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The Sun
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Get your garden furniture autumn-ready with Lidl's £5 buy & it'll save you hours of cleaning in Spring
GET your garden ready for the cooler months with this £5 Lidl buy - saving yourself hours of scrubbing next spring. With summer almost over, it's time to pack away your outdoor furniture - but if you're not sure where to start, Lidl has you covered. 3 Their affordable furniture covers make it easy to protect your tables, chairs, and loungers, keeping them clean and safe over the colder months. The budget-friendly covers are designed to fit a variety of tables and keep your outdoor furniture protected from rain, dirt and leaves. Durable and easy to use, they're a simple way to preserve your garden setup, so when summer returns, your furniture is ready to go. Product details The Livarno Home Garden Furniture Cover is priced at just £4.99 each and will be available in stores from August 24. The covers are available in three different sizes — round, chair, and bench — so you can protect all types of garden furniture with ease. Mix and match to keep every piece of your outdoor setup safe from the elements. The cover protects your furniture from dirt, leaves, moisture, and sunlight, ensuring it stays in top condition all season. It features a drawstring for easy, secure fastening and is tear-, water-, and UV-resistant for long-lasting use. The reinforced hem includes six sturdy eyelets, providing extra strength and secure fastening to keep the cover firmly in place even on windy days. It's a cost-effective way to shield your outdoor furniture from the elements and keep your garden looking tidy all autumn and winter. Wake up to a weed-free lawn for months thanks to Aldi's £10 gadget that pulls them out without bending or kneeling down Don't waste time — grab your cover and get your garden furniture autumn-ready before the colder months set in. It's a simple, affordable way to protect your outdoor space and save hours of cleaning come spring. Other Lidl bargains Lidl is also offering Mini Succulents in modern ceramic pots for just £3.49 — a small but stylish way to brighten up any indoor space. Perfect for desks, windowsills, or shelves, these low-maintenance plants add a touch of greenery without taking up much room. Gardening mistakes that could get you fined Gardening experts over at Toolstation have revealed the garden laws you need to be aware of not breaking. While some of these laws could land you with a fine of up to £20,000 in extreme cases, a friendly chat with your neighbours can usually resolve any issues. Tree removal and pruning: If you have a tree in your garden you want to get rid of you better think twice and do your research. The gardening experts reveal: 'If one neighbour wishes to remove or heavily prune a tree that the other neighbour values, disputes can arise over the impact on the view, shade, or privacy. " While it might cause a row, if it is in your property boundary it is ultimately your choice, unless it has a Tree Protection Order on it. 'But, some trees may be protected by a Tree Protection Order which makes it an offence to uproot, top or destroy them, the experts warn. The maximum fine for breaking this law is £20,000, so make sure you double check if it does have a TPO. You can find out by contacting your local council for a map that shows this information. Alternatively, you can ask to speak with your local tree officer. Property boundaries and fences: One of the main causes of neighbours falling out is through arguing over property boundaries and fencing. To avoid this situation, the gardening pros recommend checking the deeds of your property to determine the correct boundaries 'Most of the time, it's easy to determine who owns the fence as the fence posts will usually be on the owners side," they add. 'Additionally, the height of fences or hedges can cause disputes between neighbours if one party feels the height has exceeded the two metre guidance. "Hedges and fences should be no more than two metres high, and you could be asked by the council to take them down if a neighbour complains about the height. "Luckily, standard fence sizes are less than two metres tall so you shouldn't have a problem.' Garden structures and additions: A pergola is the perfect addition to a garden if you want somewhere to relax in the shade. But if it obstructs your neighbour's view or violates local building regulations it could cause a dispute, as can sheds and other garden structures. 'If you're not sure, have a chat with your neighbours to let them know what you're planning and, if there's an issue, get in touch with your local council who can give you more guidance," advise the gardening experts. Overhanging branches and plants: 'When branches, vines, or roots from one neighbour's tree or plant extend into the neighbouring property, it can lead to disagreements over potential damage to structures, blocked views, or the burden of maintenance," reveal the pros. However, it's important to note you can only trim overhanging branches up to the boundary of your property otherwise, it could be seen as trespassing. You can climb into the tree to carry out the work if needed, but only on your property and make sure to stay on your side of the fence if you don't have permission to enter your neighbours garden. Cook up delicious meals with ease thanks to the Monsieur Cuisine Smart, now available for just £299 — a saving of £100. This versatile kitchen appliance handles everything from chopping and steaming to kneading and blending, making meal prep quicker and more convenient than ever. Beat the heat with these lightweight, loose-fit Esmara T-shirts, designed for extra softness and comfort. Made from recycled materials, they're a sustainable choice for everyday wear. Available in sizes small to large, they're perfect for staying cool during the warmer days. The range also includes vests, shorts, chinos, trousers, joggers, sweatshirts, and polo shirts, available in stylish pink, grey, and beige shades. Mix and match for a comfortable, casual look that's perfect for summer days or layering into autumn. 3 3
