Timelessness versus trends is the eternal debate of those who love poring over interiors. But one area in which retro designs always win out is with small kitchen appliances. With an aesthetic borrowed from the 50s and 60s, essentially all of the best toasters and kettles on the market have rounded, pastel silhouettes that are picture perfect for kitchen counters.

Smeg is synonymous with the retro kitchen look. As well as their standard small appliances, they have an incredibly capable range of bean-to-cup coffee machines available in a gorgeous range of colours that no other brand comes close to. Here at Ideal Home we've reviewed a huge number of Smeg coffee machines. The EGF03 Espresso Machine is our top-rated choice after our review and by far the prettiest option, too.

If you're undertaking a September reset in your kitchen then these retro-style appliances might be just the ticket to give your worktops a new lease of life. I've collected a range of options in every pastel shade available.

Though the best-known brand names are pricey, getting the retro look doesn't need to break your bank. With ranges emerging from names like Dunelm and Next, you can pick up a full set for your kitchen for far less than you might imagine.

If you want to nail timelessness with your kitchen appliances, there's no better bet than the vintage look.

Ninja's expansion of its coffee machines has reached new frontiers with the AutoBarista Pro, the brand's first try at an automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine.

I've tried both of the Ninja bean-to-cup machines released in the series so far, the Luxe Café and its Pro series upgrade. I think both of these deserve the title of one of the best coffee machines you can buy, especially in terms of value compared to brands like Sage. So my hopes were very high with this automatic version. Here's how I got on with it.

In a nutshell

I've reviewed a fair few automatic bean-to-cup machines now, but none quite like the AutoBarista Pro. That's because in both looks and operation it reminds me more of its Ninja Luxe Café sister machine than anything else, especially thanks to its milk frother, which uses the same jug mechanism.

The kicker though? At £900, this machine is almost double the price that you can often find the Luxe Café on sale for and though it's undoubtedly impressive, I'm not entirely sure its worth the price jump.

Things that did impress me were the Auto IQ program, as well as the colour screen and icons which definitely added a premium feel to the machine. After getting through the calibration process, which admittedly took a hot minute, the taste of the coffee was great.

It's just personal prefer but I would pick the milk jug design that features here over fiddly plastic-y tubes that you usually get with auto bean-to-cups. But it does mean it's a more involved coffee than with something like the De'Longhi Eletta Ultra, for example, as you have to pour over your own milk. A small thing, but different to just pressing one button and letting the machine to the rest.

The swappable bean hoppers will be a huge pull for those who like a decaf in the afternoon, hugely cutting down on fuss, and the advanced cleaning features will also please many making the switch from their espresso machine to this. As with the Luxe Café, the small drip tray that fills very quickly is pretty annoying.

Who tested this coffee machine?

Unboxing the product

This is a big hunk of a machine. It's 18cm deeper, 5cm wider and 13.2cm heavier than the Luxe Café, which is by no means small. It's stretches out in every dimension and will requite either a deep worktop without overhanging shelves or a dedicated coffee station. I had to test it on my dining table in my house, as I'm without either.

It's also very heavy, weighing 22kg. Set-up (or even just getting it off the doorstep) is not for the faint hearted so rope in reinforcements to get it in situ. As with all Ninja products it's wrapped up well in cardboard and other recyclable materials with a very smooth set-up process helped by a QR code sticker on the front of the machine.

I think the machine looks quite expensive overall but it's generally not as appealing as something like the Sage Barista Touch Impress which is fairly similar in terms of ability. The feedback reader, where you get instructed when grinding, is less of an interface and more of a rolling message banner. It doesn't feel premium compared to the kind of interface you get with a De'Longhi or similar, where the colour screens are very immersive.

The milk frothing wand is very wide, miles different from one you'd find on a standard espresso machine. The jug is large too, which is good for adding milk to more than one coffee at once.

You control the screen via a dial and buttons that correspond to the icons on screen. The buttons, like the rest of the screen, are stainless steel and a magnet for fingerprint marks. If I was buying this machine the stainless steel/black colour combo would be at the bottom of my list – the Vista Green or Oat White get my vote instead.

First impressions

The materials you get with the machine make setting up easy – even if this is your first coffee machine. The big hurdle to get over with set-up is calibrating the Grind IQ program, which uses quite a lot of beans and is pretty loud.

During this process the machine will grind your beans, weigh out a dose and tamp it before pulling your espresso shot. It will do this several times until it reaches what Ninja say is the optimum grind. Then you'll need to empty the grounds container, drip tray and refill the water as well as discard those starter shots.

From there, getting a coffee is straightforward (unless you want to change your beans, of course). The other big technical hitch to get over is swapping out the bean hoppers if you're so inclined for a decaf afternoon coffee or simply an alternative blend.

There's a simple locking system where you input the beans that works well when swapping over though the internal grinder will still hold some of the older beans so you'll have to use the 'purge' button in that scenario.

The ‘Morning Rush’ test

In accordance with how we test coffee machines, the Morning Rush test sees us make several coffees back to back to see how the machine fares. As this is an automatic, I found it a pleasingly easy process. The machine turns on relatively quickly but will only give you your coffee if the drip tray is empty enough. Otherwise the screen won't light up and allow you to progress.

But once you're set up, it's no issue to churn out a few black coffees in a row without complication. The machine has a thermoblock system which works well to keep the temperature consistent across multiple drinks.

The large jug means you can steam enough milk for two lattes at once or for 3 macchiatos if you're only looking for a splash of milk. So if there's four of you in your household and you all want a coffee before you head out for the day, many drinks in a row won't pose an issue.

User experience

This machine isn't marketed as a 'one-touch' convenience station as so many bean-to-cup offerings are, which is refreshing, as it is more involved than alternatives that integrate milk tanks into their main body.

Day-to-day when using this machine, you'll probably notice that it takes a minute to wake up and flush out – this is all part of the machine's automatic cleaning system. If something is awry (not enough water, grounds container too full) the machine won't let you make a coffee until you remedy it which is good for preventing build-up.

When making a latte, for example, you'd touch to turn on the machine and wait for it to finish its warm up processes. You'd then select latte from the light-up menu and pop your cup under the spout as well as load your milk in the jug for the frother.

There are three adjustable levels you can pop your cup on and there's plenty of space even for a carafe full of coffee if you fancy. You'd struggle to find a travel cup that wouldn't fit under there which is a bonus.

The coffee dispenses first from the left. Once that's stopped, the queued milk frothing process will begin automatically (with no need for you to prompt). The milk frothing is nice and quiet and relatively speedy too. All that's left to do after that is pour over your milk (practicing your best latte art skills).

The milk wand on the AutoBarista is a step up from the one I've used previously on the Pro series version of the Ninja Luxe Café. Called the FrothPerfect, it whisks and steams at the same time automatically. The five milk settings include extra-thick froth and cold foam which is great for having a variation of drinks available.

Once you're done with the milk jug, you push the wand back into place where it'll auto-purge.

Noise test

As I mentioned earlier, this is a pretty quiet machine. Both the dispensing of espresso and the frothing of milk measure at about 60dB in my home, which is a plus for those who value discreet appliances.

What's it like to clean?

The standard colour way for this machine is stainless steel. It's not my favourite as it marks so quickly but it's all down to personal preference. For me, any of the colours are much more appealing.

This machine inherits the same problem as the Ninja Luxe Café; the drip tray seems to need emptying at every turn. This is probably a good thing, as it's due to the auto cleaning systems doing their job, but it can feel annoying.

The big pro for cleaning with this machine is the removable brew group, which is accessible via a side door. All you need to do to maintain it is pull it out and rinse it on a semi-regular basis.

How does it compare to competitors?

This machine is so unique that its hard to find a direct comparison. The De'Longhi Rivelia is currently our top-rated bean-to-cup model and at around £699, it's quite a bit cheaper than the AutoBarista. Its compact size and sleek finish mean its likely more aesthetically friendly to most kitchens too.

Should you buy the Ninja AutoBarista Pro?

Ninja's easy-to-use charm extends to this clever automatic machine. It makes great coffee, is easy to use and has plenty of features built-in to make owning a bean-to-cup machine more manageable. It's not the prettiest option out there, though the colour ways make it slightly more bearable, and there are highlights that real coffee lovers wil rejoice at (the interchangeable bean hoppers and the assisted grinding).

For me it doesn't quite live up to the greatness of the Ninja Luxe Café and its Pro version successor, but it's a solid choice if you know you want a Ninja coffee machine that can pour a coffee without you needing to grind the beans yourself.

If there’s one underrated kitchen appliance that definitely deserves a spot in your kitchen, it is undoubtedly a humble rice cooker. And if you’re yet to get your hands on one of these much-loved appliances, the Aldi rice cooker Specialbuy is coming back to stores this week, and it’s only £9.99.

Landing in stores on Thursday (20 August), Aldi’s rice cooker has arrived back in stock right on time for freshers heading off to university. But I think this star buy deserves a place in every kitchen - especially if you struggle to nail perfect, fluffy rice every time.

At just £9.99, this incredibly affordable kitchen gadget is not to be missed. Here’s why we at Ideal Home rate it so highly as a kitchen essential.

The best rice cookers deserve a place in every kitchen simply because they produce perfect rice every time, take up minimal counter space and make batch cooking and meal prep easier.

It’s a kitchen gadget that our Kitchen Appliances Editor, Molly Cleary, recommends, as well as being the Christmas gift Nigella Lawson swears by - and if anyone I know is reading this, I’d like a rice cooker for Christmas, please.

'I never saw the use in a standalone rice cooker before I tried one, but now I wouldn't be without mine. I used to have Lakeland's £50 version, which also has a porridge setting, but I just swapped it out for Joseph Joseph's microwave version as it saves so much space and doesn't require another plug socket to be taken out. It takes 10 minutes to whizz up perfect rice every time, and it's only £25! I use mine every single week for meal prep,’ said Molly.

At just £9.99, Aldi’s is one of the most affordable plug-in rice cookers that I’ve seen. It’s small, as to be expected with the price, making two cups of rice at a time. Because of this, it’s an ideal choice for couples and those of us living alone.

The cooker itself is available in three colourways - black, warm grey or sage green - and includes a measuring cup and spatula. It has a three-year warranty, too, so you can expect to get a good amount of use out of it. I’ve seen this rice cooker doing the rounds on social media every time it comes back into stock ( so you can expect it to be popular), with many users stating it takes about 20 minutes to cook rice.

While I haven’t tried the Aldi rice cooker, I use Salter’s 3-tier 7.5L food steamer, which also cooks rice in 20 minutes, as well as steaming veg and fish at the same time. If Aldi hasn't caught your fancy, I highly recommend this steamer.

Alternatively, here are a few more rice cookers we recommend that you can shop online.

If you're after perfect rice every time, a rice cooker is the way forward.

At the time of writing we seem to be living through endless rolling heatwaves, and cold drinks have become the norm, so-much-so that I can’t remember what it’s like to have a cup of tea after 10am!

So it's no surprise that at-home slushie machines and ice cream makers seem to be more popular than ever. And I’m very excited to try out this newly launched ProBreeze EasyFreezy, a clever multifunctional appliance that can make slushies as well as soft serve ice cream.

Its design looks a little different to other slushie machines I’ve tried, but I got my hands on one right before the launch date, so was able to try it early to see what this lesser known kitchen appliance brand had to offer.

In a nutshell

The ProBreeze EasyFreezy Ice Cream, Slushies & Frozen Drinks Maker will set you back £179.99 via ProBreeze's website (where the code IDEAL10 can also get you 10% off). It's a hybrid appliance that can make both soft serve ice cream, and frozen slushie drinks. And while £169.99 is hardly a small sum of money, as slushie machines go, its price tag is incredibly reasonable. The Dualit Ice Cream Maker (which similarly operates without pre-freeze) will set you back £349.99 by comparison.

It offers six different frozen drink programmes as well as a soft serve programme and a clean mode. Each programme has five adjustable thickness levels so you can personalise your drinks and ice cream to your preferred thickness.

I used almost every option on this machine during a week of testing it for this review, and can confirm that every drink was delicious. It can be a bit slow to create some of the slushies, but the soft serve was ready in around 30 minutes and was exactly as soft and tasty as I hoped it would be.

The downsides are that the capacity is really only large enough for 2-3 servings of slushies. And the dispenser is simply a sliding door that opens a hole in the base of the main tub. So dispensing can be a bit messy, not to mention a bit awkward when trying to fill an ice cream cone.

Who tested the ProBreeze EasyFreezy?

Unboxing

I was frustrated to come across polystyrene in the box when I unpacked it. I do wish the brand was able to use cardboard inserts instead, as these would be easily recyclable.

I was relieved though, that it doesn’t come with too many removable parts to get your head around. Although, I did find the manual to be vague in places, so it took me a while to get to grips with how to fully disassemble the tub for the first clean. Nevertheless, once you’ve done it once, it soon makes sense.

At 5ft 3, I quickly noticed that for me to properly see the control panel on the top of the machine, I found myself standing on tip-toes. Definitely something to think about if you’re shorter than me.

There are seven pre-programmed settings on the menu, plus a clean function. Essentially six of the settings are for various different slushie drinks, and the remaining one is for soft serve ice cream.

Plus and minus buttons allow you to adjust the slushie thickness to your liking, so over time, you would probably come to learn your preferred setting for each of your favourite recipes. There are five levels to choose from and the different modes each have a predetermined thickness level as a starting point.

As far as recipes to get you started, there’s a card included in the box with recipes for vanilla ice cream, as well as a cola slushie and a fruit juice slushie. A QR code takes you to further recipes, though at the time of writing the appliance hadn’t launched and the recipes weren’t live on the website, so I used a lot of my own recipes during testing.

For ice cream, both the minimum and maximum fill amount listed is 600ml, whereas for slushies you can fill it with a minimum of 600ml or a maximum of 800ml. You also need to make sure that all recipes have at least 6% sugar.

For alcohol based slushies, the alcohol amount must be between 6-16% for it to freeze correctly. The machine will detect and display error codes if there’s either too much alcohol, or too little sugar in the liquid.

The machine beeps and displays COL when the drink or ice cream is ready. Don’t ask me what COL stands for, cold maybe? I couldn’t find any info on how long you can leave it running with slushies inside. But the manual states that for best results you should serve once the desired texture is reached. And I’m guessing that the small capacity means most people would dispense their drinks pretty much straight away.

There’s a sliding handle that opens a hole in the bottom of the tub to allow drinks and ice creams to dispense out of the base. There’s a clearance of about 15cm between the outlet and the drip tray. I’m intrigued to see if this is enough space to easily fill a cone with soft serve ice cream.

What's it like to use?

Slushie

First up I tried the Slushie function, the recipe card suggested adding cola, but I went with a ginger ale instead. Two cans of most fizzy drinks is enough to hit the minimum marker, though you do have to check that the sugar content reaches the 6% requirement, or you’ll need to add sugar.

I selected the slushie mode and pressed start. The paddle moved around slowly to begin with and then it took me by surprise when it sped up significantly. At 63dB it isn’t a loud appliance, but at times, the sound of the paddle turning is quite high pitched and I did find it grating. To be fair though, as the drink started to freeze, it dulled to a less high pitched, background hum.

The display on the top shows the current temperature, but you can only see the consistency of the mixture through a small window to the right of the handle.

The machine beeps when the drink is ready. It took 33 minutes to turn my ginger ale into a tasty slushie, which did feel like quite a long time just to create two servings. The texture was good though, cold enough to stay frozen in the glass for quite a while, but still easy to suck through a straw. Plus, it dispensed smoothly out of the opening in the base of the tub.

Milkshake

I made up my own chocolate milkshake recipe using cocoa powder, sugar, milk, and cream. Luckily a table in the instruction manual told me that for a 700ml mixture I would need 42g of sugar, so I didn’t have to do any maths to work out the correct sugar percentage.

The tips on the recipe card suggest that the frappe and milkshake functions require sugar and/ or cream to be used in the recipe. I opted to include both in this mixture for a truly indulgent milkshake.

Five minutes into the milkshake programme, I decided I probably should have added a small splash of vanilla. Luckily, the fill inlet just above the handle is designed for adding ingredients during use.

It was a bit tough to get open the first time I tried, but does become easier over time. And I love that there’s an easy option for adding in an extra ingredient without stopping the programme.

The milkshake took 40 minutes, which again, for just two portions, felt like a long wait. At the end, when I tried to dispense the drink, it was too thick and nothing came out. So I had to remove the tub and spoon it into the glasses.

The texture was a bit too thick and next time I would adjust the level to make it slightly thinner, which presumably would also speed up the freezing time. It was a delicious chocolate thickshake nevertheless, despite the annoyance of having to spoon it into the glasses.

Fruit Slushie

For this setting I simply added pink grapefruit juice up to the max line and pressed start. It took 33 minutes, and the slushies were the perfect texture. They dispensed easily into the glasses. But even though I’d filled it up to the max line, there was still only enough for two.

I’m starting to notice that in some scenarios the dispenser can be a bit messy. As you slide it open and closed, you can end up with some slushie spilled down the side of your glass.

Frappe

For a couple of coffee frappes I added two large double shots of espresso to milk, sugar, and a splash of double cream. It took 44 minutes, which was longer than I expected, though that’s partly my fault for not cooling the espresso for very long, meaning the whole mix would have been slightly warmed by the coffee.

Despite the wait though, the 600ml mixture made two perfect frappes that were just what was needed on a scorching Sunday morning. If I’d increased the mixture to the maximum 800ml, there might have been enough for three servings, but in reality, this isn’t a slushie machine for when you have guests. There simply isn’t the capacity.

Soft serve

The recipe card that comes in the box includes a recipe for vanilla soft serve, which feels like the best place to start. It’s just milk, single cream, vanilla, and sugar syrup (I used maple syrup for added flavour).

