I always have a cup tea first thing every day, but by 7am I need a coffee and this is a near perfect coffee kick to get the day started. As an espresso blend it produces coffee which is thick, dark and rich. The grind is quite fine so you'll need to push hard if you're using a cafetiere to make it – nearly perfect for espresso machines though.

This is so simple to make that even I managed it. Just add 18 tablespoons of water and then follow the kneading instructions. Or if you are lazy like me, add a teaspoon of vegetable fat and then cook in the breadmaker. Takes a couple of hours normally, or 3 hours in the breadmaker. The resulting loaf is firm and tasty. I found adding a little extra yeast gave it a better consistency.

Andy, staff member

The hardest task in my house is getting the kids to turn things off. From room to room around the house I find myself turning off lights, computers and other gadgets. The Intelliplug at least helps minimize that for the computers we have. Simply plug the main power feed into the socket and then attach peripherals to the other sockets. Then whenever the computer is turned off the printer and monitor are turned off too. Genius.

**Tip** Using the Windows power saving features configure the PC to automatically turn itself off after 30mins of inactivity. Then the computer will go off once the kids leave the room courtesy of Microsoft, and then 5 seconds later the screen and printer are turned off courtesy of the Intelliplug. Double genius.

This is my favourite of the Traidcraft Geobars. Great taste and energy boost just when you need it. It was this Geobar flavour that got me to the top of Ben Nevis.

Of all the windup radios we sell, this is my favourite. It is just small enough to travel with while still giving a good sound when used without headphones. The digital screen makes tuning much easier – especially for short wave stations which are always tricky to tune in well. It has Long Wave – ideal for Test Cricket and the shipping forecast if you sail.
The best aspect is the variety of charging methods – windup, mains charger, solar powered or internal battery. Ideal for any environment – hot or cold. The only downsides are that you can’t solar charge while playing and there is no “lock” feature on the buttons. This latter one means that once packed in your bag it can be advertently switched on.
Please note this review was submitted by a member of our staff.

I eat a lot of soup. I make my own. I nearly always have it as a starter when I go out places. Soup is a favourite food and this is one of the best I've had. It tastes delicious. It has a thick but not lumpy consistency. It has a rich, golden colour and lovely fresh vegetable smell. The lentils give a little boost in terms of vitamins and protein. If you're a veggie this is a near perfect soup. Recommended.

Makes a delicious bowl of spicy cous cous. Very simple to make - add to cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. The spices come in a separate sachet so you can control just how spicy the final mix is. Delicious with Suma Sweetcorn and a dash of Harissa Sauce.

Andy, Staff member