Pact Coffee has unveiled a new coffee advent calendar for 2025, with 25 portions of ground or whole bean coffee to unwrap every day in December for the price of £39.95 (via Pact Coffee).
I know what you’re thinking, it’s far too soo to be discussing advent calendars. But at the rate that these products sell out, it’s worth highlighting the ones that are actually worth your time.
And with an eye-catching, intricate gilded design and a focus on quality (with a range of origins, roasts and flavours on offer), this wouldn’t just make a fabulous countdown for yourself, but would also put you in good stead with whoever you gift it to, especially those with one of the best coffee machines. Here’s a full look at it.
You can choose between ground or wholebean coffee if you do pick up this calendar – it’s also available on Amazon if you’d rather make use of your Prime membership.
I’m an advent calendar skeptic – most of the time it feels like brands take spare stock and shove them into a product with a much higher RRP for Christmastime, which doesn’t feel very festive to me.
That’s not the case with this, which has beans to last you throughout December with each parcel working out as about £1.60 in value. For that price, you don’t just get run of the mill coffee. You’re treated to exclusive limited edition coffees from the speciality coffee brand (I’m praying Pact’s Bourbon Cream Espresso blend is going to be in there), customer favourites and ‘rare micro-lots’ too.
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(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
The thing that initially impressed me most with this calendar is the packaging. I opted for the wholebean version (to use with my beloved Ninja Luxe Café Pro machine) which comes in an emerald green with delicate gold accents, including illustrations of all of your standard coffee apparatus including a gilded mokka pot. I reckon it would make a very impressive gift.
This isn’t a traditional calendar design with pull-out drawers or doors, but it does mark each day with a pouch of coffee (of course) and a profile card which describes what you’re drinking and where it’s from, as well as giving tasting notes.
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(Image credit: Pact)
So if you’re more of an edible and drinkable advent calendar person or if you have a caffeine addict in your life that you need to tick off a Christmas gift for, I’m all in for this version from Pact. Now I just need to wait for December to roll around!
Soup season has arrived and along with it the launch of a new do-it-all soup maker. This launch, from Panasonic (for £169.99), promises to whizz up fast, healthy soups for you in as little as 22 minutes and has ten other functions to keep your kitchen running smoothly. It blends and heats soup but also has cold settings for smoothies or frozen drinks, too.
Seeing as it’s the ideal time of the year for a bit of leek and potato, I’ve been trying this soup maker out in my kitchen to see how it fares. Here’s how I’ve gotten along with it so far, as well as how it compares to its fellow best soup makers. Hey, I’ll even make an argument for why you might buy it over one of the best blenders.
So far, I’ve only made soup with this gadget as I’ve been using it a little over a week, but I’ll be sure to try out its full suite of settings before I give my final verdict.
My first recipe was a carrot and coriander soup for a speedy midweek dinner. The only prep I needed to do beforehand was to roughly chop an onion, my carrots and a small potato and to boil a kettle for some vegetable stock. Your chopping doesn’t need to be neat or uniform here, though it is important you don’t overfill the maker with hot liquid (there’s a very clear max fill line).
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(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
In under five minutes I had chucked the ingredients into the jug and filled it with stock. All that was left to do was use the control panel, which is very intuitive, and set it to Smooth Soup mode. The unit then flashed to let me know that it was warming the device, before a timer showed for 22 minutes.
That left me with plenty of free time (in which I could unload and refill the dishwasher), as well as a window to make accompanying cheese and ham toasties in. When the cycle was complete, the consistency of the soup was as smooth as anything you’d get from a can and the automatic keep warm function worked a treat for serving up portions later in the day too.
Next up was leek and potato, which was just as easy to prep for – all you need to do is chuck everything in to get mixed up.
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(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
As with the first recipe, it took under 30 minutes from getting my chopping board out to having hot soup ready to go.
I’ve been impressed with how intuitive this soup maker has been to use so far, though I’ve still got some doubts about how much I’ll use it long-term and the viability for most people of having something quite so big in their kitchen. But, as promised, it is fairly quiet and very capable. The cold blending modes mean that I can totally see why you’d buy it over a standard blender too for the price, as you can pack so much more functionality into one appliance.
I’ve still got plenty of broths to make before I come to my final verdict on this gadget but so far, I can totally see why a soup lover would want it.
Cuisinart has unveiled a host of brand new coffee machines, including multiple bean-to-cup and espresso options, for those looking to create a cosy café feel at home.
This new collection, which includes a compact coffee grinder which will set you back just £24.99 (via Cuisinart), comes as a slew of rivals also attempt to create the best coffee machine for even the smallest kitchens – it’s hot on the heels of releases from Breville and Ninja just this month.
The most expensive machine in the range? That’ll be the Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew Espresso Machine, which will set you back over £400 more than that small coffee grinder and promises to guide you through every step of the coffee-making process. Here’s a full look at this brand new collection.
If you want a machine to kickstart your at-home coffee journey, this compact espresso maker has plenty of winning features for its price tag.
The two bean-to-cup machines in this collection occupy very different spaces, with varying designs.
While the automatic version is designed for those who want to grab and go with their morning americano on their way to work, the more expensive Grind, Tamp and Brew offers more customisation and gives you that hands-on feel of being a barista in your own home. It will take a little longer to extract a coffee from it though.
