As TechRadar Australia’s resident coffee connoisseur and gatekeeper of our guide to the best coffee machines, I’m constantly on the lookout for exceptional coffee machine deals on the most talented models. This week’s search was made easy, thanks to a 26% saving on the Philips Baristina, bringing it down to AU$444.

The Baristina is my pick for the best budget coffee machine in Australia in the aforementioned guide, thanks to its ease of use, clever features, tasty espresso and, of course, its low price. Its full price of AU$599 can easily be considered affordable compared to other models that typically carry a four-figure tag, but this solid discount makes it all the more tempting.

My colleague Cat Ellis — who is also a trained barista — couldn’t have been more positive in her Philips Baristina review, loving the fact that it combines the best of bean-to-cup machines with the convenience of capsule models.

It handles all aspects of the coffee-making process — grinding, dosing, tamping and brewing — all the while putting on a show. Once you’ve inserted the portafilter into position, the Baristina will automatically move it across to the brewing position when it’s finished grinding and tamping. It’s this feature alone that makes it unlike any other coffee machine Cat or I have previously tested.

It’s not without its limitations: it can only brew a 40ml espresso or a 110ml lungo, for example — there’s no extensive menu of drink options to choose from here — and you can’t adjust the grind size. This need not be a deal breaker, however, as you may just need to conduct some trial and error with coffee bean varieties if you find your espresso tastes over- or under-extracted.

There’s also no way to steam milk, although a colour-matching Philips Baristina milk frother is available separately — or you can buy this as a complete bundle for the same cumulative price.

In my mind, these are minor niggles that are either non-issues or which can be easily resolved. The combination of good looks, intuitive features and consistently well-extracted espresso more than makes up for them. If your kitchen is crying out for an affordable coffee machine, the Philips Baristina is ideal.

Want more suggestions?

If you’re in the market for a coffee machine, but the Philips Baristina doesn’t seem like it will fill your caffeine void, Amazon AU currently has a number of other wonderful models on sale, with up to 53% off.

Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer: 30-second review

The Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer is an air fryer and then some.

Sure it does a great job at being an air fryer, and so it should for the premium price tag it comes in at. The sizable 9.5L basket offers plenty of space for family-sized portions, while the handy divider allows you to cook two different foods, at differing durations and temperatures, simultaneously. It’s pretty par for the course these days, but the 5000 Series Megabasket is only just getting started.

Things are turned up a notch with the steam functionality Philips has built in. Being able to perfectly steam vegetables, fish and dumplings without the need for a separate appliance saves on counter and cupboard space, and the results here are just as good as the air fryer.

However, the versatility is kicked into overdrive with the streamfry function, allowing you to bring the best of both worlds to your food. The crispy finish of an air fryer combined with the moisture locking abilities of steam. The result? Some of the best chicken wings I’ve ever made.

All this functionality not only comes at a cost to your wallet, but also your counter top. This is a wide, tall air fryer that requires plenty of space — especially when using the steam or steamfry function, as the water vapor vents from the rear.

I’m a big fan of Philips’ controls though. The touch buttons are intuitively laid out, with easily recognizable icons that require little reference to the manual to work out - that can’t be said of all air fryer brands.

The basket, trays and divider are dishwasher safe, and you can also use the steam function to give the appliance its own steam clean. You will need to give the top a wipe every now and then, as the glossy finish attracts grime — but it’s a minor point in what is an overwise excellent appliance.

Whether you’re looking to make cakes, cookies, sausages, chicken wings, fish, vegetables, fries, dumplings or pretty much anything else, the Philips 5000 Series Megabasket delivers consistently great results.

Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer price and availability

• At £259.99 (about $350 / AU$490), it’s at the premium end of the air fryer market
• Available in the UK, but not in the US or Australia

The Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer price is £259.99 (about $350 / AU$490), putting it at the premium end of the market, and pits it against the Ninja Foodi FlexBasket in the larger-basket arena.

There are cheaper, big-basket air fryers on the market that also perform well, with the Philips 1000 Series Dual Basket and Tower Elite 11 Litre Flexi Drawer both coming in at around half the price of the 5000 Series.

This exact model (the NA465) isn’t available in the US and Australia, with these regions instead getting the $349.99 / AU$499 5000 Series Dual-Basket Airfryer with Steam (NA551) with two separate drawers, rather than one large one.

• Value score: 4/5

Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer: specifications

Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer: design

• Wide and tall, but for good reason
• Set of tongs included in the box is a nice touch
• Touch controls are easy to understand and well laid out

The Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer is big, it’s almost as if a UFO has landed on your worktop. Wide and tall, it dominates the kitchen counter — but for good reason.

The spacious 9.5L basket provides great flexibility as one large cooking space big enough for 2.5kg of fries, 1.9kg of ribs, or whole chicken, but can easily be split into 3L and 6L baskets with the included divider. This allows you to cook two separate things, at different temperatures and durations, at the same time.

You can even just choose to use one of the sides only, saving on power consumption when cooking smaller portions.

The only small issue with the basket is its handles, which consist of two small protrusions on either side. It means you have to use two hands to open the drawer, and to lift and carry it.

When the basket is fully loaded with food, it’s heavy so you’ll be using two hands anyway, but for times when you want to quickly check on cooking progress, you can’t open it with just one.

The additional height of this air fryer is down to the inclusion of Philips’ clever steam function, giving you more ways to cook from a single machine. You can steam food in this air fryer, as well as 'Steamfry', which combines both cooking methods.

What this means is you’ll need to consider where you want the air fryer to go, and whether you have suitable space for this 496mm x 329mm x 355mm model to fit - especially if you have low-hung wall cabinets over your worktops.

Hot air vents from the rear of the machine, so you need to leave space between it and the wall, and when using the steam function water vapor will also rise from the back of the machine.

The one meter power cable will be long enough for most kitchen setups, and the Philips 5000 Series comes with a clip-on cable tidy for the rear to keep things neat if you like to store your air fryer in a cupboard when not in use. Although, it’ll need to be a sizable cupboard.

A nice inclusion in the box was a set of tongs, a particularly useful addition when cooking with an air fryer, as it makes tossing food and removing it from the basket much easier.

There’s also a paper manual in the box that covers all the basics, mainly via pictorial guides, but for those who want a more detailed breakdown of functionality you’ll need to download the free HomeID app on your phone.

What isn’t made obvious out of the box is the need to run the air fryer empty initially to burn off the protective shipping coating.

Diving into the app deeper, Philips advises to wash the basket and accessories with a soft sponge, water and washing up liquid, dry them, and then run the air fryer empty, a 200C, for the maximum cook time (which for this model is 180 minutes).

That seemed excessive to me. I did an initial four minute cycle at 180C, allowed the basket to cool down, and then washed it, the divider, and the crisp trays, and set the machine at 200C for 50 minutes. The smell did get very strong during this time, but it did the trick.

When I came to cook with the air fryer for the first time, there was a slight smell during cooking, but it didn’t transfer to the food.

The controls here are excellent, just as they are on the Philips 4000 Series Stacked Dual Basket Air Fryer. The illuminated touch buttons on the top of the machine make it really easy to select the basket size you wish to cook with, and to set the temperature and time.

The only slight negative against this design is the glossy black surface quickly gets dirty, and shows up finger smudges. Plus, if your hands aren’t clean it can sometimes struggle to pick up your presses.

There are a number of presets to pick from too (frozen fries, mixed vegetables, chicken drumsticks, tray bakes, fish, dumplings, reheat), if you want to just press and play.

While the presets are useful, I did find during my weeks of testing they sometimes needed to be fine tuned to my preferred cook level. It’s all part of the early trial and error of using a new air fryer to work out the times and temps that work best for the food you’re cooking regularly.

When it comes to cleaning, the good news is the basket, trays and divider are all dishwasher safe. If you don’t have access to one, hand washing also works - although the sheer size of the basket means it can be tricky to clean in smaller sinks.

Another nice feature is the steam cleaning function. Simple to enact - just make sure the water reservoir is full and select the steam clean mode - it does a good job of loosening grease and marks in the basket. It means you can just run a cloth or paper towel round the basket and it’s pretty much clean. No need for hard scrubbing. It’s not going to remove stubborn marks or pieces of food debris, but it’s a handy option when only lightly used.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer: performance

Performance

• Steam and SteamFry functions are excellent
• Quiet operation
• Great all-round cooking performance

The Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer is one of the quieter models I’ve tested, making it an excellent cooking companion, especially in smaller kitchens as the noise doesn’t dominate the room.

As well as the presets, there are a couple of other useful features here. First is the shake reminder, where the 5000 Series will work out how many shake intervals are required based on the cook duration you’ve set, and will beep at set times to alert you to the fact you need to shake or turn the food in the basket.

This allows you to ensure an even cook, be it fries, chicken wings, vegetables, or pretty much anything else you’re cooking. If you’re not using a preset, you will need to manually enable the shake reminder by pressing the icon on the control panel.

The second handy feature is sync, allowing you to utilize the dual basket setup, and cook two different foods, at different temperatures, for different lengths of time, but have them finish at the same time.

The air fryer delays the start of the side with the shorter cook time, starting it when its duration matches that left on the other side. It’s simple to set up, and works really nicely.

The 5000 Series Megabasket is certainly well equipped, but how does it actually perform when it comes to cooking food?

As this is a large basket air fryer, and given my penchant for consuming pizza, I decided to kick things off with a simple, store-bought margarita. When I reviewed the Tower Elite 11 Litre Flexi Drawer, I was able to fit a whole round (admittedly small) pizza into the basket.

With the Philips, the basket isn’t as deep, which meant I had to slice my circular pizza in half and lay the two halves at an angle in the basket. It worked fine, but if this pizza was frozen rather than fresh, I would be forced to use the oven.

After warming up the air fryer for a couple of minutes first, I cooked the pizza at 190C for nine minutes. It turned out this was a minute or so too long, as the topping came out a little overdone. It was still fine to eat, but a glass window on the basket would have allowed me to keep a better eye on the progress being made. Alas, there’s no window on the basket.

I returned a few days later however with an oval shaped pizza. This easily sat in the basket, and having learned my lesson I cooked it for seven minutes at 180C.

The final cook was much better, with a crisp base and juicy toppings, although I noticed the part of the pizza towards the back of the basket was slightly more cooked than that at the front.

You don’t always get a completely even cook from this air fryer, but it wasn’t a problem during the weeks of cooking I did.

Fries came out great with this air fryer, whether they were frozen or fresh. Crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle, and using the frozen fries setting I got automatic reminders to shake the basket a few times during the 24 minute cook at 200C.

For the fresh fries I had to set the temperature (200C) and time (21 minutes) manually, as well as enable the shake reminder. Still, the results were great.

Baking is another highlight when using the Philips 5000 air fryer, with a simple banana bread recipe producing a moist inside, crunchy-topped loaf with an excellent texture. I cooked it at 160C for 25 minutes, and then 20 minutes at 140C.

I also produced delicious, gooey-centered chocolate cookies, with an eight minute bake at 175C doing the job nicely. The chicken breasts, mixed green vegetables and sausages I also cooked using the air fryer mode all came out well.

But air frying is only part of the story. The reservoir atop this device is the signal this device has more tricks up its sleeve. The Steamfry function, that utilizes both the air frying components along with generating steam, aims to lock in moisture and enhance tenderness, creating juicy and golden textures. Basically, the best of air frying and steaming in one.

And it works really well. I used the entire basket to Streamfry large, hand-seasoned chicken wings on the chicken preset (32 minutes at 200C).

During the cook there are periods of air frying and periods of steaming, the latter of which are obvious as you can hear the steam being produced, and see it vent out the rear of the machine. If you have it up close to a wall, or under a kitchen cabinet, expect significant condensation. I’d recommend giving it plenty of breathing room when using a steam function.

The results were superb. Wonderfully crisp skin, and juicy meat made for a delicious dinner, and had me returning the next day for lunch to cook the rest of the wings I didn’t need the night before.

And when it comes to solely steaming, the 5000 Megabasket performs well yet again. Popping a selection of Japanese chicken and vegetable gyoza into the right side of the basket (steam and steamfry are available in the whole basket, or the right side only) and using the preset dumpling mode produced perfectly steamed, silky pillows.

A word of warning on the presets though, they aren’t a sure-fire win every time. When I cooked some green beans, broccoli, sugar snap peas, I split the batch between the two compartments. The veg I put in the smaller side I air fried, while I opted for steam on the larger side.

I selected the vegetables preset for both, which gave me settings of 200C for 30 minutes for the air fried veg, and 100C for 14 minutes for the steamed side. I also selected the sync option, so both sides would finish at the same time. However, at the first shake reminder for the air fried side (after 15 minutes) it was clear my veg was already overcooked.

I completed the full cycle for both sides, and the air fried veg was cremated. Thankfully, the steamed side had cooked very well, with tender broccoli stems, beans and peas.

Put bigger, chunkier pieces of veg in the air fry side (such as roughly chopped carrots and parsnips) and the preset is closer to what you need. It’s a good reminder that you need to spend time with your air fryer in the initial weeks to find out which settings work best for the food you cook - even with premium models such as the 5000 series.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer?

Buy it if

Don’t buy it if

Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer: also consider

How I tested the Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer

• I used the Philips 5000 Series air fryer for multiple weeks in my kitchen
• I cooked a wide variety of food with it, including fries, cakes, vegetables, pizza and meat
• I tested the various cooking functions, and the cleaning process

I spent multiple weeks using the Philips 5000 Series Megabasket with Steam Air Fryer in my kitchen. During that time I cooked using the air fry, steamfry and steam settings, and used the various preset modes, along with manual setting.

I cooked a wide variety of food, including baking cakes and cookies, air frying chips, pizzas, sausages and chicken, steaming vegetables and dumplings, and steam frying chicken wings.

I also tested the steam cleaning function, and cleaned the basket, trays and divider both by hand, and with the dishwasher.

First reviewed August 2026

• There's more evidence of a tie-in with Philips Hue and Nanoleaf
• An official support page appeared and then disappeared
• We could get an announcement about this later in the week

A few days ago we heard some whispers that Philips Hue would be adding support for Nanoleaf Shapes, meaning these lights could be controlled in the app — and now the integration has almost been officially confirmed.