The 600ml mixture is the maximum you can make in this machine and it took 33 minutes to churn. I dispensed the soft serve into cones. There’s only just enough space to fill a cone under the dispensing hole, it’s a tad awkward but you can make it work.

The mixture was enough to fill four cones as well as a couple of ramekins, so unlike the slushie capacity, it produces enough for at least six people. Both the texture and flavour of the soft serve was on point and very enjoyable.

Margarita

I’m not sure if it was the alcohol or sugar content that was maybe slightly off, but when I used the margarita programme, it took ages. In fact, I got bored of waiting and dispensed the margaritas after 55 minutes.

The frozen margaritas had the perfect texture, so I don’t know why it didn’t sense this and signal that the drinks were ready. That said, for frozen margaritas at home, this machine can definitely deliver - as long as you’re not planning a large gathering.

What's it like to clean?

The parts aren’t dishwasher safe, but washing everything by hand after most slushies didn’t bother me too much. Filling it with water and using the clean programme was helpful in removing some residues. It was much less effective on the milk and cream based mixes though.

On the whole it disassembles easily and is fairly quick to clean. But for dairy based drinks and ice cream, it does need a thorough wash in hot soapy water and a bit more attention to detail to avoid any nasty smells developing.

It’s worth pointing out that after those more troublesome milky mixtures, I had to pay close attention to the bits of the machine that can’t be removed and washed in the sink, especially the lowest section of the cooling cylinder. There’s a small rotating cog that can remain caked in milky residue if you’re not careful. This section is really fiddly to clean and I did start to find it a bit tiresome.

How does it compare to similar products?

The Cuisinart Frost Fusion is probably one of the most direct comparisons in terms of its ability to create both soft serve and slushies. It's much faster to freeze mixtures, and the tilting handle is far more intuitive to use when dispensing soft serve and slushies. However, at almost £300 it's a significant step up in price.

If soft serve is the thing you want most, then the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl is more of a dedicated ice cream maker that can make standard as well as soft serve ice cream, plus milkshakes. But this fancy ice cream maker is over double the price of the ProBreeze, and it can’t make slushies.

Should you buy the ProBreeze Soft Serve, Slushies & Frozen Drinks Maker?

It comes down to the size of your household and what you want from it. The 2-3 slushie serving size won’t work in larger households. However, slushies, milkshakes, and frappes are all very high in sugar, so there are plenty of scenarios where you might welcome the small capacity. In my two person household it definitely stopped us from over-indulging.

The soft serve was perfect, and with enough for six people, it’ll definitely deliver when you have a house full of kids, or even to impress the adults. I found some elements annoying, like getting it thoroughly clean after milky mixtures, and the clunky dispensing hole, plus it can be a bit slow. But in the grand scheme of things, these are all forgivable when you take into account the cost savings compared to other slushie and soft serve machines.

'Tis almost the season to start dreaming about your homemade pumpkin spice lattes. And while most of us are still on iced coffees, after the last heatwave of 2026 (fingers crossed!) passes us by, we can all start thinking of better and cosier things: autumn! Warm coffees, fluffy blankets, double layers and... did I say warm coffee?

If you've been holding out for Black Friday to invest in the best coffee machine, then you needn't wait any longer. Just head to your local Lidl and take a browse down the Middle Aisle for yourself. Come the 16th of August, it'll be bursting with pastel-coloured boxes. Yes: the pastel appliances are back! Think toasters, kettles, and even coffee machines, all in pretty shades of mint green and pale pink.

A simple solution for kitchen worktops that need some colour, the retro-inspired pastel coffee machine is definitely the best bargain of all, at only £49.99. Available in your choice of pink or green, this ground coffee maker also boasts a steam wand for frothing milk. Plus, it has a sizeable 1L water tank for when you're serving multiple coffees at once.

Landing in stores very soon, be quick to snap up yours, as when they're gone, they won't return for quite a while. And don't forget: it's never too early to think of Christmas presents...

The coffee machine comes with a 3-year guarantee. It includes a 2-in-1 coffee scoop and tamper, both coming in the box, and with only 3 buttons, it looks to be pretty intuitive and easy to clean, with a removable drip tray and water tank.

This Silvercrest coffee maker is not too dissimilar from Smeg's Espresso Coffee Machine. Except the Smeg one is a mere £450 more expensive, of course.

The Smeg one does come with a host of perks for that price tag, including a cold-brew function. It is one of Smeg's most affordable coffee machines, with the retro-style bean-to-cup Smeg Coffee costing from £599.95.

Another comparable retro-inspired coffee machine is the Swan Retro Espresso Maker, at £109.99, available in green, black, cream, or grey. Its tank is the same size as the Silvercrest model, and has a steam wand for milk frothing. You can also control its brewing temperature. The best part about it? You can use it with ground coffee or espresso (ESE) pods.

I've spotted Ninja's new slimmed down coffee machine, the Luxe Café Mini, is on sale for £399 via Amazon – £100 less than its RRP.

After testing the entirety of Ninja's coffee machine range, the Luxe Café Mini just became my new favourite bean-to-cup coffee machine from the brand after testing it, which is why this sale price is worth shouting about.

For me, the best thing about the Mini is that it solves one of the principal issues with the Luxe Café – it's ungainly size – with flair. And it does it without losing any of what makes the full size OG Luxe Café great. Here's a closer look at this deal on this wonderfully compact machine you don't want to miss.

As I covered in my first look at this machine, its RRP is set at £499.99. Notably, it's the first bean-to-cup machine from Ninja that's come out at under the £500 mark and hasn't been subject to any discounts yet - which is why this Amazon listing for £100 less is definitely worth a look.

The larger Luxe Café will set you back £549 at full-price, though you can often find it available for far less during sales periods – the best price it's dropped to according to CamelCamelCamel is £404.

If you can snag it for the £399 price, I can't recommend the Mini enough. It's smaller in every dimension – 7cm narrower, 2.9cm shorter and 2.7kg lighter than the orignal – and will suit most kitchens much better size-wise. When I talk about investing in a coffee maker with my friends and family the huge size of most machines is a massively limiting factor.

It has the features that the majority of people are looking for in a coffee machine too. It has Barista Assist tech, which helps you figure out the best grind size for your chosen beans, and the automatic milk frother means you can enjoy café-style lattes at home. With this machine, you'll be saving a pretty penny on trips to a coffee shop for years to come.

There are a few things missing from the Mini that real coffee pros might miss. There's no cold brew capability or cold milk foam – so homemade iced lattes with proper foamed milk are out. And as the machine is smaller, it has a minimised water tank and bean hopper so you'll be refilling those more often if you're getting a lot of use out of this machine.

For most people I think these won't be hugely limiting factors. If you live in a 1 or 2 person household, this exceptionally compact and capable machine will be a total joy to use. And at under £400, it's a total steal given its quality. My full review of this machine is coming very soon but if you're already sold, this is the best price I've seen to buy it at!

The best slushie machines are a recent phenomenon – bringing the tech of commercial-grade machines into the home for the first time – but they're not going anywhere fast.

Endless fun for hosting and capable of turning any sugary drink into a full-blown occasion, these slushie machines are undeniably frivolous. But they also work spectacularly well, so you can replicate the frozen margarita from your favourite cocktail bar or blue raspberry slush from your youth without a hitch.

As Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, it's been my fortunate job to test these slushie machines out over the past few years (one even featured at Ideal Home's team Christmas party!). Alongside my panel of expert testers I've tried all variations of slushie makers, including multi-functional versions that also make soft serve. You can find them ranked below. If you're looking for more ways to whip up frozen treats at home, you might also want to check out our roundup of the best ice cream makers.

Best Slushie makers of 2026

• Best slushie machine overall: Ninja Slushi, £299.99 at Ninja
• Best budget slushie machine: INOVIVA Slush Machine, £189.99 at Amazon
• Best multi-purpose slushie machine: Cuisinart Frost Fusion, £299.99 at Amazon

Best slushie machine overall

Sometimes the original really is best. That's the case with the SLUSHi, which was first released by Ninja in 2024, inspiring a wave of at-home treat makers to be released by competitors.

If straightforward slush is what you're after, you can't beat the quality of the original SLUSHi (which is often subject to deals, too). From the ease of use, which is a hallmark of all Ninja air fryers too, to the array of programs which allow for frosé as well as alcoholic drinks this machine is a real treat from start to finish. The more affordable alternatives I tried were passable but they didn't match the quality of the OG in terms of ease.

One thing worth noting about the SLUSHi (and all slushie makers overall) is that it requires sugar in order for its compressor element to suitably freeze your drink. So if you're looking for a healthy treat maker, then this is not it – look at the Creami or Swirl instead.

While expensive, you'll find you get what you pay for with the SLUSHi. The one thing that may disappoint is that it doesn't have functionality for ice cream or desserts per se – that's where other options on this list might entice you instead.

Best budget slushie maker

I tried this Amazon alternative to the SLUSHi side by side to the Ninja original and I was pretty impressed with what it had to offer. Its programs and design are essentially identical to the slushie machine that started the craze and it has the same capacity which will suit those who love to host.

Despite its obvious lookalike credentials, its not quite the same quality as the original. Its slightly less attractive (though its not as if you'd want the SLUSHi to live on your worktop full time), feels somewhat less sturdy and has less instructive materials to get you started. The programs can also be a little fiddlier to get perfect.

On the whole though, it is a worthwhile alternative to the Ninja if you want to spend £100 or so less (especially if you catch it on sale on Amazon Prime Day or similar). Just don't expect the exact same quality!

Best multifunctional slushie maker

Packing more functionality into one appliance is ideal for those who want to save money and worktop space – the best multicookers are a shining example. That's what Cuisinart's Frost Fusion has going for it with the ability to freeze slushies alongside the capability to mix soft serve in under 30 minutes. You can use the same dispenser mechanism to whip up sorbet, frosé and frozen yoghurt too.

When our tester Annie tried this machine out she found that it excelled in the realm of frozen drinks. With it she made a frappé in just 14 minutes and enjoyed frosé and multiple rounds of margaritas in it too – all with great results.

Where it falls down is its capacity compared to the SLUSHi. It has a litre less space, so it's not as capable for hosting. Annie also found it didn't handle high alcohol content drinks as well as purely sugary ones.

However, for a do-it-all appliance it should be your go-to pick. The soft serve capability will dazzle any child in the vicinity while the drinks functions can be used for all sorts of events.

Our Cuisinart Frost Fusion review has the full details.

Best slushie machine for hosting

If the original SLUSHi is a flamboyance, it's hard to find the words to accurately depict the ridiculousness of the SLUSHi Twist is. But after testing out every single function (and having a lot of fun while doing it) our expert reviewer couldn't help but love this machine.

It's simply the perfect iteration of a slushie machine for hosting. With two separate tanks for drinks to cater to all (by making one alcoholic and one not, say) as well as the ability to combine two flavours together as if you're at the cinema, it's a mightily impressive buy.

Our reviewer Helen was most impressed by the smart yet simple controls as well as how fast it churned out drinks. Quiet operation was a bonus too. All in all, while this is Ninja's most expensive SLUSHi machine yet it's also the most useful if you love to host.

Our Ninja SLUSHi Twist review has the full details.

How we tested these slushie machines

We know how important it is to have real, unbiased opinions about the products that we recommend to Ideal Home readers, which is why as part of our testing protocol, we've had hands-on experience with all of the products in this guide.

When testing slushies, we spend weeks evaluating these products in our kitchens. It starts with evaluating the unboxing and start up process and continues on as we look at the consistency of each drink dispensed. We try out all of the functions that each machine has to offer as well as thinking about how loud each machine is. We can't forget clean-up either or how easy (or difficult) each machine is to store.

Below you can find out exactly who tested each of the appliances on this round up, and learn more about our testing process.

FAQs

Why do you need sugar in slushies?

The compressor element in a slushie machine requires sugar to prevent over-freezing. Without sugar or alcohol, your drink will become too frozen and could damage your machine.

Do you need to add ice to a slushie machine?

No. The compressor inside your slushie machine is doing all of the work to make your drink frozen and change its texture. Adding ice to the tank of a slushie machine is not recommended.

How long does the slushie process take?

In our tests the process of creating slushies took between 15-45 minutes. It varies from drink to drink and can differ depending on room and drink temperature.

When I packed up and headed to university back in September 2019, the one thing my mum gave me was a Crockpot Slowcooker (£31, Argos). And now, four years later, it’s the one kitchen appliance I can’t live without.

If you have a loved one heading to university this autumn, I’d argue that one of the best slow cookers is possibly the best thing to send them off with - it definitely was for me. Slow cookers are cheap to run, make meal prep a breeze, and don’t take up as much worktop space as one of the best air fryers.

I’m always waxing lyrical about my slow cooker and how much I love using it. I genuinely whip it out every week, and now it’s the kitchen appliance I’d recommend to anyone moving out for the first time.

Until I was given a slow cooker, I didn’t really see their merit, to be honest. If I’m being really honest, coming home from school to see the slow cooker was on the side was fairly disappointing. It wasn’t until I started using my own that I realised you could make a lot more than stew.

My mum firmly told me she swore by hers, and after school stew aside, I took her advice. I’ve never looked back either. As an 18-year-old essentially let loose in London for the next three years, I had better things to do than spend my evenings slaving away behind an oven, and I really didn’t have the budget to rely on takeaways.

Here, my slow cooker maths came into play. Before heading into lectures in the morning, I could simply dump my ingredients into the cooker, set it to low, and when I arrived home I’d have a hot meal waiting for me (and leftovers to feed me over the rest of the week).

At home I’d cooked for my family, but now cooking for just myself, I found it frustrating and expensive buying ingredients only to not be able to use them all up before they went out of date. But being able to quickly batch cook in my slow cooker meant I could use all my ingredients up and leftovers could be deposited in the freezer or fridge. Now, I practically worship slow cooker dump bags, which make prep even easier, and swear by the OXO GoodGrips Silicone Bags (£20, Amazon) to do so.

Slow cookers are also really cheap to run. In fact, it’s probably your cheapest kitchen appliance, making it very student-friendly. Plus, my experience of slow cookers is that they can deepen the flavour of the dish you’re cooking. I’ve learned this the hard way by adding slightly too much spice to curries and consequently blowing my own head off.

Throughout university, I used my slow cooker to make a range of dishes from bolognese, curries and casseroles to mulled wine at Christmas and joints of pulled pork for dinner parties and BBQs during the summer.

Now aged 25, I still use the same Crockpot on a weekly basis. It is genuinely my favourite kitchen appliance. And while I keep thinking I need to upgrade my slow cooker (I’ve been looking at the Ninja Foodi 8-in-1 8L Possible Cooker, was £150, now £120 at Argos), I can’t quite bring myself to part with my trusty Crockpot.

My mum was absolutely right in gifting me a slow cooker over any other kitchen appliance or utensil when I headed off to uni seven years ago. I now recommend the same appliance to all my friends and extend the same recommendation to any freshers this year.

I've been reviewing air fryers here at Ideal Home since 2022 – a dream job for someone who loves cooking all sorts of things but is very much partial to an oven chip.

It's hard to think of a cooking appliance that's had an impact as big in our kitchens in the last decade as the air fryer. Time-saving, more convenient to use than an oven, and guaranteed to give you a crispier end result, they've become a staple of homes up and down the UK.

And seeing as I get pretty much all of my home advice and vision from my esteemed colleagues at Ideal Home, I thought it was high time I took a peek at how they're using and storing their air fryers, too, for a healthy dose of inspiration. Here's how they've integrated these 'ugly' but super useful appliances into their homes.

Heather Young - Editor-in-Chief

I draw endless inspiration from our Editor-in-Chief Heather's home, especially her gorgeous kitchen which is packed full of hidden features to make everyday life easier. One of those clever hacks is how she uses her air fryer to maximise use and minimise worktop scratches.

Heather swears by the Instant Pot Duo Crisp (£229.99 via Amazon), which is a multi-cooker, arguably a better space saver than a standard air fryer. With 12 different functions in total it means she can save space over investing in many different appliances. It's a slow cooker, steamer, air fryer, pressure cooker and more in one but its footprint is relatively small.

But that's not all. To make using her multi-cooker even more convenient, Heather also added castor wheels to the bottom of the pot which allow her to move it across her worktop.

That means cleaning around it or taking it out of a storage spot instantly becomes easier, especially if you're tucking it into a pantry like Heather . If you have a hidden mini kitchen appliance garage, this under £10 hack could be a game changer for you.

Rebecca Knight - Editor, Digital

After buying her Victorian flat conversion last year, our Editor has been sharing her home improvement progress including her living room makeover and outdoor hosting upgrades. But one thing that has stayed the same is her air fryer.

'I have the Ninja Dual Zone,' says Becky. 'I know everyone says it's meant to be ugly, but I find its boxy shape and black matte finish just disappear into the background on my kitchen worktop.'

I think this Ninja air fryer remains the most popular pick in the UK despite being released years ago. And when I recently retested it to see if it still holds up against newer releases, I found that it was still as supremely powerful as I remembered.

Becky has adopted Heather's castor wheels hack too, so that she can 'push it right to the back of the counter out of the way when not in use' in her kitchen.

Holly Cockburn - Content Editor, Kitchens and Bathrooms

As my fellow Kitchens Editor who knows exactly which trends to follow, Holly is much less of an appliance or gadget fan than I am – favouring a clear worktop over anything else. Our usual dynamic is that I'll recommend something to Holly for a few years (in this case, an air fryer) and she'll take up the advice when there's one that actually looks good.

Enter: the Wonder Oven (£195 at Our Place). This was the one that finally persuaded her over to the air frying side, and it's little surprise with its pastel colour way and tiny footprint.

When I reviewed this air fryer I called it the prettiest option on the market and I think it still is even two years later. It's also a fabulous choice for anyone who prefers a screen-free appliance – this air fryer is wholly controlled by the three dials on the front.