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
6 Best Kids' Lunchboxes, Based on Testing
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Your school kid's lunchbox takes a beating with near-daily use, so you'll want a durable one. But a kiddo's lunchbox should also be easy for them to use, and cute, too. Above all, you want a lunchbox to keep the healthy lunch you made intact, keeping the food either warm or cold, depending on the type of food. Our experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab have tested dozens of lunchboxes and bags in the past eight years. The top performers in our tests keep sandwiches, snacks and fruits chilled throughout the morning and often feature extras like Thermoses for soup or built-in ice packs. We evaluate style, weight, size, seal and other additional features to find options suitable for all needs and budgets. Freezable Lunch Box ✔️ BEST FOR: Keeping lunch food cold. In our Lab test, the PackIt was the only lunch bag to keep its contents below 40˚F (a safety benchmark for perishables) for 5.5 hours. ✔️ WHAT TO KNOW: Who needs an ice pack when you have an insulated lunchbox? PackIt's freezable gel liner eliminates the need to jam a separate ice pack alongside all that food: Simply pop the whole bag into the freezer overnight, and it will keep food chilled throughout the school morning. ✔️ TESTING NOTES: While the gel liner makes it heavier than a standard lunchbox with an ice pack — one of our Lab directors felt it added too much weight to her young kid's backpack — it's still lighter than the stainless steel options on our list. The lunchbox folds flat, making it easy to fit in your freezer while it gets cold for the next day. Your kid can also easily pack it back into their backpack to bring home. When unfolded, we found it to be spacious enough for packing a good amount of food, too. We love the rainbow design, but there's also an astronaut, shark, dinosaur and a cupcake design. PackIt's original Freezable Lunch Bag has a more adult design, but it could also be suitable for teens. RELATED: We Tested 24 Food Storage Containers to Find the Best $19.19 at Go With Yogurt Pot ✔️ BEST FOR: Separating foods, bento-box style, on the cheap. ✔️ WHAT TO KNOW: Two removable trays nestle together to form this compact, lightweight bento box. The round container features a screw-on lid to keep up to five ounces of food, such as yogurt, hummus or fruit salad, contained. Every piece can be popped in the freezer or used in the microwave (without a lid). It can also be cleaned in the dishwasher. ✔️ TESTING NOTES: Our Lab pros especially appreciate the Sistema clamp, which forms a tight seal on the outer box to help prevent spills. We think the price, at about $10, is a great deal. On Amazon, you can buy a two-pack, ensuring one is always available while the other is being washed. Note that this box does not come with a drink compartment, so kids will need to store drinks separately. RELATED: The Best Kids' Water Bottles $10.28 at Insulated Lunch Box ✔️ BEST FOR: Anyone looking for a traditional lunchbox that can handle lots of use and washing. ✔️ WHAT TO KNOW: There's a zip pocket on the exterior for stashing cash or a lunch card if your child buys a drink each day or something from the vending machine after school. Inside, there's a mesh pocket that can hold a snack separate from everything else or an ice pack to keep food chilled. ✔️ TESTING NOTES: The lightweight, durable nylon lunchbox is a longtime favorite amongst GH staffers. It can hold up to 4.6 quarts, and we found the smooth plastic interior easy to clean, even when grape juice was left in it overnight. Online reviews praise this lunchbox as a "workhorse." One of our contributors reports that she ran her child's lunchbox through the dishwasher every Friday at the end of the school week. It only needed about a day to dry on a dish rack afterward. The box is large enough to fit both a Hydroflask insulated food jar and a stainless steel water bottle on the inside. But the drink can take up a lot of room, so your kid may want to carry their drink separately. RELATED: The Best Kids' Backpacks, Tried and Tested $19.95 at Cold Pack Lunch Box ✔️ BEST FOR: Kids who want their lunchbox to look cool. The Mackenzie comes in a bunch of kid-bait patterns including Bluey, Glow-in-the-Dark Minecraft, Glow-in-the-Dark Spider-Man and a Disney Princess Adaptive Lunchbox that can snap onto a wheelchair or walker. ✔️ WHAT TO KNOW: Personalize your child's lunchbox with this spacious option from Pottery Barn Kids, which allows you to add a name or monogram to the front for an additional $16. It'll make it easy for your child to spot (or for you to retrieve from lost and found!). A water bottle