Technology Simplified

Two-minute review Robot vacuums are a huge time-saver to many, but still require a bit of attention to clean their dust bins regularly. If you’re not a fan of small clouds of dust wafting up as you attempt to clean out your robot vacuum, then the  Cybovac S31 is going to make your life easier. Equipped with the ability to clean its bin out neatly into a disposable bag, you simply have to pick the bag up and throw it out after 60 days, which is a huge, huge bonus. The self-cleaning is a huge selling point for people with allergies who not only want to have clean floors, but also don’t want to have to deal with dust floating around when you clean out the robot’s dust bin. Of course, the Cybovac S31’s actual vacuuming skills are quite good, and it’s very easy to set up no-clean zones and regular cleaning routines. Similar to most models on the market, there is a mopping mode included, but dragging a moist pad across a floor is not what mopping is. We’ve said it before – a robot d...

Two-minute review RGB is all the rage – from bulbs to headsets, it’s hard to find something that doesn’t sport some sort of rainbow utility. The Govee Flow Pro Wi-Fi TV Light Bars are a neat addition to any TV or PC setup that wants to spice things up a little bit with some color. The premise is simple – a small camera sits atop your screen, and analyzes the colors being displayed, which are then relayed to two side lamps that you position behind. It’s straightforward, works exactly as it should, and adds a distinct level of ‘ooooh’ to wherever it’s installed. An added bonus of course is the ability to just leave it to color cycle with something soothing such as a candlelight effect, or even react to music during a party. As fun as it is to look at, the overall effect is a little underwhelming, purely because what’s shown on your screen isn’t reflected as accurately on the lights. The end result is yes, you get a lot of pretty lighting in your room, but it’s not as nuanced as what...

Another day and yet another offering from Ninja, whose line up of small appliances for cooking and prep work in the kitchen is growing fast. The Ninja Blender with Auto-IQ BN495UK joins the brand’s line-up of existing personal and multi-serve blenders and food processors, which includes the Ninja 3-in-1 Food Processor with Auto-IQ that we’ve reviewed here. (Image credit: Emily Peck) The Ninja Blender with Auto-IQ BN495UK is a personal blender designed for on-the-go, and comes with two 700ml single-serve cups, which are ideal for making – but not limited to – healthy smoothies. With its compact base and easy-to-use one-touch buttons, it’s aimed at those who want to prepare smoothies fast. The package also includes secure spout lids that attach to the serving cups for easy transportation. It has been designed with a pro extractor blade and powerful 1,000W motor that can blend through tough ingredients including fruit, nuts, seeds and ice.  Within the personal blender category,...

Well known for its wide range of powerful personal blenders, Nutribullet now adds the stylish multi-use Nutribullet Blender to its line-up.  This design offers all the benefits of Nutribullet’s blade technology and powerful motor with a traditional blending jug design that can be used for hot and cold ingredients. The control panel features two speed settings and a pulse function, providing plenty of flexibility from crushing ice, breaking down nuts and creating silky smoothies, soups and delicious dips, making for a solid addition to any kitchen top. (Image credit: Future) Price and availability At the time of writing, the Nutribullet Blender is priced £99.99 over on the Nutribullet and Amazon websites , making it a well-priced entry point for those looking to get in on the blending action. Nutribullet’s traditional blending range also offers the Nutribullet Combo, priced £149.99, which is similar in style, but comes with three iconic bullet cups in addition to the jug bl...

Founded in Canada in 2010, Instant Pots have been growing in popularity worldwide ever since, thanks to their multi-cooker capabilities that cover everything from traditional pressurised recipes to yoghurt, cake baking and sous vide. Instant Pot’s appeal is broad, meaning recipes for specific models are easy to come by online, and other machines on the market compete with its startling array of cooking modes. While rivals can often perform slow cooking or pressure cooking well, the Instant Pot is known for delivering exceptional results for both methods. That said, there were a few aspects of Instant Pot’s previous designs that could be improved: having limited control over the time and temperature settings grows frustrating after you’ve mastered the basic programming functions. It also felt like an oversight that Instant’s pot wasn’t suitable for searing on a hob, when other rivals had designed a pot with this in mind. And a few more cooking options wouldn’t have gone amiss, such a...