IndyBest’s best buys of 2021: Our top picks of the year, from mattresses to headphones

These are the products worth spending your pennies on, according to our expert testers

Monday 27 December 2021 03:00 EST

From hair dryers to vegan cookbooks, these are the standout buys of the year (The Independent)

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Every year, the IndyBest team puts thousands of products to the test, from air fryers to help you cook up a culinary storm in the kitchen, to backpacks that will see you through every adventure.

Trialling and reviewing products so you don’t have to, we spend hours upon hours putting the latest and greatest launches through their paces to bring you our picks, and 2021 was no exception.

It has been another unusual year, to say the least, but with the gradual return of international travel, bustling bars and sporting events, our shopping needs have remained robust.

Whether you’re in need of a new mattress, a desk chair for your home office, or a console that will give you the ultimate gaming experience, we’ve made sure to stay up to date with the newest trending products so we can help you find the right one for you.

Read more:

To mark the end of the year, we’ve gathered the best buy products from some of our top features of 2021 that we think you should have on your radar. Keep scrolling for all of the shopping inspiration you could ever need.

Tech

Console

With so many new launches, it can be hard to know which games console to invest in, from the Playstation 5 to the Xbox series X and the Nintendo Switch (£309.99, Argos.co.uk), which is why we put them all to the test. In our round-up, our tester noted that they all have their advantages, however, it was Microsoft’s next-gen console (£589, Currys.co.uk) that took the top spot. Highlighted as the best option for variety, our writer said: “The Xbox series X just about pips it. The series X doesn’t have the PS5’s issues with storage space or cross-generational upgrades; throw in that it’s sleeker, smaller and its unique features (Smart Delivery; Quick Play; Game Pass compatibility), and you’re looking at a seriously great piece of equipment.” The console is notoriously hard to get hold of though, and if you’re in the market for one, make sure to follow our live blog for the latest stock updates.

Smartphone

Upgrading your phone can be costly but, as our review of the best budget smartphones proves, you needn’t spend a fortune. We were particularly impressed with the Xiaomi redmi note 9T (£233.40, Amazon.co.uk), which our tester praised for having a “snappy processing speed” and “great specs”. “This is a solid phone that is future-proofed and performs tasks with a minimum of fuss,” they added.

Bluetooth speaker

Our top pick for the best Bluetooth speaker is as much a treat for design enthusiasts as it is audiophiles. Stockholm brand Transparent’s small transparent speaker (£375, Transpa.rent) has a modular setup, which means you can continue to upgrade it by replacing and adding new parts as you go. “The speaker is designed to be fixed in place – its mains powered, and the speakers themselves are forward facing – and the clear glass design enhances any setting,” our tester said. “Once in position (make sure to use the nifty white gloves provided with each speaker, as it’s a bind to clean grubby, overly-keen fingerprints off), the sound is incredibly clear, with a solid bass and impressively full general sound for a compact speaker.”

Wireless headphones

If noise cancellation, long-lasting battery life and integrated voice control are non-negotiables when it comes to a new set of cans, look no further than Sony’s WH-1000CM4 (£249, Amazon.co.uk). Winning the top spot in our round-up of the best wireless headphones, our tester said Sony’s pair were “so comfy”, adding that “wearing them is like sinking into a fluffy feather-filled pillow”. They added that the headphones come with a host of nifty presets and that noted that the “noise cancellation is absolutely impeccable”.

4K TV

If you don’t already own one, a 4K TV is the next logical upgrade from your existing model – it’s the ultra high definition standard, with amazingly sharp quality even on larger screens. The 55in Panasonic TX-55HZ2000 (£1,497, Panasonic.co.uk) came out on top in our test: our reviewer praised not only the display, but the impressive sound and user-friendly interface, too.

Toothbrush

An electric toothbrush might not be the most exciting of purchases, but one really can make all the difference to your oral care routine – just ask your dentist. We’ve tried a number of models, but our best buy is the Philips sonicare protective clean 5100 (£139.99, Amazon.co.uk). Our tester noted that it has plenty of clever features to ensure optimum brushing, and “really hits the sweet spot between delivering the most useful advances in toothbrush tech at a really good price”.

