beoplay A1, so special.

Highly commended | Marshall Emberton | £130

It’s a match made in heaven: Marshall’s iconic guitar amp design – complete with unmistakable brand logo – squashed into a compact, rugged Bluetooth speaker. The gorgeous Emberton might look like a piece of audio history, but don’t be fooled: IPX7 dust and water resistance and a dedicated battery life indicator make this speaker a thoroughly modern bit of kit.

Smart Speaker

Winner | Sonos Move | £399

“The best-sounding smart speaker you can buy.” Obviously, our glowing description of the Sonos Move is justification enough for its position here on our awards list, but the Move is more than just a pretty sound. It’s also Sonos’ first portable speaker, which means it’s ruggedised, rain-proof and battery-powered; in other words, you can benefit from Sonos’ unrivalled audio excellence no matter where you are.

Highly commended | Harmon Kardon Citation One (MkII) | £179

If a big sound with a small price tag sounds appealing, then the Citation One (MkII) is definitely for you. The second-generation smart speaker adds Apple AirPlay support and some new colour options, but keeps the powerful sound, stylish design and preference for Google Assistant of its predecessor.

Premium Headphones

Winner | Sony WH-1000XM4 | £349

Sony’s WH-1000XM4 are the new gold standard for wireless, over-ear noise-cancelling headphones. They improve on their predecessors in every way, delivering excellent audio, more effective noise cancellation and an ultra-comfortable fit. As if that wasn’t enough, the WH-1000XM4 incorporate some great new features, including Speak-to-Chat, which pauses your audio as soon as you start a conversation, wear-detection for halting playback when you take them off your head, and multipoint pairing to allow connection to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously.

Highly commended | Sennheiser Momentum TW2 | £279

Sennheiser’s reputation for delivering exceptional-sounding earwear proceeds it and the Momentum True Wireless 2 don’t disappoint. No earbuds we’ve tested can match the sense of space their audio reproduction provides, and this gives them room to convey audio in exquisite detail. With impressive battery life of up to 28 hours, a comfortable fit and active noise-cancelling capabilities, they’re right up there with the best premium headphones we’ve reviewed this year.

Value Headphones

Winner | OneOdio A10 | £54

Effective active noise cancelling tends to be the preserve of expensive headphones, but the OneOdio A10 buck that trend by offering it at a very affordable price. They’re particularly good at cutting out low-end frequencies but aren’t a one-trick pony: sound quality is impressive, too. The A10’s warm, coherent and balanced audio profile shines brightest when pumping out pop, R&B and dance music, although they sound good no matter what genres you listen to.

Highly commended | Urbanista London | £129

The Urbanista London cram in virtually every feature you’d find in a premium pair of true wireless earbuds, but don’t come with nearly as hefty a price tag. There’s impressive active noise cancellation, intuitive touch controls, wireless charging and IPX4 certification, plus a sound signature that’s both energetic and impactful. They’re also some of the best-looking buds we’ve seen over the past year, with plenty of style to back up their sonic substance.

Gaming Headset

Winner | Razer Blackshark V2 | £100

With astonishing THX spatial audio, supreme comfort and numerous audio customisation options, the Razer Blackshark V2 is the top gaming headset we’ve tested this year. The wide soundstage created by the V2’s 50mm drivers is perfect for open-world adventures, while the detachable microphone is beautifully clear when you’re chatting to your FPS squadmates. Wired connectivity allows for use across every platform and smartphones with a 3.5mm jack, too, making the Blackshark V2 as versatile as it is sonically capable.

Highly commended | HyperX Cloud Flight S | £150

This wireless gaming headset blew us away with its superb 7.1 Surround Sound and whopping battery life of up to 30 hours. It’s also one of the comfiest headsets we’ve tested all year, with spacious memory foam ear cups that provide top-notch passive noise cancellation. The Cloud Flight S is compatible with both PC and PS4, connecting wirelessly via the included USB-A transmitter, and works lag-free on both platforms. It’s also the first HyperX gaming headset to support wireless charging, although you do need to buy the ChargePlay Base separately.

