Technology lover Archives - Page 2 of 6

April 28, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Phone for Every Budget UK 2026 (iPhone, Android, Fairphone)

Last updated: 28 April 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

There are too many phones. Every manufacturer releases three tiers, each with two sizes, every year, and frankly it is exhausting. So we have cut through it: here is the best phone for every budget in the UK right now, whether you are team iPhone, team Android, team sustainable, or team "just give me something that works for under £200".

Some links in this guide are affiliate or referral links. This costs you nothing extra and helps support the site.

Published by Stiv in Buying Guides, Guides, Tech News, Technology lover

Tags: android, best phone, budget phone, fairphone, iPhone, iPhone 17 Pro, mobile, Nothing Phone, Pixel 10 Pro, refurbished phones, Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, smartphones, UK tech 2026

April 27, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Analogue Pocket Review UK 2026: Is It Worth Importing?

Last updated: 28 April 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

This Analogue Pocket review comes after three months of daily use, dozens of cartridges, and one surprisingly hefty import bill. The short version? It is genuinely the best way to play Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games in 2026. The screen alone justifies the hype. But the price, especially for UK buyers, takes some of the shine off. Here is what it is actually like to live with.

Published by Stiv in Kids and big kids, Reviews, Technology lover

Tags: Analogue Pocket, Analogue Pocket review, FPGA, Game Boy, gaming, handheld console, retro gaming, retro handheld UK, reviews

April 21, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Refurbished Laptops UK 2026: Top Picks and Where to Buy

Last updated: 21 April 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

A brand new MacBook Air costs over £1,000. A refurbished laptop with the same specs, a 12-month warranty, and a 30-day returns policy costs under £750. Same laptop. Same performance. Just without the new-box smell. If you have been wondering whether refurbished laptops UK buyers can actually rely on are any good, the answer is yes. We know because we buy them. Here is how to buy refurbished laptops in the UK without getting burned.

Two of us are typing this on refurbished MacBooks right now. One came from Back Market, the other from the Apple Refurbished Store. Both arrived looking and performing like new. The Back Market one was about 30% cheaper than buying new.

This post contains referral links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps fund the site. As always, our recommendations are based on genuine experience, not commissions.

Published by Stiv in Money saving, Services, Smart Home, Sustainable Living, Tech News, Technology lover

Tags: Back Market, laptop buying guide, MacBook Air, refurbished laptops, refurbished MacBook, refurbished tech, sustainable tech, ThinkPad

April 20, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best LEGO Sets for Adults UK: 6 Builds We Genuinely Rate (2026)

Last updated: 20 April 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

We will be honest: a few of us at CoolCuration got back into LEGO during lockdown and never really stopped. What started as a mindful distraction from doomscrolling turned into a proper hobby, and it turns out we are not alone. LEGO sets for adults are booming in 2026, with sets designed for grown-ups now making up over 15% of the entire range. These are not toys. They are weekend projects, stress relievers, and display pieces that genuinely look good in your living room. Here are six sets we have built, loved, or have on our wishlists right now.

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Published by Stiv in Gift Guide, Gift Guides, Lifestyle, Technology lover

Tags: adult LEGO, gifts for adults, LEGO, LEGO Botanicals, LEGO display, LEGO Ideas, LEGO sets for adults, LEGO Technic, LEGO UK

April 18, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Honest Mobile Review UK 2026: Is It Worth Switching?

Last updated: 18 April 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 out of 5 — Stone cold

Most mobile networks spend their marketing budget shouting about unlimited data and free Spotify. Honest Mobile spends theirs planting trees and donating to charity. After four months using it as our daily SIM, here's our Honest Mobile review, covering signal, pricing, the app, and whether the ethical angle comes at the cost of actually being a good network.

Thinking of switching to Honest Mobile?

Our Honest Mobile referral page has the sign-up link and any current offer.

Try Honest Mobile

Published by Stiv in Carbon conscious, Ethical Living, Reviews, Tech Hacks, Tech News, Technology lover, Travel lover

Tags: Ethical Tech, Honest Mobile, Mobile Networks, reviews, SIM only, UK mobile

April 16, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

FYTA Beam G2 Review UK: The Best Smart Plant Sensor We’ve Tried

Last updated: 16 April 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 review contains referral links. If you purchase through our link on the FYTA Beam detail page, you get 10% off. Our opinions remain entirely independent.