As spotted by Android Authority, a support page for the Nanoleaf integration briefly went up on the Philips Hue website, explaining the types of light that would be supported, and explaining a little bit about how the tie-in will work.

That support page has now promptly disappeared again, suggesting that it was put up too early by mistake. According to the initial rumor, Philips Hue will be adding support for Nanoleaf integration on Thursday, September 3, which seems about right.

Put together that first leak and the brief appearance of an official support page, and it's now looking extremely likely that this will happen. However, until Philips Hue makes the announcement, nothing is guaranteed.

Nanoleaf panels behaving like Hue lights

According to the support page that has now been yanked from the web, the integration means Nanoleaf panels will "behave like a Hue light, ready to be used across your entire smart lighting setup".

There was also a line saying that Nanoleaf panels behave similarly to a gradient striplight", so you should be able to use the standard color wheel in the Philips Hue app to adjust the colors of the Nanoleaf panels you've got connected.

All of this will be made possible through a Philips Hue Wall Light Module that will connect to Nanoleaf devices. The support document lists Nanoleaf Hexagons, Triangles, and Mini Triangles as the smart lights that are going to be supported.

While there are still some questions about exactly how the connectivity is going to work — with a lot of smart home standards to account for — this seems like good news for both Philips Hue and Nanoleaf users.

Terra Kaffe Aero: two-minute review

The Terra Kaffe Aero does what it does well. There are four settings: Cold Foam, Hot Froth, Hot Milk, and Matcha. Just spin the dial and press it to make your selection. In just a few minutes, your beverage will be ready to drink. Cleaning it is super easy, just remove the whisk and hand-wash it, the pitcher, and the lid.

I found that all of the settings worked well. I tested each of the milk settings with skim milk which worked great. I also tested them all with a barista-style pistachio milk which came highly recommended in my research, and that also worked really well. I did try a low-calorie almond milk (not specifically made for frothing, and not recommended, but I had it in the house) and that was a fail, though I can't blame the Aero for that.

I made matcha in the Aero several different ways. Though I'm new to matcha, I thought it turned out just as yummy as the $7 matcha latte I got at my local coffee and tea shop.

Just for kicks, I also made a simple salad dressing. I just put together some olive oil and balsamic vinegar and used the Cold Foam setting. The Terra Kaffe Aero emulsified the dressing beautifully.

If you're looking for a dedicated pitcher-style frother, I don't know how you could really do better than the Terra Kaffe Aero.

Terra Kaffe Aero: price and availability

• Available at Amazon and on Terra Kaffe's website
• Retails for $149.95 (£110.73 GBP/$210.85 AUD)
• Choose Matte Black or Stainless Steel

The Terra Kaffe Aero milk frother is currently available on Amazon and on Terra Kaffe's own website. The retail price is $149.95 (£110.73 GBP/$210.85 AUD). It comes in two different colorways, Matte Black or Stainless Steel, though both color options refer only to the pitcher itself. The base is matte black on both models.

Terra Kaffe Aero: specs

Terra Kaffe Aero: design

• Attractive and simple design
• Interchangeable whisks for milk or matcha
• Four settings

The Terra Kaffe Aero is an elegantly designed multi-use milk frother. It's nice-looking and it's something you won't mind having out on your kitchen counter.

The Aero comes with two different whisks, one for milk and one for matcha. Place your whisk of choice in the bottom of the pitcher until it clicks into place. Add your liquid, the minimum and maximum fill lines are clearly printed on the inside. Place the lid on top and the pitcher on the base. Spin the dial on the base until you get to the one you want and then press it. The base is magnetized, which is how it controls the whisk from inside the pitcher. Progress lights show you how your beverage is coming along and a series of beeps let you know it's complete.

There is a "hidden" settings menu on the Terra Kaffe Aero. To access it, turn the dial to select the drink setting you wish to adjust. Double click the dial (press twice within .7 seconds) to enter that drink's settings menu. The selected drink will flash and the current setting will be indicated by the number of LED lights. For the Hot Milk and Matcha settings, turn the dial to adjust the temperature. For the Cold Foam and Hot Froth settings, turning the dial will adjust the amount of froth.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Terra Kaffe Aero: performance

• Couldn't be easier to use
• Takes just over three minutes
• Beautiful foam from both dairy and plant milk

I put the Terra Kaffe Aero through its paces, and overall I think it did a great job. The foams held up nicely, even after stirring. I tested each of the settings, Cold Foam, Hot Froth, Hot Milk, and Matcha several times. I tried out both dairy milk and plant milk, and learned some things along the way.

Hot froth (dairy milk)

I prefer skim milk, so that's what I used. A dairy milk with a bit of fat in it will likely foam up even better, but I was happy with the results I got using skim. Surprisingly, whole milk and cream are not the best milks for frothing, as they have too much fat. Two percent is the ideal frothing milk.

I started with the Hot Froth setting, pouring in skim milk up to the minimum fill line. I thought the foam was just lovely, as you can see in my series of photos below. The foam held up fine to stirring.

Cold foam (dairy milk)

The Cold Foam setting with skim milk also came out great. It's perfect for iced coffee and other cold beverages.

Hot milk (dairy milk)

The Hot Milk setting with skim milk turned out fine, though it perhaps produced more foam than I was expecting. If you hate foam and just want the milk hot, you're better off using a different method of heating your milk. If you don't mind a bit of foam, this will work for you.

Plant-based milks

First I tried frothing a random low-calorie almond milk I had in the house. Don't bother with this. After that complete fail, I did some research about the best plant-based milks for frothing, and the one I had just tried was at the bottom of the barrel.

There are a few exceptions, but the easiest way to choose a plant milk that will froth properly is to pick one that says "barista" right on the label. The barista milks are made for frothing and they have enough fat (or gums or other additives) to do so. I chose a barista-labeled pistachio milk without gums but with a good amount of fat in it. I picked this one for its mild, milky flavor, but you could also use other nut milks or soy, oat, or pea milk. As long as it says barista on the label, you're good to go. If you can't find one with the barista labeling, at least look for a full-fat plant milk. Oat and soy are supposed to be particularly good for this.

I used the barista-style plant milk to make both hot froth and cold foam several times. It worked really well, in fact it was just about the same as the dairy milk.

Matcha

I had never actually had matcha before, so my son suggested that I try one a coffee/tea shop before reviewing the Terra Kaffe Aero. That way I'd know what it's "supposed" to taste like before making it myself. I did so and was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked it. I don't really like green tea or even black tea all that much, but matcha has more of a mild taste in my opinion.

Matcha is traditionally made with a fair amount of equipment, including a sieve and a bamboo whisk. Enthusiasts will also use a scale to measure out the amount of matcha powder and water with precision.

I made matcha in the Terra Kaffe Aero a bunch of times, using instructions I found online specifically for using a milk frother as opposed to using all of the "proper" equipment. I purchased some ceremonial-grade (which is a higher grade than culinary) matcha powder, which came with a measuring scoop. I used that for measuring the powder rather than a scale. I did not sift the powder through a sieve, though my results might have been better if I had: I usually had a bit of powder at the bottom of my cup.

At any rate, I found two different basic recommended methods in my research: make the matcha in water and then add milk, or make the matcha directly in the milk. I found I preferred the former method, because the latter resulted in a too-milky beverage for my taste. However, both methods worked just fine in the Terra Kaffe Auto.

I will note that I did get a bit of powder left at the bottom of my matcha drinks. So it's not a perfect system, but it's a heck of a lot easier than doing it the traditional way.

And more

Just for fun, I decided to make a simple salad dressing. I don't know about you, but I hate salad dressings where the oil and vinegar elements are separated. I prefer my dressings totally emulsified. So, I poured a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar into the Aero and started the Cold Foam cycle. Not that I was looking for foam, but I definitely didn't want it hot. The results: a perfectly emulsified and delicious salad dressing. There was a tiny bit of foam but it disappeared when I poured it onto my salad.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Terra Kaffe Aero?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Terra Kaffe Aero: also consider

How I tested the Terra Kaffe Aero

I tested all of the settings: Hot Froth, Hot Milk, Cold Foam, and Matcha multiple times. I tested skim dairy milk and two different plant-based milks. I made matcha in water and tried it straight, added frothed milk to it, and made the matcha directly in milk. I tested it both hot and iced. I also made a simple salad dressing on the Cold Foam setting.

First reviewed August 2026

Plug-in solar is no longer a grey area. Kits under 800VA are now legal to buy and connect to a standard socket; no installer required. The government has been promising this since March. Now it is finally here.

But legal does not mean simple. The market has split into three very different products, sold under one loose banner. Solar-only kits that plug straight into a socket — these are then ones that have just been made legal. Then there are battery-only power stations that store grid electricity for later, which still need professional installation. Lastly, there are solar-plus-battery systems that do both. Each behaves differently. Each saves a different amount. And, crucially, only the first one is actually covered by the new rules.

I started my solar journey about a year ago, initially with batteries and now branching into solar panels. But with the advent of new rules and new products, the market is opening up for those who want to turn a modest investment into a reduction in every electricity bill merely by deploying a few solar panels and connecting them to a wall socket.

To help you decide whether or not to buy a plug-in solar kit, or opt for one of the other two options, I've crunched the numbers below for all three scenarios — and thrown in my personal experiences over the past year.

How much can you save?

This question takes inspiration from the classic “how long is a piece of string?”, because there are many factors that impact the answer. These include where you live, the underlying cost of power in that region, the equipment you plan to deploy, and the tariffs you will use with the hardware.

If we consider three basic scenarios: solar only, solar with battery and battery-only, then the amount each requires in investment and the cost benefits vary significantly.

Let's look at each of these and see how much you can spend, how much the return might be, and how that influences the payback period.

Solar only: the numbers brands are quoting

On the solar-only pathway, EcoFlow says its standard kit, two 400W panels and a microinverter, can save you up to £115 a year. That fits the government's estimate that the newly-legalised plug-in solar can save you "up to £110 a year".

So what's the payback period? The EcoFlow panels cost around £299, and the microinverter is about £100, so the payback would be roughly four years. A retail provider, City Plumbing, puts a good 800W kit at £100 to £250 a year, with a four-to six-year payback on hardware costing £600 to £1,000.

Independent estimates land lower and more cautiously. One detailed breakdown puts realistic savings at £40 to £85 a year for an 800W kit, because without battery storage, you only self-consume between 25-40% of what the panels generate. The rest goes nowhere useful, since you have no battery to hold it and, without MCS certification, no export tariff to sell it into either.

That last point matters more than any brochure figure. A solar-only kit under the new rules cannot claim the Smart Export Guarantee. There is no MCS certification path for an 800VA socket device. So every kilowatt hour you don't use the moment it is generated is simply wasted. Real savings depend entirely on how much daytime electricity your home actually uses with the fridge, router, standby devices, the odd load of washing.

A sensible expectation for a solar-only kit is in the £70 to £110 a year ballpark, weighted toward the low end unless your daytime usage is unusually high. Most of that saving comes in the summer months, with much less in winter.

The answer to the solar-energy-you-can’t-use dilemma is a battery, because then you can use every part of the solar generation. If your standing demand is less than what you generate, then the excess can go into a battery that you then use when solar is below that threshold.

Plug-in batteries aren't currently legal in the UK, despite the likes of Octopus Energy telling us recently that they are "the real game-changer". That means that, right now, going this route requires some professional help — but it can also open up much bigger savings...

Battery only: a different game entirely

What do you do if you don’t have a good location for solar panels to be hung or mounted, or if you rent a property that doesn’t allow things to be hung on balconies?

What many people don’t realise is that the price of power varies over a typical day, being relatively cheap at low-demand times, like the middle of the day, and becoming more expensive between 4pm and 7pm, when lots of people start cooking.

There are tariffs, such as Octopus Agile, that break the day into 30-minute slices with different prices for each, and these amounts vary based on wholesale energy costs and how renewable resources are affected by the weather (for example, if it's windy).

With a battery, you can capture power from the grid when it's cheap, and then use it when the price is elevated. And, depending on how much battery capacity you have and how it's wired to the property, you could even make a profit by selling it back to the grid during peak demand.

A good example of this is offered by the Zendure Hyper 2000, an inverter designed to couple batteries (and solar) to the electrics of the home. It charges overnight on a tariff like Octopus Go, roughly 9p per kilowatt-hour, then discharges through the day when the standard rate sits around 24.67p. Do that consistently on an appropriately-sized battery and Zendure's own figures suggest £250 to £300 a year is realistic, once you count that alongside any solar contribution.

Solar and battery combined: the biggest savings, with the biggest asterisk

This is where the most eye-catching claims live. One comparison site quotes 90% self-consumption on an 860kWh annual generation figure, working out at roughly £191 a year. Another puts the jump plainly: without a battery, you self-consume 30 to 40 per cent of what you generate. With one, you jump to between 85 and 93 per cent. That is the difference between an £80-a-year system and a £180-a-year one, but getting that saving requires additional investment.

For example, Anker's Solix Solarbank E1600 is a 1.6kWh battery, rated for 6,000 cycles with still 80% capacity, which works out to over 16 years of daily use for roughly £910 up front. Similarly, the EcoFlow Stream series integrates the microinverter and battery management directly, which is more efficient than bolting a separate power station onto a standard microinverter. The Stream Ultra costs £900, offers 1.92kWh capacity, and can connect 2800W of solar input.

Realistic savings for a properly installed solar plus battery balcony system? About £150 to £300 a year, with the top end reserved for households that also actively manage a time-of-use tariff and have the battery capacity to exploit when prices are low.

A slight snag...

The new interim specification from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero covers solar generation only. It says plainly that these socket-connected devices must not be used with a battery storage system.

So the tidy, self-contained kits with a battery built in, the ones EcoFlow, Anker, and Bluetti are currently selling as balcony solar, do not qualify for the simple socket route at all. They still need a hardwired connection through a fused spur, fitted by a qualified electrician, notified to your network operator under G98 within 28 days.

This may change, but that’s where the regulations stand as of August 27 2026.

