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• 
  Prima at RHS Cardiff

  Join Prima for a jam-packed day out in Cardiff. The event will include a tour of Cardiff Castle, talks by flower and gardening experts, tea, cake and a visit to the RHS Show Cardiff.

  The event will be held at the impressive Cardiff Castle and visitors will enjoy a guided tour through the extravaganza of painted murals, stained glass, gilding and sculpture - it's a Welsh Victorian Camelot. For directions visit www.cardiffcastle.com

  Following your tour, you’ll get to enjoy talks from celebrated gardener and broadcaster Chris Beardshaw. Chris has presented BBC Gardeners’ World and his own series The Flying Gardener. He’s also a regular panellist on Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time. Chris will be talking about his passion for gardening and answering your questions – the perfect chance to get advice from the talented man himself! In addition, you will be able to enjoy talks from the fantastic Katherine Kear – national speaker, teacher and demonstrator for the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies. Learn more about her expertise at www.katherinekear.co.uk.

  Bute Park, the majestic grounds of Cardiff Castle, will be playing host to the RHS Show Cardiff, a hive of activity as specialist nurseries fill marquees and plots. It’s the first major horticultural show of the season, with designer gardens, a craft and farmers’ market and a lively programme on the bandstand. The RHS Show Cardiff is a great family day out and a perfect opportunity to be inspired for the season!

  Join us as we usher in spring and showcase the best in Welsh horticulture. Readers will have the opportunity to enjoy the Prima activity in the morning, followed by free entry to the RHS Show Cardiff in the afternoon. Or you have the option of visiting the RHS Show Cardiff first and attending the Prima activity afterwards. Both Prima sessions will include tea and a selection of cakes. And while you’re in Cardiff, why not make a weekend of it by exploring the city? If you like shopping, you’ll love Cardiff’s under-cover malls and network of Victorian and Edwardian arcades with high street brands, designer boutiques and quirky gift shops. Visit www.eventsincardiff.com for more details.

  Date: Friday 20 April 2012             

  Venue: Bute Park, Cardiff Castle

  Session 1:  10am – 1pm (Prima activity followed by the RHS show)

  Session 2:  1pm – 4pm    (RHS show followed by Prima activity)

  Cost: £27 per ticket / £25 for RHS members    

  TO BOOK: Call 020 7312 3905 and indicate which session you wish to attend.

• 
  Review of Cuisinart Elite FP12DCSU food processor

  Features

  1200W. 1 speed plus pulse. 2.1 litre bowl plus smaller bowl and two feed chute sizes. Max liquid capacity: 1.7 litres. Max dough capacity 700g. Attachments include: whipping disc, adjustable slicing blade, fine grater, course grater, dough blade.  Tool storage box.

  Comments

  Good points: Good chopping, blending and dough making results. Motor will not start unless large pusher is in place. Sturdy bowl and lid. Excellent instructions, clear and concise. Useful storage box for attachments. Finger holes in discs makes them easy to remove. Push on lid is easy to attach and remove. Stable on work surface. Generous bowl size.

  Drawbacks: Intricate lid design makes it hard to wash and dry. Longer items like cucumber have to be cut to fit wider chute or motor will not start without pusher in place. Poor results for grating chocolate, quite a bit was trapped above the blade.

  Rating: 86/100

  Price Range: £199.99 - 240

  Stockist: 0870 240 6902 - http://www.cuisinart.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - April 2011

• 
  Review of AWT by Breville VFP013 food processor

  Features

  880W. 4 manual speeds, 8 pre-set progs plus pulse. 1.5 litre bowl. Max liquid capacity: 1 litre. Max dough capacity: 1kg. Attachments include: emulsifying disc, adjustable slicer, fine grater, course grater, julienne disc, blender jug.  Tool storage drawer.

  Comments

  Good points: Fast and efficient for all tasks. Pre-set programmes are useful and easy to use - one touch.  Slicing blade can be adjusted to multiple thicknesses.

  Drawbacks: Noisy. Tall bowl makes it messy to add ingredients. Storage drawer too small to fit much in. Moved around during mincing test.