Molly Cleary – Kitchen Appliances Editor

I've tested many air fryers over the years but the one that suits my small kitchen best is the Ninja DoubleStack in white (£269.99 from Currys). It has similar levels of power to Ninja's dual-drawer models but is much kinder on worktop space which is always at a premium with all of the cooking gadgets I'm usually testing.

The colour range of Ninja's air fryers makes them very appealing to me, alongside the sheer power. The control panel is also the easiest I've found out there.

If you like the idea of a stacked air fryer for space but you're on a tight budget then Salter's £99 alternative went down a treat with our reviewer Annie when she tried it.

The range of air fryers within the Ideal Home team just shows how picking the right appliance for your kitchen is a very personal thing. What are your must-have features or hacks when picking out an air fryer?

In my opinion, treating yourself to one of the best ice cream makers is virtually an act of self care during a sweltering summer. This is especially true if you buy one that freezes as it churns, like the Dualit Ice Cream Maker.

Admittedly, at almost £350, it’s an indulgence. But in addition to ice cream and sorbet, it can make yogurt and slushies too – all in under one hour from mixing to consuming. I used it during a particularly warm July week and it reinforced my love of all things ice cream.

In a nutshell

The Dualit Ice Cream Maker is expensive for a reason. The integrated compressor is like a mini freezer, so in addition to churning your ice cream mixtures, it freezes them too. In my opinion these are the best ice cream makers to buy, as nothing has to be frozen in advance, so you can make ice cream on a whim.

It’s nicely designed with a compact footprint that doesn’t take over your kitchen worktop, and the digital display is easy to navigate. With five separate functions to choose from, ice cream and gelato aren’t the only creations you can use it for. It’ll also make slushies, sorbet, and even home made yogurt.

During my time reviewing it, I enjoyed silky smooth ice creams, punchy sorbet, tasty slushies, and even tried my hand at making yogurt. All the functions worked well, though if you like to cater for bigger groups, you might find its relatively small capacity frustrating at times. And I had more success when I used my own trusted recipes over the ones included in the manual.

Who reviewed this ice cream maker?

Unboxing

It’s been a while since I've unboxed a kitchen appliance and come across polystyrene in the box. Given that most kitchen appliance manufacturers have eliminated polystyrene packaging, I was somewhat disappointed to find it. But I do acknowledge that appliances with refrigerants can require extra protection in transit.

The ice cream maker comes out of the box pretty much ready to go. The removable parts and accessories consist of the main stainless steel bowl, mixing paddle, the lid, a spatula, and a measuring cup. All of these parts require a quick wash before the first use.

The dial control coupled with the digital display are intuitive to use. There are five settings to choose from. The first is cooling, this cycle operates without the mixing paddle moving. It can be used to pre-cool mixes or cool the machine prior to making ice cream.

The second setting is manual stirring, this one can be used to stir mixtures or mix in extra ingredients like chocolate chips at the end of a cycle. The third setting is yogurt, the fourth is the main ice cream, gelato and sorbet setting, and finally there’s the slushie setting.

Once a setting is selected by pressing the dial, you can then adjust the timer. It’s very simple and the manual gives good explanations of settings. It’s worth pointing out that while the capacity of the bowl is 1.2 litres, the manual advises a maximum of 720ml for ice cream, gelato and sorbet. For slushies, you can add a maximum of 600ml, and when making yogurt it can cope with up to 920ml.

My biggest first impression is that it’s a really neat and compact size, it takes up a lot less space on my worktop than my current Cuisinart ice cream maker. I like the matte black finish, which looks subtle and doesn't draw too much attention.

What's it like to use?

Making ice cream

The manual doesn’t include many recipes, there are two ice cream, one gelato, and one sorbet recipe. So I chose to get started with the basic vanilla ice cream recipe. It’s a simple enough recipe that just involves whisking sugar and milk until the sugar dissolves, then adding cream and vanilla.

The recipe recommends setting the timer for 40-60 minutes. I set it for 50 minutes, but stopped it early after just 40 minutes. At this point the ice cream was nicely frozen, but soft enough to remove from the bowl and the paddle without force.

It needed a couple of hours in the freezer to finish firming up, but even after it’d been in the freezer overnight, it remained beautifully soft and scoopable. The creamy texture was very indulgent. My only complaint was that for me, this particular recipe is too sweet and a bit heavy on the vanilla. Both of which are easily rectified next time.

The recipe made 386g, which for context, is slightly short of what you’ll get in a typical tub of Haagen Dasz (400g). I also measured the noise level while it was churning and it was a very pleasant 59dB.

There are a couple of chocolate recipes in the manual, one for chocolate ice cream and one for chocolate gelato. The main difference being that the gelato has less cream and includes two egg yolks, so this is the one I went for.

Annoyingly, instead of listing chocolate or chocolate powder, the recipes require the use of Dualit Hot Chocolate Sachets, which I didn’t have. So I substituted this with standard 65% chocolate. The recipes also require a Dualit Milk Frother Max, so in another workaround, I heated the milk, cream, and chocolate chunks on the hob instead.

Adding warm milk to raw egg yolks is always a bit nerve wracking, but thankfully they didn’t cook and the mixture combined well. The recipe states that you can put the warm mixture straight in the ice cream maker. But this seems crazy to me, so I waited for it to cool down and chilled it in the fridge until it was about 10C.

This time I decided to use the cooling function for 10 minutes before adding the ice cream mixture. It didn’t make much difference to the overall churn time though which, like the vanilla, took around 40 minutes.

The finished chocolate gelato was less creamy and indulgent than the vanilla ice cream. It was also lacking a bit of sweetness, but that’s probably my fault for the chocolate substitution I made.

I ended up serving the vanilla ice cream with the chocolate gelato for the perfect balance in flavour and sweetness. This worked really well, but I’d also be keen to try a different recipe for chocolate ice cream/ gelato that isn’t developed for Dualit hot chocolate sachets.

As a bit of a benchmark I was interested to try an ice cream recipe I’ve made before. So I wasted no time in making my favourite coffee ice cream. It includes milk, cream, sugar coffee, egg yolks and vanilla.

I made up the mixture and chilled it in the fridge for several hours, then churned it until frozen, which again, took about 40 minutes. It turned out smooth, creamy, and just as delicious as I remembered.

While the ice cream maker freezes the ice creams, it’s still a good idea to give your tasty creation a couple of hours in the freezer to firm up properly.

I couldn’t review this model without trying a sorbet. And while I adore lemon sorbet, it is a bit predictable and I was in the mood to try something different. At the time of reviewing, Wimbledon had just finished and strawberry season was in full swing, so I looked up a strawberry sorbet recipe.

The recipe I chose was very easy to put together, I had to heat sugar and water to make a syrup, then once cooled I blended this with fresh strawberries. Lastly, you add the juice of a lemon.

The sorbet took around 50 minutes (I made the maximum 720ml capacity). And I can’t tell you how incredible it tastes. The strawberry flavour is so intense and delicious, the texture is perfect too, with no icy shards. I think I might have to ditch strawberry ice cream in favour of strawberry sorbet from now on.

Making slushies

There’s not really any slushie drink recipes in the manual. Just basic advice that says you can use up to 600ml of your favourite drink. So I made up a latte with the hope of producing a frappe style coffee drink.

I added cold oat milk and a couple of teaspoons of maple syrup to a double shot of espresso. It was a single serve portion of approximately 300ml. I poured this into the machine, selected the slushie mode and put the timer on for 40 minutes.

It took about 25 minutes, which felt quite long for one drink, but it was worth it for the delicious frappe style coffee I was able to enjoy at the end. There were no hard frozen ice crystals, it was the perfect slushie texture that could be drunk through a straw. I even topped it with a splash of double cream to make it extra decadent.

The only minor annoyance was that unlike a proper slushie machine, you have to get it into the glass through a combination of tipping the liquid and spooning the more solid bits out. But after a quick stir with a straw it’s well combined and mine stayed the perfect frozen slushie texture, without melting, right to the end of the drink.

I also tried to make a raspberry slushie using a posh raspberry cordial. This time I made 600ml, which is the maximum slushie capacity and enough to serve two people. I wasn’t sure how long it would take, so set the timer to 40 minutes again.

It took the full 40 minutes to create the raspberry slushies, which is quite a while. They were absolutely delicious though, with a great smooth icy texture that went easily through a straw. It was very reminiscent of childhood raspberry slushie drinks.

Personally I wouldn’t buy this ice cream maker purely for the slushie mode, but it’s a great option that allows you to get more functionality from an expensive appliance. And if you only want occasional slushie drinks, it’s ideal.

Making yoghurt

I eat yogurt every day for breakfast with granola and berries, but despite being the type of person who enjoys making lots of things from scratch, yogurt is something I always just pick up at the supermarket.

You can make up to 920ml of yogurt at a time in this appliance. I followed the included recipe though, which uses 550ml whole milk and 50ml yogurt. There’s minimal prep, just stir together the yogurt and milk and then pour into the ice cream maker.

The recipe advises setting the timer for seven hours when using the yogurt function. And admittedly, that’s a fair old chunk of time, but this is a set-it-and-go scenario, so it can be left to do its thing while you go about your day.

When the timer finished, the machine automatically switched to cool mode, chilling down the slightly warm yogurt. I left it to cool in the machine for around an hour, by this point the yogurt had chilled down to 8C.

I then transferred it to a tub and put it in the fridge. When I tried it on my granola the next morning, I was pleasantly surprised by the smooth creamy texture and mild yogurt flavour. It’s a bit thinner than my usual thick Greek yogurt, but works out a lot cheaper, so it gets a massive thumbs up from me.

What's it like to clean?

All the removable parts can go in the dishwasher, which is great news when they’re covered in sticky ice cream and sorbet mixtures. That said, I frequently washed everything by hand and found it all really quick and easy to wash.

The machine itself didn’t really get dirty, the odd splash of ice cream mixture was easily wiped away from the matte black sides of the machine. It’s the shiny mirrored top part that needs a bit of a buff after use to remove fingerprints and marks. But even this comes clean easily after a quick wipe over with a microfibre cloth.

How does it compare to competitors?

I previously reviewed and still own the Cuisinart Ice Cream and Gelato Professional which I love for many of the same reasons I enjoyed using this Dualit model. The Cuisinart I own has now been superseded by the Cuisinart Freeze Ease Pro Ice Cream Maker which is an upgraded version. At around £300 it’s cheaper than the Dualit with a slightly larger capacity, but the compromise is that it takes up more space.

The Ninja Creami is a totally different proposition, but since it’s significantly cheaper (around £250), it is worth considering. If space is at a premium, this is the compact choice. The big but, is that you have to wait for your mixture to freeze for 24 hours before churning. So it doesn’t give the same instant satisfaction as the Dualit and Cuisinart models.

Should you buy the Dualit Ice Cream Maker?

If you want to get serious about homemade ice cream, then it’s essential to invest in a model like this with a built-in compressor. If you’re anything like me, you’re far more likely to make up a batch of home made ice cream if you don’t have to think about pre-freezing a bowl or a mixture 24 hours in advance.

I particularly like the size and smaller footprint of this Dualit model, and it’s nice to have a few additional functions bundled in. I didn’t love the included recipes, but had great success with recipes I found online.

Other than the price tag, the only major drawback is that it doesn’t have a huge capacity. But that just means I’m more likely to make up a few batches and enjoy a variety of different flavours, so in my opinion that isn’t a deal breaker.

The Ninja SLUSHi Twist is the newest all-singing-all-dancing best slushie machine machine from the brand. There are now four Slushi machines to choose from, including the original, so there really is something for everyone.

This latest model is unique in its ability to create two different drinks at once. And even more impressive is the simultaneous dispensing that allows you to create dual colour drinks that have the wow factor.

So whether you’re throwing a celebration BBQ with boozy frozen cocktails, or you want fun colourful drinks for a kids party, this is the kitchen appliance to elevate your gatherings. But is it really worth investing over £400 on a frozen drinks maker? Well, I tried it in my own home to find out.

In a nutshell

The Ninja SLUSHi Twist is the latest innovation from the juggernaut home appliance brand that is Ninja. At £420 it’s a huge investment for something that’s only going to be used on occasion. But, if yours is the house that everyone gathers at over the summer, the investment could well stack up. It’ll provide hours of fun, tasty drinks for all the family, and get everyone talking about your hosting skills.

Each vessel can hold up to 1.42 litres of liquid. You can slush anything from milkshakes, to cola, fruit juice to cocktails. And you can create two completely independent slushies, or two complementary slushies that are designed to be combined.

I really enjoyed combining drinks, using the rotating drip tray to create a twisted drink effect is actually quite addictive. And I was impressed that the machine uses sensor technology to slush drinks to the correct texture.

The downsides are that cleaning, particularly after milky drinks, is very laborious. And the required sugar levels in the slushie mixes, makes it easy to consume a lot of sugar when using this machine. Though, the manual does offer directions for using a sweetener instead, if you prefer.

Who tested this Slushi machine?

Unboxing and first impressions

It has to be said that when the box arrived on my doorstep, I wasn’t expecting it to be quite so hefty. I opted to unpack it close to the front door for ease. And thankfully the packaging is all recyclable paper and cardboard.

The SLUSHi Twist comes out of the box fully assembled, but since most parts need washing before use, you have to disassemble it anyway. Washing and drying all of the parts is a faff, but it does help you to get to know the machine and understand how it goes together.

There are two drip trays, the one that spins so you can create twisted drinks, and this is used in conjunction with the slanted spouts. Or, for those times when you wouldn’t combine the two drinks, the straight spouts and the standard drip tray come into play.

The drip tray you’re not using can be stored on the side of the machine, but there's not an integrated storage solution for the spare spouts.

I was a bit overwhelmed by all the parts at first. But once I’d washed and dried them all and had a good read of the manuals, I felt better placed to use and understand this machine. There’s a basic user manual, a quick start guide, and a QR code that takes you to various videos and recipe information. This was all super helpful since I’m new to at-home slushie machines.

My main takeaway upon unboxing and setting up the SLUSHi Twist is that it’s big, bulky, and heavy. So I’d advise taking note of the weight and measurement stats when considering whether to buy. Because even if you don’t intend to have it permanently on the worktop, you’ll need to consider storage space as well as the ease of moving this big beast around.

The other thing worth noting is that the working capacity of each vessel is just 1.42 litres, which isn’t huge. In fact, when compared to the other Ninja SLUSHi models with single vessels, they all have a larger capacity, ranging from 1.9 - 3.31 litres. Although crucially, you can only make one flavour drink at a time in the other models.

Unlike Ninja’s other SLUSHi machines, the SLUSHi Twist doesn’t offer different programs for different types of drink. Instead, it relies on smart sensor programs to figure out the right setting for you, so you really don’t have to do any thinking. Helpfully though, you can use the snowflake buttons to adjust the texture if desired.

As someone who is new to making slushies at home, I wasn’t previously aware that sugar content is an important factor in creating a slushie. As indeed is alcohol if you’re creating alcoholic drinks. Drinks need to contain at least 5g sugar per 100ml and not more than 20% alcohol.

Thankfully, if you’ve got your drink proportions wrong, the clever inbuilt sensors will alert you to add water or add sugar to correct the balance. But a big takeaway for me was that drinks are often quite sugary, which is something to watch if you use it a lot.

To counter the potential sugar problem, the manual offers advice on using a natural low calorie sweetener called erythritol instead, but after googling it and reading about some potential negative side effects, I wasn’t keen.

What is it like to use?

Fruit juice slushies

For my first try, I didn’t want to overcomplicate the drinks, so I chose fruit juices. On one side I added a litre of smooth orange juice, and on the other side I opted for a litre of cranberry and raspberry. This meant I would be able to have a go at making a twisted drink with contrasting colours, but there wouldn’t be as much to lose as there would be if I'd started with a more expensive boozy drink and got it wrong.

I pressed the Dual Slush Assist button to start it up. It then spent about five minutes sensing the drinks to figure out the optimal texture and temperature, which incidentally was different for each side.

It's not as noisy as I thought it might be, registering just 58dB on my noise meter. Make no mistake though, if you plan to leave it on all day, it’ll be a relief for your ears when you switch off the constant drone at the end of the day.

The cranberry side beeped first to signal that it was ready, after just 18 minutes. The orange side wasn’t far behind, taking around 20 minutes. Impressively speedy if you ask me.

The excitement of experimenting with the two colours and creating different styles got the better of me, and I dispensed the whole lot in under 10 minutes of sheer joy!

Making the perfectly twisted drink, like you see in all the promotional images, will take some practice and I didn’t immediately nail it. The act of pulling the dispensing levers down with one hand, whilst also spinning the disc beneath the glass, is a bit like patting your head and rubbing your tummy at first.

I had better success creating a layered drink and also a straight side-by-side drink. It was great fun making all these different creations. Though I should say that while they looked beautiful at first, it only took a few minutes for the two colours to start bleeding into each other and the effect is quickly lost.

I’d highly recommend having a practice go like this when you first get hold of it. I poured all the fruit juice slushies into a jug afterwards and put it in the fridge. This way, I got to experiment without any wastage.

Milk based slushies

I’m a big frappe fan, so when considering milk based slushies, a coffee option was a no brainer. I used Ninja’s coffee frappe recipe. In the second side I made up Ninja’s vanilla milkshake recipe. For both recipes I went with the 4-6 serving option, though I did have to slightly tweak the frappe one to make it the right volume for this particular machine's capacity.

I used the Dual Slush Assist button again and the vanilla milkshake was ready in 20 minutes. The coffee frappe was almost at the max capacity, plus it wasn’t quite as cold as the milkshake mix, nevertheless it was still slushed in 30 minutes.

The coffee frappe was addictive and could easily become a weekend favourite. The vanilla milkshake was almost like one you’d enjoy from a big fast food chain - also very addictive.

What’s more, we had great fun combining the two. But my gosh, these are high sugar recipes and before I knew it, I’d easily consumed more than double the recommended sugar intake for an adult, just in a couple of drinks.

