Latest news with #RobertDyas
North Wales Live
3 days ago
- Business
- North Wales Live
Amazon cordless bathroom cleaner which sees shoppers 'not have to scrub anymore' reduced by 40%
Bathroom cleaning can be a bit of a challenging workout for many people - it's usually one of the smallest rooms in the home, has the most awkward of layouts with lots of tight spots and hard to reach areas, and yet has one of the longest list of things to clean, without even considering the toilet. Imagine a cordless, powerful tool that could tackle the bath, the basin, the mirrors, the tiles, the floor and the forever annoying glass shower doors - well, manufacturer Leebein did and came up with their cordless spin scrubber that, with eight different heads, two spin speeds and the option to extend the handle claims to be able to tackle it all. One happy customer said: "Excellent, I don't have to scrub anything anymore for hours. Fast charger and a load of attachments, it is a mint cleaner. 10 out of 10." Amazon's number one best seller in scrubbers, with over 3,000 units sold worldwide last month, the Leebein cordless scrubber with a choice of eight heads and the option of an extendable handle sells for £49.99 but for Prime members is currently reduced by 49% to £29.99. One delighted buyer of the Leebein cordless spin scrubber said: "I'm really impressed. It's incredibly versatile and makes cleaning so much easier. The different brush heads are perfect for tackling various surfaces — from bathroom tiles to kitchen floors — and the extendable handle is great for reaching high or awkward spots without bending or straining. Highly recommend for anyone looking to upgrade their cleaning routine with less effort and better results!" Alternatives include the JML Hurricane Spin Electric Cleaning Scrubber available from Argos for £39.99 described by one buyer as 'very good, takes the strain of scrubbing down walls and ceiling' or the Hurricane Spin Scrubber one buyer thought was 'excellent' so has bought some for their family too is priced £39.99 from Robert Dyas. But the Leebein cleaning brush with all its added extras has helped it to become the number one best seller on Amazon, with one buyer saying: "This product has made life much easier. The battery has a good useful life and an indicator for power levels so you know when it is starting to get low. Such a variety of tools there is one for whatever you need cleaning." One of the features of the Leebein that is mentioned regularly within the 2,834 five-star reviews is the ease of the product. One customer explains: "The telescopic rods are particularly useful as you don't need to bend to low places or need steps for high places. Takes the hard work out of cleaning so no more back ache, hand or wrist ache." For more home and garden content sent to your inbox twice a week sign up to the property newsletter here. However, some aspects of the product have annoyed a few buyers, with one saying: "It had a long battery life if you are only using the low speed, which doesn't achieve much. The high speed option is more effective but the battery will only sustain high speed for 15-20 minutes, after which it does low speed only until recharged again." One customer was disappointed that the head of the scrubber was fixed in place, commenting: "The brush is fine but due to the fixed angle of the head the handle has to be used at the same angle this can be uncomfortable. Also the handle is round and does not support keeping the brush in line with the floor." But overall, when combined, the 3,529 four and five star reviews are positive, with one buyer's feedback saying it was worth the price: "Very sturdy when in use and in operation and has amazing reach with the extension handle. For the price of the cleaner this is great value and would definitely recommend."
Tom's Guide
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Mixx StreamQ C4 headphones review: A one-way ticket to Tinny City
Some of the best headphones come cheap, so I was really hopeful when I unboxed the Mixx StreamQ C4. However, my hopes were quickly dashed by the disappointing sound quality. Muddy soundscapes, flat bass, and tinny midsections were enough to put me off. The StreamQ C4 are definitely the kind of headphones that'll send you to Tinny City (which basically just means they don't sound great). For some people, though, poor sound isn't as much of a dealbreaker as for others. If you're one of those people who need affordable headphones with great ANC, then the StreamQ C4 headphones might be the ones for you. If you want seriously decent music quality, though? I don't think these are the headphones for you. I'll discuss everything in full in this Mixx StreamQ C4 review. Price $59 / £49 Connectivity Bluetooth 5.3 ANC Yes Battery 40 hours Weight 14 ounces Dimensions 3.5 x 5.9 x 7.1 inches Colors Black, white Compatibility iOS, Android The Mixx StreamQ C4 headphones are $59 from Amazon U.S. and £49 from Robert Dyas in the U.K. This makes them some of the cheapest headphones I've tested, alongside the EarFun Tune Pro, EarFun Wave Life ($59), and EarFun Wave Pro ($79). Just a little bit of foreshadowing for you: I didn't award any of those EarFun headphones above a 3, and obviously, I only awarded the Mixx StreamQ C4 a 2.5. The only budget headphones I wholeheartedly recommend are the $79 JLab JBuds Lux ANC, which sound great for the price tag. We also tested the 1More Sonoflow Pro and loved the budget cans. The main thing I like about the Mixx StreaMQ C4 headphones is their comfort. The earcups are pillow-soft and don't smell like plastic, unlike EarFun gear, which has a tendency to. