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Gozney Roccbox review: restaurant-quality pizza at home or on the go

2:00 am | November 4, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Gozney Roccbox: Two-minute preview

If you’re the kind of cook that finds a sourdough pizza recipe exciting and you’re thrilled by the pursuit of the food innovation seen on shows like Chef’s Table: Pizza or The Bear, then the Gozney Roccbox is the portable pizza oven for you.

This is in part because the recipes available on Gozney’s website are more likely to lean into a mixture of traditional-style Neapolitan, white-base or experimental pizzas rather than how to whip up a ham-and-pineapple pie, but it’s also because all of the design choices are geared to making the best quality pizza on a portable device.

Pizzas made in the Roccbox — (Image credit: Future - Joel Burgess)

At 44 pounds (20kg), the Gozney Roccbox is heavier than many of its competitors, but that extra weight is used to add insulation that works to retain heat so the oven can make a series of pizzas quickly. It’s not designed to handle larger 14-inch pizzas or make multiple pizzas at once, but it’s able to retain enough heat to cook up back-to-back 12-inch pizzas with no down time, so you can cook for large groups if you’re well prepped.

In addition to minimizing the recharge time, this added insulation keeps the cooking temperature even, allowing for more control and predictability, and it also means the outside of the oven isn’t going to scorch you if you bump it. Both of these features more than make up for the additional weight.

Roccbox pizza oven cooking pizza and bread — (Image credit: Future - Joel Burgess)

The Gozney Roccbox might seem more expensive than some competitors, but it actually comes with a gas attachment by default, so when you add the cost of gas attachments to other systems the Roccbox actually offers exceptionally good value. Gas is easier to control and is less work to maintain temperature, so it’s more manageable than trying to create wood-fired pizza. This makes it the best solution for people starting their pizza-making journey or for anyone hoping to take the oven on the road.

Presentation is critical to people that take their food seriously and, if all the other features weren’t enough, the Gozney range of pizza ovens and Gozney accessories are the best-looking options of anything available on the market in my opinion. The Brad Leone Limited Edition that I was sent for this review my favorite color – the more subdued grey, olive or black options will be more appealing to most people I reckon – but even this more vibrant coloring fits in nicely with the overall theme.

The Roccbox folds away into a compact package that’s easy to transport with the carry cover accessory, making it an excellent device for gourmet cooking on the go. It’s got a built-in thermometer that’ll display the temperature of the cooking stone and it’s simple gas temperature gauge is easy to master. The Roccbox has everything you need to make the perfect pizza at home or when out in the wilderness.

Gozney Roccbox review: Price and availability

Priced at $499 / £399.00 / AU$799
Lots of reasonably priced accessories

The Gozney Roccbox, Brad Leone Limited Edition and Tom Gozney Signature Edition Roccboxes are all available for $499 / £399.00 / AU$799 directly from the Gozney website. The portable ovens come with a professional-grade pizza peel, detachable gas burner and a bottle opener (except on the Tom Gozney Signature Edition). This is all you really need to get going, but there are a wide range of accessories available that’ll help you make better pizza.

Some of the essentials you might want to consider include a Turning Peel ($65 / £49 / AU$89), the Roccbox Cover ($50 / £39.99 / AU$69) and the Mantel ($59 / £59 / AU$79). These three will really help you when it comes to rotating pizzas for an even cook and allowing you to take the device with you when you travel.

If you want to up your game, then the next set of accessories that work really well are the Infrared Thermometer ($49 / £39 / AU$69) which allows you to see how hot each part of the stone is, since it can vary by approximately 212ºF / 100ºC from the front entrance to the rear. The Pizza Rocker ($39 / £35 / AU$49) is excellent for efficiently cutting pizza and the fiber board Pizza Server ($49 / £39 / AU$59) is the perfect clean and lightweight platform for displaying your creations.

Value score: 5/5

Roccbox pizza oven acccessories — (Image credit: Future - Joel Burgess)

Gozney Roccbox review: Specs

Gozney Roccbox review: Design and features

Gas burner
Foldable legs
In-built thermometer

It’s hard to deny the consistent and appealing overall aesthetic of the Gozney brand. Of course it helps having a show stopper like the ultra-premium Dome oven in your lineup, but the brand’s understated style extends down through the Roccbox, all the way to the accessories that the company sells. But the Roccbox doesn’t just look good, the clever design extends to details that genuinely enhance the performance of the oven as well.

The Roccbox features a detachable gas burner and foldable legs that make the package particularly compact and easy to pack away. The device is heavier than some portable pizza ovens, which might deter some users who are particularly keen on an on-the-go device, but the added weight can easily be accommodated and the added effort in moving it pays off massively in efficiency and performance.

Unlike some other pizza ovens, the Roccbox comes with the gas burner by default – a clever design choice that will appeal to the vast majority of DIY pizza makers. If you do want to test your skills at wood-fired pizza, you can buy a Wood Burner attachment for $100 / £100 / AU$199 without needing to invest in a different design. I didn’t test Gozney’s Wood Burner functionality for this review, but controlling the temperature in wood-fired ovens is a more finicky process, so I'm working on the assumption that the added insulation will be very useful for experimenting with traditional wood-fired flavors.

The other major design feature is an in-built thermometer, meaning you can get a consistent read on when the oven is ready to go. This is a particularly handy feature if you want to travel light as it gives you a reliable gauge to cook different foods all in the one package. The added insulation combines with a silicone jacket to make the oven safe to touch when running – an important added safety feature if you’re cooking close to other people or pets that might accidentally bump the oven.

The included Pizza Peel means you have everything you need to create impressive pizzas straight out of the box.

Design score: 5/5

Gozney Roccbox review: Performance

10-minute heat time
750º-950ºF (400º-500ºC) cooking temperature range
19mm cordierite stone floor

The oven features a 19mm cordierite stone floor that is able to hit temperatures of 750º - 950ºF (400º - 500ºC) in around 10 minutes. This temperature is more than double of what your average home oven can achieve and it allows the pizza base to cook quickly with any topping of your choice. Even with a pizza stone, the results you’ll get from a regular pizza oven are incomparable to what you’ll be able to achieve in the Roccbox.

The quick start time of the Gozney Roccbox is complimented by a generous helping of calcium silicate insulation that allows the oven to retain heat much better than any other portable pizza oven I’ve tested. As a result, the Gozney Roccbox is able to cook pizzas more evenly and, when you reduce the gas to slow any top-down cooking, the pizza stone base retains its temperature better than any other portable oven.

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Making pizza and bread on the Roccbox — (Image credit: Future - Joel Burgess)

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This gives you better control to cook pizzas more precisely and dramatically reduces the recharge time to allow you to do make back-to-back pizzas quickly. Obviously the compact Roccbox doesn’t have the thermal mass of its bigger Dome siblings but, during my testing, the insulation was good enough to make at least two pizzas back-to-back when the stone was already at a temperature above 850ºF (450ºC). This makes it capable of cooking for groups as you can prep more pizzas and cook them all within a quicker timeframe, something that you won’t be able to do on lighter, less insulated portable pizza ovens.

This makes it uniquely competent as a home pizza oven since it's more than capable of creating a larger volume of pizzas when entertaining, something I've found other portable pizza ovens weren’t great at.

Performance score: 5/5

Should I buy the Gozney Roccbox?

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Gozney Roccbox

Test pizzas = 12
Used a range of Gozney accessories

I tested the Gozney Roccbox at home over a 6-week period, trying out multiple pizza and bread recipes. This included hosting 8 people and making enough pizza for everyone all the way down to smaller lunch pizzas for one.

I also tested all the accessories listed alongside the oven to ensure each works well and whether they add to the usability of the device. I wasn't sent the wood-fired burner accessory to test how the Roccbox performs using a wood-based fire, so the test pizzas were made exclusively with gas.

The Roccbox was also packed away in the cover and was moved to the car in order to ensure portability.

Gozney has a good selection of recipes on its website and comes with a small pamphlet of 6 essential recipes to get you started, each of which I followed for impressive results.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed November 2023]

Tineco Pure One S11 smart vacuum review: an effective and robust cordless vacuum with some niggles

6:00 pm | October 31, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Comments: Off

Tineco Pure One S11: Two-minute review

The Tineco Pure One S11 may not be as advanced as the pricier Tineco Pure One S15 Pro (one of the best cordless vacuum cleaners on our list), but it’s a very efficient option for those looking for an affordable model with powerful suctioning. And one that gives Shark’s more popular vacuum cleaners a good run for their money.

Now, Tineco isn’t exactly a household name – at least not yet – but it is a good lesson in product diversification. This lesser-known company offers great-quality alternatives to big-name-brand products that may have fallen behind in terms of quality due to complacency and lack of competition. And, speaking as someone who has owned and used her share of subpar models from bigger brands, I am absolutely here for it.

Sitting in the same price range as many of the best Shark vacuum cleaners and a couple of Dyson’s 'budget' offerings, the Pure One S11 is more of a mid-range purchase, one that’s not cheap but won't burn a massive hole in your bank account either. However, there are many things it does better than the most popular Shark models that make it an easy recommendation to consumers who want the convenience of cable-free cleaning.

Is it one of the best vacuum cleaners on the market? It does come with its share of niggles that might make some doubt its eligibility to that exclusive list. However, it does follow in its more premium brother’s footsteps in the world of cordless vacuums.

Tineco Pure One S11: Price and availability

How much does it cost? $399.99 / £269 / AU$699
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

On par with many vacuum cleaners from Shark and Samsung Jet, the Tineco Pure One S11 has an entry price of $399.99 / £269 / AU$699. That isn’t what many would call cheap – there are a lot of cordless vacuums out there that are about half that price.

However, it’s what I would expect a more robust and powerful model to cost. My own Samsung Jet 70 Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum bears the same price tag, and is actually a little more rudimentary in features – though it has proven to be a powerful option robust enough to be your long-term cleaning companion.