or drink can fit neatly in the mesh side pouch. There's a wipeable interior and rigid walls that keep delicate foods from getting crushed. ✔️ TESTING NOTES: While the Classic version is slightly less expensive, we also like the Cold Pack option because it features two insulated compartments inside, as well as a larger interior mesh pocket for a matching ice pack. In our Lab tests, we confirmed that the main double zipper won't come open if the bag is shaken or dropped. Pottery Barn Kids also sells matching backpacks. $29.00 at Steel Lunch Box ✔️ BEST FOR: Folks who want a plastic-free option. Stainless steel is easy to clean and extra durable, but it is heavier than nylon or plastic. This is a small bento box, made for preschoolers and kindergartners, kids with small appetites and kids who only pack snacks. ✔️ WHAT TO KNOW: It's got three compartments, with the option to add silicone containers, sold separately, for further separation. It opens and closes with two latches that the brand says are leak-resistant. ✔️ TESTING NOTES: It doesn't hold a lot — it's got the smallest capacity of all the boxes on our list. That said, it's enough for the littlest school kids, and for kids who generally don't eat much at school. For $10 more, you can get this stainless steel bento box in one of four prints. And if you like the bento box idea but aren't as sold on stainless steel, Bentgo still sells their popular, less expensive plastic bento box as well. RELATED: Easy, Healthy Snacks for Kids $49.99 at ✔️ BEST FOR: Packing a hot lunch. This insulated bento box–style comes with a removable, Thermos-like container meant to hold hot (or cold) foods. It's perfect for toting last night's reheated leftovers or some warm mac and cheese for a picky eater. ✔️ WHAT TO KNOW: The screw-on lid for the Omiebox's hot food container is designed for a child to be able to open on their own at lunchtime, thanks to a handle that pops up. If you aren't packing the stainless steel container, its square compartment can be used for a sandwich instead. The rectangular compartment has a movable divider that allows you to adjust the size to fit your foods. ✔️ TESTING NOTES: When packed with the food container, this box becomes one of the heaviest lunchboxes on our list. For cleaning, the brand recommends removing the box's leakproof rubber seal and washing it along with all the other parts. While we found it a bit tricky to reinstall the seal, we appreciate that this feature helps prevent spills. $49.95 at Kids can carry their Bentgo box — or any bento box, like the Omie — inside the Bentgo Lunch Tote, an insulated tote designed to keep food warm or cool for up to four kids' lunchboxes we tested and recommend ✔️ Planetbox Launch's stainless steel bento box (shown) comes with a carrying case and magnets for decorating. The Planetbox brand was one of the first to introduce both stainless steel and bento-style compartments to the lunchbox crowd, with the idea that parents can use the same, durable box year after year. ✔️ Thermos Dual Lunch Box (Pokemon version) is a well-made favorite with separate, zippered top and bottom containers. Thermos also makes rectangular lunchboxes with popular licensed characters like Super Mario Brothers. ✔️ Munchkin Bento Box for Kids is great for toddlers in nursery school or daycare. It comes with a spoon and kid-safe we test lunchboxes We test a wide range of food storage options at the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab. The picks in this guide are based on data from testing over 50 lunchboxes and bags over the last eight years. When testing, we consider: ✔️ Ease of use: We ask adults — as well as a 6-year-old and a 5-year-old — to open and close the bags and boxes to ensure they're easy to open and close. (The 5-year-old found zippered, soft-sided bags easier to handle than latched, rigid boxes.) We also experiment with packing various amounts of food in each box. ✔️ Durability: We drop each lunchbox to check if it stays closed. We also test for staining. All of the lunchboxes in this story can be cleaned, but we found that those with a smooth plastic or metal interior are easiest. ✔️ Performance: Our testers add an apple, a juice box, a sandwich and an ice pack to each lunch bag before performing a temperature-evaluation test (pictured) to determine how long each can maintain a safe temperature over a six-hour period. (Our best overall pick performed the best in this test.) We also add two tablespoons of apple juice to each lunchbox to determine if it is leak-resistant. ✔️ Real-world experience: Our Lab pros survey real-life consumers, scour online reviews and evaluate lunchboxes with the kids in their own lives to make sure we aren't missing to consider when buying the best kids' lunchbox ✔️ Type of lunchbox: You have choices! • A bento box is a hard-sided plastic or stainless steel box with small compartments inside. You can tuck a different food into each compartment, and when your child opens up the box, all the food is displayed and ready for grabbing. You can put a bento box directly into a backpack or store it in a bag, so if there are any leaks, you're covered. • A lunchbox with semi-firm sides is more traditional. Nylon and polyester bags are lightweight, open with a zipper and pack flat when empty. They are often the easiest for kids to open. However, you may need to fill them with food containers, which means kids will have some unpacking to do. Many of these have