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the mesh casing over the plastic interior is quite thick and soft, so my ears don't touch the drivers as I'm listening. The headband is padded, which adds to the comfort, and the headphones don't clamp onto my ears. I could wear these headphones for hours and hours because of how comfortable they are. The controls are easy to use and accessible: on the right cup, there is a button for play/pause, Siri (or your phone's equivalent), and an ANC button. I love that the headphones announce which ANC mode you're switching to, as some budget headphones lack this important feature. On the bottom of the right cup there's a USB-C charging port and a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired playback. Yes — you can listen via Bluetooth or wired connection (the headphones don't have to be turned on for this to work). I'll talk about this more in detail in the 'Audio quality' section below As I mentioned earlier, you can listen via Bluetooth or aux cable. However, the aux cable that came with my Mixx headphones didn't work. Thankfully, I had other aux cables so I could test this properly. However, it's still worth noting that the provided aux cable was faulty. The Bluetooth connection initiated quickly. However, there's no multipoint connectivity, which you can get on other budget headphones like the $59 EarFun Wave Life. It's also worth remembering that if you listen via wired playback, you won't get digital features like ANC or EQ. As for other features, well, there are very few. That's kind of expected on a pair of $59 headphones, but I still found myself a little disappointed. There's no app, which you get with similarly-priced EarFun and JLab gear. You can switch the EQ using the on-cup buttons. I liked the bass boost the most, but none of the three (voice, bass, music) options sounded particularly great. Yes, there's ANC, and yes, it's pretty good, especially considering the $59 price tag. However, I was still yearning for a little more. I wish I could adjust the EQs manually. To test the Mixx StreamQ C4 headphones, I listened to a range of genres on Qobuz, our best streaming service for audiophiles. Oh, I have some bad news. The StreamQ C4 headphones don't sound good at all. 'The Sofa' by Wolf Alice was tinny and flat, and the vocal pinched at the top of the treble. It was like I was listening to the vocal layer through aluminum foil. After 'The Sofa', I listened to 'Indexical reminder of a morning well spent' by The Japanese House. This is a soft, ambient guitar track with layers of atmospheric vocals, relaxed percussion, and textured guitars. I couldn't pinpoint the different instruments across the track; everything blended together like a muddled, tinny mess. Determined to find something that sounded good on the StreamQ C4 headphones, I switched to more electronic genres. I listened to 'Gossip' by Confidence Man & Jade, which has a synth bassline and Spanish-influenced guitar samples. The female vocals were clear, but there was very little bass to dance to, and the snare drum was very tinny. So indie, ambient, and electronic sounded poor. I thought, well, I'll put something heavy on, maybe that will negate the tinniness. I played 'Afterlife' by Evanescence, which quickly proved me wrong. Somehow, Amy Lee's voice sounded deep-fried. Like it was encased in an egg roll wrapper or something. And that's coming from someone who could eat about 50 egg rolls in one go. The bass was lackluster and the kick drum was tinny. On top of that, the heavy chorus was a mess of guitar, bass, and vocals, and I couldn't discern the instruments from one another. I switched genre to Skepta's 'Victory Lap', which is a grime track with a pulsating, growling bassline. I was hopeful, but unfortunately the bass was crackly and pressurized, as if the headphones couldn't handle the frequency. The only song that sounded good was 'Hold On' by MpH, which has a really satisfying stereo vocal and synth section. This section sounded great, although the tinny drum machine soon came in and ruined the immersion. As the Mixx StreamQ C4 headphones have wired and wireless listening, I listened via the provided aux cable too. I played 'Cobra' by Megan Thee Stallion, and while the bass was more powerful than Bluetooth playback, I was still yearning for more. 