Action Camera

Winner | GoPro Max | £480

The GoPro Max is primarily a 360-degree camera, with two fish-eye lenses that combine footage into a single, 5.6K 30fps manipulable video. However, it also happens to be a stellar action camera in its own right, making excellent use of GoPro’s Max HyperSmooth image stabilisation and six onboard microphones – plus either the front or rear camera lens – to produce high-quality footage every time.

Highly commended | GoPro Hero 8 Black | £380

Unsurprisingly, GoPro’s flagship action camera also makes our awards list, and not simply by resting on its laurels. The Hero 8 Black bins off the clunky housing of old in favour of a sleek new built-in mounting system, and makes significant improvements both to hardware and onboard software to boot.

Dash Cam

Winner | Nextbase 622GW | £249

This high-end dash cam is bristling with useful features. It can record footage at 4K, but lower that to 1080p and it can capture at 120 frames per second – great for rewatching footage in slow motion. It also uses image stabilisation to reduce the effects of jolting impacts, and will automatically defog on rainy or misty days. We could even mention the Alexa support, Nextbase partner app and emergency-response functions, but it’s already quite clear that this dash cam is a cut above the rest.

Highly commended | Garmin Dash Cam 46 | £109

A small frame and an even smaller dash mount make the Dash Cam 46 an unobtrusive option – and a cheap one, too. Simplicity is the objective here: the built-in display and controls are small but easy to use, and are supported by Garmin’s excellent Drive app. Crucially, footage is crisp and bright.

Computing

VPN

Winner | ExpressVPN

Security and speed are two of the main features of any VPN, and ExpressVPN is the best on both fronts. It has been independently audited by PwC to prove that it doesn’t log or store any identifiable user data, and its speeds are the fastest we’ve seen – even to servers located in far-off countries. It’s the best VPN to access geoblocked content and it grants access to almost every major streaming service. You’re even covered by a generous 30-day no-questions-asked moneyback guarantee.

Highly commended | NordVPN

NordVPN sets trends that other VPNs seem to follow. It was one of the first VPNs to have its entire service audited to prove it doesn’t store any user data, and earlier this year it added the new WireGuard VPN protocol for faster speeds – something other VPNs are now implementing. Despite its friendly user interface, there are several technical settings for those who want added security and one subscription covers six simultaneous devices, making it a great choice for your family.

Laptop

Winner | Google Pixelbook Go | £829

That’s right: our favourite laptop is technically a Chromebook. The Pixelbook Go is powerful enough and versatile enough to give most sub-£1,000 laptops a real run for their money, however, with an Intel i5 and 8GB of RAM proving more than enough for anything we could throw at it. Plain and sleek, the Pixelbook Go is certainly unassuming, but the magical combination of powerful innards, impressive battery life and tactile keyboard make this little workhorse of a laptop perfect for prolonged use.

Highly commended | Honor MagicBook Pro | £850

Honor’s MagicBook Pro is one of the best-value laptops we’ve ever seen, packing in performance levels that wouldn’t be out of place in a laptop more than twice the price thanks to its AMD Ryzen 5 4600H CPU. Meanwhile, a slim and light body means it’s as comfortable on the road as it is on your desk at home. Combined with a large 16in, colour-accurate IPS display, plenty of ports and sleek looks, the MagicBook Pro sets new standards in the sub-£1,000 laptop sector.

Tablet

Winner | iPad Pro | £769

This year’s iPad Pro might ostensibly be but a small upgrade over its predecessor, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find Apple is working hard to make you think twice about your next laptop purchase. That’s because the new iPad Pro features full mouse and keyboard support, and introduces a new Magic Keyboard complete with Scrabble-tile keys and a built-in trackpad. It also happens to house the new A12Z processor, and sports a new 10-megapixel wide-angle snapper on the rear, but it’s Apple’s efforts to make the iPad Pro a full-blooded workstation that earn the new tablet our praise.

Highly commended | Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite | £399

The Android tablet renaissance is here, and the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is leading the way – by undercutting Apple on price while offering more for your money. With twice the storage of the nearest comparable iPad (with optional expansion), the Tab S6 Lite comes with a bundled stylus, and has a 10.4in Full HD+ display that we called “delightfully bold” in our review. It’s not the fastest tablet around, but at this price, you won’t do any better.