There’s no denying that the drinks were incredibly delicious and I enjoyed them immensely, but I would definitely need to purchase some smaller glasses to force myself into more sensible portion sizes in future.

Alcohol slushies

I couldn’t review this slushie machine without making a frozen margarita. I went in search of a classic recipe though, as I didn’t fancy the mango or strawberry versions in the Ninja recipe book. The one I landed on included tequila, cointreau, simple syrup, lime juice, and sparkling water.

In the second side, for the non drinkers, I put a bottle of sparkling non alcoholic rosé, to make a frozen rosé style drink. That’s one thing about this machine that’s really great, it gives you the option to create drinks that include everyone, so nobody is left out of the fun.

I hit the dual slush assist button again and let the machine figure things out. The frozen rosé was ready first, after just 17 minutes. The margarita took a bit longer, which wasn’t surprising since the bottle of rosé was just 750ml, while the margarita mix was around 1200ml. That said, it still only took 24 minutes.

I left it running for around seven hours on a hot Saturday afternoon and I definitely noticed plenty of condensation on the outside of the vessels, but like I said, it’s thoughtfully designed, so the condensation catcher trays did a great job of collecting all the moisture and my worktop stayed dry.

Of course, both drinks were tasty and enjoyable, real frozen margaritas at home felt so luxurious and I can’t wait to serve them at more gatherings. I did have to adjust the texture a couple of times using the snowflake buttons. It takes a few minutes to get the drink to your desired texture, but it’s worth a short wait for the perfect cocktail.

What's it like to clean?

There’s no getting away from it, cleaning is one of the biggest drawbacks of this appliance. Thank goodness for the rinse cycle. You can add warm water and use the rinse cycle to get rid of most of the drink residues. Then all of the dishwasher-safe parts will need to be popped through a cycle.

The two big vessels are bulky to wash by hand, the two augers are fiddly, and then there’s the drip tray, condensation catcher trays, and spouts, so it feels like a lot of washing up. None of the parts can go in the dishwasher.

After using milk based recipes, you have to be extra thorough to make sure it doesn’t end up with milky residues anywhere. And I found myself double washing some parts to get rid of the greasiness from cream that was in the recipes. The biggest saving grace is that in general this isn’t an appliance you’ll use daily, which takes the sting out of the clean-up effort.

How does it compare to other models?

The original Ninja SLUSHi (£299.99 via SharkNinja) was a hit with our Kitchen Appliances Editor and will definitely fit the bill if you’re likely to make one flavour slushie at a time. What's more, despite being the smallest on offer from the brand, its 1.9 litre max fill capacity is still bigger than the 1.42 litres you can put in each side of the SLUSHi Twist. And at £299.99 it's over £100 cheaper than the SLUSHi Twist.

Alternatively, if you just like the idea of a single serve frappe from time to time, you could opt for something like the Dualit Ice Cream Maker. Not only does it allow you to create delicious ice cream, but the slushie setting does the job for occasional frozen drink too.

Should you buy the Ninja SLUSHi Twist?

Much is made of its ability to creatively dispense two different drinks into the same glass, but I think the biggest and most useful feature is simply that you can slush two separate drink recipes simultaneously. For example, being able to make an alcoholic slushie alongside a non-alcoholic one is a great way to include everyone in the fun at a party.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of fun to be had mixing slushies together and creating cool looking dual colour drinks. The downside is that it’s an expensive, bulky appliance so it’s worth considering whether one of the other Ninja SLUSHi models would meet your needs.

That being said, if you want more fun, more drinks options, and to add extra pazazz to your next gathering, the SLUSHi Twist is a premium slushie machine with all the functionality and wow factor you could hope for!

Even though it sounds quite boastful, there really has been no better job than testing out one of the best slushie machines this summer. Accompanying me to BBQs, parties and family get-togethers, it’s proved to be the ultimate party essential.

Following the success of the Ninja Slushi and how much our Kitchen Appliances Editor raved about it, I’ve been dying to get my hands on a frozen drinks maker. So, when the opportunity came up to test Salter’s more affordable alternative, I leapt at the opportunity.

Not only was the Salter Slushie Maker (£179.99) easy to use, producing delicious frozen drinks quickly, but it was a real crowd pleaser, too. Now, I doubt I'll ever be found hosting or attending any summer get-togethers without it. Here’s why.

It was incredibly simple to get the Salter Slushie ready to go. Salter states you should let the machine stand for two hours before use to let the refrigerant settle, and then it’s good to go. The main thing you need to remember is that each drink serving should have at least 10g of sugar, which means you should avoid using sugar-free sodas or ingredients. Also, you must never add hot or solid items like ice cream and frozen fruit, as it can damage the machine.

For my first test, I went straight for a frozen cocktail. It was a hot Friday night, and having promised frozen cocktails at a party the following day, I wanted to give it a spin first. Opting for a frozen Cuba Libre, I added rum, ‘full fat’ cola and lime juice to the machine. Then, all I had to do was press the ‘frozen cocktail button’, and I was off.

All I had to do was wait. The machine made a little noise, but this was to be expected, and after just 40 minutes, the temperature on the control panel had dropped from around 20 degrees to -5. And the results were delicious. The slushy mix is smooth, without chunks of ice, giving that cocktail bar experience.

Since then, I’ve got to work testing the other presets - slushy, frappe, chilled juice, smoothie and milkshake. During this summer’s hellish heatwaves, I have to say that the smoothie and slushie functions were incredible for helping me and my partner stay cool.

But the Salter Slushie really came into its own when it came to hosting. Its large 1.9L capacity meant it was more than capable of hosting eight (thirsty) adults, and every single friend or family member I served a frozen drink to was impressed.

Taking it to parties, the compact size of the machine made it easy to transport. Its slim size makes it easy to fit in the car (yes, it has its own seatbelt), and so far, it has fit easily in my friends’ kitchens.

I won’t lie, it does look a little bulky in my kitchen. But I have an unbelievably small kitchen - to the point where I lack the space for one of the best air fryers - so I think this is more a ‘me’ problem than a problem with the slushy maker.

I was also impressed with how easy the Salter Slushie maker is to clean. It has a preset rinse function, which is great for loosening slushy debris, and ideal if you want to switch to a different drink recipe. Then, the slushy maker is easily disassembled for deeper cleaning.

I have found a few of the edges a little tricky to scrub due to the shape of the dispenser, but this really hasn’t bothered me. Plus, you can reassemble the machine in *literally* a minute.

The Salter Slushy is the first frozen drinks maker I’ve made, and I have to say I was impressed. While the Ninja Slushi offers frozen results in just 15 minutes, I don’t think this is enough of a pull for me to stray from Salter. Like Ninja, the Salter Slushie Maker can also keep drinks cool for up to 12 hours, has one more preset (smoothie) and is more affordable to boot.

Not only has the Salter Slushie Machine kept me cool and hydrated with delicious frozen drinks all summer, but I suspect it has improved my social life, too!

If there's one culinary topic that's bound to divide opinion, it's how to make perfect rice. While I thought I was tied to my faithful plug-in rice cooker for life, Joseph Joseph's microwave version (for £26) just switched my allegiances completely.

I've been vociferous in my love for my handy, compact rice cooker from Lakeland, which turns out grains with the ideal level of bite with minimal effort. My big complaint with it, however, is that it takes 40 minutes to complete its task, which can get in the way of a quick dinner.

Joseph Joseph's genius cooker, by comparison, which fits neatly inside your microwave (and cupboards) with a range of clever design features, took just 10 minutes to cook fluffy rice. If you don't want to invest in another appliance for your kitchen, this is a wonderful low-effort buy.

I admit I was skeptical about this gadget at first. I've seen enough memes about the 'art' of microwave cookbooks to know that this isn't an appliance famed for its culinary delights.

But I was willing to give it a go if it meant I could gain some more worktop and cupboard space back. As a full-time tester of kitchen appliances, my cooking area can go from calm to chaotic very fast.

I've tried a few of Joseph Joseph's kitchen gadgets but this bested all of my expectations. It's compact (obviously enough to fit into a microwave) and has features that allow you to measure and wash your rice as well as cook it without any extra washing up.

You have an inner and outer pot here, with the former doubling as a colander for you to wash your rice in (an essential to avoid the grains clumping together). A measuring cup is included with this cooker too, which I'd recommend using so that you can easily follow the cooking instructions in the included booklet.

My favourite part of it all might just be the rice paddle. This is used to lock the pot together when you pop it into the microwave and fluffs up your cooked rice a treat too.

This gadget is so easy to use. It's foolproof! For a serving for two people I used half a cup of rice, which I measured out then washed in the sink. The colander has a thin pop out handle so you don't have to fiddle getting it out of the main pot to take it to the sink.

For this amount of rice, eight to ten minutes of microwave cooking is required. I duly followed those timings, as well as the recommendation to let the rice stand for five additional minutes while I prepared the rest of my meal.

I left the pot locked with the spoon while it stood and after the allotted time, opened it up to find fluffy rice ready to go. It was such a speedy and foolproof process – quicker than my rice cooker and less effort than my traditional hob method (which involves waiting for it to boil from cold and then popping on a lid).

I'm a total convert to this method. Not only was it quick and easy but it means I don't have another appliance to plug in or maintain. The parts can go through the dishwasher too.

It turns out I'm pretty late to the party on this incredibly handy gadget, with it having racked up 151 reviews to accumulate a 4.5 star rating on the brand's website. Other impressed reviewers have remarked on how consistent it is for 'perfect rice every time'.

This isn't the only microwave-cooking buy that Joseph Joseph have designed. I've also discovered they have a highly-rated 4-piece stackable set too, which claims to be able to help you cook an entire meal in a microwave.

So perhaps I was wrong in my assumptions about microwave cooking after all. If it's this easy, I'll take as much of it as I can get!

Sorry traditional air fryers, glass air fryers are taking the culinary world by storm due to their space-saving and meal prepping capabilities - and Lidl is about to launch the most affordable I’ve seen yet.

In 2026, the best air fryers have a spot in every kitchen, yet most are quite bulky. But the increase in popularity of glass air fryers over the past year shows that these game-changing appliances can work in the tiniest of kitchens.

Landing in stores on Sunday 2 August, Lidl’s Glass Air Fryer is a deadringer for the Ninja Crispi (was £149.99, now £115 at Shark Ninja), and at only £49.99, It’s one of the most affordable Ninja Crispi alternatives I’ve spotted.

Having reviewed the Ninja Crispi, Ideal Home’s Kitchen Appliances Editor Molly Cleary declared she’d only use the glass air fryer from then on. Its easy-to-clean glass containers were found to be excellent for making lunches and meal prep, while its compact size meant it was easy to stash away after use, too - no bulky appliance taking up precious worktop space here. Not to mention it produces unbelievably delicious and crispy results.

The convenience of glass air fryers has seen them soar in popularity, and now it’s Lidl’s turn to deliver an affordable version. If you have Lidl Plus, the Glass Fryer is £49.99, and it is £59.99 without the app discount.

It boasts a transparent glass cooking basket, allowing you to keep an eye on how your food is cooking without opening the drawer (one of the main benefits of glass air fryers over standard ones), and it promises to deliver healthy, crispy results with ease. Lidl also states the machine is easy to clean, which is a bonus. For squeaky clean air fryers, I do recommend the Astonish Air Fryer Cleaner(£2.50, Dunelm) as it is great for cutting through grease.

Lidl’s Silvercrest Glass Air Fryer has four preset programs: air fry, roast, re-fry, and keep warm. Its small glass container is ideal for one portion, while the supermarket says its large container is big enough to roast a whole chicken.

‘I was unsure of the concept of glass air fryers at first, but after testing the Ninja Crispi I was totally won over. I can't imagine a better air fryer design for a student house or a small kitchen in order to feed one or two people,' comments Molly. 'If you're on a tight budget, then this version from Lidl might be worth a try. The glass surface is much easier to clean than a usual air fryer tray and will be so easy to pop into a deep drawer too.'

Glass air fryers are a great choice for people who have small kitchens, students and anyone else who doesn’t want to give up worktop space for bulky appliances. They offer a great vantage point, where you can see how your food is cooking. The detachable glass dishes make meal prep incredibly easy, and the glass is far easier to clean than other air fryers.

Lidl’s glass air fryer will only be available in-store. So, in the case of stock issues or it selling out fast, I’ve rounded up a few more affordable alternatives to shop online.

You can always count on Lidl to deliver an affordable alternative to our favourite appliances. Will you try it?

It can be hard to strike the balance between a cluttered countertop and a well-stocked one, especially when creating a dedicated space for making tea and coffee. In my time as Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor I've learned one of the things that those with organised coffee stations always have is some kind of tray or organiser to curate their nook around.

And now, I've found a very affordable solution to do just that: enter IKEA's £5 NÅLBLECKA organiser.

This versatile organiser is one of the brand's new-in kitchenware gems – alongside a bargain £15 fridge system and £4 hideaway dish drainer. Here's why it's genius for doubling storage space either on your worktop or in your cupboards.

The reviews accumulated for the NÅLBLECKA organiser collection show off its versatility. Of course, the flexibility of these Scandi-inspired products is the reason why so many IKEA hacks flood social media feeds every week, and with a little bit of vision even a humble £5 organiser like this one can help to switch up your space.

While one user has so far remarked that they were using it as a mug holder, another has already been using it as a method to keep loose cooking items organised.

The version with a tray on the top and bottom has a 4.8 star rating out of 5 from 496 reviews, with a whole host of reviewers saying it's a great fit for cooking oils and jars that need to be within easy reach.

For a coffee station specifically, the gap underneath the £5 organiser works well as it gives space for mug stacking – especially for those oversized mugs space which need to stack together without being restricted. Up top, the tray element is a good spot for tea bags, sugar or coffee too.

If you're stuck for space horizontally on your worktop, the legs of these organisers allow them to stack together too which is great for making the most of any vertical storage space you have.

The debate on what should be left on a kitchen worktop and what should be tidied away is always alive and well at Ideal Home towers. If there's one thing we all agree on though, its that one of the the things that people with a tidy kitchen worktop always have is a clutter bucket or tray to collect loose items.

Of course, the NÅLBLECKA is a kind of elevated tray but if you want something more interiors-led, these are the picks I would opt for in the ultra-organised kitchen of my dreams.

Whether you opt for IKEA's ultra-affordable organiser or one of these alternatives, the key to a curated and less chaotic kitchen countertop is all in picking the right place to gather your must-haves. Are you all for storing things on your worktop or do you prefer to hide everything away?

Ninja has a new multi-cooker to feast your eyes on and I think it's the most capable offering I've seen from the bestselling brand yet.

The Ninja HyperHeat, which is currently down to £149.99 from £169.99, has an impressive 9 functions to get stuck into combined into one sleek appliance.

The setting I'm most excited about is rice cooking – which is something I absolutely loved when I tested what I think is the best multi-cooker on the market, the Ninja Foodi Possible. As well as that, the HyperHeat also has a pressure cooker setting, meaning that it can save you a huge amount of time on meal prep. Here's what else it can do!

The HyperHeat is so called because it has the ability to lock in high temperatures and pressure in order to speed up your cooking process. Its pressure cooking mode is one of its big selling points, alongside the other functions, which are steam, slow cook, sear/sauté, rice, pasta, simmer, keep warm & yoghurt.

If you've never used a pressure cooker before then the big thing to know is that it can seriously save you time in the kitchen. Ninja claims that with the HyperHeat you can cook up to 70% faster than with hob cooking – though you do have to reserve time for the pot to pre-heat. It locks in steam and heat to supercharge the cooking process so that stews or rice will be cooked in record time in your home.

The capacity of this cooker is tailor-made for families, too. It has six litres of space, meaning you can batch cook with it or use it for family dinners. The sear and sauté functions allow you to use the inner pot as a stand-in hob, too – perfect if you need an all-in-one appliance if your kitchen is currently out of action. That's exactly what our Senior Digital Editor, Jenny McFarlane did recently in her temporary kitchen whilst hers was being renovated.

I'm evangelical about the need for a rice cooker in every household – no matter the size – thanks to its ability to help you whip up quick meals with essentially no effort. The reviews from users so far on the HyperHeat, where it currently has a 4.6 star rating out of 5 from 29 people, are overwhelmingly impressed with the rice cooking functionality in particular.

Another benefit of this new Ninja cooker is the included stainless steel reversible rack. Reviewers have been putting this to good use in order to cook across two levels in one pot. You can steam grains in the bottom while your protein is cooked to perfection on top.

Though it might seem counterintuitive in this heat given they have a reputation for being used to make soups and stews, a multi-cooker is actually a great appliance for the hot months. With it, there's no sweating over your hob or lengthy prep times. Instead, you can throw everything into a cooker like this and quickly return to your finished meal, especially if you're using the pressure cooking setting on this appliance.

Whether you're already a multi-cooker convert or not, the HyperHeat certainly looks like an impressive new entry into the category for Ninja. Could you see yourself using this in your kitchen?

There are plenty of affordable ice cream makers hitting the shelves right now, including Aldi's Ambiano Ice Cream Machine for £69.99 and Lidl's Silvercrest version, the Premium Freezy, for the same price.

Though these ice cream machines are unbelievably cheap, as Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, I'd recommend spending a fraction more on an easier-to-store alternative that I've tested: Cuisinart's genius FreezeWand (£79.99 via Amazon).

As well as still being wallet-friendly, this is one of the best ice cream makers I've tested for a small kitchen and works like a charm for making sorbets, ice cream and a range of other frozen treats. Here's why I think it's the sweet-treat-buy to beat for most kitchens, including Aldi's budget Ninja Creami alternative.

The ice cream makers recently released by supermarkets with middle aisles we love to peruse are both modelled on Ninja's viral sensation and bestseller the Ninja Creami, which we reviewed way back in 2023. While the Ninja Creami's design has been a huge hit, it's an appliance that takes up a lot of space on a worktop. Even the most dedicated at-home ice cream enthusiast might struggle to give up the space it needs in a kitchen.