Cool Factor: 4/5

We have been searching for a reliable smart plant sensor for years. After failed attempts with Xiaomi and Parrot, we finally landed on the FYTA Beam G2. This FYTA Beam review covers four months of daily use across 13 sensors in a London flat, and the short version is: it is genuinely the best plant tracking system we have found. Not perfect, mind you. But properly impressive.

Published by Stiv in Green fingers, Green Living, Reviews, Smart Home, Technology lover

Tags: FYTA, FYTA Beam, FYTA Beam G2, indoor plants, plant care, plant sensor, reviews, smart home, tech

April 11, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Analogue Pocket UK Buyer’s Guide 2026: Every System It Plays

Last updated: 11 April 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.

The Analogue Pocket UK buyer's guide covers everything you need to know before spending upwards of £270 on what might be the finest retro gaming handheld ever made. This FPGA-powered device plays Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges straight out of the box. With adapters and community cores, it goes much further. We are talking Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket, SNES, Mega Drive, arcade classics and more. If you have ever wondered whether the Analogue Pocket is worth importing to the UK, this guide has your answers.

Published by Stiv in Reviews, Tech News, Technology lover

Tags: Analogue Pocket, FPGA, Game Boy, handheld console, openFPGA, retro gaming, retro handheld UK

April 11, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Refurbished Phones UK 2026 – iPhones, Androids and Top Deals

Last updated: 11 April 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.

There are two types of people at CoolCuration: those who would sell a kidney for the latest iPhone, and those who would rather eat their own SIM card than leave Android. The office group chat is basically a rolling debate about widgets versus AirDrop. However, there is one thing we all agree on: buying refurbished is the smartest phone move you can make in 2026. This guide rounds up the best refurbished phones UK buyers can get right now, covering flagships, budget gems and sustainable picks from both sides of the divide.

Here is a number that should stop you in your tracks. A refurbished iPhone 15 Pro on Back Market right now starts at around £400. That is roughly what you would pay for a brand new iPhone 16e. One gives you the same chip as an iPhone 15, a single camera and no ProMotion display. The other gives you a titanium flagship with a 48MP triple camera system, ProMotion, and full Apple Intelligence support. Let that sink in.

Published by Stiv in Buying Guides, Carbon conscious, Comparison, Comparisons, Money saving, Technology lover

Tags: Amazon Renewed, Apple Intelligence, Back Market, iPhone 15 Pro, Pixel 8 Pro, refurbished Android, refurbished iPhones, refurbished phones, refurbished phones uk, Samsung Galaxy, SIM only deals, sustainable tech

April 8, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Smart Rings UK 2026: Tested and Compared

Last updated: 8 April 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.

We have been wearing smart rings at CoolCuration for the past few months, and honestly, it has changed how we think about health tracking. Between the five of us on the team, we have tested every major option on the market right now. So if you are looking for the best smart rings UK buyers can actually get hold of in 2026, this is everything we have learned from wearing them day and night, through gym sessions, pub trips, rainy runs and too many late coffees.

Below, you will find hands-on verdicts for five rings, a head-to-head comparison table, a breakdown of how smart rings stack up against the Apple Watch, and a practical buying guide to help you pick the right one. Every product has been worn for weeks, not just unboxed for a quick look. Let's get into it.

Published by Stiv in Best of Amazon, Comparison, Comparisons, Reviews, Self-care Champion, Sport fanatics, Student, Technology lover

Tags: Amazfit Helio Ring, fitness tracker, health tracking, Oura Ring 4, RingConn Gen 2, Samsung Galaxy Ring, sleep tracking, smart ring vs Apple Watch, smart rings, Ultrahuman Ring Air, wearable tech

April 7, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best eSIM for UK Travel 2026: Stay Connected Abroad and at Home

Last updated: 10 June 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.

Trying to find the best eSIM for UK travel in 2026? Whether you are a UK resident heading abroad or a visitor arriving in Britain, eSIM technology has made staying connected simpler, cheaper, and far less faff than swapping physical SIM cards at the airport. In this guide, we break down the top eSIM providers, which UK mobile networks support eSIM, and how three budget-friendly options can keep you online without burning through your holiday fund.

Published by Stiv in Comparison, Comparisons, Mobile Networks, Money saving, Tech Hacks, Technology lover, Travel, Travel lover

Tags: eSIM, eSIM UK, EU roaming, giffgaff, Honest Mobile, mobile data, roaming charges, SIM only, Smarty, travel eSIM, travel tips, UK travel