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• 
  Organise your bedroom

  'Your environment is key to getting good, restful sleep, and your bedroom should feel like a sanctuary,’ says Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, sleep expert at Silentnight. ‘Keep your bedroom free from clutter and junk – particularly the space around your bed, where tidiness clears the mind and helps you to let go of the day. Clutter is often distracting and creates mental “busyness” – the opposite of what is needed for peaceful sleep.’

  Take advantage of the space beneath the bed...
  Silentnight’s new Diamond Collection of pocket-sprung divan beds (from £769 for the 1400 Natural luxury double bed set) have storage drawers beneath to take all the clutter, including an option with two standard and two narrower continental drawers, so you can access them without moving the bedside cabinet. Or try Dreams for the Palermo double bed, £349, which has an ottoman-style lift-up base.

  Expert idea
  ‘Try on the contents of your wardrobe and donate the reject pile to charity, including anything that needs altering, as the chances are it won’t get done,’ says Julia Dee of Total Wardrobe Care.

  ● There’s a good reason for the current trend for tallboys. More practical than low cabinets, they over a bigger storage potential within a small amount of floor space.

  ● Don’t forget to sort out the spare room. According to a recent survey of 1000 homeowners by online wardrobe specialist Spaceslide, 81 per cent of people couldn’t list more than five things they stashed away in their spare room.

  ● Budget buy: Pretty up the room with vintage-style hangers and wall hooks if space is super-tight. Bombay Duck has a great selection.

  ● Shoes will last longer if you care for them properly on shelves or a shoe rack. Store in the Total Wardrobe shoe storage box, £10, John Lewis. It has a window so you can see inside at a glance.

  Image: PR Shots

  Look here too...

  Declutter your home fast

  Paying for a declutterer: what to expect

  More homes inspiration

• 
  Dreamy duvets: buying tips

  ‘Buy the best you can afford,’ says Jane Robson, creative director of The Fine Cotton Company. ‘Bedding should be seen as an investment and can make all the difference between a good or bad night’s sleep.’

  ● Trade up to a duvet with a down filling – it’s the lightest, fluffiest option and the best insulator. Down is often mixed with more robust feather; choose a product with at least 80 per cent down.

  ● Try a wool- or silk-filled duvet for a hypoallergenic option that’s resistant to dust mites. ‘Wool wicks moisture away from the body, for a sound night’s sleep,’ says Dick Beijen, founder of Devon Duvets.

  ● The top hollowfibre synthetics are readily washable, and often have anti-allergenic coatings. Look out for microfibre, which is similar in feel and weight to feather and down fillings. ‘A boxed wall construction ensures the duvet is never stitched through from front to back, so there are no cold spots,’ says Jane.

  More buying guides...
  How to buy the best sofa
  How to buy the best cutlery
  How to buy the best tableware

  Photo: PR Shots

• 
  Three fab bathroom cabinets

  A wall-mounted cupboard provides streamlined storage for all your bathroom essentials...

  Mirror, mirror

  Top: This oak cabinet with 34 LED lights features two glass shelves, a recharging socket and a no-touch on/off switch.
  
  Instinct Integrated LED bathroom cabinet, £530, John Lewis

  Feeling blue

  Bottom left: Handcrafted from oak with a soft-close door, this comes in green, eau de nil or white – perfect for a modern country bathroom.

  Compass bathroom cabinet, £260, Obi Furniture

  
  

  Slide show

  Bottom right: With a mirrored door that slides left or right to reveal side shelves, this cabinet is perfect for a contemporary bathroom scheme.

  Sphere bathroom cabinet, £265, Hudson Reed

  
  

  Photos: PR Shots 

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  Choosing a cast-iron bath

  Three of a kind: digital showers

  More bathroom buys

• 
  Review of Outback Spectrum Flatbed 3 Burner barbecue

  Features

   Gas. H88xW140xD59cm. Cooking area: 63.5x42cm. 3 burners. Gas hose and regulator, drip tray, grill and griddle. Warming rack. Cover.

  Comments

  Good points: Straightforward push button ignition. For maximum control, each burner has independent ignition. Even heat coverage, producing good results. Useful warming rack above the grill. Flare-ups from food drippings give foods an appealing char-grilled flavour.

  Rating: 80/100

  Price: £299

  Stockist: http://www.outbackbarbecue.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - August 2012

• 
  Review of Weber Q220

  Features

  Gas. H100xW125xD47cm. Cooking area: 54x30cm. Single rectangular burner. Comes with gas hose and regulator, disposable drip tray. Built-in thermometer on lid

  Good points: Push button ignition. Very quick to assemble. Compact and easy to manoeuvre. Side wings folded inwards for storage. Excellent results for grilling burgers, sausages and chicken. Very good when cooking with the lid closed. Disposable fat collector aids cleaning.

  Drawbacks: Side wings quite small and did not feel very robust. Grill needs continual greasing as food sticks.

  Rating: 67/100

  Price Range: £379.39

  Stockist: 01756 692 600 - http://www.weber.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - August 2012

• 
  Review of Breville 3-in-1 variable speed Hand Blender VHB065

  Features

  800W motor. 800ml max jug. Weight - 967g. 12 speeds plus turbo. Noise 76.5db. Length of continuous operation 60s/120s. Attachments: jug, blades, chopper bowl, whisk and whisk collar.

