The Coros Heart Rate Monitor is a strap-based monitor designed for your upper arm that uses optical tracking tech to measure blood volume, rather than electrocardiograph or ECG, which measures the heart's electrical signals. While many of the best heart rate monitors use ECG, optical sensors are found in the best smartwatches. Which begs the question: why does Coros' stand-alone HRM use optical sensors instead of ECG?
The short answer, from Coros, is that optical heart rate monitoring works by using light shone through your skin to see your blood flow. While watches can do a reasonable job on the wrist, there is a lot more blood higher up the arm, making a dedicated strap – which can be affixed tightly yet comfortably to that higher arm position – more accurate.
So, for your money, you are getting a more accurate optical heart rate monitor than a smartwatch, yet with arguably a more comfortable wearing position. Unlike a chest strap, it's a comfortable wear for both men and women of all body types and sizes, and to top it off you get a decent 38 hours of use with its rechargeable battery.
Thanks to Bluetooth connectivity, this can be used with many different devices from smartwatches and phones to bikes and gym machines. There's also a useful wear detection feature which means this can auto-power on and connect. All you need to do is put it on.
There is basic waterproofing, to 3ATM, but this is more to make it sweat and rain-proof – so don't expect this to be usable for swimming. You also won't find connectivity options like ANT+ here, so that may limit some people in terms of which devices this can be used with.
Coros Heart Rate Monitor key specs
Component
Coros Heart Rate Monitor
Dimensions
42.5 x 28.4 x 9.1mm
Weight
19g with strap
Fit
18-32cm standard, 24-43cm large
Case material
Plastic unit, with polyester fibre, nylon and spandex band
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Compatibility
3 simultaneous
Water resistance
3 ATM
Accelerometer
No
Battery
Rechargeable USB-A
Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Price and release date
Available to buy now in the US, UK, and Australia
Priced at $79 / £69 / AU$140 RRP
A similar price point as Garmin's HRM Pro
The Coros Heart Rate Monitor launched on June 27, 2023 and is available across the globe. It launched with a price of $79 in the US, £69 in the UK and $140 in Australia.
The Coros HRM is available in several colours thanks to a selection of band options, which you can pick at purchase. These include Grey, Lime and Orange. There is also an option to get a large version of the Grey if needed – more details on that in the design section.
You can buy the Coros HRM directly from Coros via sites like Amazon.
Price-wise, it's comparable to the Garmin HRM-Pro, so it's in line with the rest of its competitors without being either outstanding value or egregiously expensive.
Value score: 3.5/5
Coros HRM (Image credit: Future)
Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Design
Comfortable to wear
Easy to fit
Simple design
The Coros Heart Rate Monitor is all about simplicity and as such this is a doddle to wear. Since this is made to go on your bicep, once you've got the right size adjusted to suit you using the velcro fitting, it's a simple case of sliding it up your arm to pop it on.
The strap materials are a combination of polyester fiber, nylon and spandex, which all equate to a very comfortable feel. But, crucially, this is flexible enough to slip on and off with a stretch, but tight enough to stay in place without it feeling too tight or uncomfortable.
At 19g the total weight is barely noticeable. When you consider people run with large phones in arm strap cases and barely notice them, you can imagine how unobtrusive this feels.
Does this feel more comfy than a chest strap? The answer in my case was a yes, but that may vary from person to person. I certainly like the fact this slips on easily, and thanks to that auto-wear detection sensor it'll connect up quickly and easily too.
This is made to fit biceps of sizes between 18 and 32cm. So unless you're very slim or a bodybuilder, this is likely to fit you comfortably regardless of gender. If you are bigger in the arm area then there is the option to go for a larger variant of the strap at point of purchase, which accommodates 24-43cm biceps.
Coros HRM (Image credit: Future)
The sensor setup itself comprises five LEDs with four photodetectors. That combination, representing the best optical heart rate sensors from Coros right now, should mean this is fairly future-proof, unlikely to be eclipsed by more accurate technology for a while. That said, it won't offer SpO2 measurements, so if you're after O2 features then you may want to keep looking elsewhere.
There is an LED light on the side of the main unit which acts as a useful communication light. When on charge this will glow orange until the battery is full after two hours, and it then turns solid green so you know it's good to go.
The charger is USB-A at one end and a proprietary magnetic attachment at the end of the HRM connection. While it's easy to plug into many different power sources, we would have preferred the more efficient, up-to-date USB-C.
The strap is also washable, where the main unit can slide off, making it possible to keep that looking fresh for long periods.
Design score: 4/5
Coros HRM (Image credit: Future)
Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Features
App is minimal
Lots of third-party app compatibility
No swim tracking
The Coros Heart Rate Monitor can be paired to many devices and works with the app you want to use. But there is an included Coros app that you can use, ideal if you've already got other Coros devices like the Coros Pace Pro.
The Coros app is fine for analyzing data, but it won't track you while you're out exercising. So you will need to use a third-party app, like Strava. I connected the HRM by opening the Coros app, and once connected, I could just open Strava, slip on the armband, and it would pull in the HR data directly.
I found this helpful for heart rate training or zone tracking. Generally speaking, I used the phone to collect the data and then only looked at it when analyzing my effort after I was back and showered off, so you'll need to take your phone in a chest, waist or arm-mounted running case.
Coros HRM (Image credit: Future)
It's also worth noting that if you already have a smartwatch and simply want to add a more accurate heart rate tracker than the built-in optical option, this can connect to your smartwatch too. And yes, this did prove more accurate than wrist-based options during our testing, so this could be a viable alternative to a chest strap.
The app is the only way to know an accurate measure of the HRM's battery life. Sure the light on the side can give you rough guidance, but that's not likely to serve you before a run or ride where you'll want reassurance you have enough juice to go the distance. A push notification would have been helpful when connected too.
It's worth noting that this can broadcast heart rate to up to three devices simultaneously. So you could have your watch and phone connected to your bike computer at the same time, for example. I haven't tested this feature yet, but it's good to have the option should the need arise.
Features: 3/5
Coros app (Image credit: Future)
Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Performance
Good accuracy
Easy to use
Very comfortable
One of the most important things to mention here is comfort. This is more comfy to wear than a chest strap, while offering almost the same level of accuracy. It's easy to slip on and off, less noticeable to wear and can also be kept hidden to avoid knocks – with the option to slide it under your sleeve.
While a wrist-worn heart rate monitor in a watch can be useful, wearing this on your bicep is so much more accurate. As mentioned it's a better spot, with more blood, for clearer readings. But it's also higher up the arm with far less movement when running and way less bumping when riding a bike. All that combines to offer great levels of accuracy across sports while staying comfy.
Where this falls down compared to a chest strap is battery life. It's decent, hitting close to the claimed 38 hours in real-world use, but still doesn't compare to the one or two year battery power of some chest straps.
Coros HRM on the left and chest strap on the right. (Image credit: Future)
In one run (image above), with an early hill climb which I use to beat any chance of averaging explaining accuracy, I did spot some issues. I had a competitor chest strap on in addition to the arm-based Coros HRM connected to my phone. On the hill climb, my heart quickly jumped to 170 and the chest strap kept up. However, the Coros strap lagged behind, reading 155. It did catch up, but was a few seconds behind.
After that, as the distance lengthened and those averages came into play, it got even closer, but I was aware of that initial blip.
So while you can see the early discrepancy, generally both the Coros and chest-mounted HRM show similar readings with near-identical max and average heart rate data. It was certainly noticeably more accurate than a wrist-worn optical heart rate sensor is capable of offering.
Performance score: 4/5
Coros HRM: Scorecard
Category
Comment
Score
Value
In line with competition, making it reasonable.
3.5/5
Design
Very well designed to be comfy, work well, be easy-to-use and accurate.
4.5/5
Features
Great app compatibility but loses points on lack of swim support.
3/5
Performance
Accurate, comfortable and easy to use.
4/5
Total
A superb option for accuracy and comfort with charge support.
4/5
Coros HRM (Image credit: Future)
Coros Heart Rate Monitor: Buy it if...
You're need true heart rate training A dedicated HRM detects changes to your heart rate more accurately than a watch alone, allowing you to zone train with quality.
You want comfort and ease The Coros HRM is very comfortable and easy to slip on and off with that auto turn-on and -off functionality, making it a pleasure to use.
Coros Heart Rate Monitor: don't buy it if...
You want to see your data Unless you own a Coros or other smartwatch, then seeing your data isn't easy when phone connected to this HRM.
You want the best battery While battery life here is good, it's not chest strap level performance so consider that charging will be a part of this use.
Designed for multi-sport use, the HRM-Pro is the most advanced heart rate strap Garmin produces, although it’s probably of greater interest to those who already own Garmin products.
The MyZone MZ-Switch isn’t just a chest strap. The center sensor node features an ECG monitor as well as an optical sensor and pops out so it can be worn on the wrist like a smartwatch.
I used the Coros HRM for a few weeks to test. I did this across running and cycling mainly and mixed in longer steady trips out as well as hills and sprints to get a range of results. I compared using a wrist-worn Garmin, a chest strap and, at one point, an optical armband too. I used this with a few different apps to try out how the data could be used, shared and analyzed.
Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: one-minute review
Since Philips introduced the world to the first air fryer back in 2010, the market for this health-conscious kitchen appliance has boomed. Manufacturers like Ninja dominate best air fryers lists, but British Philips continues to improve upon its patented Rapid Air Technology, and its most recent offerings, like the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Steam Air Fryer, are increasingly impressive.
The Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer NA150X isn't quite on par with the 5000 and suffers from some of the same issues around ease of use, but it's also considerably cheaper at £133.99. For that price tag, you get a well-performing air fryer with plenty of room and a handful of useful features, such as a shaking reminder and sync cooking, without bombarding you with a bunch of extras.
When the 1000 Series works well, it's excellent: chicken is succulent with just enough crispiness on the skin, muffins are soft inside without being dry, and chips (homemade and frozen) are golden and fluffy inside. I found the presets are mostly accurate and provide top-notch – though you do need to keep an eye on cooking at times – and the recipes provided in the accompanying Home ID app (though limited) are delicious.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
Frustratingly, you have to rely on that Home ID app a lot, especially at the start. Like the Steam Air Fryer, this appliance comes with a limited physical user manual. You need to download the Home ID app to access the full digital manual that gives clear instructions on each button's functionality and the food tables listing recommended weights and food types. While these tables are helpful, they aren't as thorough as others we've seen and don't cover some commonly air-fried foods. For example, I need to know what weight and settings to use for individual vegetables, like carrots and broccoli, more than I likely need to know the weight to cook meatballs with baked gnocchi.
However, once you get to grips with how the air fryer works, the digital interface is straightforward to use. You have the option to cook in one 7.1L XXL basket or to add the provided divider to create two individually programmable baskets – these can also be set to sync and finish cooking at the same time or to have matching settings. This air fryer is surprisingly compact (compared to its competitors) given its capacity, and the deep baskets are deceptively spacious, with a handy Max line indicating how much you can fill each.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
The XXL basket and crisping plates are dishwasher friendly (though we always advise against this), and their non-stick coating makes them straightforward to clean – in theory. The XXL basket is cumbersome to clean, especially in a sink, and even if you just use one side, the entire basket needs to be removed and washed. Similarly, if you are cooking two foods at once and need to shake one side, you inadvertently remove and shake the other at the same time.
Ultimately, this is a great air fryer with an affordable price tag, even if the user experience isn't ideal. You may just need some patience (like with many air fryers) to find the optimal settings and weights for foods not listed in the table.
Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: price and availability
£133.99 at Philips (roughly $181.45 / AU$281.43)
Available in the UK, but not in the US or Australia currently
Available at third party retailers like Amazon, but cheaper from Philips directly
The Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer is a budget to mid-range appliance at £133.99 (roughly $181.45 / AU$281.43). At that price, it's worth considering if you don't want to shell out £200+ on a premium air fryer like the Ninja Double Oven and Dreo ChefMaker. While it does come with fewer bells and whistles than more premium options, including the excellent Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Steam Air Fryer, it gets the job done. While the results aren't always as consistent, this is a solid air fryer for this price tag.
At the time of writing, the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer NA15X is only available in the UK as the NA150/09 (the Australian model has seemingly been discontinued). In the US, the closest model to the one we tested appears to be the Philips 3000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer, which costs $199.99.
You can pick up the model we reviewed from third-party retailers like Currys or Amazon for £159.99, though you'll save some cash purchasing from Philips directly (£133.99).
Value score: 4.5/5
Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: specifications
Extra functions: Copy (apply same settings to both baskets), Time (syncs cooking times), Shaking reminder
Smart control
No
Rated power
2,450W
Capacity
7.1 liters
Temperature range
40C-200C / 104F-392F
Time range
Up to 60 minutes
Dimensions (including handles)
17.23 in (L) x 11.87 in (W) x 11.61 in (H) / 437.69mm (L) x 301.43mm (W) x 294.91mm (H)
Dishwasher safe
Yes
Weight
12.79lbs / 5.8kg
Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: design
Black modern design
Fairly compact for an XXL air fryer
Spacious 7.1L capacity
Clear digital LED interface
Cumbersome to hand wash
Full user manual is digital only
The Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer has a matte black body with a black digital LED interface on the top, a glossy black plastic strip around the middle, and two large handles. The XXL basket is pulled out using the handles, like a drawer, and has two crisping plates inside, with each drawer also showing two maximum fill lines, one indicating the max capacity for frozen potato snacks and the other for other food types. A plastic divider is provided, which slides into slots between the two plates, creating two individually programmable, smaller baskets rather than the one XXL basket.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
Given its 7.1 liter capacity, this air fryer is much more compact than others we've tested of similar size, measuring 17.23 in (L) x 11.87 in (W) x 11.61 in (H) and weighing 5.8kg. So, while it will take up some room in your kitchen, it's nowhere near as chunky as the likes of the Russell Hobbs Satisfry 9L Dual Basket Air Fryer. If you've kids at home, you'll be pleased to hear it's cool to the touch when on, with the airflow temperature out the back (on XXL cooking) averaging around 43C, and it's not too intrusive volume-wise either, averaging around 60 decibels (again on XXL cooking),
The digital LED interface is clear and easy to use, with minimal clutter on the screen. However, to understand how to use its various presets and functions, you need to download the companion Home ID app using the QR code on the front of the appliance. The physical user manual provided mostly consists of confusing illustrations that try to explain how to use the air fryer, but the digital user manual accessible through the app is much more thorough.
t's extremely frustrating that you can only read the 918-page user manual on your phone as a sort of PDF, though, and if you don't have a smartphone to download the app, you're snookered. This is a recurring issue with Philips air fryers we've found, but at least the QR code on this one works, and the app's recommended recipes are actually pretty tasty.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
The digital user manual provides clearer instructions on the air fryer's presets and features, and how to use them, alongside food tables which recommend the weights and settings to use for certain food types. While these tables cover common food types like fries, chicken breast, and muffins, they could be more detailed – and some of the times listed in the tables are slightly different than the presets on the appliance. Instead of recommendations for cooking turkey roulade and veggies, a clear table on the settings for individual vegetables would be much more useful or what type of vegetables to use for the Mixed Vegetable preset would be much more helpful.
Another annoying issue I found with this appliance was cleaning it. While the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer's basket and crisping plates can be put in the dishwasher, and I successfully did, we typically advise not to use a dishwasher to clean anything with a non-stick coating (as this has) to ensure it doesn't wear away over time.