It costs about $100 / £100 less than both the Shark Stratos Cordless (which claims the top spot on our cordless vacuum list at the time of writing and is lauded for its smart Clean Sense IQ feature and powerful suctioning) and the Dyson V15 Detect.

Value: 4 / 5

Tineco Pure One S11: Specs

The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra comes with a robot vacuum and base station.

Tineco Pure One S11 in use by author — (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Tineco Pure One S11: Design and features

Solid build and great design but top-heavy
Squeaky wheels on the power brush
Controls aren’t the most convenient

If the Tineco Pure One S11 looks familiar, it’s probably because it has the same rounded architecture as Dyson’s offerings – so much so, you’ll be forgiven for thinking that Tineco is coming after the popular premium brand. It even comes with an LCD display and power brush illumination, two things the Dyson V15 Detect has that most of its competitors don’t.

And, honestly, hats off to Tineco for the valiant attempt because while Dyson’s products should be lauded for their thoughtful features, they’re also known to be overpriced and overrated when it comes to performance. But, I digress.

The Pure One S11 is solidly built, with parts that feel robust and premium, and its Dyson-inspired design not only sets it apart from others but also makes it look like a luxurious item. That’s especially true with its black, white, and dark gray colorway.

I especially appreciate that its LCD display is at the front so it’s easy to look at when the vacuum is in use. However, while the one on the V15 Detect or the Pure One S15 Pro offers a lot of information, this one just displays battery life and lets you know if there are any device errors. The light ring around the display, called the Dust Monitoring Loop, also alerts you to the amount of dust in a specific area by changing colors from solid blue to pink to magenta.

While this cordless vacuum is slightly more lightweight than the V15 Detect, it is a little heavier than my Samsung Jet 70. While that isn’t a big deal – there are, after all, even heavier vacuums out there – it's also top-heavy. The top part that houses the motor, battery, filtration system, LED display, and dust bin bears most of its weight, making its weight distribution a lot more uneven than my Samsung and easier for users to experience hand, wrist, and shoulder fatigue. That’s despite the fact that the handle is spacious and comfortable to hold.

That’s not the only gripe I have about its design. The controls on the Pure One S11 aren’t the most convenient. Instead of pressing a button to turn on the vacuum, you pull a trigger, which starts the motor when pressure is exerted and stops it when that pressure is taken away. I get the energy-saving aspect here – if you have to do something else like move things out of the way, the vacuum stops running when you take your finger off the trigger. However, it also means that you have to keep up that pressure while you’re vacuuming.

There is a trigger lock you can use to give your finger a rest, but accessing that lock, located to the side of the trigger, means overextending one of your other fingers or using your other hand instead. I found this to be a little inconvenient, especially when I’m also picking up stuff off the floor.

While this vacuum is one of the quietest I’ve ever used (more on that later), the two wheels on its power brush are squeaky. I’m not sure if this is true on all units or just mine, however, I have to mention it as it is a point of annoyance when I’m vacuuming.

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Still, there’s a lot to like about the Pure One S11’s design and features. I love that all its removable parts snap in place as well as come off easily, making it convenient to do things like swap out the removable battery (another plus as you can purchase an extra one if you’re covering a large area), empty the trash bin, clean out the filters, and swap out the tools.

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One tool I like in particular is the pre-filter cleaning tool, which most cordless vacuums do not have. It also comes with an extra pre-filter inside. Though you do have to manually turn it, it lets you clean a dirty pre-filter without the mess as it attaches to the vacuum. This lets you suck all that dust straight into the dustbin. It’s another thoughtful addition to a vacuum full of thoughtful details.

Design: 4 / 5

Tineco Pure One S11 on the author's floor — (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Tineco Pure One S11: Performance

Efficient suction that can tackle particles small and large
Very effective smart dust sensor that adjusts suction power automatically
Great tools for versatile cleaning

Tineco advertises the Tineco Pure One S11 as having “whisper-quiet” operation, though that's not quite accurate. However, I do have to give it credit for being one of the quietest vacuums I’ve ever tested. Comparing it to some of the cordless vacuums I have at home, it scored a quiet 60 dB – Tineco rates it at 72 dB(A) – on average on the decibel meter I was using. That’s impressive considering my Samsung Jet 70 Pet Cordless scored an average of 68 dB, while the Shark Wandvac scored an average of 70 dB on the same test.

The Pure One S11 also shines in suction prowess, often only requiring a single run of a section to suck up all the tiny particles, including the smallest pieces of litter and the finest pet hair. It also does a good job of sucking up pieces of cat food or kibble, something the Jet 70 Pet Cordless ironically struggles with. Kudos to the motor for being that powerful and making it all look – and sound – effortless.

And its iLoop Smart Dust Sensor does a fantastic job of sensing when there’s more dirt in the area, alerting the vacuum to automatically adjust suction power to Max for even stronger suctioning.

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This capability isn’t just limited to the multi-tasker power brush, which by the way has LED lights that highlight the area directly in front so you can see the finest dust particles better. It works effectively with all the other tools too, including the mini power brush, which I use to clean litter track and cat hair off my couch, and the dusting brush, which I use to clean hard surfaces in my apartment.

What’s more, it does a fantastic job of minimizing dirt and particle kickback – definitely better than the Jet 70 Pet Cordless. This is a massive time-saver as I don’t have to go back and clean areas I’ve already vacuumed.

The Pure One S11 also has great maneuverability, despite the annoying squeaky wheels on the power brush. I would say that my Jet 70 Pet Cordless is better at accessing crevices, rounding at tight corners, and ducking under furniture – the Pure One S11’s power brush has an attachment that angles down so that when I’m trying to reach under my coffee table or TV console, it lifts the brush up when the vacuum hits that 20-degree angle with the floor – however, that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s easy to maneuver.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Tineco Pure One S11: Battery life

Up to 40 minutes of battery life
Trigger helps save energy
Battery is swappable

The Tineco Pure One S11 may not have fast-charging capabilities or the longest battery life. But at full charge, it does offer up to 40 minutes of runtime on auto. During my time using it, I could clean the floor of my entire one-bedroom apartment and still have some juice left over for dusting some furniture and vacuuming the debris on my couch.

Both its auto mode and trigger help save energy so that it’s not using up that battery life unnecessarily. Meanwhile, its removable battery means you can purchase another one so you can have up to 80 minutes of juice – just the ticket if you have an entire house to cover.

Battery: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Tineco Pure One S11?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Tineco Pure One S11: Also consider

If the Tineco Pure One S11 isn't for you, why not consider other cordless vacuums?

How I tested Tineco Pure One S11

I tested it for a week
I used it to clean floors as well as appliances and furniture
I tested its features and tools plus checked its noise level with the Decibel X app

Giving the Tineco Pure One S11 the temporary role of being my main vacuum cleaner for a week, I ran it through its paces by using it to clean my one-bedroom apartment, carefully observing how effective it is at picking up different-sized debris like cat litter, which my cats track around every time they use their litter box, and pieces of dry cat food, which are much bigger and something my trusty Samsung Jet 70 Pet Cordless has trouble picking up.

It comes with many of the tools I need for keeping my furniture and appliances cat hair free, an almost impossible task with my two boy cats running rowdy all day, so I was able to test all those. I also made sure to use its nifty pre-filter cleaner to see how easy it is to use and how effective it is at cleaning the pre-filter.

I’ve been testing and reviewing vacuum cleaners, home appliances, and smart home devices for different digital publications for years. Currently, I’ve taken on the role of Interim Homes Editor for TechRadar.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed October 2023

Levoit 600S air purifier review: floor-standing air purifier that efficiently extracts whiffs

4:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Air Quality Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: Google Assistant | Comments: Off

Levoit 600S: two-minute review

Air purifiers are designed to remove dust, dander and dodgy odours, leaving you with a fresher smelling and healthier home. In the height of summer, or faced with an overly-heated home you soon start to notice the whiff of other people and pets.

They differ from fans, which waft the air around at speed, creating a cooling effect, instead extracting impurities and particulates that cause smells and cause germs. An electrostatic or fabric filter captures these as they are blown towards them by the air purifier’s gentle fan mechanism and, as with the Levoit 600S model, are collected in a disposable bag at the bottom of the device. Once cleansed, the air is sent back out into the room, leading to a fresher atmosphere.

The Levoit 600S promises to filter as much as 99.97% of PM2.5 particles (particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometre diameter). This covers the fine dust, pollen and pet hair as well as road traffic pollution and pollen. These can all irritate and, in the longer term, damage the lungs and impact respiratory function. Levels of less than 12μg/m3 should pose no health issues, and we were pleased to find that the existing levels in the first of the two properties in which we tested out the air purifier were already below this figure.

When things get whiffy or lingering sprays have been applied, the Levoit 600S is capable of changing the air in a 147m sq room twice an hour. This is a lower rate of air change than the best air purifiers TechRadar reviewed recently but is plenty for all but larger rooms or the most persistent smells and pollutants.

Although the 600S can be operated directly using the on/off button on the top, the VeSync app provides far more control, showing current PMS levels and the air quality steadily improving as its four-speed fan whips everything through its HEPA and carbon filters to remove airborne nasties. Both the LED on top of the unit and the app give real-time PMS readings and offer one-touch fan adjustments. The app adds scheduling and light-sensing options, making it ideal for use in a bedroom where the fan will automatically reduce in power so you can drop off to sleep.

Levoit 600S: price and availability

How much does it cost? £299.99 (about $360, AU$574)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the UK

The Levoit 600S is available from Amazon UK for £299 (about $360, AU$574). A £50 discount voucher is currently active, bringing the price down to £249). Although you won’t need a replacement filter immediately, if you like to be organised you can get ahead by adding this £69.99 consumable or a pet allergy version for £101 to your online shopping cart.

This model launched last year in the US, but Amazon notes the current unavailability of the Levoit 600S model (although both branded and third party replacement HEPA filters are for sale there), while Australia has only the filters for sale.

