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    CCF 001057

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    john_mitsi

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    of 52
    editor’s letter. “SPRING CLEANING IS A GREAT CHANCE & TO DECLUTTER ITEMS NO LONGER IN USE ; AND DONATE THEM TO A BETTER HOME” ‘ou might be surprised to see Y Bee Harry's this month, but Tm fillingin temporarily as editot for the next six months while he's on parental leave, ‘There's lots packed into this issue, including our bumper spring-cleaning, special, where we've rounded up the most efficient and effective products in ‘our tests to help you blitz through your cleaning and gardening tasks, as well as, a wealth of advice from our experts. ‘Some people hate the idea of spring, cleaning, but find ita helpful reminder toopen the windows, dig out cleaning products and tackle al of those nooks and crannies around my home that often ‘et missed. As well as clearing out the cobwebs - literally and metaphorically speaking ~ its also agreat chance to hhave a dectutter of items no longer Inuse, which can then be donated toa betterhome, sold on or properly disposed of-It’s cathartic to have a deep clean and tidy up, and it’s also the perfect time to prep gardens and, ‘outdoor spaces sothey'relookingtheir Dest for visitors over Easter or one of the many upcoming bank holidays in May. Once you've finished that, you can toast your beautiful-looking home with ‘glass of one of our recommended English sparkling wines. Or, in my case, aneelderflower spritz, which isan ideal non-alcoholic alternative to English ‘wine that you can read more about onp2t. Bottoms up! Alison Potter, Acting Editor TESTED BY US, RATED BY YOU Which? tests more than 3.500 products a year. Our reviews are impartial - we pay for what we test and aren't influenced by advertisers, so we'll tell ou exactly what we think. Your feedback in surveys and reviews helps us rate satisfaction. Prices quoted are lowest available in-store andor common online price as we went to press. AR Te ultimataccoladefor Products thatare reliable Ea productsthat scored and efficient, andjorcan be consistently wellin ourlab tests easily repaired. Best Buys, or other high-scoring These didn't rate quite ashighly products, that arealzo great as our Bost Buys, but they're Anita tton ome. Tatoo csctanan retest ‘About us Which? is a consumer champion. We work to make things better for ‘consumers. Our advice helps them make informed decisions, Our eampaigns make people's lives fairer, simpler and safer. Our services and products put consumers’ needs first. Which? is not for profit. Our members pay to subscribe to our services and products, We use this money to fund our product testing and the campaigning we do on behalf of UK consumers, For more details, se which.couk/structure. AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM Jan Allman Most Promising Newcomer at the 2022 FIBA Journalist and Media Awards; Newcomer ofthe Year, “The Property Press Awards 2021 Chiara Cavaglier| Headline Money Savings Journalist ofthe Year 2022 ‘and BIBA Best Cosumer Award 2020. Harry Rose ASME Editor ofthe Year 2021 and 2019 (Specialist); Highly ‘commended 2020 Specials Dean Sobers Winvott Awards Personal Finance Journalist of the Year 2020 Faye Lipson Hea‘line Money Personal Finance Story of the Year 2020; MHP ‘Young Joumalist Awards 30 2 Watch 2020 (Financial & Consumer fairs). Hannah Fox ASME New Talent Best Digital Writer 2019 (Consumer). Sarah Ingrams Winner MHP Young ‘Journalist Avards 30 to Watch 2019 (Campaigns & investigations. upfront. News Wiarning over DIY ear wax removal kis, fresh vs frozen food, the carbon footprint of different ways to travel Opinion Price used to indicate quality, but that’s no lorger the case Feedback \Wihat you've told us this month intheknow. Five ways to recycle your phone, how smart product security is damaging the environment, tomato ketchup taste test, robot vacs, coconut milk, save on holidays with an easy tech trick, how to tun your monitorinto aTV your which: ‘The AA left a car stranded for days, non-existent car from fake dealership, targeted by travel insurance scam, plus your questions answered, ‘Scamwatch, member ofthe ‘month, crossword and moce contents English wine on test In our latest tests, our panel of experts blind-tasted 27 white, rosé and sparkling English wines to reveal the best bottles ‘you can buy in the supermarket features. Broadband We acess the state of broadband in the UK and see which providers stand out rom the crowd Savings and sas How te find the best home for your savings - from testlab. demystifying Isa rules to finding the top interest rates Product news ‘Our round-up of just-tested ‘Managing your meds home and tech products Find out everything you need ~plus budget and mid-priced toknow about taking charge vacuum cleaners go head of your medications tohoad Friday afternoon fraud Spring cleaning Wereport onthe scam that Read our Best Buy and Great cean wipe out house deposits Value recommendations to Inseconds, with no guarantee freshen up your living space that victims will get thelr and get your garden money back forthe warmer weather Best TVs for less We highlight some ofthe bestvalue TVs, soundbars and streamers still on offer ‘2. Buyer's guide: dishwashers Discover the latest Great Value, Best Buy and Eco Buy ‘models from our tests, plus those with lower energy usage ApRiL 2023 Wich? MAGAZINE 3 ApmiL 2023 witch? MAGAZINE 5 APRIL 2023 WHICH? WAGRENE 7 BROADBAND PROVIDERS Peake BEST AND WORST BROADBAND PROVIDERS It’s a minefield of sneaky price rises and lacklustre service — Yvette Fletcher assesses the state of broadband in the UK, and which providers shine through some ways, broadband services have improved ppromisingly in recent ‘years. 2022 saw the UK's largest year-on-year increase in ful fibre coverage, a growing ‘number of us have access to faster, more reliable services, and market competition ‘means there ae affordable deals out there for people who shop around. Dut some things stay the same. The bigproviders simply aren't keeping ‘enough of their customers happy. Plus, ‘there's another worrying development: while new customers can still access attractive deals, an increasing number of people in long-term contracts will find ‘themselves facing high mid-contract, price rises they can do little to avoid. ‘The best and worst One thing that’s certainly stayed consistent is the performance of the big broadband firms: BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media are the largest, but they receiverl only passable scores at best. And despite usually’ affordable, their subsidiaries (BT-owned EE Broadband and Plusnet, and Sky's ‘Now Broadband) recelved elther the ‘same or similar scores to their parent. Once again, smaller companies came ‘out on top. Perennial favourite Zen Internet topped the table again, easily conquering its competitors with an Impressive customer score and four stars in every category. Hyperoptic and Utility 2 wey? WAGARINE APRIL 2623 Warehouse tooksslver and bronze, although each seems to have a key ‘weakness, Read more about how the providers compare on pi4. Inflation plus price rises Inflation-based mid-contract price rises have been around fora couple of years now, though the issues with them really came to the fore in 2022 when high inflation pushed them to close 10 10%. Inflation was even higher again this ‘year, meaning millions face increases of more than 14% starting this month. Providers that use them, such as BT; Shell Energy Broadband, TalkTalk and Vodafone, increase prices for sitting customers every year. They use the Consumer Price Index (CPI) asa basis but throw an extra 3% to 39% into the ‘mix, too. The providers that use these prlce rises say they're necessary for investment in infrastructure and that they make price rises more transparent. But that las itis in question. The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, announced ‘an investigation last December into ‘whether these price rises have been made adequately clear to customers who took out broadband contracts between March 2024 and 16 une 2022, ‘After this point, Ofcom introduced a rule that requires providers to give customers a written summary that Includes clear information on pricing (including any annual price rise). But Ofcom has always required contractual price rises to be made lear atthe point of ale. In February, I nnounced an additional review of inlation-based ‘mid-contract price risés more generally, expressing concerns tat they do not provide certainty orclaity. ‘The results ofboth iavestigations ‘are due later in the year, s0 they won't prevent price rises this spring. Our analysis