That's why I was so impressed by Cuisinart's FreezeWand design, which is perfect for compact spaces. It consists of a stick fitted with a blade that neatly fits into three 240ml pots to churn up your ice cream creation. These pots, which you use to pre-freeze your ingredients, also neatly stack together either in your freezer or in storage – another big benefit of this buy over bulkier alternatives.

When packed down, the FreezeWand measures up at just 30.5cm in height, which makes it supremely convenient for storing. Compare that to the Ninja Creami and lookalikes, which each need around 40cm of worktop clearance at all times (even to store) and there's a clear winner for cosier kitchens.

The functionality on Cuisinart's alternative is impressive too. It can churn up ice cream (and work in mix-in extras like chocolate chips) and sorbet as well as offering settings to make milkshakes and slushies.

The limiting factor to the original Cuisinart wand is the smaller size of the pots to freeze ingredients in. For a family of four, say, a 240ml pot of ice cream definitely isn't going to cut it for an after dinner treat.

If you're interested in mixing up bigger portions of ice cream regularly, that's where the brand's bigger FreezeWand XL comes in (available from Amazon for £99.99). It has the same clever foldaway design but with a larger capacity. Each of its pots can hold 470ml which is extremely similar to the capacity of the Creami pots.

In all of my tests of the Cuisinart FreezeWand I was really impressed with the resulting ice cream and sorbet it created and found the mix-in element worked well too.

If you do have the space, perhaps thanks to a dreamy appliance garage, to host an upright ice-cream maker, then these are the ones I'd recommend. Top marks go to the Ninja Swirl, in particular, which is probably the most fun I've ever had reviewing an appliance.

Which of these would fit best into your kitchen?

De'Longhi, the Italian coffee machine brand behind so many well-loved machines, have unveiled a more compact and affordable version of one of its bean-to-cup bestsellers – the Rivelia.

The brand new Rivelia Start, which is available now from De'Longhi for £599.99, is a very enticing prospect to me as Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor. Until today, I thought that its more expensive counterpart was the best bean-to-cup machine for most people after our 5 star review. But somehow, this slimmed-down model looks to have even more going for it and might just knock it off its perch. Not to mention it's available in a gorgeous green colour, which is one of the prettiest kitchen appliance colourways I've seen this summer.

Here's how the new machine compares to its predecessor and why it's the dream machine for small kitchens.

Let's go back to basics and dig into why was the OG Rivelia such a hit. As stated in our expert Home Economist's review back in 2024 it's a coffee machine with a lot going for it. Helen, our revieiwer, described it as 'quite possibly the best designed, nicest looking, and best performing automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine I’ve ever reviewed' – and she's tested plenty for us since 2022.

One of the most loved features was the dual bean hopper design. That means you can switch easily between two blends or levels of caffeine. If you enjoy a decaf in the afternoons, it's a great thing to have. Even though the Rivelia Start cost £100 less, it's retained this standout feature.

The milk frothing system, made possible by the LatteCrema Hot attachment (which is included) that makes such delectable hot drinks with the Rivelia is present within the Start too. There are 10 café-quality drinks on offer, 'from a velvety Flat White to a classic Espresso' according to De'Longhi along with the ability to 'enjoy standard-setting hot and cold creations back-to-back'.

If you want to enjoy cold drinks, like I did when I tested the phenomenal Eletta Ultra, you'll have to invest in De'Longhi's LatteCrema Cool Tech system separately. This will set you back £99.99 via the brand's website. If you're an iced latte lover, I would say this is well worth it as it provides you with a huge upgrade over just adding cold milk to your coffee. It cold froths milk perfectly so you can enjoy proper iced cappuccinos all day long and serve them up to guests.

There's also a Cold Brew setting, which will be welcome news for those who love the taste of this smooth chilled coffee drink and a treat in the ongoing heatwaves.

Compared to the Rivelia, the Start has a pared-down user interface. Rather than an interactive touchscreen, it has a panel featuring touch-sensitive illustrated buttons of each type of drink available. For most, this probably won't be much of a factor – especially with the benefit of saving £100.

For me, the colours available with the Rivelia Start are a huge draw. Two shades are available so far, the Jade Green and Umber Brown, with more to follow in the full line-up in September.

If you're looking for a do-it-all bean-to-cup machine that will totally wow your guests, the Rivelia Start is a phenomenal value option for this price. Within a few touches of the machine's interface, you can have a café-worthy coffee in front of you every morning. What's not to like?!

One of the most practical ways to cool down during the summer heat is simply with a cool glass of water – but what if you could upgrade yours to a spa-like experience without spending more than £10?

That's what you get with IKEA's new KLIPPKAKTUS water dispenser (£9), which has so many clever design features to make staying hydrated a treat rather than a chore.

I'm on a mission to organise my fridge to perfection when I move into my new flat in a few weeks, and this water dispenser is being added straight to my basket in the same order as these fridge organisers. Here's why.

A fridge with an in-built water or ice dispenser is obviously the pinnacle for staying refreshed at home but they're usually pretty pricey and if you, like me, are a renter you won't be able to install one even if you wanted to.

That's where this clever IKEA buy comes into its own. Not only is it the perfect size to slot onto your fridge shelf but its also equipped with a healthy capacity for keeping you hydrated all day – 4 litres is more than enough to see you through a day.

You don't need to fill this dispenser straight from the tap every time you refill it. You can save the faff thanks to the smart pull-back opening at the front of the dispenser, which also gives you access to the in-built filter.

This filter is what gives you the ability to serve up spa-like infused water, flavoured with lemon, lime or mint, without any off-putting floating bits in it too. If you pop those into the filter compartment, you'll get all of the benefits of your detox drink without the texture.

The tap element has more than one use, too. It's the classic kind you'd find on a mason-jar type dispenser, which means that you can control the flow of water without much effort. According to IKEA, 'if you want a lot of beverage to flow out, just push down on it, and if you want just a little, turn it 180° and push down until you're satisfied.'

So far, from 89 user reviews, this KLIPPKAKTUS dispenser has a 4 out of 5 star rating from customers, with some even commenting they use it more than their built-in version, thanks to its easy-clean nature.

One reviewer comments 'My water dispenser on my fridge was under the door shelf, and I found it got really grubby, so we decided to try this. It's amazing – easily topped up, rarely leaks, and the size is just perfect. Love the little filter option as well, where you can add lime or cucumber to flavour your water a little.'

Having a steady flow of perfectly chilled water during the recent heatwaves certainly seems to have won a lot of IKEA fans over to this affordable buy. Below I've found some other Ideal Home approved fridge organisers that can help you stay hydrated during this hot summer and help you keep things tidy.

Here's to a more organised fridge that keeps you drinking more water this summer!

Ninja's Dual Zone air fryer was released way back in 2020 but there's a good argument that it's still the UK's most favoured air fryer, as well as one of the best Ninja air fryers in the brand's line up.

It's a fixture in hundreds of thousands of kitchens across the country but there is one thing I think you should know as Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor before you buy it: it's mighty powerful. So much so, it takes a bit of a learning curve to get used to!

I commented on its strength when I first reviewed it back in 2022, and since then, I've recommended it to many friends as the air fryer to beat. To see if my advice is still good and if this appliance stands up against all of the other air fryers out there, I was sent a sample (kindly provided by AO, where it's £179) to see how it holds up. This is what I found.

After re-testing the Ninja Dual Zone air fryer, it's still the one I'd recommend it to all of my friends and family when they're on the hunt for a two-drawer model. Of course there's been whole new generations of air fryers since then, including the unbelievably helpful multi-zone versions, but a lot of people still like to stick to two zones – which is where this air fryer excels.

The ability to match, sync or use each side individually is the ideal design for those catering to fussy eaters. And one of the great benefits of buying a Ninja air fryer over any other is that the interface is hard to beat. It's very simple so even those less inclined to get involved with any sort of cooking have no excuse.

But the one thing I always have to warn people about when I do recommend this air fryer to them is that you have to proceed with caution on your first few cooking attempts with it because if you're not used to its power levels, things will come out a lot crispier than you bargained for.

This air fryer is so powerful that even the usual calculations you have to do with air frying something over putting it in the oven (which usually means cutting down cooking times by 1/3) need to be calibrated. You'll find that this air fryer is a lot quicker than you might have expected, especially on the very popular MAX CRISP setting.

This is something I'd forgotten about in my gap between re-testing this air fryer and I got a surprise on my first experiment with chicken and some vegetables. Though I've still been testing air fryers across the last few years, none of them (not even rival Ninjas like the Crispi or the DoubleStack) come close in terms of sheer cooking ability.

It's not surprising that this air fryer puts on such an impressive performance when it comes to cooking given its wattage. With a 2,400-watt number in terms of power, it's a market leader for packing a punch when it comes to energy. But that doesn't mean its a huge energy guzzler necessarily. Remember, it cooks things in very quick times so you won't need it on for as long compared to a less powerful alternative.

So if you're thinking of investing in a dual zone air fryer and you want to maximise power, I've found in my tests that the Ninja Dual Zone is as impressive as ever – even if it's 6 years since its first release. Just remember you probably need less time than you think for cooking to begin with!

Ninja's newest Slushi machine has finally landed on UK shores, just in time for the rising temperatures that have us all longing for a cooling refreshment.

The Ninja Slushi Twist, which is available from today for £419.99 (via Ninja) takes the success of one of its bestselling launches of the past few years and doubles it, with twice the amount of drinks and flavours available to your guests this summer if you choose to buy it. And the best part of all? You can mix them with the help of the machine to make the half and half drink of your dreams!

Yep, this 'dual-vessel frozen drinks maker' gives you the chance to slush two different drinks, all in the same impressively narrow timeframe that I've been wowed by with the original Ninja Slushi during my trials of it. Here's all of the added functionality you get with this buy that offers twice the fun for your kitchen.

The biggest sell with the Ninja Slushi Twist is that you can cater to everyone that comes over to your house for a summer soiree. With the two separate mixing cylinders, you can provide alcoholic and non-alcoholic slushies side by side, as well as different types of drinks altogether. So if someone wants a frozen milkshake while you're sipping on a frosé, it's all possible.

I reckon the fact you can twist together two different flavours of Slush will be hugely popular too – something that was previously only possible if you were picking up a frozen drink at the cinema or the beach.

The combining process works thanks to one very clever feature: a spinning drip tray at the bottom of the machine. This creates that swirled-together effect that makes your two-flavour drink look so tasty. If you only want to dispense one drink at a time, then that's possible too, thanks to the split-handlebar at the very top of both vessels.

As with of all its appliances, Ninja has engineered a catchily-named program to help users get the best from this buy, which is called the Dual SlushAssist. This program will sense the ingredients in each vessel and then apply the settings that relate to whichever function you pick.

As someone who has hosted with the OG Slushi before, another marked improvement with the Twist is that it has an upped capacity. It can serve up 10x 260ml in one go, which is plenty enough for a crowd before you'll need to head inside to refill the machine.

So, if you're looking for a buy that will make hosting an absolute dream and help you cater to all tastes when it comes to drinks, the Slushi Twist might just be the thing you're looking for to cool off with this summer!

Alternative Ninja Slushis

IKEA's newest must-have kitchen buy, the TILLREDA multicooker (available now for £85) is just the thing you need to crack cooking perfectly fluffy rice at home.

With 14 presets, including slow cooker and baking modes, there is a huge amount of functionality packed into this compact little multicooker for its under £100 price tag. If you want to make your small kitchen more capable, you'll want to take a look at all of its functions. Here's what it can do.

The full list of functions is as follows: Manual mode, Keep warm, Slow cook, Rice, Fry/Sauté, Steam, Bake, Boil, Yoghurt, Soup, Stew, Porridge, Oatmeal, Bread rise.

So as well as the ability to use it as a 'chuck all of the ingredients in and set it off' cooker, you can also use the inner pot as a stand-in hob spot and sear ingredients from the high heat. This is something I found immensely useful when I tested Ninja's PossibleCooker with a rice mode – which is by far the most impressive multi-mode cooker I've tried.

If you love simple all-in-one meals, then the ability to saute protein before you add the rest of your ingredients can elevate a recipe by many multitudes. It's also great if you have limited hob access or if your hob (like mine) emits less heat than you might like it to.

I've found lots of people turn to a multicooker like this one when they're without a kitchen for some period of time - say, undergoing a renovation – because it's the closest appliance to having a little mini kitchen wrapped up in one.

As far as the size of this appliance is concerned, it's small stature will be hugely popular with those with more cramped kitchens. At just 21.5cm tall, including for the profile of its slimline lid, this can be placed under a countertop and in even the tightest of corners to add a whole new dimension to your kitchen. For context, the Ninja PossibleCooker that I am a huge fan of is quite a bit taller at 28cm in height and has a bigger capacity more fit for a family.

With the mini size of this IKEA version combined with its varied function set, I reckon it's perfect for 1 to 2 people most of time.

Another benefit of this mini cooker is that it comes with a steamer attachment that slots right into the main bowl so that you can get the most out of that steaming function.

The interface of the TILLREDA looks simple too. It features a small LED screen upon which you can dial through all of the different modes, set your timer and temperature of your cooking program.

This multicooker is brand new on IKEA's website, so there aren't any user reviews from the UK available yet to judge it on. I'm hoping we can get our hands on it to put it through our stringent testing process to see how it performs. But from a first look, it seems like an excellent buy if you're short on space but want to max out on cooking functionality.

If there’s one thing that all this hot weather calls for, it’s a delicious tub of homemade ice cream. And no, you don’t need the Ninja Creami (£169.99, Argos) to do this, as Aldi has just dropped a similar alternative for just £69.99.

Over the past few years, the best ice-creams have become the ‘it’ appliance of any kitchen, even overtaking air fryers in terms of viral popularity. But they can be expensive appliances – until now, at least.

Landing in stores on 16 July, the Aldi Premium Ice Cream Maker is dropping as part of the supermarket’s latest Modern Kitchen range. Here’s everything we know about this star buy so far.

Having been writing about Aldi for a few years now, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t waiting for Aldi to drop an ice-cream maker. Yes, there may have been an Aldi ice cream maker to hit the shelves before, but I’ve been on the lookout a slightly fancier gadget.

And my prayers have been answered, as their new premium ice cream maker is a dead ringer for the Ninja Creami.

More than £100 cheaper than the Ninja Creami Deluxe (£249.99, Ninja), the Aldi Premium Ice Cream Maker allows you to create delicious homemade ice cream, sorbet, milkshake and even frozen cocktails. It’s easy to operate with a self-cleaning function, has an adjustable blade and dishwasher-safe accessories, making clean-up an equally easy job.

There’s not much detail on how the machine operates, however it does look as though it will be easy to use via a simple dial, and we predict that, like the Creami, you’ll need to freeze your ice-cream mixture first. With a Ninja Creami, this is around 24 hours, so bear in mind that you might need to account for some freezing time when preparing your frozen treats.

'Of all of the Ninja Creami rivals that have been released recently, including the cleverly designed NutriBullet Chill and Russell Hobbs' version, this ice cream maker from Aldi is by far the cheapest,’ says Molly Cleary, Kitchen Appliances Editor at Ideal Home.

‘At £69.99, if it works well, it's a total bargain. It has the same 'slot in and mix' design of the Creami and looks like it's aiming for similar functionality with the ability to whip up ice cream, milkshakes, sorbets and other sweet treats. After testing the Ninja Creami Deluxe, I can safely say that this type of appliance is one you'll have a lot of fun with, and though I haven't got my hands on Aldi's version yet, I'm sure it's about to be a hit with those looking to spend a little less!'

Due to the fact that it is under £70, I’m inclined to believe that it won’t be quite as good as the original. However, if you want to try an ice cream maker or have a tighter budget, it’s a good starting point and worth a try.

However, we do think this ice cream maker will sell out like soft serve on a hot day. So, if you can’t track one down, here are a few more affordable options you can shop online.

With 2026 on track for a scorcher of a summer, what better way to cool down than with a delicious, homemade ice cream?

This week it feels like everyone is trying to get ahead and rectify any mistakes they made during the last heatwave. And for me, that means ensuring I have a much better supply of ice than I did during the hottest days of the year last week – especially given that at every supermarket I went to I was greeted by totally bare freezer shelves.

To solve the problem, I must admit I've been eyeing an ice maker (like this one from Amazon for £62.99) that can sit on my kitchen countertop during the hottest days. As I'm not blessed with a freezer with ice-making facilities (or a very big freezer at all!), I think I'm going to have to outsource this need to a standalone appliance like I have with one of the best ice cream makers. Here's why.

Of course, I was desperate for more ice during the heatwave in order to keep my water and other drinks cool in order to rehydrate. But there are lots of other reasons, many of them owing to the hacks I've learnt from my Ideal Home colleagues, for me needing large quantities of ice in the hot weather.

The most pressing of which was so I could enact the cooling hack our News Writer Kezia put me onto last year: placing a bowl of ice in front of my fan in order to mimic the effects of an air conditioner. It's a way to use a fan that actually lowers the temperature of a room and it was a true godsend for my sleep last week when paired with my Dyson fan.

When I do invest in an ice maker I'll also be picking up this £6 fan attachment that we wrote about last week to DIY the air conditioning effect even further. If you own a fan and not an AC, it's an essential! It'll certainly be an upgrade for me from placing my ice in a bowl on a stool.

While an ice maker, much like the Ninja Slushi (which has also been running non-stop in my flat this summer), is hardly a kitchen essential, it can make those unbearably hot days a little more livable – at least, that's according to the reviews these Amazon buys have racked up. I reckon every little helps for when we're faced with the next hot spell!

Ninja's shiny new automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine is now available in an array of new colours so that you can personalise this appliance to your existing kitchen scheme.