Value: 4 / 5

Levoit 600S: Specs

Levoit 600S in use in the author's home — (Image credit: Future / Rosie Hattersley)

Levoit 600S: Design

Large but lightweight unit
Useful status indicator lights
Whisper-quiet fan

The imposing but elegant Levoit 600S seems to take up more room than its stated 60cm height suggests. While its 300S stablemate sits happily and fairly unobtrusively on a kitchen countertop, the 600S model is a real presence. Placed alongside our microwave, it dwarfed it. If space is at a premium, you will probably want to store it out of sight and bring it out for specific use rather than keeping it on standby. We found this particularly true when we were in the more cramped environment of our terraced home.

However, the curved design and off-white finish are stylish, and the materials sturdy. And, while it weighs 6.2kg, it feels far lighter. The well-positioned recessed handles on either side of the upper section also make it easy to move around.

Looks-wise, the Levoit 600S is smart with a sleek curved body and large fan blades covering the top. In the centre of the fan are the Levoit 600S’ controls and options to change the fan speed, set a timer, check on the filter and current air quality, and determine whether it is connected to Wi-Fi or using Bluetooth for the associated VeSync app. The lower half of the purifier features a fretwork effect, and contains the filter and the bag into which particles sucked in by the fan are deposited.

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Setup involves twisting apart the top and bottom halves of the air purifier’s body, extracting the filter that it comes with from inside, and removing its packaging before popping it back in place. There is a bright yellow sticker on the top of the unit that prompts you to do this before use. The two halves of the unit then click to lock together. It doesn’t matter which way round the top half faces, but the corners need to align with the corresponding corners on the bottom half, a simple enough process.

Although the Levoit 600S is a freestanding unit with no external moving parts, it needs space to operate so it doesn’t overheat. It should, therefore, be placed around 40cm away from the nearest walls. The power cable is more than a metre long, which is ample to accommodate this requirement.

Once switched on, the Levoit 600S can be used either manually using the controls on top, or via the VeSync app. Each of the on-device controls lights up when you touch them, with multiple presses used to increase or reduce the fan speed.

Design: 4.5 / 5

Levoit 600S: Performance

Effective dust and dander removal
Quickly gets rid of aerosol particulates
Less effective on kitchen odours

I tested the Levoit 600S in both an open plan 1960s detached house and a 1930s terraced house, the latter home to two asthmatics and a cat who is less than impressed at the ongoing renovations. The contrasting challenges were larger rooms with carpets, lots of upholstered furniture, and the odours associated with the older generation versus the renovation dust and the pet dander of our London home, which has wooden floors and tiles throughout.

Both have open plan kitchens where food is often oven-baked or prepared on a hob. I tested the changing air quality while sauteing a variety of vegetables as well as frying fish and meat, and noted whether having the window adjacent to the cooker made much difference to the rate at which the air purifier cleaned the air.

To set up the Levoit 600S air purifier, I first installed the VeSync app (iOS and Android versions are available). Next, I switched on the device and pressed the on/off switch on top until the Wi-Fi icon flashed blue. It was then recognised by the app and the two paired over Bluetooth. Next, the app searched for my home Wi-Fi network and prompted me for a login and password.

Although it accepted my previously registered email address, it doesn’t actually want you to provide the password for your VeSync app at this stage and is really after your Wi-Fi password. This tiny misunderstanding took moments to correct. Once connected, you will need to keep the VeSync app open as the firmware is updated. However, the 600S will start operating as soon as it’s connected to Wi-Fi, with its internal fan working at its level 4 maximum rotation speed.

Once the app has updated the firmware, you will be able to adjust the duration and schedules. You will also be shown the current air quality status based on the level of PM2.5 particulates it detects. What is not quite as apparent is that this screen also gives you the option to change the fan speed.

Sitting across the room, I found the Levoit 600S giving off a gentle rhythmic hum that was noticeable but unlikely to upset all but the most sound-sensitive family member. It hums along gently, with an unobtrusive decibel rating of less than 40 on the slowest speed setting and no more than 64dB when it kicks into its top speed rating and then settles at around 52dB. The ambient background noise in the room prior to switching on the air purifier was 38dB, so it barely disturbs the tranquillity.

Even my sound-sensitive mum was untroubled by its operation at the lower fan settings, but pleased with the improved room freshness after 30 minutes of use. Blasting Febreze at the fan itself for a sustained 10 seconds filled the room with choking levels of air freshener, but the purifier removed the lot in 12 minutes at setting 3 (of 4), while our comparison on opening the patio doors and other windows wide had no discernible effect after the same period.

I also found the Levoit 600S effective in removing dust from the air after a weekend of DIY, taking less than 20 minutes to clear the hallway and landing of visible particles. Sharing a home with a cat, I also appreciated it filtering stray hairs and slight odours.

However, it impressed me less when it came to removing cooking smells and signs of domesticity: the kitchen levels were modest before I began frying and sautéing, and the purifier was not much better than the overhead fan and an open window for this use. Given the 600S’ larger dimensions, we would no doubt choose its smaller sibling for this room in any case.

Performance: 4 / 5

Levoit 600S: App

Provides full control over the 600S
Alexa and Google Assistant voice controls
Strong scheduling and light sensing features

The VeSync app is well-designed with attractive graphics in calming shades of blue and turquoise. It provides a visual guide when setting up the Levoit device and has a user manual that you can access from its side menu.

You can control every aspect of the air purifier once installed, with options to adjust the fan speed, schedule days and times for it to operate, change air quality levels that will trigger it automatically switching on and on, and activate a light sensing feature that seems aimed at use in a bedroom. The rationale here is that the gentle hum of the fan helps promote sleep, especially once the air is duly freshened, so you can nod off without the interruptions from an asthmatic or cat-allergy wheeze.

The VeSync app is free to install and also works with Alexa as well as Google Assistant. This gives access to voice control options should you want to prompt your air purifier to go about its business without having to reach for your smartphone. I tried each of these without issue, finding the option to turn the fan off using a voice command useful when the phone rang while the 600S was clearing the air in the kitchen after cooking and I wanted to settle in for a chat.

Should I buy the Levoit 600S?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Levoit 600S

I used the Levoit Core 600S air purifier and the VueSync app for 10 days
Trialed it in two homes: one open plan; one a terraced house
Substances purified included pet odour, cooking smells and air freshener

I used the Levoit 600S air purifier in a number of different rooms, finding it particularly efficient at clearing the odours from a downstairs room that doubles as an elderly person’s bedroom. Being able to effectively cleanse this room of telltale odours associated with ageing, as well as Febreze and other masking sprays that disguise them was a good test since we had lots of visitors during the week in which the 600S was installed there. I react badly to perfumes and sprays due to asthma, so quickly clearing these smells was critical to me too. I continuously sprayed the aerosol contents at the purifier fan until the PM levels rose above 150 before switching on the unit to begin clearing the particulates.

With one family member being particularly sound-sensitive, being able to instantly dial down the fan setting such that she was undisturbed by the fan was vital. I also tested the unit while frying food and after making toast, as well as setting the Levoit 600S to automatically purify the landing of my own home during and after stripping paint from the stairs and sanding them down. I used a decibel meter app on my phone to measure how loud the fan was at various settings.

I compared the effects of simply allowing the air to clear naturally by opening windows either side of the room with the performance of the 600S, timing both to see how long it took for the PM level to drop below 12.

To test the air purification monitoring and speed, I sprayed heavy particulate aerosols (dry shampoo and deodorant) while the purifier was in Auto mode. This mode detects changes in the room and sets the fan speed accordingly.

I lit a scented candle next to the purifier and also positioned it in the kitchen while frying and grilling different meat and vegetables. I measured the volume with a mobile phone decibel meter.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed October 2023

Ikea Starkvind table review: an air purifier masquerading as a table

2:30 pm | October 27, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Air Quality Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

One-minute review

Ikea is a brand most often associated with flat-pack furniture, meatballs, and the occasional viral plush, it’s not the first name you think of when it comes to innovation. However, its smart home line is certainly home to some whacky, creative ideas, including the Ikea Starkvind table, an air-purifying table that’ll freshen up any living space.

Available for $199.99 / £199 / AU$249 directly from Ikea, the Starkvind table joins other novel creations like the Symfonisk lamp speaker and Symfonisk picture frame speaker.

While it’s no show-stopper, the Starkvind table is fairly stylish in a modest, minimal sense, and the 55cm / 21.7-inch tall table has a fair amount of surface area to play with thanks to its 54cm / 21.3-inch diameter.

It’s not the most impressive and capable air purifier I’ve ever used, and it lacks a true HEPA filter. However, if you’re looking for a space-saving device, it’s a great option - albeit a slightly pricey one, for what it is.

Ikea Starkvind table review: Price

The Ikea Starkvind table is available for $199.99 / £199 / AU$249 directly from Ikea. It’s a little overpriced for what it is, considering that some of our all-time favorite air purifiers, like the Blueair Blue Pure 411 Auto, sit at the $150 / £100 / AU$150 mark, and offer superior performance and specs compared to Ikea’s Starkvind table.

Added to that is the fact you’ll have to buy the Ikea Dirigera smart device hub for $69.99 / £60 / $AU99 if you want to use the app, which provides smart features like air analysis, timers, and scenes. The app also enables you to bring the device into wider smart home ecosystems, including Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant. There’s also an activated carbon filter for gaseous pollutants like formaldehyde which can be bought separately for $26 / £15 / AU$20. Both this filter and the included particle filter, which costs $20 / £7 / AU$25, need to be replaced every six months or so, depending on your level of usage, meaning that all-in-all, the table’s ongoing costs do add up.

In saying that, it’s robust, well-designed, offers decent performance, and is also a table, so it’s far from terribly priced.

Price: 4/5

Ikea Starkvind table grooves under the tabletop — (Image credit: Future)

Ikea Starkvind table review: Setup and design

As is to be expected from the Swedish furnishing behemoth, the Ikea Starkvind table is a piece of flatpack furniture that comes in a surprisingly compact box.