  Rating: 86/100

  Price: £109

  Stockist: 0800 525 089 - http://www.breville.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - April 2011

• 
  Review of Philips Robust HR7781 food processor

  Features

  1200W. 2 speeds plus pulse. 4.0 litre bowl. Max liquid capacity: n/s Max dough capacity: 2kg. Attachments include: balloon style whisk, dough tool, julienne disc. Tool storage.

  Comments

  Good points: Planetary action balloon whisk efiiciently whips cream. Generous width of feed tube easily accommodates whole cucumber. Excellent, even results for chopping nuts, onions and bread and slicing cucumber.

  Drawbacks: Some movement on work surface when kneading dough. Slight leakage through lid and base when filled to max capacity with liquid.

  Rating: 86/100

  Price: £350

  Stockist: 0800 331 601 - http://www.philips.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - April 2011

• 
  Review of Magimix Cuisine 5200 food processor

  Features

  950W. 1 speed plus pulse. 3 litre bowl plus two smaller bowl sizes. Max liquid capacity 1.3 litres. Max dough capacity 1kg. Attachments include: egg whisk, slicer, fine grater, course grater, dough blade, citrus press. Tool storage box. Choice of four finishes.

  Comments

  Good points: One of the quietest tested. Wide bowl makes it easy to add ingredients. Large press controls are easy to use. Spacious tool box for attachments. Sturdy, solid machine.

  Drawbacks: Messy when whipping cream, hard to view through bowl sides. Some residue remained after grating chocolate. Moved a little during dough test. Leaked through lid when filled to maximum liquid capacity. No measuring scale on bowl sides.

  Rating: 84/100

  Price Range: £179.99 - 229

  Stockist: 01252 727755 - http://www.magimix.com

  GHI Test Report - April 2011

• 
  Review of Bosch MCM4100 food processor

  Features

  800W. 2 speeds plus pulse. 2.29 litre bowl. Max liquid capacity 1.21 litres. Max dough capacity: 1kg. Attachments include: whisking disc, fine slicer, course slicer, fine grater, course grater, dough tool, French fry disc, citrus press, juice extractor. Integrated tool storage drawer.

  Comments

  Good points: Easy to view through bowl. Quite a compact design. Good slicing, blending and chopping results.  Efficiently blended mayonnaise and whipped cream well.

  Drawbacks: White plastic blade holders stain easily and tend to drag ingredients like chocolate and cheese rather than grating cleanly. Very poor instructions, wordy and hard to follow with few diagrams. Storage drawer is awkward to open. Handle fills with soap and water during cleaning. Noisy  blender.

  Rating: 82/100

  Price Range: £99.99 - 119.99

  Stockist: 0844 892 8923 - http://www.bosch-home.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - April 2011

• 
  Review of Dualit Compact food processor

  Features

  900W. 1 speed plus pulse and auto pulse. 2.8 litre bowl plus smaller bowl. Max liquid capacity 2 litres. Max dough capacity: 600g. Attachments include: emulsifying disc, adjustable slicing blade, fine grater, course grater, dough blade. Tool tray.

  Comments

  Good points: Small bowl is useful for smaller quantities. Slicing blade can be adjusted to a useful range of thicknesses. Good results for whipping cream and bowl is easy to view through during this test. Quick to blend mayonnaise. Finger holds on discs makes them easy to remove.

  Drawbacks: Moved on work surface during some tests. Large bowl better for liquids as food tends to fall between disc and bowl. Chocolate jammed around blade edge when grating. Feed hole  too small to accommodate cucumber. No measuring scale on bowl. Bowl a little stiff to remove.

  Rating: 81/100

  Price: £179

  Stockist: 01293 652 500 - http://www.dualit.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - April 2011

• 
  Review of Tefal by Jamie Oliver food processor

  Features

  750W. 2 speeds plus pulse. 2 litre bowl. Max liquid capacity 500ml. Max dough capacity 600g. Attachments include: emulsifying disc, fine slicer, course slicer, fine grater, course grater, parmesan grater, French fry cutter, blender jug. Tool storage drawer.

