Price Points: Energy efficient kettles

Energy efficient kettles

I don’t think that there’s currently anyone in the country that’s not worrying about their gas and electric bills. We’re all looking at ways we can reduce our energy usage; from switching off lights as we leave a room to lowering the thermostat by a degree.

One of the appliances most of us have in our homes is the electric kettle. Brits are famous the world over for enjoying their cuppas! But how much does it cost each time we brew up?

According to recent workings out by Which:

Based on the average capped energy price as of April 2022 (28p/kWh for electricity and 7p/kWh for gas), we’ve estimated that your kettle could cost you around £32 per year (based on boiling a litre of water three times per day). This is going to be a lot more than charging a phone or tablet, but slightly less than using your oven regularly or running an American-style fridge freezer.

A top tip you’ve probably already heard is to only boil as much water as you need. However, if you have a feeble old kettle whose element is caked in limescale, it will still cost you more than needed. Using one of these energy efficient kettles that we’ve featured will be quicker and cheaper in the long run.

I especially like the hot water dispenser (not strictly a kettle, I know). It’s like having one of those instant boiling water taps in your kitchen… without the hundreds or even thousand pound price tag! Plus, I’ve read lots of buyer reviews from people who can’t lift heavy objects calling it a godsend.

  1. Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black: £39.99, Currys

    Patented design for super-quick heating
    Large 1.7 litre capacity makes 6-8 cups
    Ideal if you don’t want to lift a heavy kettle, the HotCup has one-touch operation and a hinged lid. Manual stop function gives you more control with different cup sizes – just press the button when you’ve topped up your cup or mug to the desired level

  2. Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey: £54.99, Kenwood

    With 3KW of power, you’ll enjoy a rapid boil and your hot water in a hurry.
    The 1.7L capacity is perfect for larger households, although with the clear water window it’s just as easy to heat water for a singular cup, meaning you only boil the water you need, saving time and energy.

  3. Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK: £76.60, Lakeland

    The kettle’s element is hidden in the base, and can boil as little as a cup and as much as 1L. This lets you save energy by only boiling the amount you need, but means, if needed, there will be plenty to keep you and your friends’ mugs topped up.

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Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
£76.60
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
£54.99
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
£39.99
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
£76.60
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
£54.99
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
£39.99
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
£76.60
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
£54.99
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
£39.99
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
£76.60
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
£54.99
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
£39.99
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
£76.60
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
£54.99
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
£39.99

Price Points: Induction hob safe milk pans

Induction safe milk pans

We don’t tend to use our wood-fired range stove during the warmer months – especially with the recent heat wave. A couple of years ago, we bought a double induction hob for our summertime cooking. We have a set of cream enamel cast iron saucepans that we use on it every day. However, when all you want to do is warm up a little bit of milk or make some custard, even the smallest one is a bit big and heavy for the job.

We decided to look into what induction hob safe milk pans were available. There’s a huge variation in price, as you can see. I like the fact that the budget example from Dunelm has a pouring lip on both sides – it means that it’s suitable for use by both left-handers (me) and right-handers (Justin).

We went ahead and bought the mid-range option, the Emma Bridgewater enamel pan from her popular Black Toast range. It’s creamy white in colour, so matches our other saucepans. Many enamel saucepans on the market are lightweight and flimsy and don’t work on an induction hob. We’re pleased to say that we’ve given it a test run and this one does.