It’s incredibly easy to assemble. Simply turn the main console upside down, screw in the legs, remove the filter’s packaging, connect the power supply, click the tabletop into place, and voila; one air purifying table ready to go. If you have the Dirigera smart home hub, pairing is just as easy - simply press the pairing button under the tabletop and follow the in-app instructions. Once in the app, you can check out the air analysis, timers and cutscenes. You can also easily integrate the Starkvind table into your Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Assistant ecosystem here.

The tabletop is pretty simple, but still stylish, offering decent real estate with its 54cm / 21.3-inch diameter and 55cm / 21.7-inch height. Under the hood lies a standard Ikea Starkvind air purifier, its plastic casing designed to seamlessly blend in with the rest of the table’s design. At the front of the table is a dial to switch between the automatic detection mode and five power settings. If you hold this dial down, it triggers the lock function. There are also two indicator lights; one for the lock toggle and the other for when it’s time to replace the filter inside.

There’s some great attention to detail in the table, despite its simplicity. For example, one of the legs has an indent, in which the cable can be fed to keep the underside looking neat and tidy. The underside of the tabletop also features a set of anti-drip grooves, which prevent spilled liquids from reaching the purifier underneath.

Setup and design: 4.5/5

Close-up of the Ikea Starkvind table controls — (Image credit: Future)

Ikea Starkvind table review: Performance

The Starkvind table’s filter can remove roughly 99.5% of smaller airborne particles, including PM2.5 particles, dust and pollen. On its least powerful setting, the Starkvind table is impressively quiet, registering just 25dB on test. However, the volume amps up pretty quickly once you get to its third, medium-strength setting.

By the time you get to the most powerful setting, it’s fairly noisy at 55dB, which is just a little quieter than a normal conversation. I had to raise my voice above the sound to be heard. While it’s unlikely you’d need to use this highest setting too often, I’d definitely have appreciated a slightly quieter performance.

I kept the Starkvind table with air purifier running on its auto mode for much of my testing, and put it through its paces by lighting candles and spraying aerosols in the nearby vicinity. It has a two or three-stage filtration system depending on whether you purchase the gas filter. Air travels through a prefilter to remove larger debris and particles before heading through the main filter and the optional gas filter. The main filter is capable of removing 99.5% of PM2.5, meaning dust, pollen, industrial emissions and smoke are all covered. It’s worth bearing in mind that more sophisticated purifiers can handle a wider range of particulate matter to give your airways the utmost protection, however, PM2.5 tends to carry the greatest risk.

The air sensor in the purifier was very responsive to pollutants, quickly amping up the power to clear out the harassing particles. While it’s hard to assess how good it is at actually filtering out the particles, I did notice the air quality swiftly climbing to a healthy level on my air quality monitor when I did my aerosol and candle tests.

Maintenance is pretty simple with the Starkvind table - simply lift the tabletop off to check the filters and vacuum off any grub regularly, and replace the filters every 6 months or when the LED indicator on the front of the table notifies you to do so.

While the table works as promised, the inability to take advantage of its smart features without Ikea’s smart home hub plus its fairly basic purification technology means it doesn’t land as well as other air purifiers I’ve researched and reviewed, like the Dyson Hot + Cool Formaldehyde.

Performance: 3.5/5

Ikea Starkvind table review: Specs table

Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Ikea Starkvind table with air purifier

I used the Ikea Starkvind table with air purifier for one month
I tested its auto mode using candles and aerosols
I measured its success with an air quality monitor

I built the Ikea Starkvind and tested it in my living room for one month, mostly keeping it on its automatic detection mode to test its reactiveness and efficiency.

I kept my air quality monitor nearby to compare results, lighting candles and spraying aerosols in the vicinity of the table to see how quickly and effectively it cleared the particles from the air.

Lastly, I compared the results to my go-to purifier, the Dyson Hot + Cool Formaldehyde HP09 as a benchmark.

Breville the InFizz Fusion review: a fizzing fantastic way to carbonate all things

6:25 am | October 16, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: Australia, UK, US | Comments: Off

Breville the InFizz Fusion: Two-minute review

The Breville InFizz Fusion – which would be the Sage InFizz Fusion when it makes its way to the UK – is a SodaStream alternative that can do more than just make sparkling water. It one-ups its popular competitor by allowing you to carbonate any drinkable liquid… as long as it’s not a hot beverage. Whether it’s a juice you want to add some fizz to or prepare a big batch of sparkling sangria, the InFizz Fusion can handle it.

There is a risk of overflow when you’ve mistakenly over-carbonated a particular beverage and are about to open the bottle, but the InFizz Fusion has an unique solution for that. Breville calls it the FusionCap and it’s essentially the gas delivery system as well as the cap that holds the carbonation inside the bottle till you’re ready to serve. It’s a solidly built screw cap that features a tube that’s just about long enough to dip into a minimum of 600ml of liquid and a locking mechanism on the top.

Breville the InFizz Fusion sparkling beverage maker in Brushed Steel — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The FusionCap fits into the InFizz Fusion via a simple tilt-and-twist action – you just align the two arrowheads (one on the cap, the other on the machine) and twist a little. When you’re done fizzing your beverage, move the tilt head up and twist the bottle to release it.

If you’re worried about over-carbonating a drink, listen carefully for a slight popping sound when you press the lever – that’s an indication that ideal fizz levels have been reached. Anything more and you’ll see froth build up inside the bottle.

To serve your drink, simply move the red switch on top of the cap to the center position before opening – this releases any extra pressure from within the bottle and prevents overflows by reducing the foam inside. When the hissing has stopped, move it all the way to the right to unlock the FusionCap. There’s a failsafe here if the foam rises too quickly to the top when you’re releasing the pressure – you just move the red switch back to the left position to lock the FusionCap in place again to prevent mishaps.

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The FusionCap – as good as it is – takes a little getting used to. It’s not always clear whether you’ve locked the cap in place correctly when screwing onto the bottle, and occasionally the fit into the machine may not be accurate either. The bottle doesn’t fall when it’s not locked into the machine, so there’s no visual indication you’ve done it correctly. I learnt this the hard way when I was re-fizzing some flat Coke and half the bottle overflowed the moment I pressed the carbonation lever.

There is a pictorial user guide in the box but, like a lot of manuals, it doesn’t always make things clear. Once you get your head around using the FusionCap – which for me was largely experimentation than help from the user manual – you’ll be fizzing up drinks in no time at all!

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During my testing, I fizzed up orange juice (which isn’t very nice I have to say), some apple, pear and watermelon juice (all three of which I would highly recommend), coconut water (the jury is still out on whether this is good or not) and some wine. I carbonated bottles (700ml) of rosé and an Italian Lambrusco.

The former was a light carbonation to make sparkling wine and I was able to save the remaining in the Breville’s bottle with the FusionCap on to save some of that carbonation after serving myself a glass. It stayed in the fridge for a couple of days. The Lambrusco, on the other hand, was already lightly carbonated, and adding more fizz brought out the flavours and made it a little sweeter.

There aren't specific fizz levels on the InFizz Fusion – you can repeatedly press the carbonating lever till you hear the pop sound and go beyond too, but watch out for the foam getting too much inside the bottle. For light carbonation, a single push on the lever can suffice, but it's all up to you.

Carbonating a drink – alcoholic or non-alcoholic – drops the overall pH of the beverage and makes them sweeter. It’s exactly why sodas are so sweet and addictive.

Breville has opted to use any standard screw-type 60L gas canister for the InFizz Fusion (and the InFizz Aqua, its sparkling water maker; see the price section for more information). While the machine itself doesn’t ship with a gas cylinder when you purchase it, you can get a 60L screw-type SodaStream canister to use with the Breville. These are easy to refill or exchange for a new one at several stores in most markets.

As well as being a good beverage maker, the InFizz Fusion is also a good-looking appliance. It’s available in three finishes – I was sent this Brushed Stainless Steel version for this review – and, at first glance, you’d be forgiven for wondering why a kitchen faucet handle is on top of a beverage maker. But that’s the carbonation lever and, honestly, it’s a design aesthetic that easily grows on you. There’s a drip tray carved into the base and is hidden under a filigreed magnetic cover. It’s not boxy, like a lot of SodaStream models, and would look good on any kitchen countertop or home bar.

As with any Breville or Sage kitchen appliance, the InFizz Fusion isn’t cheap. It’s a lot more expensive than a SodaStream alternative, but I think it’s worth the extra cost considering it’s more versatile than being just a sparkling water maker.

Breville the InFizz Fusion review: price and availability

Announced October 2023, first in Australia
US and UK availability and pricing TBA
Australian RRP of AU$299

The Breville InFizz Fusion was first released in Australia on October 15, 2023, just in time for summer Down Under. It hasn't yet been launched in the US or the UK, but it’s possible that it might be available to purchase in other markets by June or July next year when summer comes calling in the Northern Hemisphere. We'll update this review when we know more about global availability.

There are two models in Breville’s InFizz range – the InFizz Aqua that makes only sparkling water like a SodaStream, and the InFizz Fusion that has been reviewed here. The former is cheaper at AU$249 (US and UK price TBA, but that converts to about $160 / £130), while the InFizz Fusion will set you back AU$299 (around $190 / £155).

The InFizz Fusion ships with a 1L plastic bottle that is not dishwasher safe, plus a long-handled bottle cleaning brush, a strainer (or sieve) and a funnel.

Additional bottles can also be purchased – a 2-pack of 600ml bottles is priced at $39.95 (about $25 / £20) and a 2-pack of 1L bottles is $49.95 (about $32 / £26).

It’s important to note that the Breville InFizz machines do not come with a gas cylinder. This will need to be purchased separately and will cost $14.99 / £12.99 / AU$35. The good news is these can easily be refilled at several stores or petrol/gas stations and you just pay for the gas.