My own journey

My electricity bill alone in 2025 was £1,543.80, which was sufficient motivation to do something about it.

The approach I took was to buy an EcoFlow Stream Ultra X, a 3.84 kWh LFP battery, and have it professionally connected to my mains power through a fused spur. That only happened at the end of April, so I’ve only been running on battery support since then.

In those four months, I’ve used Octopus Agile and reviewed the power profile each day to optimise when I collect power at the cheapest rate. I’ve experimented with attaching some solar panels to see what that brings to the table, and I will probably add roof-mounted solar next year.

Running with a battery for four months, at the two-thirds point of the year, we’re at roughly £900 spent on power, meaning that this year should top out at about £1350, making for about a £200 advantage. But looking at the year breakdown, I’m consuming more power but paying less for it. I’m expecting that number to be closer to £350 by the time 2027 rolls around. But that doesn’t factor in the price rises that might have pushed my bill up.

To get that improvement, I’ve invested £1,250 in battery technology, and I’ve also had a new consumer unit fitted that cost almost as much. Therefore, my payback is closer to eight years, but only based on current power costs, not what they might be in 2034.

With this working as well as it seems, I’ve doubled down, bought a second Stream Ultra X, and I’m going to add solar to the mix soon.

New products I’ll be looking at in the coming months, like the EcoFlow Stream 5000 and EcoFlow Gateway, might further skew my plans, depending on what they bring to this power party.

Plug-in solar: the bottom line

Plug-in solar going legal on August 27 is genuinely useful news for renters and flat dwellers who have had no route into solar at all.

But the marketing gap between "up to £110 a year" and the more sober £40 to £85 a year some analysts are quoting is wide, and the reason is simple. Brochure figures assume ideal conditions and often quietly assume a battery, which the new simplified rules do not actually permit.

Treat solar-only kits as a modest, genuinely no-fuss saving in the £70 to £150 bracket. Treat battery-only setups as a tariff arbitrage tool worth £150 to £250 a year if you have the right rate. And treat combined systems as the strongest performer, £150 to £300 a year, but budget for an electrician and G98 paperwork rather than a Sunday afternoon plug-and-play job.

None of these numbers replaces a proper rooftop installation. But for a segment of the market that has had nothing available to it until now, even the conservative figures represent a real, if modest, win.

However, it’s also worth saying that there are at least two reasons you should be considering it even if the current savings seem modest. First, a simple solar-only deployment is the first rung on a ladder to power self-sufficiency; second, grid power isn’t getting any cheaper in the foreseeable future.

It’s about time we stopped accepting that utility services only go up in price, and now it's possible to actually do something about it.

Ninja CrushBOSS: one-minute review

The Ninja CrushBOSS is an impressive three-in-one kitchen system. The largest container, a 72-ounce pitcher blender is made for blending big batches of whatever foods and beverages you like. The medium-sized 64-ounce container is a food processor, to which you can attach a handful of different blades that slice, dice, and shred various foods. The food processor bowl also has a tower blade for blending and a dough blade for making breads. The smallest vessel is a 26-ounce tumbler is perfect for single-serve smoothies, iced coffees, and slushies. It comes with a sipping lid and straw so you can just blend and go.

I put the whole system through its paces and was impressed with the results. If you're in the market for both a blender and a food processor, especially if you want both large and single-serve blenders, you can save money by just buying the Ninja CrushBOSS.

I have to admit that unboxing this system felt a bit intimidating. There are a lot of parts. That is the point of it, of course — to be everything for everyone — but be prepared to take some time to learn how all of the parts fit together and how it all works. You'll be washing a lot of dishes. Plus, some of the pieces do nest, but you're still looking at a lot of storage space for all the bits and bobs.

Ninja CrushBOSS: price and availability

• List price: $319.99 / £239.99 (about AU$450)
• Available direct from Ninja, and from third-party retailers including Amazon

The Ninja CrushBOSS is being sold on Ninja's own website and third-party retailers in the US and UK, with a list price of $319.99 / £239.99 for the unit with all attachments. That's about AU$450, but we don't yet have a release date for the CrushBOSS in Australia. Colorways include Midnight Blue, Black & Copper, Stone & Gold, Mocha & Gold, Bone & White Gold, and Onyx — with more colors coming by the end of 2026.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Ninja CrushBOSS: specifications

Ninja CrushBOSS: design and features

• Three blending/processing vessels
• Three blending programs
• 1,200-watt motor

The Ninja CrushBOSS base suctions to your counter for stability. It comes with three different containers: a 72-ounce blending pitcher, a 64-ounce processing bowl, and a 26-ounce tumbler. Clean each of these containers by filling partway with water, adding a couple drops of dish soap, and blending.

The 72-ounce blending pitcher comes with a tower blade. There is a pour spout in the lid; for thinner liquids you can pop up the spout cap and pour from the pitcher. For thicker ones, you'll remove the whole lid and the blade before pouring out and scraping with a spatula if needed.

The 36-ounce processing bowl comes with a chopping blade, dough blade, and multiblade disc. There are optional attachments that fit into the multiblade disc, including thin slice, thick slide, shred, crinkle cut, french fry, and julienne. This bowl's lid includes a feed chute and pusher.

Finally, the 26-ounce single-serve tumbler comes with a sipping lid and a straw, so you can just blend your favorite frozen beverage and go.

The base suctions onto your counter for stability. It's sleek and classy-looking. The containers slide and lock into place securely.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Ninja CrushBOSS: performance

Full-sized blender

Using the 72-ounce blender container, I made a smoothie using frozen fruit and juice in roughly equal proportions. I used the SmoothSense setting, which automatically detects the amount of solids and liquids in the vessel. The motor will stop and start, using the appropriate speeds to deliver smooth results. This turned out great.

I also tried make a simple frozen yogurt with just frozen fruit and yogurt, this didn't blend up all that smoothly. If I had used any liquid, or possessed more patience, I could have easily made this a lot smoother. At the very least, I should have scraped down the sides and blended it once more. It's pretty chunky-looking but it still tasted great.

Food processor

The first thing I did with the 64-ounce food processor container was to crinkle-cut some carrots. It took me a little time to assemble the blades properly and peel the carrots. But once I dropped them into the food chute, it took only a second or two to totally cut up three carrots.

Next I diced a sweet potato. Ninja's instructions say that you need to soften fibrous foods like sweet potatoes before processing. This is not necessary for regular white potatoes. I followed the instructions and air-fried the sweet potato whole for 10 minutes first and allowed it to cool. Again, once my sweet potato and the blades were ready to go, the Ninja CrushBOSS took only a couple of seconds to dice the entire sweet potato. Once diced, a quick air-fry (yes, quicker than I expected, I over-cooked it a bit) and it was ready to eat.

I shredded some hard parmesan cheese, using the shredding multiblade attachment. Like the other blades, it's super fast. However, a rather large chunk of parmesan got caught between the blade and the lid and wouldn't shred, as you can see in my photos below.

Then I tried a slightly softer cheese, a Swiss. This one also shredded in just a few seconds, and the chunks left after shredding were much smaller.

Next I tried the blade tower, which is centered inside the food processor bowl, just like a blender blade (as opposed to the multiblade system, which sits just under the lid). I made some coarse oat flour. Again, this was super fast. I probably could have run it again if I wanted the flour to be finer, but this was fine for me.

Next I blended some protein pancake batter in the food processor bowl. Of course, the Ninja CrushBOSS made quick work of this. The batter came out pretty smooth and cooked up beautifully.

I made some hummus, which made me question why I ever bought pre-made hummus from the store! It's so quick and easy with a blender/food processor like the Ninja CrushBOSS. And it's much tastier. I did scrape down the sides after the initial processing session and process it again. It was worth the extra cycle to get a totally uniform result, though if you like it chunky, that's not necessary.

Tumbler cup

The single-serve tumbler cup assembly is just like the Ninja BlendBOSS. Just put in your ingredients, screw on the blade lid, and twist it into place on the power base. You do need to have a bit of liquid in order to blend properly, but as long as you do, everything comes out great. Even ice is totally obliterated. I made this banana peanut butter smoothie which came out totally smooth.

I made a very similar smoothie, this one was banana chocolate. It was also amazing.

I made a simple lemonade slushie, just ice, water, lemon juice, and vanilla syrup. This was a quick and tasty treat. Though the ice was thoroughly crushed, the mixture wasn't totally homogenous. The icy part and the liquid part tended to separate as I drank it.

I also used this smaller blender cup to prepare some frozen treats in the Ninja Creami Swirl. I started with a pistachio-flavored healthier ice cream, which included whole pistachios and dates. These can be challenging to blend, but the resulting mixture was smooth. There was a bit of "dust" at the bottom (I probably could have run it twice), but once frozen in the Creami pint, you couldn't tell. This turned out amazing.

I also made a healthier version of Dole whip for the Ninja Creami Swirl. This blended up perfectly and turned out fantastic.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Ninja CrushBOSS?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Ninja CrushBOSS: also consider

If the Ninja CrushBOSS isn't exactly what you're looking for, you might consider the following:

How I tested the Ninja Power CrushBOSS

• I tested all three containers and various multiblade attachments
• I used SmoothSense, PrepIQ, and Custom settings
• I cleaned it after every use

I used the food processor bowl to crinkle-cut carrots, dice a sweet potato, shred both parmesan and Swiss cheeses, make oatmeal flour, blend up hummus, and blend pancake batter. I used the large blender to make frozen yogurt and a fruit smoothie. In the small tumbler blender, I blended two different mixtures to make frozen treats in the Ninja Creami (Dole whip and pistachio ice cream), two different yogurt/frozen fruit smoothies (banana peanut butter and banana chocolate), and a lemonade slushie.

Read more about how we test.

Plug-in solar panels are now legal in the UK, and they could have a real impact on your energy bills, but before you install them, you should know what impact they're likely to have on your home insurance. The panels themselves are very easy to fit (see our complete guide to plug-in solar for more details), but it's worth taking the time to research all the effects on your home before buying your own.

To find out more, I spoke to Nathan Blackler, home insurance and utilities expert at Go.Compare. He explained that plug-in solar is new technology that insurers don't really have enough claims data on to price against, but says his main advice is to disclose any products and installations to your insurer, and check the policy documents to ensure there are no exclusions for your planned setup.

Will your insurance premium rise?

Blackler says that you might see a slight rise in your insurance premium after fitting plug-in solar panels, but it isn't guaranteed.

"Because plug-in solar panels add to the total value of your property’s assets, your coverage limits may need to be adjusted," he says. "However, some insurers may simply note the addition of the system on your file without charging you extra.

"The most important thing is keeping the insurer informed and ensuring there's nothing in your policy docs with your existing insurer excluding the use or installation of such systems."

Will your plug-in solar panels be covered?

Plug-in solar panels are a big investment (you can expect them to pay for themselves in three to five years), so you'll want to be sure that they're covered by your insurance.

"Yes, they are generally covered, but typically under your contents insurance rather than buildings insurance, as they are classified as portable equipment rather than permanent fixtures," says Blackler.

"However, coverage is strictly dependent on disclosure. Because plug-in panels feed energy directly into your home's electrical circuit, you are fundamentally adding a mini power station to your property. If you fail to tell your insurer about the installation and later suffer an electrical fire or fault, your policy could be invalidated."

How do they differ from traditional roof-mounted panels?

According to Blackler, from an insurer's perspective, the risk profiles for conventional roof-mounted solar panels and plug-in panels are completely different.

"Traditional roof-mounted solar panels are permanent structural fixtures (covered under buildings insurance) that require installation and sign-off by MCS-accredited electricians," he says. "These setups can also be complicated with different ownership models like leasing and subscriptions, meaning customers do not own the panels, but they may still create an additional structural risk that some insurers increase premiums for.

"Plug-in panels, on the other hand, are self-installed and exempt from mandatory electrician sign-offs. This introduces a new element of 'unmanaged electrical risk', especially in flats and leasehold properties where a poorly connected panel plugged into outdated wiring could push electrical fault and fire risks into communal parts of the building. Because installation quality is harder to verify with plug-and-play systems, insurers view them as a distinct and evolving category.

"All this becomes increasingly complex when you also start to consider a battery or power cell installation along with solar panels. This adds a high-value electrical item, and as most home batteries are lithium-ion, they carry a small but significant fire risk. Again, this technology is relatively new to the mass market, and insurers are still gathering the data necessary to effectively price against it."

Want to know more about plug-in solar panels and batteries? Find out why plug-in panels are now legal, but plug-in batteries are not — yet.

• Plug-in solar kits are now appearing for sale in the UK
• British Gas is also running a competition to win £500 kits
• You could save up to £110 a year with one of these kits

The plug-in solar revolution is now underway in the UK, after portable, mains-connecting solar kits became legal — and if you're keen to get involved quickly, British Gas is running a competition to give away 30 of these kits for free.

The competition is for a plug-in unit worth around £500. All you need to do is register your interest in buying a kit on the company's website before the September 16, and the winners will be picked out by the 30th.

"We want to help more people take that first step, which is why we're giving 30 households the chance to win a plug-in solar unit," says British Gas Commercial Director John Evans. "For us, it’s about giving people more choice and control over how they generate and use their energy."

If you're completely new to the tech, it allows you to set up solar panels on balconies and in back gardens, and plug them directly into the mains to offset some electricity costs. Official estimates suggest you could save up to £110 a year, depending on how much sunshine there is in your part of the country.

Now in stock

When it comes to products you can buy rather than win, Argos have been the quickest out of the blocks from what we've seen, and are already stocking options from UKSOL that will set you back from £599 for a 515W setup. Remember you can go up to 2000W with one kit under the UK regulations.

It looks as though other UK retailers won't be far behind. Amazon's UK & Ireland Country Manager John Boumphrey says "we're looking forward to helping customers benefit from this technology", while Currys director Michelle Gorringe-Smith says that the store is working "to make these products available to UK households as soon as possible".

David Wood, CEO at Wickes, says kits will be available online "in the coming weeks". "Making energy-saving technologies easier to access will be an important part of helping people reduce their energy bills and supporting the transition to a lower-carbon future."

