THE EDIT

Best for budget

Laminate work surfaces have the visual appeal of natural materials, such as solid stone, but at more budgetfriendly price points. A compact laminate, like Bushboard’s Zenith, has a slim profile and can be draped down the side of a unit for a striking waterfall effect. Compact laminate is also easy to fit, tough and hard wearing, waterproof and resistant to impact and abrasion. Zenith Tectonica Fizzy 3050x650x 12.5mm compact worktop, £466.80, Builder Depot

▼ Best for a luxury look Enjoy a shimmer of sophistication with a quartz worktop. It is made from pieces of the natural mineral that is crushed and bonded together with resin and mixed with colour pigments, producing a solid surface. It is extremely hard, making it scratch, stain and erosion resistant, and the compact material inhibits the growth of bacteria. The glossy finish looks rich and luxurious – go for black for a bold, impactful scheme. Titan Quartz work surface, £720.95 per square metre, Wren kitchens

Best for sustainability

Green in looks and green by nature, this Silestone worktop’s serene colour is Posidonia Green, named after Neptune Grass, which grows in the Mediterranean Sea. The surface is made from recycled raw and mineral materials, and produced using reused water and renewable electric energy. The high performance material is hygienic and comes with a 25-year warranty. Silestone starts at £450 per square metre, from Cosentino

Expert advice

Real Homes’ Jenny McFarlane reveals how to care for your wooden work surface and preserve its natural beauty

Wooden countertops add warmth to a kitchen and are very robust. However, because they’re made of a natural material, it’s important to clean them properly. You can do this easily using washing up liquid, plus natural ingredients like lemon and white vinegar to lift stains. Then it’s all about good maintenance.

PREVENTION AND PROTECTION

If your wooden worktop is sitting above a dishwasher, washing machine or other appliances that radiate excess heat or moisture, protect it by applying a moisture barrier to the underside of the surface. If it’s near a freestanding oven, allow a 30mm gap between them and fix an end cap to the edge of the worktop closest to the oven. You’ll need to apply another coat of oil to seal the surface after installation, which should be repeated regularly over the next six to eight weeks. Test whether your worktop is oiled sufficiently by spraying a small amount of water onto the surface. If it pools rather than forming droplets, you’ll need another coat.

KEEP IT CLEAN

You can clean wooden worktops using washing up liquid, plus a couple of natural ingredients like lemon and white vinegar to lift stains. For a deep clean, you need to firstly remove any food debris. Mix some hot water and washing up liquid, then use the rough side of a sponge to remove any stains before wiping off. Once the area is clean, sanitise by spraying white vinegar liberally. Leave this for a few minutes and then scrub off again. This will also help with sticky areas and tough stains. Dry thoroughly to protect your wooden surface from warping or cracking. If vinegar didn’t lift the stain, try rubbing half a lemon on it to remove or at least lighten the mark. You could also drench steel wool in lemon juice and scrub until it’s gone.

THE EDIT Soup makers

Conquer the chilly months and warm your hands and heart on a bowl of homemade goodness with the best models on the market

REVIEW CORNER

Ambiano soup maker, £34.99, Aldi

Soup Chef Pro, £89.99, Drew & Cole Soup Maker Plus, £140, Cuisinart

Clarity soup maker, £89.99, Morphy Richards Ninja Foodi blender and soup maker, £149.99, Ninja Kitchen

Touch screen soup maker, £139.99, Lakeland

Want to know more? Read our reviews of the best blenders

Neo 4-in-1 digital soup maker, £54.99, Amazon Easy soup maker in stainless steel/white, £129.99, Tefal

THE EDIT Matt black hardware

Add a touch of drama to your bathroom with hints of noir that will stand out against any colour or scheme

Cubiko black storage mirror, £105, Beaumonde

Milano Elizabeth single lever mono basin tap, £149.99, Big Bathroom Shop

Mode black-framed bath screen, £255, Victoria Plum Black complete shower set, £279.99, Dowsing & Reynolds

Bezel matt black grooved knob, £10.95, Plank Hardware

Harbour Status vanity unit & basin with matt black frame, £399.99, Drench Harbour Status matt black tall basin tap, £144.99, Tap Warehouse

Module two outlet, two handle shower valve & handset, £1,199, Crosswater

Check out more stylish black and white bathroom designs here

THE EDIT Leaf blowers

Clear your lawn, flower beds and terraces with blowers and shredders that make light work of autumn leaves

REVIEW CORNER

Advanced Leaf Blower 36V-750 with long-life brushless motor, £159.99, Bosch

Flymo Power Vac 3000 blower vacuum and leaf shredder, £83.99, OnBuy

LB7650E leaf blower, £249, EGO Power Plus Draper Tools D20 cordless leaf blower, £64, Amazon

BGA 45 Lithium-Ion cordless leaf blower, £119, Stihl

UNDER £50

Three-in-one leaf blower vacuum and mulcher, £47.99, VonHaus

DeWALT DCM572 FlexVolt blower

We’ve voted this DeWALT model as the best leaf blower on the market. A top of the range blower for efficient leaf carpet clearance, it is more than good enough for those with an average-sized back garden – and, depending on how efficient your leaf blowing skills are, could clear bigger gardens as well. It runs on powerful batteries that are interchangeable with other smaller power tools in the DeWALT range, and the 195 km/h speed motor should enable you to do some ample leaf shifting in a short space of time. One of the lighter weight models, it is easy on the arms, and thanks to the electric motor, shouldn’t be too strenuous on the ears, either.

SPECIFICATIONS Best for: Efficiency Cordless: Yes Weight: 3.33kg Maximum speed: 195 km/h Price: £375, Amazon

REASONS TO BUY ■ Fairly lightweight ■ Interchangeable batteries

REASONS TO AVOID ■ Run time is only 15 minutes

THE EDIT Alarms

Avoid a stressful start by keeping phones out of the bedroom and ease yourself into the morning a gentler way

DCF02 drip filter coffee machine with clock/ timer and auto start function, £199.95, Smeg

OLD SCHOOL COOL

Echo alarm clock in Marshmallow Pink, £24.95, Annabel James Bodyclock Luxe 750DAB with sunrise/ sunset function in tumeric, £229, Lumie

Osalis wake up light with nature sounds, £67.99, Stress No More

SILENT ACTION

ALISON JONES

FEATURE Fred alarm clock with silent sweep in brown and cream, £25, Newgate Zen Plus alarm clock radio/bluetooth speaker with pink noise and Wake Sound setting, £99.99, Roberts Kreafunk Care Collection aTUNE DAB+ radio with built-in alarm, £182.95, The Hut

Enjoy a breakfast brew with an alarm clock & coffee maker

Magic Block clock with alarm, calendar, temperature and humidity, £59, MenKind