Home & Garden

Mattresses

The right mattress makes all the difference to getting a good night’s sleep and if you’re in the market for an upgrade we highly recommend Eve’s premium hybrid mattress (£978, Evesleep.co.uk), which was named best buy in our round-up. “No mattress scored higher for edge to edge support,” our expert tester said. “The durability is outstanding, so it should last you longer than other mattresses. It also gets 10 out of 10 from us on breathability, comfort and support, being just slightly firmer than medium.”

Mattress toppers

If a new mattress isn’t an option, a topper is the next best thing. We recommend Panda’s mattress topper (£139.95, Mypandalife.com) for upgrading your existing setup as it was selected as the top pick in our review of the best ones. Our tester said: “We loved this memory foam mattress topper. It gave brilliant cushioning, and genuinely offered memory foam style support.” They added: “It cocooned us in that sinking memory foam feeling and we were blissfully unaware of how much our co-tester was wriggling on the other side of the bed.”

Pillows

The Brook and Wilde marlowe pillow (£229, Brookandwilde.com) was hailed as one of the best pillows our reviewer has ever slept on, and the only down pillow they’d recommend to side and front sleepers. “It’s so generously stuffed, with a combination of feathers and down across three separate chambers, that your head and neck are completely and comfortably supported – but you still get that gentle, five-star hotel style ‘sink’ that makes down and feather pillows so gorgeously luxurious,” our tester said in our round-up of the best pillows.

Cordless vacuum

With a run-time of up to 120 minutes and a nifty anti-hair wrap function, it’s no wonder Shark’s cordless stick vacuum cleaner (£301.34 Sharkclean.co.uk) was named best buy in our review. “With significant suction and different settings for hard floor and carpets, the vacuum also has a turbocharge trigger, which performed really well for us on ingrained carpet dirt,” our tester said. “This is a well-priced machine with some brilliant features.”

Air fryer

Air fryers are great for whipping up healthy feasts with minimum effort and if you’re one of the few people that are yet to invest in one, we recommend Ninja’s foodi dual zone model (£199.99, Argos.co.uk). With a 7.6l capacity, our tester said that while it might “not be the smallest machine we tested, it was certainly one of the cleverest”. “It’s super simple to use too, with a digital control panel, countdown timer and variable temperature controls you can tweak to make every meal perfect,” they added. “It’s particularly good at cooking food like chicken nuggets from frozen, reaching temperatures of 240C for meals in minutes.”

Books

Fiction

If this past year has left you in need of a little escapism we recommend picking up a copy of Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason (£14.99, Waterstones.com). Our reviewer described it as “the funniest book of the year, with the most recognisable characters” and praised the author for writing “a novel of such spark that you’re aware, right from the first pages, that you’re reading something very special”.

Read more: 7 best fiction books of 2021

Non-fiction

This year has seen some great non-fiction writing, but our top pick is Sathnam Sanghera’s Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain (£8.95, Hive.co.uk). “Categorising Sanghera’s book simply as history feels like a massive undersell,” our tester said. “It’s also memoir, journalism, commentary on how we live now by examining how we lived then, and a book that achieves the crucial distinction of being important without being inaccessible.”

Poetry

Escape to a different world with some lyrical verse courtesy of Ella Risbridger’s Set Me on Fire: A Poem for Every Feeling. Taking the top spot in our round-up of the best poetry books, our reviewer described it as a “refreshingly eclectic collection that will remind you of poets you love”. “Divided into loose sections and covering everything from “happy” to “rage and trauma”, Set Me on Fire is a delight from start to finish,” they added.

Kids

Toys

Older and younger kids will adore the Janod’s Acrobat (£25.52, Amazon.co.uk). A creative building game, it’s full of feel-good fun – simply throw the three die and strategically place your wooden acrobats on the corresponding coloured spots. The first person to knock down a tower loses. “There are 20 discs with coloured spots and 57 comical acrobats, plus a handy storage pouch. This game is good, honest fun,” our tester said.

Read more: The best kids’ toys of 2021

Pushchair

Keep both you and your mini passenger happy with a super practical set of wheels. The iCandy lime travel system (£750, Icandyworld.com) is packed with impressive features and has a “totalfold” function, which essentially means the pram folds compactly with the seat unit still attached. Then, once folded, there’s a carry strap to help you lug it about. Our tester said it is perfect “if you have an older child and a baby, as this travel system comes with a built-in buggy board”. They added: “This is a great option for city dwellers who want a bit more luxury from their ride.”