'Clover' by Billie Marten, which is an acoustic indie track, was nicely layered, but the vocal was a little tense and pinchy. I was really disappointed with the audio quality of the Mixx StreamQ C4 headphones. The bass was disappointing and weak, and the midrange was tinnier than a can of tuna. I wouldn't recommend these headphones for music lovers. I actually loved the ANC on the Mixx StreamQ C4 headphones. There are three modes, all controlled by a button on the right earcup. The modes are: transparent, ANC on, and ANC off. While the ANC makes the audio quality a little harsher, the sound wasn't particularly impressive to begin with so I found the overall impact was negligible. Transparency mode let in the right amount of noise — I couldn't hear traffic noise outside, but I could hear people talking around me. For a pair of $59 headphones, the ANC is remarkably powerful, and I can recommend these for a noisy environment like an open-plan office or a gym (there's no IP rating though, so I'd be wary about getting these headphones wet). However, as I made clear in the 'Audio quality' section, I wouldn't recommend them for music. To test the call quality of the Mixx StreamQ C4 headphones, I called my boyfriend, who is definitely a quality control at this point as he's been my guinea pig for most headphones I've tested. He said it was like I was speaking through a wall, so he didn't particularly enjoy the call quality. I had to repeat myself a few times, but he couldn't hear the environmental noise around me. I wouldn't recommend these based solely on call quality as a result of the muffled mics. I listened for well over 6 hours and the battery only went down to 90%, which is pretty impressive. Even so, this battery life is nothing in comparison to the unkillable EarFun Tune Pro, which lasted for over a week during testing. I still have nightmares about trying to drain their battery. However, if you want a cheap and cheerful pair of headphones with reliable battery life, then the Mixx StreamQ C4 headphones won't be disappointing. There are just better headphones — for both sound quality and features — for similar price points (cough JLab JBuds Lux ANC cough). I feel like the Mixx StreamQ C4 headphones know what they are, and they're not ashamed of it. These headphones are budget-friendly for people who hold ANC above anything else. There's nothing wrong with that. If you want headphones that are comfy enough to wear for hours, with awesome ANC that'll drown out all the sounds around you, and you aren't fussed about music quality, then I've just found your best headphones for the least amount of $$$. However, if you want your music to sound decent, you've really got to spend a little more. Not much more, thankfully, but $20 more for the JLab JBuds Lux ANC. So far, no other headphones I've tested have come close to these headphones for the price. I will continue the search for JLab-beating budget cans, as the StreamQ C4 unfortunately fell a little flat.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Four simple tricks to make using your paddling pool cheaper this summer
PADDLING pools are an easy way to keep kids entertained over the summer when temperatures are rising. But with the holidays and water restrictions looming, you needn't splash too much cash to cool off. With a few simple tricks you can keep the fun cheaper and going for longer . . . 7 FILLED UP: With hosepipe bans in place across parts of the country, you'll want to avoid refilling as much as possible. Instead keep the water cleaner by popping a washing up bowl with warm water beside the pool to act as a foot bath before kids jump in. And pop a cover over your pool when not in use to stop flies and debris landing in it. You can create one out of an old sheet. — a dark sheet can also help keep the water warm. Help keep the water free from bacteria for a couple of days by using Milton sterilising liquid or tablets. WARM UP: Even on a hot day, the pool can feel icy cold if you fill it up from the outside tap. Rather than faffing around with kettles and boiling water, there is an easier and cheaper solution. Simply place black bin liners over or in the water. The black bags will absorb the heat from the sun and warm the water within an hour. AVOID A PUNCTURE: The laughs will quickly turn to tears if your inflatable pool gets a puncture. Pop an old blanket or towel under the base before filling up to help protect it from little stones that could pierce the plastic. If you have dogs getting in and out the pool, consider popping an old towel across the bottom to protect it from claws. If your pool does get torn, you don't need to chuck it. You can get a repair kit for £4.99 online from Robert Dyas. MAKE USE: You don't need to wait for a scorching day to use the pool. When it is not hot, inflate smaller pools and fill with small plastic or foam balls to create a ball pit. Or you could even use it for some messy play with slime or jelly. How to keep your paddling pool spotless and safe this summer Deal of the day GIVE your humble toaster an upgrade with this four-slice model from De'Longhi. It's down from £69 to £45 at Argos. Cheap treat KEEP your paperwork in order with this coloured A4 document organiser, £3, from Flying Tiger. Top swap 7 GIVE shower time a little luxury with Molton Brown's heavenly gingerlily gel, £26. Or try Lidl's similar scented option for £1.49. Shop & save ENJOY Little Moons Himalayan salted caramel mochi ice cream on a hot day. A pack of six is down from £5 to £3.48 at Asda. Hot right now FRESHEN up your walls with the four-for-three offer on tubs of Dulux paint at B&Q. Savings start at £20. PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 7 JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we're giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers - whether you're saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket.
