Many new home technology products will be added to retail store shelves in 2024, but on a mission to upgrade my devices, I found a must-have that I couldn’t resist sharing.
As February arrives and January sales begin to wind down, it’s the perfect time for hundreds of bargain-hunting shoppers to stock up on their favorite products and brands. And this time, I joined them. I’m on a mission to upgrade my home technology while trying to make my brand new apartment feel more homely without breaking the bank.
Since we went from fully furnished to unfurnished, there are a lot of products we’ve purchased in the last few months that can add up quickly. From sale sofas to IKEA merchandise, it was hard to find anything cheaper elsewhere.
When it comes to technology, your new home has several spots to fill, from plug-in heaters to home office add-ons and kitchen appliances to make your bedroom cozy this winter. I’ve already gratefully received a hand-me-down HITACHI TV, but I have to admit that thinking about one of Samsung’s newest models is quite appealing.
Read more: Dunelm’s ‘just right’ £9 buy helps shoppers cut heating bills and stay warm
Curry’s was the first port of call and could be the most obvious choice for those looking to browse the latest brands in person and under one roof. And as soon as I walked in, I was immediately drawn to the pink aura of the Philips Hue section.
This is a brand whose products I’ve seen raved about online many times before, but I’ve never actually come across in person before. Designed to create an attractive light and cost atmosphere around the house. The first product that caught my eye was the unsurprising Philips Hue Bar, but you can also buy a set of two.
These gadgets with LED lights are designed to change the mood of a room with different colors and changes, but these Philips devices go a step further and change depending on the sound being played throughout your home. To do. You can mount these behind your TV for added drama. Every time there is a tense part of a thriller movie, the cinematic mood is illuminated.
The second product that caught my eye is Samsung’s fascinating The Frame TV. Its painterly design is terrifyingly accurate even up close. If a high-tech 4K smart TV is perfect for you, but you want something that blends into your living room or bedroom decor (or wherever you need a TV), this device is definitely for you.
Frame TV blends into its surroundings. When you switch off your favorite movie or binge-watching series (my current favorite is Love Island All Stars), your screen transforms into a digital frame filled with real-life colors. It’s like a mural. Inside the store, multiple eye-catching pink and purple transitions were on display.
Read more: 2024 Valentine’s Day gifts from Apple, Samsung, Sonos, and Nintendo, perfect for tech lovers
The 85-inch model that caught my eye (above) is the largest and most expensive model in Samsung’s sleek range, priced at £2,799. Inside the store, Currys was eyeing a £200 discount, so I was also a model. He spotted a sign saying he would get £300 cashback if he made a purchase. That’s a saving of £500.
I wanted to add some color to my current monochrome home office of black, gray, and white. The next product I found was perfect for adding color. Moreover, it is an everyday necessity that I cannot work without. Thanks to its sleek appearance, this Logitech Pebble Keys 2 will definitely stand up without taking up too much space on your desk.
Of course, being the overly excited shopper that I am, I couldn’t find the pastel pink Logitech keyboard without picking up its matching pink mouse. I was intrigued to see how long the set would be. The Logitech Pebble Keys 2 is priced at £44.99 and the wearable mouse, the Logitech Pebble 2 Wireless Optical Mouse, is available for £24.99.
This next product can be added to any room in your home: your office, living room, bedroom, and even your hallway. Admittedly, I had an idea that this Roberts Stream94L would fit perfectly next to my bar cart in my kitchen. At £199, this smart speaker is about on par with rival brands such as Sonos when it comes to price, especially considering its size and trendy design.
Adapted from Roberts’ classic tuned radio, this smart speaker upgrade features a 2.8-inch display and 120 radio presets. Of course, you can also stream your favorite playlists online by visiting Spotify, Amazon, and Deezer.
Satisfied with my plumpness at Curry’s and curious about pink-themed tech finds (aside from Roberts’ radio), I tried my luck across the road at Dunelm. This unlikely tech retailer has some great bargains, and I picked up this Smeg-like kettle and toaster just a few meters from the front door.
What I can tell you from my experience with an afternoon of shopping therapy is that something pastel, pink, or retro is more likely to catch my eye, like this kitschy Dunelm set. At £45, this kettle was a no-brainer for me and I couldn’t help but think it had the same look as the £134 Smeg kettle. To add matching appliances to my new worktop, I also found a toaster from the same retro range. This also costs £45, with the full set coming in at £90.
I’ve been trying my best to avoid fancy household items like Morocon-style wicker baskets, toiletry hangers, and Oliver Bonas-style doormats, but I’ve certainly had enough of them in recent weeks. I got it. So my next choice was something more practical.
It certainly felt cold last month, and there was still snow in the forecast for February, so I was looking for an affordable heater to help with the cold. Our new apartment has windows that face the sun (because it’s rarely bright at this time of year) and has no external access that would cause drafts, so it sheds heat well.
This 18-pound plug-in PTC heater might just do the trick. As you can see, the box fits in one hand, making it ideal for those who don’t have space for a large floor-standing heater. It may be small, but a quick look at the back of the box reveals that it produces 500W of energy, has two different fan speed settings, and a thermostat to set the right temperature.
Read more: We tested Duux, Swan and Dyson to find the best electric heaters on the market.
Cooking up a storm is something I enjoy doing (though I try) and other than the absolutely necessary toaster and kettle, kitchen technology isn’t at the top of my appliance list. But I still decided to go to the Peak to see what was hot – in at Lakeland – a tech brand I’ve grown to love using in the kitchen, and a must-see for Ninja and Tifal’s more expensive offerings. is your favorite rival (in my opinion).
This is why I went straight to the air fryer section in the back of my local store. There he has his Air Fryer, a Lakeland Dual Basket that rivals the Ninja. The £99.99 Lakeland own-brand worktop air fryer has two baskets (8 liter and 5 liter), eight different cooking programs, a touchscreen display and can reach temperatures of up to 200 degrees.
Also on display were a variety of air fryer accessories, including liners and the Lakeland Budget Air Fryer Cookbook. Priced at £16.99, the book is packed with ideas for affordable home cooking that can all be done on worktop equipment in place of a convection oven (even if it’s not obvious).
All three retailers carry everything from stylish Samsung Frame TV home office essentials to plug-in heaters and the popular air fryer. Currys, Lakeland and Dunelm made some eye-catching trades. However, it was certainly Currys who came out on top with his £300 cashback offer on Samsung TVs.