If you like the idea of free electricity (minus the up-front cost, of course), there are a few rules and regulations to know about before you get started: our guide to everything you need to know answers the most important questions.

• Dreame has reportedly cancelled all its car projects
• The firm's expansion plans seemed "too fast and too wide-reaching"
• Rocket-boosted performance always seemed unlikely

When we went down to CES in January, we were in for a big surprise: Dreame, the brand we know primarily from its impressive robot vacuum cleaners, and hair stylers, was expanding into pretty much everything — including making a supercar.

As we said at the time, the world domination scheme didn't seem like the best of plans. "It all just seems too fast and too wide-reaching for it to have been done with the required care and expertise," we said, noting that we were finding it hard to get any actual details of the multiple proposed products.

But Dreame kept on going with the announcements, and in April it declared that not only would it be making a hypercar after its supercar, but the hypercar would be able to reach 62mph in 0.9 seconds thanks to its "custom-built dual solid rocket boosters".

This week, Car News China reported that Dreame was shuttering all its car programs, while another report cast serious doubt on whether there was any real intention of making those vehicles beyond prototypes.

What happened to Dreame's hypercars?

Dreame had announced two cars: the 1,867 horsepower Dreame Nebula 1, and the rocket-powered Dreame Nebula NEXT 01 Jet Edition. But it seems the products may have been inspired less by a desire to make production cars and perhaps more by a desire to emulate Elon Musk.

According to a report in China Economy, seen by the EV site Elektrek, internal sources told the publication that "the car was more of a marketing and fundraising effort rather than a genuine manufacturing effort" — which makes it sound much like the Tesla Roadster "flying" SpaceX edition that Musk has been promising since 2021. The latest news on that project predicted a demo "as early as this month", but there's no sign of it so far.

The report also suggests that Dreame's vehicle department wasn't really structured very effectively and may have encountered regulatory issues.

A tech firm pivoting into the car business isn't a ludicrous idea — Xiaomi's doing some fascinating things on four wheels — and the things robovac companies excel at, such as navigation, obstacle avoidance and autonomous driving are directly relevant to EVs. Global firms also have excellent supply chains and distribution networks.

But for every Xiaomi SUV there's an abandoned Apple Car, PlayStation Car or Dyson Car proving that for some gadget firms, getting into the car business sucks.

Plug-in solar panels became legal in the UK today, providing a quick and easy way to cut your electricity bill without any professional installation. Plug-in solar isn't right for every home (see my list of three places you can't install plug-in solar panels for details). Don't despair, though — you can still trim your bills by opting for clever solar-powered home tech, and as TechRadar's Homes Editor, I've put together a list of 12 top options to brighten your life.

Solar-powered lights are one of the most obvious options, and contain batteries that charge during the day then release the stored energy at night, when you need it. Smart home brands Nanoleaf and Govee both have some great solar smart lights, and if you're looking for something cheaper, IKEA sells excellent solar-powered string lights to add some whimsy to your garden.

You can also opt for solar video doorbells, security cameras, and motion-triggered floodlights to protect your home — without the need to clamber up ladders every month to replace or charge batteries. That's a bright idea for anyone. Read on for my full list of recommendations, and if you have any more solar-powered suggestions, feel free to share them in the comments.

Here comes the sun

Plug-in solar panels became legal in the UK today (August 27). These panels plug directly into an ordinary mains power socket, and could cut your electricity bill considerably; in fact, experts have told us that a plug-in solar system could effectively pay for itself in three to five years.

However, although plug-in solar panels are now legal, you can't yet connect a battery that stores electricity then discharges it back into the circuit later directly to a wall socket.

"Without a battery, solar energy generated during the day is either used immediately or exported to the grid, and consumers have to buy electricity at a higher price in the evening to meet their need," explains Anker Solix, which produces portable power stations and solar generators, and today launched the Solarbank 4 Pro solar battery.

The Solarbank 4 Pro is described as "plug-in ready", but can currently only be installed in your home via a hardwired connection, and must be fitted by a Part P registered electrician — for now.

Anker Solix is among many companies banking on plug-in batteries becoming legal in the UK soon, but we don't yet know when that might happen.

What's the problem with plug-in batteries?

The problem (as described by Regen, a not-for-profit organisation promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency), is that wiring in UK homes wasn't designed for energy to be discharged back into it.

Your home has circuit breakers, which protect against overloading and fires. They turn off the power to a circuit if the load gets too high, or there's a major system fault. Each circuit breaker has a lower rating than the physical limit of the circuit, which provides a buffer for safety.

"The problem with a discharging battery is known as load masking," explains Regen. "Circuit breakers only detect the current flowing past them from the consumer unit, and they cannot ‘see’ that a battery is plugged in. So when a battery discharges into a wall socket, the appliances on that circuit can draw power from the battery instead of the consumer unit — and the breaker continues to allow current up to its rating on top of what the battery is supplying.

"The wiring closest to the appliances can therefore carry more current than the circuit breaker is set to protect against. Exceeding the rated current could lead to the wire getting hot, increasing the risk of a fire."

Should you buy a 'future-ready' plug-in battery?

Choosing to buy a plug-in solar battery now is a calculated risk. Companies like Anker Solix can make well-informed predictions about the future requirements for plug-in batteries, and are keeping a close eye on developments. For example, capping the contribution from plug-in batteries at a low level could help avoid pushing wiring beyond its physical limits, even accounting for load masking.

However, although plug-in batteries seem like the logical next step in home solar, and big manufacturers are optimistic, there's no guarantee if, or when, they'll be given the green light.

If you're thinking about installing a plug-in solar system, take a look at our guide to three places you can't install plug-in solar panels first — the planning rules are very specific, and you'll need to think about where you're going to fit them carefully.

After proving popular across Europe, plug-in solar is now legally allowed in the UK. That means you can buy a solar panel for your balcony or shed roof, and plug it straight into the mains — no roof mounting or professional installation necessary, in theory at least.

It makes it simpler and quicker to start saving on your electricity bills, and of course it's a boon for renters who don't own their own home (or the roof on top of it). Plug-in solar packs are now going to start popping up in stores, and you're free to go and get one.

If you've got questions about the tech — what's legal and what isn't, where you can put these panels, or how much you can save, for example — we're here to answer them. Here's everything you need to know about plug-in solar tech in the UK from August 27, 2026.

1. The new regulations only cover complete plug-in solar kits

If you're heading out or going online to look for some new plug-in solar panels, note that you need to buy complete kits to stay on the right side of the law: panels, an inverter, a cable, a plug, and any relevant mounting hardware.

Look for kits that meet the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification published by the government. These kits have to stick to limits of 800 volt-amps of output and 3.5 amps of current, while you're limited to up to 2,000 watts of overall solar energy capture.

These limits are all designed to protect your mains electricity and your home against damage and accidents. With that in mind, you're only allowed to connect one plug-in solar panel kit per property. You can also check to see which approved kits are available at the likes of the Plug-In Solar Register.

2. They could save you up to £110 a year

With so many variables at play — how big your fridge is, how sunny your back garden gets — it's difficult to be definitive about how much you're going to save with plug-in solar. Early estimates suggest you could get back about £110 a year, so with kits costing in the region of £700, it'll take you a few years to break even.

Some experts have estimated that around three-to-five years is a reasonable window to expect a return for your money. That's quicker than you might expect from a typical rooftop solar panel installation.

As more solar kits hit the market and we've got more data to work with, these estimates should get more precise. Based on average usage across the country, an 800W plug-in solar kit could take care of around a quarter of your electricity use.

3. You can buy them now — but there aren’t yet many to choose from

Plug-in solar is now legal in the UK, with the restrictions mentioned above, but the technology is going to take a while to get properly established. There aren't a host of kits available right now that you can go out and buy.

These ground mount kits from UKSOL are the first approved ones we've seen arrive on the market, and they're going to set you back from £699. More money gets you more overall wattage, and more flexible setup options.

Major chains including Lidl, Asda, and B&Q have certainly given indications that they're willing to start stocking plug-in solar kits once they become legal — so now we just need more supply.

They should also be available from Amazon in the near future. John Boumphrey, UK & Ireland Country Manager at, Amazon told us last month: "The Government's announcement on plug-in solar panels is a practical step that gives households a simple way to generate their own power, reduce bills, and contribute to the UK's net zero goals. We're looking forward to helping customers access this technology."

4. You can’t plug one into a battery (yet)

There is still a caveat when it comes to this type of solar technology becoming legal in the UK: while you're now allowed to plug certified kits into the mains, you can't attach them to a battery, or plug a battery into the mains without getting them professionally installed.

Any energy that your plug-in solar panels are using has to be used by your home appliances as it's being generated and fed in. There's no option to store up the energy for future use and deploy it on demand — power banks and solar panel accessories do exist of course, as do home batteries that link to your home's electricity system, but they're separate from plug-in solar.

The UK government is being somewhat vague when it comes to approving plug-in batteries as well as plug-in solar — it probably just wants to see how the solar part goes first — but there's lots more potential here when batteries are added too.

5. There are some restrictions on where you can put them

As well as sticking to the rules when it comes to the kind of kits you can buy, you also need to know what is and isn't allowed when it comes to placing these panels around your property — as there are restrictions here too.

Your panels need to steer clear of wood for example, because of the fire risk. They can't go on wooden balconies, fences, walls, or gates. They can't go more than 20cm (7.9 inches) above a sloped roof, or more than 60 m (23.6 inches) above a flat roof. What's more, they can't extend more than 40cm (15.7 inches) from a wall, which goes down to 20cm (7.9 inches) if you live next to any kind of thoroughfare.

Some of these restrictions can be got around, but only with planning permission from the local council. Those limitations are what you can get away with without permission — though if you're renting, it's always wise to check with your landlord anyway.

• China has tested an airborne blimp called the S4000
• It generates electricity from wind power at an altitude of 4,000 meters
• The airship can move to wherever it is needed most

If you thought the age of blimps was over, think again. China has just launched a successful test of a helium-filled airship that is used to generate electricity from the sky, and it could mean a return to the air of the skyfaring vehicles that went out of fashion almost 100 years ago.

According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV (via South China Morning Post), the apparent world-first feat involved the airship ascending to 4,000 meters, generating power and returning to the ground. Measuring roughly the length of a Boeing 747 airplane, the craft is reportedly not far from being deployed on a wider scale.

The goal of the vehicle — named the S4000 after the height it climbs to — is to harness the strong winds that can be found high above the earth, which it does using turbines strapped to each side of its body. The winds at altitude are stronger and steadier than those closer to ground level, and any electricity generated is sent back to base using a long tether.

Returning to the skies

By operating in the sky, the S4000 has a few advantages over traditional static wind turbines. For one thing, it can move to windier areas as required, allowing it to adapt to changing conditions or transfer to where it is needed most. For another, it means less real estate is taken up on the ground, freeing up space for other uses and potentially reducing the complaints that are often directed at wind farms.

The S4000 was developed by Chinese firm Sawes Energy Technology alongside Tsinghua University and the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Previous models included the S1500 and the S2000, which drew a combined total of 500 million yuan (US$74.3 million) in orders, according to the SCMP.

The S4000 is far from the only recent effort to harness wind power. As we reported earlier this week, the Ventyra R1 portable wind turbine can be folded up into a backpack yet provides 50W of power output, taking around 35 minutes to fully charge a connected smartphone.

Combined with the S4000 — and the many other developments in the wind power industry — it’s clear that a lot is being done in the world of renewable energy. So don’t be surprised to one day see blimps make a return to the skies, this time in the service of generating electricity.

The Argos' Big Red sale has begun, and we're spoiled for choice when it comes to home appliances. As a former TechRadar Homes editor, I was pleased to see a number of our favorite brands represented — the kinds of things that consistently impress us on review — as well as a number of viral products. Things like Dyson vacuums, Ninja air fryers and drinks machines, Nutribullet blenders and KitchenAid stand mixers.

• Browse the full Argos Big Red sale

Below, I've hand-picked my top 41 deals. For easier browsing, I've split them into kitchen appliances (including things like air fryers, blenders, kettles, and drinks makers), floorcare (covering vacuums, electric mops, and carpet cleaners), and grooming/beauty (covering hair dryers and stylers, razors, and electric toothbrushes).

Some products have a code you'll need to add to activate a discount — in this case, I've written 'RED20', 'RED30' etc in the product name, but you'll also see the code listed when you click through to Argos. A few other products already have discounts, and a handful are discounted and eligible for a discount code for a further price drop. All clear? Great. Read on to pick up some Big Red bargains.

Argos Big Red sale: Kitchen deals

Argos Big Red sale: vacuum & mop deals

Argos Big Red sale: Grooming & beauty deals

• Plug-in solar kits become legal in the UK from August 27
• These lower-cost solar panels are ideal for renters and flat owners
• We want to hear from you in our poll below — will you be buying one?

Plug-in solar kits become legal in the UK from August 27, which makes that date a pretty significant one in the UK's energy history.

That's because these kits are, in theory, a much more affordable and user-friendly way to bring the bill-cutting benefits of solar power to your home. The UK government estimates that plug-in panels could save households up to £70-£110 a year on their energy bills.

For renters and flat owners with little roof space, they represent a long-awaited new alternative to pricey rooftop installations. Instead, as their name suggests, you can theoretically plug them directly into your mains electricity, and place them outdoors in places like balcony railings, fences, garden sheds or patios.

However, despite their promised savings, early plug-in solar kits aren't exactly cheap. Early options that have gained regulatory approval, such as the UKSOL Plug-In Solar Pro Compact 460W Ground Mount Kit, will start at £699 from retailers, and it isn't yet clear when we'll be able to buy them directly from the likes of Lidl, Amazon and Currys.

Other potential drawbacks include limitations on where you can actually install plug-in solar (in some cases, you may need planning permission) and the fact that you can't currently connect your panels to a battery, without professional help. For many, plug-in batteries are the real game-changer, and some will be waiting for those to become legal before diving into plug-in solar.

But now we want to hear from you — are you planning to buy a plug-in solar kit when they become legal on August 27? Vote in our poll below and let us know your thoughts in the comments too.