shows thar chs year's pilce rises could add between £5) and £57 fo the average customer's anual bill. Virgin Media joins the club Having previously reftained froma mid- contract price rises, Virgin Media has shown that sometimes you can oth beat them and join them. It's upping prices byan average of 13.8% this year and will also introduce inflation-based price rises from next year. Virgin Media has been notifying ts eustomers about both of these changes in writing, But it’s adding {insult to injury by basing its price rises con the outdated Retail Price Index (RPI), which istypically slightly higher tan CPI. The Office for National Statistics discourages the use of RPI, saying it’s not ‘agood measure of inflation and is likely to overstate it It says any use of RPT ‘over ather indices (such as CPD will be ‘closely scrutinised Virgin Media is the only broadband provider to use RPI Several mobile providers once used it but stopped, ‘except 02 and Virgin Mobile, which are part of the same company as Virgin ‘Media. When we put this to Virgin ittold us that RPI widely recognised measure (of the general level of inflation that its ‘customers ae familiar with, and that it's expected tobe much lower next year. Until then, customers who can switch away may wish to take the opportunity before they're locked into those price rises - year after year, Virgin Media underperform in our rankings. Dodging the price trap It’sunderstandable if you're not happy with the prospect of mid-contract price rises ~they feelboth sneaky and cynical. But they're not universal. The best providers ~ Zen Internet, Hyperoptic and Utility Warehouse ~ all promise to keep the price of your deal the same for the full duration of your contract. And, for now, Sky still announces its price rises, which means those people who are atfected have the right to switeh away (affording them the power to haggle). Is the last major prover stickingto this system. me aU g ANNUAL PRICE RISES eee an eee ees pee eee eae ad Seen erty they would save if they switched toa now supert ey ert peter peas rey od Creer) cnn ens eee a month aerer eas cores Switch and save up to oy PLUSNET£34,87pm aoa oe noah ao Aaa Ci eta ements reer) seeker feareen eae con) Pn eee renee one ree) oo) AWARENESS OF SOCIAL TARIFFS IS STILL AN ISSUE ‘YWETTE FLETCHER, ‘WHICH? PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER and services, so it’s crucial nobody ee Ba macia Soares disadvantaged by the price of their Serr 14 min? MAGAZINE RPRIL 2023 >» But that’s how we think that things should be across the board, as it returns ower to consumers. Any customer ‘who's affected by a mid-contract price tse should be allowed to leave without penalty, sothey can search around and switch roa better deal, We've been taking that message to providers directly as part of our cost of living campaign. ‘Meanwhile, the current system forces rillions of customers to choose between paying more each month or an exorbitant exit fee, which our research shows can exceed £200, While Ofeom has forced providers to clarify to customers what price rises could look like, it doesn’t change that you're agreeing toan unknown ~ i'simpossible to know what Pl or RPI will look like in a yearor two. And it’s notable that the inflationary price increases mainly affect customers ‘who are stuck within the fixed term of their contract. Ofcom research shows THE BIG FOUR “These four major players serve millions of customers. tt once again thelr scores were mediocre at best, showing their dominance isn’t especially deserved ‘throughout the UK ‘money is another weakness, Which wasn't aided by the 9.8% that was added to many customers bills last spring Yet BT has some of the ‘most loyal customers: nearly half have been with the provider for at least three BT 59% years, and just over half have — never been with another provider. that includes you, our research chow, its timeto branch out ‘The UK's largest broadband provider just managed to ‘squeeze into the top half of cur table, but its customer score is along way behind It managed decent scores for the speed and reliability technical support. However, ‘customer support wasn’t considered as strong it was Current deals Stancdlarc top-ranked Zen Internet's 81%. broadband from: £28 24-month contract, £230 activation, Superfast ofits connections, and forits fibre from: £28, 24-month contract, €30 activation Ultrafast fibre frm: £31, 24-month contract, given just two stars. Value for £80 activation ‘that tariffs for new customers from the same providers that institute mid contract price rises don't generally seem tobe subject to the same price increases. Switch to save If'you're out of contract, you don't have toaccept any price rise ~ you're free 10 shop around to find abetter deal. If you're with one ofthe major providers, it could be an opportunity to move toa better service, as well as avoid the loyalty penalty that will come from continual price increases each year, compounded by the fact that out-ofecontract customers are often charged more, Customers who switch broadband providers save an average of £92 annually, but savings approaching £130 aayear are available fpr some customers. Do rememberto check the T&Cs of any new contract carefully so you're aware of your new provider's policy on price rises. SKY 56% Sky i joint eighth in our table alongside its affordable subsidiary, Now Broadband, Itreceived subpar scores in almost every category, except for how easy itis to contact. ‘Sky customers were the most likely to have experienced some kind of connection issue in the past year: one infive said they'e had frequent dropouts, 18% hed experienced stow downloads and one in six had experienced at least one long, ‘outage. And while Sky hasn't raised prices mid-contract in the same way the three other ‘major providers have (or will), three in 10 customers told us the price oftheir deal hac risen in the past year. Given its general tack flac it's unsurprising that more than half of Sky customers told us they were Likely to switch away in future, Current deals Standard broadband from: £28.50, ‘1B-month contract, £0 activation. Superfast fibre from: 898, 8-month contract, 20 activation. Ultrafast fibre from: £29.50, 18-month contract, £0 activation. BROADBAND PROVIDERS grt @) inp ace Sgr nee oe Settee tn VIRGIN MEDIA 54% ‘Alongside thet, Virgin fs one ofthe pricier providers: two Virgin Media offers some of in ve customers told us they the fastest connections, which pay more than £40 per month are widely avaliable viaits own for their connection. Given fibre network. tscustomers all ths, I's unsurprising that seem faily happy with the Virgin Mei only received speeds on offer, asit gota two stars for value for money. respectable three stars. But the goodnews ends there. Current deals Standard The reliability of Virgin broadband n/a. Superfast fibre Media's connections was from: £25, 18-month contract, deemed deficient: it earned £15 activation, Ultrafast fibre Just two stars, plusaround a from: £26.50, 18-month quarter of respondents said contract, £0 activation. CUSTOMERS WHO SWITCH BROADBANDPROVIDERS SAVE AN AVERAGE OF £92 ANNUALLY Ierecelvad one of the worst ratings for customer service, with a third of customers ‘considering this inadequate. (One in six of those who'd left TalkTalk for another provider putthis down tothe poor ‘customer service they had TALKTALK 51% experienced before switching — Poor value for money is TalkTalk returned to the very the final nail in the coffin for bottom of ourleague table TalkTalk: tonly received witha frightful set of results two stars, despite being an this year.One in five ofits affordably priced provider. customers told us they ‘would not recommend Current deals Standard TalkTalk to others. broadband from: £22, One in five customers also 18-manth contract, 29.95 rated its connection speeds activation. Superfast fibre 2s poor, anda similar number from: £24, 18-month contract, said they'd experienced slow £0 activation. Ultrafast fibre speeds or frequent connection from: £30, 18-month contract, Gropoutsinthe past year. 0 acthatlon. FOUR TO WATCH ratings forte speedo ts “- - connections Unfortunately, Here we've piled out the three top performers and the provider nwo Ieisn'tas wigely avalable that took a nosedivein this yor’ ranking: Shell Energy asallof the other providers Broadband onty managed to outscore lowest ranked TalkTalk inour survey -it's avaliable intone ce thou om eendvt or nen det than pet the provider not offering tariffs HYPEROPTIC 65% ‘promises not to raise the price sehepypretarteian Styne al rg Sew Dennen Mhlecoart thie mum ett rb eas) Yaton iyacimearadty2en” Reda seatogeny ) dino 20 Insets potest wy compat pro, <7 contin snc thy