Should I buy the Breville InFizz Fusion?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

There aren’t too many big brands making sparkling beverage makers, but SodaStream is the closest and most popular competitor. There are quite a few SodaStream models to choose from, and they’re all priced quite reasonably. We have done the SodaStream Spirit One Touch review here at TechRadar but are yet to try other options, but considering we gave it four stars, we think most SodaStreams are a good purchase.

Another alternative would be the Twenty39 Qarbo, that’s available from Amazon US, Amazon UK and Amazon Australia. We haven’t tested this brand for ourselves, but we have seen it in action and tasted a beverage at an Amazon event in Sydney in July 2023.

Note that both brands are specifically only sparkling water makers, so you will need to purchase flavourings to get creative.

How I tested the Breville InFizz Fusion

Used it for a few days each week for three weeks
Carbonated different types of cold beverages
Purchased flavourings to make my own beverages

When I heard that the Breville InFizz Fusion could be used to fizz up any kind of drinkable liquid, I decided to put that to the test as much as I could. While I did make sparkling water for highball cocktails quite often, I also carbonated different store-bought fruit juices. These were specifically orange, apple, pear and watermelon. I also fizzed coconut water once.

I also carbonated a bottle of rosé wine lightly, then was able to store it in the fridge for a couple of days with the FusionCap to seal in the fizz. I did the same for an already-sparkling Italian Lambrusco wine. I think a lot of non-dry whites and moscatos would be great with a touch of carbonation for summer, while some chilled reds can be fizzed up to make refreshing sangrias.

I usually have a batch of homemade cold-brew iced tea at home when it gets hot, and I fizzed about 600ml of this as well.

While I had to handwash the bottle each time I made a drink, it was good to know that the smell from the previous drink does not get absorbed by the plastic as it is wont to do on some food storage containers.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed October 2023]

Breville the All in One stick mixer review: the best foundational kitchen appliance for home cooks

7:34 am | October 13, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Juicers & Blenders Small Appliances | Tags: Australia, US | Comments: Off

Breville the All in One: One-Minute Review

Anyone who enjoys a bit of kitchen craft knows just how useful a food processor can be for boosting your culinary skills. However, if you don't get into the kitchen often, it’s the kind of thing that's not necessarily top of mind, something that takes up a lot of space. If that describes you, you're probably better off with a more lightweight solution like the Breville All in One stick mixer.

Sure, the motor isn’t as powerful as what you’ll get on top-shelf food processors or blenders, but this one device performs a much wider range of tasks and occupies a smaller overall footprint in your kitchen. The Breville All in One can be a food processor, a masher, an immersion blender or a whisk thanks to a quick-release motor handle that attaches to various tool heads.

Obviously any tool’s usefulness will depend on the types of food you gravitate towards when cooking, and kitchen appliances that try to do too many things can often end up doing them all poorly, but the All in One strikes an excellent balance between versatility and usefulness that makes it an exceptionally helpful tool in a wide array of circumstances. This makes it an excellent base accessory for any home cook – I think it’s unlikely to sit in the cupboard unused for long periods of time.

This diversity can mean it gets overlooked since there really isn't one specific task you absolutely need it for… but it’s such a versatile tool that it’s helpful for the average cook and it’ll remain useful even if they do invest further in more capable appliances for tasks requiring more powerful and dedicated devices.

There really is value here for most home cooks and its starting price isn't too bad either.

Stick mixer on kitchen bench — (Image credit: Future - Joel Burgess)

Breville the All in One review: Price and availability

Available in the US and Australia
List price: $159.95 / AU$269

The All in One Stick Mixer is available in both the US and Australia Breville online stores for $159.95 / AU$269, but isn't listed in the UK's Sage online store at the time of writing.

It might be worth checking out TechRadar’s jug vs immersion blender explainer page to see if you’re more likely to need a dedicated blender than what is on offer here, but for anyone who frequently mashes, grates, slices, chops, whisks and blends food, it’s hard to imagine that this device won’t come in handy for a multitude of applications.

While you can get basic food processors for less than this price point, they’re unlikely to offer any more power and will usually come with just the one dicing blade. The All in One has grating and slicing capabilities included alongside the standard food processing capabilities that practically justifies the price tag on its own.

You will only have basic blending capabilities, so I wouldn’t really consider this to be a blender replacement, but throw in the mashing and whisking tools and you have a tool with a heap of perks bundled in for an entry-level price.

Breville the All in One: specifications

Breville the All in One review: Design and features

Great entry-level food processor
Grating and slicing blades included
Also beats, blends and mashes

The 6-cup (1.6L) food processor bowl comes with a textured base to ensure chopped food doesn’t stick to the sides when using the S-blade attachment, and the reversible grating/ shredding disk saves you the hassle of having to manually grate vegetables for example.

The variable slicing blade for the food processor isn’t as refined as what you’ll be able to achieve on a mandolin, but it does have 18 adjustable thickness settings – from 0.5mm to 6mm – so you can cut perfectly uniform slices in seconds.

In addition to the food processing tools you also get a masher, a whisker and immersion blender heads. Each of these are pretty self-explanatory, and both the masher and whisker simply take some of the leg work out of processes you’d usually do by hand. While it doesn't always occur to the average home cook, but the stick nature of this appliance means it can be useful in several situations, meaning it will likely get used frequently.

There isn’t a jug accessory that comes bundled with the All in One like with some other stick blender kits, but it is an omission that most home cooks will be able to find a workaround solution for. This makes it a little less appealing as a proper blender solution, but when you consider its limitations with crushing ice you really do want something more dedicated if you’re going to be making a lot of smoothies. Blenders are also likely to be the most common device overlap here for products that people will already have, so it seems like a sensible omission.

Breville the All in One review: Performance

Decent food processing capabilities
Excellent mashing and whisking
Reasonable immersion blending

During my testing, I used the Breville All in One to dice ingredients for a batch of peanut butter protein balls, a job that killed the motor on a Smeg Hand Blender that I used previously. The Breville device offered less power than its similarly priced Smeg competitor, but it was able to fully process all the raw ingredients as well as mix the dense combination of highly viscose date, peanut butter and maple syrup concoction.

This task was definitely at the upper limits of what you’d want to use a handheld motor for, but the All in One proved perfectly capable of performing this task on this occasion. For those planning on regularly mixing batches of protein balls you might be better served by one of TechRadar’s best food processor, for a more powerful device.

I also used the grater/shredder to process a few hundred grams of Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano for a cacio e pepe dish, a really simple task that would have been a lot more work using a hand grater. But just about every grating task is made infinitely simpler by the electric blade’s speed and consistency – once you have this tool in the kitchen it’s hard to imagine having to go back to manual grating.

The immersion blender works well enough as a traditional blender. You might want something a little more serious if you’re regularly trying to crush ice, but the All in One is more than capable of blending the vast majority of soups or smoothies.

Where the immersion blender shines is when you need to refine a sauce into a smoother consistency – you can simply plunge it into hot liquids rather than waiting for sauces to cool enough to put in a food processor.

The masher is great for anyone who likes a good potato mash (or anyone that makes their own baby food) and the whisk comes in handy a lot for baking and other egg-based recipes.

Should you buy the All in One from Breville?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested: Breville the All in One

I used the All in One for a month
I used it as my primary food processor
I tested all the other features and functionalities

I tested the Breville All in One by using it over a month with general kitchen tasks like grating cheeses and vegetables, and other food processing tasks like dicing nuts and combining date and peanut butter protein balls. I also used the device on multiple occasions to mash potato, plus whisked eggs and other ingredients for baked goods.

The immersion blender capabilities came in handy when I refining a beef brisket sauce in a pot while on the stove and I used the All in One to blend a light banana smoothie without ice in a jug. I benchmarked this against the Smeg '50s-style Hand Blender, which offers a similar array of attachments and features.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: October 2023

Breville the All in One stick mixer review: the best foundational kitchen appliance for home cooks

7:34 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Juicers & Blenders Small Appliances | Tags: Australia, US | Comments: Off

Breville the All in One: One-Minute Review

There really is value here for most home cooks and its starting price isn't too bad either.

Breville the All in One review: Price and availability

Available in the US and Australia
List price: $159.95 / AU$269

The All in One Stick Mixer is available in both the US and Australia Breville online stores for $159.95 / AU$269, but isn't listed in the UK's Sage online store at the time of writing.

Breville the All in One: specifications

Breville the All in One review: Design and features

Great entry-level food processor
Grating and slicing blades included
Also beats, blends and mashes

Breville the All in One review: Performance

Decent food processing capabilities
Excellent mashing and whisking
Reasonable immersion blending

The masher is great for anyone who likes a good potato mash (or anyone that makes their own baby food) and the whisk comes in handy a lot for baking and other egg-based recipes.

Should you buy the All in One from Breville?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested: Breville the All in One

I used the All in One for a month
I used it as my primary food processor
I tested all the other features and functionalities

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: October 2023

Bellissima Creativity 4 You hair dryer review

6:17 pm | October 7, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Hair Care Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

One-minute review

The Creativity 4 You from Bellissima is a powerful hair dryer that offers fast drying speeds and delivers silky, frizz-free locks. It's so good at knocking out frizz that the soft and shiny finish lasts for days – and, over the course of my review, this longevity only got better.

The Creativity 4 You dryer isn’t the best-looking hair dryer I’ve used, but neither is it the ugliest. Nevertheless, its short, bulbous shape and gold filter make it look cheap, while it’s heavy and feels unbalanced in the hand, which meant I often had to pause whilst blow drying to give my arms a rest.

I’m a big fan of the physical buttons, though, alongside the subtle use of LED lights when you switch from Cool to Hot mode. I also welcome that you can lock the dryer in Cool mode, rather than having to manually hold down a Cool Shot to set your style.

The 2.5-meter cable is slightly shorter than what has become common with rival dryers, but this never caused us any issues. The Creativity 4 You dryer arrives with four attachments that help you create a number of styles, and it’s this variety that sets the Bellissima dryer apart from many of its rivals; it also goes a long way toward justifying its high price. The Wavy attachment alone is something we’d not seen before and would pay extra for.