Monitor

Winner | LG UltraWide 38WN95C | £1,329

It’s a rare thing to find a monitor that earns an exorbitant price tag, but the LG UltraWide 38WN95C does exactly that. This is a monitor that will appeal to just about everyone: the professional-calibre 21:9 IPS panel refreshes at a smooth 144Hz and supports all kinds of adaptive sync technology, which means both gamers and workers are covered. The versatile stand and sweeping curve sweeten the deal and guarantee that you’ll be working comfortably on this monitor for years to come.

Highly commended | Samsung Odyssey G7 | £700

There are very few gaming monitors that can tick every crucial box without compromise, but the Samsung Odyssey G7 is one of them. Vibrant 1440p VA panel? Check. 240Hz refresh rate? Check. Full HDR support? Check. FreeSync AND G-Sync compatibility? You get the idea. The Odyssey G7 is also the first monitor to feature a 1000R curve, which is a nice bonus.

Home

Vacuum Cleaner

Winner | Vax Blade 4 | £220

The Vax Blade 4 provides ample evidence that the best cordless vacuum cleaners don’t have to cost the earth. It blitzed our various in-house tests and performed admirably in day-to-day use, providing an impressive 45 minutes of cleaning time before needing a charge. The motorised floorhead and enormous bin do weigh the Blade 4 down a little, but we reckon it’s worth it: you won’t find a stick vacuum this well equipped to deal with heavy-duty cleaning.

Highly commended | Miele TriFlex HX1 | £479

The TriFlex has a party piece: it can be reconfigured to suit your cleaning needs. Move the power unit/bin to the bottom of the machine and you’ll find it much easier to tackle hard floors and carpets; replace the powered floorhead with a crevice tool to vacuum hard-to-reach corners; or ditch the stick portion and create a handheld vacuum ideal for cars or furniture. This is one seriously versatile vacuum.

Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Winner | Eufy RoboVac 15C Max | £270

Like their manual counterparts, the best robot vacuum cleaners often demand a premium. Not so the RoboVac 15C Max: you’ll be hard-pressed to find a robot vacuum that performs this well for quite such an appealing price. Set it to Boost IQ mode and it’ll run for up to 1hr 40mins, adjusting suction power to suit the surface without producing more than a quiet hum. It’s even compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa, so you can set it going with just your voice. Small wonder we’ve crowned the 15C Max our favourite robot vacuum cleaner.

Highly commended | Roborock S4 | £360

The Roborock S4 is a little more advanced than the RoboVac 15C Max above, and you’ll pay a little more as a result. It’s worth the extra cash, though: with laser navigation, 2,000Pa of suction power and battery life of 2hrs 30mins, this impressive robot vacuum will fly across your living-room floor with zero human intervention.

Mattress

Winner | Simba Hybrid Pro | £849

Our resident mattress tester reckons this is the most comfortable bed-in-a-box mattress he’s ever slept on. That’s thanks in part to the layer of wool beneath the top cover of the Hybrid Pro that acts to keep you from sinking into the mattress and heating up, which is a common bed-in-a-box issue. Indeed, the Hybrid Pro handles all temperatures admirably, and will accommodate you regardless of sleeping position. If you don’t believe us, Simba offers an excellent 200-night trial, so customers can make up their own mind – but we don’t think you’ll need it.

Highly commended | Eve Premium Hybrid | £899

Another cracking all-rounder, the Eve Premium Hybrid provides bountiful support regardless of sleeping position, and like the Simba, manages to avoid cooking its occupants on hot nights. There’s also an emphasis on convenience here: the top layer is machine-washable, and you won’t need to go through the hassle of flipping this mattress either. Plus, you have 100 nights after purchase to change your mind.

