Reviews Archives - Page 12 of 14

November 8, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Affinity by Canva Review: Is the New Free Creative App Actually That Good?

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

Affinity by Canva is Canva’s new all-in-one creative app that combines what used to be Affinity Photo, Designer and Publisher into a single, totally free program in this review we cover off everything from it's features to how it compares to Adobe's staples. It is aimed at people who want Adobe-level tools without paying a monthly subscription and it currently runs on Mac and Windows, with iPad on the way. Canva says this version is free forever and can export straight to Canva, which is a big shift from the old paid Affinity model.

Published by Stiv in Apps, Reviews, Services, UK Made

Tags: adobe alternative, affinity by canva review, affinity canva review, affinity design app, affinity photo designer publisher, affinity vs adobe, canva affinity app, canva ai tools, canva for designers, canva free design software, creative software uk, free creative apps, graphic design tools, illustrator alternative free, indesign alternative free, photoshop alternative free

November 6, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Collecting Contemporary Art: Gilbert & George’s Ink Washes 2023 – 2025

Bold, British and brilliantly irreverent 🎨

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

If you’re thinking about collecting contemporary art and want something that shouts personality, Gilbert & George’s ink washes are an ideal starting point. Known for their bold humour and graphic punch, the pair’s most recent works — the Royal Ink Washes (2023) and The 21st Century Ink Washes (2025) — bring colour, chaos and satire to your walls.

These editions are hand-painted on heavyweight 400 gsm watercolour paper, each signed, numbered and limited to 50. Whether you hang one in a hallway or above the sofa, they make a statement that says “serious collector with a sense of humour”.

Published by Stiv in Art Lovers, Artists, Reviews, UK Made

Tags: British artists, collecting art, contemporary art UK, Gilbert and George, home decor, ink washes, modern art collectors, Royal Ink Washes 2023, The 21st Century 2025

November 5, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

JPMorgan Personal Investing Review UK, Is It Worth It?

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.

Cool Factor: 4/5

This is my honest JPMorgan Personal Investing review for UK investors. I've spent time with the platform, tested the app, compared the fees, and put together a clear take on whether it deserves your money. If you're weighing up a managed investment platform for your ISA, pension, or general investing, this should help you decide.

This review is based on years of my own use. I've been a customer since the Nutmeg days, I was even a small backer in their Crowdcube raise before JPMorgan bought the business, an Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) holding that earned me roughly a 50% return on that little stake when the sale went through, and today I hold several growth pots, a pension and a Lifetime ISA on the platform. So this comes from real, ongoing use rather than marketing material.

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.

Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

Want the JPMorgan new-customer offer?

The current new-customer offer (6 months of investing with no management fees at the time of writing) and full terms are kept on our referral page. Capital at risk. Terms and conditions apply.

See the JPMorgan referral offer

Published by Stiv in Finance, Investing, Reviews

Tags: chase bank, investing, investment platform, isa, jpmorgan, JPMorgan Personal Investing, managed portfolio, money management, nutmeg, personal investing, referral code, robo advisor uk, sipp, uk investing

November 3, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Exhale Coffee Review UK – Is It Worth the Hype?

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

If you've spotted Exhale Coffee all over Instagram and wondered whether it lives up to the hype, this Exhale coffee review has you covered. We've tested all three roasts, dug into the science behind their antioxidant claims, and brewed more cups than we can count. Here's what we really think after several months of daily use.

Published by Stiv in £25 and under, Coffee connoisseur, Reviews, Saving, UK Made

Tags: antioxidant coffee, B Corp coffee, best coffee brands UK, eco coffee, Exhale coffee review, Exhale Coffee UK, healthy coffee, organic coffee, UK coffee subscription

November 2, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

TrainPal Review UK: Split Tickets, PalPoints and Real Savings

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

Welcome to our honest TrainPal review, where we put the app through its paces to find out whether it genuinely saves you money on UK train travel. After months of booking tickets, testing split fares, claiming Delay Repay refunds and earning PalPoints, we're sharing everything we've learned. On top of that, you can get up to £11 off your first ticket using our invite code 57807b9c.

Want up to £11 off your first ticket?

Use our TrainPal invite link with code 57807b9c, and the discount applies automatically to your first booking.