  Comments

  Good points: Good at grating chocolate with little wastage. Good mincing and slicing results.

  Drawbacks: deafeningly noisy. Bowl is awkward to fit. Failed to form a ball during pastry test. Blender has step shaped design which means ingredients get stuck on the ledge and remain unmixed. Flimsy lid. Blender lid is hard to remove. Ridges inside main bowl make it hard to scrape clean. Handle traps soap and water during washing. Slow to chop bread into crumbs.

  Rating: 74/100

  Price: £79.99

  Stockist: 0845 602 1454 - http://www.tefal.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - April 2011

• 
  Review of Tefal Express Compact GV7095 steam generator

  Features

  2200W. Ceramic soleplate. 5 bar pressure. Iron weight: 1.3kg. 120g steam shot. 1.6 litre removable tank. 2m power cord. 1.8m steam cord. Built in anti scale filter. Carry lock

  Comments

  Good points: Good pointed tip for intricate items. Very smooth glide. Powerful boost of steam. Easy to use controls. Good crease removal. Useful carry lock.

  Drawbacks: Cord drags iron backwards easily as it is so slippery

  Rating: 80/100

  Price: £179.99

  Stockist: 0845 602 1454 - http://www.tefal.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of Philips GC7420 steam generator

  Features

  2400W. Ceramic soleplate. 4.5 bar pressure. Iron weight: 1kg. 120g steam shot. 1 litre water tank. 2m power cord. 1.65m steam cord. Calc clean system. Steam lock. 

  Comments

  Good points: Reached correct temperature on all dot settings. Quick to reach correct pressure for steaming. Removed creases well and glided smoothly.

  Drawbacks: Slow at reaching temperatures on each dot setting. Steam function could not be used on each dot setting. Steam setting is not variable. Slightly too light. 

  Rating: 77/100

  Price: £129.99

  Stockist: 0845 601 0354 - http://www.philips.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of DeLonghi Stirella VVX1870 steam generator

  Features

  2200W. Stainless steel and ceramic soleplate. Bar pressure n/s. Iron weight: 1.3kg. 180g steam shot. 700ml removable water tank. 2m power cord. 1.6m steam cord. Anti scale filter. Carry lock.

  Comments

  Good points: Carry lock is useful. Choice of steam triggers for ease of use.

  Drawbacks: Small amount of dripping on one dot setting. Average glide. Tank is stiff to remove. Steam boost not always responsive.

  Rating: 74/100

  Price: £229.99

  Stockist: 0845 600 6845 - http://www.delonghi.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of Morphy Richards Intellidome 42236 steam generator

  Features

  2200W. Stainless steel soleplate. 4 bar pressure. Iron weight: 1.0kg. 90g steam shot. 1.5 litre fixed tank. 1.8m power cord. 1.6m steam cord. Anti scale filter. Low water cut out.

  Comments

  Good points: Clear digital display and easy to use touch controls. Smooth glide. Lightweight iron. Good crease removal.

  Drawbacks: Continues steaming after the trigger is released. Fixed tank makes it awkward to fill and empty. Bulky design.

  Rating: 72/100

  Price: £249.99

  Stockist: 0844 871 8960 - http://www.morphyrichards.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of Bosch Power TDS2569 steam generator

  Features

  2800W. Ceramic soleplate. 5 bar pressure. Iron weight: 1.1kg. 120g steam shot. 800ml removable water tank. 2m power cord. 2m steam cord. Anti scale system.

  Comments

  Good points: Lightweight iron. Comfortable handle.

  Drawbacks: Steams vigorously when heating up. Slow to heat up, taking over four minutes. Steam is slow to stop when trigger is released. Small tank size compared to some models. Lighter iron means more pressure is needed.

  Rating: 70/100

  Price: £229.99

  Stockist: 0844 8929023 - http://www.bosch-home.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of LauraStar Evolution G4 steam generator

  Features

  2200W. Stainless steel soleplate. 3.5 bar pressure. Iron weight: 1.5kg. 220g steam shot. 1 litre removable water tank. 2.7m power cord. 2m steam cord. Strap to secure iron.