rin hepsi tpn sp woilimconmendetocton —uashadonetyeneay oer sf stem pae TEN INTERNET 81% ‘As well as having the most ‘weakness ~ customer service Hyperoptic customers ‘clcotonenovan zn “ahhewdjatwonam. dedi rsa ons sin Zn iusto aaa Thowonfehateswn Sanrio cruetipipain —fpainandasrene ftreboscan roto Sires wang te cmpennn scenes =n realy Curent eal tnd never nkibproptioy Kchentiiepferinaina shen tees oro ondary pert ‘cowdarogicowesces! scanann sre My pronto rcve irs an: thebarduneeasoony” ‘omaneessaimete Erith lly Sorta eect Drvdertoecnatersas_ Rronard Mone (rsenrgen tants reo iatacanonersovs ed Impenieteeuatenef 2 atmothconat, ‘ches so caret el tnd cimumesguespntwe, Sacto Teche rte bndeand tom S00 quality of ts connections, too: 12-month contract, £28.99 over athird ofcustomers gave activation. Superfast fibre ithe highest rating possible from: £30, 18:month contract, | for speed. Andit’snotable £15 activation. Ultrafast fibre that around.nine in10 Zen _—fromt: £35, 18-month contract, Internet customers ratedit £15 activation. customer service only Zen Internet and Plusnet also ‘managed three stars of ‘more. It also received three stars fr vale for money. Utiity Wafehouse customers were the mest likely to say they weren't planning to UTILITY WAREHOUSE 63% witch providers - seven in — 10 sid this vas unlikely. Utility Warehouse received This came down to them respectable three-star scores actually being happy with in most of our categories, their service, whereas ‘There was one key exception: customers of other providers dismal one-star rating for were more likely to cite the speed ofits connections, concer about the However, Ullity Warehouse switching process. customers were happier overall than those with Current deals Standatd providers that received better broadband from: £33, ratings for speed, with three 18-month contract, £6 quarterstelling us they're activation. Superfast fibre satisfied with thelr provider. from: 824, 8-month contract, Unllty Warehouse also £26 activation, Ultrafast fibro ‘managed to outdo mast of from: £31, 1-month contract, the other providers on £5 activation, 16 which? MAGAZINE APRIL 202 BROADBAND PROVIDERS. FIND THE seourtabletosee iow suchasNow Broadband and your provider compares Plusnet you decide’ time to BEST With the competition- switch providers, our broadband BROADBAND comparison service can help you compare the deals avalable PROVIDER performance of the biggest and where you lve. It includes all of best providers, butoursurvey our customer scores to help you also covered popular names quick find the bes deal for you. Cee sma Tue eluents eve pat rt ceete foe betd pelea eens enn 6) @ Deeka aa me Darke Trice Diner Tipe Bennie yperptie (60 Joo eeae paddeliae oaede Bane lio seed een | Uy Ware) fe fame faeee nee [iw [aoe acne Cue Sea Ju aus rece ae SR SOE fresang acctt oo See eee er ete ee eerie Iran eco) ems eee eet ae eee ate ice Rconmenied Pret 25) fae ax [eee [ew [eee fewer Prue! owns Newnan =) eee See ea a I to cue Sig en [lee ee ee [ee [ee fee few ‘ign 8) ee ERI eT ‘Shel nore Brndand() le fee [ee fae eee [oe esr ska 7) fn ee genes es ene ee scala, presen anatar ating, Shollian't only strugating in our survey: it has also ®@ iker cemmceancien Get the right ited S's mor completa broadband deal than TalkTalk an Virgin ; aon Nonmustieetne Use our Which? provider ratingsto SHELL ENERGY second for most complaints, help you choose with confidence BROADBAND 53% ‘and white Shel is i ; = competitive onthe price of Senet cc unre ae ‘Meer placing midtablelast Re dea, it wa tll deemed year, Sell Energy Broadband to offer poor value for money. plummeted inthis year's Unsurprisingly, more than half rankings with score only of Shall customers told us slightly above bottom-ranked they planned to itch TalkTalk. tt received a miserable set of tarratings, Current deals Standard ot managing more thantwo broadband from: £18, stars in most ofthe categories. 18-month contract, £5.57 AAfifth of Shell customers activation. Superfast said that broadband speedis fibre from: £92, 18-month oot. Customer service and contract, £5.57 activation. technical support were also Ultrafast fibre from: 232, deemed dire, both receiving 18-month contract, pitiful single-sta rating. £557 activation, ‘Apmit 2022 wien? WAGALINE 17 Find the best home for your savings From demystifying Isa rules to tracking down the top rates, Joe Wright explains how to find an account that suits you s weenterthis year’s "Isa season’ and average savings rates hit their highest level in a decade, it’s a good time to consider moving your money ‘to the best account you can find. Isa season isthe period around the new tax year. Savers who want to take advantage of their remaining Isa allowance for 2022-23 have until 5 April to deposit up to £20,000 into an Isa oftheir choice. Come 6 Apri, you get to decide how to use your new £20,000 allowance for 2023-24. But it’s not always easy to convince people to switch up their accounts. Having endured years of historically low interest rates, there's been little reason to get excited about savings accounts, and demotivation is rife. In September 2022, we surveyed ‘more than 1,600 savings account holders, and just one in five said that they wefe likely to switch savings account providers over the following i2months. The lack of appetite to find the best deal means around £268bn is languishing in instant-access accounts paying no interest, according to Coventry Building Soctety. This matters, because inflation whlch measured 10.9% in January 2023 ~is eroding the value of your cash. Put simply, it won't buy as ‘much asit used to. No accounts ccan equal or beat inflation, but 22 WHICH? MAGAZINE APA 2023 ‘with some accounts offering more ‘than 4% in interest, you can atleast reduce its effects. Cash Isas vs savings accounts If you want to stick with cash savings, you'll need to weigh up whether to opt fora normal savings account or ‘acash Isa. The crucial difference between the two is thet interest earned in a savings account s taxable, while cash Isainterest is tax-free. However, the personal savings allowance (PSA) means you can earn ‘certain amount of savings interest before HMRC comes knocking, ‘Thanks to the PSA, the first £1,000 of interest is tax-free for basic-rate taxpayers. Higher-rate taxpayers get {4 £500 allowance, while adaitional- rate payers don't qualify for any PSA. ‘With the current top-rate one-year savings account paying 4.31% AER, a higher-rate taxpayer would exceed the PSA with a lump sum of around £11,350, A basle-rate taxpayer could, save around £22,900 before exceeding, their PSA. 80, Ifyou're likely to exceed the SA, an Isa could be useful. However, you might have to miss out on Interest for instance, looking at the top one-year fixes in our table, you'd lose out on 0.31% by going for acash Isa over a savings account. On savings 0 £20,000, you'd lose out on almost 6S interest. THE ISA RULES YOU NEED TO KNOW ‘deposit £15,000 into one cash Isa and then £5,000 into ancther cash isa. ‘To switch toa better deal part-way through tax year, you'll ned to make an is transfer. You can fill out an Isa transfer form with your ew provider andit will arrange the move. If you're transferring between cash Iss, it should take no longer than 15 days, but transfers involving stocks and shares Isas can take longer. Never simply close an account and ‘ashi in; the money loses its tax-free status. ‘While vou can only deposit £20,000 each yar, accounts can build up over the years and there's no limit to the tax-free savings interest you can earn. t's good idea to make sureno ‘more than £85,000 is held in a single account, as that’s the compensation limit offered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) should a provider go bust SAVINGS ACCOUNTS AND ISAS QS. AAW ‘AiRayan Bank three-year finnd-term savings account | 4.57% | 85,000) UMP ] 62% Gatehouse Bank tre yearned term cashise 42% | 81,000} iM | a ‘MRayan Bankone-yofuedtermsavingsaccumt | 431% | 5,000] ume | we Barlay one year fest cashisa Chipintant-cces savings account Cymergy Banksia scons ones 400% | er | Bur | ean sae] cr | om | om aw fie | | sua THE YABLE Top tet at accovts fortrae yar oe yur fed anita cee ergs andcath us shown Cutomar screed o 57 respons mani aot hades ina 2022 n= sore naval hese to ema Aces ane esi 1B branch = rere? = pas T= phone M = me. What kind of account suits you best? ‘Whether you choose acash Isa, standard savings account, or both, thereare several account types to consider: ' Instant-access accounts usually offer flexibility to add and withdraw ‘money whenever you like. They have the least competitive rates, but are ideal if you need to dip into the cash now and then. 1 Fixed-rate accounts tend to