Things you're holding off buying because you don't know if they're worth it

[Insidelaurashed]

I've been holding off buying a hand held steam cleaner (I have a chronic pain condition so if it helps make cleaning physically easier, great!) as I'm not sure if they're as good as the Tiktok reviews I keep seeing say they are. I thought Mumsnet would be good to ask as everyone is very honest on here, and then I thought maybe a thread where we post the thing we're unsure of so others can say yeah actually that's decent, buy it-or not-might be a good idea?

Anyone using a steam cleaner, are they decent? Anyone else got things they're unsure if they're worth the cost that they'd like an opinion on?

I’ve got an LED mask, I don’t use it as regularly as I used to. But that just because I’ve gotten a hot lazy but mines pretty good. It’s the boots one which after loads of research I chose in terms of best value for money.

I think it’s been discontinued but I got mine 2nd hand from vinted. Worth it. I also got the small LED pen from Aldi. Which I don’t use.

Electric car

Nope!

Never use my steam cleaner.

Yes I keep wondering about this too but really would like samples than relying on a photo

I have a Kindle which I love. I’m never without a huge choice of books, and now I have arthritis in my hands, even a 500 page book is easy to read as the Kindle never changes weight.
I also have a small clothes steamer, which is amazing to refresh a shirt I have worn a few hours, to get the creases out.

A hot airbrush thing. My hairdresser is adamant it’s a better alternative to me using hair dryer and straightener, but I have such frizzy, wild hair I just don’t think I will get a nice smooth finish with one. I wish you could hire one to try for a week before you commit to buying one.

LED masks, meh can't see a difference really but LED panels (you can buy small ones) is brilliant! I use it on my scalp and it did stop the peri meno shedding. On my face my redness vanished and pores shrank slightly & not just after use but you have to use regularly and be committed.

Dyson hairdryer, while I love it and drying is so fast not sure its worth the cost if there are other things you want or need more.

Also would like to know if the Ziip Halo is any good, it obviously won't deliver amazing results that others will notice but would I notice?

Lumea didn't work for me. And then died because of its stupid battery design. Got a Braun one, much cheaper, way more effective.

Love my Kindle.

Shark flexstyle? Should I or shouldn't I for just below shoulder length wavy/curly hair? Dyson is not welcome in this house!

We have one. Love it.

I have a babyliss one. I like it you do.need to dry your hair to "damp" though.

I love my Kindle - use it most days but they do seem to have got more expensive or perhaps I only buy in sales. Also my first few were second hand ones.

I did try steam mops years ago - it was okay - it was a cheap one though see if I'd use it.

Ds also likes his foldable e-bike and misses it as it's currently in the shop - make his commute much more bareable.

Clothes steamer - DS used one volunteering and says they are good. However big one is fan light for south facing room but I just took the plunge they were reduced over christmas was an arse to fit mainly due to our electircal wiring - but it's a better light and fan I think will help in summer.

I've got Musicozy ones too. I really need to wash the band part, but I'm scared to pull all the bits out in case I can't get them back in again.

I find the kindle much easier on my eyes as opposed to my phone. Mine is a bog standard one rather than a paper white, the light is gentle and adjustable, I use it all the time. Added bonus that I don’t have phone notifications popping up while I’m reading so less distraction.

I also have a steam cleaner which I love, it’s great for getting into all the nooks and crannies in the bathroom, under the shower door, around taps etc, it’s also good for pre-treating stains on carpets before going over with the carpet cleaner. Yes it blasts duets and you need to wipe up as you go, but I prefer that to going round taps with a toothbrush. Basically anywhere that dust and dirt gathers that’s hard to get into.

thermomix.. its SO ex. I love how easy it looks/is tho.

If the options are sit on your bum at home and don't cycle, or go out on an e-bike, then the e-bike is the better option. And hopefully the money you spend on it will increase your motivation for using it :)

I bought a steam cleaner and like a previous poster found it blasts off the gunk but that seems to go everywhere then that has to be cleaned up too. It can also be used to clean floors but it leaves the floor really wet. Never used now

I'm afraid I agree - it was a complete waste of money. Kept trying to climb the chairs in the kitchen and wasn't good at manoeuvring between carpet and rug. Threw it away.

Mostly love my kindle for all the reasons others have said, but with a couple of caveats:

First caveat: kindles are great for fiction, or a book that you only read from beginning to end, for pleasure. For non fiction, where I might want to use it for reference, go back to a particular bit and refresh my memory, find a nugget of useful information, thumb through it to browse, skim read, bookmark a part I refer to regularly, etc I much much prefer a physical book.

ie when you want to navigate around the text. You can do it on a kindle, eg digital bookmarks, but I find it easier, more convenient and more enjoyable in a book. Even though you can search the text on a kindle.

With some non fiction books long after reading I think “what was that thing I read in that book?” and much prefer to pick it up off the shelf and thumb through or look in the index. If it’s on my kindle, finding the relevant bit is not an enjoyable process.

So I find I buy kindle books for fiction, physical books for non fiction.

Second caveat: if you want to read in the bath. Although apparently you can now get waterproof kindles?

Zip Halo is good - but consistency is key. I use an LED mask and have used it for about 4 years - everyday (i might have missed a day here and there but no more than a week) - it absolutely does make a difference. I have LED panels for my back - no difference yet.

I bought the Boots version of the Tymo hair curler and I am severely disappointed. I have given it several tries and it is absolutely rubbish. You can only do a tiny strand of hair at a time, it jams constantly, and the off button is right where you hold it so it keeps getting turned off. The curls it produces are stringy and flat. My hair wrap knock-off from Amazon is 100x better. Just my experience.

Never had any issues. The electricity company sort of forced the change to get a lower tariff

It doesn't work!! Better off getting laser hair removal from a specialist. This does work. Best money I ever spent!

Kindle screen doesn't emit blue light like a phone or iPad so it's much better for reading before bed. It's also much lighter than an iPad but bigger than a phone - my old eyes appreciate this! If you have the app it syncs between your various devices so if you do want to read on something different eg while travelling you still can. It's brilliant in summer - no way you could read on a phone in bright sunlight. I love mine but still read 'real' books as well sometimes.

Electric car - if you can afford/are able to have a charger at home then yes but if for whatever reason you can't they are a pain - it might look as though there are lots of chargers everywhere but in reality most are very slow eg the ones in supermarkets, you'd need to leave your car there all night for a full charge. The faster ones are a lot more expensive.

Oh that’s interesting! I don’t really want curls but I do straighten my very fine hair most days