Now available for £899.99 from the Ninja website, the AutoBarista Pro (which I'm currently testing out) has proved very popular with both fans of this ever-expanding kitchen brand and coffee lovers alike. And I expect this best bean-to-cup coffee machine in these new shades won't be around for long before they sell out either. Here's a look at the new colours: Midnight Blue, Oat Milk, Mocha and Vista Green.

I really like all of these colourways and think they are preferable to the standard stainless steel version, which is the one I currently have in my kitchen for testing. I find that the metal is prone to holding onto marks and fingerprints, and is more difficult to match into an existing kitchen colour scheme.

I'm not just looking into a crystal ball when I predict these shades will be popular, either. One of the colours, Mocha, is already sold out. It's a super delicate neutral shade that would look lovely in a black or white kitchen, so it's no surprise it's already been snapped up.

If I was choosing, I wouldn't be able to resist this machine in Vista Green as I've always loved the idea of a coffee machine in an eye-catching colour. I have long pined after the De'Longhi Rivelia, which is one of the best coffee machines out there, in Jade Green. It's an exclusive shade that you can buy directly from De'Longhi's website for £699.99.

With these new shades, Ninja has really gone all out to colour drench the entire machine, with even the all-important milk jug and bean hopper covers available in the pastel shade of your choice. This is something we've seen with other Ninja colour releases recently too, including with David Beckham's special Cotswolds-inspired machine.

In terms of performance, I've been nothing but impressed with the AutoBarista so far. The choice to keep the automatic milk frothing jug over a system that uses tubes and internal systems is a good one for me and means I have the chance to practice my latte art. The hands-free nature of the coffee making process for black drinks has been a huge help for me on busy mornings too.

My full review of this ultra-capable machine is coming very soon but in the meantime I'd seriously recommend you check out the new range of colours available if you've been waiting to make a coffee investment for your kitchen!

Convenience is a given with automatic bean-to-cup coffee machines but the De'Longhi Eletta Ultra, which is one of the most premium appliances of its type you can buy, elevates the user experience to the next level.

With a huge price tag over £1000, this is no budget bean-to-cup coffee machine, but it is unbelievably impressive. Here's what I've loved about testing it.

In a nutshell

The Eletta Ultra is (somehow) a step up from the already hugely impressive Eletta Explore, which our expert home economist Helen McCue awarded 5 stars to in her review.

Its top line selling points include a huge drinks menu, two milk carafes (one for hot drinks, one for iced), a large touch screen and personalised coffee profiles with the machine suggesting a drink based on your previous choices.

Its upgraded from the Ultra with its new quieter tech, faster heat-up times and dedicated storage slots and user features.

After using it every day for months now, I can see why those looking to spend an awful lot on a coffee machine would be bowled over by this pick from De'Longhi. I can no longer imagine my mornings without – it's a total breeze to use. The things I don't love about it are minimal, but if I was to spend my money on it I would be looking for another finish. The stainless steel is a little bit of a fingerprint magnet to me.

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

This isn't the kind of coffee machine that's going to neatly fit under your kitchen cupboards in a corner. It's big, bulky and also quite long (at 45cm). But given what it can do, this may be a small price to pay if you have the space to give over to it.

There's no need to build this machine out of the box – you pretty much can plug it in and go, which is what you'd expect at this premium price point. To get it going, you'll need to run the usual programs which walk you through water hardness and inserting the water filter and run a rinse cycle but this is all very easily done thanks to the hugely intuitive touch screens.

Another stand out thing with this machine is the use of an app to get into the technical settings. You can do this with the help of the materials that come with the machine and then get into the weeds of the coffee making process, if that's your cup of tea.

If you'd rather manually adjust the machine, then there's a dial situated within the bean hopper that you can tweak to get the taste you want.

I can't think of another coffee machine I've tried that has a more enticing user interface. The huge touch screen, which extends across the top of the machine, is in full colour. It also pings you for all sorts of reasons, such as reminding you to clean the milk carafe or add more beans, all of which are very helpful for making a better cup of a coffee.

The user profiles are a stroke of genius too. It's not just that you can set up the machine to remember your favourite drinks, but the tech will also recommend you drinks depending on your previous habits. So if you're prone to an iced coffee in the afternoons, the machine will be one step ahead of you in the process.

Even if you don't download the app, there are plenty of tweaks you can make on the interface of the machine itself. You can change the strength, length and milk quantity of any given drinks as well as how icy you want your cold versions. You can also tweak the level of froth on your drinks by turning the dial on either milk carafe.

The one niggle I have with the user-facing part of this machine is that the coffee spout doesn't quite go high enough for my liking. I have a specific set of glasses I'd like to use for iced coffee that don't fit, so I have to do a bit of pouring over if I want to use them. If you have large travel cups I imagine you'll run into the same problem.

Overall, this machine is astonishingly sleek. It has built-in storage for accessories for ground coffee in the top, as well as a slot for the hot water spout and the water tank fits so effectively on one side that you'd barely notice it was there. I also like how there's an opening at the front of the tank so that you can pour water straight in from your filter jug.

What is it like to use?

As with all of the processes on this app, starting it up is guided by the intuitive touchscreen. You'll be directed to add water, after which the screen will tell you it's warming through. This takes 30-45 seconds, in my experience, and is relatively quiet compared to the other bean-to-cup models I've tried. Obviously it does emit some noise, but nothing too overwhelming.

I would advise that you don't pop your clean cup under the spout straight away as the machine turns on as you'll end up with the rinsing liquid in there. If you can, the best thing to do is have a catch cup under the spouts at all times when you're not making a fresh cup.

Hot drinks

All in all, there are 23 hot drinks to take your pick from with this machine. It's fun to get a taste of all of them when you first get hold of the machine, but I imagine you'll settle on your favourites day to day.

In my household, Americanos are the black coffee drink of choice. I've really enjoyed how seamless making this drink is with this machine, especially when compared to a semi-manual machine on a busy morning. Just one touch of a button and your perfectly hot Americano is ready to go. When I'm making these for my partner to take on his commute, the 'To-Go' setting is also really useful, as it makes a longer version for a carry cup.

The other drinks on heavy rotation with this machine are the caffe lattes and the cappuccinos. This is where the hot milk carafe comes in, which you simply fill and attach to the front of the machine. On the top of it there's a dial with three froth settings. For the caffe latte, it's the medium level of froth while the cappuccino ramps things up with more foam.

I have quite large mugs, so I sometimes top up the cappuccino even further by using the hot milk setting on the menu. This can be done in under 30 seconds as it's very easy to go from one drink to the next. This is also a total godsend when hosting as you're trying to get everyone a drink in their hands. I also like how the temperature of the drinks is hot but not so hot that the cups you give out aren't immeadiately drinkable.

If I'm being picky, I am slightly icked out by the floppy tube you need to insert into the hot drinks carafe. I think I'm particularly sensitive about cleanliness so I am always giving all of the parts of the milk system a deeper clean than they probably need, but the built-in rinse does help to soothe my worries about milk build-up.

Cold drinks

It's been hot already this summer, so I've made good use of the iced drinks options on this machine. In order to make iced milky drinks you need to attach the cold carafe, which again is very easily done. You'll then be asked exactly how cold you want your drink and be directed to add a specific number of ice cubes to your glass.

All of the iced options I've tried have been delectable, but my favourite has to be the iced cappuccino which is delectably foamy. It's

The drinks are very smooth and stay cold well, so you won't be needing to add more iced cubes after the brew process is complete. And the cold frothed foam is such a welcome change to just adding cold milk to a shot of coffee – especially considering that is often what you get in coffee shops with iced drinks! I much prefer using this machine over getting an iced coffee out for this reason.

What's it like to clean?

A lot of people are put off buying a bean-to-cup machine because of the excess cleaning. But if you're paying the big bucks for this machine the good news is that most of those cleaning processes are automated. And even the parts that are not automatically carried out, like the rinse process, are easy to manage thanks to the on-screen prompts.

The cleaning feature I found most useful was the rinse feature on those milk carafes, which cleans the lines without emptying the container of its spare milk. As with all machines, you'll need to remember to empty the grounds container and drip tray but you'll be reminded of this by the features on the machine.

How does it compare to similar coffee machines?

There are so many bestselling De'Longhi coffee machines to compare this product to, but the two I think are most valuable are the Rivelia and the Explore.

I think the Rivelia (which our reviewer fell in love with way back in 2024) is an incredible machine for its price tag and will suit most people well, as long as they're not desperate for those extra iced settings. If you want to save hundreds and still bag an amazing bean-to-cup machine, I urge you to check it out.

Because the Explore came out a few years ago now, it's a little less expensive than the Ultra but offers lots of the same amazing features. It's worth weighing up the differences before you splash the cash.

Should you buy the De'Longhi Eletta Explore?

De'Longhi's offering of automatic bean-to-cup machines are unrivalled in terms of their convenience and the Ultra might just be the pinnacle of that. It's so easy to use and with it, you can whip up delicious drinks that are fine tuned just right with the help of the in-built technology. It's a huge amount to pay for anything, granted, but if you can afford its price tag you won't regret it.

Russell Hobbs is quite a beloved British kitchen appliance brand, but I wouldn’t say it’s one that’s made much of a mark on the coffee machine scene. However, the Russell Hobbs Café Genie is an interesting new launch that could compete for a spot on our list of best coffee machines.

Its RRP of £229.99 puts it firmly at the more affordable end of the scale, and yet, some of the features listed, like a touchscreen menu of drinks, are usually seen in pricier models. So I was keen to put it to the test, to see whether the features on offer could deliver.

In a nutshell

The Russell Hobbs Café Genie has a lot going for it. It’s a manual espresso machine that also offers the convenience of pods, as well as automatic milk steaming. The paired back menu of seven drinks is accessed via the straightforward touchscreen control panel and it’s very simple to use.

Milk is automatically steamed and textured, but no matter which drink you select, it’ll always be bubbly, so if you’re looking for glossy microfoams, you’ll need to look elsewhere. Similarly, while espresso is adequate, it doesn’t produce the well rounded flavour or robust crema that espresso aficionados will be seeking.

That said, this is a good value machine that makes drinks fast and packs in convenient features for busy people. So if you’re not a coffee snob and you want an easy-to-use machine for drinkable milky coffees, it’s a great option.

Who tested this coffee machine?

Unboxing the product

The first thing I noticed when I removed it from the box is that it’s quite a plasticky appliance. The portafilter doesn’t have much weight to it, and the tamper is very basic. However, other features like the intuitive touchscreen make up for some of the cheaper elements. And at this pricepoint, you really shouldn’t expect all the bells and whistles.

The colour is subtle and will suit plenty of kitchen styles. I like that when it’s switched off, the touchscreen is black and there’s no cluttered control panel, so it does look quite neat and streamlined. The on/off switch is tucked away at the side of the machine.

The included accessories are simple and easy to get to grips with. There’s nothing complicated or overwhelming, which is good, because the instruction manual is pretty basic.

If you’re buying this to use the Nespresso pod capabilities, make sure you stock up before it arrives because you don’t get any trial samples included in the box.

Impact on a kitchen worktop

The height of the coffee machine makes it ideal for sliding underneath wall mounted kitchen cupboards. However, when considering where you’ll put it, it’s worth noting that the water tank is at the back. It has to be lifted upwards to be removed, so you’ll need space to do that.

Alternatively, you could add water through the top opening using a jug if you have the space under your cabinets to get to it with a jug of water.

The footprint isn’t too big and when you slide it to the back of the worktop, it feels tucked back and leaves plenty of usable space in front. It’s certainly not one of the coffee machines that feels imposing on the kitchen worktop.

First impressions

Setting up was very straightforward. The manual offers up a list of all the parts that you should wash before using. And once these are all clean, dried, and correctly positioned back on the machine, you simply need to dispense water without any coffee grounds, to get the machine primed and ready to go.

I hit the double espresso button about five times, to make sure I’d run plenty of hot water through the system before using it for the first time. This ensures any dust from manufacturing is washed through.

Unlike some other coffee machines, this one doesn’t come with a water filter, nor is there an option to install one. The instructions state that a clean/ descale cycle will be prompted after 200 uses.

If you live in a hard water area, you may want to use water from a water filter jug, to reduce the build up of scale and help prolong the life of the machine.

The milk dispenser has a handy clean function that’ll run water through the milk nozzle to clean it, which means you can pop it in the fridge between uses.

On the whole, the touchscreen interface is very straightforward, displaying all the available drinks, for quick and easy selection. However, for any other menu functions, you ‘ll need to keep the manual to hand, as you’ll be required to press and hold various buttons or combinations of buttons.

That said, there’s no adjustment for things like temperature, strength, or volume of milky drinks. The main thing that can be adjusted is the volume of espresso dispensed.

It’s fast to heat up when first switched on. If you switch it on without the milk container in place, it’ll only warm up to dispense espresso, and that takes on average 30 seconds.

Meanwhile, if the milk container is in position when you switch it on, the process of heating up takes about 60 seconds. And then it allows you to select milky coffees from the menu.

The ‘Morning Rush’ test

I timed myself making two milky coffees back-to-back using ground coffee. I timed the whole process, from turning on the machine, to having two cappuccinos ready. It took four minutes 20 seconds.

Adding coffee grounds, tamping them down as well as removing the used grounds before making the second cup, took a big chunk of the time. So out of interest, I also timed the same process using Nespresso pods. This time it took three minutes and 10 seconds.

User experience

For me, one of the biggest surprises with this coffee machine was how fast it makes drinks (if you don’t include the time it takes to add the coffee grounds or top up the milk dispenser). From selecting a drink on the menu, to the drink being served and ready to go, is under a minute for almost all drinks on the menu.

The fastest milky drink was a cortado which was ready in just 30 seconds. While the slowest was a latte, which still only took 60 seconds. But it’s worth noting that a lot of the drinks on the menu are quite short coffees.

Thankfully, for lovers of longer, milkier coffees, the latte it dispenses is a decent mug full. And while you can adjust the volume of espresso that’s automatically dispensed, there’s no option to tweak the milk volumes in the various drink recipes.

Milk can be dispensed independent of coffee by pressing and holding the latte button. This is handy if you want to top up a drink with extra milk or create your own drink altogether.

The issue I had when dispensing milk, was that just before milk starts to come out, a quick blast of water comes out of the portafilter area, which, if there’s no portafilter in position, can mean you get bits of stray coffee grounds in your cup. But if you leave the portafilter in position it's not an issue.

Drink temperatures vary depending on the drink. A double espresso comes out at roughly 75C and the frothed milk is around 53C. So it follows that the temperature of milky drinks depends on the ratio of milk to coffee.

A drink with very little milk, like a macchiato, was quite hot, mine averaged 75C. Whereas a milky latte was one of the coolest drinks, measuring around 58C. And it’s worth noting that there are no settings you can adjust to change these temperatures.

The milk dispenser sits quite low, meaning it won’t reach into taller cups. A standard mug is about the tallest cup you can dispense milk into. Most travel cups and taller glasses are too tall.

The vibration of the machine during brewing has a tendency to move some cups, so I did have to pay attention, particularly when using lighter and smaller cups.

Some coffee machines I review seem to magically go through water at a rate that far surpasses the number of coffees you’re making. So I really liked the fact that the water tank wasn’t always running low. Water seemed to last a reasonable amount of time. On the flip side, filling it up is quick and easy.

I expected the machine to switch itself off after a certain period of time, but instead it goes into a low power mode, where the touchscreen display is dimmed. When it’s in this mode, you have to press one of the coffee buttons to wake it up. To switch it off properly, you’ll need to press the on/off button at the side.

How noisy is it?

At around 66dB, pouring an espresso is pretty quiet and unlikely to annoy anyone. The milk steamer is the louder process. This hit a maximum of 85dB on my noise meter, but averaged 74dB.

So while milk steaming is louder than extracting the espresso, it’s still not what you would call noisy. Plus when you take into account that all drinks are ready in 60 seconds or less, any noise created is only for a very short time and won’t be an issue for most households.

What's the coffee like?

During the review I used Exhale Organic Dark(ish) Roast whole beans. This is my regular brand of coffee and the tasting notes, according to the brand, are caramel, stone fruits, red grapes and cola. It’s said to be ideal for espresso and gives a chocolatey, nutty flavour.

I used a separate grinder to grind my coffee beans as needed. The espresso from this machine was drinkable and pleasant, though a tad more bitter and less fruity than it is when I use my usual Sage coffee machine.

The espresso crema was often a bit bubbly rather than thick and silky. I’d say the flavour will satisfy people looking for a decent espresso, but who aren’t reaching for perfection. And if you’re primarily having it in milky coffees, the nuances become less noticeable anyway.

Since there’s also a portafilter designed for Nespresso pods, I made coffee using pods as well. I’m not a huge fan of the flavour of Nespresso pod coffee. But what I would say is that the Nespresso portafilter is a great additional feature that does a good job of extracting the espresso. It's perfect if you’re time poor and want the option to make pod coffee on those busier weekday mornings.

Thermal stability

To check the thermal stability of the coffee machine, I made five single espressos back-to-back. The idea is to check whether the drinks get progressively hotter and if so, by how much.

The first one was 72C, the fifth one was, impressively, only a little warmer at 74.5C. So it wasn’t a massive jump in temperature, which was a good result.

The ‘Wet Paint’ test

When assessing a coffee machine’s ability to steam milk, we’re looking at whether it can produce the silky microfoam that’s perfect for latte art. This is often described as looking like wet paint.

This automatic milk frother makes bubbly milk rather than a thick glossy microfoam. And that’s the case whether you’re making a cappuccino, latte, or flat white. And there’s no ability to adjust the foam level.

What's it like to clean?

The matte plastic finish of the coffee machine doesn’t show fingerprints or small water stains, so on the whole, it stays looking quite clean and you can get away with a quick daily wipe after use.

The drip tray is very small, but I didn’t find this to be an issue. It rarely needed emptying as, unlike some other coffee machines that funnel water from internal components into the drip tray, this one is purely there to catch any drips from the portafilter or cup.