offer higher rates, bt tie up your money fora set amount of time ~ commonly between one and five years. Usually, the longer the term, the better the interest rate. = Regular savers suit those who ‘want to save little and often. You'll usually haveto deposit acertain amount of money each month, and there can be limits to the number of ‘withdrawals you can make. Interest rates can be high ~ currently up to 7% but the actual interest you'll eam is estricted due to only being able to deposit small amounts. = Notice accounts, as the name suggests, require you to give the provider certain amount of notice (most commonly 30,60 or 90 days) when you want to make a withdrawal ‘They can suit those who don't need toimmediately dip into thei savings, but don’t want to lock cash away for lengthy spell. A mixand match approach can work best ~for instance, locking up some money, while keeping some {nan account that you can access. Be savvy with your savings ‘There are some common savings ‘raps you'll want to avold. Ifyou opt fora fixed-term account, make sure you're aware of the repercussions if you want to exit early. Some providers don't allow early access, while others charge a penalty that could see you forfeita chunk of interest. Some instant-access accounts have withdrawal restrictions - exceeding them could mean you'l face a reduced interest rate or account closure. Look out for bonus rates, ‘where the interest rate drops after certain period. When a bonus rate ends, you might want to switch to amore competitive account. Finally, make a habit of checking {nom your savings. Ifrateshave improved since you last switched, consider moving again, Ifyou have fixed account that’s coming to ‘maturity, don't let your bank or building society decide what happens to your money Your provider should contact you to explain yout options: sign up for another fx, transfer toa different type of account or close the account. Do nothing, and you could get dumped into an account paying next-to-nothing in interest. 9» ‘apni 2023 wich? waGAZING 23 haa SAVINGS ACCOUNTS AND ISAS SHOULD YOU CONSIDER A STOCKS HOW SMART PRODUCT SECURITY 1S DAMAGING THE ENVIRONMENT ANDREW LAUGHLIN, WHICH? PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER/WRITER ora decadenow, we've bbeen working to hightght ‘the risks of smart products being hacked - culminating in the Introduction ofa product security law in ate 2022. When it comes into force, not only will this make smart products reach ‘baseline of security standards, i will also compel brands and retalters to tell you how tong they'll support your device with vita security "updates when you buy it. However, transparency is ust half the battle we're fighting on your behalf. Lots of our household products rom laundry appllances to letter boxes (yes, realy) ~ are now being connected tothe internet, which fundamentally changes the way we buy and own them. ‘Some manufacturers are releasing smart appliances with barely a thought as to how they will be kept secure and up-to-date over the time you typically keep them (see Which?, January 2023, p34-7) Some are even dropping support before the last product goes off sale. While manufacturers may be happy for people to upgrade thelr appliances as quickly as their ‘smartphone, i's awful for consumer value, and it's even worse for the ‘environment, That's why we're calling for minimum support periods, appropriate in length for diferent product types, to be set in aw, If brands won't do the right thing on their own, then we need regulation to make them. Make your money Heinz vs supermarket own labels Is the big-brand ketchup worth paying more for? Fir ‘out how the cheaper versions stand up on taste fomate ketchup isa classic BIE staple, whether you use it as. adip for chips or toadd bite fo your burger. But brand leader Heinz costs more than six times as much as some own-label sauces, 20 switching toa cheaper supermarket bottle could cut down your shopping bill considerably. Our panel of 72 ketchup fans blind-asted eight own labels alongside Heinz and Hellman’s toreveal the perfect tangy tomato accompaniment to your meal. Heinz vs Hellmann’s Heinz proved i's a household name fora reason, finishing in joint frst place and edging ahead of rival brand Hellmann's, Although it didn’t match up on appearance, Hellmann's scoved equally well on flavour, aroma and texture. I's less than half the price of Heinz, so you're after a cheaper alternative bout aren't fan of the own label ‘option at your usual supermarket, It could be worth considering. Best supermarket own label Co-op was rated the Host ofall. the supermarket ovn labels we tested, tying at top spot with Heinz ‘Our results show i's worth trying cwn-label ketchup, regardless of where you shop. Neary all the supermarket ketchup we tested scored well, with the exception of MBS, which lost marke on flavour and textureas tasters found it too strong, tangy and thick for thi king. Salt and sugar content ‘At 35.6g per 100g, MAShas by far the mast sugar nearly double the amount of some of thi others we tested, Heinz is also classed as high in sugar though ts leas sugary than M&S). Aldi, Asda, Heinz and Hellmann's ll contr more than 154 salt per 1008, which means they’ classed as high in salt. Some brands offer ceduced sugar and salt ceptions: however, we only included standard versions in our taste test to ensure products were comparabie. BEST KETCHUPS CO-OP TOMATO KETCHUP 74% £21.10 FOR 5506 (Z0P PER 1006) It costs less thana third ofthe price of Heinz, but the Co-op's tomato ketchup tastes just as 00d according to our tasters. Plus, t contains less sugar and salt than the leading brand, so isidealif you're looking for ‘healthier option but don't want tocompromise on taste. HEINZ TOMATO KETCHUP 74%, £3.40 FOR 4606 (74P PER 1006) t Most of our tastere found Heinz had just the right balance of sweetness and tang, and the ‘deep red colour was well received. However, i's the priciest by along way, sof you're Looking for amore affordable ketchup, we've found several cheaper ‘options that also score highly ALDI BRAMWELLS TOMATO KETCHUP "72% 75P FOR 6506 (12P PER 1006) Asthe cheapest ketchup on tast, this 75p bottle from ald great ‘budget alternative if you're after a tasty yet low-cost version of the classic condiment. Our panel thought its flavour was on a par with Heinz, and the texture particularly Impressed, with 83% rating the thickness jst right. Asda casi wren Sea29RR3 TREND ON TRIAL in the know, SHOULD YOU BUY A ROBOT VACUUM CLEANER? ‘Amy Axworthy expl to think twice before robot vacuum that Picks up rubbish, empties itself, ‘echarges on its own and costs less than £1,000. Sounds great. However, our ‘ecent test results show that we stilt can fully rely on a robot vacto get the job done properly, safely - and ‘without intervention, Most Uhomes have carpet, which alot of robot vacuums struggle with, Inourtests, the average corded vacuum cleaner picks up around 68% of dust from carpets, With robot vacuum cleaners, it's 2%. Most can't handle pet hair either, so ifyou have an animal who sheds a lt, look elsovher Not as easy asit looks ‘You need to teach your robot ‘vacuum how to get around ‘your home using an app, ‘which can be complicated. ‘And make sure t's supported ‘with security updates for as long as you use it. These are ins why you might want vesting in a robot vac vital for any internet- connected device, to avoid hackers being able to exploit vulnerabilities inits software, iRobot promises to ‘support products inits new serie fort least five years from the date the product launches, not from the date you buy it, Dyson, Ecovacs, Neato Robotics and Xizomi felled to provide us with the information Fora device that sels ite ‘as ahands-off experience, it's disappointing that you mighthave to move ‘obstructions higher than ankle height so your robot ‘vacuum doesn't get stuck. teat go up or down stairs, and the’sell-emptying’ ‘vice needs the cleaning, station emptying when ful, ‘A fantasti robot vacuum cleaner may not be as far off as arobot that makes your bed and prepares dinner, but it's worth waiting forthe technology to improve further before investing. ‘APRIL 2023 Which? MAGAZINE 27 Managing your medication With millions of us taking multiple medicines, Jan Aikman explains what you need to know about taking charge of your meds ~ and the surprising everyday things that might impact their effectiveness ‘you're reading this and you're over the age of 65, you probably took pill this morning. Ifyou're ‘over 75, you may have taken several. With more than tba prescription drugs dispensed each, ‘year, popping a dail pill -or more~ is part of many Britons’ routine. But that doesn't mean we're getting i