Car seat

Alongside a pushchair and a cot or crib, a car seat is usually one of the first investments soon-to-be parents make. But it can be tricky to know where to start. We recommend the Silver Cross motion all size 360 car seat (£375, Silvercrossbaby.com), which can be used from birth right up to 1-years-old. Our tester described it as a “fantastic all-rounder”, adding: “The padding on the seat is some of the most luxurious we’ve seen – it’s made of bamboo fabrics that are breathable and hypoallergenic, so no sweaty backs for our passengers.”

Board Games

If board games are a staple in your household, make sure to add A Game of Cat and Mouth (£24.16, Amazon.co.uk) to your collection. Suitable for two to five players, our tester said: “It claims to be highly addictive and it is, as well as being utterly infuriating if you’re on a losing streak. We suspect parents to carry on playing this long after their children are in bed – we know this because we did! So clever, so unusual and so much fun."

Food and drink

Vegan cookbook

Whether you’ve been following a plant-based diet for some time or want to deep your toes into the world of meat-free food for Veganuary, a cookbook will help you to cook up a storm in the kitchen. Our top pick is Speedy Bosh! by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby (£12, Amazon.co.uk), which is a hundred-strong collection of plant-based recipes that can be on your plate in under 30 minutes using supermarket ingredients. “We like that this book contains so many comforting, hearty recipes for fragrant curries and warming stews which are just right for this time of year,” our tester said. “It’s not all winter warmers though; Henry and Ian cover all bases with low-carb, high-protein recipes for gym bros, inventive salads, fancy dinner-party-worthy creations and plenty using store cupboard ingredients for when it’s close to payday.”

Prosecco

The best prosecco on our radar is La Gioiosa prosecco superiore millesimato valdobbiadene DOCG (£8.99, Waitrosecellar.com). Our tester hailed is as “perfect”, adding that it’s “terrific value for money for a really high-quality wine”. “It’s perfect for some everyday sparkle but also a great bulk buy for a party, where it would be best served with starters or canapés,” they said. “Either way, you’ll enjoy the light, fragrant aromas of spring hedgerows and orchards, followed by lovely flavours of English pears and green apples.”

Coffee machine

Get barista-quality drinks with the Smeg automatic coffee machine (£679.95, Smeguk.com). Ideal for anyone that’s serious about their java, our tester said: “The coffee the Smeg produced was amongst the best on test, consistently turning out rich espressos topped with a silky crema,” adding that the machine “couldn’t be easier to use” and, due to its compact nature, “didn’t crowd out the counter top”.

Gin

Whether you prefer yours straight or splashed into cocktails, it’s No. 3 London’s dry gin (£33.95, Thewhiskyexchange.com) that earned the top spot in our list of the best ones. “The No. 3 moniker comes from the gin’s perfectly balanced trio of elements: juniper, citrus and spice,” our tester said. “All traditional gin hallmarks, but elements rarely combined so effortlessly, harmoniously – or memorably. Expect a perfect, clean succession of resinous pine, orange peel and earthy cardamom that keeps you craving the next sip.”

Chocolate

If you’re looking for a box of chocolates to devour look no further than Willie’s cacao Christmas box (£24, Williescacao.com). Awarded a solid 10/10 in our round-up, every truffle is made with 100 per cent natural ingredients and you get to pick from 18 different flavours. “The stylish personalised box paired with decadent chocolates and reasonable price tag makes this our winning box,” our tester said.

Fashion and beauty

Perfume

Juliette Has A Gun’s lili fantasy (£110, Johnlewis.com) earned the top spot in our review of the best women’s perfumes, with our tester highlighting it as the best grown-up scent. “Juliette Has A Gun scents are many things but never boring (the founder is the great-grandson of perfume legend Nina Ricci) and this scent is bound to lift the spirits during the colder months, together with some seriously impressive staying power,” they said. “A few spritzes should last you throughout the day and into the evening.”

Hair dryers

Make everyday a good hair day with ghd’s helios hair dryer (£159, Feelunique.com). “It’s light, easy to use, and delivers a quick and powerful blow-dry,” our tester said. “Even just a rough blow left hair much shinier than usual. There were two different heat settings, with 110C at the higher end of the scale, as well as the usual cool shot.”