You may have difficulty dishwashing the basket on this one anyway because it's pretty cumbersome and will take up a lot of room in your dishwasher. The entire XXL basket comes out as one and therefore the whole thing must be cleaned, even if you only use one of the baskets within it. While it cleans easily with dish soap and water, it can be a bit tricky to get it in the sink and give it a thorough clean.
While it's a shame Philips has dropped the ball again when it comes to a clear, physical user manual (which would benefit older, less savvy users), once you do get to grips with this air fryer, it's straightforward and convenient to use.
Design score: 4/5
Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: performance
What it cooks well, it does brilliantly
Six presets, mixed accuracy
Time function to sync cooking
Copy function to match basket settings
Quality of life features, like shaking reminder
The Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer comes with six cooking presets (Frozen Fries, Steak, Chicken Drumsticks, Mixed Vegetables, Cake/Muffin, Reheat) and three extra functions (Time, Copy, and a Shaking reminder).
When the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer works well, the results are impressive. I started my testing with frozen chips, adding 400g of frozen steak cut fries to one of the smaller baskets and selecting the Frozen Fries/Potato Snacks preset. This automatically adds the Shaking reminder (which can also be selected manually), which sees the appliance chirping about halfway through cooking to indicate when to shake or turn your food.
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Frustratingly, this does mean you need to shake the whole basket, whether you want the other half shaken or not. The results were excellent, with the chips cooked pretty evenly (though some were a tad more done than others) and crispy outside but fluffy inside. I had similar results when cooking homemade fries, following the food table instructions, though I had to pull the chips out a few minutes earlier than the recommended time to prevent them from becoming overdone.
The results for chicken wings and muffins were perhaps the best I've had from an air fryer yet. Into the XXL pan, I added six full-size wings coated in a Louisiana dry rub and selected the Chicken Drumstick preset (the food tables have no chicken wing recommendation).
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Apart from turning the wings when prompted, I made no changes, and the resulting wings were perfectly crispy outside and juicy inside without being too much of either. Likewise, using a Ninja (sorry, Philips) blueberry and lemon muffin recipe with the Muffin preset in the XXL basket resulted in perfect muffins: soft and fluffy inside but not too dry.
While the recipes in the Home ID app are somewhat limited, at least for my specific appliance, they have stellar results. When you sign up for the app, you choose your appliance and are offered recipes that are suited to your specific air fryer. To start, I tried a green bean recipe that was simple but resulted in the most delicious green beans I've ever had from an air fryer: not too soggy, just perfectly cooked.
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The spicy drumstick recipe was even more impressive and produced eight piping-hot drumsticks from the XXL basket that tasted and smelled amazing. Again, they weren't "grab a napkin, quick!" juicy and had just the right amount of crisp on the skin.
But not every food test worked out this well, and I found a lot of my issues boiled down to the food tables not being detailed enough. I'm always intrigued by an air fryer steak preset and have yet to find one that produces pan quality. The Philips 1000 Series has a Steak preset, but the food table only gives a rough weight for the steak and doesn't recommend the type of steak to cook or if the recommended weight (150g-200g) is per steak or total. I opted for two medallion steaks weighing 340g total and added them to one basket.
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The food table recommends one basket can fit four steaks, but I seriously doubt it, as I would have struggled to add more than two. How you like your steak is a personal preference, and with no notes on timings for specific doneness, I left the steaks in the full preset time and was left with two leather-like chunks of meat. They were like chewing on old shoes. One side of each was nicely seared, and the other wasn't, and they were drier than the Sahara. This is something you could probably experiment with to get the right level of doneness, but my advice is this: just don't cook steak in an air fryer.
I also had disappointing results with mixed veg. Again, the food table wasn't clear on what type of mixed veg it recommends or whether to add oil, but it does state timings may vary due to preference and to cut the veg roughly. I added the recommended weight in broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower to each basket and selected the Mixed Vegetable preset – making use of the Copy function to match the settings for both baskets. When I shook the veg halfway through the 20-minute cooking time, I saw my cauliflower and broccoli had browned on top, but, on tasting, my carrots weren't cooked properly.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
This could, like the steak, likely be rectified with some experimentation, but without clear instructions on what individual vegetable cooking times are recommended or what to include in your mixed vegetables, it's difficult to know off the bat what the best approach is.
Overall, this Philips air fryer is a solid appliance, and it provides great results more often than poor ones. If you've never owned an air fryer before or don't have the patience to get the most out of some of its peskier presets, you may struggle with it. But if you're a seasoned air fryer user or don't mind a few failed attempts before getting optimal results, it's worth the time, money, and potential effort.
Performance score: 4/5
Should you buy the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer
Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: score card
Attribute
Notes
Score
Value
Great value for a solid air fryer, but don't expect the consistency and high quality of more premium appliances.
4.5/5
Design
A sleek and fairly compact air fryer given its spacious capacity. The XXL basket can be divided into two separate programmable baskets, which are easy (but cumbersome) to hand wash. But Philips has dropped the ball with its user manual and instructions, so you'll need to use the Home ID app for thorough instructions.
4/5
Performance
What this air fryer does well, it does brilliantly. It has produced some of the best air-fried food I've had in all my testing. However, the user manual food tables could have more detail on optimal preparation and the settings to use for more common foods, as the results with some of the presets were thoroughly disappointing.
4/5
Buy it if
You want a spacious air fryer that isn't massive
This air fryer offers good capacity but isn't huge and bulky. It will still take up some counter space, but it's relatively small given its size.
You want an air fryer for under £150
This air fryer may have some pesky issues, but it's great value at £133.99 and offers a much higher quality than others we've seen in this price range.
You want an air fryer for simple, day-to-day meals
While mixed veg was a mixed bag, I found it easy to cook common air fryer foods in this appliance, like chicken, chips, and muffins. If you want a convenient air fryer that will cover the basics well (with some adjustment), this is a good option.
Don't buy it if
You have a small sink or dishwasher
While this air fryer's components can be cleaned easily thanks to their non-stick coat, the act of cleaning it can be a pain. The XXL basket is chunky and a struggle to clean, even in our fairly large Belfast sink. That's mainly because it's cumbersome and you need to clean the whole basket even if you just use one side of it. It's dishwasher safe if you have the room, but I advise against it to ensure the longevity of your components.
You want clear, physical instructions
The physical user manual provided with this air fryer is pretty useless and doesn't cover what its functions and features are or how to work them. You can access a digital user manual via the Home ID app, but if you haven't got a smartphone or struggle reading smaller digital print, this may not be the air fryer for you.
You want a heap of extra features
This air fryer doesn't come with a bunch of extra features, functions, or smart control – it sticks to the basics. So, if you do want extra functions like steaming, dehydrating, or grilling, this isn't the appliance for you.
Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer: also consider
Ninja Double Stack
If you don't have space for a full-width two-drawer air fryer, the Double Stack is the appliance for you. It's deeper and taller, but much narrower than the Russell Hobbs Satisfry or the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone, and in our tests it produced evenly browned, crispy fries every time.
If you live outside the UK where the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer isn't available, this is two-drawer air fryer is a great alternative. It looks smart, and produces consistently good results (though we'd appreciate a reminder to shake to food for even cooking).
How I tested the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer
I used the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer for a week, cooking a wide variety of foods including fries, chicken drumsticks, steak, fresh vegetables, and muffins. I tested all the air fryer's various modes and cleaned the air fryer in line with the instructions provided in the manual. For more details, see how we test.
‘Flagship killer’ would perhaps be too strident a term to apply to the Honor 400 Pro. Rather, it seeks to subtly undermine the premium crowd with competitive specifications and a slightly lower asking price.
This is a well-built phone made of flagship-grade materials, with the kind of IP68/IP69 dust and water resistance rating that puts many a full-priced handset to shame. Its 6.67-inch OLED display, too, is about as bright, sharp, and accurate as you could reasonably expect.
While you won’t be getting the absolute best performance the smartphone market has to offer, you simply won’t notice that Honor has opted for last year’s top processor unless you take a glance at the spec sheet. The 400 Pro performs very smoothly indeed.
The headline feature here is an all-new 200MP main camera, which captures good photos in a range of lighting conditions. You also get a decent dedicated 3x telephoto camera, which can be further boosted through the use of AI.
(Image credit: Future)
Another impressive AI camera trick is Image to video, though its ability to turn stills into brief videos is a party trick that probably won’t see much practical use beyond showcasing the latest artificial intelligence gimmick.
No matter – the Honor 400 Pro is a thoughtfully balanced phone built on solid specifications, which includes a larger-than-average 5,300mAh battery and speedy 100W wired charging support. You also get 50W wireless charging, though both speeds are reliant on you having the necessary charger to hand.
Honor’s Magic OS 9.0 continues the brand's slightly tiresome obsession with iOS, and it remains a somewhat busy UI. However, it’s also fast and flexible, and Honor’s new six-year update promise is one of the best in the business.
All in all, the Honor 400 Pro is part of a compelling group of in-betweener smartphones, offering less compromise than even the best mid-range smartphones while still costing much less money than your average flagship.
It’s not unique, nor is it without its flaws, but it’s a very accomplished option for those willing to leave the usual suspects behind in pursuit of a bargain.
Honor 400 Pro review: price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
Costs £699.99 in the UK
Released May 2025
No availability in the US or Australia
The Honor 400 Pro was launched globally, alongside its brother, the Honor 400, on May 22, 2025. It won’t be receiving a launch in the US, as is customary from the brand, and there are no plans for Australia at the time of writing.
Pricing for the sole Honor 400 Pro model stands at £699.99 (around $930 / AU$1,450), which isn’t a figure we see all that often. This pitches it well above the Google Pixel 9a and the Samsung Galaxy A56 (both £499), and just short of the Google Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25 (both £799).
This isn’t quite a full-on flagship phone, then, but it’s also far too expensive to be classed as a mid-ranger. It’s one of those ‘affordable flagship’ phones like the OnePlus 13R, the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, or the Nubia Z70 Ultra.
Incidentally, an even cheaper version of the Honor 400, the Honor 400 Lite, launched on April 22 at a cost of £249.99.
Value score: 4 / 5
Honor 400 Pro review: specs
Honor 400 Pro specs
Dimensions:
160.8mm x 76.1mm x 8.1mm
Weight:
205g
Display:
6.7-inch 1.5K (2800 x 1280) up to 120Hz AMOLED
Chipset:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
RAM:
12GB
Storage:
512GB
OS:
Android 15 with MagicOS 9.0
Primary camera:
200MP (f/1.9)
Ultra-wide camera:
12MP (f/2.2)
Telephoto camera:
50MP with 3x zoom (f/2.4)
Front camera:
16MP
Battery:
5,300mAh
Charging:
100W wired, 50W wireless
Colors:
Lunar Grey, Midnight Black
Honor 400 Pro review: design
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Silky matte glass back
Unusual curved-trapeze camera module
IP68 & IP69 dust and water resistance
With the Honor 400 Pro, Honor has dropped the distinctive Casa Milá-inspired camera module of the Honor 200 Pro in favor of a kind of rounded trapezium shape (a trapercle?). It’s a little wonky-looking, though I quite like the unorthodox camera configuration.
Otherwise, Honor has retained the basic look of its affordable flagship range – unlike the regular Honor 400, which has contracted a serious case of the iPhones.
This means that the Honor 400 Pro retains its gently rounded look, with 2.5D glass to the front and back – the latter in a pleasingly silky-to-the-touch finish. The aluminum frame, too, curves around gently, resulting in a phone that sits comfortably in the hand.
These curves also serve to disguise the fact that the Honor 400 is a fairly big phone, with a thickness of 8.1mm (the Honor 400 is 7.3mm) and a relatively heavy weight of 205g (vs 184g).
This time around, Honor has fitted its almost-flagship with both IP68 and IP69 certification. That’s quite an advance on the Honor 200 Pro, which only managed an IP65 rating.
The Honor 400 Pro is available in just two colors: Lunar Grey and Midnight Black. Not the most inspiring selection, it has to be said, but they do look nice and professional, which is kind of the name of the game here.
Design score: 4 / 5
Honor 400 Pro review: display
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6.7-inch quad-curved 120Hz OLED display
3,840Hz PWM dimming
5,000 nits peak brightness
Honor has really knocked it out of the park with the displays in the Honor 400 range this year. In the Honor 400, you’re getting a 6.7-inch OLED with a just-so 2800 x 1280 resolution and a 120Hz peak refresh rate.
That’s fractionally smaller than last year’s 6.78-inch screen, but I defy anyone to portray this as meaningful. Not when the peak brightness has been boosted from an already-excellent 4,000 nits in the Honor 200 Pro to 5,000 nits here.
This top-end figure applies to limited HDR scenarios, of course. With autobrightness switched off, I recorded a maximum brightness of around 600 nits. That’s decent enough, though it’s about half what the Pixel 9 can manage.
Color accuracy is superb, at least when you drop the slightly over-the-top Vivid color mode and select Normal instead.
The Honor 400 Pro display also supports an elevated PWM dimming rate of 3840Hz, just like the Honor 200 Pro before it. This helps reduce eye strain by lowering flicker at lower brightness levels. That's something Samsung and Google continue to overlook.
The main differences between this screen and the Honor 400’s relate to small aesthetic choices. The Pro Display curves away at the edges, though this didn’t interfere with content in any way, nor did it lead to any unintended presses.
Slightly more bothersome is the longer display notch, which crams in depth-sensing capabilities at the expense of a little real estate. If you like to take your video content full screen, you’re more likely to be bothered by this, but it didn’t trouble me too much.
Display score: 4 / 5
Honor 400 Pro review: cameras
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200MP main (f/1.9)
50MP 3x telephoto (f/2.4)
12MP ultra-wide macro (f/2.2)
Honor has really ramped up its camera offering with the Honor 400 series this year. The headline event for the Honor 400 Pro is a new 200MP AI Main Camera, which packs a large 1/1.4-inch sensor, an f/1.9 aperture, and OIS.
We’ll get into the ‘AI’ part of that main camera soon enough, but at a basic level this camera takes sharp, contrasty shots in most situations. You can choose from three basic looks depending on whether you want your shots to look natural, punched up for social media, or to take on a certain artful film camera aesthetic.
Shots from this main sensor are slightly less impressive here on a £700 phone than they are on the £400 Honor 400, which shares the same component. There’s simply a lot more competition at this level. With that said, they’re still more than serviceable.
Unlike the Honor 400, this main sensor isn’t pulling double duty to provide all of your zoomed shots. There's major assistance on that front from a dedicated 50MP telephoto camera, utilizing a Sony IMX856 sensor and aided by OIS, which grabs nice, sharp shots at its natural 3x zoom length and usable shots at 6x or even 10x.
Beyond that, you’ll find too much noise for this to be a viable option, though Honor’s AI image enhancement technology is one of the most impressive around. Stray beyond 30x, and the phone should offer you the chance to activate AI assistance. Head back into the picture after shooting and, after a minute or so of processing time, you’ll be given a much clearer shot.
The results here can vary wildly in effectiveness, and it certainly does no favors to the human face, while it can really miss the target with some fine details, particularly at the 50x maximum range. However, there’s no denying that this can turn out much improved hybrid zoom shots given the right subject and shooting conditions.
What I will say is that this 3x telephoto camera does change the tone of the shots from the main sensor. Moving from 2x (which crops in on the main sensor) to 3x sees a slightly jarring shift from a more natural look to a more vivid, dare I say exaggerated one. It's not ruinous, but you don't get the seamless transition of the truly top-level flagship phone cameras here.
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The 12MP ultra-wide is the weakest camera of the three, bringing with it a marked drop-off in detail and contrast. Still, it remains a viable camera.