built-in insulation to help keep food warm or cool. • A lunch bag is a reusable version of the old brown bag, often with added insulation. We don't have any on this list, but they do appear when discussing the best lunchboxes for adults. A lunch bag is best carried separately (because it can get squished), and since most kids need to fit their lunch in a book bag, cubby or locker, we've left them off the kids' list. ✔️ Storage needs: The kind of food you intend to send to school helps dictate your lunchbox. If you want to send your kid off with yogurt or warm mac and cheese, you might want a lunchbox with a built-in container, or one that can fit your favorite food storage container. If you know you'll be sending a drink each day, it's nice to have a lunchbox that can carry a water bottle on the side. Inside pockets can hold items such as pocket money or napkins. ✔️ Insulation: An insulated lunch box helps keep food warm or cool. If you know you want to keep food cool, having a mesh pocket and an ice pack is smart. If you're using a bento box, consider placing it in a bag with an ice pack. ✔️ Your child's age: The fewer steps required to open a lunchbox, the quicker a small child can start eating. Have your child practice opening and closing the lunchbox at home before sending it to school with them. ✔️ Weight and size: Consider whether the lunchbox fits in your child's backpack or if you'll need a separate tote. If your child has a short walk or is driven to school, the size and weight of a lunchbox may be less of a concern for you. ✔️ Materials: Stainless steel is durable, plastic-free and easy to clean in the sink or dishwasher, though it is the heaviest lunchbox material. A rigid plastic bento box is lighter and usually dishwasher-safe. Many fabric lunchboxes can be washed in the sink or placed in the top rack of a dishwasher, but they require some time to trust Good Housekeeping? The Good Housekeeping Institute has been testing consumer products for over 100 years, and our experts specialize in everything families need for the back-to-school season. Lead reviewer Nicole Papantoniou directs the Kitchen Appliances Lab, overseeing all testing related to cooking products, including lunchboxes. She has been testing cooking tools, gadgets, gear and appliances since 2019, often involving her family members. Trained in classic culinary arts, Papantoniou is also a professional recipe developer. This guide was written by , a mom of two and a former editor at Parents magazine. A contributing writer for GH, she brings decades of experience evaluating products for babies and children, including back-to-school gear. You Might Also Like 67 Best Gifts for Women That'll Make Her Smile The Best Pillows for Every Type of Sleeper
Khaleej Times
06-08-2025
- Khaleej Times
Watch: What happens when you fold Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 over 200,000 times?
Samsung's latest foldable flagship, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, is touted as the company's most durable foldable yet, boasting a hinge rated for up to 500,000 folds — double that of its predecessors. But a real-world folding test conducted by YouTuber Tech-it is now raising eyebrows, after the device started showing signs of trouble far earlier than expected. Rather than relying on mechanical folding rigs — which apply consistent pressure, speed, and angles — Tech-it opted for a more hands-on approach. Over the course of several days, the YouTuber manually folded the phone more than 200,000 times, simulating real-world use conditions. The idea was to better reflect how consumers naturally open and close the device with varying force and speed throughout the day. Recommended For You And the results were unsettling. According to Tech-it's final test video and a detailed error log shared online, the Z Fold 7 encountered its first hiccup after only 6,000 folds, a far cry from the advertised 500,000. While the cause of the initial error wasn't immediately clear, things soon escalated: 6,000–10,000 folds: The device experienced its first reboot error, which continued to occur every 10,000 folds after that. 46,000 folds: Tech-it reported the emergence of creaking noises around the hinge, a classic sign of internal wear. 75,000 folds: A mysterious black liquid was seen leaking from the hinge. It didn't appear again, but its origin and impact remain unknown. 175,000 folds: The phone's speakers — top, bottom, and earpiece — stopped working entirely. Watch the 5-hour-long video below: By the time the Z Fold 7 reached 200,000 folds, Tech-it observed noticeable wear in the hinge mechanics. Although the phone's 'free-stop' feature still functioned (allowing the screen to hold position at various angles), the elastic feel of the hinge had diminished significantly, making it feel loose and overused. The hinge was, ironically, smoother to operate, a detail that might sound positive but could suggest structural weakening over time. Given that all these problems occurred well before 200,000 folds, Tech-it's findings cast doubt on the phone's long-term durability and question how many users will realistically benefit from the 500,000-fold milestone without encountering major usability setbacks. husain@ Husain Rizvi is a Senior Features Writer who covers entertainment and lifestyle stories and has a profound interest in tech (games) and sports. When he's not working, you can find him at the gym, or finishing a boss fight in a video game.
