Home & smart home

Roughly half as good as a BlendJet at a tenth of the price, and portable blenders are rarely used anyway.

Not real neon, but a decent good vibe; the back looks terrible.

A 20-minute build but the most tasteful and cleanest item he bought, with no extra cables.

Extremely long and cheap strip that adds atmosphere, though the LEDs are widely spaced and the strip isn't bright.

Good quality mirror but smaller than it looked in the listing.

Works well as a ceiling projector with LED nebula and laser stars, though it appears to overheat.

Self-assembly kit that makes a convincing thunderstorm effect, with a surprisingly cool voice activation.

Smaller than expected but the light highlights the mist nicely; it might overheat.

Nice finish and clever self-opening spring, but too small to hold even a can.

Thin and light but fluffy; works over carpet, not ideal for hard flooring.

Calls it the most intelligent projector around, combining LED and laser with Dolby Vision, room scanning and optical zoom for much less tha…

A game-changing robot mower that cuts quietly on a schedule and is better for the grass, though boundary wire setup takes effort.

Expensive for simple-looking bulbs, but the sunrise wake-up software solves the dark-night, bright-morning problem.

A multi-function fan, humidifier and purifier that made a big difference in his bedroom with little fuss.

Well marketed, but a portable blender solves no real problem and is small, battery-limited and hard to clean.

A very light cheap robot vacuum that is inconsistent at picking up debris.

A fun, comfortable hanging chair with a lot of movement, though he worries about its structural integrity.

The standout of the haul: a solid, comfortable laptop stand for working in bed.

A good idea for staying active while working, but loud under load with a fiddly safety tag and a big footprint.

A cheap sensor bin that does most of the job of his normal one, though the lid opens too hard.

Smaller than expected, but it soaks up enough water to keep the bathroom floor from getting wet.

Idiot-proof and tasty with a good texture, but slow, steamy, and the extra cost mostly buys presentation.

An imposing, fully articulating lamp with excellent light quality and a 60-year life, though very pricey.

Considered as the best TV available but passed over because he didn't want to spend the budget on a TV.