Going back to the matter of AI, perhaps the most attention-grabbing – if not exactly useful – feature of the Honor 400 Pro’s camera is Image to video. The Honor 400 series is the first to utilize this Google AI-driven feature, which essentially turns any normal still photo (it doesn’t even need to have been taken on the phone) into a five-second mini-video.
As with so many AI-driven features these days, the results aren’t universally brilliant, but some prove to be alarmingly convincing.
Using one shot that was sent to me of a chicken and a cat facing off under a table, this AI tool caused the chicken to strut forward while the cat casually twitched its ears. Another chicken scuttled in from off camera, while a second cat was revealed to be lying down behind that original chicken. Neither of those last two creatures even existed in the original shot.
It’s undeniably impressive, and even a little scary. But I have to ask myself when I’d use this feature beyond showing off the power of AI to my friends and family. So far, I’ve got nothing.
The 50MP front camera takes decent selfie shots, aided by an additional depth sensor for better portraits with nicely blurred, clearly delineated backgrounds.
Video capture extends to 4K and 60fps, which is another way in which the Pro stands out from the Honor 400 (which only hits 4K/30fps).
Camera score: 4 / 5
Honor 400 Pro review: camera samples
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Honor 400 Pro review: performance
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Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset
12GB RAM and 512GB storage
Performance has ostensibly taken an incremental bump over last year’s Honor 200 Pro. Out goes the stripped-back Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, in comes Qualcomm’s full-fat Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
However, that Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip turned out to be much less capable than its name initially suggested, dropping behind Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in graphical terms.
What we have here, then, is a phone that performs as well as the 2024 flagship crowd. That works out to be a pretty good level for a £700 phone, and indeed, this is the same component that runs the excellent OnePlus 13R. It also means that the Honor 400 Pro comfortably outperforms the entire Pixel 9 range.
Benchmark results are precisely what we’ve come to expect from this well-established chip, as is gaming performance. Genshin Impact will run fluidly on high settings, while demanding console racer GRID Legends speeds by at an appreciable lick.
The existence of the Nubia Z70 Ultra and the Poco F7 Ultra means that the Honor 400 Pro isn’t top of its weight class. Both of those rivals run on the superior Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, and only charge £649 for the privilege. However, Honor's phone remains a very capable runner, backed by 12GB of RAM and a generous 512GB of internal storage.
Performance score: 4 / 5
Honor 400 Pro review: software
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Magic OS 9.0, based on Android 15
Six years of OS updates and security patches
The Honor 400 Pro runs Magic OS 9.0, which is the company’s bespoke Android 15 skin. It’s the same basic software provision as that of the Honor Magic 7 Pro.
I think I can speak for the extended TechRadar family when I say that Honor’s UI isn’t our favorite. Bloatware continues to blight it, with unwanted preinstallations of Booking.com, Temu, ReelShort, and much more besides. Honor itself gives you duplicate App Store and email apps, and a stack of its own tool apps.
While this is a take on Google’s Android, Honor seems to be far more inclined towards Apple’s iOS. Everything from the split notification pane to the Settings menu and the lack of a dedicated app tray (by default) speaks to a fondness for Apple’s mobile operating system. Even the icons and the Settings menu are designed in a way that will be familiar to anyone who’s used an iPhone recently.
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You even get a version of Apple’s Dynamic Island, here called Magic Capsule, which offers little widget-like bubbles of information around the extended selfie notch. With that said, it’s an undeniably useful way of surfacing media controls, timers, and the like, and Honor is far from the only Android manufacturer to follow Apple’s lead in this way.
Indeed, Magic OS, for all its clutter and bloat, remains a very functional and extremely snappy UI. Magic Portal is a power user’s dream, providing an easy way to drag text and images between apps. The knuckle gesture shortcut for circling text in this way isn’t 100% reliable, but you can get used to it.
Topping off Honor's somewhat mixed software provision is a commendably strong commitment to six years of OS updates and security patches. Only Google and Samsung do this better with their respective seven-year promises.
What's more, Honor has committed to providing an Android 16 update before the end of 2025, which isn't something you see too often.
Software score: 3.5 / 5
Honor 400 Pro review: battery life
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5,300mAh silicon-carbon battery
100W wired charging
50W wireless charging
Honor seems intent on pushing battery and charging technology in its phones. The Honor 400 Pro gets a meaty 5,300mAh battery, which falls comfortably north of the 5,000mAh average – if not quite as far north as the OnePlus 13R and the Nubia Z70 Ultra, both of which hit the giddy heights of 6,000mAh.
It’s sufficient to get the Honor through a full day of heavy use with remaining charge to spare. Indeed, a moderate day with around four hours of screen-on time left me with more than 60% left in the tank. Average use in a fairly consistent network environment will get you two days on a single charge, no problem.
Talking of charging, Honor goes harder than it probably needs to here. There’s 100W wired charging support that’s seemingly able to get you from empty to 51% in just 15 minutes.
I say ‘seemingly’ because Honor, like most modern manufacturers, no longer bundles in a charger. Without one of Honor’s SuperCharge chargers to hand, I was unable to put those claims to the test.
Ditto for the claim of 50W wireless charging support. It’s good to see, but you’ll need one of the brand’s own SuperCharge wireless chargers to hit that maximum speed.
Battery score: 4 / 5
Should I buy the Honor 400 Pro?
Honor 400 Lite score card
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Design
The Honor 400 Pro isn’t the prettiest phone on the market, but it’s more distinctive than the rest of the range and it’s very well built.
4 / 5
Display
Honor’s display is sharp, bright, and color-accurate, with an appreciable focus on eye health.
4.5 / 5
Performance
It’s not quite a top performer, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 continues to do a good job.
4 / 5
Camera
The 200MP main camera takes good shots in all conditions, while the dedicated 3x telephoto is a competent performer. Honor’s AI features are a little hit and miss, but can be very impressive.
4 / 5
Battery
With a large(ish) 5,300mAh battery supplying two days of use, and rapid 100W wired/50 wireless charging support, the Honor 400 is very well equipped.
4 / 5
Software
Honor’s Magic OS remains cluttered and a little too beholden to iOS, but it’s fast and functional, and Honor’s new six-year update promise is very competitive.
3.5 / 5
Value
You're getting a solid phone with some unique features at a low price.
4 / 5
Buy it if...
You want a more affordable flagship The Honor 400 Pro offers a strong approximation of what the Honor Magic 7 Pro can do, but for hundreds of pounds less.
You’re all onboard with AI working to enhance your photos With the ability to enhance your extreme zoomed shots and even generate brief videos from stills, the Honor 400 Pro’s camera goes further than most with AI.
You like Apple’s way of doing things Honor clearly likes Apple’s style even more than Google’s, with Magic OS 9.0 emulating iOS in a number of ways.
Don't buy it if...
You like Android to be Android With Honor’s iOS obsession, and its insistence on filling its phones out with bloatware, the Honor 400 Pro strays far from stock Android.
You demand the best performance possible for you money The Honor 400 Pro is a fast phone, but you can get faster for the money in the Poco F7 Ultra and the Nubia Z70 Ultra.
Honor 400 Pro review: also consider
The Honor 400 Pro isn't the only affordable flagship phone on the market. Here are some of the better alternatives to consider.
OnePlus 13R The OnePlus 13R is another almost-flagship running on Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 power, but it packs a larger battery and cleaner software.
Nubia Z70 Ultra Nubia’s phone is even cheaper than the Honor 400 Pro, but it features superior performance and an even larger battery. It also features a deep 3.3x telephoto camera and a main camera with a novel variable aperture. We haven't tested it for ourselves yet, mind.
Poco F7 Ultra The Poco F7 Ultra outguns the Honor with its Snapdragon 8 Elite chip for £649, though it’s not as refined or well-rounded.
Not all robot vacuums live up to the promise of effortless cleaning – but the Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni gets pretty close.
As a premium all-in-one device that vacuums, mops and even cleans itself, the X5 Pro Omni is designed to keep your home clean day to day without any help. Unlike standalone robot vacuums that need more frequent attention, the X5 Pro Omni's base station handles (almost) everything – from emptying the dustbin to scrubbing and drying the mop pads. You will have to, of course, refill the clean water as necessary and clean out the dirty-water tank.
For this review, I tested the X5 Pro Omni in a 3-bedroom home for an extended period of six months, and it did a great job overall, despite dealing with two messy adults and an even messier Great Dane.
Setting up the X5 Pro Omni is quick and easy, and mapping is fast and pretty accurate, though I had to make minor room division adjustments after the first scan. The robovac navigates well around larger objects, but does sometimes suck up objects like cables or shoelaces, or other small items the sensors miss, meaning it’s best used in spaces that are relatively clear.
Performance is excellent across all floor types, including hard floors, carpets, and rugs. Higher suction modes work best to get dirt out of carpets or pick up heavier debris, while standard mode is fine for everyday cleaning on hard floors. Battery life is impressive and the bot has no trouble doing a full clean without needing to return to the dock and charge.
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The X5 Pro Omni base station is one of its biggest strengths, and unlike competitors like the Dreame X40 Ultra, it reliably clears the robot’s dustbin completely, even with pet hair and heavier debris.
The mop washing system is equally effective, using 70°C hot water and scrubbing to keep the pads fresh, followed by hot-air drying to prevent odors. I also found that the 4L clean- and dirty-water tanks were large enough to only need emptying and refilling once a month.
The Ecovacs app offers fairly deep customization, and tracks details like where the robot has traveled, the amount of area cleaned and the total number of sessions, but doesn’t log obstacles detected like the Roborock app is capable of doing.
Unfortunately the app can be clunky to use at times, like having to navigate into advanced robot settings just to set a scheduled clean or different cleaning modes being triggered than what is selected.
The app prompts you to handle any long-term maintenance issues, replacement parts are easy to find, and consumables last more than a reasonable length of time. In my use, the dust bag typically lasted around 60 days (in my case, mostly being filled with dog fur) and the robovac filter needed cleaning at the same time.
The main brush, side brush and mop pads show the expected wear, and have plenty of life left in them after six months of constant use. Replacement-part costs are in line with other premium robot vacuums, but I found significant price variation across different markets.
While not perfect, the X5 Pro Omni is an excellent choice for those who want a robovac that takes care of itself, with great vacuuming and mopping performance, infrequent maintenance, and a powerful auto-emptying base station.
However, if your home has lots of cables or small clutter, or if you want a robovac with smarter object detection or a nicer app, you might need to look elsewhere.
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Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni review: Price and availability
How much does it cost? Starting from $1,299 / £1,399 / AU$2,399
When is it available? Available to buy now
Where can you get it? You can get it in the US, UK, and Australia
Launched in late 2024, the Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni is available in most major markets, including the US, UK, and Australia. You can purchase it directly from the official Ecovacs website, Amazon and leading retailers.
At full price, the X5 Pro Omni costs $1,299 / £1,399 / AU$2,399. However, Ecovacs frequently offers discounts of around 20%, bringing the price down to a much more appealing amount. And, if you happen to shop on Amazon, you could potentially find even bigger price drops during major sales.
Of course, actually using the X5 Pro Omni will incur ongoing costs, particularly for consumables like dust bags, filters, mop pads and brushes. Based on replacing consumables as per the recommendations from Ecovacs, I estimate my annual maintenance costs at around $466 / £424 / AU$606.
Some parts, like the Anti-Tangle Main Brush, are significantly more expensive in the UK and Australia than in the US. Third-party alternatives are available but, as expected, Ecovacs recommends using official parts for optimal performance. That said, the most common cost will the dust bag.
Want to know more about consumable pricing, and how parts like the brushes hold up long term? Read through the rest of the review below, or jump to Consumables and Maintenance.
The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni consumables kit (available to purchase separately) helps reduce running costs (Image credit: Future)
Premium robovacs from competing brands tend to be priced a bit higher than the X5 Pro Omni. For example, the Dreame X40 Ultra, which features detachable mop pads and 12,000Pa suction, is listed at $1,899 / £1,299 / AU$2,799. The less fully featured Dreame L40 Ultra costs $1,499.99 / £999 but isn’t available in Australia.
Similarly, the Eufy Omni S1 Pro, which has a slimmer design but a lower 8,000Pa suction, is priced at $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$2,699, while the Roborock Qrevo Edge comes in at $1,600 / AU$2,799 (currently unavailable in the UK).
Ecovacs also has the more affordable but still premium Deebot T30 Omni, which launched at £799 / AU$1,749 (but isn’t available in the US) and is often discounted to £699 / AU$1,199.
There are cheaper robot vacuums available, but the X5 Pro Omni balances premium features, powerful suction and fairly advanced automation at a price that makes it an appealing robot vacuum, especially when on sale.
Value score: 4 / 5
Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni: Specifications
Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni review: Design and features
Squared-off front, no LiDAR turret
Base station with auto-empty, mop washing and hot-air drying
Side-extendable mop pad
Where most robot vacuums are round, the Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni features a squared-off front (D-shaped) that's a little reminiscent of the Deebot X2 Omni. Ecovacs says this design helps the bot get the side brush into corners and improve edge cleaning. The shape also means it doesn’t use an extendable side brush.
Unlike many competing models, it doesn’t have a top-mounted LiDAR turret, making it shorter and better suited to cleaning under furniture.
The bot has a floating main brush that adjusts to different floor types, and a spinning side brush helps with cleaning along edges. It also features a 15mm (0.6in) mop lift, allowing it to vacuum carpets without transferring any dampness from the mop pads, and the right mop pad extends by 4cm (1.6 inch), improving coverage along walls and corners.
For navigation, the X5 Pro Omni uses dToF (Direct Time-of-Flight) laser mapping, combined with AIVI 3D 2.0 object recognition, an RGB camera, TrueDetect 3D sensors and anti-drop sensors. In other words, it uses fancy robot vision for navigation and obstacle avoidance, and has extra cliff sensors to avoid accidentally driving down the stairs. It can also use some of these sensors to spot stains that need another mopping pass to be fully cleaned up.
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The bot includes Ecovacs' Yiko 2.0 AI voice assistant, which lets you control a range of functionality, like adjusting cleaning tasks without pulling out the app.
The X5 Pro Omni can climb obstacles up to 22mm (0.87 inch), which means it can handle some thresholds and small lips in areas with slightly different floor heights. It also offers ZeroTangle tech, where the main roller brush features comb teeth for hair removal to avoid tangles.
The physical size and weight of the X5 Pro Omni are fairly typical, and the robot itself measures 31.3 x 34.6 x 9.5cm (12.3 x 13.6 x 3.7 inch) and weighs 4.3kg (9.5lbs), while the base station (or dock) is 39.4 x 44.3 x 52.75cm (15.5 x 17.4 x 20.8 inch), with a total weight of 11kg (24.3lbs). The dock needs 50cm (19.7 inches) of clearance on both sides and 150cm (59 inches) in front for proper operation.
The dock handles dustbin emptying, mop washing with hot water, and drying with hot air. It stores dust in a 3L (101oz) bag, which is accessed through a front-opening panel for easy replacement. The clean- and dirty-water tanks each hold 4L (135oz) and are located under a top lid, making them simple to refill and empty. The mop washing tray is removable and any buildup is easily cleaned, although the Roborock Qrevo Edge one-ups the X5 Pro Omni by also featuring a self-cleaning cycle for the tray as well.
Design and features score: 4 / 5
Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni review: Performance
Handles all floor types well
Struggles to get deep into corners
Mop pads lift high enough for carpets but not thick rugs
Overall, the Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni kept my floors clean just as well as I can with a stick vacuum and mop, and rarely required any help or intervention beyond normal maintenance. Once I had cleaning schedules set up, it handled most vacuuming and mopping automatically, and I only needed to step in for occasional spot cleaning or to pick up debris that was too large or in a corner it could not reach.
