New home Archives - COOLCURATION

May 12, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Housewarming Gifts UK 2026: 22 Picks That Get Used

Last updated: 12 May 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Someone you know just got the keys to their new place. They are surrounded by cardboard boxes, they cannot find the kettle, and the WiFi is not set up yet. This is our properly tested round-up of the best housewarming gifts UK friends and family will thank you for in 2026, mixing design-led objects, smart home kit, and heirloom-grade pieces no first-time homeowner ever buys for themselves.

"When we moved house ourselves, people asked what we wanted and we said nothing, honestly. What we actually wanted was a decent knife, a smart plug, and someone to sort the WiFi."

A candle lasts two weeks. A proper chef's knife lasts twenty years. We have built this guide around that exact principle, with a mix of CoolCuration gift detail pages, a handful of Amazon UK picks for the items we genuinely use ourselves, and two books worth posting through a letterbox when you cannot visit in person.

Some links in this guide are affiliate or referral links. This costs you nothing extra and helps support the site. We only recommend things we would actually want to receive on moving day.

Published by Stiv in Designers, Gift Guides, New home

May 6, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Sustainable Gifts UK 2026: Genuine Good Picks by Person and Price

Last updated: 6 May 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Most sustainable gift guides are lists of things nobody actually wants. Refillable washing-up liquid. A bamboo cutlery set in a hemp pouch. A "zero-waste starter kit" that ends up at the back of a drawer by February. We have spent the last year quietly testing a different kind of list, and these are the best sustainable gifts UK shoppers can actually buy in 2026 without apologising for the wrapping. We have organised them by person and by price, not by room, because nobody shops by room.

Inside you will find ceramic mugs you would steal from a friend, a refurbished iPad that costs half the new price, an apron made in Blackburn, a snake plant from a London nursery, a Hockney postcard set from Saltaire, and a body scrub made from coffee grounds rescued from cafés. Some are under £20. One is over £400. All of them pass the same test: would the person opening it be genuinely pleased, not politely pleased.

Affiliate disclosure: some links in this guide are affiliate or referral links, which means CoolCuration may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. We only ever recommend products we have used, tested, or would buy ourselves. Nothing in this guide is paid placement, and brands do not see the copy before publication.

Published by Stiv in Carbon conscious, Designers, Gift Guide, New home

November 19, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Hue Bridge Pro Review UK 2026: Is the Philips Hub Worth It?

Last updated: 26 March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Cool Factor: 4/5 — Stone cold

If your smart-home lighting setup now involves more bulbs than your family has opinions, you need a proper conductor. That's exactly what the Philips Hue Bridge Pro sets out to be. In this Hue Bridge Pro review, we'll dig into whether Signify's upgraded hub truly earns the "Pro" badge, or if it's just the old Bridge in a new graphite suit. After several months of real-world use, here's our honest verdict.

Published by Stiv in New home, Reviews, Technology lover

Tags: hue accessories, hue lightstrip, hue motionaware, hue sync tv, matter smart home, philips hue bridge pro, philips hue bridge pro review, philips hue bridge vs pro, philips hue review, smart home UK, smart lighting hub

November 16, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Eero Mesh WiFi Review UK: Is It Worth It?

Last updated: 24 March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Cool Factor: 4/5 – Stone cold

I used to dread working from home whenever my partner jumped on a video call. Our old router would buckle, the bedroom WiFi would vanish, and streaming anything in 4K was a fantasy. Then I installed an eero mesh WiFi system and everything changed overnight. This eero mesh WiFi review covers exactly what happened, which model suits which household, and whether it deserves the hype in 2026.

Published by Stiv in Android apps, Apple apps, Apps, Best of Amazon, New home, Reviews, Services, Technology lover

Tags: amazon tech, black friday deals, eero, eero mesh wifi, eero review, home tech, home wifi, mesh wifi, smart home, uk tech reviews, wifi review, wifi routers

August 12, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Blink Video Doorbell review SEO Title: Blink Video Doorbell Review UK: Smart Security on a Budget

Last updated: 22 March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Cool Factor: 3/5 - Cool

This Blink Video Doorbell review covers the latest (2nd generation) model from Amazon's budget security brand. With a head-to-toe HD camera, two-year battery life, Alexa integration, and cloud storage starting at just £2.50 a month, it's one of the most affordable smart doorbells you can get in the UK. We've been testing it on our own front door. Here's our honest verdict.

Published by Stiv in Best of Amazon, New home, Reviews, Technology lover

Tags: alexa, battery doorbell, blink, blink video doorbell, echo show, home security, smart doorbell UK, smart home, subscription, uk smart home, video doorbell, wireless, wireless doorbell

December 30, 2020 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Air Fryer UK 2026: Which One Should You Actually Buy?

Last updated: 22 March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Finding the best air fryer UK kitchens can rely on in 2026 is harder than it sounds. There are hundreds of models out there, from cheap no-name baskets to premium dual-zone machines that practically cook dinner for you. Prices range from under £60 to well over £300, and not all of them are worth your money.

We've done the legwork. Below, we break down the top air fryers worth buying right now, who each one suits, how much they'll actually cost to run on your electricity bill, and a few tips to help you choose the right one for your kitchen.

Published by Stiv in Best of Amazon, Designers, Homebodies, New home, Technology lover

Tags: air fryer, air frying, airfrying, best air fryer UK, cooking, energy saving, food, home, kitchen, lifestyle, new, new home, Ninja, Our Place Wonder Oven, Philips, tchnology, technology

November 28, 2020 — Comments are off for this post.

Artist Support Pledge: Spotlight

ARTIST SUPPORT PLEDGE the brainchild of artist Matthew Burrows is providing a lifeline to artists globally. Here's the top picks from the COOLCURATION crew.

Published by Stiv in Artists, New home

Tags: art, artist, artistsupportpledge, arts, creative, gifts