I like having the option to rinse through the milk spout after use. Simply by twisting the control dial into clean mode and selecting clean on the touchscreen, it’ll automatically rinse out the milk spout so that you can pop the milk tank back into the fridge without any gunky milk building up and causing blockages.

I was slightly frustrated that when removing coffee grounds from the portafilter, it wasn’t possible to dislodge a fully formed puck of coffee straight into my food waste caddy. When I did try this, the whole metal filter basket would fall out. So instead, I had to scrape the coffee grounds out with a spoon after each use.

The drip tray and the filter baskets can go in the dishwasher, but everything else has to be washed by hand.

Descaling

A full descale cycle takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. Thankfully it’s not a very hands-on process. Other than filling the water tank with water and descaler at the start, all you need to do is stay close in case your waste water vessel gets too full and needs emptying.

Then halfway through, you have to reset everything, this time with plain water in the water tank. And start it again, to complete the process a second time but without the descaler. All-in-all it’s simple and automated, but not super quick.

The machine should prompt you to run one of these cycles every 200 uses. So how frequently you need to do it really does depend on how much you use the coffee machine.

How does it compare to similar machines?

The Lavazza A Modo Mio Desea is an Ideal Home favourite that’s similarly priced. It’s a sturdy pod machine with a built-in milk frother. And it’s a great alternative option if you don’t intend to use ground coffee. There’s no preset drinks menu, but it’s easy to create your favourite drink nevertheless.

If you like the idea of a more hands-on approach, the Sage Bambino is an excellent beginner espresso machine. It’ll set you back an additional £100, but is capable of delivering a well-rounded tasty espresso, and you get to froth your own milk and create your coffee just how you like it.

Should you buy the Russell Hobbs Café Genie Espresso Machine?

I think at this price point, the Cafe Genie really sets itself apart with features like the automatic milk steaming and touchscreen drinks menu, as well as the option to switch between ground coffee and pods. It nicely straddles the line between espresso machines, pod machines, and automatic coffee machines.

The compromises are that there aren’t many adjustable settings. Milk is bubbly and frothy, it can’t create barista quality microfoams, but that’s the case with the majority of automatic milk frothers.

While it doesn’t produce the best quality espresso I’ve ever had, it’s decent enough to please most people. In conclusion, if you’re looking for a reasonably priced coffee machine that packs in the features, it’s absolutely worth considering this one.

Small appliances, like kettles and toasters, always seem like quick need-not-want purchases, but why is this the case when they live on our worktops year round?

It pays off to spend some time researching the best kettles and the best toasters that will make those small daily habits run seamlessly, and choosing the right colour for a kettle and toaster comes into that decision.

But what colour should you go for? From classic stainless steel options to retro-inspired pastel hues, these are the shades people always run to for their small appliances, with the latest kitchen trends in mind.

Over the last few years, we've seen more and more colours appear within kitchen appliances. It signifies a larger shift in our homes as we embrace playful colour expression even more, and enjoy the wellbeing benefits that a colourful home provides.

While our cabinets and walls got the memo a while ago, it naturally took a little longer for appliances to catch up. Large appliances, like our ovens, fridges and microwaves are typically in stainless steel, so small appliances followed suit.

'Stainless steel is a consistent, timeless seller in kettles and toasters as it is most compatible with a lot of kitchens,' explains Saul Davies, Buying Director at Salter. However, as appliances themselves got more ambitious (from slushie machines to air fryers), so did the colours of them.

When it comes to kettle and toaster colours, pastel shades have reigned supreme as the alternative option to stainless steel.

'Creams or warm neutrals still perform well as they tend to soften kitchens and are not harsh against fixtures such as brass, silver or gold. We are seeing a demand in pastel or brighter, bolder colours which are mainly shopped by style-led consumers. Our Retro is range we have seen huge success with pink being one of our best-selling colours,' Saul adds.

Cream, pale blue, pink and green shades have been the classic choice for a kettle and toaster, and particularly suit heritage Shaker kitchens where you want to avoid too much stainless steel.

However, in 2026, neutral hues that offer something different to white and cream are rising in popularity.

Softer neutrals, such as beige and earthy green hues, offer a new perspective on kettle and toaster shades. If cream feels too stark for your kitchen, a more subdued shade might be best.

'Sage and olive green is our fastest growing colour and is highly popular over the last 12 months. It is seen to the consumer as a new neutral addition that adds colour without being too risky,' explains Saul.

This is also reflected in Smeg's new matte Moonlight collection - a matte, beige version of their famous retro kettle style that has a much more contemporary look.

'Inspired by the growing popularity of softer, nature-led palettes, the shade brings warmth and tranquillity to the kitchen while complementing the brand's iconic design,' says Niamh Griffiths, senior marketing executive (SDA) at Smeg.

'The muted neutral tone reflects a broader interiors shift towards calm, wellness-inspired spaces and understated luxury, making it an ideal choice for consumers looking to create a kitchen that feels both timeless and contemporary,' she adds.

In 2026, sleek stainless steel kettles are remaining a popular and timeless choice, but as we look towards colour to shape our interiors, reflecting these careful choices in our small appliances is just as important.

Shop kettles and toasters

In 2026, sleek stainless steel kettles are remaining a popular and timeless choice, but as we look towards colour to shape our interiors, reflecting these careful choices in our small appliances is just as important.

Ninja's most stylish colourway, Stone Gold, is having a serious moment right now with the extension of the sellout colour across a huge range of bestselling products. From the Swirl to compact, small-kitchen friendly best Ninja air fryers, the kitchen giant has really outdone itself with this effortlessly luxurious shade.

First released this time last year, this gorgeous neutral shade went seriously viral on TikTok. I was watching out for more stock of the Ninja Dual Zone in this exact colour for months and months until it finally reappeared in October.

If you were one of the lucky few who picked up that stylish colour way back then, or if you just love the look of the range now, then you can finally shop Ninja's other bestsellers in it too, including brand new products thanks to these exclusives that debuted just for Amazon Prime Day. Here's a look at what's available.

Since working on Ideal Home, I've seen Ninja release many special-edition colours to coincide with Prime Day and Black Friday. The most memorable include the range with copper accents which is now a permanent fixture on Amazon due to its popularity.

There's even more colour choice on offer for Ninja's most fun kitchen buys – notably the Slushi and the Creami, which got a pastel make over last year as well as two-tone options inspired by frozen drinks and desserts.

It's not clear yet whether this beige colour will become a permanent addition to Ninja's colourway line up or whether it's only available during Amazon's sales events so if this is the shade for you, I'd recommend snapping it up fast!

If you're planning on entertaining in the summer heat, then you might be wondering how you can incorporate some kind of cooling drink or dessert into your hosting plans. Right now at Costco, you can buy two Ninja bestsellers that would make it a lot easier: the Slushi (for £219.99, down from £299.99) and the Creami Swirl & Scoop (also £219.99, down from £349.99).

I've reviewed both of these viral buys, and I can confirm that they add such a fun element to having people over for drinks or dinner, with the chance for your guests to pour their own frozen drinks or create their own sweet treats for dessert.

Here's how you can get your hands on these products for these super low prices, as well as alternative places to shop if you don't want to sign up for a Costco membership.

I've seen plenty of Costco deals floating around online but I've never had one make me want to invest in a membership as much as these super-low Ninja prices. So I did some investigating into how you can acquire a membership and the requirements you need to meet.

There are two tiers to Costco membership that allows you in shop in their warehouses: Gold Star and Business. To qualify, you have to follow a pretty stringent list of requirements, which you can view on the Costco website.

If you, like me, don't qualify under any of these terms, then all is not lost. You can still purchase an all-online membership for £42 a year for which there is no entry requirements. It does mean you won't be able to see the inside of an actual Costco store, however (another dream dashed for me).

But you will be able to take advantage of these sensational Ninja prices and shop a huge variety of other Costco products across the year, too.

If you'd rather not add another subscription onto your plate, then that's understandable. Right now, there's a host of places you can find top-rated Ninja products on sale thanks to Amazon Prime Day, which is running until midnight on the 26th of June, as well as counter sales from rival retailers slashing their prices.

I'd strongly recommend checking out the sales ongoing at Ninja itself, as well as John Lewis and Currys.

The Slushi and the Swirl are easily the two most fun appliances I've ever tested and they will provide endless summer entertainment if you decide to install one in your home.

And Costco membership or not, now's a great time to shop for something that can help you through the heatwave whilst also providing joy on the weekends!

The ability to make frozen sweet treats at home, either for pudding or to wow your guests, is something that really comes into its own in the summer months.

A question that I've been discussing a lot with friends and family who are looking to purchase something similar is whether they should opt for one of Ninja's bestselling viral best ice cream makers or an appliance that can whip up slushies and soft serve instead.

The two leading examples of this are the Ninja Swirl and the Cuisinart Frost Fusion – both of which I've used extensively at home. Here's what each of these machines can achieve and which one you should opt for to get the most for your money.

1. Functionality and preparation

It's really important to look at the different settings on offer with whichever sweet treat maker has caught your eye. The original Ninja Creami has less going for it than the Deluxe version which in turn is not quite as capable as the newer Swirl. But the kicker with all of them? Your ice cream or soft serve mix will always require pre-freezing.

Ninja doesn't have an ice-cream maker (yet) that doesn't require you to prepare materials in advance. It does have the Slushi, but that's drinks-limited.

The Cuisinart Frost Fusion is a hugely popular alternative that can whip up frozen desserts on the same day – in our tests we found it could take as little as 30 minutes. Below I've outlined the exact functionality differences between these bestsellers as well as the crucial pre-freezing times required.

There's plenty to weigh up with these speficiations laid out. The Cuisinart is the best option if you want to skip the faff of pre-freezing but the results won't be as firm as you can expect with Ninja's ice-cream alternatives – obviously the day spent in the freezer will do a lot to help your ingredients.

2. Fun factor

If you're considering buying one of these ice-cream makers, chances are you'll want to use it to impress your guests this summer. And while all of them have fun factor, some have more interactive features than others.

As someone who has tested all of the appliances listed above, the Swirl and the Cuisinart Frost Fusion are the most entertaining thanks to their soft serve dispensers if you want ice cream. Or if you're more interested in frozen drinks, the Slushi is far and away the machine you want.

If you've ever paid a visit to Pizza Hut's Ice Cream Factory, you'll know the thrill of trying to master the flow of ice cream and with these two, you can try that at home. Just bear in mind it does take a bit of practice!

The Cuisinart has the fun of dispensing soft serve with the benefit of doubling up as a slushie machine too, so it's arguably the better all-rounder. But for me, you can't beat Ninja when it comes to quality.

3. Price

These appliances are of course not an essential addition to a kitchen, but they're worth their weight in gold on a hot weekend if you're entertaining. My Slushi machine was hardly out of use last summer.

All of them are pretty pricey, but the best value option is Cuisinart's Frost Fusion considering how many functions it has. Ninja's offerings are pricier, yes, but the have the better quality overall and I can see all of the ones I've tested going the distance in my kitchen.

Sales periods help to bring the price of these machines down significantly. Right now, Amazon Prime Day sales offer a good summer window to snag a discount and Black Friday will be an even better time, as these appliances will be less in demand.

This year's summer Amazon Prime Day event (running from the 23rd to 26th of June) is in full swing, and if you want to shop in the savviest way possible, there's a new price-checking tool you need to know about.

For years, one of my top tips as Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, who has been working Prime Days as a deal hunter for over five years now, was to use a price checking tool such as CamelCamelCamel to check that you're not being hoodwinked over a 'deal'. Often brands will artificially inflate the price of a product prior to a sales event to then bring it down to its normal RRP to create the illusion of a great deal.

Here's how using this new in-built price checking tool can prevent you from getting a bad deal on one of the best air fryers or coffee machines and help you find a worthwhile one instead.

You can find this new price-checking tool, which was officially rolled out in the UK in May 2026, next to where you see the price of the item you're looking for on Amazon. When you click onto it to see the price history, a pop-up window opens with Rufus, the platform's in-built AI tool.

Within the Rufus pop-up you can see a range of information on the product's price, as well as how it relates to the given RRP. Though this is useful information, I would also suggest going one step further and check Amazon's given RRP against what's listed on the brand page.

When shopping one of the best Ninja air fryers, for example, I would always suggest cross referencing with the brand's own site for a better understanding of prices.

While the tool defaults to a one-month view, it has 6-month and 12-month scope available too which will ultimately be even more useful for assessing how good the discount really is. If the price of the item currently is nowhere near what the lowest price over the last year has been, it's likely that there's been price-inflating taking place.

I check prices on products that I've reviewed every day to see if there's a deal worth writing about, so I have quite a good sense of the general price of different bestsellers, like Ninja's Foodi Max Dual Zone air fryer.

As I write this, the day before Prime Day begins, it's currently sitting at £129.99 via Amazon, which gives you £20 off the usual RRP. But if you click into the year view of the price history, you'll see that in November (during Black Friday), there was a much bigger price drop with the air fryer for sale for under £100. That means that it may well be worth waiting on this one rather than pouncing right now.

In all likelihood, the best deals of this summer will drop during Prime Day itself and during counter-sales run by the likes of AO, Currys and John Lewis. Below you can find the kitchen appliances I think you should bookmark if you're in the market to upgrade your hosting and entertaining game.

Whatever you end up perusing this Prime Day, remember that doing your due diligence will help no end to help you bag an actually good deal. Happy bargain hunting!

If you’re reading this, then lusting after KitchenAid appliances is something we probably have in common: gorgeous looks and great design are a win-win for any style-conscious kitchen. Naturally, KitchenAid’s first foray into the world of bean-to-cup coffee machines was no exception – the £1,500 KitchenAid KF8 won our admiration (and a four and half star review) back in 2025.

Now, in 2026, the brand has now unveiled the more affordable members of its automatic bean-to-cup family. And in this review we’re going to be looking at the most upmarket model in the new trio, the £899 KF4.

In a nutshell

The big news here for many buyers is that KitchenAid has shrunk the size of these machines down – it claims that they’re 25% smaller than the previous models. In practice, the machines are roughly 6.5cm slimmer, so far easier to squeeze on a busy countertop. In truth, I haven’t seen any fully automatic bean-to-cup machines which are quite so slender.

The new range includes the £699 KF2, £749 KF3 and the £899 KF4 which I have for review here. Naturally, the KF4 is the most feature packed of the group. It doubles the KF3’s two user profiles to four. It adds five extra drink recipes. It also includes a rather more elegant plastic milk carafe in the box: by contrast, the KF3 simply dangles a tube into your preferred milk receptacle while the KF2 makes do with a manual steam wand.

Who tested this machine?

Unboxing

The KF4 comes clad in several separate protective panels of moulded wood pulp. Sensibly, KitchenAid wraps the whole package in a polypropylene sling with handles, so you can just lift the entire machine out of the box easily without worrying about dropping it.

As usual, several little strips of blue adhesive tape hold the various parts in place during transit, and protective transparent plastic sheets are adhered to the touchscreen and between the water tank and the machine’s rear to prevent scratching. Some of the packaging – the wood pulp, for instance – is recyclable with home recycling, but the plastic sheets and tape may need to be taken to a specific plastic bag recycling collection depending on your local area’s recycling facilities.

Open up the KF4’s box, and the user manual and quick start guide are placed just inside the box’s top flap, directly on top of the machine. Alongside, there’s a QR code offering to help you ‘Get Started’. Point your phone at the code and you’re transported to KitchenAid’s website where a very basic tutorial helps you to get familiarised with the machine. If you’re the kind of person who likes to familiarise yourself with the user manual before rifling through the packaging, it’s a good way to start.

The instructions could be better, however. The website instructions feel like a bit of an afterthought; the thick user manual is actually just a few pages of text instructions repeated in a multitude of languages – hardly what I’d call an Owner’s Manual – and the quick start guide is nothing more than an annotated diagram of the machine and its touchscreen interface. It would have made far more sense to combine the information from both into one concise pamphlet.

Thankfully, the touchscreen also does its bit to lead users through the set up process. It, too, could be more detailed – it’s not as clear as the full colour animations on Sage’s machines, for example – but it’s informative enough to get most buyers started. There’s definitely room for improvement here, though. Oddly, there’s no mention of using the water hardness tester at all, and the little on-screen diagrams are too small to be really helpful.

Impact on a kitchen worktop

This is where KitchenAid’s new models will win a lot of friends. At 36cm tall, it’s a tiny bit shorter than many of the bean-to-cup machines I’ve seen recently, and this is because of the integrated bean hopper – it doesn’t protrude from the top like some rivals.

At 19cm wide, however, it’s dramatically thinner than any machine I’ve reviewed in recent memory. The De’Longhi Rivelia (which we've reviewed) is the closest model I can think of, but that’s 24.5cm wide due to its side-mounted water tank. If you’ve been wishing you could accommodate a fully automatic model but just didn’t have the space, it’s a major selling point.

The downside of the KF4’s design, as you may have gleaned already, is that the water tank is positioned at the rear. Bean-to-cup machines often opt for side mounted water tanks that either slide forwards for easy removal, or unclip to the side. The KF4’s needs to be lifted up by about a centimetre and removed to the rear – you’ll need to leave room around it to make for easy refilling. You can open the lid (which isn’t removable) and just pour water in, but you may not want to risk this if you have mains sockets behind the machine. And if there are cupboards above, you’ll struggle.

First impressions

The KF4 feels well built. Like most bean-to-cup machines, it’s predominantly plastic, but those plastics feel solid and all the attachments feel robust enough to instil confidence. There isn’t the thin, hollow feeling which I’ve noticed on some sub-£1,000 machines.

It’s all been sensibly designed, too. The spouts slide up and down smoothly and provide up to 14cm of cup clearance. The drip tray slides out to reveal the grounds bin, and this separates into multiple parts for easy cleaning. The 1.8-litre water tank slots firmly onto the rear. The 250g bean hopper is hidden neatly under the top panel – the centre of this pulls away to reveal the bean hopper and the single dose chute. The rubber seal on the underside of the removable panel helps keep your coffee beans fresh, too, which is a nice touch.

