Which household appliances could you not do without? Different people would produce different lists, of course, but some of the items which might appear on most lists could include the fridge, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, television, and microwave.

Fridge
Keeping food usable for any length of time before the advent of the refrigerator usually meant having to preserve the food in salt or by pickling it, work which took time, effort, and a certain amount of skill. Today the fridge allows busy people to keep food fresh for prolonged periods of time. With a fridge there is no need to shop every day or buy foods such as dairy products in small amounts, as food can now be bought and stored in the fridge for several days at time. Without refrigeration many of the items we commonly see in the supermarket could not be sold at all.

Washing machine
Washing clothes before the advent of washing machines was also labour intensive. Laundry day could be just that – a whole day spent doing just the washing. With today’s machines clothes can be washed and even dried quickly and easily. The agitating action of the washing machine helps to release dirt and get clothes much cleaner than was possible before. Washing was once a back-breaking task, but today you simply switch on the washing machine and let it do all the hard work.

Vacuum cleaner
Years ago carpets were cleaned by hanging them on a line and beating them, but with the modern vacuum cleaner carpets can not only be cleaned deep down, but also washed and dried. Vacuum cleaners can even clear dust and debris from wood or tile floors rapidly. For people who have allergies, choosing a vacuum cleaner that is specifically designed to pick up pet hairs and other allergens can make life much more pleasant. Many modern cylinder vacuum cleaners have special filters that will retain allergens and pick up extra dirt. By using the variety of attachments that most vacuum cleaners come with, you can do a lot more than clean floors; you can also clean blinds, furnishings, stairs, and even the car.

Television
Television has provided people with a world of entertainment. Whether you prefer watching sporting events, travel series, news and educational shows, comedies or dramas, television has enriched all our lives. Before television was introduced people had to huddle around the radio or read the newspaper to get the latest news. Today, with hundreds of channels to choose, from individuals can easily keep up to date with the latest news, and enjoy a world of entertainment. The number of televisions in the world is growing, and broadcast television companies are competing more vigorously for viewers, which is resulting in higher quality programming. Associated technologies such as DVD recorders allow the viewer to schedule, record, and play programmes back at their leisure, giving them greater control over their viewing experience.

Microwave
The microwave oven was introduced in 1967 and for busy people they are the perfect cooking tool. A microwave can cook a meal six times faster than a conventional oven, which means that less time is spent preparing meals. Whilst some may prefer slow-cooked meals, the microwave is nevertheless very useful for cooking, re-heating, and even sterilising. Depending on the size of the meal being cooked, a microwave oven can also be more environmentally friendly as they may use less energy.

What better way to kick off a new year than by treating yourself to an awe-inspiring collection of today’s (and tomorrow’s) latest and greatest gadgets? Cue CES 2012 – the Consumer Electronics Show, or ‘the industry’s largest educational forum to help companies expand their businesses and understand new technology’.

For four days, visitors and exhibitors alike took the opportunity to check out the very latest in technology & gadgets.

This year’s CES Hot Stuff Awards were decided by the editors from best-selling gadget magazine Stuff (and its online version). The Stuff team chose 10 products based on the ‘gadget joy’ they could provide their happy owners with.

At number 1, there’s the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga, which looks a lot like a ‘normal’ laptop but offers a 360 degree hinge so its snazzy 13.1″ touchscreen can be angled any way you like.

Number 2 is Starck’s Zik Parrot – headphones with triple-mic noise cancelling, touch-sensitive swipe volume and track controls, along with a proximity sensor that means the tunes start automatically when you put the headphones over your ears.

The Fujifilm X-Pro 1, at number 3 in the list, is a stylish compact system camera that looks good and delivers good pictures with ‘three beautiful prime lenses in its launch line-up’.

As you’d expect, there’s a TV in there too – the 55″ Super OLED Smart TV from Samsung at number 4. Seriously thin, this TV offers lovely bright images and also facial recognition! It’s also one of the very first TVs to come with upgradeable insides.

Number 5′s a great idea for anyone who’s ever stuck a drink in the freezer for a quick chill, only to forget it’s in there and have it explode. The Jet Flow system on the door of LG’s Blast Chiller can chill an entire bottle of wine in eight minutes – and a can of beer in just five.

The Xperia S from Sony (number 6) comes with all kinds of features to get a gadget fan excited, from a 12 MP camera and dual-core processor to its NFC (Near Field Communication) functionality.

Number 7′s the Blue Spark Digital Microphone, which that connects to tablets, PCs and Macs to let people ‘play old-school disc jockey with no-so retro features like Garageband compatibility’.

At number 8 there’s the HP Envy Spectre, an Ultrabook with a stylish look – its top panel is a ‘solid slice’ of glass, while the wrist rest goes with the silica theme.

