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Times
26-05-2025
- Business
- Times
6 essential home appliances to buy: from washing machines to air fryers
Whether you're on the hunt for a new vacuum cleaner or replacing the dishwasher, you're likely to end up poring over online reviews, thumbing through specialist magazines or quizzing your most in-the-know friends and family. And rightly so. Doing your research before making a larger electrical purchase makes total sense — who wants to waste money on things that don't last? Consulting the consumer guide Which? is another go-to. Every year Which? tests more than 3,500 products across 140 categories, stamping 650 of these as its crème de la crème recommendations with a Best Buy or Eco Buy accolade. Now a new category has entered the fray: Just Buy This. This is a single recommendation from the Which? testing team of products that tick all the most important boxes, ie, something that should suit most people most of the time. It's aimed at anyone who doesn't have time to research the products they need to buy (or, hard to believe, just doesn't take any pleasure in reading about different washing machine models) and would rather take an expert's word for it. And there's nothing to stop others from just using the recommendation as a starting point to compare their options. 'Unless you know exactly what you are looking for, researching the best fridge freezer, air fryer or coffee machine can seem like a lot of faff,' says Natalie Hitchins, the head of home products and services at Which?. 'Our Just Buy This recommendation takes the hassle out of finding what you want by putting you in the hands of our experts to narrow it down to one great pick that won't break the bank.' There's one catch: you can only see these recommendations if you are a Which? subscriber. However, Times readers have been given an exclusive sneak peek of six domestic appliances from the Just Buy This list. 1. The washing machine JOSEPH O'BRIEN Bosch Series 4 Which? rating: 79/100 This user-friendly Bosch model makes laundry day feel less like a chore, according to Rebecca Jakeman, Which? senior researcher. 'It may be on the slow side but the washing results — especially on the synthetics cycle — are more than worth waiting for. Unless anyone in your household is an exceptionally messy eater or just can't resist stomping through a muddy puddle, you should find all of the items are spotlessly clean at the end of the cycle. The powerful spin function is great at removing excess water to reduce drying time, too, which is a welcome bonus.' £579, • The best British-made homeware for 2025 2. The fridge freezer LG 60/40 Frost Free Fridge Freezer Which? rating: 76/100 'You might wonder why I wouldn't recommend our top-scoring fridge freezer, but this good all-rounder should suit many people,' says Jakeman, who rates how quietly the South Korean manufacturer's model runs, the accuracy of its thermostat ('it even stays stable in heat') as well as the speed at which food is chilled and frozen. 'It also uses less energy than expected for its size which is handy when we're all feeling the financial squeeze. It's not completely perfect as the veg drawer can dry food out and the fridge is a little hard to clean in places, but these are small gripes and it's still a great Best Buy and Eco Buy choice.' £449 (reduced from £599), 3. The kettle LOGIK L17PKB23 Jug Kettle Which? rating: 78/100 Fran Roberts-Thornton, a senior Which? researcher, picks a pocket-friendly Logik kettle as her Just Buy This option for your kitchen countertop. Though not the quietest of models, it has several positives, says Roberts-Thornton: 'It's quick to boil, has a low minimum fill and is cheaper than many. We tested the black version, but this isn't a Henry Ford situation — it comes in green or blue, too.' £14.99 (reduced from £24.99), • The 9 best kettles for speed, quiet — and good looks 4. The iron Philips 7000 Series Steam Iron Which? rating: 85/100 Ironing is one of Roberts-Thornton's favourite chores so naturally she recommends the highest-scoring steam iron on test, which earns the full five stars for ironing performance, resistance to limescale, cleaning efficiency, soleplate scratch resistance and time to start steaming. 'Three stars for handling, due to a slippery handle — it was the lowest it got in any of our tests. This iron breezes through creases and is durable enough to withstand accidental brushes with zips and buttons,' she adds. £54.99, 5. The air fryer Tower T17102 Vortx Vizion 11 litre Which? rating: 71/100 A dual-zone air fryer that is neither the best nor the cheapest model tested but hits the sweet spot of performance and price, according to Roberts-Thornton. 'As an oven-style model, it comes with two cooking racks, cooking baskets and drip trays. Chicken, chips and baguettes were golden in good time. If you're new to air-frying, ten preset programs make it a doddle to use. Like most dual air fryers, it's bulky and not the most energy efficient, plus it's a bit of a chore to clean.' £110, 6. The coffee pod machine Nescafé Dolce Gusto DeLonghi Piccolo XS Which? rating: 77/100 Pod machines are a smaller and usually cheaper alternative than bean-to-cup machines, which Roberts-Thornton considers best suited to occasional rather than dedicated coffee drinkers as the cost of pods can add up. 'This DeLonghi is a great little model as it's quick, energy efficient and simple to use. Most importantly, it makes tasty espressos and well-balanced cappuccinos.' There are negatives, however: 'You're tied to the Dolce Gusto-compatible range of pods — other brands won't work — but there's plenty of choice, including hot chocolate and tea.' £35 (reduced from £55),
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Beyond Meat Inc (BYND) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Navigating Challenges with Strategic ...