The bot works at a similar pace to other robot vacuums, taking around 1.5 minutes per square meter to vacuum and 2 minutes per square meter to mop, but since it can do both tasks at the same time, a full clean doesn’t take as long as it might seem.
According to Ecovacs, the 6,400 mAh battery provides up to 224 minutes of runtime, which is enough to clean up to 400m² (4,305ft²) per charge in optimal conditions. Ecovacs doesn’t break down battery life by suction level, but runtime will vary depending on settings and home layout.
Overall performance score: 4 / 5
Mapping and obstacle avoidance
The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni created a detailed and mostly accurate map on its first run. It didn’t require any manual adjustments to the map itself, but I did need to tweak the room divisions in the app. Mapping is fast and easy to run a second time, which I had to do after the robot got lost and mistakenly added extra rooms that didn’t exist.
Obstacle avoidance is decent but not flawless. The X5 Pro Omni generally avoids larger objects, but isn’t great at recognizing cables, shoelaces or small items like pieces of paper towel. It will avoid some small obstacles, but anything lying flat on the floor is at risk of being sucked up or dragged along. It also tends to catch and tangle cables, so keeping the floor clear makes a big difference in how well it completes a cleaning run.
While it doesn’t have dedicated pet recognition, it does a good job of avoiding spills and larger debris. The app lets you set up no-go zones, though these aren’t pet-specific. Unlike the competition like the Dreame X40 Ultra, the X5 Pro Omni does not capture images of obstacles, so there’s no way to review what it avoided after a clean.
The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni uses a wide range of sensors for mapping and navigation. Note how they get dusty over time – following the sensor cleaning reminders from the app is important. (Image credit: Future)
During testing, it rarely got stuck as long as the floor was relatively clear. When it did, it was usually due to cables, a thick rug or getting wedged behind a laundry basket or on a dog toy. It detects when it’s stuck and stops safely, rather than pushing forward and causing damage. If that happens, it has to be manually picked up and placed back on the dock, as pressing the power button doesn’t wake it. If told to return home via the app, it sometimes gets lost along the way and needs to be rescued by hand. On the plus side, these issues came up relatively rarely during use.
To test its ability to handle small steps, I made a simulated step between rooms using a section of plywood at the maximum 22mm height, and while it sometimes took two or three attempts, the bot made it across every clean.
The app includes a remote control mode that streams video from the onboard camera, and allows manual steering of the bot, which I found useful to check on my dog when not home. The video feature didn’t work the first time I tried, but functioned fine every other time I used it. Steering the bot feels slightly laggy but still usable, making it more suited for basic navigation adjustments rather than precision movement. The built-in two-way communication feature works for real-time voice interaction, though there’s no dedicated pet-tracking mode.
Despite the quirks covered above, overall the X5 Pro Omni handles navigation fairly well and happily adapts to changing environments. It moves effectively around furniture, shoes and baskets that shift between cleaning sessions, making it a solid choice for homes where the position of larger items may change frequently.
Mapping and obstacle avoidance score: 3.5 / 5
Vacuuming
I tested the Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni on wooden floors, tiles and rugs to see how well it handled different surfaces. Along with daily cleaning, I ran a series of controlled tests using flour, sand, rice, oats, dry dog food and dry leaves, scattering them in a corner on hard floors and then on a short-pile rug.
Performance across different surfaces was excellent overall. For most debris, the X5 Pro Omni was able to pick up nearly everything in a single pass, but two passes were best for thorough cleaning. Larger or heavier debris required additional cleaning cycles, and the side brush sometimes flicked smaller particles away before the main brush could capture them. The one downside was the robot vacuum consistently failed to get all the way into corners, or fully clean along edges.
The vacuum’s suction power can be set to Max, Strong, Standard or Quiet modes. Standard mode worked well for daily cleaning of pet fur, dust and light debris, but heavier dirt and sand needed Max suction to be fully removed. Carpets and rugs benefited from higher suction levels as Standard mode sometimes left behind some debris.
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Vacuuming test with oats (Image credit: Future)
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Some oats left after a single pass (Image credit: Future)
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The robovac dustbin needs manual cleaning once a month or so (Image credit: Future)
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The robovac dustbin filter can be replaced or cleaned when clogged (Image credit: Future)
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The filter responds well to vacuuming with a stick vac (Image credit: Future)
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After an extended test with no cleaning, hair builds up on the side brush, but it does not reduce performance (Image credit: Future)
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Hair builds up on the main brush over time, but vacuuming performnce remains decent (Image credit: Future)
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Removing the trapped hair is very easy and takes less than one minute (Image credit: Future)
My home has two people who shed a lot of long hair and, in my testing, hair buildup was manageable, but it still accumulated in the side brush and main brush over time, despite the anti-tangle feature. Both the side and main brush collected a noticeable amount of hair after just a week of use, but it doesn’t end up embedded and removal is easy. The wheels and mop pads remained tangle-free, making overall upkeep straightforward, and even leaving it a month between cleaning caused no problems.
I measured the noise levels of the X5 Pro Omni with a decibel meter at a range of 1m, with multiple passes and the results averaged. Using Quiet mode, it produces 41dB, which is low enough to be unobtrusive, and the wheel-drive system is actually slightly louder than the vacuum motor.
Standard mode is only slightly louder at 42dB, making it suitable for cleaning while watching TV or having a conversation. Strong mode increases the noise level to 44dB, which is still reasonable but more intrusive. At Max suction, it reaches 52dB, which is significantly louder and comparable to a stick vacuum at moderate power.
While vacuuming, noise levels remain fairly steady, but auto-emptying at the base station is much louder, peaking at 63dB. Mopping is quieter at 40dB, and general driving noise sits at 41dB, meaning the robot isn’t exactly stealthy when moving between cleaning zones. Mop washing reaches 37dB, so while not silent, it’s quiet enough not to be disruptive.
If wanting to run the vacuum at night while sleeping, Quiet mode is an option, provided you have a closed door between you and the robovac and aren’t a light sleeper. The dock should be placed away from sleeping areas, as the auto-emptying noise is quite loud and could be disruptive if triggered at night. To avoid this you can set Do Not Disturb times, where the dock will not activate the auto-empty functionality, but this does limit vacuuming performance for larger homes as the small onboard dustbin in the bot fills up.
Vacuuming score: 4 / 5
Mopping
For mopping, the X5 Pro Omni uses water with the Ecovacs cleaning solution optionally added to the clean-water tank. I tested with plain water and adding a cleaning solution, but didn’t find the latter made a noticeable difference unless having the bot do a deeper scrub.
During my testing, I scheduled mopping once a week but found that adding extra runs during wet weather helped keep the front and back door areas free of muddy footprints.
The X5 Pro Omni does a good job on open spaces, but it doesn’t reach under furniture edges as well as a handheld mop. The right-side mop pad does extend slightly, helping it clean closer to edges, but some tight spots remain out of reach.
For tougher messes, I tested the X5 Pro Omni by spilling sauce, 'stepping' in it and letting it dry a little on my wooden floors. In most cases, one pass was enough to fully clean up the mess, but two passes were needed for the dried stains. Turning up the water-flow setting was helpful in making sure the mop pads were wet enough to tackle stubborn spots. The automatic re-mop feature worked reasonably well on tiles, but the bot struggled to tell the difference between a speck of dried sauce and darker patches of wood.
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A slightly dried sauce stain (Image credit: Future)
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The robovac moves in... (Image credit: Future)
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Mop pads deploy... (Image credit: Future)
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It swings back for a second pass (Image credit: Future)
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The sauce is entirely cleaned up (Image credit: Future)
The mop pads are washed and dried by the base station after each cleaning run, with drying time adjustable between 2, 3 or 4 hours. You can also set it to wash the mops after each room, or at 10, 15 or 20-minute intervals. The base station washes the mop pads with hot water, scrubbing them against a textured cleaning tray to remove dirt and debris. While I found that this process was very effective, the mop pads still benefit from being machine-washed periodically to give a deeper refresh. It’s also recommended to inspect the pads regularly for wear and replace them as needed.
The X5 Pro Omni isn’t designed to handle large liquid spills, as its mop pads are meant for scrubbing rather than sponging up a lot of moisture. I found that if the robot is picked up after or during mopping (for example, to extract a cable or shoelace), it may dribble water, so don’t do that over anything you need to keep dry.
One somewhat frustrating quirk is that vacuum-and-mop mode is the default setting, and it can’t be changed to vacuum-only by default. Worse, if a mop and vacuum cycle is accidentally triggered, even if canceled immediately, the robovac will still run a mop wash cycle that can’t be stopped.
Battery capacity alone isn’t the only metric though. For example, in my testing the X5 Pro Omni can do a full double-pass vacuum of a three-bedroom house (around 50 square meters of actual floor cleaning) and only drop to 73% battery capacity.
Doing a full vacuum and mop at the same time drops it to 65%, and doing a vacuum then mop takes it to 60%. This means you can expect up to around 140 square meters of vacuuming at maximum suction, and over 100 square meters of vacuuming and mopping. With the suction power set to Standard, the total amount of floor area that can be vacuumed almost doubles.
My results here also support the claim from Ecovacs that the X5 Pro Omni can handle up to 244 minutes of cleaning on a charge.
As a comparison, the Roborock Saros 10 needs to stop and charge after three rooms when set to the maximum suction. Part of the difference is that the Saros 10 has a higher maximum suction power of 22,000Pa, vs 12,800Pa for the X5 Pro Omni, and higher suction does mean higher battery consumption.
One annoyance is that the X5 Pro Omni does not give the exact battery percentage when cleaning, as the Ecovacs app just displays 100 in the battery indicator. It’s not until the vacuum returns to the dock and you start another clean immediately that it updates the remaining capacity. Other times, the indicator works as expected.
The X5 Pro Omni will return to the dock to top up the battery as needed when cleaning. While a full charge can take over 4 hours, getting back to 50% only takes about 30 minutes.
Battery life score: 4.5 / 5
Dock performance
The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni comes with a 3L (101 oz) dust bag, rated for up to 60 days of use. How long it actually lasts depends on your home’s size and how much debris is collected, but in my case, the manufacturer’s estimate was fairly accurate. The robovac’s 250ml (8.45 oz) dustbin is emptied automatically when full, or you can set it to Extra mode for more frequent emptying – useful for homes with pets or a lot of dust buildup.
Unlike the underwhelming auto-empty suction from the Dreame X40 Ultra's dock, the X5 Pro Omni’s base station has a well-thought out airflow design and reliably empties the dustbin. During testing, I didn’t experience any clogging issues within the dock itself, but blockages inside the robot's dustbin occasionally prevented proper emptying which, in turn, affect vacuuming up more dirt until manually cleared.
The robovac is supposed to detect when the dock fails to empty the bin, but I found these warnings to be inconsistent. There were times when the bin was clogged but the app never alerted me, so I had to manually check the dustbin after cleaning to ensure everything was working properly.
Increasing the emptying frequency can help avoid any potential issues, but in my use, clogging wasn’t a frequent issue unless I had accidentally left larger debris that the bit could suck up.
In testing, the mop washing and drying system worked well to keep the pads clean and stop any odors forming between uses. The dock heats water to 70°C (158°F) and pumps it through a wash system to rinse the mop pads, scrubbing them against a textured cleaning surface to remove dirt and grime. After washing, the dirty water is stored in a container in the top of the base station, and it dries the mop pads with hot air, with drying times adjustable to two, three or four hours. The scrubbing system is highly effective, and the mop pads always came out looking fresh after cleaning cycles and there was never an issue with smell.
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(Image credit: Future)
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The dust bag is easy to replace via the front of the base station (Image credit: Future)
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The clean and dirty water tanks live under the top lid (Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
Emptying the dirty mop water is as simple as opening the top of the dock, lifting the container out by the handle and emptying it in a sink. I only did this once a month and the dirty water did tend to smell when being tipped out, but the container was easy to rinse out and didn’t retain any odor. The clean-water container uses the same design and can be topped up at a sink, then put back into the dock.
The dock's noise levels vary depending on the task. Measured from 1 meter away (3.3 feet) mop washing is noticeable at 37dB but not disruptive, though the pumps are briefly quite noisy (46 dB) when running. The drying fan produces a low hum for a few hours but isn’t intrusive. Auto-emptying is the loudest part of the process at 63dB and although it only lasts 10 seconds, it’s still very disruptive if the station is located in a main living area or if done at night.
For households with pets or heavy dirt buildup, the dock performs well and reliably empties debris, though owners should occasionally check for clogs in the bot’s dustbin since warnings aren’t always accurate. Smaller objects left on the floor can cause issues, but aside from that, the X5 Pro Omni’s base station is a very reliable and hands-free system.
Dock performance score: 4.5 / 5
Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni review: App control
Reliable scheduled cleaning
Quick access to cleaning reports and history
Certain settings are hidden in sub-menus
The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni can be controlled using the physical buttons on top of the robot, but the app is critical for unlocking its full potential. It provides access to the home map, lets you adjust cleaning settings and offers deep customization of scheduled cleans.
The app includes a cleaning history and reporting section, which provides a visual map of where the bot traveled during each clean. It also records the time of each session, the area cleaned and the total duration. Over time, this builds into a comprehensive cleaning log, showing the total square footage cleaned across all sessions, the number of cleans completed and total runtime. However, one notable omission is that the app does not log obstacles detected during a cleaning session, which means there's no easy way to see what might have blocked the robot mid-clean.
Most frequently used settings are easy to access, but some features are buried in sub-menus. For example, scheduling cleans is hidden under Advanced settings, and certain options are locked while the robot is in operation – like when manually triggering a dustbin empty, other settings can’t be adjusted until the process is finished.
Scheduled cleaning is very reliable, and in my testing, the X5 Pro Omni only failed to start once without explanation. If a scheduled clean is missed, the robovac resumes correctly at the next scheduled time. However, one frustrating issue is that if you set a clean for later in the day, the app doesn’t indicate that it’s actually scheduling it for the next day – only showing this after the schedule has been set.
Perhaps my least favorite bug is when doing spot cleans. If I sent the bot to vacuum up a mess, then later wanted to do another one-off clean, the app would show the previous vacuum-only mode was still selected – but when hitting start, it would actually trigger a vacuum and mop, not vacuum-only. Even if you canceled it immediately, it would spend a few minutes running a mop wash cycle before you could get it to do the actual vacuum.
The app also sometimes didn't properly register where the bot was or what it was doing. This was frustrating, because if you tried to trigger a clean, it would say the bot needed to return to the dock first – even though it showed the bot already in the dock on the app. Force quitting and restarting the app would fix the issue, but it was an annoying extra step.
To rule out an issue with my phone (a Pixel 9 Pro XL), I also tried the app on other mobiles and saw similar problems. Apple users may have a different experience – my colleague didn’t run into the same issues when using the app on an iPhone during her Ecovacs T30 Omni review, for example.
The app looks good, but can be frustrating at times (Image credit: Future)
Another small but unnecessary annoyance is that even when Do Not Disturb times are set (muting the robovac), it mostly works, but still loudly makes some announcements. For example, if the bot gets stuck during the day, and you arrive home late and need to manually place it back in the base station during the Do Not Disturb time, it loudly proclaims “start charging”. Another issue is that after turning down the voice volume to a quiet level, the "task stopped" announcement is still made at the loudest setting.