Women’s coats

From puffers to leather trenches and fleeces, we tried a whole host of jackets in our round-up of the best women’s coats, but it was the Next Emma Willis long padded duvet style (£88, Next.co.uk) that really caught our eye. “Its long length skims the ankle and when it’s zipped all the way up it feels like you’ve not left the comfort of your bed,” our tester said. “As for the fit, it’s true to size, but it is roomy enough to layer your favourite knits underneath for the days when the temperatures drop below zero. And, best of all, it has a large hood. A faultless winter coat that we love.”

Men’s jeans

There’s a whole world of denim out there, which can make finding the right fit for you a tricky endeavour, but that’s where we come in. The best pair we found were Uniqlo’s selvedge regular fit jeans (£34.90, Uniqlo.com), which have a classic, regular cut that won’t date easily. “Ordinarily, selvedge denim is something that tends to go hand in hand with premium price tags and is rarely found for under £100, let alone £50,” our tester said. “That’s what makes these jeans such a steal.”

Sports and fitness

Trainers

If you’re looking to make your wardrobe more sustainable, consider investing in a pair of vegan trainers like Humans are Vain’s challenge V2 (£121, Immaculatevegan.com). The most stylish pair to make it into our round-up of the best ones, our tester praised their chunky shape which nods to the Nineties and terrazzo-style sole, which they said “feels solid and durable”. “The breathable ‘leather’ upper is oeko-tex certified and the bold orange heel panel is piñatex, a material made from pineapple leaves that provides added income for farmers in the Philippines,” they added. “Elsewhere in the shoe there’s corn fibre, recycled cork, organic cotton and a far higher percentage of recycled materials than you’ll find in the average high street ‘conscious’ collection.”

Cycling jackets

“The company has made its name by creating jackets that turn you into shining beacons of light when a set of headlights hit you,” our tester said of Proviz’s reflect360 CRS plus cycling jacket (£149.99, Provizsports.com), our top reflective cycling jacket pick. “Although the tiny glass beads in the material make it a little odd to the touch, the inner mesh means you don’t feel it on your skin, and the tough waterproofing and excellent breathability served our testers very well during winter commutes,” they added.

Smartwatches

From telling the time to sleep tracking, heart-rate monitoring and calorie counting, the Apple Watch series 6 (£379, Apple.com), can do it all. “Apple’s watch is a distinctive and upscale smartwatch with a pin-sharp digital display that you use to interact with the touchscreen and hundreds of apps – from airlines to weather,” our reviewer said. “It is easily the classiest smartwatch with gorgeous design and immaculate build quality.”

Rowing machines

Over the last couple of years, many of us have taken to working out from home and if it’s a supercharged, full-body workout you’re after, we highly recommend investing in a rowing machine – in particular, the Echelon rower (£1,199, Echelonfit.uk). “What sets this ergo apart from the pack is its connected rowing experience, which turns your phone or tablet into your performance monitor, via an app,” our tester said. “Away from the app, the Echelon is a quality machine with straightforward assembly and resistance coming from a magnetic flywheel, providing 32 very smooth levels.”

Travel and outdoors

Cabin bag

Whether you’re escaping for a quick weekend away or jetting off for a whole fortnight, look to Antler’s clifton cabin bag (£149, Antler.co.uk) for storing all your essentials. “This handle is a revelation,” our reviewer said in our round-up of the best cabin bags. “When sliding Antler’s signature cabin bag, Clifton, from a trailing position, up to run alongside you, there’s no need to adjust your grip – a clever pivoting mechanism does all the work. It’s a small innovation, but it shows a respect for the customer experience that runs through the rest of this bag.”

Walking boots

Keep comfortable and injury-free when you’re rambling with Scarpa’s maverick GTX women (£160, Scarpa.co.uk). “Lightweight, waterproof and yet still breathable, the mid-cut feels dynamic like a trainer, but supportive enough for hills and rocks, and for wearing with a pack,” our tester said. “They’re great boots if you like city walking as well as a long weekend ramble and the ultra-supportive, firm insole is brilliant if you ever suffer from back ache after really long walks. They’re vegan-friendly, too.”

Tent

From camping holidays to festivals, a tent is a must if you want to sleep in comfort and our top pick is the Outwell Jacksonville 5SA (£1,330, Outwell.com). Described by our tester as “palatial”, it’s designed for five people but can easily sleep a sixth person in its customisable bedroom area. “Because you can choose how many rooms you want by rolling up or down the inner dividers, this tent is perfect for a young family, or anyone whose needs might change (from one big room to two, for example) over the course of its lifetime,” our reviewer added.

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