Android Authority
29-07-2025
- Android Authority
The race for the thinnest foldable is on, and TECNO sets the tone with the tri-fold PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold Concept
As the world gets excited about tri-fold phones as the next big evolution, everyone's curious about how slim and durable they can really be. We've seen a few tri-folds come out already, but TECNO is truly leading the pack with the PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold Concept, setting new standards in both areas. When folded, it's a sleek 11.49mm thick, about the same as your typical book-style foldable. And when opened up, it shrinks down to an incredibly thin 3.49mm, thanks to its innovative G-style tri-fold design. TECNO isn't just keeping up with current trends, they're pushing the boundaries and shaping the future. Here's everything you need to know. The G-style tri-fold design is a game-changer Giving the TECNO PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold Concept its moniker is a unique G-style folding structure, using two inward hinges to fold the display in on itself, like a pamphlet of sorts. Unlike some other tri-folds that use Z-shaped outward folds and leave parts of the main screen exposed, the G Fold's design ensures the flexible screen is fully protected when folded, significantly reducing the chances of damage from scratches, impact, or dust. The folds are perfectly smooth, with no hinge gap, thanks to the clever dual-hinge system that combines a small waterdrop hinge with a larger primary hinge. When you fold the phone, the small hinge folds the right side of the display inward, while the bigger hinge folds the rest over the top. A convenient self-locking mechanism ensures everything remains securely closed and gapless. This innovative dual-hinge design not only allows TECNO to pack a 9.94-inch display into a compact (for a foldable) design, but you can also set it up like a mini laptop. You can use the bottom screen as a keyboard and the other two as a monitor, perfect for work or entertainment. Or, it's great for propping up the device to enjoy videos or video calls comfortably. The thinnest tri-fold design yet Some of the biggest concerns with foldables are their generally bulky nature and durability. That's understandable, of course. After all, you are essentially folding a tablet into a phone and hoping it fits in your pocket. And while everyone is trying, no one has pushed the limits as far as TECNO just yet. The G-style design is what gives the phone a seamless and gapless fold. However, the reason it's also the thinnest ever is due to innovative breakthroughs achieved in hinge engineering, screen stacking, and material science. This includes a 0.3mm titanium fiber backplane and a 2000MPa high-strength steel hinge, along with optimized screen module layering. As a result, the device measures just 3.49mm at its thinnest point when unfolded and 11.49mm when folded, redefining the expectations of tri-fold device thickness. Is it a phone? Is it a tablet? Why not both The tri-fold design and the huge inner display are the stars of the show, of course, but what is equally impressive is the cover screen, which is essential for everyday usability. When folded, the PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold Concept functions like any regular smartphone, allowing you to perform all your day-to-day tasks with ease. And once you open it up, you get the productivity of a large tablet, or as mentioned, a mini laptop, depending on whether you fully or partially unfold the device. Multi-angle hovering support enables these partially open angles, providing additional features for video calling, watching videos, and split-screen use. You get a clean, sophisticated design overall. The camera module doesn't protrude nearly as much as you'd expect on a device this thin, and seamlessly blends into the rest of the back. And while it's a concept phone for now with unconfirmed specifications, the PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold Concept is poised to firmly sit in the flagship category, featuring a high-end processor, high-resolution cover and inner displays, a versatile triple camera setup, and a sizeable 5,000mAh battery. A concept for now, but shows the path ahead TECNO has never been one to shy away from industry-leading and groundbreaking innovations, and the PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold Concept is another outstanding example of the company's goal to redefine expectations and set the standards in foldable technology. While the G Fold is a concept device for now, TECNO's commitment to bringing cutting-edge form factors and flagship experiences to global consumer markets means that we aren't far away from a mass-consumer tri-fold smartphone. TECNO is expected to showcase the PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold Concept at MWC 2026.