  Good points: Very easy to use for a range of food preparation tasks. Excellent blending results – smooth milkshakes and evenly blended soups. Good whisking results. Comprehensive instructions.

  Drawbacks: During blending quite a lot of suction created. Large food particles get stuck around chopper blades making then awkward to process.

  Rating: 78/100

  Price Range: £44.95

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

  GHI Test Report - June 2012

• 
  Review of Kenwood Kmix Tri-Blade HB890

  Features

  800W motor. Weight - 1167g. 5 speeds. Noise 83db. Length of continuous operation 3mins. Attachments: 2 sizes blades, whisk, chopper bowl with knife blade and slicing/shredding disc.

  Good points: Good versatile appliance which will do everything a food processor can except knead dough. Coped well with all food preparation tasks tested especially whisking and chopping. The supplied accessories are very well made and sturdy. Instructions are well laid out and very clear. Large processing bowl.

  Drawbacks: Pricey. Lid to the chopper bowl quite stiff to remove. Accessories not dishwasher safe.

  Rating: 81/100

  Price Range: £109.99

  Stockist: 02392 392333 - http://kenwood.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - June 2012

• 
  Review of Kenwood BL680 Series Blender

  Features

  2 speed settings plus pulse. 1.2 litre glass goblet. Pouring lip. Non-slip feet. Dishwasher safe goblet. Blades unscrew from goblet for cleaning.

  Good points: Good blending of mayonnaise and soups. Very simple to use.

  Drawbacks: Banana and bread became lodged under the blade so wasn’t processed. Some flour caught under blades when making batter.

  Rating: 80/100

  Price Range: £32.99

  Stockist: 02392 392333 - http://kenwood.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - June 2012

• 
  Review of Dualit The Blender DB44

  Features

  4 speed settings plus pulse and auto. 2 litre 1600ml plastic goblet. Pouring lip. Non-slip feet. Pre-set ice crushing setting. Dishwasher safe goblet. Blades unscrew from goblet for cleaning.

  Good points: Purees soup effortlessly, chops bread and crushes nuts and ice evenly and quickly. Controls are large and clear and auto pulse option is useful. Goblet is lightweight.

  Drawbacks: Comprehensive instructions. Blades are quite high so food can fall beneath, so wasn’t processed.

  Rating: 82/100

  Price Range: £149

  Stockist: 01293 652500 - http://www.dualit.com

  GHI Test Report - June 2012

• 
  Meet the Rangemaster

  With a Rangemaster at the heart of your kitchen, your kitchen is always the heart of your home.

  Famed for their wide collection of quality engineered range cookers, offering a variety of traditional and contemporary colours and styles, Rangemaster recognise that co-ordination is key in kitchen design and have developed an impressive range of other kitchen products and appliances. For example, Rangemaster is the UK’s largest manufacturer of kitchen sinks, offering cutting edge designs for every type of kitchen.

  Go sleek and stylish with the new geometric inspired stainless steel Senator sink, sure to make a statement in any home. A smooth, sloped drainer and square ‘zero radius’ bowls make the Senator sink ideal for contemporary kitchen styles.

  

  British country chic more your style? Look no further – Rangemaster’s ceramic sink collection includes an attractive mix of undermounted, sit-on and butler-style models to blend seamlessly into an Old English kitchen.

  If you want the hottest look for your kitchen, then you’ll love Rangemaster’s wide selection of fridge-freezers and wine storage units. Available in a variety of styles and high quality finishes to co-ordinate with other Rangemaster appliances, each offers a whole host of highly enviable features. The true hero within this range is the DxD four door fridge-freezer. A benchmark in ergonomic design, the DxD offers spatially efficient food storage and a host of clever cooling innovations, stylishly contained within sleek, modern aesthetics. Available in Stainless Steel, Cream or Black to co-ordinate with the popular Rangemaster cookers, the DxD offers enough space for even the largest of families.

  

  For the grown- ups – if wine making is an art, why not exhibit your collection? A Dual Zone wine storage unit is the perfect compromise for those favouring both red and white varieties, and will prove a showstopper at dinner parties! With two independently controlled cavities, the unit can be set to two different temperatures for preserving (or serving) your best collection at the correct temperature and humidity.

  As one of the UK’s leading kitchen appliance brands, Rangemaster also offers a comprehensive range of dishwashers, taps and built-in cooking products all designed to complement and co-ordinate with your chosen range cooker and made to exacting standards.

  For further information on Rangemaster’s stunning range cooking collection, or the comprehensive range of wider appliances as above, visit www.rangemaster.co.uk

  Life revolves around a Rangemaster.

  

• 
  Cuisinart ice-cream maker review

  Features

  2.0 litre bowl, ingredient feeder

  Bowl freezing time: 12 hours

  Comments

  Good points: Clearly laid out instructions with a good number of recipe ideas at the back. Good sturdy construction. The bowl rotates around the paddle. The angled paddle scrapes the sides of the bowl clean easily. Very easy to assemble. The paddle coped with chocolate chips easily. Large feed hole on top makes it easy to add ingredients. Easy to assemble. Good creamy ice cream results and well mixed sorbet.

  Rating: 82/100

  Price Range: £75

  Stockist: 0870 240 6902 - cuisinart.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - July 2011

• 
  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