Daily Mirror
23-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mirror
Dramatic corkscrew spiral tree that creates a ‘show-stopping' centrepiece is now 50% off
Add a luxurious flourish to your outside space this summer with this corkscrew spiral tree that's sure to create a 'show-stopping' feature - and right now it's dropped to half-price Whether you're elevating your garden, decking, balcony, driveway, patio or any other outside space, a spiral topiary tree is an elegant and extravagant plant that's sure to create a lavish feature in any outdoor setting. And right now, you can add one to your garden for less, as this Gardening Express sale has axed this Corkscrew Boxwood Tree by a massive 50%, saving shoppers £50. Touted as a high-quality Buxus sempervirens topiary that has been painstakingly crafted into a dramatic corkscrew-spiral shape, this plant takes years of work to grow and create, but that's all been done for you with one of these ready-made topiary specimens from Gardening Express' meticulous gardeners. Ideal for punctuating any formal or modern outdoor design, this tree is also ideal for gracing and accentuating an entrance to a property when used in attractive planters. Creating a real show-stopping feature, this topiary cypress is the perfect plant to elevate a handsome pot, as it takes pride of place on patios, terraces, or front gardens as a centrepiece. To create an opulent effect, these spiral trees are perfect for planting in pairs and placing on either side of doorways, gateways, pathways, and entrances. Set to be admired for years to come, these dense and slow-growing trees will keep their shape well, though they can be easily given an occasional trim to ensure their crisp shape is maintained season after season. Sure to flourish both in sun-soaked areas or in light-dappled shade, these trees are supplied at around 100-120cm tall, including pot, and are ready to be planted straight into the garden or transferred into a luxurious pot to begin growing in its stylish spiral style. Normally retailing for £99.99, this corkscrew tree is now available for £49.99 at Gardening Express. If you'd rather shop elsewhere, Robert Dyas is offering this Smart Garden Cypress Topiary Twirl for £34.99. Or, if you don't fancy keeping up with the maintenance, B&Q is offering this 2-piece Boxwood Tree Artificial Spiral Topiary Plant set for £120.
Scottish Sun
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I tried all the budget hand held fans to keep cool this heatwave – and foldable £12 gadget blew me away
Scroll down to find out which fan is perfect for desk use FAN CLUB I tried all the budget hand held fans to keep cool this heatwave – and foldable £12 gadget blew me away Advertisement WITH the current amber weather warnings and the nation facing hosepipe bans, it's proving hard to beat the heat. Advertisement Sales of hand-held fans have rocketed, as we rush to avoid meltdown. Advertisement 7 Sophie Warburton puts six fans to the test with marks out of five Credit: Newsgroup Newspspers Ltd Advertisement But which one is the coolest choice for a hot, sticky day? Sophie Warburton puts six to the test with marks out of five. Advertisement Bush Advertisement Hand fan, £12, Argos 7 The Bush fan is foldable, making it perfect for desk use Credit: Newsgroup Newspspers Ltd Advertisement THE Bush fan, available in four colours, is my top pick due to its powerful airflow, extensive coverage and quiet operation. Advertisement It's foldable, so perfect for desk use. Advertisement But as the largest on test, it won't fit in a small bag or pocket. RATING: 5 Advertisement Ryman Advertisement Pocket fan, £6.99 Advertisement 7 This fan offers powerful yet quiet operation Credit: Newsgroup Newspspers Ltd Advertisement THIS stylish fan is a close second, offering powerful yet quiet operation in a lightweight and compact design – it even fits into a tiny handbag. A key feature is the adjustable head, letting you direct the airflow. Advertisement The Range Dyson fan dupe Advertisement RATING: 4 Primark Advertisement Hello Kitty desk fan, £8 Advertisement 7 This fan offers powerful airflow despite its kitty design Credit: Newsgroup Newspspers Ltd FOR those with a playful sense of style, this fan is unique. Despite its kitty design, it offers powerful airflow. Advertisement Slightly louder than the top competitors with three settings. Advertisement Overall, it's a good choice. Advertisement RATING: 3 Go Travel Advertisement Portable, £14.99, Robert Dyas Advertisement 7 This fan can be worn round your neck for hands-free cooling Credit: Newsgroup Newspspers Ltd SLIM, high-quality, foldable and super-quiet. Advertisement A major plus is the lanyard, so you can wear it round your neck for hands-free cooling. It has a 12-hour run-time. Advertisement But when prop-ped on a desk, it moves about. Not the most stylish. Advertisement RATING: 3 Superdrug Advertisement Portable fan, £5 Advertisement 7 The wobbly head on this fan requires careful positioning Credit: Newsgroup Newspspers Ltd THIS gets top marks for portability, as it is small and slim, but its build feels a bit cheap. Advertisement When placed on a desk it tends to shift, and its rather wobbly head requires careful positioning. Second noisiest fan in the group. Advertisement RATING: 2 Advertisement Dunelm Mini hand fan £1.50 Advertisement 7 This fan is lightweight and easy to transport Credit: Newsgroup Newspspers Ltd Advertisement FOR a small, battery-operated fan at just £1.50, it performs pretty well. It's compact, lightweight and easy to transport. Advertisement But it can be noisy and blows fairly warm air. Plus the blades are exposed, making it prone to damage. Advertisement RATING: 1