right. The Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC), which oversees the NHS, estimates that atleast 10% of prescriptions ~ 100m items ~ aren't needed. (Overprescribing’ happens {for a number of reasons. You may have been taking something to reat an ailment that's already passed, but were never told to stop. Perhaps one doctor didn’t know what another hhad prescribed you. Or it could be HOW MANY gown MEDICATIONS = 32538 PEOPLE TAKE = 3544 PER WEEK Bass BY AGE 8 cam None mit Se Beer a5 plus 1 oF more sauce 208 i nga Dol eathearey ete ‘30 WHICH? NAGARINE APRIL 2023, ‘that simple lifestyle changes might have had a similar effect. ‘Overprescribing has consequences for patients as individuals ~ and for the NHS asa whole, According toa DHSC national overpreseribing review report in 202, adverse reactions to drugs cause around 6.5% of hospital admissions. Two thirds ofthese ‘were preventable. And prescribing ‘medications on a large scale eats into the health service's squeezed budget. Medication is vital for the health ofa huge number of patients, so don’t throw yours away after reading this. However, the health experts we spoke tooverwhelmingly recommended paying close attention to what you're prescribed, why you're takingitand how itcould interact with other medicines and your day-to-day life - -_ = ——_ 55-04 = a a Se 20% 40% «60m Number ofmadcines taken Know what you’re taking and why, and review regularly coutre aWhich? mem, 90 reviews are important to you But when was th last time youreviewed your medication? Pharmacist Michael Ling says that t's important for pationts do this, There's 2 ‘blind assumption that doctors get everything ight he said, But things get missed duet st veezed NHS resources. Pharmacies make errors, toc: some A ot + v7) 4 ee 4 wd 4 a 2 rr i A 43,452 prescription errors were recorded by NHS England in 2021.50 check you set the drugs you're expecting when you collect them. The first step to managing your medications is knowing what you're taking. Line says: ‘Wes frightening that some people don't know the names oftheir medications - or why they're taking them? Alot comes down to asking the right questions when you're first prescribed anew ‘medicine. Rachel Power, chief executive at The Pationts Association, emphasises the importance of the partnership between the patient and prescriber:‘You should ask four questions. What are the benefits? What are the risks? What are the alternatives? What if do nothing?” Doctors will typically ‘monitor patients on Potentially risky medication ‘more closely. And some practices will take a proactive approach to contacting, patients about their ‘medication ifthey haven't ‘checked infor a while. But eter Christian, Haringey interim clinical lead (and former GP), says that current pressures on general practice ‘might make it harder forthe Workforce to find time fortis, you have any concerns ‘about your current medication course, are struggling with ‘anew medication or you're simply wondering how your suite of medicines might interact with each other, you can take amore active role and book an appointment with your local GP practice yourself Ask for a medication review and you might be assigned an appointment witha GP or in-house pharmacist if theres one. One member told us she was taking drugs prescribed by three diferent consultants and her GP. None of them had a holistic view, so she sacked her GP to review her ‘medication to make sure they were safe to take at the same ‘time and right for her needs. MANAGING YOUR MEDS Ca Pag Om tile Pee oi blood-thinning pean cee ee erst ent! Peer ein) eee eee eee icy eens eae eee) ‘on one side and suffered loss pee] Perera eee cetera Peete cere eee aetna eres eerie tna Lip sleegriener Pee ato Pete eee Peeenetre tit) pene nne Coe Pena ma eee eet) and my doctor prescribed Patent eet creer en oe MANAGING YOUR MEDS THE LIST OF POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS ON LEAFLETS CAN BE OFFPUTTING... SOME PEOPLE STOP TAKING THEIR MEDICATION ALTOGETHER Keep track of your meds ‘you've got multiple tablets to take every day - especially ones | that need to be taken at a specific time or with food ~ then ‘establishing a routine is helpful Christopher Small says that, for him and his wife, Marilyn, this s kay. ‘Our routine forall our matted life Itea and a biscutt in Read the bed each morning he told us. “We take our medications then” leaflet Hundreds of members shared ‘hic tips foc remembering when arvot your due to take their meds, One used Go Siigence when you're tnamonsoroneroe ich starting to take to take when. Others useda tw deat rung Sprandshet the pte ou Bo aware pf what the information leaflet that totick off with a pen or filled you should avoid comes with t, But you never out italy each dey. take yours out ofthe box, Daly pillboxes are an option, hese days, many medical you're nat alone although Thorrun Govind, chair information leaflets wil “The World Health Organization ofthe Royal Pharmaceutical include a potentially estimates that ess than 30% Association Society in England, surprising instruction: void grapetruit ‘ofppatients worldwide ead these «| -—_—isn'tafan. With pillboxes, you juice. The bitter citfus breakfast leaflets. And those who do often hhave to separate the tablets from drink is known to iteract with a find thelist of potential side their information leaflets and number of common) medications. It fects offputing. protective packaging, so she blocks the enzymes that break down According to one study In recommends other methods. some medicines, which means you can Germany, some people actually ‘One member founda way ‘got a much higher dose than expected. stop taking their medication around this: cut up sheets of pills ean also cause too little of game altogether, due to fear of and put in the box unpopped. drugs to enter your system. these side effects. | Common medications that interact But the scariest potential | with grapefruit inciide statins, calcium effects are comparatively rare, and medical trials will have been carried out before 1 drug becomes avaiable. channel blockers, antidepressants, Iimmunosuppressarits, anticoagulants and/or cytotoxic mpdicines. (Other food and crink may be on the Your preseriber will have ‘avoid’ list, depending on what you're also welghed up the risks and taking. Liquorice is another one to benefits of any prescription watch out for. tcan impact blood you're given fyou have any | iretics, hormone concems after reading the leaflet, talk to your local pharmacist cor go backto the prescriber for reassurance pressure medicine, 132 WHICH? MAGAZINE A son therapy drugs and blood thinners such as warfarin. You may not be oo fond of Uiquoric, but be aware that it crops up inmany herbal toa blend Dietary supplements, even ifthey’re based on natural plant extracts oF foods, can still interact negatively with your medication. Examples include St John's wort and gingko biloba, whore higher doses ofa range of common supplements have the Potential to cause problems. The advices always to check with your GP or a pharmacist first. Perhaps less surprising is the medications that interact with alcohol, Including antidepressants, certain sedatives and some antihistamines. If you're taking statins, you should drink less than 14 units of alcohol a week. Check with your prescriber or a pharmacist ifyou're unsure what you should or shouldn't be eating or inking with your medleation. Know your options re Which? member has, ‘a neurological condition sorare that she wrote the Wikipedia page on it herself She had trouble geting the right treatment from GPs, who aren't always familiar witht. Recently, sho signed up to a private tral of medicinal cannabis, which she fole might be better to treat her condition with fewer side effects. Taking part in a medical tral won't be for everyone, but iF you're ooking for alternatives to your current treatment, it's worth Aiscussing with your doctor. You can ask about anything = from the type of drug you're taking tothe way you're taking it For example, ifyou struggle to swallow pls, ask about a soluble version. Stopping sensibly lor whatever reason, you might decide that you want to stop taking drug you've been Prescribed. t's crucial that you talk to your GP or consultant about the safest way to do so. Going ‘cold turkey" on prescription medications could lead to unpleasant or dangerous side effects. as some need to be stopped in gradual, tapered ‘way, or under the supervision ‘of your GP. Once you've stopped taking the medication, don’t just throw any leftover pills away. You'll need to take them to your local pharmacy, which willbe able to dispose of them safely. This reduces the risk of hrm, to others as well as the environment. TRC ta Cees a LC