Cooling Product

Winner | NSA The Ultimate Column Fan | £150

This exceptionally powerful fan isn’t exactly a looker, but it makes up for its plain design with a shedload of useful features and whisper-quiet operation, even at full blast. It has three oscillation settings and eight different fan settings, plus a built-in air ioniser (to remove pollen or dust), room temperature display and bundled remote control – and that’s not to mention the extra “sleep” and “AI” modes, the latter of which adjusts fan speed to match the air temperature.

Highly commended | AEG Chillflex Pro | £469

The Chillflex Pro is a compact portable air conditioner with plenty of substance and a surprising amount of style. It’ll cope well with rooms up to 45m³ in size courtesy of a maximum 12,000BTU cooling capacity and proved to be a doddle to both set up and control.

Hair Dryer

Winner | GHD Helios | £159

It’s not often that a Dyson product is bested, but the GHD Helios managed to outperform the Supersonic below in our drying time tests – and look great doing it. GHD’s AutoPrecis technology blasts hot air at 75mph through the concentrator nozzle (for maximum precision), so you can be sure your hair is drying at warp speed without losing any natural shine or volume. Exceptionally light and simple to use, the Helios represents great value for money – even if it is a touch on the expensive side.

Highly commended | Dyson Supersonic | £300

The thoroughly unique Dyson Supersonic hair dryer is a beautiful piece of engineering. The unusual blower helps keep the Supersonic relatively quiet without sacrificing any of that classic Dyson power; your hair will dry fast and won’t suffer for it either. A good selection of bundled/optional nozzles and heat adjustment features seal the deal.

Video Doorbell

Winner | Eufy Video Doorbell | £200

Eufy’s battery-powered video doorbell is a doddle to install, and will run for an astonishing six months before needing new batteries. Footage is recorded at a crisp 2,560 x 1,920, and is stored locally in the Eufy Homebase that connects to your wireless router and doubles as a chime. This means (mercifully) that you won’t have to worry about paying subscription fees, which is frankly enough to recommend the Eufy doorbell over many of its competitors. Throw in a slick app interface and intuitive features, however, and you’re onto a real winner.

Highly commended | Arlo Video Doorbell | £180

Here’s an unusual proposition: a video doorbell that can call your smartphone and allow visitors to leave video or audio messages. The Arlo doorbell is full of neat tricks like this. It can also tell you exactly what set off the motion sensor – be it human, animal or vehicle – and will alert you if a package has been left on your doorstep. Oh, and video and audio quality are superb, which is the cherry on an already mouthwatering cake.

Home Security Camera

Winner | Blink Mini | £35

Nothing exemplifies the advances made in the world of home security like the Blink Mini. It can record 1080p/30fps footage with additional night vision, motion detection and two-way audio functionality, which is a sizable amount more than most in the same price bracket. You do need to pay for cloud storage, but the current free trial lasts until March 2021, and from there it’s a measly £2.50/mth. The Blink Mini is even compatible with Echo devices, so you can bring up the video feed by barking a voice command. For the price, there’s nothing better.

Highly commended | Yi Smart Security Camera | £43

Only just undercut by the Blink Mini, the Yi Smart Security Camera remains a fantastic choice for those on a budget. It offers many of the same features as its stablemate – including 1080p recording, night vision and two-way audio – but also offers human detection AI and an alternative to cloud storage in the form of a built-in microSD slot.

Electric Scooter

Winner | Pure Air Pro | £599

Of all the e-scooters we’ve reviewed, the Pure Air Pro is easily the best for British conditions: it can be ridden even in heavy rain, its large 10in tyres ensure a smooth ride even on uneven surfaces, and it can accommodate a maximum of 120kg. An added bonus is that its parts are easily available and you can service the e-scooter from any of the Pure Electric stores around the UK.

Highly commended | Reid E4 Plus | £599

Most e-scooters today come with solid rubber tyres, so you don’t need to fill them before riding for the first time, and you never have to worry about getting a puncture; the downside is that they’re bumpy and uncomfortable on even the slightest uneven terrain. Even though it has these tyres, the Reid E4 Plus offers a comfortable ride because of hollow air pockets within the tyres and rear suspension. Other features like underdeck lights, cruise control and a motor lock only enhance its overall appeal.

