Vax Power Nano upright vacuum

When it comes to purchasing vacuums, or hoovers as most of us call them it can be a tricky choice. Just a quick browse on my go-to shop shows you hundreds of results. All varying in price but effectively all looking the same and all claiming to be the best.
 When I first moved into my flat I had just had new carpets fitted, it was the height of summer 2018 and I had two cats who were heavilly moulting. A good vacuum cleaner was essential. I had previously owned Hoover and Vax brands before, both had been disappointing. That said a new Vax had caught my eye. I decided I'd give it a try. Well a year later I'm still using it.

It's the Vax Power Nano upright vacuum. First of all it looks really pleasing on the eye. Silver with blue on the bin lid and on the accessories. It's a nice looking vacuum, it looks sleek and modern. One of the things I really like on this model is how the handle folds, making it extremely easy to store. It can be popped under a spare worktop, into a cupboard or sitting unobtrusively in the hall. It doesn't take up much space at all.

Secondly it's really lightweight to carry around the house. I carry it whilst its folded and being a small woman I manage with it just fine.

The extending hose is a must have feature and I have to say this one is a decent length, it does extend well without the main unit toppling over. Easilly capable of doing stairs if you have them. I don't!
With two cats I use the hose mainly for cleaning the litter round the litter tray, I use wood pellet litter and the hose cleans it up with no trouble and no blockages. It's also handy for cleaning the nooks in the skirting board and that hard to reach place between the applicanes. That awkward tiny space between the oven and end of the worktop, not a problem anymore.
I've found I do use all the accessories that came with it, the upholstery brush I use on the sofas. This is really effective in picking up the moulted cat fur.

When it comes to hoovering the floor there are four height settings on the main hoover compartment. I have short carpets so tend to use setting 1 and switching to 4 when it comes to doing the shaggy rug.
The suction on this Vax is brilliant, it is a powerful machine, however not too powerful that it sucks the carpet and lino up like some do. As it is lightweight it really isn't a chore to hoover my floors. I do mine every morning as with two cats I have to with the way they moult. This Vax, despite not being a specifically "pet" branded one is brilliant for cleaning up the loose cat fur,

This is my Vax after a mornings cleaning session, you can see how much fur it has sucked up. Appologies if some people find this gross but I wanted to show exactly how effective this vacuum cleaner is.
The storage capacity is brilliant on this vacuum, I do empty mine each morning after I've finished but for normal use (if you dont have moulting pets) you wouldn't need to empty it daily.
Emptying it is easy you just press the bin release then empty it into the bin. Simple. Bonus points as it doesn't get jammed like some do.

I've been using mine for just over a year and have only ever had one blockage which was very easy to clear as most of this machine comes apart easilly. As for maintenance I take the filters out each month and give them a good clean. I have had no issues with "smelly filter" like a previous vaccum I had and have found that by cleaning the filters regularly it has kept it in good working order.

When my Mums hoover broke late last year I recommended this model to her, she is disabled and has had no issues using this machine herself.

Model: Vax Power Nano Upright Vacuum
Model number: UCNBAWP1

Stockists: Vax UK, Argos, Amazon, John Lewis, Currys

Russell Hobbs 20447 Kettle

If you know me at all you'll know that I practically live on tea. I loose count how many cups I have a day. So for me choosing the right kettle was an important decision as lets face it, it's one of the appliances I'll use most often.

I have to be honest I didn't choose this particular kettle, this was a housewarming gift. I guess someone took pity on my small, takes forever to boil travel kettle I was using temporarilly. Russell Hobbs was not a brand I had ever used before.
I did say I wanted black or purple appliances to match my new kitchens decor. So I was really pleased to receive this kettle in black.

So lets start with the colour. It's a nice strong, glossy look. It doesn't get dirty easilly and when it has had the occassional watermark it is easy to wipe off.
It's a good sized kettle and not too heavy to use, I have known some to be too heavy for me.
It's a fast boil, which suits me as I am impatient, especially when it comes to my tea. It's not a noisy boil. I remember one my Mum had when I was a teenager, it sounded like concorde was in the kitchen. I like that the switch has a light so you can see when its on and when it's finished boiling.

One little naggle for me is the water gauge, its on the left hand side and being left handed i have to spin the kettle round to check how much water is in it. It's not a major issue but personally I do prefer the water gauge window to be on both sides. Bonus points if its an illuminating one.

The filter is easy to remove and clean and so far has no signs of wear or tears. I clean my kettle and descale it every month as I live in a hard water area.

So there you have it, if you want a reliable kettle that doesnt smell plasticy, boils in a decent amount of time and more importantly makes a nice cuppa then you can't go wrong with this.

Model number: 20447
Stockists: Argos, Amazon, Currys