Bellissima Creativity 4 You hair dryer — (Image credit: Future)

The Creativity 4 You dryer can fully dry a head of mid-length, fine hair in four minutes, and thanks to its ion technology, it does so without causing frizz. The dryer comes with two speeds and two temperature settings, which are controlled via the same switch, plus a Cool Shot mode.

Note that during the course of reviewing the Creativity 4 You hair dryer, I regularly burned my scalp, even when using the device on a lower speed and temperature setting. Bellissima does advise people to hold the dryer away from their heads during drying, and I tried. However, this is the first hair dryer with which I’ve experienced as many problems as I did with dryer heat.

Overall, the Creativity 4 You is a high-performing hair dryer that offers a huge amount of versatility for all hair types and styles. It falls a little short in terms of design, and needs to be used with caution. However, even with these criticisms, I’d still opt to use this dryer over many others I’ve tried and tested.

Creativity 4 You review: price and availability

List price: $166.50 / £149.99
Available in the US and UK

Bellissima’s Creativity 4 You hair dryer is available in the US, UK, and Europe for $166.50 / £149.99. You can pick it up from Amazon, Argos, Very, and the Bellissima website in the UK, and Beauty Bay in the US and UK.

The dryer comes with four styling attachments and a storage bag. The attachments include:

Straight: a narrow concentrator that smooths and straightens the hair;
Wavy: a curved concentrator that helps create soft waves and ringlets;
Smooth & Delicate: this concentrator features a micro-perforated grid that helps minimize frizz and reduce hair damage;
Curly: a diffuser for curly hair styles.

While $166.50 / £149.99 for a hair dryer may seem excessive, the relatively high number of attachments, and the variety of styling options these offer go some way towards justifying this price tag. This is especially true when you compare the Creativity 4 You to other mid-range dryers such as the $200 / £159 CloudNine Airshot that comes with two nozzles, and the $279 / £179 GHD Helios, which only has one attachment.

For the price, I’d have preferred a more sleek, well-balanced design, while the gold coloring cheapens the dryer somewhat; nevertheless, the performance makes it easy to put these minor points to one side.

Price: 4/5

Creativity 4 You review: specifications

Creativity 4 You review: design

Cool shot lock
Gold casing cheapens the overall look
Heavy and unbalanced in the hand

The Bellissima Creativity 4 You dryer looks like a cross between short-barrel, Dyson-style dryers, and the traditional, bulbous dryers of old. The main body of the unit is black, as are the attachments, while the filter and grille are housed in a gold plastic section at the rear of the styler. I have to say that I’m not a fan of the gold design; it definitely makes the dryer stand out, but I think it cheapens the overall look. Each of the four attachments clicks into the front of the dryer using small clips that sit around the circumference of the barrel.

The dryer measures 7 inches/18cm long, and 9 inches/ 23cm from the bottom of the handle to the top of the barrel. Along this handle are four controls: a Cold Shot button, which sits nearest to the barrel, a Hot button, the speed switch, and a power button. Each of these controls extends out from the handle, as opposed to sitting flush, feeling surprisingly high-end. There’s something reassuring about the feedback you get from pressing a physical button when almost everything today is managed via touchscreens or digital displays. While I was concerned that they might be easy to knock or press by accident while drying my hair, this hasn’t been the case.

However, the speed switch has proved a little confusing, because you have to move it to the left to select the higher speed setting and switch it back to the right to lower the speed. This feels a little counterintuitive because most hair dryer controls go from left for low to right for high. This is a minor point, nonetheless. Plus, you do get a small increase in noise on the higher setting, so it’s easy to determine the speed at which the dryer is running.

One of my favorite things about this hair dryer is the fact that you can switch between hot and cold air without having to manually hold down the Cold Shot button, as is the case with most other dryers. This spares you an aching finger and ensures that the air actually cools, and remains cool, for the length of time you need it to. You can also see, at a glance, which temperature setting you’re on. If you’re in Hot mode, a red LED light glows around the Hot button. If you’re in Cold mode, there’s a ring of Blue light around the Cool Shot button.

The dryer remembers your previous settings each time you switch it on, which is a nice touch but hardly a necessity. If anything, it means you have to always switch it back to Hot mode if, like me, you like to finish by setting your style with cool air.

One of my least favorite things about this dryer is its weight and balance. It tips the scales at 2.1lbs/950g, making it almost twice the weight of the Dyson Supersonic, and three times as heavy as mdlondon’s Blow’s dryer. In fact, its weight was one of the first things I noticed on taking the dryer out of its box, and my arm was aching within seconds of using the dryer. So much so, that when I’m blow-drying my hair with a barrel brush, I have to take breaks. Adding to the discomfort is that the bulk of the weight feels like it’s sitting behind the handle, towards the rear of the barrel. This causes it to pull on your wrist, mid-style.

As a result, the Creativity 4 You dryer falls a little short for design – a selection of excellent features is let down by some poor choices elsewhere.

Design: 3/5

Creativity 4 You hair dryer and its attachments — (Image credit: Future)

Creativity 4 You review: performance

Fast and precise styling
Leaves hair feeling soft and shiny for days
Dryer gets super hot

A lot of my design criticisms faded into the background on discovering how well the Creativity 4 you perform. It’s difficult to describe the feel of the air, but it isn’t rough as it is with other dryers; it feels soft, without sacrificing power. In addition, noise levels reach an average of 76db, which is quiet enough to have a conversation at the same time. The hair dryer took under four minutes to dry my mid-length fine hair.

I welcomed that it dries the section of hair you’re working on without sending other sections flying in all directions. This is a particular problem for me with my fine hair when using rival dryers, and is a major cause of frizz and knots.

My hair was left feeling smooth and soft – even after rough drying it straight out of the shower – with this feeling lasting for days. I can’t usually go more than one day without my hair becoming greasy, or losing volume and movement. Not only did my hair continue to look freshly washed the day after using the Creativity 4 You dryer, but it still felt soft on day three. The greasiness had started to creep in, but I could style my hair without it looking slick and flat.

This smooth and sleek finish was amplified with the use of the concentrator nozzle and was even noticeable when I used the “Curly” diffuser to enhance my natural waves. The diffuser is large enough to hold large amounts of hair, but not too large that you lose precision.

However, my favorite attachment was the Wavy attachment. I had to watch a video tutorial to learn how to get the best out of it, but it’s far more simple than it first appears. The curved design fits on the circumference of a barrel brush. As you’re drying your hair, the barrel brush sits beneath the hair, while you hold the Wavy attachment on top. This dries the hair into the shape of the brush; you move the brush down and repeat to create a head-full of S-waves. It takes a bit of getting used to (and it’s not quick!), but if you’ve ever struggled to get beachy waves with a heated styler, this hair dryer is worth the investment for this alone.

When I first opened the box, I didn’t think I’d have any use for the Smooth and Delicate attachment, which looks like a cattle grille. That was until I realized how hot this hair dryer gets. On multiple occasions, this hair dryer burned my scalp. This is partly my fault for holding the dryer too close to the roots, but I can’t think of a single other dryer I’ve used that has hurt me so much on such a regular basis. Even when I tried to hold the dryer away from my scalp, I still managed to burn my skin. It became almost a necessity to use the Smooth and Delicate attachment to avoid burning myself. I’ve asked Bellissima to confirm the maximum temperature that the Creativity 4 You reaches, but I’m yet to hear back from the company.

The plus side of this high heat is that the Creativity 4 You dries hair quickly and effectively. This will be a particular benefit to people with thick hair – if you have strong arms, that is.

Performance: 4/5

Should I buy the Creativity 4 You?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Creativity 4 You hair dryer

I used it as my main hair dryer for 3 weeks
I tried all settings on wet to damp hair
I tested on my own fine, mid-length hair

I used the Bellissima Creativity 4 You hair dryer for three weeks as my main hair dryer. I recorded the time it took the dryer to take my hair from wet to dry, rough-drying and blow-drying.

I also used all of the attachments multiple times and compared performance to other dryers I’ve tried and used regularly, namely the Dyson Supersonic and the Revlon 2-in-1 Dryer.

I've been reviewing hair dryers and beauty tech for more than five years, and have been testing home appliances and gadgets for more than a decade.

First reviewed August 2023

Eufy Clean X9 Pro review

8:01 pm | October 1, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Comments: Off

Two-minute review

The Eufy X9 Pro is designed to handle everything from mopping and vacuuming your floors to self-cleaning and intelligent home mapping. Accompanying all those features is a rather high price tag – and the question is, is it worth it? The answer to that really depends on what you’re looking for from this robot vacuum.

Eufy is a smart home device and appliance brand owned by Anker. It’s known for creating some of the best home security cameras, best video doorbells, and more. There’s also a “Clean” branch with a focus on creating the best robot vacuums. The X9 Pro is the brand’s new, top-of-the-line robot vacuum, and the only one featuring an auto-cleaning base station. Eufy has other more economical vacuums, such as the L35 Hybrid+ with a mop feature or the RoboVac G20, which only vacuums.

Following use of the Eufy Clean X9 Pro over the past few weeks, I’ve been impressed by its ability to travel around my two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with ease, vacuuming and mopping simultaneously. The device has rarely become stuck and has managed to avoid almost all obstacles thanks to an AI camera and sensors. I’ve even been able to hear the suction on the vacuum increase and see the mops lift every time it has made contact with a rug. The device uses an app that successfully created an intelligent map of my space and has made it relatively simple to adjust the robot vacuum’s settings.

The vacuum feature of the Eufy Clean X9 Pro did a decent job of picking up lighter debris, but larger messes – especially on rugs – proved too big a task for it. Note that there’s no auto-emptying dust box here, something you’ll often find on robovacs in a similar price category.