• Meaco has launched two tower fans, standing 19 and 26 inches tall
• Both are very quiet, with eco and night time modes
• The larger model can be controlled via Meaco's smartphone app

Meaco makes some of the best fans we've tested here at TechRadar, and it's just launched two new tower models to help you keep cool during the next heatwave.

Meaco's line of air circulators proved exceptionally popular earlier this summer, and all of its tabletop and pedestal models are completely sold out — with no more stock expected until October. Both of these new tower fans are available to buy right now though, priced under £100 each.

The taller of the two tower fans stands 26 inches tall and costs £99.99, while the smaller model (intended for use on tables, desks, and kitchen counters) is a compact 19 inches and is £69.99. Both are powerful, quiet, and ideal for sleep thanks to their dedicated night time modes that lower the fan speed and turn off sounds, as well as their glow-in-the-dark remote controls that let you control them from the comfort of your bed.

Both offer 12 fan speeds, with the smaller model providing a maximum flow rate of 17.27m³ per minute, and the larger fan an impressive 34.41m³ per minute. There are also four oscillation angles (45 degrees, 90 degrees, 135 degrees and 180 degrees) so you can focus the cooling on just one person, or spread the airflow across a larger area.

The larger fan offers app connectivity, letting you operate it from anywhere using your phone, and set cooling schedules (ideal for pet owners).

Cool comfort

Our reviewers awarded both the Meaco Sefte 8in Portable Air Circulator and Meaco Sefte Pro 10in Table Air Circulator four and a half stars out of five, praising their quiet operation, ability to move a large volume of air, and rechargeable batteries that allow you to use them anywhere in your home.

I bought the eight-inch model myself, and it proved invaluable on uncomfortably warm nights, effectively pulling in cooler air from outside when placed near an open window. I have high expectations for the two tower fans, and hope to bring you full reviews of both very soon.

On its own, an air fryer is a low-effort, efficient kitchen appliance. But add the right accessories and you can take things to another level, enabling your trusty fryer to tackle a wider range of cooking tasks, and deliver even more delicious results. Plus, if you're armed with the right kit, there'll be even less effort required from you.

As a former TechRadar Homes Editor — and proud owner of two air fryers — I have a good idea of the accessories worth investing in. Well, I say 'investing' but most of my picks are under a tenner, so it's more an investment in terms of cupboard space than cash. I've rounded up my top recommendations below, with sections for air fryer liners (wave goodbye to messy cleanup), utensils (including a £5 pick for extra-crispy results) and inserts (to increase capacity without buying a bigger air fryer).

If you don't already have an air fryer, head to our general best air fryer guide for our top recommendations.

Air fryer liners

Good silicone basket liners are an excellent investment for any air fryer-owner, mainly because they're much easier to clean (and especially if you have a dishwasher). I use these all the time — in fact, the only time I wouldn't use one of these would be if I was cooking something I want to get really crispy underneath. I avoid them for cheese on toast, for instance, to avoid a soggy bottom.

Choose from solid or collapsible liners — the latter is a win when it comes to storage, but the fold lines are a potential weak point, so be prepared for them to break more quickly than a solid option. To avoid disaster when trying to remove your hot food from its basket, seek out liners with sturdy handles.

You can also use basket liners to add versatility to what you can cook. For instance, there are brownie trays, cupcake cases and waffle trays in the mix here. I've also included a disposable liner option, for situations where washing up is going to be too tricky.

Air fryer inserts

A genius trick to to increase your usable cooking space is by adding an insert that creates a second tier within your air fryer basket. If you have a relatively large basket in the first place, you can even stack multiple racks to cook several layers of food at once. Hot air should still circulate efficiently — and especially so if you use a rack with vent holes — to deliver crispier, more evenly cooked food than you'd get if you piled everything up inside.

Below are a few options. I've also included a mesh basket — this is designed to be used in a similar way to the liners above; to make cleaning easier. However, the more open structure should help deliver crispier results. Some even have divots into which skewers can rest, for 360-degree cooking. Before purchasing, it's vital to measure the inside of your cooking basket(s) and check the product dimensions carefully, to ensure the inserts will fit in there.

Air fryer utensils

Finally, there are a number of utensils that'll make cooking with an air fryer simpler and less messy — not to mention lowering the chance of burning yourself or your kitchen surfaces. If you don't already have one, I'd suggest investing in a heatproof mat or trivet. It doesn't need to be anything special; it just gives you somewhere to put your fryer basket down when you're removing the hot food. I've had too many accidents when trying to do this one-handed, or with the basket balancing precariously on the hob top.

Silicone utensils including tongs, scoops and spatulas allow you to remove food efficiently without risking scratches on the non-stick surface. I've also included a pastry brush — I use one of these to lightly coat food in oil before cooking, so it goes extra-crispy, but without using too much oil.

Finally, there's a meat thermometer that'll help you ensure your cuts of meat are cooked through before serving — this is especially handy if you're still getting used to the different timings compared to a full-sized cooker. And because air fryers really shine when it comes to chips, I've thrown in a potato chipper so you can make your own.

• Philips Hue could be launching a light module that lets you connect your Nanoleaf Shapes to the Hue app
• You'll be able to integrate Nanoleaf lights into your Hue schedules and automations
• It's not Matter-over-Thread, but you might be able to use a Hue Bridge for third-party connectivity

We’re just one week from IFA 2026, and we already have our ears to the ground for all the pre-event announcements and rumors — and this latest Philips Hue leak is bound to make Nanoleaf users very happy.

As spotted by the outlet Smartlights, Philips is reportedly launching the Hue Wall Light Module next week, meaning that users will be able to integrate their Nanoleaf lights into the Philips Hue ecosystem — which would be a huge win, especially since Nanoleaf is an affordable alternative to the Philips Hue range of best smart lights.

The Hue Wall Light Module is said to support the Nanoleaf Shapes LED panels, including Mini Triangles, Triangles, and Hexagons, while older panels (formerly known as Aurora) won’t be supported. Philips’ new module is also expected to be announced on September 3, and will go on sale for 39.99 euros, with international prices expected to follow.

Essentially, the rumored Hue module is a small white adapter around 8cm that you can plug directly into the connectors in your Nanoleaf panels, allowing you to integrate up to 100 Nanoleaf Shapes panels into your Hue system. That said, the Hue Wall Light Module shouldn’t be confused with the existing Philips Hue Wall Switch Module, which is installed behind a standard wall switch.

Once your Nanoleaf panels are connected via Philips’ new module, you’ll be able to include them in automations, Hue scenes, and schedules in the Hue app — but whether Nanoleaf’s flagship lighting tools will be carried over is unclear.

Similar to Philips Hue, Nanoleaf offers customizable color scenes and animations, but as far as the leaks go, the product images show the Nanoleaf integration working primarily with Hue scenes and effects. The leak shows at least five points in the color selection wheel, suggesting that there’ll be some kind of multicolor control function regardless, but we’ll have to see how this will work after the launch.

The other catch is that the Philips Hue Wall Light Module isn’t Matter-over-Thread, which, considering Nanoleaf’s devices are mainly Thread- and Matter-supported, is a bit of a departure. Instead, the module uses Zigbee and Bluetooth, the main connectivity protocols Philips has used for some time.

That said, using a Hue Bridge allows you to connect Philips Hue devices that are non-Matter to hubs such as the Apple HomePod, which is helpful if you use the best smart speakers to control your home lighting system — though we’ll have to wait and see how the new Philips Hue module handles third-party connectivity once it’s launched.

Despite these gray areas, the Nanoleaf-Hue integration is an unexpected yet possibly beneficial upgrade. When it comes to smart lighting brands, their respective devices tend to keep you locked into one ecosystem or the other, so having a simple but effective connectivity tool would give users much more flexibility.

• The Ninja CrushBOSS is a blender, food processor and to-go tumbler in one
• It has a 1,200W motor, with presets for precise chopping, slicing and dicing
• It's on sale now for $319 / £239 (about AU$460)

If, like me, you love a good kitchen device you'll be well aware of the perennial problem: finding space for all your gadgets and their accessories on your counter or in your cupboards. So I'm intrigued by the strangely-named but fun-looking Ninja CrushBOSS, which is designed to replace three distinct products: a blender, a food processor and a smoothie maker, all with the same shared base.

The CrushBoss has a 1,200W motor and a 2.1 liter / 72oz jug for blending and a 710ml / 26oz tumbler cup for drinking on the go. And it has a smart menu system that promises to make even the most tedious chores quick and easy.

Ninja CrushBOSS: key features and pricing

The Ninja CrushBOSS's jug has a curved square design to eliminate dead zones, and the SmoothSense system offers optimized blending, presets for chopping and mincing, and a custom control with 10 manual speed settings.

There's an integrated touchscreen display and a straightforward dial control, and it's designed to handle everything from smoothies and ice to shredding, slicing and dicing. There's an optional dicing kit accessory designed to deliver consistent dicing for more intensive tasks such as chopping ingredients for salads, salsa and other ingredients.

It's an interesting alternative to a full food processor whose various bits and bobs require quite a lot of storage: while there are still individual blades and bodies here they're not as numerous as the ones gathering dust at the back of my kitchen units. And if you've been disappointed by all-in-ones in the past, the high power here – 1,200W, which is 100W more powerful than the Ninja BlendBOSS — should make short work of even the toughest veg and effortlessly crush ice for your cocktails.

The Ninja CrushBOSS (including all attachments) is available for $319.99 in the US, and £239.99 in the UK. That's about AU$460, though the Australian release date has yet to be confirmed.

Summer is reaching its end, and it might not feel like the logical time to go shopping for backyard upgrades. But you'd be wrong — retailers are getting rid of their outdoor products to make space to the new season, which means it's actually the perfect opportunity to snap up some patio and backyard products for cheap.

As a former Homes editor, I know what makes a good backyard buy. I've picked through the Walmart sales page to find the best outdoor deals on the products I'd snap up as an investment for next summer.

You'll find my top picks below. I've included affordable and useful plant pots, as well as larger planters that are ideal for kicking off new growing projects. I've also found a couple of outstanding robot lawn mower deals (both on models we've tested and scored extremely highly — head to our Anthbot Genie 3000 review and Mammotion Luba 3 AWD review for proof). There are also bargain grills, and patio decor to instantly brighten up an outdoor space.

Scroll down for these and more backyard bargains to set you up for next summer.

Backyard bargains

Portable and DIY energy tech is having a moment: more and more of us are installing balcony solar, setting up home batteries, and generally finding alternatives to the regular power grid — and a new appliance being crowdfunded on Kickstarter extends the trend.

It's the Ventyra R1, a portable wind turbine that's compact enough to fold away and put in a backpack. Like portable power stations and solar panels, the idea is you can get your gadgets recharged anywhere your travels take you — provided there's a strong breeze.

Given that a lot of outdoor locations are pretty blustery, including coastal roads and hillside trails, it's an intriguing innovation with a lot of potential. It seems popular too: over 600 people have now backed it on Kickstarter (via New Atlas).

Meet the Ventyra R1

While this isn't quite the first portable wind turbine we've ever seen, they're a lot rarer than portable solar panels and chargers, and the Ventyra R1 seems to get a lot right — as far as we can tell without testing it. It's simple to assemble and set up, and gives you a decent amount of power on the go.

The core specs are 50W of power output, 75W peak load, and 12V DC support, so it would take you around 35 minutes to charge a phone if the turbine was running at top speed (based on Ventyra's own testing). There's an integrated power hub for plugging your gadgets into when they need recharging.

A start-up wind speed of just 6.7 mph (3 meters-per-second) is listed, so it doesn't take much of a breeze to get some power going. At those speeds you're unlikely to see much in the way of charging though, so it might be an idea to charge up a power bank with the turbine over an extended period, then use that for your other devices.

The wind turbine pack comes with its own tripod stand and carry bag, and you also get four ground stakes for fixing it in place (just like you would with a tent). While it's marketed for being suitable for remote adventures, you could also set it up on a balcony at home and use it as an alternative power source there.

There's room for expansion here as well: multiple R1s can be used with the same power hub, expanding the amount of power you can capture at once, and there are also bundles available that include solar panels — these can connect to the same system as well, increasing the capacity of your on-the-go clean energy setup.

In fact, the marketing blurb for the Ventyra R1 says it's "designed to complement solar" rather than replacing it. "When connected through a compatible power station or charging setup, the two energy sources can create a more flexible system for changing weather, overnight use, and longer off-grid stays," explains the Kickstarter page.

Wind and rain

Another useful-looking feature on this unit is the automatic wind alignment. The turbine comes with a tail vane that automatically adjusts the position of the rotor and its blades, saving you from having to make multiple manual adjustments. You can simply set it up then let it get to work.

The turbine itself is 52 centimeters (20.5 inches) long, with the individual rotors measuring 38 centimeters (15 inches). The product page doesn't say how tall the tripod is, but judging by the accompanying video, you'll be able to get your wind-powered generator up to somewhere near head height if needed.

What's not mentioned is any kind of weatherproofing. It's possible that this isn't designed to survive heavy rain, which somewhat reduces its usefulness as an outdoor device, so bear that in mind. It also doesn't look particularly sturdy, so there may be issues with it blowing over in strong winds.

That's about all we can say without taking a proper look at this, but it seems to be a clever idea, well executed. As always with Kickstarter products though, there's no guarantee that a product will make it to market in the same form shown here, or even at all — especially when it comes to companies making their first product, as is the case here.

The Kickstarter goal was a mere $1,500 (or £1,100 / AU$2,090), which seems rather low. In any case, $140,020 (£102,646 / AU$195,390) has been pledged at the time of writing, from 661 backers.

If you're a believer in what the Ventyra R1 is offering, then you can put your name down for one for an early bird starting price of $179 (about £130 / AU$250). Shipping is scheduled for December.

If you're looking for an alternative for home or the outdoors, the Shine Turbine is now on its second incarnation, and comes with an integrated power bank that changes when the wind blows. Preorders are available on Indiegogo now for an early bird price of $399 (that's about £290 / AU$555).