Get up to £11 off your first ticket

Published by Stiv in Android apps, Apple apps, Apps, Discount, Reviews, Services, Travel lover

Tags: cheap train tickets, coolcuration reviews, palpoints, save money on trains, split ticketing uk, train apps uk, trainpal app, trainpal card, trainpal discount code, TrainPal referral code, trainpal review, trainpal uk, travel apps uk

November 1, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Back Market Review UK: Honest Verdict on Refurbished Tech

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

Cool Factor

★★★★☆

4 out of 5 — Stone cold

This Back Market review UK is based on our own purchases (one Apple, one Android), months of real-world use, and a deep look at what thousands of other UK buyers are saying in 2026. We cover what works, what falls short, and whether refurbished tech from Back Market is genuinely worth your money. For a factual overview of the service, head to our Back Market service guide. If you want a discount code, check our Back Market discount code page.

Want a Back Market discount?

Our Back Market discount code page has the current code and referral link for money off a refurbished device.

Get a Back Market discount code

Published by Stiv in Reviews, Services, Tech Hacks, Technology lover, UK Made

Tags: back market coupon, back market discount code, back market referral code, back market review, back market trustpilot, back market uk, best refurbished tech sites uk, buy refurbished uk, cool curation review, eco friendly gadgets, refurbished android uk, refurbished electronics, refurbished iphone uk, refurbished laptop uk, refurbished phones uk, refurbished tech uk, second hand tech, sustainable tech, tech deals uk

October 31, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Smart Plugs UK: Tested and ComparedBest Smart Plugs in the UK

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

Smart plugs remain one of the cheapest and easiest ways to start building a smarter home. After testing and comparing the best smart plugs UK buyers can get right now, the Tapo P110M is still our top pick for 2026. It offers Matter support, real-time energy monitoring and a compact design, all for under £17. Here is how it stacks up against the Philips Hue, Eve Energy and Meross alternatives.

Published by Stiv in Reviews, Smart Home, Technology lover

Tags: best smart plug UK, best smart plugs UK, Cool Curation techies, energy monitoring plug, Eve Energy, Matter smart plug, Meross smart plug, Philips Hue Smart Plug, smart home UK, smart plug comparison, smart plug review 2025, Tapo P110M review

October 30, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Tapo P110M Smart Plug Review UK — Best Budget Matter Plug

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: 5/5 — Ice cold

Looking for a Tapo P110M review you can trust? Good, because this compact little smart plug has earned a permanent spot in our setup. If you want a smart plug that plays nicely with every major ecosystem, tracks your energy use in real time, and costs less than a couple of cinema tickets, the Tapo P110M is one of the best options in the UK right now. It combines Matter support, energy monitoring and a genuinely thoughtful design at a price that's hard to argue with.

Published by Stiv in Reviews, Technology lover

Tags: Best budget smart plug, Matter smart plug, smart home UK, Smart plug review UK, Tapo energy monitoring, Tapo Matter support, Tapo P110M review

October 26, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Simba Mattress Review UK — Honest Pros, Cons and Verdict

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

This Simba mattress review covers everything you actually need to know before spending serious money on a new bed. We've tested the flagship Hybrid, dug into the full UK range, checked the current sale terms, and come away genuinely impressed — with a few caveats. If you're after a medium-firm hybrid mattress with proper cooling tech and a generous trial period, Simba deserves a spot on your shortlist.

Published by Stiv in Homebodies, Reviews, Self-care Champion

Tags: 2025 deals, bedding, bedroom, cooling mattress, mattress, simba, simba hybrid, sleep, uk reviews

October 25, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

ManyPets Review UK: Is It Worth It? (Honest 2026 Opinion)

Last updated: 9 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.

Cool Factor: 4/5

This ManyPets review is our honest take on one of the UK's most popular pet insurers. We've looked closely at the plans, pricing, claims record, and small print to help you decide whether ManyPets is actually worth your money. Spoiler: it's very good, but it's not without a few catches you should know about before signing up.

Want the ManyPets sign-up perk?

Our ManyPets discount code page has the current referral link, which gets you a free Amazon voucher when you take out a new policy.

Get the ManyPets discount code

Published by Stiv in Cat Lovers, Dog Lovers, Reviews, Services

Tags: best pet insurance uk, cat insurance 2026, dog insurance 2026, lifetime pet cover, manypets amazon voucher, manypets claims, manypets pet insurance, ManyPets review, manypets review 2025, pet insurance comparison uk, pet insurance UK, uk pet insurance review