During testing I found the Wi-Fi connectivity to be stable, but it’s worth noting the robovac only supports 2.4GHz networks. I had some quirks when using it with a mesh network, but the issues were hard to pin down to a specific cause. That said, setting up a dedicated 2.4GHz-only network for the robovac helped make it more reliable.
During testing, I went on holiday, leaving a family member to house and dog sit. The robovac initially worked fine, but eventually stopped performing scheduled cleans. Despite easy remote access via the app, I couldn’t identify the problem and had to manually trigger cleans each day remotely.
After returning, I discovered the Do Not Disturb times had mysteriously reversed from 8pm–8am to 8am–8pm, preventing morning cleans. The app does give error notifications (but does not save them to the log), but I was unaware due to a daylight-saving bug that meant the scheduled clean was being triggered an hour earlier than I expected.
In terms of usability, the app provides a similar level of control to other brands, though some robovacs with more features offer slightly more customization. However, occasional lag and loading issues make the experience feel less polished than it should be. The voice and volume inconsistencies are also quite jarring, and take a little of the premium shine off the experience.
I also wish it had an easy delayed start option – like a quick way to select a one-time clean at a set time later in the day – especially because setting same-day scheduled cleans is not possible.
Still, despite these frustrations, the app is mostly reliable and offers a good balance of customization and control, and hopefully Ecovacs will continue to work on improving the experience over time.
App control score: 2.5 / 5
Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni review: Consumables and maintenance
The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni comes with one dust bag, two side brushes, and a set of washable mop pads in the box – but no cleaning fluid is included. While this is enough to get started, you’ll need to order replacement dust bags within 60 days, and other consumables including filters, mop pads and side brushes will need replacing on a set schedule.
Under normal use, the dust bag should be replaced every 60 days, side brushes and filters every few months and mop pads periodically based on wear.
Consumables can be purchased through the Ecovacs website and third-party retailers like Amazon, though availability varies slightly between regions. For example, the quarterly maintenance kit is not available in the US, while six-pack dust bag sets are only sold in the US and not in the UK or Australia.
The app tracks the lifespan of consumables by usage percentages and notifies users when replacements are recommended. These estimates tend to be on the conservative side and, in my testing, parts like the main brush and mop pads lasted longer than suggested, though this will of course depend on your usage.
Routine maintenance is straightforward, with the main brush and robovac dustbin checked weekly, side brushes and sensors every two weeks, and filters and mop pads cleaned or replaced monthly. Hair buildup occurs over time, but manual removal is simple, and no issues were noted with hard-to-reach areas during testing.
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Despite the anti-tangle features, hair builds up on the main brush over time (Image credit: Future)
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The side brush collects hair, but is easily removed and cleaned (Image credit: Future)
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The front wheel is well designed and does not trap hair (Image credit: Future)
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The main drive wheels do a great job of avoiding any tangles (Image credit: Future)
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Removing hair from the main brush is easy – just cut along one side and it slides free (Image credit: Future)
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The mop wash station is self cleaning, but does build up debris over time (Image credit: Future)
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The mop wash parts can be removed for a deeper clean in the sink every few months (Image credit: Future)
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The dust bag seals when removed, which avoids any mess (Image credit: Future)
Based on my usage in a small 3-bedroom home, I estimate consumables will cost up to $465.79 / £423.85 / AU$606.30 per year. For larger homes, costs will scale accordingly. Some notable price differences exist between regions – for example, the anti-tangle main brush is 88.9% more expensive in the UK and 54.9% more expensive in Australia compared to the US. However, Australia tends to have lower prices overall for consumables, while the UK has some of the highest accessory costs.
Third-party consumables are available, though Ecovacs advises using official parts for optimal performance. I did not test any non-official replacements.
With regular maintenance and timely consumable replacements, I found the X5 Pro Omni quite easy to keep in top condition and ongoing costs are similar to other premium robovacs. Be aware, though, there can be significant regional price variations.
Consumables and maintenance score: 3.5 / 5
Should I Buy the Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni?
Buy it if…
You want a powerful auto-emptying system
The X5 Pro Omni’s self-cleaning dock has strong suction and reliably empties the robot’s dustbin, and never clogged during testing.
You want a hands-free mopping system
With built-in water tanks, automatic mop washing and hot air drying, the X5 Pro Omni keeps its mop pads clean with minimal effort on your part.
You want the latest features in a robot vacuum
The X5 Pro Omni offers powerful suction, smart mapping and an advanced all-in-one dock, making it one of the more feature-packed robot vacuums in its class.
Don’t buy it if…
You have a lot of small objects on the floor
While the X5 Pro Omni can avoid most large obstacles, it struggles with cables, shoelaces or flat items like paper towels, and may get stuck if the floor isn’t kept clear.
You only have carpet
The X5 Pro Omni has a strong vacuuming system and mop lift, but if your home is fully carpeted, a vacuum-only robovac will save you money without sacrificing cleaning performance.
You want a polished app experience
While the level of customization and control is decent, the app feels clunky and unpolished at times, and I ran into many small but frustrating issues during my testing.
Also consider
Not sold on the Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni? Below are a few alternatives that are worth considering.
Dreame L10s Ultra This slightly older model doesn’t have quite as many features as the X5 Pro Omni and isn’t as powerful, but it’s still a great option and can often be found for less than half the price. Read our full Dreame L10s Ultra review
Eufy Omni S1 Pro One of the few robovacs that can compete directly with the X5 Pro Omni, the Eufy Omni S1 Pro is a feature-packed alternative with an innovative rolling cylinder mopping system. Read our full Eufy Omni S1 Pro review
Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo While not quite as good at dodging cables as the Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni, the Deebot T30S Combo stands out with a stick vacuum that slots into the side of the its dock, keeping it ready to go for any extra cleanup. Read our full Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo review
How I tested the Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni
I used the X5 Pro Omni as my main vacuum cleaner for six months
My testing space included hard floors and carpet
I performed specific grain-size and wet-spill tests
I used the Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni daily for six months in a home with a dog and two adults, and with polished wooden floors, tiles, carpet and medium-pile rugs. The weather during the test period included both wet and dry conditions. I started with an initial deep clean, followed by ongoing daily vacuuming, with mopping once or twice a week – plus extra spot cleans as needed. I tested both the automatic mode and manually customized cleans using schedules and shortcuts.
I documented cleaning performance over the testing period and conducted a range of specific tests with different debris sizes to further gauge vacuuming ability. I also tested dry and wet spills to evaluate the mopping prowess. Additionally, I strategically placed debris – including fur, leaves and hair – in problem areas like corners to assess the robovac’s effectiveness in daily use.
During my testing period, I changed the base station vacuum bag 4 times, manually cleaned the mop cleaning system in the base station, and performed the full range of maintenance checks as prompted by the app.
As someone who uses a single monitor for both PC and PlayStation 5, the Sony Inzone M9 II really feels like it was made to meet my specific needs.
A follow-up to the popular Sony Inzone M9, the II eschews the white PlayStation look and bulky tripod stand design. Although I did like the unique appearance of the original M9, the stand of the II is undeniably more practical, with a more generous tilt adjustment range and full 360-degree pivot that makes finding the perfect angle a breeze.
The refreshed aesthetic does help emphasize that this is a monitor intended for use with a PC, too, and ensures that it no longer seems out of place on your desk.
Despite coming in a little cheaper than its predecessor at $799.99 / £899, the II also packs some small, but nevertheless appreciated, spec upgrades. This includes slightly better brightness (which now peaks at 750 nits rather than 600) and a boosted 160Hz refresh rate.
(Image credit: Future)
As the PS5 can only output at a maximum of 120Hz, this latter change was clearly made with PC players in mind, and helps this model hold its own against some of the best gaming monitors aimed at the PC audience right now.
This faster refresh rate, paired with the 1ms GtG response time, and not to mention built-in 24.5-inch mode, could also make the Sony Inzone M9 II a great pick for those who enjoy high-intensity PC esports titles like Counter-Strike 2 or Valorant.
Thanks to a wealth of console-specific features, it’s also one of the best monitors for PS5 and PS5 Pro - full stop. It’s got full variable refresh rate (VRR) support, plus Auto HDR Tone Mapping to automatically calibrate brightness for your PS5 during setup. There’s even an Auto Genre Picture Mode that detects the title that you’re playing and dynamically adjusts the picture to match the likes of FPS titles or RPGs.
The built-in speakers lack bass and can be a little tinny at higher volumes, but they are surprisingly decent overall. That means console players used to the generally superior sound systems of a gaming TV won’t have to run out to pick up an extra pair right away.
It’s easy to lament the use of an IPS LCD panel, especially when OLED options are available from competitors at around the same price, but I don’t have any practical complaints about the 27-inch 4K display here.
The Sony Izone M9 II retails for $799.99 / £899. This pricing means that it is slightly worse value in the UK, which is a little disappointing and could weigh on your decision if you’re buying in that market.
Although early Inzone products were marked by their eye-wateringly bad value prices (I’m looking at you, Sony Inzone M3), the Sony Inzone M9 II is actually reasonably priced given its spec.
It comes in a bit more expensive than similar options like the Gigabyte M32UC, though it benefits from a significantly more premium overall design that makes the added cost worthwhile in my book.
If you’re after a 4K screen on a tight budget, alternatives like the Asus TUF Gaming VG289Q could prove tempting as they come in at less than half the price of the Sony Inzone M9 II. Just bear in mind that there are noticeable compromises, including significantly higher response times and noticeably lower refresh rates.
The Sony Inzone M9 II is quite good value, then. I recommend it at full price, but, judging by the discount patterns of other Inzone products, I would expect occasional sales to come along and make it an even better proposition.
The monitor is readily available via the Sony website, in addition to the usual retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart in the US and Amazon, Argos, and Very in the UK.
Sony Inzone M9 II: Specs
Sony Inzone M9 II: Design and features
Easy assembly process
Low profile base
Plenty of adjustment options
I’ve never had a bad experience putting together a Sony Inzone monitor and the Sony Inzone M9 II is no exception.
It’s well packaged, with the monitor, stand, and its base secured separately in plenty of polystyrene foam. To assemble, you simply screw the bottom of the base onto the bottom of the stand and clip it all into the back of the monitor. It took me about fifteen seconds overall and did not require the instruction manual.
As I’ve already mentioned, the Sony Izone M9 II has a radically different design compared to the original M9. It’s black instead of white and has an entirely redesigned stand. Rather than a tripod, the Sony Inzone M9 II is held up by a single thick column on a circular base. It’s quite similar to the design of the stand on the Sony Inzone M10S, which was released at the same time, after all, though a bit chunkier on the whole.
With a radius of just under 3.5in / 9cm, the base is still rather compact for a monitor of this size, which makes it easy to fit on a desk - even if you have limited space. The stand can also pivot, offering a smooth 360 degrees of rotation. This is surprisingly handy, ensuring that you can quickly rotate the monitor to show something to a friend or simply adjust it slightly to better suit your current position.
The monitor can be tilted downwards by five degrees or upwards by 25, so you won’t have any trouble finding the right viewing angle either. The height can also be adjusted by 5.1in / 13cm, which is more than enough leeway to raise or lower it to a healthy height in most setups.
(Image credit: Future)
On the back right-hand side of the monitor is the power button, alongside a well-sized thumbstick for accessing the on-board settings menu.
The menu here is well organized and easy to navigate, but I’d still recommend installing the compatible Inzone Hub PC app, which offers a slightly more in-depth level of tuning.
There’s also a small white power indicator LED built into the side of the display. It is completely invisible from the front, which is a good thing as it stops it from becoming distracting in the corner of your eye, though can still be disabled in the software if you prefer.
You will find all the expected ports at the bottom of the monitor. There’s a DisplayPort 2.1 connector, 2 HDMI connectors, a USB Type-B input (for enabling the USB hub functionality), and two corresponding USB Type-A outputs.
A Type-C port would certainly be a bonus, but given how many peripherals still use USB Type-A, its absence is not that big of a deal. There’s also a third USB Type-A port that’s clearly labelled as being used for software updates via a USB stick only. Lastly, you get a 3.5mm headphone jack for hooking up any compatible audio devices.
In terms of features, you get pretty much everything that you would expect from a premium gaming monitor. It supports Full Array Local Dimming for enhanced contrast, in addition to meeting the VESA Certified DisplayHDR 600 standard.
(Image credit: Future)
On PC, you benefit from a speedy 160Hz refresh rate via a DisplayPort connection, in addition to Nvidia G-Sync support. On PS5, you have VRR and Auto HDR Tone Mapping. The monitor also automatically detects when a PS5 is detected, enabling a pre-tuned PS5 profile.
This is all on top of the usual array of display modes (I’d recommend turning off Auto Picture Mode and sticking to the DisplayHDR profile for the most life-like look in most situations), plus optional settings for on-screen frame rate counter, crosshair, and timer.
Sony Inzone M9 II: Performance
Brilliant for PC, perfect for PS5
A bright, smooth picture suited to a range of genres
An ideal all-rounder
Out of the box, the monitor was in its Power Saving mode, which unfortunately looks rather dim and makes for a lacklustre first impression.
Still, when you turn that off and enable HDR, the resulting picture is fantastic. Despite not being an OLED panel, colours are bright and blacks are surprisingly deep. 4K video is absolutely stunning, while general web browsing and office work benefit from the 160Hz smoothness and highly detailed image.
You likely won’t pick up the Sony Inzone M9 II purely for productivity, though, and gaming does not disappoint. As I used the Sony Inzone M9 II for multiple months, I experienced an extremely wide range of games on it. Highlights on PC include Counter-Strike 2, which is delightfully smooth at 160Hz, in addition to lots of Sid Meier’s Civilization 7,where the detailed models in its diorama-like world come through with excellent clarity.
Hitman World of Assassination benefited hugely from the crisp 4K and cheerful brightness in the sunny stadium of the fictional Miami Global Innovation Race, while the moodier aesthetic of the Dartmoor map showcased the monitor’s strong contrast. Again, this is not an OLED panel, but it still delivers colors that are just as vivid as some of the OLED models that I’ve tried.
(Image credit: Future)
It was a similar story over on PS5, where I played through the bulk of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, sunk hundreds of hours into the latest Call of Duty: Black Ops 6season and tried out Forza Horizon 5 and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered in addition to many other games. The VRR support was a gamechanger in Assassin’s Creed Shadows in particular, where its Balanced preset appears significantly smoother than on monitors without it.
It’s plenty smooth, but on PS5, you are still constrained to a maximum of 120Hz. If you’re buying purely for use with a console, do bear in mind that you won’t benefit from the true refresh rate capabilities of the Sony Inzone M9 II.
Unlike the more expensive Sony Inzone M10S, the Sony Inzone M9 II also packs some built-in speakers. Will they blow your mind? No, but they’re certainly good enough. At 50% volume, sound is clear and accurate with a decent level of detail. It lacks bass, but acceptable audio still puts them in the upper echelons of gaming monitor speakers. They can go impressively loud, which is good, but as you begin to crank that volume up, the sound becomes a bit more tinny.
If you are viewing the Sony Inzone M9 II as quite a significant investment, you can take comfort in knowing that you won’t need to run out to buy an expensive separate set of speakers to experience your favorite games in an enjoyable fashion right away.
Should you buy the Sony Inzone M9 II?
Buy it if...
You want an all-round gaming powerhouse The Sony Inzone M9 II is a superb all-round option, delivering excellent performance in a wide range of game genres. It’s got plenty of features and even some decent built-in speakers.
You play on both PS5 and PC The Sony Inzone M9 II is at its best when you own both a PC and PS5 and use them both on the same display, as it supports a range of features for both platforms. If that’s you, then this monitor is well worth its asking price.