(Image credit: Cuisinart)
Another highlight of the Grind, Tamp and Brew machine is its cold extraction setting, which gives customers access to cold brew at home which takes only a short time to dispense. It also has assisted tamping, just like the newer Ninja Luxe Café Pro series machine (which I recently awarded 5 stars to in my review).
The most affordable option is the brand’s Slim Espresso machine, which has 15-bar pressure and cold brew capability (just like Smeg’s much more expensive release), setting you back £179.99. It’s also a serious space saver at just 15.5cm wide.
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(Image credit: Cuisinart)
With Black Friday just around the corner, it’s worth keeping an eye on the price of all of these brand new coffee releases as you might just be able to bag a bargain in November. I’d definitely decide which of these machines you want to bookmark for the sales!
Whilst this new Ninja air fryer looks very similar to one we’ve already awarded 5 stars to in our review – the Ninja Air Fryer MAX Pro – it’s actually slightly different. With a smaller capacity (4.7 litres as opposed to 6.2 litres) and a refreshed design, it’s suited perfectly to cosier kitchens with less worktop space. Here’s a full look at this new Ninja buy.
Ninja
Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4.7l – Cyber Space Af140ukcyd
Available in the new Cyber-Space Blue or the more traditional Black, this single drawer air fryer can still fit a 1kg air fryer in it according to Ninja.
If you haven’t been swayed by the call of an air fryer yet, that might have been because you’re short on space. That’s where this petite Ninja number comes in so handy – at just 26.5cm high and 28.5cm wide, it’s ideal if you only have one snug corner left unadorned for a new appliance.
It can even fit under cupboards, but just don’t forget to pull it out when using it to escape problems with condensation.
Fitting with the ongoing trend of colourful kitchen appliances (including the debut of pastel Slushi drinks makers), this air fryer isn’t just available in black, but also in deep blue. It has a simple touch control panel too.
(Image credit: Ninja)
You can pick up Ninja air fryers with many functions, including my favourite air fryer ever the FlexDrawer, but if you want something more straightforward then this release will fit the bill. It has four uncomplicated settings: Air Fry, Roast, Reheat and Dehydrate.
If you do decide to take the plunge on this affordable air fryer, you also get some free accessories thrown in. With your purchase, you’ll receive a Ninja apron and tongs too.
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(Image credit: Ninja)
Could you be tempted by this smaller air fryer for your kitchen? Let me know your ideal air fryer size in the comments.
One of the biggest perks of autumn is that it marks the beginning of cosy soup season. The drop in temperatures outside is the perfect excuse to step into the kitchen to make a hearty bowl of soup. And it’s just got even easier to do so, as Aldi’s sell-out soup maker is coming back to stores and is even cheaper than last time.
Whether you like a smooth broth or a chunky stew, it’s always a good idea to keep one of the best soup makers in your kitchen, ready for action. Of course, you can make soup the old-fashioned way, but these handy appliances turn your raw ingredients into hot, steaming soup at minimal effort – ensuring you get a nutritious meal on the busiest of days.
Landing in stores on Thursday (2 October), Aldi’s soup maker was a sell-out last year, and at £29.99 (£5 cheaper than last time it hit the middle aisle, I predict it will fly off the shelves once again.
AMBIANO
Aldi Soup Maker
Enjoy delicious soup in just 30 minutes. With six settings to choice from, all you need to do is add your raw ingredients and let the soup maker do the rest.
Morphy Richards Clarity Soup Maker
One of Ideal Home‘s best-rated soup makers, the clear glass jug means you can get the consistency of your soup just right. Plus, it takes just 21 minutes to make soup, making it a great option if you’re in a rush.
At £29.99, the Aldi Ambiano Soup Maker is a very purse-friendly option, and with a 1.6L capacity it’s large enough to feed a household of four. Plus, with a digital display and a choice of silver or matte black colourways, this winter kitchen essential has a sleek look to suit any kitchen idea.
The Ambiano Soup Maker has 6 multi-functions, including the settings: blend, keep warm, smoothie, compote, chunky soup and smooth soup. So you can enjoy your favourite soups without worrying about whether the maker is capable or not.
The soup maker takes less than 30 minutes to turn your raw ingredients into soup, and it even has a memory function of one minute to allow you to add ingredients during the cooking process. Plus, with a silicone ring at the top of the soup maker, steam is minimised during the cooking process. The Aldi Ambiano Soup Maker has both an overfill and overspill function and comes with a three-year warranty, too.
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Like Aldi, it has a 1.6L capacity, but can make your delicious soup even faster, taking just 21 minutes. It also has an effective self-cleaning and keep warm function for an even easier experience.
Alternatively, these are three more soup makers the Ideal Home team rate highly.
Ninja Foodi HB150UK Blender and Soup Maker
This Ninja soup maker is our best-rated soup maker overall. It has a sauté setting, self-cleans, and has a separate sauce mode in addition to its manual cooking mode.
Salter Electric Homemade Healthy Soup Maker
I have a lot of Salter products in my kitchen due to their high quality and affordable prices. This budget-friendly option has a heatproof handle and simple controls, making it very easy and user-friendly.
Judge Soup Maker
This soup maker heats up fast and has an easy-to-pour design, and comes with a bonus egg cooker. It can handle everything from soups to hot chocolates and smoothies, and even comes with a handy recipe book.
If you’re looking to enjoy cosy soups all winter long, but don’t want to spend a lot, the Aldi Ambiano Soup Maker is a great budget-friendly choice that shares a lot of features with high-end models. Would you like to try it?