  Comments

  Good points: Accurate temperatures on two and three dot settings. Very powerful shot of steam. Good crease removal. Steam control easy to use.

  Drawbacks: Awful multi lingual instructions are confusing to follow. Noisy when heating up. Small, dull pilot light. Heavy. Controls rather basic.

  Rating: 64/100

  Price: £369

  Stockist: 08456 049049 - http://www.johnlewis.com

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of Russell Hobbs Slipstream 14864 steam generator

  Features

  2200W. Stainless steel soleplate. Iron weight: 1.1kg. 0-90g / min variable steam. 1.1 litre water tank. 1.8m power cord. 1.5m steam cord. Anti scale system. LCD backlit electronic control.

  Comments

  Good points: Lightweight iron.

  Drawbacks: Did not reach correct temperature across all dot settings. Slow at reaching temperature on all dot settings. Leaked badly on 1 dot setting. Steam function cannot be used on all dot settings. Tank capacity hard to see. Dial quite basic. Steam button not easy to use with the same hand using the iron. Some creases remain after ironing. Steam takes a while to build up again after use.

  Rating: 62/100

  Price: £149.99

  Stockist: 0845 658 9700 - http://www.russellhobbs.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of Polti Vaporella Forever Star steam generator

  Features

  1250W. Stainless steel soleplate. 5 bar pressure. Iron weight: 1.1kg. 150g steam shot. 1.1 litre removable water tank. 2m retractable power cord. 1.5m steam cord. Integral water filter.

  Comments

  Good points: Lightweight iron. Effortless glide. Powerful boost of steam.

  Drawbacks: Temperatures run low on all dot settings and thermostat is slow to cycle. Max mark on tank is hard to see. On / off switch is awkwardly positioned and small. Cord is stiff and rubs wrist when ironing.

  Rating: 60/100

  Price: £289

  Stockist: 08456 049049 - http://www.johnlewis.com

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of Tefal Ultimate FV9450 iron

  Features

  2600W. Weight: 1.8kg empty, 2.1kg full. Palladium soleplate. 150g steam shot. 0-50g / min variable steam. Water spray. 350ml water tank. 3m cord. Self clean control. Anti scale cartridge. Drip stop. Self cleaning soleplate. Safety cut out after 30 seconds.

  Comments

  Good points:  Responsive and powerful steam boost. Superb glide makes ironing effortless and offsets the weight. Wide opening makes it easy to fill. Comfortable handle. Easy to see controls.

  Drawbacks: No audible warning when auto switch off kicks in. Choice of programmes is confusing. Hard to see maximum mark. Handle quite wide for small hands. 

  Rating: 92/100

  Price: £89.99

  Stockist: 0845 6021454 - http://www.tefal.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

  
  

• 
  Review of Philips GC2840 iron

  Features

  2200W. Weight: 1.2kg empty, 1.5kg full. Steamglide soleplate. 100g steam shot. 0-32g/ min variable steam. Water spray. 300ml water tank. 2m cord. Self clean control. Anti scale. Drip stop.

  Comments

  Good points: Quick to heat. Did not leak when in use. Water in tank conveniently lasted a long time.

  Drawbacks: Temperature on 3 dot setting ran low. Steam function cannot be used on all dot settings. Control dial a little flimsy. Handle a bit hard. Steam control hard to reach if right handed.

  Rating: 89/100

  Price: £34.99

  Stockist: 0845 601 0354 - http://www.philips.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of Philips Energycare GC3640 iron

  Features

  2400W. Weight: 1.3kg empty, 1.9kg full. Non stick soleplate. 120g steam shot. 0-40g / min variable steam. Water spray. 300ml water tank. 3m cord. Anti calc system. Drip stop. Auto energy save feature.

  Comments

  Good points:  Energy saving feature works by providing more steam when pressure is applied to the handle. Easy to fill water tank. No dripping on low dot settings. Comfortable handle with good non slip finish. Good glide.