Nevertheless, the Eufy Clean X9 Pro shines where mopping is concerned. Its two rotating, plush mopping cloths apply just enough pressure to clean almost every spot on the floor, including sticky syrup, coffee drips, and muddy footprints. The base even washes the mopping cloths during and after each clean, along with refilling the vacuum’s water tank and drying the mops to prevent smells. Its mopping ability is a big step above the vibrating mops I’ve seen on the majority of other robot vacuums on the market.

Anyone who wants a more hands-off cleaning experience could benefit from the Eufy Clean X9 Pro. It will have no problem handling your lighter vacuuming needs and is more than ready to tackle those bigger stains on your floors with its mops. You’ll appreciate being able to hand off some of the household chores to this device.

Eufy X9 Pro: Price and availability

List price: $899.99 / £899.99 / AU$1,499.95
Where is it available: Available in the US, UK and Australia

The Eufy Clean X9 Pro is available direct from Eufy Clean’s US, UK, and Australian websites. You can also find it on Amazon in the US and Amazon UK.

This vacuum is Eufy’s top-of-the-line model, and the price reflects that; but for the money you get impressive dual rotating mops, an auto-cleaning base station, AI mapping, and 5,500Pa suction. However, the mopping features come at the cost of a self-emptying dust box, something that many robovacs in a similar price category include.

You’ll also have to consider upkeep costs. The mops will need to be changed most often, and a single replacement for the two cloths will set you back $29. Other accessories such as brushes and filters come in around the $15-39 mark, but won’t need to be switched out as often.

Value score: 4 / 5

Eufy Clean X9 Pro: Specifications

Eufy X9 pro docked at base station — (Image credit: Future)

Eufy Clean X9 Pro: Design

Sleek but large base station with mop auto cleaning
13.9oz/410ml dust bin with no auto-empty feature
Liftable thick, plush mopping cloths

The Eufy Clean X9 Pro arrived in a large, hefty box and was almost completely put together. All I needed to do was remove some tape, fill the clean water reservoir, and plug it in. Next, I downloaded the app, which offers guidance on connecting the robot vacuum to your Wi-Fi. In total, setup took about 10 minutes, and after a full charge, the vac was ready to set out on the first clean.

The base station features nicely rounded edges, making it a bit more attractive than other vacuums I’ve tested, and the robot vacuum tucks neatly into it for charging and mop washing. However, it’s rather chunky, measuring 17.4 x 16.6.2 x 16.4in/44.3 x 42.2 x 41.6cm. As such, those with smaller spaces might want to consider a more compact option.

That larger form factor is necessary to house the clean and dirty water reservoirs, both of which hold about a gallon of water. Those reservoirs are made of sturdy plastic with a locking hinge to hold them closed and a built-in handle for carrying. There’s also a built-in heated drying mechanism to prevent the mop from becoming moldy and smelly; and I can attest that following a few weeks of use, there’s no smell.

Buttons on the Eufy X9 Pro — (Image credit: Future)

I particularly like the sleek, all-black color scheme of the base station and vacuum. Both components are mainly matte, helping prevent handprints and other smudges, with much of it built of a durable plastic.

As for the actual robot vacuum, it’s of a similar size to most other robot vacuums. However, it branches away from the traditional circular design for a more squarish look with rounded edges. There are various sensors on the machine for obstacle avoidance and carpet detection, which add to its height, and which also mean it might struggle to clean under lower furniture. There are only a few buttons on the vacuum itself, since much of the control is via the app. A recharge button sends the vacuum back to the base station, a spot cleaning mode button cleans a 4.9 x 4.9ft/1.5 x 1.5m area, and a start/pause button is self-explanatory.

Open up the hinged lid of the vacuum and you’ll find a good-sized dust box with a 13.9oz/410ml capacity, with a spare filter included in the box. Eufy claims this dust box should be emptied following every 10 hours of use, but whether or not you’ll have to do so will depend on how dirty your space is. I found it needed to be emptied more frequently. Luckily, the dust box is easy enough to remove – although even better would have been the inclusion of an auto-emptying feature on the base station. At least you won’t need to worry about purchasing extra dust bags down the road, keeping costs lower.

Flip over the vacuum and you’ll find one side brush, a roller brush, and two heavy-duty rotating mopping cloths. I have to say the mopping cloths are much thicker and plusher than the pads on other machines, giving this vacuum an edge when it comes to mopping performance. Those cloths also auto-lift when the vacuum comes into contact with carpet.

Design score: 4 / 5

Eufy X9 pro attempting to clean up oats and flour — (Image credit: Future)

Eufy X9 Pro: Performance

Excellent mopping ability
Vacuum picks up lighter debris, but fails to clean larger messes
Decent navigation and object detection

The Eufy Clean X9 Pro was simple to get started. You can send it out on the first clean without even having to create a map. However, for mapping, Eufy recommends that you tidy up your space for greater accuracy, which includes picking up tassel rugs and getting any loose wires out of the way. That took less than a minute, and I was ready to send it out.

The standard setting of the robovac on the first clean included vacuuming and mopping simultaneously. The water reservoir on the base station will fill up the vacuum with water, which is a quiet process hitting about 50db, and then the device will announce it’s heading out on a clean. It will also make you aware if it becomes stuck, and when it’s heading back to the base station.

Underside of the Eufy X9 pro — (Image credit: Future)

While roaming my two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, it did a great job of getting as close to my walls as possible and skirting around furniture. Although the AI sensors on the vacuum did misjudge my record stand; it wedged itself under it and needed rescuing. During other cleans, the X9 Pro continued to become stuck, eventually freeing itself. Unfortunately, that sensor on top – when working properly – prevented the vacuum from fitting under a good deal of my shelving. I’d occasionally place objects in its path, and the device would usually lightly tap the object and go around it, so no complaints there.

I found the robot vacuum would struggle with some of my rugs, but never actually got stuck. The machine also did this strange little dance around the edges of the rugs. When fully on a rug, the mopping cloths lifted every time without fail, lowering as soon as the vacuum hit a hard floor – none of the rugs in my home were left damp by the mops.

Overall, the Eufy Clean X9 Pro did a decent job of picking up smaller debris in its path, and did so quietly at around 60-65db, depending on the flooring it was on. The sound wasn’t too distracting, with a consistent noise that matched a sound level similar to my window air conditioner.

As I mentioned, the mop has been my favorite feature of this robot vacuum. It uses two plush mopping cloths that apply 2lbs/1kg of pressure, rotating three times per second, which is different to the typical vibrating pad. In my opinion, they do a much better job of lifting dirt off the floors. The mops picked up all the coffee stains, food spills, and footprints on my floor without problem. I even spread yogurt and syrup on the floor to test the mop, and the mess was gone following just a single pass-through. I was blown away. Note that you can also adjust the level of water it uses, with noticeably more water on the floor at the higher setting.

Eufy X9 pro water reservoirs — (Image credit: Future)

Before every clean that includes mopping, the X9 Pro will take about 3 minutes to get the mop ready. Then during the cleaning, every 10 minutes, the device will head back to the base station to wash the mops, taking another 3 minutes to clean. It is possible to adjust the time between washing via the app. I found that I’d go through almost the entire clean water reservoir with each full clean of my apartment, which is a good deal of water. However, I know the mops were doing a great job judging by the nasty water in the dirty water reservoir. Luckily, you’ll get a notification on when to change those reservoirs.

As much as I love the mopping feature, I can’t say as much for vacuuming. It’s mediocre at best, and it doesn’t help that there’s no self-emptying dust box, which you’ll find in most other vacuums at this price point. The X9 Pro did a decent job of picking up lighter debris, but when I tested its ability using a more concentrated mess of oats and flour on hard floors, the side brush would end up spreading oats around while picking up most. It performed the same at all suction levels, including max.

On my rug, performance was even more pathetic, leaving almost the entirety of the flour and oats behind. Several whole home cleanings later, the mess on my rug is still there. I wouldn’t rely on this vacuum to clean up any bigger, concentrated messes. A standup vacuum or broom would be better in these situations.

As far as cleaning and maintenance is concerned, the X9 Pro offers easy upkeep. You’ll have to wipe down the sensors and empty the dust box occasionally, the clean water reservoir will need to be filled and the dirty water reservoir emptied; but both come out easily and latch shut, so you don’t need to worry about spilling everywhere. The mopping cloths are washed and dried by the base station, so you’ll just need to replace them once they look worn out, which is likely to be every couple of months or so. Beyond that, the app keeps track of when you’ll need to replace different components such as the brushes and filters. Luckily, these parts should be good to go for 100+ hours.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Eufy X9 Pro: App

Creates an accurate map of your space
Easy to adjust vacuum/mopping settings
Voice assistant support

As soon as you download the Eufy Clean app and open it, you’ll be prompted to create or log in to your profile. After that super simple process, it will guide you through the rest of the setup of the Eufy X9 Pro, including connecting it to Wi-Fi. All in all, the process took about five minutes. From there, navigating the app is on a par with other robot vacuum apps I’ve used. When you open the app, your home screen will display your connected devices, and simply tapping on the Eufy X9 Pro will bring you to all the settings for the vacuum.

A map of your space is created following the first clean, and it even sections off rooms, making notes of obstacles. I found the results mostly accurate, with every room in my two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment included.

There were a few slight adjustments to the map needed, but this is easy through the app; you can change the room names, room cleaning sequence, and create no-go zones – which was handy for my pesky tassel rugs, and is also great for homes with stairs or other hazards. However, unlike some maps on other robot vacuums I’ve used, this one only differentiates floor types and notes certain obstacles when in use, making it more difficult to determine which areas to block off.

For cleaning, the app has an auto whole-home cleaning option, alongside the ability to select specific rooms or create zones for certain spots you may want to clean. It’s also possible to change the mode of cleaning from mopping and vacuuming to just one or the other. You can adjust the suction level of the vacuum and the water level of the mop. All these changes are achieved by selecting the mode button on the corner button of the map page.