ee Ils ae typically sealed in plaste blister packs for but unfortunately these are hard to recycle See te anc etree eee ea cee erate tts ener Besa oma Senet eaten cee ees Apmit 2023 wich? WAGAZINE 98 Friday afternoon fraud Tali Ramsey reports on the scam that can wipe out house deposits in seconds, with no guarantee victims will get their money back Se Dg oreo eee ee eee Disappearing deposits ‘The sean we've talking about is known as Friday afternoon fraud, butt also goes by many other names, such as payment diversion fraud and conveyancing fraud, We call {it Friday afternoon fraud because committing the crime on a Friday allows the scammer to escape Immediate investigation, with victims sometimes not realising they've been. conned until the following Monday. The scam involves a fraudster hhackingthe email account of either ‘a homebuyer or their conveyancer (property solicitor), allowing them ‘34 WHICH? MAGAZINE APRIL 2023, ‘to monitor and intercept emails. ‘Usually the scammer contacts the buyer posing as the conveyancer, providing them with fake bank details. Then, when the buyer comes totransfer their deposit, they “unwittingly send it to the scammer. ‘The exact method fraudsters use depends on which party's email account they've gained accessto. If i's the conveyancer's account, the scammer can impersonate them and send emails tothe buyer from the conveyancer's genuine email address. ‘More commonly, however, it’s the ‘buyer who has their email hacked. Inthese cases, the scammer will createa new email account with avery similar address to the one used by the conveyancer (perhaps changing one character) and copy the tone and email signature used in previous messages. We've also seen Instances of scammers phoning up ‘the homebuyer posing asa member ofthe conveyancer’s accounts team. and giving them new bank account details to send their money to. ‘Ascam years in the making, Friday afternoon fraud can take ‘months or even years, with fraudsters gainingaccess to emall accounts and MEAS “MY BANK TOLD ME I’M JOINTLY LIABLE FOR BEING SCAMMED’ transfer his deposit. He received a response saying he could send the funds. After some back and forth regarding the correct account etalls, he sent is £20,000 deposit via the Bank of Scatlana's banking app. Whon Robert received another email asking him to transfer a further £30,000, he became suspicious and called his conveyancer. Ie turned out that his conveyancer's emall account had been hacked five days before the transfer was made, Robert had ignored the waming on his banking app, as he believed that he'd been communicating with his conveyancer the entire time, - The Bank of Scotland's investigation found Robert jointly liable, in part due to him not noticing ‘spelling mistakes a diferent signature layout and a change in font’ in the scammer’s emails, 0 it only reimbursed him for half of his lost funds. When we contacted Bank of Scotland ‘about Robert's case, i told us that because he'd ignored a ‘no match’ Confirmation of Payee notification onits app and a ‘call your ‘conveyancer before you pay’ warning, it would ‘only accept joint lability. ‘name changed 3 i 3 5 ‘ PROPERTY SCAMS lurking until asuitable opportunity arises. Cybersecurity expert Jake ‘Moore told us seammers can set up software programs to automatically scan email accounts for keywords such as ‘conveyancing’ or house purchase’ These scans might be carried out periodically for example ‘once a month. Oncea keyword is ‘found, the fraudster will begin their attemptto snag the victim's money. But how do scammers get access to these email accounts in the first place? Two common methods are via data leaks or if the account holder has centered their personal information ‘onadodgy website. Ia large data leak hastaken place, hackers can use the exposed data to guess passwords and gain access to accounts. This underlines the importance of using, different passwords forall your accounts, and changing your password if you're informed that your data has been compromised. Jake says: "Large-scale data leaks have led to billions of lines of personal data being breached. This information can land on the dark web oronline forums, whereits sold or given away to those looking tocarry ‘out scams: Alack of protection ‘The sums of money lost to Friday afternoon fraud can be life changing, and its devastating consequences shine alighton an outdated hhomebuying process. »+ 023 WHICK? MAGAZINE 38 PROPERTY SCANS. > While many of us will be MAJOR BANKS PROVIDE accustomed to using internet banking ‘and banking apps to manage our A WARNING TO CALL day-to-day finances, sending tens of thousands of pounds this way YOUR CONVEYANCER moranttraacion vattout” WHEN YOU INDICATE secure paywallsorportlstowransfer_ YOURE MAKING A the funds, the process is more ‘vulnerable to fraud attempts. HOUSE PAYMENT When itcomestosendingyour © house deposit to your conveyancer, ‘there are two main options. The Banks have warnings in place Clearing House Automated Payment on their apps that encourage System (Chaps) iscommonly used homebuyers to double-check details forhigh-value transactions. Most _before transferring large sums of ‘banks advise that you use Chaps for money. Major banks including ‘payments of more than £25,000. Barclays, Lloyls, NatWest and ‘Anddue tothe large sums of money Santander provide a warning to call Involved, some only allow payments your conveyancer when you indicate tobe made in branch or via post. that you're making a house payment. Alternatively, you can transfer ‘Conveyancers must also do their ‘money from your internet banking _bit to protect their customers, service ormobile banking app viathe although there's no industry standard Faster Payment System. Banks place advice that they must provide in maximum limits on these transfers, relation to Friday afternoon fraud, itsFaster Sarah Dwight from the Law Society Payments to £10,000, while Halifax _toldus that most firms will state in 100, their terms of business that customers for example Nationwide li allows payments of up to £25, OTHER PROPERTY SCAMS TO WATCH OUT FOR Buy-to-let fraud New-build holding, = deposits Fraudsters have long peddied = — fake property investment Scammers target attractive ‘opportunities, promising new developments, claiming significant or guaranteed tobe estate agonts. Thoy ask returns. Dodgy companies Victims for a holding depostt may claim to be renovatingor to securea property, and managing desirable properties then take off with the maney. whieh turn out to be derelict if you're contacted by an bulldings withno tenants-or ‘agent’ selling new-build lure you into rental investment homes at prices that seem schemes before disappearing ‘too good to be true, I's with your cash, probably a scam, 36 WHICH? MAGAZINE APRIL 2023, Title fraud ‘The scammer changes the property’stitle deeds from ‘your name to theies, taking, aver avmership of the property, They might do this by stealing your identity or by pretending to bea prospective buyer to gain information, before filinga change of ttle with the Land Registry. Protect yourself by signing, upto Land Registry alerts. y) Mortgage fraud Ifthe scammer has successfully committed ttle fraud, they might then attempt to obtain a mortgage or other cred|t against the property. Empty properties with no outstanding mortgage are often targeted, the ‘scammer cause the avner's ‘equity to fraudulently borrow money with lass chance of bengenughiout 7 should only transfer funds to the account number provided atthe very start ofthe process, In addition, she says that many conveyancers include fraud wamings in their email footers. Homebuyers are more likely to have thelr accounts hacked than, ‘conveyancers, but that doesn’t mean ‘scammers aren't targeting firms. ‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) visited 40 firms in 2020 to assess their cybersecurity, It found. that 30 had been the target of a cyberattack. The remaining 10 firms all reported that cybercriminals had directly targeted their clients during alegal transaction, ‘What happens if you fall victim Ifyou realise you've transferred money toascammer, contact yourbank Immediately and explain the situation. Most major banks are signed up to the Contingent Reimbursement Model (CRM) code, which states that blameless victims of bank transfer Scams should be reimbursed fr their losses. In reality, however, whether you'll get your money back can be something f lottery. ‘The Payment Systems Regulator (PR) has proposed intreducing ‘mandatory reimbursement for scam victims in all but exceptional cases, bbut this doesnt currently cover Chaps payments. Data from industry body UK Finance shows that £22.5m of ‘bank transfer scam losses in 2021 relate to payments