  Drawbacks: Steam boost is not always responsive when pressed in quick succession. Steam boost control is not easy to reach for right handers. Slow to heat up. Slide control a little flimsy.

  Rating: 82/100

  Price: £50

  Stockist: 0845 6010354 - http://www.philips.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of Rowenta Pro Master DW8010 iron

  Features

  2600W. Weight: 1.4kg empty, 2kg full. Platinum soleplate. 200g steam shot. 0-40g/min variable steam. Water spray. 375ml water tank. 2.5m cord. Anti scale system. Drip stop.

  Comments

  Good points: Smooth glide. Steam available on all dot settings without dripping.

  Drawbacks: Dull, small pilot light. Steam boost is not always responsive when pressed in quick succession. Heavy and bulky. Handle chunky for small hands.

  Rating: 82/100

  Price: £74.99

  Stockist: 0845 602 1454 - http://www.rowenta.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of Russell Hobbs Steam Glide Professional 14995

  Features

  2400W. Weight: 1.4kg empty, 1.7kg full. Ceramic soleplate. 100g steam shot. 0-40 g / min variable steam. Water spray. 350ml water tank. 2.9m cord. Self clean control. Drip stop.

  Comments

  Good points: Quick to heat. Comfortable handle. Easy to use control dial.

  Drawbacks: Did not reach correct temperature when on 3 dot setting. Steam function cannot be used on all 3 dot settings. No safety switch-off when left. Right hand users struggled to use water spray button whilst ironing. Glide could be smoother. Not overly stable on its heel.

  Rating: 82/100

  Price: £49.99

  Stockist: 0845 658 9700 - http://www.russellhobbs.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of Bosch Power II TDA5620 iron

  Features

  2750W. Weight 1.2kg empty, 1.4kg full. Ceramic soleplate. 120g steam shot. 0-40g / min variable steam. Water spray. 300ml water tank. 3m cord. Anti scale system. Drip stop.

  Comments

  Good points: Quick to heat. Large, clear pilot light. Good responsive steam boost which produces steam when pressed in quick succession. Steam available on all dot settings without dripping. Control dial is easy to grip.

  Drawbacks: No slip strips on handle are uncomfortable. Boost is needed for stubborn creases. Glide could be smoother.

  Rating: 81/100

  Price: £59.99

  Stockist: 0844 8929023 - http://www.bosch-home.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of Breville Technique VIN159 iron

  Features

  2700W. Weight: 1.5kg empty, 1.9kg full. Ceramic soleplate. 110g steam shot. 0-50g / min variable steam. Water spray. 400ml water tank. 3m cord. Self clean control. Anti scale filter. Drip stop. Safety cut out after 30 secs.

  Comments

  Good points: Jug icon flashes when tank needs filling. Audible beep when temperature has been reached. Quick to heat to all dot settings. Wide opening makes it easy to fill.

  Drawbacks: Water level is hard to see through the dark sides of the iron. Steam boost not always responsive when pressed in quick succession. Temperatures run low on all dot settings. Slight dripping on low dot settings. Steam control is hard to reach when right handed. Heavy when full. Flex annoying for left handers.

  Rating: 80/100

  Price: £69.99

  Stockist: 0800 525089 - http://www.breville.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011

• 
  Review of Bosch Sensixx TDS1135GB iron

  Features

  2800W. Weight: 1.5kg empty, 1.8kg full. Ceramic soleplate. 200g steam shot. 0-70g variable steam. Water spray. 400ml water tank. 3m cord. Self clean control. Anti calc system. Drip stop. Safety cut out after 30 secs.

  Comments

  Good points: Contains motor assisted steam system  which is similar to a steam generator which enables continuous steam. Quick to reach all dot settings.

  Drawbacks: Temperature on three dot setting runs low. Empties water tank in under 10 minutes when using steam frequently. No steam available on one or two dot settings. Water tank cover is hard to slide open.

  Rating: 80/100

  Price: £99.99

  Stockist: 0844 8929023 - http://www.bosch-home.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - March 2011