Release Date: May 07, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Beyond Meat Inc (NASDAQ:BYND) is focusing on improving production efficiency and costs through consolidating its production network and increasing internal production at its Pennsylvania facility. The company has launched new products like Beyond Chicken Pieces, which have been developed with a focus on taste, texture, ingredients, and nutrition. Beyond Meat Inc (NASDAQ:BYND) is actively working on dispelling misinformation about its products and is launching marketing campaigns like 'Real People, Real Results' to improve consumer perception. The company has secured a financing facility providing up to $100 million in new senior secured debt, offering additional liquidity to support strategic priorities. Beyond Meat Inc (NASDAQ:BYND) is seeing positive consumer reviews and accolades for its products, including the Beyond Burger, which has won first place in consumer surveys multiple times. Net revenues decreased by 9.1% in Q1 2025 compared to the previous year, primarily due to a decrease in product volume sold. The company experienced significant distribution challenges as large retail customers transitioned plant-based meat from refrigerated to frozen aisles, impacting product availability. Gross margin was negative in Q1 2025, with a loss of $1.1 million, impacted by lower sales volumes and higher costs. Beyond Meat Inc (NASDAQ:BYND) is facing macroeconomic headwinds and consumer demand softness, particularly in the US retail and food service channels. The company has withdrawn its full-year guidance due to elevated uncertainty in the operating environment, reflecting challenges in predicting demand and market conditions. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Signs with BYND. Q: Ethan, with the challenges in the US market, what initiatives could you take to stabilize or boost volume? A: Ethan Brown, CEO: We are focusing on two main areas: restoring distribution and improving consumer perception. Some large retailers moved our products from refrigerated to frozen sections, causing distribution gaps. We expect to regain distribution throughout the year. Additionally, we are working on improving consumer perception through campaigns like "Real People, Real Results" to counter misinformation and highlight the benefits of our products. Q: Can you provide more details on the $100 million financing agreement? A: Luby Coutur, CFO: The facility has an initial term of 4.75 years with options to extend. Interest is 12% until February 7, 2030, and 17.5% thereafter, payable in kind. This financing provides flexibility, but our focus remains on stabilizing the top line, expanding gross margin, and maintaining tight operating expenses. Q: What is the focus of the new US food service team? A: Ethan Brown, CEO: We are focusing on improving performance in the US food service sector, particularly in non-commercial spaces like universities and hospitals. While we may not secure large QSR names immediately, we are targeting smaller national accounts and making progress in that area. Q: Why did you withdraw the 2025 guidance, and what does "elevated uncertainty" mean? A: Ethan Brown, CEO: The uncertainty refers to unpredictable consumer spending and macroeconomic conditions. We want to focus on reaching profitability rather than chasing arbitrary growth numbers. There are no specific concerns beyond the general market uncertainty. Q: Can you clarify the impact of one-time expenses on SG&A and what to expect in the coming quarters? A: Luby Coutur, CFO: In Q1, we had over $7 million in extraordinary items, including legal expenses and strategic inventory provisions. We expect some normalization in legal expenses and do not anticipate similar strategic decisions unless necessary. Costs related to the suspension of operations in China will continue to impact results through accelerated depreciation until 2026. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