Homescreen of the Eufy X9 pro app — (Image credit: Future)

Further setting options can be found by selecting the icon in the top-right corner. There you can set schedules, including days of the week and times of cleans, and check when different components such as brushes need to be washed or cleaned. There’s even a remote control for moving the vacuum, similar to a remote-control car. However, when you move the vacuum this way, the map of your space disappears, and you’ll need to go back to your settings and reload your saved map – a slight inconvenience but nothing major.

Beyond settings for the vacuum, in the profile section on the main homepage of the app, it’s possible to set up voice control via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Amazon Alexa is slightly easier to connect than Google Assistant, but both work similarly. After setup, you can ask the vacuum to perform more basic functions like “clean” or “go home.”

Overall, there are no standout settings on the Eufy X9 Pro’s app, but neither is it missing any important features. Most should be able to navigate the app with relative ease having used it a few times.

App score: 4 / 5

Eufy X9 Pro: Battery life

Battery lasted 150 minutes at the standard vacuum/mopping setting
Recharging in the base station takes four hours
Automatically goes out to complete cleaning task when the battery hits 75%

When testing the battery, I sent the Eufy Clean X9 Pro out on a typical clean, which involved vacuuming at the standard setting and mopping at a medium water level. The vacuum would also go back to refill the mop every 10 minutes. It finished cleaning my space in just over 2 hours with 20% battery life remaining. I sent it back out on the same cleaning route, and after another 20 minutes of cleaning, the vacuum hit 9% battery life, automatically heading back to the base station.

In total, the battery lasted about 150 minutes – a very acceptable amount of time. Of course, this number will fluctuate depending on the robot vacuum’s cleaning settings. I couldn’t find the manufacturer’s battery life claims.

Recharging from 9% back to 100% took four hours, but when the battery hits 75%, the vacuum will go out and complete any cleaning task that it didn’t finish – unless you turn off this feature in the app. I didn’t encounter any issues while charging the battery. Every time a clean was complete, the Eufy X9 Pro would head back to the base and begin charging.

Battery life score: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Eufy X9 Pro?

Eufy X9 Pro navigating around a chair — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Don't buy if...

Eufy X9 Pro: Also consider

If a robot vacuum isn't for you, why not consider these other vacuum options?

How I tested Eufy X9 Pro

Used over the course of three weeks to test the majority of settings.
Flooring consists of hard floors and rugs

I tested the Eufy Clean X9 Pro in my two-bedroom, two-bathroom over three weeks. I would send it out to perform cleans many times throughout the week, using almost all the different settings on the robot vacuum. I placed it in the center of my main living space for easier access to all the rooms. The flooring in my home consists of a hard laminate throughout, with a few rugs, including some tassel options scattered about. Unfortunately, I don’t have any carpets to test on.

Before using the robot vacuum, I ensured my floors were free of clothes and other possible obstructions, just as I would when vacuuming with an upright vacuum. I picked up smaller tassel rugs and cables. In total, I may have spent one minute of my time doing this before each clean, but that tiny bit of effort was worth it for optimal results.

First reviewed September 2023

Bellissima Air Wonder 8 in 1 Hot Air Styler review: A capable, affordable Dyson Airwrap dupe

6:01 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Hair Care Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

One-minute review

It’s been a few years since Dyson disrupted the home haircare market with the release of the Dyson Airwrap styler, giving the competition plenty of time to catch up.

Since then, we’ve seen a host of Dyson Airwrap dupes hit the scene, from those that stay fairly close to Dyson’s high-tech, premium grade finish such as the Shark FlexStyle, to more affordable and approachable options such as the Bellissima Air Wonder 8 in 1 Hot Air Styler. This more conventional hair dryer doesn’t offer the advanced engineering and suction of the Dyson and Shark models, but its selection of attachments makes for a great first step towards leveling up your hair care.

Using the Bellissima Air Wonder with its one of seven attachments enables you to dry and style your hair in almost any way you can imagine – once you figure out the locking mechanism, that is, which is the source of a majority of complaints I’ve read online due to its unclear instructions.

The styling tool is capable and the results are decent, but I wouldn’t say it’s offering the best value for money simply because it comes in cheaper than the Dyson Airwrap. Each of the components feels pretty cheap, and both the attachments and the lock ring become so hot that you can actually burn yourself – I did so a few times, much to my chagrin. Note, too, that there’s no temperature control; just two heat settings and a cool shot. This is cause for some concern: how damaging might it prove to hair in the long-term if it’s so hot that it burns me after 10 minutes of use?

Still, if you’re careful – making sure you keep your hair hydrated and use good products – then I don’t think the Bellissima Air Wonder will be too much of a problem; but I wouldn’t use it every day or call it one of the best hair dryers I've tested.

Bellissima Air Wonder: Price and availability

List price: $111 / £100
Where can you get it? Available in the US and the UK

For a hot air styler, the Bellissima Air Wonder is pretty affordable at $111 / £100, and it’s widely available in the UK from retailers including Amazon and Argos. In the US, it’s slightly less accessible, but can be found through third-party retailers such as Beauty Bay.

One of the big positives for the value proposition of the Air Wonder is its included attachments. The product’s name is somewhat misleading, though, in that it actually comes with only seven attachments; I presume the supposed eighth styling tool is the wand itself – which is a bit useless for drying hair on its own. Aside from this, it’s a decent enough, affordable alternative to other multi-stylers; but I wouldn’t say it offers great value for money on account of some of its performance and design issues.

Value: 4 / 5

Bellissima Air Wonder: Specifications

Bellissima Air Wonder: Design

White wand with seven black and gold attachments
Storage bag included
Lock function is clumsily designed

Opting for a luxe color palette of cream with black and gold accents, the Bellissima Air Wonder 8 in 1 is a brush hair dryer, following the form factor of other multi-stylers by opting for a wand rather than the traditional L-shaped dryer.

It’s fairly ergonomic in the hand, with a slight pear shape that keeps the controls within easy reach. At its thinnest point it’s about the same width as the Dyson Airwrap and Shark FlexStyle, but it’s a little shorter at 20.9 x 10.6 inches/ 53 x 27cm (l x w). Its longest attachments are the rounded brushes and curling iron, which add 19 inches/ 50cm to the overall length.

Bellissima Air Wonder 8 in 1 Hot Air Styler being held by author — (Image credit: Future / Josephine Watson)

At the top of the wand is the lock ring, where you attach the accessories, and just below this sit the temperature controls. There’s no granular control on the Bellissima Air Wonder; simply a cool setting, and two heat settings. At the hilt of the wand is the fan.

The attachments are coated with ceramic and keratin, and lock into place with a twist. There’s a QR code with instructions on how to do this included, since it’s clearly been a pain point; many customers online have been making returns or raising complaints about accessories falling off.

Unlike the more premium Shark and Dyson devices, the Air Wonder has a far more manageable 3m cord, and the included bag makes it super-easy to store away.

While the Bellissima Air Wonder does indeed look very nice, all of the parts feel a bit tacky. In use, especially, it doesn’t feel robust, and there are lots of cracks and crevices in which your hair can easily become caught and ripped (like mine did a fair few times!)

Design: 3 / 5

Bellissima Air Wonder: Performance

On test, the Bellissima Air Wonder 8 in 1 performed pretty well, transforming my typically unruly strands into silky and well-tamed locks – but it wasn’t smooth-sailing getting there, and I wouldn’t say I ever achieved the results I was expecting.

First, the positives. I welcomed the wide selection of accessories, and they definitely encouraged me to be a bit more adventurous with my daily styling. I mostly used the nozzle for rough drying and the three-barrel brushes to create volume and curls in my hair, all of which worked pretty well. Having never before used ovular brushes for styling, I particularly enjoyed seeing how I could get some more natural volume into my hair with the oval brush.

I found that styles created using the volume-centric attachments held well in my hair, playing nicely with the direct heat and airflow from the wand. Generally speaking, my hair felt silky and smooth to the same standard as it does with my go-to hair dryer, the Panasonic EH-NA65.

Image 1 of 2

Image 2 of 2

However, I found the other attachments disappointing. The curling iron was the biggest offender here, and it seems I’m not the only one, with dozens of frustrated customers having left feedback online that the tool just doesn’t work, despite being a big selling point. Any curls I did manage to achieve dropped pretty rapidly.

This is particularly surprising given the hair dryer's biggest weakness – how hot the main unit and its attachments become. It also feels like a massive oversight given that one of the key selling points of the air styler is being able to swap out attachments. Not only do these accessories feel incredibly hot to the touch, but even the lock ring itself becomes too hot to operate.

This means that despite the multi-styler making quick work of drying my hair, the whole styling process was significantly lengthened by having to turn off the device or purge the heat using the cool shot multiple times.

The lack of a temperature control, plus the maximum heat of the styler being 392ºF/200ºC, means I have some serious concerns about how this dryer might impact the health of hair, especially if it’s used regularly and without careful consideration to hair protection and health.

Personally, I’d only use the Air Wonder on occasion rather than daily – which, in my opinion, brings down the value of the product overall quite considerably.

Performance: 3 / 5

Should I buy the Bellissima Air Wonder?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Bellissima Air Wonder: Also consider

If the Bellissima Air Wonder isn't for you, why not consider these other hair stylers?

How I tested the Bellissima Air Wonder 8 in 1

I used the Bellissima Air Wonder 8 in 1 every day for 3 weeks
I tried all of the accessories on my medium-length wavy and thick hair
I tested all of its settings, benchmarking against the competition

For the three weeks I used the Bellissima Air Wonder 8 in 1, I made a concerted effort to use all of its accessories and settings, creating different styles with my hair to see how well they performed. I assessed how healthy my hair looked after styling, and how well various styles remained throughout the day.

I timed how long it took me to dry my hair compared to the Air Wonder’s closest competition – Shark and Dyson – as well as my standard, conventional dryer.

I’ve been testing haircare products for two years professionally, but I’ve always had long hair and styled it with various products over the years.

First reviewed September 2023

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