made by Chaps. ‘Which? supports the PSR's proposal, but wants regulators ‘to work together on introducing ‘mandatory reimbursements across payment methods o strengthen these protections. In addition to informing your bank about the scam, you can report it to police by calling 101, and to the cyber reporting centre Action Fraud, either ‘online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040, How to protect yourself Buying a home isa stressful enough process without the threat of being targeted by scammers. Before transferring your house deposit to ‘your conveyancer, send anominal amount such as £1. Call your ‘conveyancer om its registered branch Phone number to ensure it’s received ‘the money, and only send the rest of ‘itonce this has been confirmed by trusted member of staff ‘When communicating with the conveyancing firm, be on your guard. against any unexpected emalls or phone calls, and be suspicious if you're contacted by a ‘new’ member of staff or someone claiming to work Inadifferent department atthe firm. Finally, always set secure passwords on your email accounts and take your time before making any big decisions such as transferring Jatge sums of money. Scammers have better chance of success ifyou're inahurry, so slow down, take astep back, and, ifyou havea hunch that something isn't right, make sure you heed it. ‘You can sign up toour scam alerts (which. couuk/scam-alert) to learn about the latest seameand tactics ‘WE NEED A MANDATORY REIMBURSEMENT MODEL FoR VICTIMS TALI RAMSEY, WHICH? RESEARCHER/WRITER etng your money back after a scam can bea stressful process with no guarantee of success. Many banks are signed up tothe CRM ‘code, but they wor't necessarily interpret it the same way. For ‘example, i’s not unusual for ‘one bank to reimburse a victim and another to refuse ina near-identical case. We've von seen scam victims being relmbursed in full by one oftheir account providers but being Aenied by the other- forthe ‘exact same scam. ‘When you report a scam to your bank, itcan choose to reimburse the full amount you've lost, part of it, or nothing.at all f Itbelieves you could have done ‘more to be alert tothe scam or that its warnings were clear enough. If you fal victim toa seam and are unhappy with your bank's response, you can escalate a complaint to the Financial ombudsman Service. You should tell the bank ifyou believe you should be considered vulnerable - and therefore more susceptible to being scammed - under Financial Conduct ‘Authority (CA) guidance, Scams have a huge emotional Impact on victims, and Uncertainty around getting the money back only exacerbates this. Data from UK Finance shows that bank transfer scam losses twtalled £249m in the first half cf 2022, highlighting how a mandatory, one-sze-its-ll reimbursement model for victims can't come soon enough. ‘npmit 2023 wich? MAGAZINE 37 Sun pecs Peery Eceran sce GOOGLE PIXEL WATCH 80% £285 oele tookits time getting involved inthe wearables market, but it’s onto a winner with its frst smartwatch, Health and fitness tracking accuracy is almost perfect, and the intuitive app and range of features make it a versatile ‘accessory. It includes sleep tracking with heart ate and blood oxygen monitoring, land NFC for contactless payments. The main downside isthe battery life-we managed 96 hours before runningit down, soit wil need charging each night 2 Paul Lester, Which? technology editor, ays: The changing face of emartwatches has seen a ‘ange of designs ‘come and go -from the bulky end ruggedised to 2 aa the sleok and slimline. I's Lae . " interesting to see Google ey i take ar understated route both in terms of design ‘and th» simplistic yet ‘mine ty usable interface. Ir wants to ‘appeal to thoce who profer practicality to pizazz, and in doing eo has produced very worthy rival tothe iconic Spple Watch. [APPLE WATCH SE 2022 86% £259 ‘The SE 2022 has accurate activity tracking and great (GPS and it's comfortable to wear. t's more than £100 cheaper than Apple's flagship Serles 8 (£399), nd less than third of the £2849 Apple Watch Ultra. FITBIT SENSE 2.77% £199 ‘The Sense 2's range of fitness features, which include skin temperature sensors, and accurate results show Fitbit’s experiance. Itlacks good pp support, but battery lite is impressive at 6.5 days between charges. HUAWEI WATCH FIT 2 [ACTIVE 76% £99, ‘This Great Value model offers more limited smart features, butt handles the basics well. There are lots of acourate activity mades and it beats the others here on battery-8.5 days before it needs a recharge. PRODUCT NEWS ‘APPLE STUDIO DISPLAY 74% 01,499 ‘Apple’s luxurious-4ooking Pinch monitor with a5K retina display wil pass even the most critical eye - the picture quality is among the best we've tested, You also sgetahigh-qualty sound system and a 12Mp camera bult into the monitor. t's ‘an unquestionable Best Buy but, at five to six times more ‘expensive than some other Best Buys, do you really need to spend this much fora SK display? PANASONIC TX-G5LZ1000B 73% £1,499 Panasonic releases its TVs after the majority of brands have already had ther bite ofthe cherry tides its time, but Panasonic does make TVs with picture quality | few can rival. Some ofits OLEDs didn't sound as strong ‘as we expected, but the 65-inch T¥-651.710008 isthe full package with almost fawiess 4K picture quality and HOR that elevates the colours and contrast to inredibie heights MOTOROLA RAZR 2022 63% 2050 | Motorola's modern twist on its Razr flip phones has a sharp and bright 67-inch touchscreen that folds to reveal a miniature screen for tasks on the move, “The hinge is durable - passing 30,000 ‘openings without any problams - but youl ikely find this phone bulky and hheawy. And it falters on some basics we thinkare important, with a short | 20-hour battery life and limited cameras. ‘HUAWEI FREEBUDS LIPSTICK 56% £200 These headphones ae unique, to say the least. Designed to mimic lipstick, they have a stylish charging case and bright red earbuds. Unfortunately, they’e style over substance ~ opinion wil be divided in terms of comfort, and the sound quality is disappointingly ‘mediocre. For a better and cheaper option, try the newly reviewed Anker Space A40 (77%, £63, Best Buy and Great Value). INE 39 PRODUCT NEWS JUST TESTED. HISENSE RB3274BBE 9%0449 We love a bargain fidgo- freezer, especially one that jumps straight in among our cheapest Best Buys With ts rapid chiling and freezing, this Hisense shouldn't disappoint. t steadfastly protects food inside all year round, ven when besieged by ising room temperatures during scorching summer. Its energy efficiency could be improved, and i's lacking additional features such as super-cool or fast freeze, but nothing's perfect, especially at such alow price. “40 WHICH? WAGAZINE APRIL 2025 VOLKSWAGEN 1D.5 (2022-) ‘TUG FROM 250,405 The trend for family SUVe with coupé lke styling shows no sign of abating, and Ws ID. is the latest to undergo our lab tests t's based on the impressive ID4 mid-size SUV, but trades practicality for sportier aesthetic, thanks to its Lower, curved rocfline. The aerodynamic shape means t's slightly more energy efficient, but thick roo pillars and a shallow rear screen restrict rea visibly Elsewhere, Itshares much with VW's other EVs, including a rather complex infotainment system and mediocre cabin quality. (Overall, though, its comfort and high safety levels make ita Best Buy. AEG TRTIBLAB 75% £619 Thisis an excellent hheat-pump dryer ~itdries biliantly and keeps energy use toan absolute minimum, When the buzzer sounded in our test, the clothes were dried perfectly. t costs £75 a year to run and many loss efficient dryers cost much more than twice that. t's not the fastest, but 23, ‘minutos por kilogram of cottons isn’t bad for this type of machine, And, while It's pricey to buy, i's one ‘ofthe cheaper heat-pump dryers from AEG, PHILIPS AZUR 8000 SERIES DSTB050/26 83% 2149 Ironing is a quick ob with this corded steam iron, The steam flow is stronger than average and is excellent at removing ereases. You don't have to press down on the iron and rarely need the steam boast function. With only one temperature setting, i's also really simple to use. The soleplate {resistant to scratches and limeseale, so you should bbe able to useitfora long time without a decrease in ironing performance. No wonder it's a Best Buy ‘and an Eco Buy. NEW ON TEST: STOVETOP PRESSURE COOKERS We test stovetop and blectric pressure cookers fom all the leading brands, with leach one subjected to nearly 70 assessments, ‘Our lab testing covers everything from safety and cooking results to.ease of use and loaning. We prepare stey, risotto and a bean ish and judge thoir taste, consistency snd overall appeal. willing