If you thought vinyl was dead and buried, take a look at number 9, the LP 2 Go turntable from ION. Retailing at just $70, it comes with a speaker and is capable of ripping records to a PC. What’s more, it just needs four AA batteries, so it’s a good way of enjoying music on the go.

Finally, number 10 is the Razer Project Fiona – a tablet with a serious Core i7 processor and PC architecture and two controllers with analogue sticks on the sides. For gamers who like tablets, this could be a great way forward…

Written by Think Insure.

Christmas is over, New Year is done and dusted and the sales have begun. Sales kicked off with a bang at the end of 2011; British shoppers spent a record £4.3 billion on the 26th and 27th December. Despite a tough economy this is a new record. The sales themselves were particularly impressive, with discounts of up to 80% off, so it’s no wonder some shoppers camped outside of their favourite shops overnight, waiting for the early morning 6am or 7am openings.

It’s not just clothes and electronics that have been reduced. The end of the December and January are by far the best times to buy a whole range of household items too. Washing machines, fridge-freezers and kitchen appliances are reduced to a great extent.

Dixons has some amazing sales on a whole range of household appliances at the moment, including the humble washing machine. There are a great many washing machines to choose from, but if you’re looking for a combination of a good discount and a top quality here are our top picks.

Bosch Exxcel 7

One of Dixons’ most popular washing machines is the Bosh Exxcel 7. It combines efficiency and power and at just £400 it represents fantastic value for money. This washing machine scores top points for energy efficiency, achieving the maximum A+++ rating meaning less energy is required by this powerful machine. Through its ActiveWater system, water is recycled and used economically, so it saves water as well as electricity. It has 16 settings including reduced ironing and energy saving options. It has a maximum spin speed of 1400rpm and can take up to 7kgs of washing in one go.

HotPoint WMAL641G

If you don’t have £400 to spend on a washing machine, this version from HotPoint is a better option (pictured). At £263 it is much more affordable, but it doesn’t compromise on quality. It has a wash capacity of 6kgs and a spin speed 1400rpm. It too has a range of settings, including quick wash and half load options, and an impressive energy rating of A+.

LG F1443KD

This washing machine is one of the best on the market right now. It’s a little pricy at £685, but it really does deliver on performance and quality. It can take a maximum load of 11kg and still manages a 1400 rpm spin speed and an A++ energy efficiency rating. For more information on energy efficiency in the home, check out the Energy Saving Trust website.

The results are in for another year of how happy car customers are with their vehicles. This time round there is no room in the top 10 for either Ford or Vauxhall despite their huge popularity in the UK. However it is 2 other brands who are dominating this time round, Skoda take up a whopping 4 places, with Toyota also appearing twice.

With some of these cars now being a few years old, they should make some of the best second hand buys available.

Here is a full list of the top10 in order, it also has the years the model was on sale.

• Toyota Yaris Verso: 2000-05
• Volkswagen Passat CC: 2008-present
• Land Rover Discovery 4: 2010-present
• Skoda Yeti: 2009-present
• Honda S2000: 1999-09
• Skoda Superb Estate: 2010-present
• Mazda MX5: 1998-05
• Toyota Landcruiser: 2003-present
• Skoda Superb: 2002-08
• Skoda Superb: 2008-present

It is also great to see Britain based Land Rover getting up there, after years of poor reliability it is good to see their cars are no longer held back by that and are completely satisfying many customers.

Which cars are the worst?

Down at the wrong end of the table are a few familiar names, with the French manufacturers featuring heavily. Plum last is the Renault Laguna Sport Tourer (2001-’08), it has been slated for its performance, build quality, poor handling and also it’s reliability, certainly looks like one to steer clear of, excuse the pun. Here is the bottom 10 cars of the survey, starting from the worst.

• Renault Laguna Sport Tourer: 2001-08
• Peugeot 807: 2002-10
• Peugeot 206 CC: 2001-07
• Citroen C8: 2003-10
• Renault Laguna: 2001-07
• Rover 400/45: 1995-05
• Peugeot 307 CC: 2003-09
• Renault Grand Scenic: 2003-09
• Mercedes CLC Coupe: 2008-present
• Mercedes M-Class: 1998-04

So if you’ve been looking at buying any of those, it may be time to look at alternatives, as they leave a lot of people unsatisfied.

How reliable is the survey?
The company ‘Which? Car’ conducted the survey, asking over 52,000 motorists in order to complete their research, so it still only makes up a very small proportion of the drivers on the British roads, but I still believe it is a great enough amount of people to be reliable.