Don't buy it if...
You want to save some cash Although it is a fair price, the Sony Inzone M9 II is still quite an expensive monitor. There are cheaper 4K options out there, especially if you don’t mind skimping on the overall design and build.
Also consider
Not convinced by the Sony Inzone M9 II? Keep these alternatives on your radar.
Sony Inzone M10S If you’re more of a PC player, then I’d recommend the Sony Inzone M10S. It’s one of the best monitors that I’ve ever tested, with a beautiful but functional stand and a blazing-fast 480Hz OLED panel. It is 1440p, however, so intended for competitive shooter players first and foremost.
Gigabyte M32UC A titan of affordable 4K monitors, the Gigabyte M32UC frequently goes on sale and is the one to choose if you want to save some cash. It has loads of features and a speedy 144Hz refresh rate, though it definitely lacks the premium materials and design of the Sony Inzone M9 II.
I tested the Sony Inzone M9 II for more than two months, using it as my primary monitor for the entirety of that time.
I used it extensively with both PC and PS5, in addition to some light Xbox Series X gaming. During that time, I used it for hours of web browsing, office work, and playing countless games.
Even some smaller indie games like Monster Prom 4: Monster Con looked great, with the monitor’s vivid colors really complementing the expressive art style.
On PS5, games tested included Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, Days Gone Remastered, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, Forza Horizon 5, Zenless Zone Zero, and Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Throughout my time with the monitor, I compared my experience to my hands-on testing of other gaming monitors, including the more premium Sony Inzone M10S.
For this review, I tested the US version. There may be minor differences between different countries' models.
The Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo is a lightweight, portable fan that is outfitted with a rechargeable battery, meaning you can unplug it and take it out and about with you on warm-weather excursions. But the most exciting thing about it is that it comes with a misting function for extra cooling clout.
When you live in a state like Texas, you understand the need for a fan. They're not just indoor necessities. During the summer, my family always has a fan on the porch to cool us down – but we've never had a misting fan. As a result, I was ecstatic to test the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan.
Testing this compact fan was a joy, especially in April when the days grew warmer here in North Texas. The tiltable design made it easier to focus the airflow and I was thoroughly impressed by how far away I could feel the five different fan speeds and the BreezeBoost mode. While the battery life won't last you all day (far from it) and the fan can't oscillate, it's still an excellent cooling companion. I'm also a fan of the design. There's a range of cute colors (in the US only – sorry UK shoppers), and overall it's more attractive than others on the market.
I plan on using the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan all summer. Keep reading to see why it's the best fan I've tested this season. Or, if you want more power and are happy to sacrifice some portability to get it, check out this fan's larger sibling – read about that model in TechRadar's Shark FlexBreeze fan review.
The Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan launched in March 2025 and is available in the US, Canada, and the UK. It comes with a list price of $129.99 / £129.99 and can be purchased direct from Shark or via a range of third party retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target. In the US, the fan is available in six colors (all the same price), but in the UK it's charcoal or nothing.
At that price, it's a mid-range fan. Considering it's rechargeable, portable, and has misting capabilities, I'm inclined to say that the price of the fan is decent, though not exactly amazing value. The full-sized FlexBreeze is a fair bit pricier at $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$249.99.
If you just want a basic desk fan, you'll be able to find one for much cheaper. Similarly, corded non-portable fans in that price bracket deliver far more features, including things like oscillation, a timer function and app control. However, you're paying for the convenience of it being portable here, and if that's your priority then it's a decent buy.
Also bear in mind that Shark runs regular sales, so you could well snag it for less than list price.
Value for money score: 4 out of 5
Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo specs
Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo review: design
Small, lightweight fan with handle to easily transport
Vertical tilt design up to 45 degrees
Integrated refillable mister
The Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan is a small tabletop fan that's less than 12 inches tall and weighs only 5lbs. It has a rechargeable battery, allowing you to unplug the fan and move it from one place to the next with the handle on the top.
Lookwise, it's an attractive modern fan that comes in six different colors. I tested the 'dove' option, a cream color that matches the lighter tones in my house. Pink, purple, and soft mint green colors could add some fun to your space. (Note, in the UK it's charcoal only.)
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There is no assembly necessary with the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan. It comes put together, so you only need to charge it fully before the first use. The charging cord plugs into the back of the fan and then into the wall.
The fan can tilt up or down within 45 degrees, allowing you to narrow the focus of the airflow however you see fit. There are no oscillating features. In that way, it's very different from something like the Shark TurboBlade, which launched around the same time, and is designed to shoot out jets of air in any different direction.
Buttons that control the different settings can be found along the top of the fan. The power button in the center. To the left of that is a fan button that lets you cycle between fan speeds of 1-5, and a BreezeBoost mode. Green indicator lights correlating to the fan speed and boost mode sit below the buttons.
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There is also a battery symbol next to the lights, and the color of the battery symbol indicates the amount of battery left. If it's green, the fan's battery is 70-100% charged. An amber light indicates that the battery is 30-69% charged, while a steady red light notes a 6-29% charge. When the battery light blinks red, the fan is about to die because the battery is 5% or lower.
To the right of the power button is a button with three droplets. This is the misting setting. There is a fill port at the top of the fan, right below the handle. The water mists from a port on the face of the fan, which must be opened when the mister is in use.
Sound wise, the fan emits a 46 dB rating on the lowest setting, and a 63 dB rating on the highest speed of 5. When placed on BreezeBoost, a turbo-like mode, the fan emitted a 67 dB sound rating. If none of those numbers mean anything to you, just know that the fan isn't loud or bothersome. I could barely hear it when sleeping at night and I had to go in the room where it was located to make sure it was still on (even if I was in the next room over).
Design score: 4 out of 5
Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo review: performance
Can feel the airflow of the fan 30 feet away when on BreezeBoost
Two misting modes, lasting a max of 55 mins before needing a refill
Vertical tilt is useful, but I'd love an oscillation option
There is a lot more to the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan than meets the eye. Though this tabletop fan is small, it packs a big punch in terms of airflow and power.
The first thing I wanted to see was how far away I could feel the airflow. When placed on BreezeBoost – the most powerful mode – I could feel the airflow 30 feet away. That's the full length of my house, so I didn't really have a way of testing if I could feel the airflow further away. When set on the lowest fan speed, I felt the airflow 17 feet away.
Depending on the layout of your house, you could likely feel the airflow between a couple of rooms. The only thing that would make this fan better would be the ability for it to oscillate horizontally or even vertically. At the moment, you can only tilt the fan up or down 45 degrees by hand to direct the airflow. This is not the biggest drawback, but something to note.
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I tested the mister outside. I wasn't sure how much water it would create, though after testing it, I'd say you could use the mister inside for a bit and you shouldn't have a problem with damp floors.
There are two mister modes – consistent and interval. As you'd expect, the consistent mode pushes out a constant stream of mist, while the interval mode stops and starts. When the water drop flashes, that's when you know the interval mode is on.
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The mister isn't overwhelming. In fact, you need to be about 2-4 feet from it to really feel the spray. I found that the wind typically blew it away (usually upwards) at about the four foot mark. This isn't a mister that will soak you.
The water emptied in 20 minutes when I used the consistent setting. According to Shark, the mister has a maximum misting time of up to 30 minutes per tank on any speed, but it looks like that figure is a little optimistic. On interval, the mister is meant to last up to 60 minutes on any fan speed; it lasted about 55 minutes for me.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo review: battery life
Lasted 1hr 30 on max fan speed, and 4hrs 13 on middle mode
Shark states up to 12 hours of use on lowest speed
Takes 2 hrs 30 mins to charge from flat
While I could have kept the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan plugged in and had an infinite source of power, because it's a portable fan, I wanted to test the battery life. The fan takes 2 hours 30 mins to charge. It lasted 4 hours and 13 minutes on the 3 fan speed level, which is better than what Shark estimates (a four-hour battery life on that level) The fan also exceeded the estimated battery life of 1.5 hours on the fan speed of 5.
I set the fan on BreezeBoost, and the battery lasted 1 hour and 50 minutes. I'm inclined to believe that the battery might last longer than Shark's reported maximum cordless run time of 12 hours on fan speed 1.
In terms of battery run time, this Shark fan is about what I expected. If you took this fan to a tailgate, four hours of battery life is fairly good, as long as it's a comfortable enough temperature to keep the fan speed at 3. If you live in super-hot areas, you might want the fan to last more than 1 hour and 50 minutes when using the BreezeBoost option.
Hopefully, there's an outlet nearby to recharge the fan. I wouldn't say this portable fan is a great choice for a day at the lake, especially since the 1 or 2 speed level likely won't offer enough airflow to keep you super cool, but it's better than nothing if the wind isn't blowing. Plus, at those two speed levels, you'll get a lot more hours of use.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Should you buy the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo?
Buy it if...
You want a fan you can take out and about
This fan can be used cordless, and comes with a handle for on-the-go cooling. It also looks good, and if you're in the US you can choose from a range of summery pastel color options.
You want a misting fan
Misters are great for summer days, especially when you want to sit on your porch without dying of a heat stroke. This portable fan lets you enjoy mist anywhere in your yard or house without needing an outlet nearby.
You want a powerful fan that can reach long distances.
No matter the fan speed, this fan can direct airflow long distances. On the lowest fan setting, I could feel the airflow 17 feet away – and on BreezeBoost mode, 30 feet away.
Don't buy it if...
You aren't bothered about portability
If you don't need it to be lightweight, you'd be better off with this fan's big sibling: the original FlexBreeze. It can still be used cordlessly, and unlike the HydroGo, it does oscillate.
You want to control your fan remotely
If you want to change the fan speed or turn on the mister, you're going to have to walk over to the fan and press a button. It would have been nice to at least have had a remote control, and even better if the fan settings could be adjusted within an app.
You need a portable fan with a super long battery life
Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo's battery life is decent but it's not going to last you all day at the lake, unless you're willing to use the lowest fan speeds. In fact, you only get a little over four hours on the 3-speed level and less than two hours on BreezeBoost mode.
How I tested the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo
Testing the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan was easier than testing most fans due to its portable nature. I used it around my house – in my bedroom, living room, and kitchen, as well as in outdoor spaces like my backyard and on my front porch. I even packed it in my car and tested it two hours away at my parent's house. Testing occurred in April when temperatures reached the mid-80s in Texas, so it was nice to experience the misting feature on warm days.
Squint, and you could mistake the Honor 400 Lite for an iPhone 16 Pro Max. Honor is clearly enamored with Apple's whole approach to smartphones, or more likely the enduring popularity of the very best iPhones, and it's evidently not afraid to wear that admiration on its sleeve.
The prospect of a £250 phone with a Dynamic Island (or 'Magic Capsule') and Camera Control (or 'AI Camera Button') is an undeniably enticing one. Honor has executed those two elements well, delivering a budget Android phone that feels slightly different from its rivals. That's hard to achieve in a staid smartphone market.
However, in the process of seeking to offer an iPhone-style experience on the cheap, Honor appears to have taken its eye off the ball in some fundamental areas. The Honor 400 Lite doesn't perform as well as many of its peers, while its camera system feels undercooked.
Meanwhile, Honor's MagicOS feels as cluttered and unappealing as ever, emulating the basic look of iOS without achieving the same level of refinement. It's good to see a six-year update promise, though, which is among the very best in its class.
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Solid battery life and a good 6.7-inch OLED display also help the Honor 400 Lite's cause, though its 35W charging speeds are nothing to write home about, and that sizeable notch probably won't appeal to those who watch a lot of movies and TV shows on the go.
Ultimately, the Honor 400 Lite is a budget phone designed to appeal to those who equate 'iPhone' with 'smartphone', but who lack either the resources or inclination to spend upwards of £600 on their next handset.
It'll serve such people reasonably well, but those same people should know that they won't be getting the most from their money. There are faster, more robust, and just plain better phones in the sub-£300 bracket.
Honor 400 Lite review: price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
Released on April 22, 2024
On sale in the UK and Europe for £249.99 / €269
Only one variant (8GB RAM / 256GB storage)
No US or Australia availability
The Honor 400 Lite was announced in April 2025 and is due to go on sale in the UK and Europe on May 22. Honor smartphones aren't sold in the US, while an Australian launch for the Honor 400 Lite is also off the cards at the time of writing.
It'll be available in just one variant in these territories: 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. This sole model will cost £249.99 / €269 (about $330 / AU$520).
At this price, the Honor 400 Lite is competing with a whole host of affordable phones, including the Samsung Galaxy A26, the Poco X7, and the Motorola Moto G75 5G. All of these rivals have superior water resistance, while the Moto G75 5G also has MIL-STD-810H durability.
Samsung's phone has wider availability and that familiar One UI software, while the Poco X7 has a clear performance edge.
Value score: 4 / 5
Honor 400 Lite review: specs
Honor 400 Lite review: design
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Clearly iPhone-influenced design
Magic Capsule notch supplies widgets and selfie light
Skinny, lightweight all-plastic build
Dedicated camera shutter button
Honor wouldn't be the first company to take a page out of Apple design playbook, but the Honor 400 Lite takes it to the next level. It looks more like an iPhone (specifically the iPhone 16 Pro Max) than pretty much any other phone I've seen.
Yes, you have the flat-edged look with the curved corners, just like the Google Pixel 9a and Samsung Galaxy S25. But the similarity runs to the smaller details, too. The camera module looks extremely similar to that of the iPhone 16 Pro, with only a triangular motif marking it out.
Flip the Honor 400 Lite onto its front, and there's an extended floating notch that looks a lot like Apple's Dynamic Island. Honor calls it the 'Magic Capsule', but it serves a similar function.
Honor's psychedelic-sounding notch facilitates tiny heads-up widgets when doing things like playing music or running a timer. Tap one of those widgets, and it'll expand slightly to a larger, width-spanning version.
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One thing the Honor 400 Lite's Magic Capsule doesn't copy from Apple is a truly secure Face ID system, with no 3D Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor to capture the required depth information. That's doubtless a cost issue, as the flagship Honor Magic 7 Pro does include such a feature.
Instead, the Honor 400 Lite's extended notch gives you a dedicated selfie light, though it has fairly limited utility. It'll technically allow you to record videos and take video calls in very low lighting, provided you really want to convey that mid-noughties webcam vibe.
A more consequential addition is the AI Camera Button, situated a little way below the volume and power buttons on the right-hand edge. It's another direct lift from Apple, with a similar look and somewhat unsatisfactory positioning to the iPhone 16's Camera Control.
It too serves as a dedicated camera shutter button, complete with two-stage operation for locking focus and a swipe-to-zoom facility that might actually be better than Apple's. It also serves as a two-tap camera shortcut, while a long press will bring up Google Lens, much as it brings up Visual Intelligence on an iPhone.
Hold the Honor 400 Lite in your hand, and all the iPhone comparisons flake away. This is an all-plastic affair, despite the metal-effect frame. It's well-built, with no creaks and a subtle pearlescent finish to the rear.
It's also very light, given its large 161 x 74.6mm footprint, at just 171g, while it's only 7.3mm thick.
You'll also notice the uneven bezel, which gets thicker at the corners and across the chin. That's a sure sign that we're shopping in the £250 category here, though a 93.7% screen-to-body ratio is still pretty decent for a budget phone.
Design score: 3.5 / 5
Honor 400 Lite review: display
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Solid 6.7-inch FHD+ OLED
Gets nice and bright
Only a mono speaker
Honor has equipped the 400 Lite with an accomplished 6.7-inch OLED display, with an FHD+ (1080 x 2412) resolution and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz.