  1. Dunelm Essentials 14cm stainless steel milk pan: £8.00, Dunelm
  2. ‘Black Toast’ medium enamel saucepan: £28.00, Emma Bridgewater
  3. Le Creuset Signature 3-ply stainless steel milk pan, 14cm: £129.00, John Lewis

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Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Le Creuset Signature 3-ply stainless steel milk pan, 14cm
Le Creuset Signature 3-ply stainless steel milk pan, 14cm
£129.00
‘Black Toast’ medium enamel saucepan
‘Black Toast’ medium enamel saucepan
£28.00
Dunelm Essentials 14cm stainless steel milk pan
Dunelm Essentials 14cm stainless steel milk pan
£8.00
Le Creuset Signature 3-ply stainless steel milk pan, 14cm
Le Creuset Signature 3-ply stainless steel milk pan, 14cm
£129.00
‘Black Toast’ medium enamel saucepan
‘Black Toast’ medium enamel saucepan
£28.00
Dunelm Essentials 14cm stainless steel milk pan
Dunelm Essentials 14cm stainless steel milk pan
£8.00
Le Creuset Signature 3-ply stainless steel milk pan, 14cm
Le Creuset Signature 3-ply stainless steel milk pan, 14cm
£129.00
‘Black Toast’ medium enamel saucepan
‘Black Toast’ medium enamel saucepan
£28.00
Dunelm Essentials 14cm stainless steel milk pan
Dunelm Essentials 14cm stainless steel milk pan
£8.00
Le Creuset Signature 3-ply stainless steel milk pan, 14cm
Le Creuset Signature 3-ply stainless steel milk pan, 14cm
£129.00
‘Black Toast’ medium enamel saucepan
‘Black Toast’ medium enamel saucepan
£28.00
Dunelm Essentials 14cm stainless steel milk pan
Dunelm Essentials 14cm stainless steel milk pan
£8.00
Le Creuset Signature 3-ply stainless steel milk pan, 14cm
Le Creuset Signature 3-ply stainless steel milk pan, 14cm
£129.00
‘Black Toast’ medium enamel saucepan
‘Black Toast’ medium enamel saucepan
£28.00
Dunelm Essentials 14cm stainless steel milk pan
Dunelm Essentials 14cm stainless steel milk pan
£8.00

Price Points: Travel games

Travel games

It’s the long summer school holiday again. No doubt, many of you will be making journeys – both long and short – spending time with family away from home. A collection of easily portable travel games will while away hours en route as well as at your holiday destination.

We’ve chosen three that we’ve never heard of or even played before and that are suitable for all the family. We’ve included a real customer review for each game.

  1. P for Pizza – The easy cheesy letter game: £6.50, House of Fraser
    http://go.skimresources.com?id=29801X875054&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.houseoffraser.co.uk%2Fbrand%2Fbig-potato-games%2Fp-for-pizza—the-easy-cheesy-letter-game-791434

    Stack up your Pizza Cards and get ready to reach for a slice! Each round, players must think of a word that connects the letter to the category, then shout it out before anyone else. The speediest player wins the slice!

    Customer review: This is probably my favorite, quickplay party / icebreaker / family game of all time. It’s really appropriate for all kinds of groups and settings. It’s super fast to learn, finishes in 15 – 25 mins (depending on group size), and there are loads of ways to house rule a catch-up mechanic to help out stragglers (young children, etc.). Also it has great table presence!

    The box is also super cute and is small enough to take on trips, tucked into luggage.

  2. Rummikub travel game: £15.99, John Lewis
    http://go.skimresources.com?id=29801X875054&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.johnlewis.com%2Fjohn-adams-rummikub-travel-game%2Fp2621281

    Each game is as different as the combinations of moves you choose to play.

    The object of the game is to be the first player to go ‘Rummikub’ by using all of your tiles in ‘runs’ or ‘groups’ and by accumulating the highest score. Outwit your opponents with cool strategy and sharp moves. Use the Joker with caution… he can fire up the game, but if he is smiling on your board at the end of the round, you lose 30 points!

    Customer review: This Game is brilliant, imagine two sets of cards it’s like rummy, really gets you thinking, adding up and makes you want to win.
    Very light to take in a case on trips and counters small enough for fitting on a pub table.
    We were delayed for a day on a ship, played it all day, addicted.
    Our friends who played it with us went out and bought the full size and the travel size they enjoyed that much.
    Fantastic value game.