A single water filter is provided in the box, and this screws into place in the tank. Replacements cost a fairly steep £15 each on KitchenAid’s website, but were just under £10 at the time of writing. However, don’t make my mistake of initially trying to install the water filter by hand: the narrow tank makes this nigh-on impossible. KitchenAid supply a coffee scoop in the box, and the odd-looking attachment at the other end is designed to fit over the top of the water filter and screw it into place.

The milk carafe design simply connects via a tube. One added benefit is that if you can’t find the carafe – or it breaks – you can just jam the tube directly into a milk bottle or jug. As long as the tube is intact, and it’s submerged in milk, it’ll work just fine.

The only issue with the carafe is the loose lid. I’d have liked to see the lid actually click into place – or secure in place with a rubber seal and interference fit. Make the mistake of grabbing it by the lid and it just comes off without any effort. Try carrying it by the lid and you’ll get a nasty surprise. It’s a poor design choice.

User experience

Hit the power button on the machine’s right hand side and the machine thrums into action. After the initial setup process has directed you to rinse the water tank and install the water filter, the machine pulls through four shots of coffee to prime and clean the machine. These need to be poured down the sink, so my advice is to use some old beans you have lying around rather than wasting good coffee.

Once the machine is warmed up and ready to go, you can swipe to scroll through the machine’s various recipes. Tapping an icon reveals a settings menu which provides options to adjust drink temperature, coffee and milk volumes and drink strength. Some drinks recipes give you the option to pour two drinks simultaneously: pop two cups under the spouts and the machine will pour two shots back to back and add milk to each.

There are four user profiles, too. These allow you to save specific drinks recipes to your user page. Tap the touch sensitive user button on the front panel and you can access your saved drinks without scrolling through the main menu at all.

Noise test

The KF4’s Quiet Mark certification is more than justified. It’s still noisy compared to the quiet splutter of a filter coffee machine, granted, but the loudest sound emanating from the KF4 was an average of 63dBA during grinding. Brewing was remarkably quiet at 50dbA and steaming was mostly around 55dBA apart from a brief splutter of 63dBA as the machine started to slurp milk.

For reference, this is a little bit quieter overall than the De’Longhi Rivelia and Philips LatteGo 5500, and only a tad louder than the two Jura models – the C8 and J10 – which passed through my test kitchen in recent months. If silence (or at least relative quietness) is golden in your kitchen, then the KF4 puts in a good show.

Coffee quality

The KF4 pours great coffee from the first prod of its touchscreen. I tried all of the major drinks from espresso to macchiato and latte to flat white, and they were all consistently well extracted. The over-ice drinks – the iced coffee and iced espresso – are brewed cooler (around 55c) and it’s left to you to add your own ice.

By default, it’ll pour a 40ml espresso while most of the longer milk-based coffee recipes seem to target a small cup size of around 120ml, so bear in mind that you’ll need to up the volumes to fill larger cups or mugs.

The milk frothing works well. It doesn’t create the thick, silken gloss of a carefully wielded manual steam wand, but it’s very good. The froth has a tight, creamy texture, and it’s much thicker and more long-lasting than the light, bubbly froth which you’ll get from some mid-range models, such as the Philips LatteGo 5500.

It’s a shame that the froth levels aren’t adjustable – for recipes such as the macchiato, where you just want a dollop of froth popped on top, it doesn’t quite fit the bill. What it can do, however, is create a flat warm milk or a frothed milk (and both of these hot milk options are on the menu for the non-coffee drinkers in the audience). For recipes such as the cappuccino, the KF4 uses its frothy setting; for a flat white, it pours plain steamed milk, so there’s only a thin layer of froth on top.

For those who want to dial in every coffee to perfection, there’s a good amount of adjustability. You can adjust the various options for each drink and save those settings to your user profile.

One interesting addition is the Body setting. This speeds or slows the extraction time, and you can use this in tandem with the dosage and volume settings to tweak the flavour of beans to your preferences. It works really well, too. There was the slightest hint of bitterness to the espresso with the strength set to maximum – dialling it down to the light body setting gave both a juicier, more fruity shot and dialled back the bitterness nicely.

There are only 5 settings for the grinder (the dial is hidden behind the KF4’s side panel), but it didn’t really need any adjusting for my medium roast beans. And in any case, the lack of extreme adjustments means that users are less likely to create undrinkably bitter or sour shots. I’d personally prefer more adjustability for dialling in different coffees, but most people probably won’t be too bothered. Rivals such as the De’Longhi Rivelia offer 13 steps of grind adjustment which gives a little more latitude for fine tuning.

Temperature consistency is good. The first drinks out of the machine were very slightly cooler than subsequent ones, but that’s not unusual as any coffee machine takes a little time for all the parts to warm up. In fact, the temperature stability is better controlled than some bean-to-cup machines I’ve tested recently. The first drinks came through around 68C and subsequent cups settled between 70c and 72c depending on the recipe and the ratio of milk to coffee. As the machine heats milk to around 65c – the perfect temperature to prevent scorching the milk – it’s the volume of hot coffee added which bumps temperatures up to and beyond 70C.

If you are in a rush, then you can get a couple of coffees poured in under five minutes. Once you’ve waited for the initial rinse, each milk-based drink at default size (40ml coffee, 80ml milk) takes around a minute and a half. You can tap the main drinks icon to pour two simultaneously though. Pop a couple of cups side by side, and it’ll brew two shots back to back and then add milk to both cups. This takes just under 3 minutes for the standard sized cappuccinos and flat whites.

What's it like to clean?

The KF4 rinses and warms up automatically the first time you turn it on, and this takes just under a minute and a half. Turn it on again a little later – while the machine is still warm – and it’ll prompt you to rinse but not force you to do so. A word to the wise: this can’t always be skipped. Ignore the prompts to clean the machine or milk system and you may find you’re forced to do both in succession next time you turn it on.

The milk carafe cleaning is elegant. Simply disconnect the tube from the carafe and plug it into a hole in the drip tray. This then blasts out any residue in the milk system for around a minute, while you simply have to clean the carafe in the sink with a bit of warm soapy water. Unlike rival designs which use more complex carafe designs, such as De’Longhi’s LatteCrema system, there are precious few nooks and crannies for milk residue to get stuck in.

Drips do tend to accumulate on the metal drip tray, but there’s nothing you can’t clean up with a damp cloth.

In terms of internal cleaning, KitchenAid recommends using a cleaning tablet after every 200 cups of coffee. Two are supplied in the box, and the KF4 will prompt you to carry out the process when it’s needed – or you can manually trigger it in the settings menu.

The water filter is designed to be replaced every 2 months or after every 50 litres of water used. Descaling is required in anything from 6 weeks to 2 months depending on water hardness. If you replace the filter regularly – or just use filtered water from a jug – descaling shouldn’t be required as often.

Bear in mind, however, that the initial setup process seems to bypass the water hardness testing if you opt to install the supplied water filter. This means that the machine is set to the worst case Very High water hardness setting which will prompt more regular cleaning and descaling. My advice would be to manually carry out the water hardness test and input the relevant information for your area – there’s a tester in the box, so you may as well use it.

How does it compare to competitors?

At this kind of price point, I normally have two recommendations – the Jura C8 or the De’Longhi Rivelia. Both retail for around £650 at the time of writing. For faff-free simplicity, I’m a big fan of the Jura. It makes good coffee and the milk steaming is very good, too. It’s not for everyone, though, as it lacks a lot of features compared to either the KitchenAid KF4 or the De’Longhi Rivelia. The C8 only has a handful of recipes, no hot water dispensing and while it makes good coffee, it lacks the adjustability to eke as much flavour from as wide a range of coffees as the Rivelia.

And this is where the KitchenAid KF4 comes in. In short, I think it’s markedly better than the Jura C8 and marginally a better all-rounder than the Rivelia. Given that it costs £899, that’s probably to be expected. In terms of coffee quality, both the KitchenAid and De’Longhi machines are capable of making a very mean espresso and an excellent milk-based coffee. Where the KF4 marches ahead, however, is looks and convenience: the slender footprint, simple carafe design and better touchscreen and controls all lean in favour of the KF4.

Should you buy the KitchenAid KF4?

I had high hopes for the KitchenAid KF4, so it’s impressive to see it deliver the goods in such confident fashion. The narrow footprint is perfect for smaller kitchens, and the fact that it’s relatively quiet, highly adjustable and makes such consistently tasty coffee is enough to convince me that it’s worth the relatively high asking price. There are cheaper rivals out there if you can accommodate a larger machine, but if you want great coffee without the bulk, it’s a great buy.

Smeg's retro kettle and toaster have become something of a homeware icon. You'll find Smeg's instantly recognisable small appliances on the worktops of the most stylish of kitchens, and we've even given the kettle one of the best kettle top spots - it's a beautiful design that is just as easy to use.

And while the current colours of Smeg's small appliances are timeless, a new trend-focused tone has entered the scene and with it comes a fresh perspective. The retro style has always leaned more traditional, but Smeg's new Moonlight collection has a contemporary look to blend into sleek, minimalist kitchens.

Moonlight, the new matte colourway from Smeg, is 'designed to bring softness, warmth and balance into the home,' says the brand. It reflects a growing trend towards neutral shades, away from classic white or cream, and calmer palettes in our homes.

Typically, small appliances put practicality first. Often in stainless steel or black plastic, aesthetics weren't high on the agenda. Smeg started to change this with their retro kettle and toaster which came in a variety of vintage-themed colours, from cream to pink and blue.

While this has allowed us to be playful with appliances and use them to add to an overall kitchen colour scheme, the statement shades didn't offer much scope for people who favour a more understated design.

The texture also differs from the classic shiny small appliances from Smeg - it has a smooth matte finish which is perfect for hiding fingerprints and allowing your small appliances to sit subtly in the background of your kitchen.

'Smeg's kettle and toaster range is already the height of refined luxury, but this new sophisticated neutral shade is tailor-made for anyone who wants to add a warm colour to their kitchen without committing to a bold colour,' explains Molly Cleary, Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor.

'The matte finish is not only bang-on-trend but has the benefit of being easier to keep looking clean too. As someone with a white Smeg toaster, I can tell you it needs a lot of maintenance to keep looking fresh. I'm very tempted to invest in a kettle in Moonlight and make them mix and match instead for those reasons!' she adds.

If you love the shape and overall design of the Smeg appliances but haven't found a colour to suit your kitchen then the Moonlight collection is one to try - particularly if you want a fuss-free option that escapes fingerprints.

Shop the Moonlight collection

If you're a Smeg fan like we are on the Ideal Home team, these discontinued Smeg appliances straight from their HQ will inspire your dream retro kitchen.

Haven’t you heard? Lidl is launching a £14.99 ice cream maker, and it’s arriving right on time for the latest bout of hot weather set to hit the UK.

The best ice cream makers enable you to whip up delicious, cooling and even healthy ice-creams and sorbets from the comfort of your own kitchen. Back in December, a new generation of ice cream makers sparked by the now cult Ninja Creami and Slushi's popularity led kitchen experts to agree that ice cream makers were the ‘it’ appliance set to take over from air fryers.

While some ice-cream makers such as the Cuisinart Frost Fusion offer no pre-freezing, they are fairly pricey appliances. Even the Ninja Creami which requires you to freeze the ingredients 24 hours before will set you back £170 at Ninja. What Lidl is offering is an affordable introduction to the world of ice cream makers. Here’s everything you need to know.

At first glance, the Lidl Silvercrest Ice Cream Maker looks very similar to Lakeland’s digital ice cream maker, which is also one of the most affordable models on the market at £44.99. Landing in stores on Sunday (21 June) is arriving bang on time for the latest heatwave.

The Silvercrest Ice Cream Maker is a small, compact appliance, meaning it will not dominate space on your kitchen worktop. This is ideal for small kitchens, where space is limited, and chunkier appliances such as the cult Ninja Creami take up too much space.

The ice cream maker can make up to one litre of ice cream or sorbet, and comes with a small booklet of recipe suggestions to get you started. To use, simply pre-freeze the bowl, then add your desired ingredients through the opening in the lid. This can even be done when the machine is in use.

The beater and lid can be washed in the dishwasher, making clean up easy, and the ice cream container has practical handles for ease of use. Lidl has not listed the machine’s dimensions. Lakeland’s digital ice cream maker also has a one-litre capacity, and our review found the container took up a larger chunk of their freezer drawer, so you should bear this in mind.

To use the ice cream maker, you will need to pre-freeze the included bowl. Again, Lidl hasn’t stated online how long this process will take, but for similar models, this is around 12-hours.

While I haven’t tested Lidl’s ice-cream maker, based on the price, we can expect it to be a fairly basic model. However, I don't think this is a bad thing for those who want to try out an ice cream maker without spending a fortune.

If you are looking for a superior ice cream maker that has multiple functions here are three more models we’ve tried and tested.

An ice cream maker is a perfect summer appliance, helping to keep you cool and offer a sweet treat, too. Would you try Lidl’s or have you got your sights set on a higher-end appliance?

Nutribullet just unveiled its first ever ice cream maker and it looks to be the ideal solution for those battling for space in small kitchens. Yep the shiny, new Nutribullet Chill, which is available to preorder now via the brand's website for £199.99, is the perfect compromise if you're looking for a sweet treat maker that won't overrun your worktops.

Its design upends what we've seen from the most popular ice cream makers of the last few years, including the Ninja Creami (which we've reviewed), by adopting build that's more like a Nutribullet blender than anything else.

This not only makes the Chill look streamlined and ready to pop into a cupboard when not in use, but also solves what I'd argue is the most pressing problem that Ninja Creami fans have: it's not an easy machine to clean. Here's how the Nutribullet Chill aims to solve that.

This ice cream maker, like most out there, requires pre-freezing. That means you'll need to prep your ingredients in the included tubs the night before you want to make ice cream and then freeze them. Most ice cream makers of this type require 24 hours of waiting time unless you want to opt for something like the Cuisinart Frost Fusion, which we recently reviewed, and allows you to make soft serve in under 30 minutes.

Like the ever-popular Ninja Creami, the Chill also uses a rotating blade to cut through your mix and creamify it in order to create a dessert-like consistency. The big difference with the Chill, however, is that the blade is stored within a countertop-friendly base.

This is very good news for those looking to save space in their kitchen. The Ninja Creami is, whilst incredibly impressive in its performance, a very difficult appliance to store on a kitchen countertop as it's very tall. At almost 43 centimetres in height, it didn't fit under my kitchen cupboards. Compare that to the base of the Chill, which is 27cm tall (without the tub attached) and you can see which would be best if you're short on worktop space.

Another issue that long-time fans of the Creami often have is that the blade can be hard to clean, as it's contained within the upper unit of the appliance. Nutribullet aim to solve this with the Chill by making the blade element totally removable and dishwasher-safe. The parts pop out the top of the base in order to be cleaned, as you can see below.

With purchase of the Chill, you'll receive the appliance itself alongside two 450g tubs and matching lids for whipping up whatever kind of sweet treat you like. As with the Creami, a big part of the allure with this machine is that you have complete control over your ice cream ingredients – a must if you have dietary requirements or you want to make healthier family-friendly puddings.

If I'm being fussy, I would say that I'd love this new Nutribullet to also feature a Slush mode – but appliances that can make ice cream and slush are rarer to find. If that's exactly what you're looking for you might want to hold out until the release of the much anticipated Dualit Ice Cream Maker instead.

With more hot weather on the way, I can guarantee you that a frozen-treat maker like this will fast become your favourite kitchen appliance if you choose to take the plunge. You'll get more use out of yours than you'd think!

Alternatives

Ninja's shiny new coffee machine, the AutoBarista Pro, was only released at the end of last month but I've already spotted a version that's cheaper by £100 and available to buy now (via Ninja for £799.99).

This pared-back version of Ninja's super-automatic bean to cup coffee machine has a few differences from the original which I wrote about in detail in my preview. But there's one that'll disappoint decaf fans in particular: the two bean-hopper system (which is one of my favourite features of the £899.99 machine) is missing, as well as a few different drinks and milk frothing options.

Here's a look at the key differences so you can work out which one best suits your morning brew routine.

With an £100 price difference, I predict that there will be plenty of people interested in the standard version of the AutoBarista over the professional, but it's worth weighing up whether the features you lose are ones you might want in the future.

Let's start with what I see as the most important difference: the lack of interchangeable bean hopper system with the standard version.

The ability to swap between different types of coffee, including to decaf beans in the afternoon, is something that you can usually only get with much more expensive machines. It's excellent for making the most of your coffee machine without over-caffeinating or for those with partners or family members that have different coffee tastes. With two hoppers you could have one darker and one lighter roast on the go at the same time for those who want to switch between the two.

The other reason that the standard machine is more affordable is because it has a slightly diminished menu of drinks. There are 10 options available when brewing coffee: Espresso, Americano, Cappuccino, Flat White, Latte, Filter Coffee, Cold Brew, Cold-Pressed, Over Ice, and Hot Water.

You'll find those same drinks with the pro version alongside three more for your money: Cortado, Café Crema, and Lungo. And the ability to pull two shots of espresso at the same time – great for busy mornings if there's two of you using the same machine.

The automatic milk frother, which I think is the best feature on Ninja's Luxe Café machine too after trying it, is slightly altered in terms of programs between these two machines. While the standard machine offers 4 presets (Steamed Milk, Thin Froth, Thick Froth, and Cold Foam), the pro version has the same and more with the addition of Extra-Thick Froth too.

For the £100 price difference, it's definitely worth thinking about whether these differences would have an impact on the drinks you'd be making every day. If you'd be sticking to a flat white for most of the time, then you could save yourself a substantial chunk off your shiny new machine.

Or if this impressively kitted out new machine is out of the bounds of what you're looking to spend, then I've included some alternative highly-rated options below that you can consider instead.