These are all specifications that we've come to expect in the £250 category, and they see the Honor 400 Lite matching the likes of the Poco X7 and the Samsung Galaxy A26.
Not many budget phones can boast a 3500-nit peak brightness, however. PWM dimming of 3840Hz, meanwhile, cuts perceptible flickering and potential eye strain.
In general use, I found this to be a really pleasant display to use, at least once I'd switched away from the ramped-up 'Vivid' color mode to the more muted and natural 'Normal'. It's big, sharp, color-accurate, and responsive, while its brightness scales evenly from very dark (great for low-light viewing) to quite bright.
It's a shame the Always On Display function doesn't meet the description, however, requiring a screen tap to activate.
Also a shame is Honor's enduring insistence on packing its affordable phone with a single downward-firing speaker. It doesn't feel like too much to ask for a solid set of stereo speakers, even at this price.
Display score: 4 / 5
Honor 400 Lite review: cameras
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108MP main camera struggles with HDR and night shots
Poor 5MP ultra-wide
Only 1080p/30fps video
Honor has simplified the camera setup from last year's Honor 200 Lite, with the pointless 2MP macro camera dropping out altogether.
This leaves you with what appears to be the same pair of cameras, specifically a 108MP 1/1.67" f/1.8 main sensor and a 5MP f/2.2 ultra-wide.
The main camera is a competent shooter under ideal conditions, capturing plenty of detail. It's even good enough to produce fairly convincing 2x and 3x crops in the absence of a dedicated telephoto.
There are issues with this main camera, however. It seems to struggle with HDR scenarios, either failing to lift very dark shady areas or otherwise blowing out background highlights.
I also noticed some odd processing effects, including a strange halo effect around distant birds in front of a blue sky.
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Night shots, too, aren't very good, with poor detail and bags of noise. The lack of OIS here is quite evident.
The ultra-wide, meanwhile, is of a pretty substandard quality, lacking in detail and failing to match the tone of the main sensor.
The selfie camera has also changed since the Honor 200 Lite, dropping from a 50MP f/2.1 unit to a 16MP f/2.5. It captures adequate shots with reasonably rich colors, but again struggles with blown-out highlights.
The provision of an LED light is an interesting one. It definitely improved the clarity of my low-light selfie shots and videos when I activated it manually, but is it strictly necessary when most phones simply use a white screen for the job? I'm not so sure.
Talking of video, the main camera maxes out at a weedy 1080p at 30fps. That's a pretty poor effort when rivals such as the Galaxy A26, Moto G75 5G, and Poco X7 can all record at 4K.
Camera score: 3 / 5
Honor 400 Lite review: camera samples
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Honor 400 Lite review: performance
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MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra is merely adequate
Solid 8GB of RAM
256GB of storage
The Honor 400 Lite is equipped with a MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra chipset, which isn't a very strong performer even within the budget phone category.
I've used a phone with this chip before in the Redmi Note 14 5G (which didn't ship in the UK), and I was left pretty unimpressed. Suffice it to say, the Honor 400 Lite did nothing to change my mind on this component.
Across CPU and GPU benchmark tests, it's outgunned by the Moto G75 5G, the Samsung Galaxy A26, and the Poco X7.
I'd like to say that this doesn't matter in practical terms, but that's not the case. There's a generally wallowy feel to everything from unlocking the phone to app startup and even basic animations.
It would be unfair to call this performance halting or stuttery, but everything seems to take a beat longer than it should. I'd be tempted to let it off the hook given the price, but the Poco X7 (to use one example) feels nice and snappy by comparison.
Indeed, while the Poco X7 is capable of running Genshin Impact quite well on Medium settings, the Honor 400 Lite needs to run it at Low or even Lowest if you're to maintain a decent frame rate.
The solitary model available in the UK gives you a solid 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which is most welcome.
Performance score: 3 / 5
Honor 400 Lite review: software
(Image credit: Future)
Android 15 with MagicOS 9
Six years of OS updates and security patches
With the Honor 400 Lite, you're getting Android 15 fresh out of the box, coated in Honor's latest MagicOS 9 UI. It's not my favorite Android skin by any stretch of the imagination.
Honor evidently doesn't think much of the flowing, vibrant UI design that Google baked into the latest version of Android, preferring instead the square icons and split notification menu of Apple's iOS.
The two UIs really look uncannily alike in places, right down to the look of the Settings menu and the lock screen. The aforementioned Magic Capsule drives this familiar sensation home with its Dynamic Island-style mini-widgets.
Sadly, such an admiration for Apple's work doesn't extend to the company's no-nonsense approach to bloatware. You'll find Facebook, Booking.com, TikTok, Amazon Shopping, ReelShort, LinkedIn, and the Temu shopping app all sitting on the second home screen straight from first boot-up.
There's also a Top Apps folder with four more third-party apps. It's a little excessive, if far from unusual, on Android.
Elsewhere, there's a whopping great themed 'Essentials' folder on the main home screen containing nine of the company's own apps, and another large folder filled with AI-suggested apps that I never found remotely useful.
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Honor also provides its own App Market, which feels completely pointless with the Google Play Store present and accounted for (Honor is no longer part of Huawei, so it isn't hampered by the same sanctions).
There's a smattering of AI features here, including some Google-affiliated ones such as Smart Vision (essentially Google Lens), Google Gemini, and Circle to Search.
Honor has implemented a feature called Magic Portal that somewhat overlaps the latter Google provision, permitting you to draw around text and images before opening up a shortcut menu for sharing the resulting snippets to other apps. It's nowhere near as smart as Circle to Search, but it can actually be quite useful in this more localized on-device application. Or it would be, if the knuckle-based input system wasn't so flaky.
Favourite Space is a folder to quickly stash these hastily scrawled-out snippets. However, given the large number of superfluous preinstalled apps, I'm not sure why there isn't a standard Favourite Space app. I encountered numerous references to it and saved several snippets before it offered to create a shortcut (in the shape of an app icon) on the home screen.
When it comes to image editing, Honor offers a reasonably effective AI Eraser for deleting unwanted objects and people. AI Outpainting is a bizarre but technically impressive feature that essentially turns your regular shots into ultra-wides, using AI to infer what might be just out of frame. It kind of works in terms of creating convincing (though not accurate) images, but I'm not sure why you'd ever want to make use of such fakery beyond a tech demo.
Perhaps the most positive aspect of Honor's software provision on the 400 Lite is the promise of six years of OS and security updates. That's right up there with the Samsung Galaxy A26 in this budget class.
Software score: 3 / 5
Honor 400 Lite review: battery life
(Image credit: Future)
5,230mAh battery
35W wired charging
No charger in the box
Honor has supplied a larger-than-average 5,230mAh battery with the 400 Lite, which is significantly larger than the 4,500mAh battery of the Honor 200 Lite.
It results in predictably strong stamina. I found that I was able to go through a day of moderate to heavy usage, with 4 hours 40 minutes of screen on time, and be left with 58%.
You could conceivably go through a full two days here, though more intensive applications and mixed network use will, of course, drain that battery much faster.
In an increasingly common move, there's no charger supplied in the box. Honor claims that if you buy the dedicated 35W Honor Wired SuperCharge charger, the phone can power up to 100% in 75 minutes.
In my experience, you don't necessarily need to go out of your way to secure the official brick. While a Xiaomi 120W Hypercharge brick trickled along at a glacial pace, a Samsung 65W Super Fast charger got the job done in just 72 minutes.
As charging rates go, that's not especially quick. The Poco X7, with its 45W charging support, can get its similarly sized battery up to 100% in 50 minutes. The Moto G75 5G only supports 30W charging, but that budget rival also includes wireless charging, which the Honor 400 Lite does not.
Battery score: 4 / 5
Should I buy the Honor 400 Lite?
Buy it if...
You'd really like a super cheap iPhone Honor's design and software decisions reflect an admiration for Apple's iPhone and iOS, but the package on offer here is a fraction of the price.
You want manual camera control The Honor 400 Lite's AI Camera Button offers a handy two-stage camera shutter button, as well as a camera shortcut.
You want a big phone, but not a heavy one The Honor 400 Lite gives you a big 6.7-inch display, but the phone itself only weighs 171g.
Don't buy it if...
You want to play lots of games The Honor 400 Lite runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra processor, which is far from the fastest in this class.
You want a crisp UI Honor's MagicOS is pretty cluttered and charmless, and a world away from stock Android.
You take a lot of night shots In the absence of OIS, the Honor 400 Lite is far from the best low-light shooter.
Honor 400 Lite review: also consider
The Honor 400 Lite isn't the only classy affordable phone on the market. Here are some of the better alternatives to consider.
Motorola Moto G75 5G Motorola's tough little phone is unusually robust, performs better, and has wireless charging, though its LCD screen is inferior.
Poco X7 The Poco X7 leaves the Honor 400 Lite in the dust on performance, has a better camera setup, and gives you stereo sound. We haven't yet reviewed it fully, mind.
How I tested the Honor 400 Lite
Review test period = 1 week
Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used = Geekbench 6, GFXBench, 3DMark, native Android stats, Samsung 65W power adapter
Squint, and you could mistake the Honor 400 Lite for an iPhone 16 Pro Max. Honor is clearly enamored with Apple's whole approach to smartphones, or more likely the enduring popularity of the very best iPhones, and it's evidently not afraid to wear that admiration on its sleeve.
The prospect of a £250 phone with a Dynamic Island (or 'Magic Capsule') and Camera Control (or 'AI Camera Button') is an undeniably enticing one. Honor has executed those two elements well, delivering a budget Android phone that feels slightly different from its rivals. That's hard to achieve in a staid smartphone market.
However, in the process of seeking to offer an iPhone-style experience on the cheap, Honor appears to have taken its eye off the ball in some fundamental areas. The Honor 400 Lite doesn't perform as well as many of its peers, while its camera system feels undercooked.
Meanwhile, Honor's MagicOS feels as cluttered and unappealing as ever, emulating the basic look of iOS without achieving the same level of refinement. It's good to see a six-year update promise, though, which is among the very best in its class.
(Image credit: Future)
Solid battery life and a good 6.7-inch OLED display also help the Honor 400 Lite's cause, though its 35W charging speeds are nothing to write home about, and that sizeable notch probably won't appeal to those who watch a lot of movies and TV shows on the go.
Ultimately, the Honor 400 Lite is a budget phone designed to appeal to those who equate 'iPhone' with 'smartphone', but who lack either the resources or inclination to spend upwards of £600 on their next handset.
It'll serve such people reasonably well, but those same people should know that they won't be getting the most from their money. There are faster, more robust, and just plain better phones in the sub-£300 bracket.
Honor 400 Lite review: price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
Released on April 22, 2024
On sale in the UK and Europe for £249.99 / €269
Only one variant (8GB RAM / 256GB storage)
No US or Australia availability
The Honor 400 Lite was announced in April 2025 and is due to go on sale in the UK and Europe on May 22. Honor smartphones aren't sold in the US, while an Australian launch for the Honor 400 Lite is also off the cards at the time of writing.
It'll be available in just one variant in these territories: 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. This sole model will cost £249.99 / €269 (about $330 / AU$520).
At this price, the Honor 400 Lite is competing with a whole host of affordable phones, including the Samsung Galaxy A26, the Poco X7, and the Motorola Moto G75 5G. All of these rivals have superior water resistance, while the Moto G75 5G also has MIL-STD-810H durability.
Samsung's phone has wider availability and that familiar One UI software, while the Poco X7 has a clear performance edge.
Value score: 4 / 5
Honor 400 Lite review: specs
Honor 400 Lite review: design
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Clearly iPhone-influenced design
Magic Capsule notch supplies widgets and selfie light
Skinny, lightweight all-plastic build
Dedicated camera shutter button
Honor wouldn't be the first company to take a page out of Apple design playbook, but the Honor 400 Lite takes it to the next level. It looks more like an iPhone (specifically the iPhone 16 Pro Max) than pretty much any other phone I've seen.
Yes, you have the flat-edged look with the curved corners, just like the Google Pixel 9a and Samsung Galaxy S25. But the similarity runs to the smaller details, too. The camera module looks extremely similar to that of the iPhone 16 Pro, with only a triangular motif marking it out.
Flip the Honor 400 Lite onto its front, and there's an extended floating notch that looks a lot like Apple's Dynamic Island. Honor calls it the 'Magic Capsule', but it serves a similar function.
Honor's psychedelic-sounding notch facilitates tiny heads-up widgets when doing things like playing music or running a timer. Tap one of those widgets, and it'll expand slightly to a larger, width-spanning version.
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One thing the Honor 400 Lite's Magic Capsule doesn't copy from Apple is a truly secure Face ID system, with no 3D Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor to capture the required depth information. That's doubtless a cost issue, as the flagship Honor Magic 7 Pro does include such a feature.
Instead, the Honor 400 Lite's extended notch gives you a dedicated selfie light, though it has fairly limited utility. It'll technically allow you to record videos and take video calls in very low lighting, provided you really want to convey that mid-noughties webcam vibe.
A more consequential addition is the AI Camera Button, situated a little way below the volume and power buttons on the right-hand edge. It's another direct lift from Apple, with a similar look and somewhat unsatisfactory positioning to the iPhone 16's Camera Control.
It too serves as a dedicated camera shutter button, complete with two-stage operation for locking focus and a swipe-to-zoom facility that might actually be better than Apple's. It also serves as a two-tap camera shortcut, while a long press will bring up Google Lens, much as it brings up Visual Intelligence on an iPhone.
Hold the Honor 400 Lite in your hand, and all the iPhone comparisons flake away. This is an all-plastic affair, despite the metal-effect frame. It's well-built, with no creaks and a subtle pearlescent finish to the rear.
It's also very light, given its large 161 x 74.6mm footprint, at just 171g, while it's only 7.3mm thick.
You'll also notice the uneven bezel, which gets thicker at the corners and across the chin. That's a sure sign that we're shopping in the £250 category here, though a 93.7% screen-to-body ratio is still pretty decent for a budget phone.
Design score: 3.5 / 5
Honor 400 Lite review: display
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Solid 6.7-inch FHD+ OLED
Gets nice and bright
Only a mono speaker
Honor has equipped the 400 Lite with an accomplished 6.7-inch OLED display, with an FHD+ (1080 x 2412) resolution and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz.
These are all specifications that we've come to expect in the £250 category, and they see the Honor 400 Lite matching the likes of the Poco X7 and the Samsung Galaxy A26.
Not many budget phones can boast a 3500-nit peak brightness, however. PWM dimming of 3840Hz, meanwhile, cuts perceptible flickering and potential eye strain.
In general use, I found this to be a really pleasant display to use, at least once I'd switched away from the ramped-up 'Vivid' color mode to the more muted and natural 'Normal'. It's big, sharp, color-accurate, and responsive, while its brightness scales evenly from very dark (great for low-light viewing) to quite bright.
It's a shame the Always On Display function doesn't meet the description, however, requiring a screen tap to activate.
Also a shame is Honor's enduring insistence on packing its affordable phone with a single downward-firing speaker. It doesn't feel like too much to ask for a solid set of stereo speakers, even at this price.
Display score: 4 / 5
Honor 400 Lite review: cameras
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108MP main camera struggles with HDR and night shots
Poor 5MP ultra-wide
Only 1080p/30fps video
Honor has simplified the camera setup from last year's Honor 200 Lite, with the pointless 2MP macro camera dropping out altogether.
This leaves you with what appears to be the same pair of cameras, specifically a 108MP 1/1.67" f/1.8 main sensor and a 5MP f/2.2 ultra-wide.