EcoQuick I 80% 2149 ‘Yer, it's pricey but f you ‘decide to splurge on this pressure cooker, you'l find it works briliantl. Its stainlecs-steot exterior i resistant to sratching and t's well balanced and easy to use, too. Hawkins H5520 21, Ti% 245 Srfall yet effective, this keenly priced pressure ‘cooker is best suited to smaller households or even your next camping ‘rip. t's lightwoight, simple to use and produces tasty meals. @ eae @ cleaners TAKE YOUR TIME, TECH WARTIN PRATT, WHICH? PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER vatar:The Way of Water took 18 years to make, ‘The original lm made Numatic Henry Dyson Vi2 Detect ‘more than £tbn atthe boxofce, Quick HEN-100 Slim Absolute+ and normally this kindof success ee ee ‘means studios can wait to get a 77% 299 80% £580 sequel out. ke to say James Pie pene ies Cameron spent that time puting a Iesfantastic on carpets, good.on LEANING _—_—From effcently sucking up pet, decent sort together, but anyone floorboards and when dealing hat picking up fine cust rom who's seenit knows thats true. with pet hal, but its average carpets, har lors and crevices, No, hevaited as the technology performance on hard Roots this vac a rillant allounder. heneeded to improve on the told It back. i's ony OK at Cn top ofthat, it keeps allergens original’ fects didnt exis. retaining allergens, too Locked tightly inside the canister. Big tech brands could learn is - a thing or two and take the time todevelope tangible, excting Thankstothe podsthet st. RASBOFUSE ts simple rouse and handle, uparases instead of churning out inside the dustbin, this Henry plusits incredibly versatite dovico after device wth startingly couldnt be simperor cleaner and convenient on sais, similar specs and features, to empy. Rs fairly easy touse Uneven surfaces and ach year there's anew but nat the mast convenient upholstery. ts also not too phone tablet oF TV to rol ou. forvacuuming at hee dificult or messy to empty. But 265 days ent long enough tolmplement anything other ‘than incremental improvements ‘Thereareno pre-cotcleaning «FEATURES A cighal screen isn’t unusual ‘TVs with afancy-sounding feature ‘modes apart from boost, ut on high-end cordless vacs, but that barely moves the needle in the power can be regulated this one counts and displaye ‘our tests, or phones with almost manually by pressing a button. the number of particles sucked identical hardware and a sight There's also a power-brush up. Italso displays the three redesign, puch legions of perfectly that you can switch on and Power modes (auto, eco and ‘good devices into the background. off when you need it. boost) and battery ie ‘The immense marketing that S ‘accompanies these subtly different devices doos its best to ‘The battery sll and ready to BATTERY Ie'smot much faster than its justify an annuel upgrade cycle face more cleaning challenges in rival, asthe battery takes that nobody needs, but brands 2 hours $4 minutes. Once 2 hours $1 minutes to fully would do better to slow down this charged, it asts Thour 23 recharge. Battery life on Lungustainable schedule allowing minutes on minimum power but ‘minimum power is 49 minutes, themselves more time to develop only 7 minutes on maximum. ‘but on boost it’s only seven. special atrue upgrade i aaa There will alway’ be people keen for something new, who feel Allorgon retention isn't great, veRDICT. ‘Top-notch cleaning at a high “short-changed if that coinides butif this isn't a dealbreaker, price. Henry (and others) with no fresh release. But k's the Henry Quick isa solid choice. aren't too far behind, though. brands that are short-changing ‘customers by trotting out devices thet have bara improved. ‘npnit 2023 niicw? MaoRZINE. 41 SPRING CLEANING SPRING CLEAN YOUR HOME Freshen up your home and get your garden ready for the warmer weather with Best Buys and Great Value products. Hardeep Channa and Verity Mann report ow the days are getting longer and brighter, i’ the perfect, opportunity to spruce up your home ready for summer. ‘To help you make this as easy as possible, we've rounded up the cleaning produets and appliances that have come out top in our tests, These include steam cleaners and hhandheld vacs that can get into almost every nook and cranny of your home, washable paint that gives a longer-lasting finish to your walls, and carpet cleaners and stain, removers to remove unsightly marks, ‘We'll also warn you of supposed ‘cleaning hacks’ that don't workor could do more harm than good. ‘And as the weather (hopefully!) warms ‘up, we reveal the lawnmowers, pressure \washersand gardening tools to help you to {et your outside space looking great. Our {ests have revealed high-scoring Best Buys, energy-efficient Eco Buys that are cheaper torunand builtto last, as well as lower-cost Great Value products that punch well above their weight despite a lower asking price ‘Sign up for our free Home newsletter for advice, news and deals, Either scan the QR code, left, or see which.co.uk/home-nows 442, Hich MAGAZINE AP 1] CLEANERS Ceca) Peco’ are exacerbated by dust Eee Seco ceed ey eet Spree iat poner ees harsh aa an almost every ee tare well as cleaning hard ees cee) Peceenaatienticy Pe Ponies ert, Cosmos sterlising the surfaces TUN AAC} ts on a a ees cleaner we've tested. Peas ore cree) ey erent Cie SU Ceres Sea acessories for tailored Sra purer eros eee ed als9 a handheld mode. i eee en Pe ey stedm overtime and ee eee i eee ey eee ey ete Setar Paeerreniey Peer ten or reel iihegeii Eee etd peers teatty coer ten ete) pecan ry cen reer sea es et ee ne Cae Sree Tt HANDHELD VACS ‘These are ensy touse, cordless and ligt, which ‘means you can use them anywhere. But they aren't quite as good at cleaning as full-sized counterparts. They're great at quick tasks orjobs such as cleaning the Inside of your car. Go for ‘one with decent dust ‘capacity and good battery life that wor't stop mid-clean. Accessories to look out forinelude a crevice tool a turbo pet tool and an extendable flex! hase to reach tricky spots. DYSON V7 TRIGGER 71% £199 No handheld vac has impressed us as much as Dyson's V7. I's excollent ‘on carpets laminate floors and upholstery, and had no problem removing fine dust Particles, pet hair or small fibres. thas. longer battery life than most ‘apart from on turbo seting \when i's very short. Plus the well-designed dust ejector helps avoid making ‘a mess when emptying the dust canister. ‘SHARK WV251UK 67% £180, Very nearly a Bost Buy, this Shark is inredibly lignt and easy tohandle. I's great at cleaning surfaces and retains allergens well, so fine dust particles don’t ‘escape out. I's got a pretty ‘small dust capacity though, hich isnot surprising as it Weighs just 0.9kg. test lab. WASHABLE PAINT Freshen up your walls with washable paint. t's more durable than standard paint and shouldn't flake, peel or fadeifyou naed to clean stains or surf marks. Towash your wall without damaging the paint, giv it a dust frst, then clean it Using a soft sponge lightly dampened with warm soapy water For stubborn marks, leave the soapy solution for 10 minutes before rinsing of with clean ‘water. Don't over soak your sponge or the wall. FARROW & BALL MODERN, MODERN EMULSION PAINT, 259 FOR 2.5 LITRES This paint was smooth and easy to apply. We had no problem removing crayon, pencil and chocolate stains and there was no damage tothe finish, even though we scrubbed it five times. Permanent marker was the only stain to remain visible. ‘Also consider: Homebase Tough & Durable, Matt Paint, £20, for 2titres Great Value “This is incredibly hard ‘wearing. Chocolate stains wore removed and only faint traces ofpen and pencil remained. Permanent ‘marker was an issue, spmay 2023 wick? MAGAZINE 43 SPRING CLEANING CO AND SMOKE ALARMS ‘While giving your home a once over, take the chance to check ‘your carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke alarms are working as they should. Use the test button and change the batteries if ‘they/re more than a year old f you're in Scotland, you'll need toinstall interlinked heat and smoke alarms in your home. All. ‘major manufacturers (Aico, FreAngel and Kidde) have smoke and heat alarms that will work with one another so they all sound, but ifyou get the Nestor FireAngel alarms below youll, need a separate interlinked smoke and heat alarm system BEST Gig Priase il CARPET CLEANERS Sees Con rts pete nay ‘vacuum cleaner before Peete Sets) cemes Corer ae eer ey Peter] the instructions carefully Perey torre. ees peri G around 24 hours to dry Teron been cleaned, DRAIN UNBLOCKERS Wie tested kitchen drain unblockers by pitting them ‘against a tough food blockage made out of broccoli lard and breadcrumbs. For bathroom

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