Kitchen

Capsule Coffee Machine

Winner | Lavazza Idola | £139

The Lavazza Idola is living proof that coffee pod machines really can get it right. The elegant, touch-sensitive controls are a pleasure to use and coffee brewing is near silent, a rare thing in any coffee machine. With four coffee size options, an adjustable temperature feature and a small range of exquisitely good capsules, the Idola gets full marks when it comes to quality coffee convenience.

Highly commended | Illy Iperespresso X7.1 | £156

This far from usual pod machine combines excellent barista-style design with quality capsules for a coffee experience very close to the real thing. A manual steam wand makes switching between rich espressos and creamy milk-based drinks easy, while the portafilter-based pod insertion method makes it a joy to use.

Manual Espresso Machine

Winner | Gaggia Classic Pro | £425

Gaggia’s Classic made its debut several decades ago, and its design has been honed to perfection over several generations to become the machine it is today – the Classic Pro. Unlike many of its rivals, the Classic Pro eschews frills in favour of clunk-click buttons and stainless steel simplicity, and the result is supremely good espresso. This is a sensibly-priced marvel that gives megabucks machines a real run for their money.

Highly commended | Sage Barista Pro

Sage’s family of all-in-one manual espresso machines are perennial favourites in the Expert Reviews kitchen, but the Barista Pro is one of our all-time favourites. This machine takes you from single origin bean to a silky, refined cup of espresso time after time. It’s unusually fast to heat up, unerringly consistent in the quality it delivers, and the all-in-one design means that its perfect for smaller kitchens.

Stand Mixer

Winner | Kenwood KMix KMX754 | £430

Despite coming in cheaper than other high-end machines, the Kenwood KMix is a real force to be reckoned with. A 1,000W motor and six speed settings mean this particular model offers power and performance that matches, and often outshines, pricier rivals. What’s more, its generous 5l bowl, K-beater, balloon whisk and dough hook are a dream to work with, and make it completely effortless to whip up cakes, bread, meringue and everything in between.

Highly commended | KitchenAid Artisan 5KSM175PS | £499

As beautiful as it is capable, the Artisan 5KSM175PS comes with all the luxurious extras you’d expect from a premium machine. As well as the base stainless-steel bowl and accessories, the 175 model has an additional 3l bowl and flex edge beater. If you bake regularly for friends and family, this will transform the way you cook. What’s more, its stylish design is guaranteed to take pride of place in your kitchen.

Air Fryer

Winner | Tefal Actifry Genius XL 2in1 | £270

With bundles of automatic features and two cooking compartments, this is the machine to buy if you’re serious about committing to air-fried food. Chips, nuggets and other breaded food comes out exquisitely crisp with little oil, and cooking times are quicker than using a conventional oven. You can even cook full meals, such as curry and naan, in the same machine thanks to the stirring paddle and 2-in-1 feature. No other air fryer comes close to offering this much versatility.

Highly commended | Ninja Air Fryer | £120

Boasting options to not only air fry but also to roast, reheat and dehydrate, this is more than just an ordinary air fryer. Controlling timings and temperatures is easy, and you can cook anything from apple crisps to chicken nuggets. Although a stirring paddle may be absent, Ninja’s air fryer more than makes up for it with other fantastic features that are unique to the brand. If you’re a couple or small family, this multifunctional health fryer is a great choice.

Multi Cooker

Winner | Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus | £130

The Duo Evo Plus is as stylish as it is functional with a crisp, digital display and a whopping 48 preset functions. It makes cooking a range of one-pot meals and popular ingredients easier than ever, with options to manually pressure cook, slow cook, saute and more. If you want to cook tough cuts of meat to perfection in as little as 15 minutes, or whip up batches of perfect curry, then look no further. This machine is speedy, safe and insanely versatile.

Highly commended | Lakeland Mini Multicooker | £52

Lakeland has produced a brilliant multi cooker that lends itself extremely well to small and solo households. If you want a stew for two or a single portion of perfectly cooked, fluffy rice this compact machine delivers. With multiple options for rice, as well as one-touch buttons for slow cooking, cake making, porridge and more, it’s a superb choice for simple, everyday meals.