The main camera is a competent shooter under ideal conditions, capturing plenty of detail. It's even good enough to produce fairly convincing 2x and 3x crops in the absence of a dedicated telephoto.
There are issues with this main camera, however. It seems to struggle with HDR scenarios, either failing to lift very dark shady areas or otherwise blowing out background highlights.
I also noticed some odd processing effects, including a strange halo effect around distant birds in front of a blue sky.
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Night shots, too, aren't very good, with poor detail and bags of noise. The lack of OIS here is quite evident.
The ultra-wide, meanwhile, is of a pretty substandard quality, lacking in detail and failing to match the tone of the main sensor.
The selfie camera has also changed since the Honor 200 Lite, dropping from a 50MP f/2.1 unit to a 16MP f/2.5. It captures adequate shots with reasonably rich colors, but again struggles with blown-out highlights.
The provision of an LED light is an interesting one. It definitely improved the clarity of my low-light selfie shots and videos when I activated it manually, but is it strictly necessary when most phones simply use a white screen for the job? I'm not so sure.
Talking of video, the main camera maxes out at a weedy 1080p at 30fps. That's a pretty poor effort when rivals such as the Galaxy A26, Moto G75 5G, and Poco X7 can all record at 4K.
Camera score: 3 / 5
Honor 400 Lite review: camera samples
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Honor 400 Lite review: performance
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MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra is merely adequate
Solid 8GB of RAM
256GB of storage
The Honor 400 Lite is equipped with a MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra chipset, which isn't a very strong performer even within the budget phone category.
I've used a phone with this chip before in the Redmi Note 14 5G (which didn't ship in the UK), and I was left pretty unimpressed. Suffice it to say, the Honor 400 Lite did nothing to change my mind on this component.
Across CPU and GPU benchmark tests, it's outgunned by the Moto G75 5G, the Samsung Galaxy A26, and the Poco X7.
I'd like to say that this doesn't matter in practical terms, but that's not the case. There's a generally wallowy feel to everything from unlocking the phone to app startup and even basic animations.
It would be unfair to call this performance halting or stuttery, but everything seems to take a beat longer than it should. I'd be tempted to let it off the hook given the price, but the Poco X7 (to use one example) feels nice and snappy by comparison.
Indeed, while the Poco X7 is capable of running Genshin Impact quite well on Medium settings, the Honor 400 Lite needs to run it at Low or even Lowest if you're to maintain a decent frame rate.
The solitary model available in the UK gives you a solid 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which is most welcome.
Performance score: 3 / 5
Honor 400 Lite review: software
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Android 15 with MagicOS 9
Six years of OS updates and security patches
With the Honor 400 Lite, you're getting Android 15 fresh out of the box, coated in Honor's latest MagicOS 9 UI. It's not my favorite Android skin by any stretch of the imagination.
Honor evidently doesn't think much of the flowing, vibrant UI design that Google baked into the latest version of Android, preferring instead the square icons and split notification menu of Apple's iOS.
The two UIs really look uncannily alike in places, right down to the look of the Settings menu and the lock screen. The aforementioned Magic Capsule drives this familiar sensation home with its Dynamic Island-style mini-widgets.
Sadly, such an admiration for Apple's work doesn't extend to the company's no-nonsense approach to bloatware. You'll find Facebook, Booking.com, TikTok, Amazon Shopping, ReelShort, LinkedIn, and the Temu shopping app all sitting on the second home screen straight from first boot-up.
There's also a Top Apps folder with four more third-party apps. It's a little excessive, if far from unusual, on Android.
Elsewhere, there's a whopping great themed 'Essentials' folder on the main home screen containing nine of the company's own apps, and another large folder filled with AI-suggested apps that I never found remotely useful.
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Honor also provides its own App Market, which feels completely pointless with the Google Play Store present and accounted for (Honor is no longer part of Huawei, so it isn't hampered by the same sanctions).
There's a smattering of AI features here, including some Google-affiliated ones such as Smart Vision (essentially Google Lens), Google Gemini, and Circle to Search.
Honor has implemented a feature called Magic Portal that somewhat overlaps the latter Google provision, permitting you to draw around text and images before opening up a shortcut menu for sharing the resulting snippets to other apps. It's nowhere near as smart as Circle to Search, but it can actually be quite useful in this more localized on-device application. Or it would be, if the knuckle-based input system wasn't so flaky.
Favourite Space is a folder to quickly stash these hastily scrawled-out snippets. However, given the large number of superfluous preinstalled apps, I'm not sure why there isn't a standard Favourite Space app. I encountered numerous references to it and saved several snippets before it offered to create a shortcut (in the shape of an app icon) on the home screen.
When it comes to image editing, Honor offers a reasonably effective AI Eraser for deleting unwanted objects and people. AI Outpainting is a bizarre but technically impressive feature that essentially turns your regular shots into ultra-wides, using AI to infer what might be just out of frame. It kind of works in terms of creating convincing (though not accurate) images, but I'm not sure why you'd ever want to make use of such fakery beyond a tech demo.
Perhaps the most positive aspect of Honor's software provision on the 400 Lite is the promise of six years of OS and security updates. That's right up there with the Samsung Galaxy A26 in this budget class.
Software score: 3 / 5
Honor 400 Lite review: battery life
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5,230mAh battery
35W wired charging
No charger in the box
Honor has supplied a larger-than-average 5,230mAh battery with the 400 Lite, which is significantly larger than the 4,500mAh battery of the Honor 200 Lite.
It results in predictably strong stamina. I found that I was able to go through a day of moderate to heavy usage, with 4 hours 40 minutes of screen on time, and be left with 58%.
You could conceivably go through a full two days here, though more intensive applications and mixed network use will, of course, drain that battery much faster.
In an increasingly common move, there's no charger supplied in the box. Honor claims that if you buy the dedicated 35W Honor Wired SuperCharge charger, the phone can power up to 100% in 75 minutes.
In my experience, you don't necessarily need to go out of your way to secure the official brick. While a Xiaomi 120W Hypercharge brick trickled along at a glacial pace, a Samsung 65W Super Fast charger got the job done in just 72 minutes.
As charging rates go, that's not especially quick. The Poco X7, with its 45W charging support, can get its similarly sized battery up to 100% in 50 minutes. The Moto G75 5G only supports 30W charging, but that budget rival also includes wireless charging, which the Honor 400 Lite does not.
Battery score: 4 / 5
Should I buy the Honor 400 Lite?
Buy it if...
You'd really like a super cheap iPhone Honor's design and software decisions reflect an admiration for Apple's iPhone and iOS, but the package on offer here is a fraction of the price.
You want manual camera control The Honor 400 Lite's AI Camera Button offers a handy two-stage camera shutter button, as well as a camera shortcut.
You want a big phone, but not a heavy one The Honor 400 Lite gives you a big 6.7-inch display, but the phone itself only weighs 171g.
Don't buy it if...
You want to play lots of games The Honor 400 Lite runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra processor, which is far from the fastest in this class.
You want a crisp UI Honor's MagicOS is pretty cluttered and charmless, and a world away from stock Android.
You take a lot of night shots In the absence of OIS, the Honor 400 Lite is far from the best low-light shooter.
Honor 400 Lite review: also consider
The Honor 400 Lite isn't the only classy affordable phone on the market. Here are some of the better alternatives to consider.
Motorola Moto G75 5G Motorola's tough little phone is unusually robust, performs better, and has wireless charging, though its LCD screen is inferior.
Poco X7 The Poco X7 leaves the Honor 400 Lite in the dust on performance, has a better camera setup, and gives you stereo sound. We haven't yet reviewed it fully, mind.
How I tested the Honor 400 Lite
Review test period = 1 week
Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used = Geekbench 6, GFXBench, 3DMark, native Android stats, Samsung 65W power adapter
Poco originally launched the M7 Pro 5G in some markets back in December, but its rollout has been ongoing since then and today it has finally reached the UK, where it's available straight from Xiaomi's online store.
With 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, the normal price is £199, but for the next seven days you can apply a £40 off coupon right on the order page. Thus you'll get the phone for £159.
If you want the version with 12GB of RAM, which still has 256GB of storage, that usually goes for £239, but with the aforementioned coupon code applied you'll only pay £199 if you act fast....
The Amzchef Slow Juicer SJ-036 is frankly a joy to use. Easy to assemble, use, and clean, this masticating slow-press juicer provides consistent, excellent results. If you want a juicer with a bunch of bells and whistles, you won't find it here. Instead, this appliance focuses on providing high-performance features, like its auto hopper, non-drip spout, and powerful auger, which reduces the need to pre-cut fruit and veg (though you may need to cut some) and allows for it to be largely automatic – with minimal mess.
You can add large chunks of food to this juicer, which makes prep easy, but the user manual advises removing seeds and peels from foods like oranges, lemons, and melons. After prepping, you simply add your food to the juicer, lock the lid, and turn the knob on the side, ensuring the pulp and juice cups are under their respective spouts. The juicer then uses its power auger to juice your items, pushing the solid fiber and pulp out the side, while its triple filter ensures the juice left is smooth. I found the auger left minimal residue in the feeding cup and it is incredibly satisfying watching the pulp ooze out the side.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
While you can leave the appliance to automatically juice your food, you may need to utilize the pusher accessory to push down some foods – I only needed to do this once, however – or use the knob's Reverse function if any food gets stuck. You also need to watch for when the juicing is completed, as the appliance doesn't automatically turn off when finished and is surprisingly quick due to its 250W motor. In most cases, my juicing was complete in one to two minutes, though tougher foods took up to six.
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The overall result every time was smooth juice with minimal pulp, enough to be healthy but not enough to make the juice unpleasant. That powerful auger utilized nearly every element of what it was fed, with the pulp spout churning out mostly solid remains that indicate it squeezed almost every ounce of juice from my foods. Clean-up was equally impressive, with the detachable parts easily hand-washed with only water.
If you're looking for a no-nonsense slow juicer that provides consistently high results, the Amzchef Slow Juicer SJ-036 is a worthy investment.
Amzchef Slow Juicer SJ-036: price and availability
Price: $299.99 / £199.99
Available in the UK and US, but not Australia
Regular discounts available
The Amzchef Slow Juicer SJ-036 is a premium cold press juicer. Available in the US and UK at $300 / £199.99, respectively, this appliance is pricer than several others on our best juicers list. So, if this is a bit out of your price range, the Amzchef Slow Juicer ZM1501 is a more affordable alternative. However, we regularly see discounts (up to $100) on this product, so it's worth keeping your eyes peeled during sales periods.
While the Amzchef Slow Juicer SJ-036 is pricey, it's worth the investment if you regularly juice, as it offers a high-quality masticating juicer that's easy to use and maintain.
Value score: 4.5/5
Amzchef Slow Juicer SJ-036: specifications
Amzchef Slow Juicer SJ-036: design
Stylish modern design
Surprisingly tall, needs unobstructed counter space
Powerful auger and auto hopper
Triple filter for smooth juice
Anti-drip spout
The Amzchef Slow Juicer SJ-036 has a stylish, minimalistic modern design and comes in black or silver. Assembly is straightforward thanks to the handy user manual. You attach the juicing bowl to the power base, followed by the auger, and then the feeding cup, which locks into the bowl with ease. You then add the juice cup under the juice spout on the front and the pulp cup under the pulp spout on the left-hand side. The feeding cup lid has a safety clock, which you can click open and close fairly easily. The juicer won't function if the lock isn't clicked in, as this indicates the top is open, a welcome safety inclusion that should prevent any kitchen disasters.
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What I like most about this juicer is how seemingly simple its design is and how easy it is to operate. On the right-hand side is just one knob with three options: on, off, and reverse. There's no smart control here, simply turn it on to juice and off when it's done. You need to manually turn it off when the juicing is finished, so an automatic option would be helpful, but this method does give you more control over its operation.
Turning the appliance on is when you see how impressive the design is. The automatic hopper pulls food into the powerful squeezing auger, churning it to extract the juice before using the triple filter to separate the pulp from the juice, satisfyingly spewing the pulp out of its respective spout and holding the remaining juice. The no-drip juice spout means the juice stays put until you've turned the appliance off and you're ready to open it. The juice spews out pretty fast, so I advise opening it slowly to avoid splashback.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
Cleaning, likewise, is easy. The user manual advises handwashing with (it seems) just water and a cleaning brush is provided for tougher residue. Largely, I only needed the brush for the filter and chutes, with remains in the detachable parts easily washing away under the tap.
It's worth noting, however, that this juicer stands pretty tall when assembled, at 17.2in. Plus, you need to account for opening the lid. So, I had difficulty opening it due to my upper kitchen cabinets and needed to move it to a counter space that wasn't vertically obstructed. This may not be ideal if you have a smaller kitchen.
Design score: 5/5
Amzchef Slow Juicer SJ-036: performance
Smooth juice with minimal pulp
Discarded pulp is largely solid
Only takes a few minutes to juice
Consistently good results
The Amzchef Slow Juicer SJ-036 performs to a high standard and I found it near flawless during my testing. I first tested a green juice, consisting of broccoli florets, ginger, celery, an apple, pear, and parsley. While the apple and pear needed de-seeding as advised in the user manual, and the celery cut into smaller chunks to fit the chute, minimal prep was required and all the ingredients easily fit in the feeding cup.
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Within about two minutes of turning the appliance on, 197g of fairly solid pulp had been extracted and I was left with around 375ml of clear juice with minimal foam. Only some small remnants of parsley snuck into the juice, but these weren't overly noticeable or unpleasant. Very little was left in the juicing bowl that wasn't pulped or juiced. I was impressed that – while fairly loud at a max volume of 85.5 decibels – this juicer wasn't
I was particularly impressed with how the appliance juiced 200g of unpeeled carrots. The result, again, was 100ml of crystal clear juice with no foam, which only took one minute. This one minute is fairly loud, with a max decibel reading of 85.5, but wasn't as ear-splitting as some juicers can be.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
Orange juice, using five large oranges, took a slightly longer six minutes, however. Mainly because I tested whether adding each ingredient one by one results, as Amzchef says in its juicer tips, in a higher yield. I didn't see a noticeable difference, so it's really up to you whether you'd rather juice more efficiently or quickly.
I added the oranges (unadvisedly) with their peels on but cut into wedges. This resulted in a lot of pulp (411g) and roughly 375ml of delicious orange juice, which had some nutritious pulp in it but not enough for it to be an issue.
(Image credit: Vic Hood)
Much like with my carrots, my 100g kale test resulted in wonderfully pure kale juice, with just a little foam. Unfortunately, I didn't realize how disgusting kale juice is and this juicer couldn't fix that.
Performance score: 5/5
Should you buy the Amzchef Slow Juicer SJ-036?
Buy it if
You want to spend less time on food prep
While some foods need to be cut up for size or their seeds removed, this juicer can handle whole foods with ease, minimizing the need for pre-cutting and prep.
You want a non-nonsense juicer
This appliance may not have the bells and whistles of other juicers, but it does what it's meant to do to a high standard.
You want an easy to maintain and operate juicer
This slow juicer is a breeze to assembly, use, and clean. So, if you want an appliance that's easy to use out of the box, look no further.
Don't buy it if
You've less kitchen space
This is a surprisingly tall juicer and I had trouble opening it when it was placed on a counter under kitchen cabinets. The most optimal space for this is a counter that's unobstructed vertically, so if you're lacking that you may have some difficulty finding a place to use it conveniently.
You're on a budget
This is a premium product, but it also comes with a premium price tag. While regular discounts are available, you can get great slow juicers for less than this. So, if the $300 / £199.99 price tag is out of your budget, there are plenty more options available that provide solid performance.