• EcoFlow has announced new home batteries in the UK
• The Stream units can hook up to a variety of solar configurations
• Early bird prices are now available if you preorder

Portable power specialist EcoFlow has launched its next-generation Stream Series of home batteries in the UK, meaning that users can keep more of the solar energy they're generating — though the battery still needs to be installed by a qualified electrician.

The 5kWh home battery is rated to support up to 5,000W of solar input, and 3,000W of electricity output. That's enough to run appliances like washing machines and dishwashers, and if you need more energy storage, you can add extra units in as needed.

Despite those power ratings, the Stream home batteries are compact: they weigh just 45 kilograms (under 100 pounds), and are the size of an airplane cabin bag. That makes them easy to position in garages, utility rooms, or anywhere else.

"The transition to smarter home energy shouldn't be reserved for early adopters," said EcoFlow's Justin Tilley. "Homeowners want to get more from their solar investment, but they also want technology that's simple to understand, easy to integrate into their home and built to grow with them."

Specs and pricing

With plug-in solar kits legally available in the UK from August 27, we're on the cusp of a home energy revolution in the country.

But the current downside of plug-in solar is that, without a battery installed, you'll lose any electricity you don't immediately use. The EcoFlow Stream series solves that problem, even if the installation isn't as plug-and-play as the panels are — although there are hopes that plug-in batteries could get the legal green light next.

Some specs of note from these batteries: they have a 15-year lifespan, are good for 10,000 charging cycles, offer an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance (so they're pretty weatherproof), and come with a 10-year warranty.

The batteries can be controlled by a companion app that gives you a full set of management and diagnostic tools, and they work as uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units as well, taking over if the power grid electricity gets cut.

You can preorder a EcoFlow Stream home battery today from the EcoFlow website, with early bird prices starting at £1,499. Those discounted prices will last until October 7, when the units are expected to start shipping.

I live in Scotland and just got my solar install up and running a few days ago. While it's obviously still very early days, I'm really happy with how it's all going so far — and with my decision to go for a full panel and battery system.

Was I tempted to wait for plug-in solar when the news filtered through earlier this year that this option was to become officially available with kits in the UK? No, because I wanted a full solar setup for a few reasons that I'll detail here — along with my initial thoughts on how my system is working (although I've already dropped a spoiler on that).

That's not to say plug-in solar isn't going to be a good choice for some, of course – it promises to provides a low-hassle route into electricity bill savings for renters and those with limited roof space. But it has distinct limitations compared to a full solar array.

So, here are the main reasons why I wanted that full setup — a bank of 15 roof-mounted panels, a battery, and a gateway — after which I'll come back to the merits of plug-in solutions.

1. Staying put with a south-facing roof

A full solar setup with an array of panels plus a beefy battery (in my case, a Tesla Powerwall 3 with a 13.5kWh capacity) is, of course, a considerable financial commitment for homeowners.

It's much easier to make that commitment if you know that you'll be living in the house for a long time, as in that case, year by year, you'll make your money back in electricity savings (eventually, or that's the hope).

I'm intending to stay put in my current house for 10 to 15 years, and towards the latter end of the scale, the solar should pay for itself, due to a combination of savings on my electric bill (which will effectively be hardly anything going forward, save for the standing charge for having a grid connection) and selling spare energy back to the grid (solar export).

I may be in the house for even longer, and at that point, it's just free electric, which is obviously a nice thought (especially if utility bills keep on increasing in the way they have been). My house is ideal for solar, having a near-south-facing roof and no shading issues — so given my plan to stay long-term, it seemed crazy not to get a solar array, really. The only issue was saving up to pay for it (which admittedly took quite some time).

As for the rough math of what I'm saving with solar, based on some very limited data thus far (just a few days), it's a saving of closing on £500 per year (around $680 / AU$950) in electric bill reductions, and approximately £400 (about $550 / AU$760) in export earnings. The latter is a rougher figure, but it should hopefully pan out or thereabouts — for a total of something like £900 (or $1,230 / AU$1,710) in terms of annual gain.

What's been interesting is that I'm really surprised how much solar generation I get when it's cloudy. I can still hit 1kWh or even closer to 2kWh of power from the panels on a normal kind of cloudy day.

Even with what I consider to be pretty thick cloud and rain (yes, the Scottish summer in the north of the country has been quite different to the English one), I'm still generating enough to power my baseline house needs (0.3kWh), meaning general operation when no larger appliances are switched on (especially the dreaded kettle).

Of course, I'd read up on modern panels and knew they performed better in cloudy conditions, but I wasn't expecting them to be this good.

2. Working from home factor

I work from home writing articles for TechRadar (alongside other freelance), and my wife works from home, too. So having a house with full off-grid capability was important to us as a result, and this is something you only get with a solar array combined with a battery, and a gateway is needed too.

The gateway allows for the solar to run independently off the grid (in 'island mode' with its own earthing rod), so if the mains power goes off completely, the house will keep running under its own steam.

This means if there's a power outage, the house is still running off solar (and the battery), and we both still have power for our computers and so on. We can keep on working without disruption (an additional financial gain in this event). Note that without a gateway, you won't be able to run off solar in a power cut — the solar inverter will shut itself off when it detects the grid has gone out (for safety reasons).

When the installing electrician tested the system, he had me switch on all the ceiling lights in the living room. It was a very cool moment when the mains switch was flipped off and our house carried on fully powered, just as normal, with the solar system kicking in so quickly that the lights didn't even flicker in the slightest.

My decision to go for the off-grid running capability was also influenced by a degree of looking to the future. Now, I admit this may sound a bit 'tinfoil hat', but I don't think it's inconceivable that there could be hiccups with the national grid in the UK (or elsewhere perhaps) as the years roll on. Whether that might be infrastructure related problems, geopolitical issues and wider energy security concerns, or the likes of hackers, I don't think it's unwise to have a degree of energy independence.

Granted, I don't believe that major-scale disruption is at all likely, but it doesn't hurt to have an insurance policy against the prospect of more regular power outages, especially when both our livelihoods depend on being able to work from home.

The gateway made my system about 10% more expensive roughly — maybe a bit less actually, I don't know for sure as the labor costs weren't broken down on my installation invoice — but I think that was a price worth paying.

3. Environmental benefits

This is likely true of everyone adopting solar — of any kind — but it feels good to be contributing to the drive for renewables and green energy.

More broadly on the eco-friendly front, I'm also planning to buy an electric car as my next vehicle (possibly even a campervan, although that might have to wait until further into the future), and using solar to charge the vehicle at home (which obviously requires a full solar system).

Plug-in solar has its place

I appreciate that a lot of what I've covered here is subjective and pertains to my specific situation, and of course your scenario or needs may be very different.

You may not have a home that's suitable for solar panels at all (due to the roof size, shape or orientation — or you might live in a flat), or you may be renting, or not have the desire to commit to the expense of a full-on setup.

This is where plug-in solar steps in as a great scaled-down alternative: it's a lot easier to find space for (in a garden, on a balcony), and it's a way more affordable solution that still offers some substantial savings. A typical payback time (when the setup has paid for itself) is expected to be three to five years, though that depends on the cost of the first plug-in solar kits. And if you're renting, you can take it with you should you decide to move.

One major drawback for now is not being allowed to hook up your plug-in panels to a battery for solar storage (without professional installation, at least), but that may well change in the future if plug-in batteries become legalized. Also, you can't receive payment for excess energy you can't use in the home being exported back to the grid, as you can with a full solar panel installation (and a smart meter).

Plug-in solar could still be a great alternative for you, though, and if you're in the UK like me, the systems become legal on August 27, and kits that comply with the regulations set out by the government will be appearing on shelves thereafter.

Plug-in solar is already legal in other countries, notably Germany and other places in Europe, as well as some states in the US, so the DIY alternative to my setup is very much gaining momentum. But each approach still has its own distinct advantages and drawbacks, and that will continue to be the case after August 27.

Terra Kaffe Demi: two-minute review

I've reviewed a lot of coffee and espresso machines over the years, and the Terra Kaffe Demi is one of my favorites. It's dead simple to use, and the results are incredible. Before the caffeine from my morning cup of coffee hits my bloodstream, I don't have the wherewithal to weigh and grind beans, put them in a filter, set up the machine to brew, and brew the coffee. I just want my coffee and I want it fast. But I like my coffee black, so it's important that it actually taste good. The Terra Kaffe Demi Compact Fully Automatic Espresso Machine hits all the marks. Plus it looks sleek and gorgeous in my kitchen while taking up very little space.

Pour fresh whole beans into the hopper and fill the water tank. Turn the dial on the side to scroll through your options: espresso, lungo, americano, and drip. Press once to select your pick. The conical burr grinder grinds your beans just right, and then brewing begins. In just seconds, you have your drink.

This lovely slice of tech doesn't come cheap, and it doesn't have the bells and whistles of some other similarly priced machines. If you want a machine that automatically froths your milk, or has a menu with dozens or even hundreds of drink options, this isn't the one for you. You must use whole beans; there's no pre-ground coffee option. But if the four drinks offered are sufficient for you, then keep on reading.

Terra Kaffe Demi: price and availability

• Available on several websites including Amazon
• Retails for $795 (about £590 / AU$1,100)
• Comes in four colorways

The Terra Kaffe Demi is sold on a number of websites, including Amazon, Sur La Table, Nordstrom, Seattle Coffee Gear, and Terra Kaffe's own website. It retails for $795 (about £590 / AU$1,100) or can be rented from Terra Kaffe for $39 (£30 / AU$60) per month. There are four color options: Slate (black), Cloud (pale gray-blue), Forest (dark green), and Dune (tan).

Terra Kaffe Demi: specs

Terra Kaffe Demi: design

• Small footprint
• Sleek, minimalist aesthetic
• Four brew styles

The Terra Kaffe Demi is a compact, sleek design with a minimalist aesthetic, perfect for a modern kitchen. A dot matrix style display screen shows on the front of the machine. The left side of the machine has the power button, but you'll use that only rarely. On the right side of the machine is the simple dial that controls everything. You can scroll through the menu by twisting the dial, and select by pressing it. A long press of the dial puts the machine to sleep. On the back of the machine is a 46.5 ounce (1375 ml) water tank. The 4.6-ounce (130-gram) bean hopper sits atop the machine.

The Terra Kaffe Demi's spout can be raised and lowered to accommodate different sizes of cups and mugs. The maximum height is 5.7" (14.5 cm), which is high enough for many travel mugs. You'll want to lower it when you brew into smaller cups in order to minimize coffee spatter.

The menu dial on the right side of the machine controls everything. The display on the front lets you know what's going on, whether the machine is rinsing, heating up, or ready to brew. You can choose your brew: Espresso, Lungo, Americano, or Drip.

Espresso is a concentrated brew, and the default is 1.6 ounces. Lungo is a longer extraction, and the default is 2.8 ounces. Americano is espresso plus water, and the default is a 1.6-ounce espresso shot plus 2.8 ounces of water, totalling 4.4 ounces. Drip is usually made with a drip machine, but the Terra Kaffe Demi makes a brew that tastes like drip coffee by pulsating the water through the grounds rather than applying the consistent high pressure needed to make espresso. The default Drip cup size is 5.6 ounces. There's even a Hot Water option, in case you want to make tea or hot cocoa.

You can turn the dial to dig into the Menu option if you want to change the brew temperature, strength, or amount. You can also adjust the number of espresso shots in your brew. When you're deep into the menu changing the settings, just press and hold the dial for a couple of seconds to bring you back to the drink menu. Or just wait about half a minute, and it will go back by itself.

Cleaning the Terra Kaffe Demi is pretty simple. The machine regularly rinses itself, so it's probably a good idea to keep a cup under the spout when not in use. You'll want to empty the used coffee ground "pucks" from the waste bin, give the bin a rinse, and pour out the water that's collected in the drip tray pretty regularly. I do those simple tasks pretty much every day, but if you don't drink much coffee, you could spread it out to every few days.

Once a week, Terra Kaffe recommends that you remove the brew unit and rinse it thoroughly. That sounds like a hassle, but it's actually quite easy and takes only a few seconds. I like being able to get into a machine and get it really clean. Many automatic coffee machines don't have that option, so I wonder how gunky they are getting over time.

Additionally, you'll need to run cleaning and descaling cycles on occasion, probably once every couple of months, depending on your usage. The machine will prompt you when you need to run those. The Terra Kaffe Demi does come with one packet each of cleaner and descaler. Once you use them, you can buy those products on their website.

There is also an internal clock, though that's not visible from the outside of the machine. It can be accessed in the settings menu. The reason for having a clock is that you can set the machine to automatically wake up, warm up, and be ready to brew at a specific time of your choosing. Warmup is pretty quick anyway, so I don't see much reason to do that, but if you're a rushing-out-the-door-every-morning sort of person, those seconds might count.

Another cool feature is that you can fully drain the machine, in case you won't be using it for a while or plan to put it into storage. Most coffee automatic coffee machines have water just sitting in the machine which ... can't be good.

• Design score: 5/5

Terra Kaffe Demi: performance

• Incredibly easy to use
• Use default brew styles or create your own
• Great results

As mentioned above, the Terra Kaffe Demi makes four different brew styles: Espresso, Americano, Lungo, and Drip. Each of them can be brewed at the default settings if you want to keep it simple. However, if you want to dig into the menu options, you can make all kinds of adjustments to each of those options. You can change the number of shots, the strength of the brew, the shot volume, and the brewing temperature. I used the default settings in my testing unless otherwise noted.

Espresso

I found the espresso quite smooth, strong, and delicious. The Terra Kaffe Demi gives it a lovely crema. I also tried brewing it over ice to make an iced coffee, which turned out great. The default shot volume is 1.6 ounces, or 50ml. The strength is "High" (.39oz/11g) and the brewing temperature is 205°F (96°C). All of those can be adjusted in the settings menu.

Lungo

A lungo is made by brewing more water through the coffee grounds than you would for an espresso. While the same amount of coffee is used for a lungo as it would be for an espresso shot, the higher water volume makes a taller, less concentrated drink. The default Lungo is 2.8 ounces, or 83ml. Everything else is the same as the Espresso settings listed above: "High" strength (.39oz/11g) and brewing temperature of 205°F (96°C). Again, those can be adjusted in the settings menu. I thought the Lungo was very good, nice and smooth but still plenty strong. It produces a lovely crema. I also tried this one iced, which diluted it a bit much for my tastes (though it might be perfect for someone else's.)