Concluding Thoughts
It looks like the terrible reputation the French manufacturers have with the British people will continue, these will make for uncomfortable reading for anyone who works for those companies. On the other hand the days of Skoda being a brand to be made fun of look almost gone. They are making motors which buyers are happy with, and their cars are getting better all the time, so no doubt we will see them in more reports like this in years to come.

What are your opinions on these motors? You can share them with others if you want to in the section below.

As we reach the end of another year it is time to start looking back at good products released to the UK market over the last 12 months. I’ve decided to list some of the best digital compact cameras launched this year. I haven’t tested every single camera myself, so I’m going to use the reviews and data at alaTest.co.uk to help me.

Fujifilm FinePix F80EXR
12 megapixels. Optical Image Stabilizer. Large amount of shooting programs to choose from. 4x digital zoom. 12800 ISO (Max). Prices from £138-190 at time of writing.

Panasonic Lumix FS30
4x optical zoom, 14.1MP. Wide range of shooting programs and 7 special effects. Well received for it’s image quality. Priced approx £120-£150.

Kodak Easyshare C182
Powered by AA batteries. Weighs only 125grams. 3x optical zoom. Can be purchased for as little as £60. Real good value for money.

Fujifilm FinePix S1600
This model chosen because it has received better reviews then it’s brothers. Pop-up flash. Uses AA batteries. 6400 ISO (Max), 12.2Mpix, 15x optical zoom. Gets great reviews for it’s performance. Costs between £120 and £145.

Sony Cyber-SHOT DSC-W360
Various flash modes including ‘red eye reduction’. 14.1 mega pixels. 3″ LCD monitor. 8x digital zoom. Prices £140-167.

Pentax Optio H90
Noted for it’s strong performance and colour. Has 12.1MP and 5x optical zoom. Low budget camera with some retailers offering it from as little as £82.50.

Olympus SP-600UZ
Many reviews praise it for it’s performance which is its strongest asset. 12Megapixel. Various special effects. MPEG-4 digital videos. Prices from £163 to £165.

Fujifilm Finepix JV100
Many girls love a bit of pink in their gadgets, so I had to include this Fujifilm available in this dashing light pink colour. More style over substance but at the lower end of the price range. Costs range between £63 to £76.

Casio Exilim EX-FH25
Looks great. 20x optical zoom. Most disappointing aspect about this item is that most reviews mark it’s performance as it weakest part. Most expensive in our list with retailers selling it from £288.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT2
Claims to withstand water projections, shocks and also dust deposits. 14.1MP. 6400 ISO (MAX). Also available in blue and yellow. Prices vary a lot between sellers so be sure to shop around as it is for sale in the range of £200-£360.

If you want to read more about the items click the titles to go to the alaTest website where you can read expert reviews and also customer reviews as well as compare prices. When you decide on what is best for you remember to take a peek at all the retailers so you can get good value and service.

For more similar top list posts check out the category where you may find more quality gadgets that interest you.

Though their is vast amounts of info written about mobiles and prepaid phones and the wonderful things they can do, not a great deal gets published about the good old trusty house phone. In an aim to address the balance, here is a round up of some of the better ones on the market.

Siemens Gigaset SL785
This phone seems to top the chart as far as house phones are concerned. Earning praise for all the important aspects people look for in a phone, this phone seems to do be able to handle everything from recording messages to providing a PA-like speaker phone option.

Priced around £90 (depending on which retailer you check with) for a single handset, it seems a shame that Siemen’s SL785 phone can’t be taken away from its base and used as a mobile.

 

 
Siemens Gigaset SL400A
Germany’s 2010 phone of the year, is as sleek and adept as their football team. Do not let that put you off however, as you will still be able to phone Spain. This phone is another feature packed phone from Siemens and includes Bluetooth connectivity. In the world of cordless house phones, it seems to be generally thought of as the most aesthetically pleasing.

 

 

Panasonic KX TG 8522
Panasonic have a good reputation for producing quality phones, and this one is no exception. The only feature it does not have, is a simcard reader, but in terms of call clarity, the Panasonic KX TG 8522 can’t be beaten. At around £60 (depending on retailer) for one handset too, it is excellent value for money.

 

 

Philips SE565
Phillips, have produced a quality phone in the SE652B, and though it may not quite have the features of the other four, it does provide excellent value with two handsets available for approx £60 (varies between retailers). If you just want a good phone, that does all the things phones do, look no further.

 

Siemens Gigaset C475
Once again, Siemens produce another quality phone which going by appearances incorporates old and new. The phone won a best buy award in Which Magazine, which in the product consumer world is like winning an Oscar. The phone has all the tricks, and a bit of retro main base station. Both handsets look the part and both can be had for around £60 (dependent on retailer).

 

Cordless phones do not receive much attention in the communication world, but their are good products on the market and the household phone is still part of everyday life.