  3. Hive Pocket – Award-winning strategy game: £16.95, Amazon
    https://amzn.to/3QYMCKe

    Hive pocket is our wonderful award-winning game hive but much smaller and compact. Now you never need to go anywhere without hive again. It includes a nice draw string bag and also includes two expansions ‘the mosquito’ and ‘the ladybug’, both are wonderful additions that add extra strategy to the game. What is hive: hive is a Board game with a difference. There is no board The pieces are added to the playing area thus creating the board. As more and more pieces are added the game becomes a fight to see who can be the first to capture the opposing Queen Bee. The soldier ants battle to keep control of the outside of the hive, whilst the beetles climb up To dominate The top. Spiders moving into holding positions as the grass hoppers jump in for the kill. Keeping one eye on the hive and the other on your opponents reserves, The tension builds as one wrong move will see your Queen Bee quickly engulfed; game over.

    Customer review: My 11 year old now beats both mum and dad at chess and Japanese chess. Looking for new games is a challenge but this was a great find.
    A similar level of challenge as chess but with the added interest that it is something new and different and it’s great that it takes a lot less time to play so we can have one quick game or several if we have longer.

    Glad I got the pocket size, wouldn’t want it any bigger than this. The pieces are made beautifully, reminds me of an old mahjong game we had when I was young.

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Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Hive Pocket – Award winning strategy game
Hive Pocket – Award winning strategy game
£16.95
Rummikub travel game
Rummikub travel game
£15.99
P for Pizza – The easy cheesy letter game
P for Pizza – The easy cheesy letter game
£6.50
Hive Pocket – Award winning strategy game
Hive Pocket – Award winning strategy game
£16.95
Rummikub travel game
Rummikub travel game
£15.99
P for Pizza – The easy cheesy letter game
P for Pizza – The easy cheesy letter game
£6.50
Hive Pocket – Award winning strategy game
Hive Pocket – Award winning strategy game
£16.95
Rummikub travel game
Rummikub travel game
£15.99
P for Pizza – The easy cheesy letter game
P for Pizza – The easy cheesy letter game
£6.50
Hive Pocket – Award winning strategy game
Hive Pocket – Award winning strategy game
£16.95
Rummikub travel game
Rummikub travel game
£15.99
P for Pizza – The easy cheesy letter game
P for Pizza – The easy cheesy letter game
£6.50
Hive Pocket – Award winning strategy game
Hive Pocket – Award winning strategy game
£16.95
Rummikub travel game
Rummikub travel game
£15.99
P for Pizza – The easy cheesy letter game
P for Pizza – The easy cheesy letter game
£6.50

Price Points: Cream stick blenders

Cream stick blenders

One of the most used gadgets in our kitchen is our trusty orange Billy; we’ve had it for years and years. We use him when making batter, soup, sauces, smoothies, calaloo and loads more.

In our previous house, we used to have a bright orange kitchen. Poor, old, orange Billy doesn’t look right in our new cream kitchen – I’d like to trade him in for one of these new cream stick blenders.

Here are three that I’ve found for sale online – in a range of prices. They’re all very attractive; the £26 option would suit me fine.  Much as I love Smeg and KitchenAid appliances, I don’t think I’d use the attachments that come included with the other two cream stick blenders – they’d take up precious storage space that we just don’t have.

  1. Haden stick blender: £26.05, Wayfair
  2. Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53: £109.65, KitchenAid
  3. Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender: £149.00, Currys

shop cream stick blenders

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
£149.00
Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
£109.65
Haden stick blender
Haden stick blender
£26.05
Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
£149.00
Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
£109.65
Haden stick blender
Haden stick blender
£26.05
Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
£149.00
Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
£109.65
Haden stick blender
Haden stick blender
£26.05
Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
£149.00
Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
£109.65
Haden stick blender
Haden stick blender
£26.05
Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
Smeg 50s retro style HBF02CRUK hand blender
£149.00
Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
Cordless hand blender 5KHBBV53
£109.65
Haden stick blender
Haden stick blender
£26.05