Americano

An Americano is a regular espresso shot with water added, which is different from a lungo where the extra water is brewed through the coffee grounds. Coffee connoisseurs will be able to taste a difference between extra water brewed through the grounds and extra water added after. I can't really tell, but both options are offered in case you have a preference.

The default Americano is the same 1.6-ounce (50ml) espresso shot plus 2.8 ounces (83ml) of water, totalling 4.4 ounces (130ml). The espresso is brewed with the same strength and temperature as the above cycles, and again, all of this can be adjusted in the settings menu. Frankly, all this extra water made it a bit weak for my tastes, but it was nice and smooth. Even with all the water added, the crema remained intact.

Drip

Technically, this is an espresso machine, so it can't make "drip coffee" the regular way. However, the Terra Kaffe makes a pretty good impression of a drip coffee by using a slower, pulsating water flow to lower the pump pressure. Continuous high pressure steam is used to make Espresso, Lungo, and Americano, but the Drip setting pauses and restarts the water flow as it brews, increasing the amount of time the water has contact with the coffee grounds.

The results were really quite tasty, though it does take longer to brew than it might with a dedicated drip machine. The default settings are actually the same as the Espresso: 1.6 ounces (50ml) shot volume, "High" (.39oz/11g) strength, and is 205°F (96°C) brewing temperature, all of which can be adjusted in the settings menu. More water is added to make Drip, so the total default volume is 5.6 ounces (166ml). It does produce a crema, which isn't expected in a drip coffee, but it works.

I fiddled around with the settings a bit, increasing the strength to "Max" and it still isn't a super strong cup of coffee. This is down to personal taste, I thought it was just strong enough but my husband thought it tasted weak.

I did put some in the fridge overnight to make iced coffee the next day. It was drinkable, but it did pick up a little bit of bitterness. The better way to make iced coffee is to use the Espresso setting (or Lungo if you like it less strong) and add ice.

Hot Water

The Hot Water option is great for making tea or other hot beverages. The default volume is about seven ounces (200ml) and the temperature is 201°F (94°C), but of course they can be adjusted in the settings menu.

Notably, the Terra Kaffe has a separate water nozzle, so it's not pulling (potentially bitter) coffee leftovers on its way through. You won't get stale coffee notes in your tea. It's close enough to the coffee nozzle that you wouldn't notice that there are two unless you look closely.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Terra Kaffe Demi?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Terra Kaffe Demi: also consider

How I tested the Terra Kaffe Demi

I brewed and drank every drink on the menu: Espresso, Lungo, Americano, and Drip. I tried the Espresso, Lungo, and the Drip (pre-chilled) over ice. I drank many cups of my favorites, Espresso and Drip. I drank all of them black and lightly sweetened. I tried the iced coffee with frothed skim milk as well. I cleaned and emptied the waste bin and drip tray every day or two. I pulled out the brew unit and cleaned that once as well.

First reviewed July 2026

When the news reached my ears that Aldi was launching a £60 "Dyson rival" stick vacuum cleaner, my heart sank a bit. After two years of reviewing stick vacuums, one of the biggest things I learned is that ultra-cheap vacuums are almost always a big old waste of money.

My rule of thumb with vacuums is that the absolute cheapest you can go is around £150. Listen, I'm sorry. I know that's still a decent chunk of change, and especially for a gadget that no one really enjoys using. But if you want a vacuum that's going to do more than gently brush your carpet while emitting a light breeze of suction, you'll need to absorb the cost.

Below, I've rounded up my top affordable stick vacuum picks. My #1 choice is the Dreame R20, which sits right at the top of our best budget vacuum ranking and delivers very capable cleaning, a lightweight and maneuverable build, and some bonus advanced features, all for an extremely reasonable price. Shark is also a solid brand to look at — its range is sprawling, and prices fluctuate regularly, but it rarely disappoints on performance, and there's usually a discounted option in the lineup that's worth snapping up.

Read on for 6 budget vacuum cleaners I'd buy instead of Aldi's newest option. Or, if you're interested in how these picks compare on the wider market, head to my general best cordless vacuum guide.

Brilliant budget vacs

• Google is rolling out a new Gemini for Home update to fix voice commands for Spotify
• The company is also fixing message broadcasting and smart light controls
• Despite the upgrades, users are criticizing Google for not fixing the issues they've been experiencing for a while

The transition to Gemini has been rough — even Google knows that, but the latest Google Home update aims to tackle a handful of pain points with voice commands.

In an announcement issued yesterday (August 20), Google shared three fixes coming to the Gemini for Home voice assistant, which is still in early access. Additionally, features in the Google Home app are also tipped to get a glow-up.

The first voice command fix is for Spotify requests, which Google says has been improved to better recognize the artists, songs, and playlists you ask your Google smart speaker to play. More often than not, Gemini for Home has struggled to register commands when you ask it to launch certain playlists, while other voice commands have been interpreted as music requests.

Now, you can get your smart hub to play specific personal playlists, such as your Liked songs, and it will produce smoother results, but Google adds that Personal Results need to be enabled to request things like Liked songs and personal playlists.

As well as Spotify improvements, Google says it’s updated message broadcasting, which now works as a two-step process. The first step requires you to say ‘Hey Google, broadcast message’, and after a short wait, you can follow up with your message as a second command. Previously, you had to broadcast your message in one long voice request, so this fix removes the chance of miscommunication.

Lastly, Google is letting you be even more precise with adjusting the lighting in your home. The Gemini for Home update now lets you set your smart lights to a specific color temperature to create the perfect ambiance for a movie night or an evening soiree with friends. You can try saying, ‘Hey Google, make the living room lights 2700 kelvins,’ and your lights will change accordingly.

Useful upgrades, but there’s more to be done

Google began phasing out the old Google Assistant across its ecosystem of devices in 2025, and it will be shut down for good on Android and Wear OS devices on September 4 in favor of Gemini. The same goes for smart home devices, but the switch to Gemini for Home has been far from smooth.

Though the Spotify fixes and other voice request updates are welcomed solutions, user have called Google out for glossing over the main issues that have been plaguing their experiences, and there’s still a lot more work to be done to fix surface-level features.

Redditors who are also long-time Google Home users have shared their struggles with the transition; one user says, ‘the move to Gemini has been rough for us,’ recalling that basic household commands such as setting alarms are still hit-or-miss for them. ‘I just hope this all gets fixed soon,’ they added.

Luckily, they’re not the only one riding the struggle bus. Another user says they’re still experiencing issues with creating and scheduling basic automations for their thermostat, while a user with multiple Google devices says that Gemini is still unable to answer simple questions like ‘how long to cook a sweet potato’ — despite resetting their devices four times.

Not all the best smart speakers are perfect, but the rising reports of Gemini for Home’s ill performance are worrying for the future of Google’s smart home ecosystem. The updates are rolling out at too slow a pace, and users are already starting to lose trust.

• UKSOL says it's the first in the UK to achieve regulatory compliance for plug-in solar products
• It's ground mount kits with one or two solar panels go on sale on August 27
• That's when solar is legal in the UK, and we can expect more of these kits to be available

UKSOL has announced that it's the first solar company in the UK to achieve regulatory compliance for plug-in solar kits, the first of which will be on sale in just a week.

Those products are the UKSOL Plug-In Solar Pro Compact 460W Ground Mount Kit (consisting of a single solar panel), and the Plug-In Solar Pro Duo 890W Ground Mount Kit (two panels). Both of these go on sale from August 27 in the UK — when plug-in kits become legal in this country — albeit in "limited stocks" to begin with.

A pair of hybrid mount kits — a single panel 515W offering, and a 920W two-panel product — have also been approved, and these should be available in October 2026 (or that's the current plan).

All of these have met the relevant regulatory standards, and are listed as 'compliant' in the ENA (Energy Network Association) Connect Direct plug-in solar device database.

The Plug-In Solar Pro products have been developed specifically for the British market, UKSOL informs us in a press release, and these are all-in-one kits that come with everything you need to be up and running.

With the kits out next week, alongside the UKSOL panel(s) you get an integrated (foldable) ground-mounting frame with a ballast tray, as well as the necessary 800W microinverter plus DC and AC cables. There's a smartphone app for monitoring the system, too.

Pricing for the Pro Compact (single panel) 460W Ground Mount Kit is £849 with VAT and two-man delivery included, with the Pro Duo 890W Ground Mount Kit running to £1,199 (also with VAT and delivery). The RRP at retailers is £699 and £1,089 respectively.

Andrew Moore, the CEO of UKSOL, commented: "We expect plug in solar to become an exciting new consumer category, but there is a real responsibility on manufacturers and retailers to get the introduction right. Consumers should be able to understand who manufactured or supplied their system, what testing has been undertaken, what warranty and technical support sits behind it and whether it meets the requirements for the UK market."

He added: "Price will obviously matter, but solar equipment is a long-term electrical product. Safety, provenance, quality and after-sales support need to matter too."

Analysis: An alternative to full solar is (almost) here

The ground mount kits are, of course, placed on the ground in your garden or other outside area (and weighed down using the ballast tray, to ensure that if it gets windy, you aren't going to end up with overturned panels).

The other option from UKSOL is to buy a hybrid mount kit in October, and these can be situated on the ground, or on a wall (or balcony). They'll arrive in a 515W compact (one panel) variant and an 890W dual panel setup, with other offerings too (up to a 1260W hybrid kit). No pricing is available for those yet.

Kits from other manufacturers should be going on sale soon enough as plug-in solar becomes legal on August 27, when UKSOL's first ground mount offerings become available. Manufacturers must ensure compliance with UK regulations, of course, as UKSOL has done, with the likes of Asda, Currys, B&Q, Wickes, and Screwfix potentially stocking these solutions.

Plug-in panels offer a good alternative as a scaled-down version of a full roof-mounted solar setup, as not every house can have the latter — flats certainly can't, and some roofs just aren't suitable. Plug-in solar is the obvious choice if you're renting, and don't own the property, too — and they're a lot less of a financial commitment than a full roof installation.

A typical payback period for plug-in (when the electricity saved roughly equals the cost of the panels) is three to five years, according to the experts, which is way quicker than a typical full solar install.

Note that there are certain requirements in terms of the rules for the location of plug-in solar panels — you can't put them on wooden balconies for example (due to the fire risk), and the same goes for fences.

Although we're technically near the end of summer, it doesn't feel that way for most of the United States because of the scorching temperatures. If you've been thinking about getting a fan, no company does it better than Dyson, and one of its best-selling models is on sale at its lowest price yet.

Amazon has Dyson's Purifier Cool PC1 Tower Fan on sale for $399.99 (originally $549.99), which is a whopping $150 discount and a record-low price.

• Shop more daily deals at Amazon.

Now you might be thinking that's still expensive for a cooling fan, but this is much more than a fan. Dyson makes some of the best fans on the market, and this bladeless model features a powerful HEPA H13 filter that captures 99.97% of microscopic allergens and pollutants, plus 97% of odors from cooking, pets, or smoke.

The premium fan also delivers over 76 gallons per second of smooth yet powerful airflow, so you can stay cool on hot August days. You can easily control and monitor your Dyson fan from its compatible app, so you can set schedules from anywhere.

Dyson's Purifier Cool Fan is on sale for its lowest price yet

Discounts on Dyson fans are rare outside major holiday sales, and today's Amazon deal is a new record low. Beat the heat for less and enjoy clean, cool air.

You can also find the best prices on more of our top-rated fans below.

• Another next-gen battery upgrade has been reported
• Zinc-iodine batteries are now more stable
• The tech promises a more sustainable lithium-ion replacement

Lithium-ion batteries had a good run, but the next generation of battery technologies are rapidly approaching for consumer devices and large-scale industry use. One of the leading candidates to become the new default are aqueous zinc-iodine batteries (AZIBs).

Researchers from Flinders University in Australia have published details of the latest steps forward in zinc-iodine technology. Prototype battery elements based on these materials can now manage more than 60,000 recharge and discharge cycles, with recharges in just three minutes — though that's for a small battery compartment, in a lab, not a full battery.

As they're aqueous (water-based), the batteries don't come with the same risk of explosion and fire as standard lithium-ion batteries do. However, there are challenges to overcome: these batteries tend to deteriorate as they're used because of the chemical reactions happening inside, which isn't ideal for something powering your next tablet.

In their latest paper, the researchers outline a molecular cage that's strong enough to prevent the battery's iodine from escaping, but not too restrictive that it prevents the necessary chemical reactions from working. It means batteries that are more stable in operation and which last longer.

A viable alternative

The tech specs shared by the researchers indicate the fast-charging, long-life potential of AZIBs. In addition to those benefits and the reduced fire risk, they could also be easier to resource and manufacture — reducing the pressure on lithium-ion materials.

There are a couple of caveats to bear in mind. The researchers acknowledge that this technology is best suited to "large-scale energy storage", at least to begin with, so we're talking more about storing the electricity generated by a solar plant than something you can slot into the back of a smartphone

The technology still has a long way to go before you'll see it appear, as encouraging as these recent steps forward are. The researchers aren't yet at the stage of building fully working, full-size prototype batteries yet — although each of these upgrades to the battery science gets us closer to that point.

"Rechargeable aqueous zinc-iodine batteries are shaping up as a viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries for large-scale energy storage and our group is now working with industry to establish a prototyping platform for this battery system," said chemistry professor Zhongfan Jia, from Flinders University.

• Amazon has made Alexa+ free to use on Fire TV devices
• You can ask it to find movie recommendations and also integrate it with other smart home devices
• The best part is that you don't need an Amazon Prime membership to make the most of it

Access to Amazon’s AI voice assistant, Alexa+, has always required a Prime membership — but now the company is upgrading it as a free-to-use tool on eligible Fire TV devices.

