We write about hundreds of products a week. Here, in our version of the Sunday circular, we’ve plucked some of our favourites — expert-recommended essentials, life-changing stuff you didn’t know you needed, newly launched gizmos, and the very good deals we uncovered while trawling the vast online-shopping universe this past week, including a versatile steel digger, a baby gift that’s become a reader favourite, and some flattering trousers for less than £15.
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A musical baby gift (with volume control)
A reentry into our readers’ favourites in July, this piano toy is currently heavily discounted. It was first recommended to us by Natasha Crookes, director of public affairs and communications at the British Toy and Hobby Association, who says that it’s “great for little fingers with the innovative feature of magic-touch technology — no buttons or keys needed.” And though it doesn’t boast complex buttons for babies to navigate, there’s one that’s sure to delight parents: the volume control.
Some breezy trousers
To dress for this transitional weather, associate director of audience development Rosie Percy was on the lookout for something cooler than her go-to ’70s-style jeans. While scrolling through H&M’s new-in section, she spotted these cotton twill trousers. “They feel lighter than denim but with the same indigo material and contrasting white stitching that I love in jeans,” she wrote. “A smidge of elastane gives them a flatteringly snug fit, and the wide legs have just enough stiffness to kick out rather than flap around my five-foot-one frame.” Flattering, functional, and just £13.
A chef’s knife for left-handed home cooks
Most chef’s knives are designed with the sharpened edge on the left, putting left-handed cooks at a disadvantage when it comes to filleting, deboning, and carving. This Eden Kanso Aogami blade for left-handed cooks is longer than the average (at nine inches) but lightweight and made of Aogami Blue Paper steel, and it features a handsome wooden handle.
This versatile Korean digger
Shopping for dads can be notoriously hard. If he likes to spend his summer tinkering around in the garden, he’s an ideal candidate for this non-gimmicky gift from our roundup of presents for every type of dad. The Deawon hand-forged digger can be used for turning over soil, weeding, and planting bulbs even in heavy or rocky soil.
An engrossing novel
We also have some gift inspiration to cater to every type of mum, including bookish ones. This novel by Akwaeke Emezi comes recommended by another author, Annie Lord. She told us about its engrossing twists and that it contains some of the best steamy writing she’s “read in ages.” An ideal gift for a mum who’s been in a reading slump, then.
Some stylish staple shoes
White trainers are wardrobe essentials for good reason. To find the 11 very best, we chatted with 13 shoe experts, stylish women, and footwear obsessives. Interior designer Suzy Hoodless named Adidas Stan Smiths “a classic trainer I have worn forever.” She’s enough of a fan to have both a clean and beaten-up pair on the go at any one time, the latter “great for roaming around the country or when I am in the garden.” And if you’re between a U.K. size 3 and 5.5, you can save about one-third of the adult price by getting yours in the older kids’ range for £55.
And a dark circle–banishing gel
If your under-eye area is in need of a little zing following days spent staring at screens (or nights of next-to-no sleep), we spoke with dermatologists to find some eye creams that really work. For dark circles, cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Noelani Gonzalez recommends this gel from La Roche-Posay. It contains caffeine and niacinamide, and comes in a soothing, cooling gel to gently pat into the skin — but avoid your upper eyelid, Gonzalez advises.
The Strategist UK is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Read about who we are and what we do here. Our editors update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.