Rolling out to Fire TV owners in the US now, users will be able to make use of Alexa+ on the big screen at no additional fee. This includes current-generation Fire TV Sticks, the Fire TV Cube, and Amazon Ember smart TVs, as well as third-party smart TVs with Alexa built-in such as Hisense and Panasonic.

While the upgrade is limited to US users for now, Amazon shared that it will consider expanding to additional regions over time, so there’s light at the end of the tunnel for users outside of the US at least. It’s also great news for those who have a Fire TV device, but aren’t Amazon Prime members.

When Amazon launched Alexa+ back in February 2025, the tech giant threw Alexa+ access into its pool of Prime membership perks at no additional cost. For those without a Prime membership, a standalone Alexa+ subscription costs $19.99 a month.

Having a Fire TV device without a Prime membership is more than doable, as you can still watch titles from the best streaming services given that you’re subscribed to each of them separately. The only platform you won’t be able to access is Prime Video, as that’s one of the perks of being an Amazon Prime member.

As expected, Alexa+ on Fire TV devices is there to make your browsing experience more enjoyable and put an end to your indecisiveness when trying to find a Friday night movie or a new TV show to binge. Not only can you search for titles, but Alexa+ is also designed to better understand requests and follow-up questions.

For example, if you like a particular actor, you can ask Alexa+ to compile a selection of their movies, or if you want to dive deeper into a specific genre, you can ask something like ‘recommend me a top-rated thriller’. From there, you can narrow down your search by asking for a recently released title, or be even more precise and ask for one with a female lead.

Outside of its entertainment assistance, Alexa+ on Fire TV also helps integrate your smart home ecosystem. If you have a Ring Video Doorbell, you can launch live camera feeds on your TV with a simple voice request — and these functionalities extend to other smart home devices, too.

Want to set the ambience in your home for a dinner party or movie night? You can ask Alexa+ on your Fire TV to dim the lights on compatible devices. Need to secure your home? You can also ask Alexa+ to lock the doors when paired with your smart lock, making your Fire TV the central hub of your setup.

It’s not every day Amazon rolls out an upgrade without costly catches, as Alexa+ access on Echo devices still requires a Prime or standalone Alexa+ membership — but hey, we’re not complaining; a freebie is a freebie. With this in mind, it’s likely that Amazon is giving users a taste of Alexa’s upgraded capabilities with the hope that prospective customers will sign up for Prime.

Since Alexa+ was launched, Amazon says its popularity with users has grown exponentially. "Alexa+ customers have nearly twice as many conversations on Fire TV as they did with the original Alexa because Alexa+ understands what they're asking — and gives them useful answers back," Amazon claims.

Given this growth, it makes sense that Amazon wants to put Alexa+ at the forefront of its smart home devices and give as many users as possible a taste of Alexa’s new capabilities. Keeping Alexa+ locked behind a paywall limits exposure to those without an Amazon Prime membership, so granting some kind of free access is a no-brainer.

I’ve used and reviewed a number of the best coffee machines in Australia in the last few years, from simple one-button pod options through to more involved models offering plenty of refinement. For my money, one of the standout espresso machines I’ve had the pleasure of using is the Philips LatteGo 4400 Series, and it’s now down to AU$763 at Amazon.

This compact model from Philips is a fully automatic machine, meaning you only need to touch a few buttons to be rewarded with a well-made cuppa. It also means you can start the brewing process and walk away to complete other tasks, which is an excellent use of time if you ask me.

The Philips LatteGo 4400 Series isn’t the first automatic espresso machine I’ve used — and it certainly won’t be the last — but it’s left a lasting impression on me for a number of reasons. Firstly, it’s just so darn easy to master. Touch-enabled buttons are clearly labelled and the small colour screen is easy to read.

Then there’s the main event: the coffee. As I said in my Philips LatteGo 4400 Series review, it consistently brews a great-tasting coffee. I did have to adjust the grind setting for the best results, but thankfully that’s an easy process that shouldn’t scare newbies.

What you’re also getting here are 12 drink presets, two customisable user profiles and an automatic milk-foaming system, which is where it gets the LatteGo name. The user profiles are particularly useful if you have more than one person in your household using the machine: just enter a profile, select a drink and then the start button, that’s it.

Where I found the LatteGo 4400 falls a bit is with its headline feature — the LatteGo milk-foaming system. This sees a milk carafe being attached to the machine, for it to then deliver hot foamed milk into your cup or mug. I personally wasn’t all that thrilled with the level of foam produced, and it certainly won’t appeal to hardcore cappuccino fans, but flat white drinkers might actually prefer it. I found I achieved much better results using the Philips Baristina Milk Frother separately, and that’s not an expensive addition to add to your coffee routine, costing just under AU$120 on Amazon.

As for the actual coffee-making part though, I simply cannot fault the 4400 Series. Navigating through the menus is as easy as can be, and I’m consistently satisfied with the results.

While the price did go lower recently (and it's gone even lower before) the current price of this highly capable machine still beats Prime Day back in July (when it was AU$878). I can’t be sure how long this discount will last, so this could be one to jump on ASAP if your kitchen is crying out for a coffee machine.

Want more suggestions?

Amazon has a few other coffee machines at discounted prices at the time of writing, including the Philips Baristina and Ninja Luxe Cafe, both of which claim spots in my guide to the best coffee machines in Australia.

Here are some other standout deals for you to consider:

• Philips Baristina – was AU$559 now AU$449.25
• Ninja Luxe Cafe (Stainless Steel) – was AU$799 now AU$585
• Breville Bambino Plus – was AU$729 now AU$497
• KitchenAid Semi Automatic – was AU$999 now AU$777

The Ninja Crispi Pro arrived in Australia only in June this year, and I immediately wanted it. You see, I'd been eyeing the standard Ninja Crispi for a while because the nonstick coating of the trays in my two-drawer air fryer was coming off. My research told me that it wasn't toxic, but I was still concerned.

So it was serendipitous that the larger Crispi Pro came along just when I was ready to ditch my old air fryer — and at a price that wasn't all that much more over the standard Crispi. For AU$399 RRP, it may not be 'cheap' but it sure is good value considering how well it's performed in the last couple of months I've had mine. So much so that I don't regret ditching my previous air fryer that was more versatile thanks to a steam functionality as well.

Right now, the Crispi Pro is going slightly cheaper as well, down to AU$318 on Amazon and AU$322 at JB Hi-Fi, and available in four colour options.

I may not have done TechRadar's Ninja Crispi Pro review, but I wholeheartedly agree with its high star rating and, for me, it comes down to the glass containers more than the performance — all the best air fryers in Australia offer excellent cooking results, but few are as safe as glass.

Glass is also remarkably easy to clean — just chuck it in the dishwasher without even having to think about it or soak it in the sink if you have caked-in food on the sides and a light scrubbing will have it sparkling again.

I also appreciate the bigger container's massive 5.7L capacity, something that most two-drawer air fryers don't offer (for context, you get about 4L to 4.5L at most in the average dual-basket models). You don't have to worry about picking the smallest chicken to roast, for example, and can make fries or wedges for up to 10 people.

The smaller 2.3L container is fine for making dishes for a single person, but I would be careful with what I put in there. Chicken drumsticks, for example, have a little height to them and when I tried cooking two in the smaller container, the raw and cooked results scraped against the rubber gasket around the top heating element of the appliance every time I took the container out or replaced it on the modular stand.

Sitting higher within the machine also means that the food is close to the heating element on the top of the appliance, so if the food you're cooking splutters, you'll need to ensure you clean the heating element after each use to prevent burns and subsequent deterioration in performance.

However, 'flatter' foods like a fillet of fish, fries or some vegetables for roasting is fine in the smaller basket.

Ninja also has a 3.2L container as well, but you'll need to buy that separately. Personally, I'd have preferred the 3.2L and 5.7L dishes to be the default options, with the 2.3L being the additional purchase, but that's not a complaint in any way; it's a reflection of my own needs.

The fact that all the containers come with airtight lids is also a tick in my books. Got leftovers? Leave them in the container, cover and pop in the fridge, then just reheat in the air fryer itself. That's less cleaning up!

Despite the two containers, the Crispi Pro doesn't take up too much space on the kitchen counter. In fact, its footprint is about half that of my previous dual-basket air fryer, and most of us would be able to stow away a small glass container in a drawer or cabinet. And I now no longer worry about black bits contaminating my food.

If you're keen on an air fryer upgrade, I'd highly recommend the Ninja Crispi Pro but, if you don't need to feed an army, even the standard Ninja Crispi is a good option (it just has smaller containers).

• Aldi is launching a new £40 vacuum cleaner in its Specialbuys restock
• There's also a new mini air fryer for £20, which is ideal for saving kitchen space
• Once they're gone from Aldi's middle aisle, that's it

Aldi’s famous middle aisle is a one-stop shop of random products, and you always end up finding something you never knew you needed — now the retailer is launching two new household appliances in its Specialbuys range that aren’t going to break the bank.

Tomorrow (August 20), Aldi will be launching a new stick vacuum cleaner, drawing inspiration from popular, premium models from Dyson and Shark. The Cyclonic Stick Vacuum Cleaner comes in two colors (black or white), priced at a very reasonable £39.99.

Despite launching as part of Aldi’s ‘Student Home’ collection, the Cyclonic Stick Vacuum Cleaner is for anyone who’s after a new cleaning appliance but (understandably) doesn’t want to pay sky-high prices for a Dyson or other best vacuum cleaners out there. And from its specs, it seems as though it’s enough to get the job done.

In addition to its 180° swivel head, a handy feature to help you get to hard-to-reach areas smoother, Aldi’s new vacuum cleaner packs a DC motor and a motorized brush with LED lights for highlighting any specks of debris that haven’t been collected.

According to Aldi’s product description, the Cyclonic Stick Vacuum Cleaner is ‘lightweight, powerful, and easy to manoeuvre,’ and ‘delivers deep cleaning performance on every floor’. However, its 32-minute runtime might be a bit of a setback for some, but for a £40 vacuum cleaner, you can’t really complain.

But that’s not the only exciting new addition to Aldi’s middle aisle — it’s also getting a new £20 mini air fryer, which is also set for an August 20 launch. Now, air fryers at Aldi aren’t exactly a new phenomenon, they’ve been easy to come across in the past, but snagging one for £20 is quite a steal.

Much like its new Cyclonic Stick Vacuum Cleaner, the new mini air fryer is an affordable supermarket alternative to the best air fryers that may sit out of your budget. But if a small and simple cooking appliance is all you need, it’s a no-brainer.

With a 1.9L capacity cooking basket, it’s big enough to cook in small quantities for one person similar to the Instant Vortex Mini, our best budget air fryer. Though Aldi doesn’t identify any cooking presets, the air fryer does have an LED digital panel and is equipped with overheat protection, meaning you can be at peace with leaving it on your countertop to do its job.

Aldi’s Specialbuys is the perfect chance to get your hands on household gadgets for a fraction of the price that leading appliance brands are asking for. It's great to see these budget-friendly alternatives crop up every now and then, but as it is with every Specialbuys restock, once these appliances are gone, they're gone for good.

• Google is building on its new Insulin Resistance Trends health feature with PhotoScan
• PhotoScan is 'an investigational deep learning framework' that can estimate body fat using a phone's camera with 'near DXA accuracy'
• It's not yet available to the public, but the research 'demonstrate[s] the feasibility' of such features

As the Google Pixel Watch 5 launched last week alongside a slew of new Pixel phones, one of the most interesting new developments was the introduction of the Pixel Watch's new Health Guardian suite of tools, including Insulin Resistance Trends.

Insulin Resistance Trends showcases a month-by-month breakdown containing estimations of how your body responded to blood sugar spikes — a crucial component in weight management and the development of Type-2 diabetes.

Body composition — your ratio of different kinds of fat, skeletal muscle, and bone — is also an excellent marker of insulin resistance and metabolic health, so body scans are often used to help determine insulin resistance. Body comp is often measured with medical-grade 'DXA' scans, which use X-Rays, or commercially available devices at home.

These home devices can be the best smart scales or even some smartwatches, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Without medical DXA scanners, they usually use a process called 'bioelectrical impedence analysis', or BIA. A low-level electric current is sent through the user's body, moving through fat, muscle, and bone at different speeds. The speed of the electrical current helps the device estimate the percentages of each material in the body: a useful thing to have on a health-monitoring device like a smartwatch.

However, Google is busy researching an even more accurate version of a body scan without using any specialist equipment or BIA kit — in fact, it's just a smartphone camera and an onboard AI model. This in-development feature is called PhotoScan, appropriately.

According to its research blog, Google has been developing PhotoScan by matching smartphone photographs of subjects with medical-grade DXA scans, along with other subject information, then running it all through an AI model. The AI model eventually achieved 'strong DXA agreement' when estimating body fat percentage and other metrics, leading to 'near-DXA accuracy for predicting insulin resistance'.

The researchers conclude that 'clinical DXA imaging delivers the most accurate body composition but lacks scalability, whereas wearable BIA sensors offer convenience but are limited to basic body fat percentage.

'Our PhotoScan approach offers a promising middle ground, estimating granular body composition from standard smartphone imagery with near-DXA accuracy.' Sorry, Samsung — it looks like we'll be pivoting away from BIA sensors and towards smartphone cameras for body fat percentage calculation in future.

While the technology doesn't seem to be commercially available yet, it does 'demonstrate the feasibility of smartphone-based body composition estimation,' and I'd be surprised not to see it make its way to the best Pixel phones eventually.

Air fryers can be useful in all kinds of kitchen setups, but they're especially worth considering if you're moving into student accommodation. An air fryer can almost completely replace an oven and stove, performing of a whole spectrum of frying and baking jobs with ease. They're perfect for cooking small portions quickly, without wasting excess energy too.

Our general best air fryer guide runs down more options in more detail, but below I've rounded up my top recommendations for students in particular. I've focused on affordable options, and included a number of small-footprint fryers for those who find themselves fighting for counter space in a pokey student kitchen. I've also featured the Ninja Crispi, which uses the same glass containers for cooking, serving and storing, making it an extremely low-effort (and low-washing up!) option. Scroll down for my top student air fryer picks, or hop to the bottom for my buying tips to help you choose.

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